The Fault In Our Cutie Marks Review · 5:57pm Sep 10th, 2016
At last, we're getting the long delayed ninth episode in production order, even if it's the nineteenth episode to air this season. I'm not sure why this episode was delayed for so long, but perhaps the writing credits provide the answer. Ed Valentine did return to write the episode, but the story was penned by Meghan McCarthy and Josh Haber. With Meghan busy writing for the upcoming MLP movie next year, and Haber having taken Meghan's place as story editor and show runner, the delay may have been to accomodate their busy work schedules. Ed's previous work, a collab with Mike Vogel, didn't turn out so well, and considering what happened last time he collabed with Meghan, was Ed able to break his curse of writing collaborations with his bread and butter the CMC? Well, let's find out.
We begin with Scootaloo in the sandbox with a random filly, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle talk with the parents. Maybe it's just me, but at first the way the dialogue was delivered made me think they'd finally dropped the Scootaloo parents bombshell, but it's actually the parents of the filly (if those ponies had been Scootaloo's parents, many people would've probably argued that she doesn't look anything like them and would have to be adopted). Said filly has a skull and crossbones for a cutie mark, and it turns out her special talent is being a paleontologist, she finds bones buried beneath the sandbox. Turns out the parents were looking at the cutie mark all wrong and thought their filly would be a pirate.
The CMC apparently have been really good at finding ponies with cutie mark problems and helping them out, they even mention Bulk Biceps and Tender Taps (but not Diamond Tiara for some reason). However, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom try to caution Scootaloo about how they may encounter a problem that's beyond even them. And that problem soon presents itself when the CMC spot a griffon standing atop their clubhouse. They believe that all griffons are grouchy and grumpy, so they hide in the bushes to avoid being seen.
Said griffon turns out to be really cheerful and friendly, her name is Gabriella but she opts to call herself Gabby. She wants a cutie mark so that she'll feel more unique compared to the other griffons, who are largely anti-social grumps. How did she get to Ponyville, you ask? Simple, she took one of Gilda's letters replying to her pony friends, seeing as Gabby works as a mail delivery griffon. And in fact, she's still doing that job when she arrives in Ponyville. And here I thought Derpy was the one who delivered mail.
Gabby doesn't seem too put off by the fact that there's never been a documented case of a griffon getting a cutie mark, even when the CMC try to tell her outright that it's highly unlikely for such a thing to happen. Deciding that they just need to find out what Gabby's good at, the CMC decide to do what really didn't work for them in the past (try a whole bunch of stuff and just hope for the best), especially since they acknowledge a cutie mark just comes. But it does lead into a really good song called "Find Your Special Talent", in which Gabby is good at just about everything she tries. Helping Zecora get her cauldron unstuck (not sure what kind of brew could get so sticky), cleaning the floors of Carousel Boutique, picking apples, foalsitting while doing laundry, even helping Octavia and her bandmates by writing a song and filling on clarinet. Naturally, Gabby exhausts all her options and there's no cutie mark to show for it. So the CMC decide to go to Twilight for help, and Twilight reveals that despite everything she's read about griffons, there's nothing about a griffon getting a cutie mark. Apple Bloom then exclaims "What the apples are we gonna tell her?!".
Despite the CMC's attempts to tell Gabby she probably won't get a cutie mark, Gabby refuses to listen, and Scootaloo vows they'll do everything they can to help Gabby do the impossible and become the first documented case of a griffon getting a cutie mark. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom ask her why she'd promise something like that, and Scootaloo reveals she knows what it's like to want something that's just out of reach, referring to her wings. Her logic: "Just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't happen someday" (most likely the DHX staff's answer for whether or not Scootaloo will ever fly). However, it isn't long before the CMC are forced to admit to Gabby that her problem is something they can't fix, though they mention it's the first time they've ever failed at something (which isn't true, they failed at many things over the years).
But it isn't long before Gabby comes back and shows that she actually DID get her cutie mark, it's a cauldron similar to the one Zecora has. The CMC decide Twilight has to see this, but Gabby suspiciously declines and flies off, promising to meet them at the castle. When they reach the castle, the CMC learn Gabby just stopped by briefly, left a note, then took off without mentioning her new cutie mark. Twilight is incredibly excited at this prospect and sets off to get a writing quill from Spike.
The CMC soon catch up to Gabby, who's trying to help Time Turner get his cart unstuck from the mud. She succeeds, but her fake cutie mark washes right off, and her deception is exposed. Gabby explains that she did it not to make herself feel better, but to make the CMC feel better since they worked so hard to help her. And the CMC realize Gabby's special talent is just being helpful to others, a bit of a stretch for a special talent (it needs to be a bit more specific). However, the CMC give her own custom cutie mark, make her an official member of the CMC, and give her own cute-ceañera, and make Gabby promise to come back and visit soon. A nice reversal from Gilda a previous season.
