Crusaders of the Lost Mark and Cubic Zirconia · 6:33pm Oct 10th, 2015
Well, that was something.
I mainly thought a reminder might be in order that Cubic Zirconia already says on it that nothing after Season 3 is canon, and that very much includes the latest episode. Spoilers after the break, both for the episode and Cubic Zirconia.
For anyone not reading the spoilers, I'm not planning on trying to work the changes from this episode in, except possibly shoehorned in in au ways...
A couple dots for good measure.
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If there were two premises I didn't think we were likely to see, it was the CMC getting their marks and Diamond being redeemed. I certainly didn't expect both in a single episode.
Spoiler Rich's existence is one of these things that'd be very hard to retcon into Cubic Zirconia. If she had been around when I started writing, I'd almost undoubtedly have found a way to get Filthy out of the way, and have her be the one in the first chapter kicking Diamond out. That would have ruined a fair amount of future plans, and I don't feel like rewriting, though.
If I do work her in, it'd be as Filthy's wife from his second marriage, and I'd still have to find a spot for her. More likely, I'll find some totally au use for her.
I also wanted to mention that I absolutely love one of the songs from this episode, The Pony I Want To Be:
[youtube=Bb4rR9fN0ho]
Some of the specifics are off, but I felt for a moment like CZ!Diamond walked onto the screen. I really appreciate the lyrics:
If I'm a Diamond, then why do I feel so rough?
I'm as strong as a stone,
Even that's not enough.
There's something jagged in me
And I've made such mistakes.
I thought that Diamonds were hard
Though I feel I could break.
Would you believe that I've always wished that I could be somepony else?
Yet I can't see what I need to do to be the pony I want to be.
I've been told my whole life
What to do, what to say
Nopony showed me that there might be some better way
And now I feel like I am lost
I don't know what to do
The ground is sinking away
I'm about to fall through.
Would you believe that I've always wished that I could be somepony else?
Yet I can't see what I need to do to be the pony I want to be.
... to be the pony I want to be.
This feels, to a certain extent, like the theme song for Cubic Zirconia. Of course, it also feels like Pinkie's Lament, which I also loved, but that might just be me.
Anyone else have any thoughts about this episode they want to share?
--arcum42
It does send her through the ringer pretty well in this episode. I would recommend that the second marriage is on the rocks because of her attitude and Filthy took his frustrations out on Diamond because he saw everything he disliked about Spoiler reflected in Diamond Tiara.
I definitely thought of Cubic Zirconia during that song and when writing up my reaction to this episode.
3458151
I might say that they've already gotten divorced, or something like that. The trouble, really, is that going to Spoiled Rich should have been one of the things she thought of initially, when she was kicked out.
The reason Filthy kicked her out is not something I'm going to reveal right now, though it's staying the same, but I might be able to work Spoiled in as a factor if I use her.
--arcum42
3458208
You could reveal that she is not anywhere close to Ponyville. You pre established that she was almost out of her weekly allowance when the story started, so just make the ticket to where her mother is more than a weeks allowance. As for not contacting her by mail or other means Diamon Tiara does not know her current address because Filthy has full custody and will not reveal it to her or anyone else.
I actually thought of this story while watching the episode. An easy retro could be as simple as squeezing in a line from Filthy that it was Spoiled'd decision to toss DT out and Filthy concurred grudgingly.
Anyone else think Spoiled Rich's maiden name had been Spoiled Rotten?
3458204
Yeah, some of the themes are the same, and the playing with diamond analogies all is similar. And that "there's something jagged in me" just hits is right on the nose. The feelings it evoked are exactly what's been going through my head when writing some of these chapters.
3458261
Possible, though I'm already playing a bit with that with her aunt who lives in Manehattan. Swapping Spoiled Rich and her aunt would totally undermine later chapters, too.
Of course, I've already established that Primrose is her mother. It could just be that with no biological link to Diamond, spoiled simply wouldn't feel she had any reason to take her in.
3458267
I don't really like having both Diamond's parents concur on kicking her out, which is one reason I stuck with a one parent family to begin with. I felt her being kicked out and not spreading all around was more reasonable if it was just Filthy...
