• Member Since 7th May, 2015
  • offline last seen Feb 9th, 2023

RainEStar


Shadows cannot exist with light. Where there is light, shadows spawn. There must be balance. And that burden belongs to me...

More Blog Posts25

  • 365 weeks
    I'm in a MOVIE!

    Hello, everybrony!

    Been awhile hasn't it? College has sucked all my time and creativity, so I haven't been active recently. I'm sorry to say I haven't touched my fimfiction writings in months, I just have too much to do.

    But enough with the negatives, I bring good news!

    Read More

    1 comments · 356 views
  • 391 weeks
    Not So Random Post

    Hello, everybrony!

    Now you may be wondering why I'm writing this post. After all, I haven't done anything in months. Well, I have avery good reason...

    TODAY'S MY BDAY! YEAHHH!

    Read More

    1 comments · 314 views
  • 414 weeks
    Update and An Official Hiatus

    Hello Everybrony!

    I know the title might be a bit of a surprise, but don't worry. I'm not taking an official hiatus from the site.

    Read More

    2 comments · 358 views
  • 418 weeks
    Hello. I am Alive.

    Hello Everybrony!

    Wow... I haven't posted anything in about two months... sorry everyone.:fluttershysad: Allow me to recap what's been happening in my life that has prevented my pony work:
    February:
    I got sick
    My dorm suite was flooded
    I got sick again

    Read More

    1 comments · 421 views
  • 426 weeks
    Sorry, but I Have Good News!

    Hello, Everybrony!

    Apologies to all of my readers. I haven't been activate as of late. I've... kinda gotten involved in other things, and it was the begining of the semester... so yeah.

    You may ask, "What on earth have you been doing all this time that would take your time away from writing about ponies?"

    Well...

    Read More

    2 comments · 347 views
Oct
13th
2015

An Analysis of Crusaders of the Lost Mark · 5:08am Oct 13th, 2015

Hello, Everybrony!

I made a promise to you all that I would only review episodes I deemed worthy so I could focus on my stories. The story I’ve been preparing for you is still being edited, and I know the little ditty I posted on a whim is not what you’re looking for from me. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but review this episode!

Part 1: Plot

This episode is clearly a CMC episode from the first few seconds. Once again, the Crusaders are trying to earn their cutie marks. This time, a classmate, Pipsqueak, gives calls them into to be his campaign managers for student pony president. His competition?

Diamond Tiara, of course.

I like this call back to previous episodes. Diamond Tiara uses her influence to pressure others into doing everything she wants. She also is skilled in the use of blackmail.

But the Cutie Mark Crusaders have grown spines! They outright argue with Diamond Tiara, and convince their classmates to unite for what they really want instead of giving into being bullied. This a good lesson to kids. At first, the CMC tried running from all of their bully problems. Rather that, or they tried to payback evil for evil. But in this episode, they’re showing how far they’ve grown by maintaining assertiveness in dealing with Diamond Tiara instead of submissiveness, evasion, or aggressiveness. I found this to be a refreshing dose of character development.

Also, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s complex friendship is now confirmed. In an early episode, there’s a scene of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon discretely fighting over a smoothie. Each is trying to claim the prize, but they are being very passive in the argument. This would much easier to describe with a video, but my point is this, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon have always had a less than stable friendship, and now in this episode the impossible happened.

Their friendship was broken.

Can’t say that I’ll miss it, since they seemed to unite only to crush others beneath their hooves. But wow, I never thought the writers would actually take such drastic measures.

And then the writers make me do one thing I never thought I would be to do.

I feel sorry for Diamond Tiara.

Don’t worry Sweetie Belle, everybrony is in the same boat with you and Scoots. Wow. Spoiled Rich is not a nice pony. No wonder Diamond turned out rotten.

So then The Cutie Mark Crusaders invite Diamond Tiara over to their clubhouse. We get some rushed but moving interaction, and then we’ve got to speed back to the school because Diamond Tiara’s turning evil again.

Wow, this episode doesn’t take a break does it?

And lo and behold, Diamond Tiara defends the Cutie Mark Crusaders and orders around her mother for the good of her peers. She still didn’t reconcile with Silver Spoon, but this episodes been rushed enough already.

So now we have four minutes left. Well, the episode's been rushed so much already, what else could they squeeze in in four minutes?




No way.
They actually did it.
They actually did what the fandom has been anxiously awaiting for years,
It’s the five year anniversary of MLP, and they do this.
I think I’m going to cry.

While the cutie marks receiving ceremony thingy was overly flashy, it was well worth it! All of this time the CMC have been trying and failing, and when they decide to stop spending all of their time devoted to their own benefit and do something productive instead, they realize their true destiny. It’s so… beautiful.

Oh, and it also questioned headcannons about cutie marks. But who cares?

And they send a letter to Celestia. It may be reused animation, but it was so awesome to see!

