Episode Review: Crusaders of the Lost Mark

We got our spoilers! We got our spoilers!

This is the episode that Hasbro decided to air for FiM's fifth anniversary, and what an episode it is! It has so much packed into it, and so many twists, that it could stand as two or three episodes, if only we had the time.

The Plot
We kick off the episode with the Cutie Mark Crusaders planning what they'll do next to try to earn their marks. By now Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are both showing some spiritual fatigue, but Apple Bloom pulls them right out of that funk with a song, which they gamely join singing. After the song, we find out that Pipsqueak is running for student president at Ponyville Elementary, and he wants to ask the CMC to be his campaign managers. They agree, due to the mark possibility, and we get to see that Sweetie has been practising her telekinesis when she lifts Pip.

After the OP, we see that Pip is running against Diamond Tiara, who seems to have become even more aggressive since the last time she got near a position of power. The second song, which shifts in tone depending on who is singing, served as a signal that this is a musical episode. There have been only two times we have had truly musical episodes in FiM: 'Magical Mystery Cure' and 'Pinkie Pride.' During the song, Tiara reveals that the only thing she learned from 'Ponyville Confidential' was how to blackmail others, and not particularly effectively, as this, and the way she treats Silver Spoon during the song, sends everypony else to Pip. And I do mean everypony else: he wins with a landslide, sending Tiara into hysterics, and when she loses Spoon's friendship, she gets rightfully depressed.

Now we follow the CMC as they follow Tiara, hoping that she's okay despite the way she has always treated them. This is how we learn that the way Tiara acts is because of the pressure she receives from her mother, Spoiled Rich, who believes that because they are 'rich ponies' the only thing that matters is winning and a high social standing. In direct contrast to the tough but fair image cast by Filthy Rich in 'Family Appreciation Day,' Spoiled is so snooty her nose is drawn with a permanent upturn. And we get another song where Tiara expresses how much she would like to be a better pony, but doesn't know how to go about it. This is the moment when viewers first begin to feel for Diamond Tiara, whom we previously thought was irredeemably a bully.

The CMC feel for Tiara too, and decide to help her to find another way, so they invite their former-foe to the clubhouse. Here, Tiara flat-out admits her jealousy that the Crusaders can still explore their identities and skills, whereas Tiara herself feels locked into something she does not fully understand. Unfortunately when asked about this, Tiara falls back on her bully mask. Fortunately a few more open-hearted words from the Crusaders bring her back, and she's about to break right in front of them when Pipsqueak appears, calling for help because the school board doesn't have the budget to repair the school playground, as he had promised he would do. In an instant, Tiara goes right back to trying to reclaim her advantage, and as she starts running for the school we get another song, also between her and the Crusaders -- the latter again trying to convince Tiara that there is another way.

It seems that no matter what they say or where they go, the CMC cannot convince Tiara to reconsider. Once at the school, only her mother's appearance breaks her momentum. We get a moment where everything hinges on whether Tiara will revert to old form, but then she decides that she wants friends more than she wants power, and she confronts Spoiled directly, asking her to take a note to Filthy asking for the money for the playground repairs. Spoiled does not seem to know what to do with her daughter's sudden backbone, and decides to agree. And we get another song, during which Tiara gets a Rank-Up from her mark, and then she helps everyone as the replacement equipment is brought in, and they install it together.

Post-repairs, the Crusaders begin to realize the impact they have been having on others recently, especially in understanding the meaning of their cutie marks. They finally decide to let go of actively going after their marks in order to focus on helping others understand their identities and talents instead -- which is when they are overtaken by one whopper of a magical resonance, and finally get their cutie marks! We get another song, on which the episode closes. During the song, the Crusaders parade through town, and Applejack, Dash, and Rarity express how proud they are of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle respectively. The whole group gathers for a picture in front of the clubhouse, and the picture gets whisked to Celestia and Luna OP-style.

Analysis
There could be few better ways to mark five years of FiM than with the Cutie Mark Crusaders getting their cutie marks, but a musical episode that also develops Silver Spoon and gives Diamond Tiara a heel-face turn is certainly one way. Mind you, as I said earlier, this could really have been two or three episodes to give Spoon and Tiara a more proper amount of time to develop away from the one-note bullies they have been for five seasons. An episode devoted to developing Tiara's relationship with Spoiled would have also gone a long way to showing how things are between them, and then Tiara confronting Spoiled would have been far more believable.

