Well, that happened... · 3:29pm Oct 11th, 2015

Dat episode...

If you haven't seen it yet, go do that right now and stop reading, 'cause spoilers.

So, after all this time, the crusaders finally got their marks (all four of them, even!). Isn't that something?

Usually, shows have their own unbreakable, unchangeable status quo and whatever happens, everything falls back into place at the end, particularly for slice-of-life kind of shows, where there aren't any big adventures or something to drive a story forward. I can understand why it works so, especially from the show maker's point of view: when you have a formula that works, you don't want to break it by changing anything major. Don't kill the golden goose. Plus, formulaic episodes are much easier to make, since you only have to change a few details while everything else is already decided.

The problem with that is that when nothing ever changes, things obviously grow stale after a while. Imagine a Friendship Is Magic where, five seasons later, Twilight Sparkle keeps writing a letter to Princess Celestia at the end of each episode about the lesson she learned about friendship. How can you possibly keep that interesting when it's literally the hundredth time it happens? The answer is: you can't. At some point, you've said all there is to say about your story and if you want it to keep going, you have to add something new. Some shows make minor changes, hoping it'll do the trick while keeping the same formula. MLP didn't go that way, and I appreciate it all the more for that. They regularly take some risks, evolving the show and so far, they've kept it interesting.

When you look back, now that it's been five years (already!) you can see how the show has changed. Season 1 was all about Twilight learning about friends, like asking them for help when needed, trusting them and all that jazz.
I'd say seasons 2 and 3 were more about the mane six than Twilight alone, learning about friendship from each other: Rarity figuring out that she shouldn't be ashamed of her friends, even if they don't fit into Canterlot's high society, or Fluttershy learning that she can help with the water-pumping tornado, too... Season 4 has Twilight finding her new role now that she's a princess and everypony figuring out that their friendship is just as powerful without the elements of harmony, after all. Season 5 seems to have Twilight adapted to her new role and spreading friendship across Equestria. It's neat to see how the writers always found something to shake Equestria, just enough to keep things from getting repetitive: princess Celestia stating that she doesn't need weekly letters, Twilight growing wings, the elements of harmony disappearing from the equation...

And now we have three brand new cutie marks! I... don't really like them. I mean visually: purple, purple and purple... This must be the first time I find the ponies not colorful enough! But aside from color choices, I'm glad we finally have marks for these three fillies. It's not clear how much time has passed in-universe since they've started crusading, but it must have been a while. (Also, Visiting Hours just took a big canon ball to the face, but whatever. I can always use the "alternate universe" tag when I finally get around to another chapter.)

I'm also really curious to see how their new collective talent will be used, now. It's a brand new way in which they can take the show, and I'm excited to see it. Cutie mark counsellors? Will they travel around Equestria, offering advice to ponies who have a hard time finding their way? Will they have anything to do with the mark nazi Starlight Glimmer? That would be cool.

And now, I can't help but think of these when I think of the crusaders:

The three parcae, the roman goddesses in charge of everyone's destiny. One spins a thread, one measures it, one cuts it, representing birth, life and death. Maybe some day, the crusaders will ascend to godhood, controlling the destiny of all. Which would be which, though? I need to think about this...