I think of it like this, Rarity's cutie mark and talent is finding gem stones by all means she should be a miner, but she found a way to make her talent work for the thing she wants to do. Trubbleshoes is clumsy but he's making it work for him
And now that I think about it, I suppose Troubleshoes learning to harness his clumsiness to entertain others might help him learn to control it to some extent.
I don't even watch this show but I love these reviews. Weird how you enjoy someone talking about something not because you like it, but because they like it.
the main reason i appreciate this episode is because of the world building. Troubleshoes is not a pony, he is a horse, and a clydesdale horse at that, this is why he is so huge. A clod clydesdale is a nice play on words. Just like Zecora and the Saddle Arabians this shows that ponies are not the only equines in Equestria. I like that they treaded him like a pony even though it should have been obvious he wasnt. as for his cutie mark, Big Mac has a big apple on his flank, Troubleshoes has a big Shoe on his flank. it makes sense, and yeah ive heard the superstition where if you hang a horseshoe over your door upside down the luck runs out.
I really liked seeing AJ being a concerned big sister/ guardian without going totally over the top like she did in some pony to watch over me. Also I laughed so much when she screamed at Breaburn for loosing the cmc.
That little song at the end was the most adorable thing! :) What I personally took out of of the episode is that Trouble Shoes learned not to resign himself to bad circumstances and take initiative to find the life he wanted. Like Apple Bloom said,(referring to his cutie mark) "It's all how you look at it." He needed look at himself in a different light and as capable of doing good things in-order to change. Also, did anyone else think that the explanation for the "bad luck" cutie mark was glossed over? I'm guessing most little girls don't know that an upside-down horse shoe is supposed to be unlucky. I mean, Lucky Charms features horse shoes the same way.. oh well.
Honestly I loved this episode, I felt like the moral is one that you rarely see in children's programming. In most other shows Trouble Shoes would have found a stroke of luck and everything would have worked out in the end or whatever, but that's not the case here. I feel like this was a call back to "Bloom and Gloom" in which the discussion of not getting the cuttiemark you want was talked about, while here it was actually put in practice. Trouble Shoes' clumsiness is an inherent part of himself, and was a flaw that he had to come to terms with. It's nice to see a show say "Yes you have flaws, and yes your life can turn out crappy because of it, but in the end YOU have the ability to turn terrible circumstance into something positive". The show doesn't do the lazy thing and give him luck in the end. He was able to work with the hand he was dealt with. In the end, he changed his life for the better, and worked for what he wanted without relying on luck or fate, or what have you.
The conflation of being laughed at with being laughed with is what killed this episode for me. Trouble Shoes may be good at making ponies laugh, but if that's not his intent, it's mean-spirited laughter. I straight up had flashbacks to the Pinkie/Discord scene in Return of Harmony Part 1.
I am so impressed by your attempts to be internally consistent in your analyses, and your willingness to own up when you can't be. And yes, you were so right to dwell on the issues with the CMC's behaviour.
What you said makes me think that the reason Party Favor, Sugar Belle, Double Diamond and Night Glider willingly removed their Cutie Mark is not because their were unhappy with their cutie marks, they were unhappy with their lifes and Starlight Glimmer makes them think that the Cutie Mark was the root of it.
I always thought that his cutie mark did mean that he'd be a rodeo clown. The horseshoe implies the rodeo but I saw the fact it was upside down meant that he'd have good luck when he was upside down i.e. entertaining people with his clumsiness.
Fan Jiang Yeah, being clumsy for fun is one thing but I'd hate to be like that 24/7. Maybe he wouldn't be like that if he'd used his talent consciously more.
Fan Jiang Maybe it was just a severe case of accumulated potential. Because he was always hiding from everypony, _the magic inside him_ builded up, exploding at any oportunity available in order to "manifest his destiny". Since his house is not already on ruins before the CMC arrived, then maybe he is never clumsy while alone; but whenever others are around (both awake and aware of his prescence), is imposible for him to stop a "chain of events" that would end with him *upside down* for their amusement. Even for Twilight containing too much of the _Alicorn Magic_ and supressing her _flowing mane_ ended with her spontáneuosly twitching her body [Earth Pony Geomancy], randomly teleporting herself [Unicorn Arcana] and warping space while flying fast [Pegasi Tempulari].
Okay this episode is great for being a CMC episode and having Braeburn in it. Also this episode is basically a western and the CMC are collectively Clint Eastwood. I like Trouble Shoes for being like Eeyore and being the biggest pony we've seen on the show. The CMC but especially Sweetie Belle are great this episode. Sweetie is great for getting better at magic and being upset about the judges laughing at Trouble Shoes makes sense because it is her biggest fear as shown in Bloom and Gloom and for yet again being the unheard voice of reason. Also more Squeaky Belle. I also love that the CMC are helping ponies with cutie mark problems like Trouble Shoes not understanding his continuing to explore the idea of cutie marks. I also looked it up and Trouble Shoes is voiced by Jim Miller a director who just so happens to have the same name as a real outlaw. I also can't believe Sheriff Silverstar is voiced by Brian Drummond and Braeburn is voiced by a guy named Michael Dangerfield. Also I love the pitchforks and torches joke. And finally Scootaloo is a chicken...sorry but not really sorry about that.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that an upside down horshoe represents bad-luck in the sense that if upside down, all the good luck falls out.