Part 2: Characters
Pipsqueak: Pipsqueak has always stood out from the other schoolfoals due to his short size and creative design. Plus, I love his voice. While I don’t think this episode built his character much, it was nice to see him.

Button Mash: Yay! Button Mash! No lines but oh well!

Silver Spoon: Yes! Rebellion! Assertion! You’re no bully’s lackey!

CMC: They developed collectively in this episode. They received similar cutie marks at the exact same time, and they grew through the same experiences. Despite their uniform development, this was a very powerful episode for them.

Diamond Tiara: It’s official, Diamond Tiara is a bully due to poor parenting. Wow. I really feel sorry for her. She feels like she has no choice but to be who her mother wants her to be, and she doesn’t know how to be any different. Grr… I refuse to be affected by the feels! The crushing, weighing, heart-wrenching feels…

Spoiled Rich: She as her nose permanently turned up. Anyone else noticed that? She’s also the reason Diamond Tiara acts likes such a high horse! Get it? High horse—oh wait, I’m stealing the joke. I hate her character, but I appreciate her appearance so I can better understand Diamond Tiara.

Part 3: Overall
This is Amy Keating Roger’s penultimate work before she fully transfers to Disney. While her work has been a mixed bag, she’s generally one of my more favored writers. And with an episode like this under her belt, she won’t be forgotten too soon.

This episode raises so many questions. What will Diamond Tiara’s role be now that she’s been “reformed”? Will she reconcile with Silver Spoon. What will the Cutie Mark Crusaders do next? How will their cutie marks affect their lives now?

And is Pipsqueak a blank flank or not? ‘Cause I still can’t see a cutie mark on him.

Pros:
Advancement of Cutie Mark Crusaders
Diamond Tiara character development
Silver Spoon character development

Cons:
The entire storyline was rushed
The music was meh

Overall rating: B+ (rating subject to change)

The idea was really good, and I liked a lot of the events that happened. However, AKR tried to do too much in too little. This needed to be spread over two episodes so that it could have really grown. And while the music helped speed things along, it wasn't very... fun. It was clear that they just had the songs for speed, and aside from that, there was no real point. Oh well, you can't win them all.

I feel like this review was as rushed as the episode. But that’s what I get when I whip a review at this time of the night.

‘Till next time!
-RainEStar

Comments ( 2 )

I loved this episode, but of course, there is something that, for the moment, is worrying me a bit. This may just not be the case, but I'll voice my thoughts regardless. You can read if you want, but I'm rambling, I believe. :twilightsheepish:

My problem is Diamond Tiara herself.

Not gonna lie, I actually LIKED her being a jerk from the get-go, of course, that doesn't mean I didn't want to see her reformed in some way. That being said, the way they reformed her pretty much guarantees her out of the show, seeing how she has filled her purpose.

Now, I should start with the WHY I like her as a jerk, and that all starts and ends with a simple fact: Diamond is pretty much the only recurring character who is anything but nice. Don't get me wrong, I like the nice ponies, but her inclusion was a nice way to show that not every recurring character is this goody-two-horseshoes, and she filled the mold nicely.

Until this episode, I mean.

Now, this is obviously opinion, but I believe that if DT had gone through a reformation of a different kind, I would have been fine with her. Now, what kind of reformation, you may curiously ask. Well, what if she was still a jerk BUT less of one, and of course the filly who can think for herself to be nice, but remains the occasional rude pony.

You know? Some more character.

Because if she remains as nice as she is, she isn't likely to appear again, at least not in CMC episodes since she no longer has a purpose.

Of course, her and Silver Spoon COULD join them in their journey, being rich, they could be a good resource to draw from. Or maybe have another antagonistic little one join the recurring cast.

I mean, stuff could easily change, but for now, these are my thoughts.

I partially agree, and partially disagree.

I think Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are still useful cast material even after the reformation (no rainbow blast whoop whoop!) After all, they still have to reconcile, and they both have a lot to learn about friendship, just like Bacon Hair.

However, I do agree that the turn around was too jaring. She went from following her mother's hoofprints in being a bully, to taking the totally opposite stance. She even called the CMC her friends even though they hung out for like 5 minutes and she's bullied them the entire course of the series. Instead of being like Sunset, who actually managed to grow despite the 180 personality change caused by super OP rainbow blast, I would like to see Diamond Tiara as more of a Discord-like character. She has the uncanny ability to order other around, so seeing her in more of the morally grey area for a while would be a lot more realistic.

Pre-reformation Diamond Tiara sure stood out from the other ponies, but her actions didn't make much sense without context. Why would a non-OPicorn filly be a bully just because her father is rich? I mean, not everyone in Equestria is nice, but DT took it to a whole other level. Confirmation on family status made her actions more believable, and allowed me to appreciate her antagonistic actions without seeing her as a one-dimensional character.

That being said, it appears she's on the fast track for being a goody-four-hooves, so that's a disappointment.

I think this comment went around in a circle, but oh well.:derpytongue2:

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