Deconstruction is Magic: A My Little Pony Retrospective (S1E12)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrreetings everypony, and welcome back to Deconstruction is Magic, my Retrospective/Review/Analysis of every episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is magic ever. Today, we have the official debut of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and it all starts with Applebloom. It's Call of the Cutie! Without wasting any more time, let's get on with the analysis! I am the Mage of Mind, reminding you, as always, that even a cheeseburger can be deconstructed to its source.

This episode is all about setting up the core theme of the Cutie Mark Crusaders going forward, that of discovering their cutie marks. But what exactly is a cutie mark? Up until this point, we see most of the adults have them, but it's never given any special amount of attention. It's here that we learn cutie marks aren't just something added to make the toys more distinct, but have a specific meaning in-universe. A cutie mark represents a pony's true calling in life, their special talent which defines them as an individual.

It's pretty obvious that this is a metaphor for growing up. Many of us had dream jobs as kids, the one special interest that we wanted to pursue and rocket ourselves into adulthood. Of course, this isn't always a linnier process. I myself originally wanted to be a palaeontologist, but after finding I couldn't retain much of college physics, I had to change my career path. It took me many more years post-highschool to find my true talent in looking after animals (though this isn't represented by my OC, which is largely just a Homestuck reference).

(No, I had to earn my position as a serial killer teacher.)

Unfortunately, kids often have a simpler, and crueller, view of the world. Enter Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, the generic bullies for this episode. They exist soley to be an annoying foil for Applebloom, relentlessly tormenting her for being a "blank flank". They have no depth or motivation, beyond Diamond Tiara being the centre of attention. There is a hit that Silver Spoon is just sucking up to whoever is popular, but this doesn't get developed on until many seasons later, if at all.

The school bully is a common trope in children's media, but in this case, it presents a problem that is never addressed. Why does Applebloom want to go to Diamond Tiara's party to begin with? Sure, parties hosted by Pinkie are fun, but given how much Diamond Tiara mocks Applebloom, you think she'd start to question why she needs to attend in the first place. I'm not saying she can't have a reason to attend, but rather the fact that none is stated!

(Not since Dexter's Labratory has a cartoon featured more bare butts in focus!)

I echoed something the Mysterious Mr.Enter once said in an old video of mine. If there was no contrivance to the plot, there would be no plot. We can accept plot contrivances, so long as they are justified by the story. This works when Appelbloom loses track of time in Sugarcube Corner. It serves as both a humorous Gilligan Cut, and shows how Applebloom tries to get out of the party, since there is nothing left for her to enjoy that will distract her from the mockery.

The bulk of the episode exists mostly to fill time, and to explore Applebloom's desperation at finding a cutie mark. The adults who give her advice aren't wrong in theory; trying out family traditions, or trying out many different tasks can help you find what clicks. It's the peer pressure, another common theme in children's media, that is the problem. Diamond Tiara isn't so much a developed character as she is a plot device, generating sympathy from the audience toward the protagonist. She is a hate sink, giving us some cathartic relief when even the most petty revenge is enacted. This, again, is perfectly servicable, I just feel that this show had greater potential to do more than that. The bar has been set high for character depth, so why just rely on a bare-bones archetype?

(How dare those ponies not bully a child for being a child?! The Nerve of some ponies!)

Thankfully, the episode still gives an important moral at the end, which I feel is explained better than most other children's media. Not knowing your direction in life doesn't mean you've failed. It just means you have yet to descover your full potential! It's critical for both friends and authority figures to stand up for bullies, to counteract the insults and set the record straight, which is precisely what Twilight does when she learns that the bullying exists.

It's a sad fact of life that, in reality, teachers rarely care to investigate bullying. They insist on always taking a neutral position, which, while in theory is better, in practice it often ignores the context in which victims lash out. That's the core of what makes this episode work. If you haven't found your direction in life, you are not alone! With the support of friends, you can find out whenever the time comes. So, when it comes to taking our place in the wider world, we can empathise with other people who are either outcasts or down on their luck. Empathy and assessing individual needs is something sorely missing in today's society, but with any luck, children who grow up watching this episode can make the future a more caring, supportive place to live.

(You too can learn to properly examine other people's butts!)

Conclusion

As introductory episodes go, putting Applebloom as the POV kids character isn't a bad choice. I feel that, like the CMCs, Call of the Cutie has alot of untapped potential which had not been realised. We get some of this, with some extra details on the soft magic system of Equestria, and a wholesome message of support and patience. I just wish there was less repetition and greater usage of character depth as a whole. I give this episode a decent score of 6.5/10.

What did you think of this episode? Do you think it set a good foundation for Applebloom's character growth? Feel free to let me know in the comments on this blog! Until next time, take care all~.