TROUBLE SHOES IS A DANGEROUS PONY/HORSE. And I'm amazed somepony who's been observing rodeos for years, hasn't figured out the simple thing to not stand next to objects that can be knocked over like bales of hay or a stack of barrels. Does he ever observe from a different spot?
Maybe its the only place he could watch from. Even if he did find another place to watch from who's not to say his "Bad Luck" wouldn't get him in other places to?
That review made me laugh multiple times. I agree that touble shoe's cutie mark is more like a curse and it was an extremely interesting point that he might have had a much better life if he had gone to Statlight Glimmer's equalist village. I never put those two things together. Also: Male characters do tend to get abused in this show, so I didn't pay much attention to the fact that his life must've been horrible. (Spike, Snips&Snails, that nerd-guy Rarity flirted with to show Flutters how to manipulate others, that muscular pony who can't really do anything besides shouting, the royal guard sucks, Braeburn is a character I added to the list while watching your review,...)
I think the irony being his 'not being wanted' so no longer being "wanted" was a big deal being really what he basically always wanted. ;'3 (god i love good/bad wordplay) Still a good question though brought up too.
ie, He just wanted to be wanted instead he ended up being 'wanted' yet after years of troubled shoes he gets a shot at being wanted instead of being 'wanted' even if it isn't quite how he always wanted, but at the least now he is wanted instead of being 'wanted.' Just wanted to clear up any confusions. ^_
I feel like the CMC are starting to grow up, remember that applebloom episode? Or how about last season with scootaloo being depressed about being able to fly? I think Sweetie Belle is just starting to mature and starting to find that being this reckless might not be the right choice, she used to be probably the one that started a lot of these conflicts and I think she is just learning from those mistakes now
I have to say I can relate to Trouble Shoes. From his appearance seems to based on Clydesdale, which are usually bigger horses, which I can relate to for being abnormally tall myself. Which being taller, and general largess, has a stigma of being related to clumsiness, which is usually caused by the world around you being set up for smaller people. I have had times where I was too tall to do or try things that I wanted do, which seems to be the problem of Trouble Shoes. He accidental knocked things over because he was too big for the environment, same situation occurred when I was apart of my old high school FIRST robotics team, I would accidentally knock over a tool or part off the workbench and when it happens daily, it just gets frustrating. Also I can't really decide what I want to do with my life, I'm in college right now and have plans to go to Junior College temporary to hone my skills and figure out what I'm meant to do in my life and what I want to do, hopefully it will be the same thing. Trust me when your in your teens you might have already decided what you want to do with your life, but in actuality you won't know until your there. In all I relate to the problems of both Trouble Shoes and the Cutie Mark Crusaders when it comes to the basic ideals of what I want to do with my life, as well as fight the feeling of separation of ones goals from their own motives. I hope you all have great lives that are based on decisions that you make for yourself. If you want to replay, please be thoughtful and courteous.
I really liked this episode, more than most people, I think. It didn't make a huge splash, but it had funny jokes, bright characters, interesting designs, and a few new things we can draw about familiar characters (when have we seen the CMC actually counsel someone before?). This was a really pleasant episode that gave a small sample of everything we like about this show. A cutie mark reflect who you are, Trouble Shoes just didn't like who he was a only saw himself in a negative light. Him having trouble with his Cutie Mark actually does line up with things that happen in real life. Sometimes people have really solutions to problems that are really obvious to an outsider's perspective. A barrier to helping them overcome that problem is just their own attitude that it isn't that simple. These people are somewhere between needing help and encouragement, and needing a push out of the nest/a kick in the ass. So they can be really annoying to work with. I've dealt with people like this, and I think I've BEEN a person like this.
About Troubleshoe's cutie mark, he acquired it when he had the epiphany "I'm meant to be in rodeos", but Troubleshoes misunderstood it to mean he'll be riddled with bad luck, when it actually meant he's great at slapstick entertainment (special talent) as a rodeo clown (chosen destiny). Cutie mark is an abstract thing, like Rarity's whose special talent is finding & using gems yet chooses the destiny to utilize them in her passion of dressmaking; I agree the most important requirement is the personal epiphany, but finding your own special talent & choosing the destiny that fits it is also needed to be content with it.
Odd how the mind works, isn't it? While watching this and hearing about what Trouble Shoes thought his Cutie Mark it reminded me of RWBY, specifically the character Qrow. Cutie Marks and Semblances (Special powers most of the main cast have) are pretty similar in concept. The main difference being that a Cutie Mark seems to manifest once the pony has some sort of personal epiphany that points them to their destiny; and a Semblance is a random ability that manifests after a person unlocks their Aura ...Okay so they have nothing in common. A person's Semblance doesn't really say anything about them personally, and mostly it just means that they have to learn how to incorporate whatever ability they were giving into their fighting style. And unlike Cutie Marks, sometimes a Semblance can work against the hunter. Which brings us back to Qrow. Unlike Trouble Shoes who thought his Cutie Mark was being clumsy, Qrow's Semblance actually is bringing bad luck. And like Trouble Shoes, Qrow also felt he needed to stay away from everyone he cared about in order to avoid his Semblance affecting them. I don't know, I just couldn't help but think about Qrow during this video. Qrow also drinks. A lot. And I wouldn't be surprised if Trouble Shoes drinks too.
