I hear some criticism that the episode didn't age well due to Diamond Tiara's reformation. Some say that the reformation was forced and her freudian excuse was weak.

What you guys think of the episode? It is still one of the best episodes of MLP or a very flaw episode that didn't change your mind about DT at all.

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As far as the episode itself goes, I don't think it was a bad one. I certainly have nothing against Diamond Tiara's reform, either. My single biggest issue is with how the show handled it.

First off, it feels like she got off with...well, nothing. Sure, she's been forgiven, but let's not forget that she spent the better part of five seasons (from our perspective) tormenting Apple Bloom and later all three Cutie Mark Crusaders. She incessantly gave Apple Bloom grief over not having her cutie mark. She extorted them into continuing the Gabby Gums column. She encouraged Babs Seed to give them trouble (and in the process, proved herself a hypocrite). She gave Scootaloo grief over her disability just to win a competition. I suspect the only thing keeping her from doing something personal to Sweetie Belle was the writers' lack of imagination. And we're instantly supposed to forget about this when we find out that her mother is a horrible bitch?

Yes, she realizes that she did bad things. Yes, she's admitted that she's sorry. But actions are supposed to have consequences, and it feels like neither she nor Spoiled Rich have yet to get their share of karma.

Also, she pretty much just faded into the background after that episode, and that's a little disappointing.

7359068 I think the episode still holds up pretty well. Silverquill put it best in his review of the episode. The existence of Spoiled Rich doesn't absolve Diamond Tiara of the blame for things she did willingly in prior episodes, but it puts her previous actions into context.

The real problem is how Hasbro basically decided that was it and wrote Diamond Tiara out completely even when the writers kept wanting to do more. I guess Hasbro thought Diamond Tiara wouldn't sell well anymore, so it was best to just send her away. At least it might not have hurt to have a few lines about Diamond moving away or something, so as to explain why we never heard from her again.

7359068 Screw the haters. This remains one of the show's best episodes, matched only by "The Perfect Pear."

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I agree with this guy: 7359166

The staff put DT on the shelf because they didn't think her character or story was important to tell.

The Crusaders of the Lost Mark was about the CMC getting their cutie marks. Everything else was in support of that.

Diamond Tiara, in the show, was not her own fully realized character. She was a support NPC that served a role in CMC stories.

We saw with Discord, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer that they can tell several kinds of redemption stories. We can imagine what Diamond's might look like if she'd been given the same story-importance. That's the purpose of fanfic, after all.

The episode wasn't great if you were looking for a good, canon resolution to Diamond Tiara. It was so-so as a CMC episode. Great songs. Mostly forgettable as a part of 9 seasons of pony. But not what I'd call terrible.

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I think the criticisms of the episode is there was no build up leading to Diamond Tiara's character development. It was never hinted before that she have an emotionally abusive parent or hinted she want to change her behavior. If we see Diamond Tiara in a more positive light when she not around the CMC and see her mother before that episode airs, maybe it be a different outcome.

Hey--Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures fan here! Our finale received a lot of criticism, namely because there was one character who created a long chain of villainous acts during the third season (including regicide) and was immediately forgiven and redeemed the moment she was rendered powerless and asked for help.

Next to that, DT's redemption seems quite well-written, isn't it?

Now, what I really like about Crusaders of the Lost Mark is that it features Diamond, but the story is about the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She wants redemption, but never demands it nor feels like she deserves it, which is a huge development for her; one she is redeemed, she takes steps to right the wrongs herself and abdicates her spotlight. Not once does she say "Actually, I was a catalyst in the Cutie Mark Crusader's redemption", nor does she try to smoosh into their group; she stands down as the CMC are celebrated. True, scenes featuring her in more depth in later episodes might be appreciated, but it does fit well with her redemption that from that moment on, she understands that the story is about the Crusaders and their clients. I'd claim it as one of the best episodes, and most central to the series because of the above!

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I hear some criticism that the episode didn't age well due to Diamond Tiara's reformation. Some say that the reformation was forced and her freudian excuse was weak.

I mean, I agree, but people said that when it came out, so that's not a point against it aging well. The problems it had then are still the problems it has now.

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I agree. "Aging well" or not has to do with big changes outside the work that put it in a new light. Disturbed's "Down With the Sickness" hasn't aged well.

Nothing particularly relevant to Crusaders of the Lost Mark had happened to shift our view in a major way to prompt the question. I suppose the series ending sorta counts. But that hasn't really changed the view.

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Sorry for the late answer.

Anyways, I actually overall liked the part about Diamond Tiara. Some prior hints would've been nice, more than just panic at Babs threatening to tell on them to her and Silver Spoon's mothers. Still, I've seen worse.

Now, the fact that Silver Spoon's entire redemption story comes down to breaking off with Diamond Tiara for being rude to her (and only her, she cared nothing about anyone else), as if that absolved her of everything she did, that was more troubling to me personally. That, and how they then vanished from the series.

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I've never liked the episode, and it only looks worse over time given that none of the consequences of Diamond Tiara reforming were ever delved into (and the CMC episodes rapidly started to feel aimless and even more cutie-mark gimmicky thereafter), so I'd say it hasn't aged well.

My stance is and always has been that giving Diamond Tiara some depth was always a welcome prospect, not least of all because of the show's hints as to her family life here and there, but A) that doesn't mean she has to be the goddamn umpteenth redeemed antagonist in a row, and B) you don't do the one cheap thing this episode does, which is take most of the responsibility for her actions and dump it on an easy scapegoat.

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Now, the fact that Silver Spoon's entire redemption story comes down to breaking off with Diamond Tiara for being rude to her (and only her, she cared nothing about anyone else), as if that absolved her of everything she did, that was more troubling to me personally. That, and how they then vanished from the series.

Good point, though I think one reason Silver Spoon slips under the radar there is because... what do we actually know about her outside of Diamond Tiara? The show does even less with her than with DT. A missed opportunity if ever there was one.