Spoiled Rich herself is the kind of superficial character many people will instantly dislike. She is so one-dimensionally snooty that she seems to think nothing of insulting others even when they are present. The CMC's and Cheerilee's expressions show exactly what they think of that -- although despite being in an actual position of power, Cheerilee has never done anything about the bullying she has witnessed from Tiara and Spoon. She also stands by as Spoiled delivers her own insults, including calling the CMC 'blank flanks.' Spoiled also stands in contrast to what we saw of Filthy Rich previously, and when we see him this time he also appears to be rather conceited, but otherwise he does not hold a role at all. This is unfortunate, as his doting but fair presentation before would balance Spoiled's pressure a bit -- not entirely, though.

The progression and pacing for this episode is helped a great deal with the music, which both advances the plot and reveals things about the characters perhaps not previously considered. I feel that Tiara's solo song was especially effective at evoking sympathy for her, although the ending song was also well-written and used. I doubt there are any fans who did not share the big sisters' pride in the Crusaders. I feel this episode used its songs much more effectively than 'Magical Mystery Cure' did, even though this episode also had two separate plot threads -- probably because Tiara's redemption was integrated into the Crusaders' thread more fully than Twilight's ascension was tied into her unravelling the cutie mark mix-up. Both had sudden resolutions, but the Crusaders' getting their marks seemed less jarring than Twilight becoming an Alicorn.

And if you still felt nothing at Tiara's redemption and the Crusaders' achievement, there was also their embarking on a new journey (so we don't have to worry about their story ending), and the WHAM statement from Applejack which most likely acknowledges their parents' deaths. We haven't had anything on the subject since those two shooting stars during 'Apple Family Reunion,' but here's a statement from AJ that either means they're dead, or on a long vacation, and the former seems more likely. FiM has never straight-out acknowledged a death before, despite Sombra's on-screen probable death (unless you're into the comics).

It is also worth mentioning that in the closing sequence, Celestia pushes the letter and picture to Luna. This is appropriate, as Luna has stepped in to mentor each of the Crusaders respectively, and then together at the end of 'Bloom and Gloom.' To tell the truth I was looking forward to seeing this sequence integrated into a new OP sequence, so I was disappointed the following week to see that Hasbro decided not to do it. Oh well.

The Long-Awaited Cutie Marks
This definitely bears analysis. The Crusaders have matching cutie marks, but at the same time they are different from each other: each one has the background of a shield similar to the one they use as their own emblem -- similar, but different, showing growth. This shield is divided into three parts, each third in the mane colours of one of the fillies, showing their eternal connection.

Apple Bloom has a heart inside an apple, perhaps showing how important her family is.
Scootaloo has a lightning bolt inside a wing, showing her love for speed, as well as her wing power.
Scootaloo has a music note inside a five-pointed star, showing her love of singing and perhaps her potential as a magic-user.

Now, when anypony else got her or his cutie mark it appeared in a small white glow. When the CMC got their marks simultaneously, they got overtaken by swirls of magic in their own colours, and even floated for a bit. Not even the Mane6 had that effect, and they got their marks within hours of each other (AJ was probably the last one, since she had to run back to Sweet Apple Acres from Manehattan after seeing the Sonic Rainboom before she got hers). The different treatment of the CMC may indicate a greater magical potential even than the Mane6.

Conclusion
There is quite a lot to enjoy about this episode, as it resolves so much. It is also very emotionally-involved, which is saying something when it involves the younger candy-coloured cartoon undersized horses. What it says is that this show, and this episode in particular, is so well-written, and its characters are so well-realized, that even grown men can feel proud of those characters when they accomplish great things. While I believe Tiara could have her own episode or two prior to this one, I still feel this was one of the best episodes of the season. It still suffers a bit from pacing, but not as much as some non-musical episodes. I was all over the place, emotionally, with this one, but I was never bored or lost.

I look forward to seeing how the Crusaders fit into the dynamic of the show. Considering they are now set to help others with their identify issues, and the Mane6 can respond to friendship problems throughout Equestria, there is great potential here.

I give this episode a 9/10.