I always wonder about troubleshoes cutie. But now that make sense when a horseshoe could represent anything that is related to something around where and what you're doing. Like the horseshoe could represent farming, agriculture, and yes, a rodeo theme.
What I like about Dave Polsky's episodes is that, even if I don't particularly like them, I can't bring myself to dislike them. The man really knows how to write comedy and slapstick (alternatively, any of his episodes related to Rarity or her family [which include only two so far, but I'm hopeful] are some of the deepest in character development). I may not have had that many nitpicks with this episode, but to call it the best of the season thus far is a stretch. Even so, this episode was a riot, especially the rodeo clown scene; I know I was still chuckling after the credits.
TRIXIE IS A BACKGROUND PONY!!!! she's swearing a pink hat an she's in 2 scenes with a bunch o background ponies. GO FIND HER PLEASE!!! I promise she's there.
I laughed at Sweetie Bell saying: "I think that's a bad idea." when in all previous seasons she always was the one to shout: "I have an idea!" which would then turn out to be bad.
Well... I was glad that they at least didn't do the "Duhhh I wonder what the solution is even though it's pretty obvious to the audience durrrr" thing. The CMC realized the totally obvious solution as quickly as the audience did, so we didn't have to sit around waiting for someone to figure it out.
I enjoyed the episode, but it's funny you mention Starlight Glimmer I keep imagining her teaming up the Mane Six's past enemies. Using Trouble Shoes as muscle by altering his cutie mark, not removing it entirely just fading it and removing his klutzy nature similar to AJ's southern nature having him retain his ability to take a beating with little problem. Of course Lightning Dust would be another pony she teams up with and that could probably be it actually.
Anypony else noticing a bit of a theme emerging in season? It's only been the focus of three of the five episodes we've had so far! Also I was kind of annoyed by the way AJ didn't listen to the CMC a number of times during the episode and the way that they didn't admit to sneaking out, because it seemed to me like the only reason they had them do that, was because the plot required it.
Have you seen the commercial for season 5, with members of the crew talking about season 5 and how it's all about cutie marks and finding yourself? It kind of makes me hope that the CMC will be getting their cutie marks soon.
I thought this episode was okay. I enjoyed it, and I thought that the idea of misinterpreting the cutie mark was a very interesting concept. I like that cutie marks are a big season focus, and I hope this means one of the CMC will FINALLY get theirs. I like the theme better than the execution, but that doesn't mean it was a bad episode.
I have my own theory about TroubleShoes' clumsiness. It's because of his size compared to the ponies around him. Everything is built to accommodate beings half his size, meaning he'll naturally come across as awkward. It wasn't his talent or his cutie mark, but his size that was the source of his problems. He physically did not fit into the world around him.
is it worth noting that, if we count the season opener as two episodes, that 4 of the 6 episodes so far have been related to cutie marks somewhere? and I do agree on the "home alone" style plots are frustrating as hell
Sheriff Silverstar is not a new character. He debuted in the same episode as Braeburn, he just didn't do a lot that was notable (apart from throwing a pie at the buffalo chieftan's face)
I think Applebloom quickly realized what Troubleshoes' mark meant because she's into rodeos, so she made the association with clowns. I don't see the issue with AJ leaving the CMC with Braeburn after Troubleshoes was captured. She thought Troubleshoes fillynapped them and he was now in jail. And she wasn't surprised to see them at the rodeo, so it's not like they were locked in.
Yeah... I'm kind of with you on almost all of this. Cutie marks have always bugged me because of my firm "screw destiny" philosophy and while the idea of not knowing what your cutie mark means at first glance is interesting, I spent a lot of time just trying to figure out the mechanics. Also the CMC not telling AJ up front that they weren't kidnapping victims was pretty darn low. I dunno... honestly I really wish cutie marks were things that could be revised as one's life went on. AJ's seems like a good place to start. I always got the impression that her cutie mark didn't have as much to do with apples or her family as it did with perseverance. Think about it, if AJ ran off because she just needed to get away after her parent's death and then only realized later that she knew where the people she loved were, it would make a ton of sense to have that moment of personal understanding be mystically rewarded. But something that you need to get you out of grief isn't necessarily the thing you need to feel in touch with yourself and I feel like she could benefit from trying a little crusading of her own. Sorry, I'm getting off track. Basically... I get that the guy realized what he loved to do, but I'm having a lot of trouble seeing Trouble Shoes' talent as an actual talent instead of a crippling handicap that others like to giggle at. It reminds me of a story I heard once about natural vs trained court jesters. Basically the idea was that some entertainers were professionals who honed their skills while others were just mentally or physically handicapped people that nobles liked laughing at... which is really, really messed up. I dunno, it's just really hard for me to see this as anything other than laughing at the guy in the wheelchair. I mean, this right here is Diamond Tiara stuff.
