SPOILERS? Mariusioannesp Reviews: "The Fault in Our Cutie Marks"

WARNING!!! The following contains SPOILERS for the latest MLP episode “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks”.

Now, without further a-John-Green-wrote-a-Griffon-episode-do, here is my review of “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks”.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders meet a rather exuberant and gregarious Griffon named Gabby. She wants the CMC’s help finding her ultimate purpose so she can have her own cutie mark! The CMC are not too sure about this as they’re not sure it’s possible for a Griffon to get a cutie mark. Still, they resolve to help Gabby at least find her purpose in life in at least the hope that this might manifest itself as a cutie mark. However, after trying everything they can, the CMC still don’t have a clear idea what Gabby’s purpose could be. Will the CMC ever succeed in figuring out Gabby’s purpose in life, or are they just doomed to fail?!

So, what’s the verdict?

Well, this was quite a drop of Griffon-y sunshine.

So yeah, I liked it!

Let’s begin where these things tend to begin at the beginning, shall we. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are on a house call, speaking with the parents of a recently cutie-marked pony named Petunia. Petunia’s parents are concerned because they find Petunia's cutie mark to be a tad unsettling.

Skull and bones, huh. That’s nothing to worry about. That just clearly means she’s going to be a future President of the United States.

However, when Petunia digs up some dinosaur bones, it becomes clear to everypony that her cutie mark is in archaeology.

Well, it’s not like her parents thought she had a pirate cutie mark.


Okaaaaay….

With another successful cutie mark intervention, Scootaloo thinks the CMC has gotten a handle on this whole finding the purposes of other ponies’ lives thing, like they did for this pony we’ve never seen before named Blue Note.

But there’s Bulk Biceps teaching some ponies how to lift.

Oh, and there’s Tender Taps dancing in public.

That’s a little something I like to call….

You know. Because that was all in “On Your Marks”.

Anywho, Sweetie Belle warns Scootaloo that they are still bound run into unexpected challenges, perhaps even a problem they can’t handle. That’s when they notice a Griffon perched upon their clubhouse.

The CMC hide in a bush figuring out what to make of this situation. Naturally, they’re concerned because they’re aware that Griffons tend to be mean and cranky. They try carefully exiting the bush, but the Griffon spots them.

And she totally flips out over them.




Just what I always wanted. My own little Cutie Mark Crusaders. I will name them George, and I will hug them and pet them and squeeze them...

So, the Griffon’s name is Gabriella, but they can call her Gabby because now they’re friends! Yeah, this Griffon is neither cranky nor mean. Gabby has come to the CMC because she has heard of their skill determining a pony’s place in life through their cutie marks. She wants their help to do just that by getting her a cutie mark. The CMC of course are skeptical when it comes to whether or not a Griffon could even get a cutie mark. Still, they decide to hear her out and invite her up to the clubhouse to tell them her story about why she wants a cutie mark. Gabby hails from the Griffon capital of the world, Griffonstone! Hold on; there’s more continuity where that came from. There, she works as a humble mail carrier, spreading Griffon-y sunshine on her rounds and helping any Griffon in need. However, due to the surly nature of Griffons, this only served to set her apart and made her feel more alone. That is until Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie rolled into town. You know, like in “The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone.”

There’s Gabby in the background of the events of “The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone”.

That’s a little something I like to call….

Anywho, watching from afar, she saw that creatures like ponies actually like helping each other, and how such sentiments can spread from pony to pony and Griffon to Griffon. She figured it had something to do with the cutie marks on ponies’ flanks, and perhaps that could explain why she was so different from other Griffons. So, Gabby became a bit obsessed with cutie marks. The first chance she got to deliver a letter from Gilda to Rainbow Dash, she took so she could go to Ponyville and find out more.

Once she got to Ponyville and started asking around, she found out about the CMC and their expertise when it comes to cutie marks. That’s why she’s come to them in the hopes that they can get her the cutie mark she’s always wanted.


For some reason, Gabby seems to think the CMC can just give her a cutie mark. So, she waits in expectation for them to do so.


