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Cuddlepug β MLP FiM: S5 E18: Crusaders of the Lost Mark Review
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Published: 2015-10-10 16:28:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 14872; Favourites: 164; Downloads: 222
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Review of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 5, Episode 18: "Crusaders of the Lost Mark"Final score: A+ (One of the best episodes so far)
Next review (Season 5, Episode 19):Β
Previous review (Season 5, Episode 17):Β
These episodes are all rated in the context of the show - therefore, if I give an episode a score, it is in relation to how it compares to the standard set by the show itself and not external factors.
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Comments: 448
I disagree with you this time.
While I think the plot of the episode itself wasn't bad, I am not thrilled by the execution. It was way too fast in my opinion and, again, glued together by and endless song. I love musicals, more than your average Joe on the street. But I think you should sometimes give it some time to settle, and this wasn't done well. Even more here than in the Season 3 finale, music becomes just a useful tool for the creators when they are out of time for a good execution in enough of it.
And Diamond Tiara? She was THE bully per se. And now all out of sudden everything is a-okay. And she talks to her mother in a way which would give you immediate grounding from every parent (at least, if not worse). And her mother just goes la-di-da and does as ordered by her parent. Not very believable in my point of view.
The CMCs in the end got their cutie marks. As stated, the plot isn't bad. "The journey is the goal" is delivered perfectly here, and it doesn't close the ark of the CMCs but gives them a reason to keep crusading for marks - just from other ponies now. Even though it must be said that in the past, there were hints that their talents might be something different. All in all, I would've thought the execution of them receiving their cutie marks would have been a bit better then this. As stated. Rushed and weird.
But as I also stated, the plot itself is not bad. I just really disagree with the execution this time and the continuity. But everyone is open to his own opinion. ^^ (Just saying this because I don't want some d**khead throwing insults onto my head because I smeared his wonderful CMC-episode).
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As much as I don't want to dislike this episode...I have to agree with your view on the music and pace. That was actually a huge reason I really didn't like "Magical Mystery Cure". Great plot but compressed into too little an episode, and too much song.
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Thanks for the comment and offering a different perspective on the episode! What sort of score would you give it :')?
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this episode feels like it was a little too late for them to earn their cutie marks though.
the episode was great and the backstory of DT was as what the fandom expected but the earning your cutie mark now feels off.
i feel like they needed a few more episodes until it felt 100% right.
but them getting their cutie marks has mixed emotions on me.
i felt it was right but at the same time, it's a no.
other than that, i give this episode a B+.
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Five seasons of trying wasn't long enough to justify them finally getting their marks :' (?
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nope.
i feel like it should've been atleast 1 or 2 more.
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it's hard to explain....
i just feel like they needed to learn more till it felt right.
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I think this was one of the best episodes too
I really enjoyed it ^^
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Thanks for the comment :') I wonder what the future has in store for the CMCs!
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I don't care much for musical episodes (But I do likeΒ Magical Mystery Cure very much though), I see them as a hindrance to character development. Even though the cutie mark crusaders had plenty of episodes to develop their characters its not their development that is hindered here but Diamond Tiara's. She was left with a generic parents with high expectations of their child scenario. Losing her only friend wasn't even emphasized and neither what her cutie mark suppose to mean. Was it suppose to tell you to spend your parent's money on others? Does it reflect of how nice of a person she really is? does it reflect her keen observation of other people's traits and helping them to utilize it. Again we are denied all that for the sake of making this a musical. Again musicals are fine for already well established characters with time to be developed but not so much for undeveloped characters like Diamond Tiara.
I have one more last bone to pick with the episode and that is the bad design of the long waited cutie marks. They look like stickers. Yes stickers they bought from a store and put them on their flanks. They are small, indistinguishable and similar in design. If they were a bit bigger they would be fine at least.
But hey, at least there won't be any more CMC episodes going into loops about finding their cutie marks anymore.
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What sort of score would you give this one, fisherman?
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C in general,
C+ compared toΒ Magical Mystery Cure
S compared to most other CMC episodes where they wander aimlessly about their cutie mark because there will be no wandering around aimlessly episodes anymore...I hope
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I'm sure the cutie marks will get better in appearance as the CMC characters mature.
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You seem to have missed a critical line in the episode. Right after sending her mother to give the note to her father, Diamond Tiara says "I always knew since I got my cutiemark that my special talent was getting people to do what I wanted." Her cutiemark is, according to that line, a representation of both the great and terrible things that could be done with that kind of power. Considering that those in a tiara or crown can do both good and terrible things, Diamond's mark makes perfect sense both in terms of her bad and good behavior.
As for the designs of cutiemarks, these three 'coats-of-arms' so to speak are the most detailed marks in the show with the most colors as well. The sizeΒ of their cutiemarks could be scaled up, but their similarity purposeful on the writers' part as they share a destiny.Β
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Did she really say that? It must been so absurd that I blocked it completely.
