Cutie Mark Crusaders Ranking, Version 2 · 3:35am Dec 15th, 2015
It's been a long time since I did this list, but while my opinions of the princesses might not have changed (I still can't wrap my head around the premise of "The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows" and Princess Cadence's actions just don't make sense to me, at least when Princess Celestia was withholding information from Twilight, it was because she knew Twilight needed to reach the conclusion on her own to save the day. The existence of the Tanterbus may make Princess Luna's lessons to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom seem hypocritical, but she probably just didn't want them to end up on the same path she was on, and at least she actually did something with her title whereas Twilight only really added a student), my opinions on the CMC kind of have.
Here's the original version, but before we begin I have some bad news. At least for now, since we may not see Babs Seed in the show ever again, and they said it themselves she can't be a Cutie Mark Crusader anymore (really hope they retract that at some point) I can't include her. If I could, she'd probably still be number 1. Also, Pipsqueak and Diamond Tiara won't be counted, since they haven't offically become part of the group. If they start hanging out with the CMC and appear in their focus episodes as part of the group, they'll probably be added.
Now, with that out of the way, let's see how the three founding members stack up.
3. Apple Bloom
Why she moved down: I really hate how in the time since the original list, we've had two episodes focusing on Apple Bloom and Applejack in which Applejack is potrayed as way too stubborn to listen to her little sister, and acting as if her sister is stupid and can't be trusted. And after "Bloom and Gloom" showed they could have Applejack care about Apple Bloom without making her go too far, there's no excuse for turning around and rehasing the same old conflict two episodes later. I also hate how in those episodes, Apple Bloom is punished for things that aren't her fault at all, but when she does something that's actually stupid and dangerous (such as leaving Applejack stranded in The Everfree Forest, or going off to find a wanted criminal in a town she's likely never been to before) the episode treats her as being in the right. Her potrayal in "Brotherhooves Social" was slightly better, but she still did somewhat come across as whiny early on. She complains simply because her sister will be out of town and won't be able to partake in the Sisterhooves Social, though I don't mind her being annoyed with Big Macintosh disgusing as Orchard Blossom and trying to roll with it when she thinks it could be grounds for disqualification. But Apple Bloom is in serious need of some proper screentime that allows her to stand out, without having to resort to what they've done in "Somepony to Watch Over Me" and "Appleloosa's Most Wanted". I said I didn't want her sibling relationship with Applejack to be perfect, but I certainly didn't want it to become annoying and painful to watch because both sides lack common sense.
2. Scootaloo
Why she moved up: While we still haven't really gotten to know much about her character outside of her seeing Rainbow Dash as her idol, "Twilight Time" managed to give her a chance to do something and make a name for herself besides being known as Rainbow Dash's number one fan. I'm glad we've gotten to see her and Rainbow Dash interact more now that they've become unoffical sisters, and their B plot in "Brotherhooves Social" was very well done. But at this point, Scootaloo really needs some episodes that better explain her character. We still know very little about her, and I think it would be nice if we had some clairification to clear things up. The fandom still seems to think she's an orphan, at least in some areas. I hope that will be deconstructed in Season 6, but for now I guess I'll have to settle for fanfiction. In fact, it's because of fanfiction that I've really warmed up to Scootaloo as a character.
1. Sweetie Belle
Why she moved up: Sweetie Belle has really moved on from being the genius ditz that she was in Seasons 1 and 2. She seems to commonly be the voice of reason amongst her three friends, and her magic has improved to the point where she can actually levitate certain objects (albeit with a great amount of straining on her part). She had the best of the CMCxLuna episodes in my opinion with "For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils", and "Twilight Time" did a good job of showing that you're never too old to have a bad idea. Sweetie Belle may have given the role of leadership of the CMC back to Apple Bloom for Season 5, but she got some pretty good lines and was perhaps one of the few good things about "Appleloosa's Most Wanted". Her stage fright also seems to have gone away completely, and I hope she can share the secrets of her success with Fluttershy (because Fluttershy really needs it). Much like Fluttershy and Coco Pommel, Sweetie Belle isn't a character I like just because she's cute, I like her because she has a personality outside of that.
You what should be on your season 6 wishlist? CMC recruiting new members and helping other ponies find their cutiemarks. And What about Babs? She did appear in season 5 but in the background in Made in Manehatten
To be fair to AJ, she DID have a better reason for wanting to protect AB in "Appleoosa's Most Wanted" than in "Somepony to Watch Over Me".
I'd personally swap Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
Yes! VERY MUCH YES!
As I said on one of your previous blogs (I think it was one of yours. I've said it multiple times so its hard for me to keep track) I think that if anyone needs three episodes in a row it's her.
Honestly, at this point there are only really 4 possibilities that would make sense for why we haven't seen her parents at all:
1. She is an orphan.
2. She is embarrassed by her parents and thus does not want anyone else to meet them.
3. Her mother is a pony we've met before, and they're keeping it a secret to avoid depressing her.
4. She's from the future and somehow got sent back in time.
The first one makes the most sense, all things considered, though I have read a story that took the concept of the fourth one and made it work.
3619246 Orphan thing is kinda out, a writer had said this"Just because we haven't seen her parents doesn't mean they aren't there" at comiccon 2013 so I bet she's just embarrassed by her parents
3619312 Honestly, at this point I'd be willing to accept any canon explanation.
But, as I said, orphan is the most likely in universe explanation.
3619234 True, but cameos don't really count. Diamond Tiara got a cameo in "The Mane Attraction" which seemed to confirm she's full on friends with the CMC, but that's all speculation.
3619312 That's my headcanon. I'm going to actually be writing a fic involving Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara post "Crusaders of The Lost Mark" come January, then in my rewrite of "Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3" Scootaloo will be the character of focus. I'm also considering adopting the idea of "CMC Potty Trainers" from you to write as a fic, but I likely won't get to that until summer.
3619375 Yeah you can take CMC Potty Trainers, you'd probably be able to make it funny as well.
3619403 Well, I'm still a bit fuzzy on how exactly I'm going to make it pan out once Scootaloo's secret is revealed. As well as how I can have it be exposed without boring the audience with too long of a buildup.