Apple Bloom tells Gabby that she may have heard some misinformation regarding what the CMC do. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo also explain that they can’t give her a cutie mark; they just happen. But they’re not even sure if a Griffon can get a cutie mark. Still, Gabby is confident in their ability to figure this out. She goes off to deliver Gilda’s letter to Rainbow, and when she gets back, she’s sure they’ll have an answer for her. After Gabby goes off, Scootaloo suggests they consult Twilight Sparkle regarding whether a Griffon can get a cutie mark. Unsurprisingly, Twilight informs them that she’s never heard of a creature other than a pony ever getting a cutie mark and doubts Gabby will be able to acquire one. Sweetie Belle inquires as to whether there’s a spell that could give Gabby a cutie mark, but Twilight reminds her that using magic to get a cutie mark doesn’t work out too well. Oh, it’s kind of reference to “The Cutie Pox” way back in Season 2. Anyway, Apple Bloom is sad over how sad Gabby will be when they break the bad news to her. Back at the CMC clubhouse, the CMC discuss what they’re going to do now. Gabby was counting on them, and they’re going to let her down. Scootaloo though suggests that even if they can’t get Gabby a cutie mark, they could still help her find her purpose in life. They just have to be exceptionally clear with her that she’s not getting a cutie mark. Once Gabby arrives, they try to explain the situation with her lack of potential for a cutie mark, but Gabby takes it to mean that she is getting a cutie mark. She flies through the sky in excitement for a good long time.


Once Gabby calms down enough, Apple Bloom clarifies that while they can help her find her purpose in life, she won’t be able to get a cutie mark. Gabby reacts accordingly.

They explain how Twilight informed them that a non-pony has never gotten a cutie mark, but Gabby is unfazed by this. There’s a first time for everything, and Twilight never said it was impossible. Gabby thinks if anyone can do it, the CMC can. Scootaloo then promises Gabby that they will do everything they can to get Gabby a cutie mark. Gabby flies off all excited again. Apple Bloom’s a little annoyed by this and asks Scootaloo why she would promise Gabby something that can’t be done. Scootaloo though has her reasons.

You see that. That thing with her wing. It’s an acknowledgment of Scootaloo’s potential inability to fly just like in “Flight to the Finish.”

They decide to approach this by going back to the drawing board. That is a good ole’ fashioned cutie mark chart. They’re going to have Gabby try out a whole bunch of stuff to determine what she’s naturally the best at, thereby determining her purpose in life. Once her purpose in life is determined, a cutie mark is bound to appear. This then leads into the episode’s song.

It’s a delightful little number called “Find the Purpose in Your Life.” This is accompanied by a montage of all the things Gabby tries out.

Hey, it’s Zecora! Remember the last time we saw her. It was in “On Your Marks”, this season’s last CMC episode.




Look! It’s Octavia!


Now, look at who’s the pirate now.

Through the course of this song and dance number, it becomes apparent that Gabby is pretty much good at everything. As she’s so good at everything, the CMC can’t discern what one thing is her purpose in life. Without knowing that, they can’t get her a cutie mark. They break the news to Gabby, and she doesn’t take it well at all. In fact, she refuses to accept it and flies off. The CMC just feel like failures over all this. Back at the clubhouse, the CMC are lamenting this unfortunate turn of events, wondering if their focus on cutie marks means they can only help ponies. They’re feeling like utter failures until Gabby shows up again with a rather surprising adornment on her flank.

She’s got a cutie mark. And a rather janky looking one at that.

Sweetie Belle in particular is astounded by this course of events.

Okay, I no longer think it’s unintentional that they keep using this face on every pony now.

Gabby figures it’s a cauldron because helping Zecora with her potions was the first thing she tried, and it just took time to come out. The CMC are quite excited over this! They think Twilight needs to see what they were able to accomplish. Gabby is much more guarded though. She says she still has to pick up a letter from Rainbow Dash to Gilda, and then she’ll meet them at Twilight’s castle. However, when the CMC arrive at the castle, Gabby isn’t there. She just came by and left a note for the CMC, telling them that she wanted to get back to Griffonstone to show all the Griffons her cutie mark. The CMC start to get a little suspicious. Why would Gabby come by and run off back to Griffonstone without telling Twilight about her cutie mark. When Twilight hears that Gabby got a cutie mark, she is understandably shocked and starts gathering materials to research this unprecedented phenomenon.

The CMC go off searching for Gabby, and soon enough they find her helping Doctor Whooves get his wagon out of the mud.


In the process of doing so though, Gabby gets mud on her flank, and Apple Bloom notices that her cutie mark is washing off. Eyup, it’s fake. Gabby admits what she did but confesses that she did it so the CMC wouldn’t feel like failures over their inability to get Gabby a cutie mark. Suddenly, Sweetie Belle has a thought and tells Gabby to meet them back at the clubhouse. Once they’re all there, the CMC explain that they realized that everytime Gabby tried something new, she was always helping others. They realized that helping others must be Gabby’s purpose in life. Gabby’s not sure because helping others just feels good to her; it can’t have anything to do with her purpose in life. The CMC retort that finding your purpose in life isn’t about being good at something but feeling good about something, and she doesn’t need a symbol on her flank to know that. That’s a lesson I can stand behind! Either way, the CMC have decide to present Gabby with her own cutie mark or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

They go pinned to the buckles of her mail bag.