More details aren't always make for better results.
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Yup. She really said that. Right before telling everyone that she asked her dad to donate the money.
True, but on the flip side, the only real issue is the size. Frankly, every cutiemark looks like a sticker on the ponies' butts. Their similarity is because of the fact that they share a destiny together.Β They're small, but nothing else is wrong with them.
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The outline is what is making them stick out as stickers.
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That doesn't really change that every cutiemark looks like a sticker. Outline or no outline.
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Β I enjoyed it, it was a fitting conclusion to another part of the CMCs journey, their story isn't over and Diamond Tiara being key to getting their marks fits. Everytime the CMC have grown as characters it's usually down to Diamond Tiara's machinations or attempt to manipulate them or other fillies into being somepony they aren't, she is responsible for the creation of the CMC and so it's fitting that her redemption would end with them earning their cutie marks. For the CMC, they grew together and so that their marks reflect who they are when they work together fits, this season is all about cutie marks, what they can do for a pony, what they can mean, how getting or having one isn't the ultimate end goal but another leg of the journey. The CMC's actions in the episode, helping a pony not to get one, but to discover what their mark really means to them, fits with them earning their marks in turn.
They do have individual talents all their own and I think that if they'd not become friends they would have, in time, discovered those talents and got marks reflecting solely them on their own. Instead we've seen over the season the fears and personal demons of the different crusaders relating to who they are (Scootaloo being scared and worried about not being able to fly, Sweetie Belle's sister issues, Appleblooms fears over what her mark could mean for her if it's not what she wanted) and how they've grown together as characters, they've grown over the course of five seasons as the CMC, their crusade to discover who they are was just as important as the individual talents, one doesn't necessarily have to block out the other, so the marks represent that
Essentially we've learned another thing about cutie marks, your talent is your talent but that talent does not define who you are, how you get your mark and what that mark can be is another thing altogether, the journey to discover who you are and what your mark means is all you and that can take a multitude of different paths. The destination isn't important, the journey you take to get there is what's important and that journey can shape the end goal, the cutie mark, in different ways. Each route the CMC could have taken, together or alone, would have ended in the same place with a cutie mark, but the road they took together shaped the destination as one they could share together
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Thanks for the comment - how highly do you rate this one?
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Very, this is how they should have given the CMC their marks, not crusading for something but by doing what they do best, helping others understand who they are and what that means for them
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This episode filled me with joy! It was awesome!
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Yes. It finally happen. CMC got their cutiemarks and Diamond Tiara became better person thanks to them! Totally awesome!
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This episode hit me with the feels truck. I was crying. I guess it's because I just felt so proud of the CMC, you know? Finally our three little fillies are growing up.
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Do you think the episode is one of the best so far :')?
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It is! It most certainly is! I think your review of it is also done very well.
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Sadly I only got to see parts of it on the drive home but from what I saw of it, it looked like a great episode! I will be rewatching this one so I can really pay attention. Getting some more info on why Diamond Tiara wasn't nice makes sense and I always had a feeling it was because of pressure or because of being in a rich family. I love their cutie marks and how they finally got them. I did almost cry when Applejack was saying congrats to Apple Bloom. It was sad and sweet and gives the impression that her parents have either passed or left the farm and their children behind, the former being more likely. All in all I must agree with you on this one.
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Thanks for the comment, friend :') Are you excited for what the future holds for the Cutie Mark Crusaders?
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Very! I can't wait to see what they do with their talents. I'm sure they will do great things.
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Agree!! This episode should be a Good Broadway Musical
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Might need to be extended out a bit first...
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Disagree. The ending pulled everything up, but I'd still only give this episode a C+. The fact that Diamond Tiara has been a bitch for 5 seasons without explanation, then suddenly not only gets a backstory AND does a 180 turn in the same episode is shoehorned as can be. Those elements should have been introduced way earlier into the series and lingered in the background for some time instead of being shoved into our faces like that (especially her mom. Talk about overacting).
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It's a shame to hear you didn't enjoy it so much!
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Don't get me wrong, the last 5 minutes were wonderful. I especially like that we finally got a confirmation (as much as possible) that Applejack's parents are...gone, and you couldn't help but feel pride alongside the sisters. It's something I can see myself rewatching more often. But most everything before that was hamfisted. (Though I did enjoy Silver Spoon blowing off Diamond Tiara a lot) That they spent most of the episode just walking or running around didn't help. Though I'll admit I'm not a fan of musical episodes in general.
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That's fair enough - thanks for the comment :')
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Horray for the 5th anniverary of MLP! This is an awesome and satisfying episode and their cutie marks are not cheesy or anything :3
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Do you think the episode is one of the best so far?
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Of course! We've all waited for 5 long years until they get their cutie marks XD
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I totally agree with you. This is one of the best episodes!
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Will you be rewatching it :')?
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