Marks and Recreation S7E21 Review · 5:28pm Sep 30th, 2017
Allow me to sum up my reaction to this episode thusly.
So first, it was major pet peeve of mind how casually the CMC keep referring to fillies without their cutie marks as “blank flanks” when it’s PRETTY WELL ESTABLISHED that term is usally used in a derogatory manner. This isn’t helped by their horrified reactions to Rumble declaring he doesn’t want a cutie mark. Wasn’t the point of their character arc, including actually getting their cutie marks, that they didn’t care if they got their marks or what they would be and were just gonna live their lives?
Anyway, Rumble was an annoying little turd. Not only was he annoying as he kept failing the tasks, and then comes the big reveal about him. The way they try to justify his views on cutie marks is pathetic as he counters the CMC’s logical and truthful point that a cutie mark doesn’t bind you to one task to do your whole life. “I like making potions with Zecora!” “And when was the last time you did that?” Gimme a break. I’m a fan of the Kingdom Hearts and Fallout series, but I haven’t touched either of them all year because I didn’t feel like replaying any of them.
So, fine, the CMC agree to let Rumble do his own thing and go to help the others, rather mature and insightful of them. And then Rumble decides to double down on being an annoying shit by convincing the other fillies at the camp that being a blank flank is preferable to having a mark. If they do get a mark they’ll be doing that forever and will have to give up the hobbies they love, or worse they’re not good at anything and will never get a mark.
Allow me to quote my Trixie again. “A cutie mark isn’t some arbitrary destiny that waits for us to realize we belong to it. It’s the destiny we choose for ourselves, because we want it.” The show itself subscribes to this view and has reinforced it repeatedly. So Rumble, shut up, you suck and your opinion sucks and your song sucks. Like seriously, he doesn’t want his mark, fine, then go not have a mark and be happy like that, don’t ruin the CMC’s efforts to help other ponies who DO want their marks by convincing them they’re better off without on. Even the CMC are confused and think they’re all nuts for buying into this stuff, and then note Rumble isn’t doing anything different from them, he was just being a jerk.
Oh, and should I mention that the CMC are kinda famous through Ponyville for spending years experimenting and trying out new activities to get their cutie marks? They’re kinda experts on the subject! What the hell does Rumble know about cutie marks that makes him worth listening to? This is how shit like Starlight’s little equality town gets started. Actually yeah, this sets Rumble up to grow up into another Starlight, leading a cult of anti-cutie mark ponies who reject their marks. And they even have a pony who painted over her cutie mark and rather unconvincingly talks about how free she feels. And now one of Rumble’s ponies is afraid that he’s good at something and may get a cutie mark in it, so Rumble declares they won’t do anything that could get them their marks...
If I haven’t made this opinion of mine clear yet, allow me to spell it out for you: Rumble is an annoying little turd who doesn’t know what he’s talking about and he needs to piss off. I don’t care about his obvious brother Freudian Excuse coming up, as they summed up in the opening act Scootaloo’s sister of sorts is a Wonderbolt too, you don’t see her agonizing over not living up to Rainbow Dash’s example. They spent the first sixteen minutes of the episode making Rumble so insufferably that I didn’t care what happened with him at the end except for wanting to see him alone and abandoned by his brainwashed friends who realized how wrong he is.
Wait, I take it back. I had to shout “OH MY GOD” when I realized the big epiphany moment was Rumble learning that Thunderlane likes to cook... and so it is Rumble learns the exact lesson the CMC have been preaching to him the entire episode
I fucking hated this episode. The brief humorous bits with the ponies were not enough to distract from how wall-bangingly frustrating the episode was. We’ve spent six full seasons seeing cutie marks get explored, so every time Rumble opened his big mouth I wanted to slap him and scream “CUTIE MARKS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY.” I had to constantly keep pausing to not only update this blog with how wrong and annoying Rumble was, but to facepalm for several seconds before I began typing.
I hope when Rumble gets his cutie mark one day that it’s a poop emoji. With a Wonderbolt emblem crossed out next to it.
Also, random conversation with a friend during this episode.
“Pipsqueak wants his mark.”
He gets a Luna face.
“That’s every brony’s mark. That or a Starlight with an X over it"
Speak for yourself, mine is a pair of bacon strips crossed over a sun.
Yikes.
I've been really choosy this season on what episodes to watch. Really, any of them that pique my interest or have characters I like, like Trixie. So kinda glad I skipped this one.
Well, next week's the big movie. Hopefully it lives up to all the marketing Hasbro has done for it the past few months. Either that or it will flop horribly. We shall see.
You fail to understand male psychology. ..much like the CMC.
Pretty sure Twilight used the term in a technical sense back in S5. Not to mention even though it was used as an insult by DT and SS, in all fairness it is a rather compact way of describing ponies without cutie marks. I guess much in the same way "kid" or "boy" can be used in both a demeaning way and a purely technical way.
4682991
Being a male, I will testify to the fact that being a male is not an excuse for being a smug jerk.
4682991
💩 says what?
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That you failed to understand male psychology
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Argument frpm authority logical fallacy
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Since Drake and I are both male, you've proven little more than your ability to talk out of your ass and be an irritant.
4683128
Your preposition is rooted in the idea that Rumble’s behavior in this episode is excusable in some manner because he is a male. That is bullshit. Being a male does not permit Rumble to act smug, jerkish, selfish, and ignorant. His behavior would not somehow be more or less permissible if he were a female, or if any of the characters’ genders were changed. That kind of sexist, archaic thinking is ludicrous and ignorant.
I forgot to mention this in my review, but yeah, this was really uncomfortable to watch. D:
Reading the synopsis, I was looking forward to this episode. I was wondering if they were gonna go the route of "Cutie Mark means you're growing up and this child doesn't want to grow up". I certainly wasn't expecting Rumble, or this.
His actual reasons for not wanting a Cutie Mark may be infuriating, but hey, he's still a child. Little Fillies and Colts won't exactly have much reason or logic to back up their claims. So to say that they are very childish claims is kinda appropriate for what they are.
One thing I kept thinking of when watching this episode, was Diamond Tiara. Who even remembers her now? Ever since her reformation, she has practically been forgotten by the show completely. I don't even remember the last time she had a speaking role. But this episode, made it feel like the exact opposite of what Diamond Tiara was. I wanted SO badly to see what sort of interactions would happen if Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were still a thing, and they made an appearance in this episode.
So anyway, it sounds like you REALLY hated this episode. Would you say it's actually worse than the Yaks episode? Unlike that episode, this one was dealing with logic within the minds of Fillies and Colts.
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Hm, close call.
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Close call?
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Yaks or Rumble.
What you are saying pretty much is how I feel about the episode. But I understand sometimes no matter what anyone says to you, you won't understand until you actually do it.
If that kinda makes sense.
Yeah and I did see Rumble as being the next Starlight. Except instead of removing cutie marks they would just not have any.
Yeah, not a great episode.
I thoroughly enjoyed Sweetie Belle's mounting frustration and anger, however. "YOU JUST HAIKU'D RIGHT THEN!"
My only complaint is Thunderlane's new voice. He had a great New York accent before, and now it's just...ugh.
Also, Rumble seems to have hit puberty. Hard.