Forget everything else, we got new background characters! My new best pony is the green one with the blonde mane and the spurs cutie mark. I call her Jade Saddlebronc, but the Fandom calls her... Silver Spurs (excuse me while I throw up in my mouth a bit.)
I'm guessing the "upside-down horse shoe" thing is a superstition native to Equestria, because IRL, an upside-down horse shoe is often hung over the door of a house to "allow the good luck to flow into the home." But yes, the episode was... pretty good. I'm still trying to wrap my head aroung what Troubleshoes' cutie mark actually means (your explanation helped a little, but I'm still somewhat puzzled), and I'm kind of put off by the fact that the CMC are regressing back to the whole cutie mark obsession bit. But it was funny, it had some cool characters, and it was nice to see Braeburn again. Also, Sheriff Silver Star is not a new character; he was in "Over A Barrel."
At first, I thought this episode was going to tackle terrorism. ... No, seriously. Watching this the first time, I thought the story was going to talk about how people should respond to terrorists up until the point we actually met Troubleshoes. And honestly I'm a little disappointed they didn't go that route, since this way it feels like a bit of a rehash of Bridle Gossip.
You could ask Firebrand same thing) I guess they both didn't review it because there wasn't much to review, I personally found it a pretty boring episode.
i was always told to hang a horse shoe up side down on a doorway so its good luck can poor on you as you leave for the day i know other places its up right so the luck is trapped and wont dispear
I would like to point out, in Braeburn's defense....he fell asleep... at night. He sat there WATCHING the girls ALL DAY... anyone would want a nap after watching them for literal hours.
3:10 is that CHERILEE! (Don’t care on how to spell it) in RARITY’S CLASS! Okay well that’s not much of a stretch but that’s STILL something to think about!
I honestly don't really know what to make of it myself. I mean, I like how it was sort of about discovering talents you didn't see in yourself and finding a more positive outlook on what is originally conceived as a misfortune. However, I didn't really like how they played the whole thing with so much...ambiguity. Usually I like ambiguity in storytelling but this was NOT the right story for it. This story needed to be clearer and more coherent than it chose to be. Prime example: How exactly are we supposed to know and accept that Trouble Shoe's cutie mark was "upside-down"? Also, as you pointed out, why doesn't it have something silly about it if it's supposed to represent silliness and comedy? Maybe he IS meant to be funny but not necessarily as a Clown. Maybe he could be a different act entirely. Well, that's all I got right now.
Along the same lines, I thought it was okay but also my least favorite of the season so far. I thought it spent a little too much time going through the motions of that cliche story about a misunderstood gentle giant and townspeople who just don't understand, but it still had some good character bits and morals. I have to admit though, you thought out the logistics of his cutie mark better than I did.
Do you think you could review 'Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron'? It's probably the most underrated movie out there, and it really deserves credit for what it's accomplished.
I don't thoink the cutie mark made him clumsy, I think he lost confidence and became clumsy because that's what he thought it meant. He found joy in entertaining others, and that's when he got the mark.
I had to come up with a headcanon in order anything about his cutemark to make sense and for me not to be annoyed. I think that he got his cutie mark because he found where he belonged, at the rodeo and that's what it represents, entertaining people at a rodeo. His clumsiness so more or less a side affect of being big in a world built for smaller peop-er ponies. Being a rodeo clown is more or less the only way for him to...express his cutie mark.
im just gonna leave a copy of what i left on anthony C's cutie markless video "twilight has been overly literal, since always. dont trust her words. cheerilie said it much better. its ones realization of ones true talent, not the talent itself. so if you have the realization for a talent that you do not in fact possess, you realize your good at something your not, e.g. the sucking at said thing. since there is a mental component to even physical tasks, be it form or technique, so the equal signs suppressing (your own word) their 'realization of ones true talent', disrupts their knowledge of that talent, you'll also see the graying animation caused by the equal signs, and the only graying effect we have seen thusfar is discords which causes a change in personality, so we can safely assume that is part of the equal signs effect as well analysis 102 - knowing who not to trust. thinking successful." with a sidenote: i cant remember the exact term, but if one is certain of the outcome and conducts and plans ones activities around and/or to a certainty, it causes said certainty to become more likely to occur. plus, receiving a possible concussion during an important life realization is bound the harm just about anyone.
"Who knows maybe their cutie marks will be decyphering other people's cutie marks"
-Funnier in retrospect :)
Yeah, talk about sticking the landing....:-)
How did she predict the future
I came here looking solely for this comment.
I think of it like this, Rarity's cutie mark and talent is finding gem stones by all means she should be a miner, but she found a way to make her talent work for the thing she wants to do. Trubbleshoes is clumsy but he's making it work for him
jacob ratliff i think its a mix between that she can use her magic to locate gems and the fact that she is good at using them in her job
@@redthompson4927 I
And now that I think about it, I suppose Troubleshoes learning to harness his clumsiness to entertain others might help him learn to control it to some extent.
