The season begins in Twilight's Crystal Tree Palace playset as the mane cast ponder what's next for them. As they're trying to figure out just how to spread the magic of friendship through Equestria, a full-scale table map emerges from the floor. Their cutie marks start flashing, and the map seems to indicate a destination for them.
They arrive at a quaint little village full of friendly townspeople, but there's something very off about it: every pony has the same equals-sign cutie mark. Fluttershy seems to find it nice, but Pinkie Pie knows there's something very wrong with their smiles. The mare in charge is a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer, who sings praises for sameness and equality, and that without your cutie mark and the talent it represents, you can be that much happier. The atmosphere is incredibly creepy and Orwellian, and it's great to see this kind of subject matter taken up on what some would decry as a children's show (or specifically, a girl's show).
The mane six are not convinced, but still take some time to look around the village and have a bite to eat. The baker unicorn, Sugar Belle, invites them discreetly into her shop, so that she and some other ponies (a unicorn named Party Favor and a pegasus named Night Glider) can admire their cutie marks and reminisce about their own. It's here we learn that the cutie marks are kept safely in a cave, and the townspeople can visit it whenever they want. Starlight is more than happy to show it to the mane six, but shortly after their arrival, it's clearly revealed to be a trap. Now that she has them surrounded, she picks up a staff which she claims to be a lost relic of a powerful unicorn named Meadowbrook. Twilight Sparkle attempts to fight back, but is the first to get her cutie mark taken off and replaced with the equals sign. The others are quickly dealt with as well, and the first part ends as overhead shot fades into the forboding equals sign...and the credits role with the happy theme tune.
When the second part picks up, the mane six are trapped in a cabin, equalistic propaganda playing through a loudspeaker, rather similar to Big Brother's "ignorance is strength" dogma in 1984. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both make attempts to break out, but fail to do so without their athleticism. Fluttershy can't communicate with birds to signal for help, and Pinkie Pie begins to sound more and more monotone, while Rarity's own fashion sense begins to fade. Twilight theorizes something's off about that staff as Meadowbrook was supposed to only have eight relics, whereas Starlight's staff is seemingly the ninth. As time goes on, they come up with a plan. Since Fluttershy seemed the most comfortable in the village, she would feign conversion and break them all out later.
As a test of loyalty, Starlight asks who the ponies were who met with the mane six earlier. Before she can answer, Party Favor steps forward, taking the fall so the others wouldn't. Fluttershy is let out while he gets thrown in with the rest of the mane six. Later that night, Fluttershy tries to sneak out to the cave, but notices Starlight take their cutie marks back to her cabin. Once her henchpony Double Diamond has left, she accidentaly spills some water on herself, and when wiping it away revealing that she's still had her cutie mark the whole time.
The next morning, Party Favor is let out while Fluttershy speaks to the others. It seems Twilight is ready to join the community too, but it's a ploy so that Starlight can be doused with water, revealing her deception to the whole town. It turns out the staff really was just a stick and Starlight kept her cutie mark because her magic was needed to take everyone else's away, so that they could all be equal, except for her. She's run back into her cabin while the villagers run to the cave.
As she escapes through an underground passageway, the glass in the cave is shattered and everypony's cutie mark is restored. The mane six, however, are still powerless as Starlight held onto theirs. Unable to keep up with her without their own talents, it rests on the villagers to get them back. Night Glider breaks down the cabin door allowing for the chase. Party Favor seemingly can make anything out of balloons, from binoculars to a bridge. During the chase, Double Diamond finds his old skis abandoned in the mountains, and then he and Night Glider catch up to Starlight. She finally drops the jars, which break and restore the mane six's cutie marks.
After a lecture from Twilight about why our own unique attributes and abilities are what make friendships special, Starlight Glimmer manages to escape into a dark cavern, likely to return. Even so, the villagers are all the happier that she's gone and their talents restored. The mane six look on in satisfaction, as their cutie marks flash again, indicating the map has another job for them to do, and we end with a group hug.
A very strong start to the season. Even though the show has had a pretty good track record with episodes dealing with complex issues (learning disabilities, physical handicaps, etc.), the social commentary in this episode is really appreciated. It shows why talents should be both praised and encouraged, and why keeping everybody on the same level isn't always a good thing, no matter how appealing others might make it sound.
Even so, the episode does have its flaws. Twilight was equalized by Starlight a little too easily, but I mostly chalk that up to being taken by surprise. Even so, she could have simply put up a forcefield instead of teleporting away from the blast before trying to counter. Spike could have been very useful in this episode, but was left behind in the castle after some funny bits at the beginning of the episode. He's a dragon and doesn't have a cutie mark, so would not have been susceptible to Starlight's magic. Additionally, he can breathe fire and would have been able to help the mane six escape from the cabin, and if all else fails could have sent a message to Princess Celestia and brought in backup. However, that might have been excessive. Unlike previous antagoniss like Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, or Tirek, Starlight Glimmer is just an ordinary unicorn. It's a bit of a mixed bag seeing the mane characters having to take the backseat during the final confrontation. It's somewhat disappointing to see the characters de-powered, but at the same time, letting others have a moment in the limelight is cool.
The Cutie Map indicates that we'll be seeing more of Equestria outside of Ponyville, Canterlot, and Manehattan, and that's probably for the best. Even though the series is strongest with its slice of life stories, additional world building is always welcome. W If we can expect more like this one all season, then I am proud to still be a brony.
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