Their similarity to the CMC’s own cutie marks can only mean one thing. The CMC then dub Gabby the very first Griffon Cutie Mark Crusader!

With that, Gabby is thrown her own cute-ceañera outside of Sugarcube Corner that appears to be attended by the whole town. Gabby promises to do her best to spread the values of the CMC back home in Griffonstone. The CMC also make her promise to come back and visit.

This episode was written by Ed Valentine. This is his second episode this season after “The Cart Before the Ponies.” This episode was certainly better than that one. In fact, this episode is a lot better than Mr. Valentine’s last CMC episode prior to this season “Flight to the Finish”. I’d dare say this episode is “Flight to the Finish” done right. Where “Flight to the Finish” failed was in its inability to clearly establish whether or not Scootaloo could actually fly, meaning that the possibility that Scootaloo is disabled could not be firmly established. This episode makes it much clearer that Griffons can’t get cutie marks. It’s just not in their nature. And despite that, the CMC are able to successfully work around it. I say Mr. Valentine has been able to learn from his previous mistakes. Also, there was that Slight allusion to “Flight to the Finish” with that moment when Scootaloo alludes to her possible inability to fly. Plus, this episode gives the CMC their own song just like “Flight to the Finish” did. It’s almost like Mr. Valentine just wanted to do that episode over again.

This episode’s title is also an allusion to John Green’s novel and its subsequent film adaptation The Fault in Our Stars. I have neither read the book not seen the film, so I have no idea what that had to do with anything here beyond the title.

Let’s talk a little bit about the the Griffon of the (half-)hour, Gabby.

First off, Gabby is adorable! She has a great design for a Griffon. She seems a bit smaller than your standard Griffon, like she might be a teenaged Griffon somewhat close the CMC’s ages. Gabby is voiced by Erin Mathews, who is no stranger to MLP. She voiced Little Stongheart way back in “Over A Barrel” in Season 1. Anywho, Gabby’s upbeat disposition makes her a joy to watch. She’s certainly nothing like the Griffons we’ve seen before who tend to be a lot more surly. In fact, her divergence in personality when it comes to other Griffons makes her a bit similar to Thorax from “The Times They Are a Changeling” earlier this season. Thorax was similarly different from his Changeling compatriots. An important part of this episode is that Gabby doesn’t get a cutie mark, and that’s okay. It would be far too incredulous if Gabby had managed to get a cutie mark. It would have probably made her too akin to a Mary Sue. I mean everyone likes her, and she’s good at everything. Gabby is dangerously close to the Mary Sue archetype. Actually getting a cutie mark would have made that so. Either way, this aspect of this episode makes it unique when it comes to the rest of the CMC’s episodes. Getting or understanding a cutie mark is usually their goal. Here though, they succeeded even though they failed at that specifically.

Twilight had an interesting role in this episode. I know way back in “Twilight Time” in Season 4, we saw Twilight act in a mentoring capacity for the CMC. Although since then, we haven’t seen much of that. Still, it’s not surprising that she’s the first pony they turn to when they need help with determining whether Griffons can even get cutie marks.

I was actually surprised by how much this episode followed up on “The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone.” What’s most surprising about it to me is that it isn’t even a CMC episode. That was Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Map episode of Season 5. What we have now are two seemingly unrelated episodes concerning unrelated topics that have now been inextricably linked together. It kind of reminds me of how the Season 4 finale “Twilight’s Kingdom” was surprisingly connected with the Season 2 episode “It’s About Time”.

As for what I didn’t like… I got nothing. This was a very solid episode.

Overall, “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks” was a delightful episode. We got introduced to a great new character and learned a little more about the limits of cutie marks. I certainly look forward to the CMC’s future adventures fulfilling their purpose in life. But then again, I always look forward to it.

What did y’all think of “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks”?

God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless Equestria.

Comments

[Doctor Perseus]

Skull and bones, huh. That’s nothing to worry about. That just clearly means she’s going to be a future President of the United States.

Nice!

And as a fan of continuity, this episode was a very special treat indeed.

And...yeah, this was a pretty solid episode.