How the CRUD did you predict the CMC's cutie marks?!?
Stephanie C. HOLY HELL SHE DID
I don't even watch this show but I love these reviews. Weird how you enjoy someone talking about something not because you like it, but because they like it.
I know right!
ZCPL17 Ditto.
ZCPL17 her reviews are what got me into MLP, also Kickassreaction’s videos on them
the main reason i appreciate this episode is because of the world building. Troubleshoes is not a pony, he is a horse, and a clydesdale horse at that, this is why he is so huge. A clod clydesdale is a nice play on words. Just like Zecora and the Saddle Arabians this shows that ponies are not the only equines in Equestria. I like that they treaded him like a pony even though it should have been obvious he wasnt.
as for his cutie mark, Big Mac has a big apple on his flank, Troubleshoes has a big Shoe on his flank. it makes sense, and yeah ive heard the superstition where if you hang a horseshoe over your door upside down the luck runs out.
"He's like Eeyore, if he had something legit to complain about."
Oh. My. God. Someone finally put it into words.
The cutie mark is just a plot device. *Bad-umm-tiss*
dusknoir64 ha, I get it
dusknoir64 *facepalm*
CellSpex I love you
dusknoir64 Oh my fu- * facedesk *
TNTlover9 Ah, I was waiting for that.
Well, Hasbro has a phone ringing off the hook because wow you called it!!! 5:24
I really liked seeing AJ being a concerned big sister/ guardian without going totally over the top like she did in some pony to watch over me. Also I laughed so much when she screamed at Breaburn for loosing the cmc.
I agree with your points about the episode. I think Trouble Shoes is adorable. I love his design. :3
The sheriff isn't a new character. He was in over a barrel.
Yes your right pinstar.
Ms.Cellspex, OBJECTION!
That little song at the end was the most adorable thing! :)
What I personally took out of of the episode is that Trouble Shoes learned not to resign himself to bad circumstances and take initiative to find the life he wanted. Like Apple Bloom said,(referring to his cutie mark) "It's all how you look at it." He needed look at himself in a different light and as capable of doing good things in-order to change.
Also, did anyone else think that the explanation for the "bad luck" cutie mark was glossed over? I'm guessing most little girls don't know that an upside-down horse shoe is supposed to be unlucky. I mean, Lucky Charms features horse shoes the same way.. oh well.
Honestly I loved this episode, I felt like the moral is one that you rarely see in children's programming. In most other shows Trouble Shoes would have found a stroke of luck and everything would have worked out in the end or whatever, but that's not the case here. I feel like this was a call back to "Bloom and Gloom" in which the discussion of not getting the cuttiemark you want was talked about, while here it was actually put in practice. Trouble Shoes' clumsiness is an inherent part of himself, and was a flaw that he had to come to terms with. It's nice to see a show say "Yes you have flaws, and yes your life can turn out crappy because of it, but in the end YOU have the ability to turn terrible circumstance into something positive". The show doesn't do the lazy thing and give him luck in the end. He was able to work with the hand he was dealt with. In the end, he changed his life for the better, and worked for what he wanted without relying on luck or fate, or what have you.
Cellspex's western MLP episode review: AKA Cellspex overanalyzes cutie mark lore for half the video
The conflation of being laughed at with being laughed with is what killed this episode for me. Trouble Shoes may be good at making ponies laugh, but if that's not his intent, it's mean-spirited laughter. I straight up had flashbacks to the Pinkie/Discord scene in Return of Harmony Part 1.
I am so impressed by your attempts to be internally consistent in your analyses, and your willingness to own up when you can't be. And yes, you were so right to dwell on the issues with the CMC's behaviour.
You were not the only one to notice wet haired Apple Jack.
What you said makes me think that the reason Party Favor, Sugar Belle, Double Diamond and Night Glider willingly removed their Cutie Mark is not because their were unhappy with their cutie marks, they were unhappy with their lifes and Starlight Glimmer makes them think that the Cutie Mark was the root of it.
I always thought that his cutie mark did mean that he'd be a rodeo clown. The horseshoe implies the rodeo but I saw the fact it was upside down meant that he'd have good luck when he was upside down i.e. entertaining people with his clumsiness.
Sootielove The problem is if he couldn't turn it off, his life is basically a disaster.
Fan Jiang Yeah, being clumsy for fun is one thing but I'd hate to be like that 24/7.
Maybe he wouldn't be like that if he'd used his talent consciously more.
Fan Jiang Maybe it was just a severe case of accumulated potential.
Because he was always hiding from everypony, _the magic inside him_ builded up, exploding at any oportunity available in order to "manifest his destiny".
Since his house is not already on ruins before the CMC arrived, then maybe he is never clumsy while alone; but whenever others are around (both awake and aware of his prescence), is imposible for him to stop a "chain of events" that would end with him *upside down* for their amusement.
Even for Twilight containing too much of the _Alicorn Magic_ and supressing her _flowing mane_ ended with her spontáneuosly twitching her body [Earth Pony Geomancy], randomly teleporting herself [Unicorn Arcana] and warping space while flying fast [Pegasi Tempulari].