--arcum42
3458301
Well, now you know where to look for inspiration
3458301
That works also. Either way I would like to see how you will have this episode affect how this story will play out. The little bombshell in this episode is the maternal figure in Diamond Tiara's life is why she acts the way she does. That fact plays havoc with so many stories it kinda becomes the elephant in the room regarding Diamon Tiara from here on out. So definitely take you time and find a way for you to address this development!
3458301 I can understand that. They way Spoiled Rich acted I can of got the idea that Filthy Rich might be the hen-picked type and does EXACTLY what his wife would tell him to do. Plus it would work out in a way as Spoiled Rich would come off as the hating the previous wifes kids stereotype. The other side of the coin though is if the first wife had left Filthy then there is a place for Diamond to go. Unless she is dead of course.
"Anyone else have any thoughts about this episode they want to share?"
Diamond Tiara's mother is either really, really terrible at social climbing or trying some scheme that escapes me a the moment. So, um, notice how, when those "insignificant lowlifes" got their cutie marks, Princess Celestia was personally notified within the hour? And that this really wasn't all that unexpected? Yeah...
Absolutely loved this episode! I've watched it twice already and will again. As a dad myself, I always feel bad for kids in a tough situation and seeing how DT's actions are actually driven by her mother and how she was hurting just made me want to give the poor filly a hug.
That song was a punch to the feels.
My feels can't repel an attack of this magnitude!
Beautiful VA work with her singing. Of course the all the VAs did outstanding as always. Daniel Ingram knocked it out of the park too.
Loved the little bit between the sisters. Especially with AJ mentioning their parents.
But at least I now have an answer to the question "what's your favorite episode?"
Also, Twilight Sparkle best background pony!
"How's it feel sugarcube?"
"Can it, AJ!"
3460764 Another note about that scene with the sisters, it's pretty much all but confirmed that Scootaloo is a canon orphan.
In all, I think this episode verified your take on DT. That song fits perfectly well into your world l.
3458208
Holy crap, as soon at the DT stuff started happening all I could think of was Cubic Zirconia.
3460831
That scene provides as much evidence for Sweetie Belle to not have parents as Scootaloo, so it confirms nothing at all.
3466473 Yeah, but Rarity's still family. RD's just an idol and sort-of sister figure. I find it suspicious that Scoots doesn't seem to have any family around even when she gets her Cutie Mark.
3458332
Ignoring it's an option, too, but I'm getting inclined to say that she existed, but was Filthy's second wife and left him.
3458522
The canon mother I'd already mentioned in story would be his first life, and I've already mentioned as dead.
3461450
Yeah, that part I loved. That could easily have been the theme song of several chapters.
3466473
Me too, but that's probably not a surprise.
--arcum42
3459410
That had occurred to me, actually. I wrote little scene that happens afterwards in a thread on the Diamond Cutters group...
3467404
Don't forget that neither of Diamond's parents seemed to have been at her cuteceneara either...
--arcum42
3468874 ... Okay yeah, that is weird. I dunno, maybe parents aren't allowed to be present during Cutie Mark celebrations, and Applejack's parents left when Big Mac's cutie mark appeared and just never returned.
(Note, the above is entirely in headcanon sh*t-posting territory, and is to be taken with a grain of salt.)
3468874
[heads over to read it]
Heh. :)
3468874 You can use her mother as a sign that Filthy made a mistake when he had married her. Or was forced to marry her by other members of Filthy family (for the sake of business of course). Plus, the fact that Diamond had this mare as a mother partially explains her elitism and constant desire to humiliate and torture those around her. I can Imagine, that Spoiled could even hit DT on occasion of not being up to her standards. What I am trying to say, there's a lot of possibilities here, not just a nuisance.
As late as I am to the party, a few. Diamond's talent is confirmed to be getting ponies to do what she wants. This puts the line 'She could be mayor of Ponyville one day' in a whole new light. Something I've been hoping to get around to writing, and now just want to do even more.
The CMC decide that they want to help others get their cutie marks. This is what they want to do: to help others through that tough time in life. It's this decision that lands them the actual marks, which is cute and awesome on so many levels. We don't know what that makes their day jobs in the future, but...
We now have every excuse to see canon pairings with blank flank colts. Any boy running to them with problems can lead to new plots. Pipsqueak was a good start.
Gentlemen, raise your sails, get the anchors up, 'coz there's shipping to be had.
