Review - Thoughts on S5E18 "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" (massive unmarked SPOILERS) · 5:51pm Oct 10th, 2015
Introduction
I was totally blown away by this episode. It was the perfect conclusion to the saga of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, while ending it in a way which leaves open the possibility of numerous future CMC episodes. In the process, it seriously-developed Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and introduced a whole bunch of new background characters. There are massive unmarked SPOILERS throughout this review, more so than in many reviews, because this basically wraps up a major story arc for the show. It also has profound implications for the Shadow Wars Story Verse.
I. Linked Destinies
The precise nature of the Cutie Marks the Crusaders got -- namely that all of them were in common escutcheons (shields) representing them as a group means that their destinies are linked. This may be something inherent from birth, or it might have resulted from their history together. Cutie Mark magic is temporal magic anyway, as we're seeing with Starlight Glimmer, and causality is complex in such matters.
The actual cutie marks within those shields were less surprising (their characters and talents have been firmly established in the show) than interesting. Apple Bloom gets an apple with a heart in it, perhaps representing her strong spirit or loving nature. Sweetie Belle gets a musical note in a star, representing her strong musical talent and destiny for fame. Scootaloo, interestingly, gets a winged lightning bolt, showing her linkage with Rainbow Dash and perhaps showing she's going to be a strong flier (the wing on that mark is a huge wing by Pegasus standards).
The interpretation the Cutie Mark Crusaders put on their marks is that their destiny is to help others find and understand their Cutie Marks. This may be the case, or it may only be the case during their adolesence. It's still possible (and indeed likely) that in adulthood they will pursue separate careers. But the linkage of their destinies does very strongly support the notion that they will be lifelong friends and comrades in various adventures -- much as are the Mane Six.
II. Diamond Tiara
We finally got character development for Diamond Tiara. For one thing, it's confirmed that her Cutie Mark represents her talent for leadership, which she demonstrates in the episode. For another thing, it's confirmed that Diamond Tiara was never just pointlessly evil -- she was trying to live up to the exaggerated status demands put on her by her mother. When she understood that she could be a more effective leader by learning to care about her followers, she shook off the style of leadership that her mother demanded.
All this happened because of the successful challenge mounted by Pip with the aid of the CMC. This led to Silver Spoon's break with Diamond Tiara (in which we see that Silver Spoon's friendship for DT only goes so far) and left Diamond Tiara alone and unloved. The CMC then took the crucial step of befriending Diamond Tiara, which gave them the influence with her they needed in order to convince her that there was a better approach to others than cruelty and scorn.
Notably (and the CMC themselves don't realize this in-story), Diamond Tiara hasn't actually changed that much (which is good character writing). She is still domineering, she still wants to lead and believes she should lead. She's just changed her tactics. In fact, depending on how you view Diamond Tiara's objectives, the CMC have either helped bring about the birth of a potentially major positive force in the Equestrian future, or created a monster.
For instance, at the end Diamond Tiara helps Pipsqueak (and everypony) by manipulating her mother and father into funding the new playground equipment. This is shown in-story as a good thing (and it is, in terms of the school's and students' objectives). DT's key realization here is that while Pip is charismatic (we saw that in "Luna Eclipsed," where he charms Luna herself) he's not really an effective leader because he lacks the ability to plan. Diamond Tiara just installed herself as Pip's new helper and pal, under terms where the whole school is aware that she is actually responsible for getting the new equipment installed.
In doing so, Diamond Tiara has still lost the Student Presidency, but she's gained everything else. Silver Spoon is once again her friend. Pip now sees her as a friend. The other students are once again following her, because she's rehabilitated herself in their eyes. And her most serious former opponents, the Cutie Mark Crusaders themselves, are now her friends. She's made peace with all the factions, and on terms favorable to herself!
This is Diamond Tiara, at something like 12-15 years old (depending on which chronology you use). Now imagine what she'll be like in another 10 years. 20 years. 40 years.
We're looking at one of the future political and economic leaders of the Realm, right here, folks. Hope her epiphany as to the superior effectiveness of playing positive-sum games extends to her general philosophy of administration, because DT's going to be powerful someday.
III. The Shadow Wars Storyverse
A. Apple Bloom: Her destiny in my stories is to lead the colonization of new worlds, starting with the Moon. The apple-in-a-heart-in-a-tree-or-hill-shaped-object mark, while very abstract, supports this destiny -- she'd be the "heart" of such efforts.
B. Sweetie Belle: Destined to become a great singer, raising the morale of Equestria and directly harming the Shadows with her power to project love through her music. The musical note in a star works perfectly for this.
C. Scootaloo: Destined to become an extremely strong flier and deadly aerospace fighter pilot. The lightning bolt in a huge wind very directly supports this concept, as it screams "military flier."
D. Diamond Tiara: Destined to become an industrialist and politician helping to lead Equestria's expansion beyond the Earth. Her discovery that her talent is for persuasion and leadership, and her learning how to lead effectively, supported this better than I could have hoped for.
IV. A Minor Jossing
We now know the name and personality of Diamond Tiara's mother, Spoiled Rich. This may negate the whole Golden Skates version (or not, as Ponies often go by more than one name, with use-names and nick-names galore). I'll have to think about it. This also affects some of my ideas regarding Featherweight, all originally inspired by Alex Warlorn.
Conclusion: This was one of the best My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episodes, ever. The plot was great, multiple new characters were developed, existing characters developed more deeply, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders saga taken to an epic climax. The songs were great, too.
So far, Season Five has been truly awesome, and this episode was no disappointment in that regard.
The ep was a specatcular way of celebrating the show's 5th birthday.
It's not a happy ending....it's a happy CONTINUATION!!!