At 5:28, that spot on prediction. XD
"Because Slippers" is probably the best excuse/answer for anything.
Okay this episode is great for being a CMC episode and having Braeburn in it. Also this episode is basically a western and the CMC are collectively Clint Eastwood. I like Trouble Shoes for being like Eeyore and being the biggest pony we've seen on the show. The CMC but especially Sweetie Belle are great this episode. Sweetie is great for getting better at magic and being upset about the judges laughing at Trouble Shoes makes sense because it is her biggest fear as shown in Bloom and Gloom and for yet again being the unheard voice of reason. Also more Squeaky Belle. I also love that the CMC are helping ponies with cutie mark problems like Trouble Shoes not understanding his continuing to explore the idea of cutie marks. I also looked it up and Trouble Shoes is voiced by Jim Miller a director who just so happens to have the same name as a real outlaw. I also can't believe Sheriff Silverstar is voiced by Brian Drummond and Braeburn is voiced by a guy named Michael Dangerfield. Also I love the pitchforks and torches joke. And finally Scootaloo is a chicken...sorry but not really sorry about that.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that an upside down horshoe represents bad-luck in the sense that if upside down, all the good luck falls out.
You and I had the EXACT SAME PREDICTION right before Crusaders of the Lost Mark. Love it!
TROUBLE SHOES IS A DANGEROUS PONY/HORSE. And I'm amazed somepony who's been observing rodeos for years, hasn't figured out the simple thing to not stand next to objects that can be knocked over like bales of hay or a stack of barrels. Does he ever observe from a different spot?
Maybe its the only place he could watch from. Even if he did find another place to watch from who's not to say his "Bad Luck" wouldn't get him in other places to?
That review made me laugh multiple times. I agree that touble shoe's cutie mark is more like a curse and it was an extremely interesting point that he might have had a much better life if he had gone to Statlight Glimmer's equalist village. I never put those two things together.
Also: Male characters do tend to get abused in this show, so I didn't pay much attention to the fact that his life must've been horrible. (Spike, Snips&Snails, that nerd-guy Rarity flirted with to show Flutters how to manipulate others, that muscular pony who can't really do anything besides shouting, the royal guard sucks, Braeburn is a character I added to the list while watching your review,...)
I think the irony being his 'not being wanted' so no longer being "wanted" was a big deal being really what he basically always wanted. ;'3
(god i love good/bad wordplay) Still a good question though brought up too.
ie, He just wanted to be wanted instead he ended up being 'wanted' yet after years of troubled shoes he gets a shot at being wanted instead of being 'wanted' even if it isn't quite how he always wanted, but at the least now he is wanted instead of being 'wanted.'
Just wanted to clear up any confusions. ^_
I honestly like this episode. I feel it added a lot to the lore of cutie marks.
5:28 Holy Spirit you accurately predicted their cutie marks
She can see the future
I feel like the CMC are starting to grow up, remember that applebloom episode? Or how about last season with scootaloo being depressed about being able to fly?
I think Sweetie Belle is just starting to mature and starting to find that being this reckless might not be the right choice, she used to be probably the one that started a lot of these conflicts and I think she is just learning from those mistakes now
I have to say I can relate to Trouble Shoes. From his appearance seems to based on Clydesdale, which are usually bigger horses, which I can relate to for being abnormally tall myself. Which being taller, and general largess, has a stigma of being related to clumsiness, which is usually caused by the world around you being set up for smaller people. I have had times where I was too tall to do or try things that I wanted do, which seems to be the problem of Trouble Shoes. He accidental knocked things over because he was too big for the environment, same situation occurred when I was apart of my old high school FIRST robotics team, I would accidentally knock over a tool or part off the workbench and when it happens daily, it just gets frustrating.
Also I can't really decide what I want to do with my life, I'm in college right now and have plans to go to Junior College temporary to hone my skills and figure out what I'm meant to do in my life and what I want to do, hopefully it will be the same thing. Trust me when your in your teens you might have already decided what you want to do with your life, but in actuality you won't know until your there.
In all I relate to the problems of both Trouble Shoes and the Cutie Mark Crusaders when it comes to the basic ideals of what I want to do with my life, as well as fight the feeling of separation of ones goals from their own motives. I hope you all have great lives that are based on decisions that you make for yourself.
If you want to replay, please be thoughtful and courteous.
I really liked this episode, more than most people, I think. It didn't make a huge splash, but it had funny jokes, bright characters, interesting designs, and a few new things we can draw about familiar characters (when have we seen the CMC actually counsel someone before?). This was a really pleasant episode that gave a small sample of everything we like about this show.
A cutie mark reflect who you are, Trouble Shoes just didn't like who he was a only saw himself in a negative light. Him having trouble with his Cutie Mark actually does line up with things that happen in real life. Sometimes people have really solutions to problems that are really obvious to an outsider's perspective. A barrier to helping them overcome that problem is just their own attitude that it isn't that simple. These people are somewhere between needing help and encouragement, and needing a push out of the nest/a kick in the ass. So they can be really annoying to work with. I've dealt with people like this, and I think I've BEEN a person like this.