And that's the story, so what do I think of the episode? Well, I think it's pretty good considering the unexplained delay for it, though I do have to question why this episode was made after "On Your Marks" suggested the CMC would just do things on their own, even "The Cart Before The Ponies" as predictable as it was focused on each of the CMC as individuals and not part of the group. Considering at one point there was supposed confirmation of a trip back to Manehattan to visit Babs Seed, I have to wonder if that episode was scrapped for some reason and this episode made to replace it? That's probably not the case, but this episode just further makes the Babs Seed bombshell look like something the show doesn't want to address. Looking past that, I can't think of anything this episode did wrong, so I give it a borderline A-/A, putting it above "On Your Marks" (which probably should've just made Tender Taps the focus and saved the rest of the stuff for later in the season) but below "The Saddle Row Review" (although it seemed to hastily tack on a moral that felt a bit contrived, it was a good slice of life story with maybe only one or two truly questionable moments). It was great to see Scootaloo take the lead again, but I really hope that next season we'll get more episodes focused on her and Sweetie Belle individually, give Apple Bloom a rest she's had plenty of screen time and "On Your Marks" proved that she really can't hold the spotlight without someone else to play off of (we'll have to wait and see if "Where The Apple Lies" justifies being an Apple Bloom episode).
Next week, we've got our next cutie map episode "Viva Los Pegasus" in which Applejack and Fluttershy travel to Los Pegasus and run into Flim and Flam. I'm a bit skeptical of this one, given that Flim and Flam's last appearance made them really petty, and the last time Applejack and Fluttershy shared a focus episode they had to strawman Applejack for the sake of putting Fluttershy in the right, not to mention shoehorning the mane six into a story that really didn't call for them to be there. I'm hoping this episode won't be a "Bats!" and "Leap of Faith" rehash, especially considering Fluttershy has shown tremendous growth this season, but I thought the same last season and then "Scare Master" came along. I really do want to give the episode the benefit of the doubt though, so I'm hoping it will genuinely surprise me. At the least it should hopefully be nice to see a new location after constantly visiting Manehattan and Canterlot (though "Spice Up Your Life" did help its trip to the city feel different).
In the meantime, I'd like all of you who favorited "Fluttershy's New Foal" to answer the question in this blog post, assuming you haven't already answered it.
I believe the delay was done so that the second half of the season would have a CMC episode.
Either Derpy just delivers the mail within Ponyville, or Griffonstone is far enough away so that its more feasible for the Griffons to deliver the letters themselves.
It's because of that line that I hope they do actually show Scootaloo eventually managing to fly.
The solution for the supposed discrepancy in what the CMC learned in On Your Marks vs their behavior here is obvious:
Just because they'd do some things on their own doesn't mean they'd do everything on their own. This just happened to be one of those times where they decided to focus on something as a group.
As for my thoughts on the episode, I think it's easily the second best CMC episode of the series. As for its standing within the season, it's definitely one of the two best so far. Now, whether or not it's better than No Second Prances is something I haven't decided yet.
Isn't it against site rules to post a blog post relating to a story when said blog plst has NOTHING to do with the story?
4203190 It's asking a question about the story.
I loved this episode and again excellent review. Me personally I enjoyed almost every CMC episode this season so no complaints from me.!
Also the whole pirate bit made me laugh.
It wouldn't be impossible for them to be her parents, having different colour parents isn't imposable, we got some Americans who have asian parents so I can't see it being impossible in Equestria, Pound and Pumpkin Cake for Example they look nothing like their parents. and Fluttershy also looks nothing like her parents in my opinion, so no it's not impossible to have different colour ponies as a parent, were just going to have to wait till we get an answer on Scootaloo but until then I'll be using Dizzy Twister.
Most people in the fandom are just a little ignorant so they will ignore Scootaloo having parents because it goes against their headcanon, those are the kinda people I dislike.
and perhaps the writers are hinting that they might let Scootaloo fly soon.
Yeah, I particularly enjoyed the episode and seeing the flashback from The Lost Treasure Of Griffonstone was a nice touch. I think Gabriella will be welcomed very well by those who have yet to watch the episode.
But as for what's to come, I'm torn on two sides. I'm happy that we're FINALLY going to see what Los Pegasus looks like. But the ones involved fill me with worry, considering what happened in Bats and Leap Of Faith. I guess it all depends on who's writing it.
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You tacked a single sentence reminder regarding a poll you had already announced onto an eight page review just to squeeze it by the rules. Get your own blog.