I cried a lot when I watched this episode and honestly, I'm still tearing up just thinking about it.
I also want to point out that
just gave the fandom some more validation on the whole "apple family parents are truly dead" theory that's been kicking around for exactly five years. Last week's ep. helped provide the info that most of us knew that AJ and 
raised AB (with help from Granny of course)
I disagree with that bit, cause in Friendship forever (When she was the focus) It's revealed that Diamond Tiara gets away with most of the things she does because she tries to hide how much her mother influence has on her personality from her dad and trying not to show him, she the jerk in those scenario
I think this is the first time she just plain ask her father for help, with no tricks, cause i think she knows her dad would like to help with something like this. other then that, excellent reviw to a AMAZING ep.
3458126
Oh yes. It's very obvious from their tearful reactions that AJ's parents are dead.
3458214
You have a point there.
I like to think that Diamond Tiara eventually has a happy life.
I am a bit disappointed by Apple Bloom's mark. It just feels a little generic. I was hoping for something reflecting her physical or chemical engineering chops.
Oh well. It was still freaking awesome.
I was so surprised that they got their marks this episode. I also see that the CMC might grow to be something like the Boy/Girl Scouts in the future. Am also glad the turned Diamond Tiara form a friend, which means they might have gotten Sliver Spoon as well.
Still it's a shame we didn't see Scoots parents at her Cutieenara, I wonder why they couldn't make it...
Hmmm. Interesting how Spoiled Rich is the real cause of Diamond Tiara's behaviour, isn't it? It helps cement in my mind the fact that Starlight Glimmer's mother is why she's what she is. I know that you might not agree with my likening her to Elly Patterson but, well, Elly's mother was one of those people who think that letting a child know for sure that her mother loved and respected her and approved of the way she lived her life destroys any sort of initiative. The end result is to create an angry, anxious, superficially kind but essentially paranoid and short-tempered train wreck of a woman who blames everyone else but herself for her troubles and who can never admit to making a mistake or apologize....kinda like Pony Pretending To Be Kim Il-Sung.
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Same here -- but maybe it's just that Apple Bloom's engineering abilities are so varied that there's no one good way of representing them all.
2 thoughts:
1: This episode had more songs than Magical Mystery Cure, which is saying something. I'd almost think it was Emmy bait.
2: You do realize this means property damage is going to virtually disappear from Ponyville, unless something makes Princess OCD Sparkle go off the deep end again.
Curious: When Granny Smith called Filty Rich "Filthy", he corrected her and asked to be called simply "Rich". So... what do ponies call his wife?
As for all the stuff. Yeah, I've been waiting for years for the CMC's marks to finally arrive. This is one of those pivotal moments which shapes my overall view of the show. Does it allow its characters to permanently progress? Or does it simply tease us forever with kids who never grow up? I'm happy with MLP's decision to finally give the marks.
What I'm not happy about is the aesthetics of the marks. Seriously, they are fugly. Too many shades, and with poor contrast, and details that are too busy. Scoots' in particular is very low contrast against her coat. From anything but a closeup, you can't even tell what's going on. Not at all like everypony else's marks. But... fine. they are what they are, and at least they have finally arrived.
Excellent observations on DT. I have to say, I actively resisted the feels when watching this. I didn't want to become sympathetic toward DT given what an absolute bitch she's been for the past five years. But... *sigh* Fine. Pass the evil baton to her mother, I suppose. In a way, it's a good lesson for (normal) kids who need to realize that often a bully is just an abused child with crappy parents.
Your insights into DT's personality are top notch. I agree that she's got the makings for phenomenal leadership - or villainy. Your review just reminds me how badly I want you to review my own stuff at some point.
Pip... it's good to see him again, although is it just my imagination or is he physically smaller in relation to the other kids than he was in Luna Eclipsed? Also... we get some proper Dinky/Pip Ship Fuel here!
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Considering the inept quality of some of the advice the CMC got from their elders over the years I think there's definitely an opportunity for them to keep supplying those services into adulthood.
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And, again just like MMC, they weren't the show's best songs, while they ate up time in the episode. Oh, well. Unlike MMC, it was a generally good episode anyway, it hung together, and it has a point.
But property damage is going to continue. Remember that they interpret their destiny now as helping everypony else get their cutie marks... and what's the Crusaders' favorite way of looking for a cutie mark?
I just saw the episode. And I actually have a divergent point for that.
I thoroughly enjoyed the episode.
Regarding Diamond Tiara, I think I have a good "theme song" for her, for lack of a better term.
this episode has done a lot to damage and I fear it might still destroy MLP.
3520026
How has "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" damaged, let alone how would it "destroy," the show?
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It mostly has removed DT as a character.
Also, I'm uncertain about those cutie marks. They seem artificial, just no natural.
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How has it removed Diamond Tiara as a character? It's removed her as a total, fanatical antagonist of the CMC, but now we can see Diamond Tiara develop along a more happy and productive and useful path -- or fail to do so, and the question of whether she will succeed or not in realizing her potential as a true leader creates genuine dramatic tension.
The CMC's marks are close to what one would have predicted from their talents, save for the unifying escutcheons. It shows that their destinies are linked, and are related to protection (since the escutcheons are literal shields).
3522130
she seemed to right away be very nice. I would think she would be a little bit more demanding and rude.
But isn't a cutie mark a symbol of your individuality?
3522213
On the contrary: Diamond Tiara is still bitchy and demanding. Her goals are just nicer.
The CMC all have separate cutie marks. They just share an element in their Cutie Marks -- the shield.
3524084
She seemed very polite during that last song.
Well the cutie marks are very similar. They are the same outward shape and the same colors as well.