About Troubleshoe's cutie mark, he acquired it when he had the epiphany "I'm meant to be in rodeos", but Troubleshoes misunderstood it to mean he'll be riddled with bad luck, when it actually meant he's great at slapstick entertainment (special talent) as a rodeo clown (chosen destiny).
Cutie mark is an abstract thing, like Rarity's whose special talent is finding & using gems yet chooses the destiny to utilize them in her passion of dressmaking; I agree the most important requirement is the personal epiphany, but finding your own special talent & choosing the destiny that fits it is also needed to be content with it.
Odd how the mind works, isn't it? While watching this and hearing about what Trouble Shoes thought his Cutie Mark it reminded me of RWBY, specifically the character Qrow. Cutie Marks and Semblances (Special powers most of the main cast have) are pretty similar in concept. The main difference being that a Cutie Mark seems to manifest once the pony has some sort of personal epiphany that points them to their destiny; and a Semblance is a random ability that manifests after a person unlocks their Aura
...Okay so they have nothing in common. A person's Semblance doesn't really say anything about them personally, and mostly it just means that they have to learn how to incorporate whatever ability they were giving into their fighting style. And unlike Cutie Marks, sometimes a Semblance can work against the hunter. Which brings us back to Qrow. Unlike Trouble Shoes who thought his Cutie Mark was being clumsy, Qrow's Semblance actually is bringing bad luck. And like Trouble Shoes, Qrow also felt he needed to stay away from everyone he cared about in order to avoid his Semblance affecting them. I don't know, I just couldn't help but think about Qrow during this video. Qrow also drinks. A lot. And I wouldn't be surprised if Trouble Shoes drinks too.
I always wonder about troubleshoes cutie. But now that make sense when a horseshoe could represent anything that is related to something around where and what you're doing. Like the horseshoe could represent farming, agriculture, and yes, a rodeo theme.
What I like about Dave Polsky's episodes is that, even if I don't particularly like them, I can't bring myself to dislike them. The man really knows how to write comedy and slapstick (alternatively, any of his episodes related to Rarity or her family [which include only two so far, but I'm hopeful] are some of the deepest in character development). I may not have had that many nitpicks with this episode, but to call it the best of the season thus far is a stretch. Even so, this episode was a riot, especially the rodeo clown scene; I know I was still chuckling after the credits.
TRIXIE IS A BACKGROUND PONY!!!! she's swearing a pink hat an she's in 2 scenes with a bunch o background ponies. GO FIND HER PLEASE!!! I promise she's there.
I laughed at Sweetie Bell saying: "I think that's a bad idea." when in all previous seasons she always was the one to shout: "I have an idea!" which would then turn out to be bad.
5:25 Wow, you actually almost called it.
Well... I was glad that they at least didn't do the "Duhhh I wonder what the solution is even though it's pretty obvious to the audience durrrr" thing. The CMC realized the totally obvious solution as quickly as the audience did, so we didn't have to sit around waiting for someone to figure it out.
I saw Troubleshoes and thought "That's a horse, not a pony."
I enjoyed the episode, but it's funny you mention Starlight Glimmer I keep imagining her teaming up the Mane Six's past enemies. Using Trouble Shoes as muscle by altering his cutie mark, not removing it entirely just fading it and removing his klutzy nature similar to AJ's southern nature having him retain his ability to take a beating with little problem. Of course Lightning Dust would be another pony she teams up with and that could probably be it actually.
o my god you actually predicted the cmc’s cutiemarks!! when you said the reason for predicting their cutiemarks im surprised i didnt see that before
i think his cutie mark is the pony version of a clown shoe and all the bad luck was in his head from him messing up that time during the rodeo tyrout.
Anypony else noticing a bit of a theme emerging in season? It's only been the focus of three of the five episodes we've had so far!
Also I was kind of annoyed by the way AJ didn't listen to the CMC a number of times during the episode and the way that they didn't admit to sneaking out, because it seemed to me like the only reason they had them do that, was because the plot required it.
***** Well, it is called Cutie Mark Magic for a reason.
Have you seen the commercial for season 5, with members of the crew talking about season 5 and how it's all about cutie marks and finding yourself? It kind of makes me hope that the CMC will be getting their cutie marks soon.
RandomGirl119
I said that on tumblr last week that if they are not setting up the CMC getting their marks this season, I may have to break something!
I give this episode a solid 16/5 because Braeburn was in it, that's totally fair
I won't deny when I saw the title for this episode I thought it was going to be a my little pony "cops" parody
are you psychic?
because you somehow predicted their cutie marks
I thought this episode was okay. I enjoyed it, and I thought that the idea of misinterpreting the cutie mark was a very interesting concept. I like that cutie marks are a big season focus, and I hope this means one of the CMC will FINALLY get theirs. I like the theme better than the execution, but that doesn't mean it was a bad episode.
Gotta say....you totally called it
6:48 the Sheriff ISN'T a new character...he appeared before when we were first brought into Appeloosa
I think this is my favorite episode of the season.