If I were placing any bets, I'd go for a Sisterhooves Social episode involving Thunderlane and Rumble, and any of the sister pairs would work to play with or against. That, or a pegasus race with Thunderlane and Rumble competing with Rainbow and Scootaloo, and one half of each team taking the rivalry waaay too far, leading to Featherweight and Bulk Biceps winning. Or, better yet, Fluttershy and her niece.
Diamond Tiara has a fallout with Silver Spoon. We don't see them make up, exactly. This can become an episode of its own. Ditto Cheerilee.
The schoolyard is repaired thanks to Diamond Tiara. Then it's broken again a few episodes later. Or even the very next one.
Honestly, this latest Season ticked all the boxes for me. All, but one. And it was a f
ing c
ktease about it, too.
3632324
Hmmm... I hadn't posted a reply to your blog yet, and the main things that occurred to me were about Diamond Tiara. Now I'm left wondering whether to replay to you here or there or both.
I'll start with here, anyways.
Not only that, she's been living with a controlling mother that's been keeping her from doing what she wants. One thing that stood out the last time I rewatched "Call of the Cutie" was how sad Diamond was at the end. Silver Spoon tries to cheer her up, but there was that dejected "Not now, Silver Spoon".
I had put that down to not having all the possibilities still open to her and taking a bit of their speech to heart, but if you think about how were talking about all the things they could do, she might have been reflecting on all the things she couldn't do...
There's always shipping to be had, including in Crusaders of the Last Mark. If you put two ponies in a scene together, a lot of times they get shipped, right?
Well, this was a direct screenshot.
derpicdn.net/img/2015/10/16/1003201/medium.png
So here we have Button Mash, and one of my favorite new fillies, introduced in this episode, and then with a cameo in The Mane Attraction, showing that she's now a reoccurring background pony. She's been dubbed Lily Longsocks by the fans at this point, and is that cute little filly with the amazing super strength. She deserves stories to be told about her.
derpicdn.net/img/2015/10/10/998803/medium.gif
derpicdn.net/img/2015/11/21/1027253/medium.gif
And then there's this pair:
i.imgur.com/tmg0PCj.png
I haven't seen a fan name for the colt with the big teeth yet, but he appeared in the Mane Attraction too, from what I remember. But honestly, look at Twist's expression here. It begs for a "Take me, I'm yours." caption. I could easily ship them.
I'm afraid he's as close as you'll get to that one unticked box, too...
Any of those would be fairly interesting.
It's true that while Diamond helped Silver Spoon when she was helping fix up the playground, we didn't see a formal makeup between them.
For that matter, we've got the ever-nasty, highly irritated Spoiled Rich on the school board, who could easily cause problems. Or she could kick Diamond out, causing her to have to go live with Scootaloo... no, think I'm already too close to that one. If I was starting Cubic Zirconia right now, I might have gone that route.
Of course it is. It's like Applejack's barn.
And yeah, there were some great episodes this season. And some mediocre ones, but the great ones stuck in my mind.
--arcum42
3632819
*sigh* And now I have a Rumbleloo trilogy to write. It will involve musical numbers. I hope you're happy.
The thing about my boxes is: I did get the one thing I wanted. I got it right at the end of the Season.
We finally got a new unicorn colt, he was flawed, and he was relevant to the plot. And we'll never see him again, because it was in a time travel episode.
Urge to rearrange furniture rising... rising...
Troublehooves was amazing, though. I feel silly for not thinking of that sooner. He's basically the Earth pony I forgot to write: a kid who hurts others despite his best efforts, has horrible issues with confidence, and makes friends with the CMC when he realises his talent doesn't mean what he thought it did. Whimper, Live Wire, Troublehooves. Be still, my swelling ego
As for those two kids, I suppose we can't call the colt Pearly Whites. Unless he grows up to be an editor-in-chief for a town with superheroes.
3636310
That's plenty of reason to be happy.
Musical numbers can be tricky, of course. Several of mlp's are based on ones from other places.
Well, we might see him again, and if Starlight is going to be a main character, it's likely... but he'll be her age.
I did actually like Troublehooves, and he is a natural compliment for the others there, thinking about it. I was personally reminded of Eeyore. That episode also let us see how well Sweetie Belle is progressing with her magic, too, which is always nice.
Well, a little filly with super strength who is trying to hide it sounds like a superhero in the making to me. Lily Longsocks is a background character I tend to think has a lot of potential...
--arcum42