I have my own theory about TroubleShoes' clumsiness. It's because of his size compared to the ponies around him. Everything is built to accommodate beings half his size, meaning he'll naturally come across as awkward. It wasn't his talent or his cutie mark, but his size that was the source of his problems. He physically did not fit into the world around him.
5:25 Hit the nail on the head there
is it worth noting that, if we count the season opener as two episodes, that 4 of the 6 episodes so far have been related to cutie marks somewhere? and I do agree on the "home alone" style plots are frustrating as hell
Sheriff Silverstar is not a new character. He debuted in the same episode as Braeburn, he just didn't do a lot that was notable (apart from throwing a pie at the buffalo chieftan's face)
3:53 that line sounds incredibly bad out of context. XD
"He's probably just glad not to be wanted anymore"
Not much to say.
You really hit it home with the theories.
her prediction was right!!!!!!!
Yep Was just going to post this when I saw yours:
Prophetic much? Deciphering cutie marks turned out to be what they did get!
+Travis Smith same
We need more sock puppets on this channel
I don’t watch mlp but it’s cool to see a horse that looks slightly real. Maybe I just like Clydesdales
I- I-
because SLIPPERS, OKAY??!!!!!
I think Applebloom quickly realized what Troubleshoes' mark meant because she's into rodeos, so she made the association with clowns.
I don't see the issue with AJ leaving the CMC with Braeburn after Troubleshoes was captured. She thought Troubleshoes fillynapped them and he was now in jail. And she wasn't surprised to see them at the rodeo, so it's not like they were locked in.
Yeah... I'm kind of with you on almost all of this.
Cutie marks have always bugged me because of my firm "screw destiny" philosophy and while the idea of not knowing what your cutie mark means at first glance is interesting, I spent a lot of time just trying to figure out the mechanics. Also the CMC not telling AJ up front that they weren't kidnapping victims was pretty darn low.
I dunno... honestly I really wish cutie marks were things that could be revised as one's life went on. AJ's seems like a good place to start. I always got the impression that her cutie mark didn't have as much to do with apples or her family as it did with perseverance.
Think about it, if AJ ran off because she just needed to get away after her parent's death and then only realized later that she knew where the people she loved were, it would make a ton of sense to have that moment of personal understanding be mystically rewarded.
But something that you need to get you out of grief isn't necessarily the thing you need to feel in touch with yourself and I feel like she could benefit from trying a little crusading of her own.
Sorry, I'm getting off track. Basically... I get that the guy realized what he loved to do, but I'm having a lot of trouble seeing Trouble Shoes' talent as an actual talent instead of a crippling handicap that others like to giggle at.
It reminds me of a story I heard once about natural vs trained court jesters. Basically the idea was that some entertainers were professionals who honed their skills while others were just mentally or physically handicapped people that nobles liked laughing at... which is really, really messed up.
I dunno, it's just really hard for me to see this as anything other than laughing at the guy in the wheelchair. I mean, this right here is Diamond Tiara stuff.
Starlight Glimmer has the most wonderful solution if you so dislike your cutiemark, Troubleshoes! (=)
i am still convinced that Trobbleshoes is not a pony but a Shire or a horse
Forget everything else, we got new background characters! My new best pony is the green one with the blonde mane and the spurs cutie mark. I call her Jade Saddlebronc, but the Fandom calls her... Silver Spurs (excuse me while I throw up in my mouth a bit.)
5:25
OH
MY
GOD
She’s MAGIC
I'm curious if you're planning a review for "Crusaders of the Last Mark", that would be AWSM!!!
I'm guessing the "upside-down horse shoe" thing is a superstition native to Equestria, because IRL, an upside-down horse shoe is often hung over the door of a house to "allow the good luck to flow into the home."
But yes, the episode was... pretty good. I'm still trying to wrap my head aroung what Troubleshoes' cutie mark actually means (your explanation helped a little, but I'm still somewhat puzzled), and I'm kind of put off by the fact that the CMC are regressing back to the whole cutie mark obsession bit. But it was funny, it had some cool characters, and it was nice to see Braeburn again.
Also, Sheriff Silver Star is not a new character; he was in "Over A Barrel."
IRL I've always heard upside down means the luck flows out so you want it right side up or the luck will run out. Must be conflicting superstitions
At first, I thought this episode was going to tackle terrorism.
...
No, seriously. Watching this the first time, I thought the story was going to talk about how people should respond to terrorists up until the point we actually met Troubleshoes. And honestly I'm a little disappointed they didn't go that route, since this way it feels like a bit of a rehash of Bridle Gossip.
Where's your CASTLE SWEET CASTLE Review!?!?
You could ask Firebrand same thing) I guess they both didn't review it because there wasn't much to review, I personally found it a pretty boring episode.
i was always told to hang a horse shoe up side down on a doorway so its good luck can poor on you as you leave for the day
i know other places its up right so the luck is trapped and wont dispear
I would like to point out, in Braeburn's defense....he fell asleep... at night. He sat there WATCHING the girls ALL DAY... anyone would want a nap after watching them for literal hours.
Aw I want to hear more of that song.
3:10 is that CHERILEE! (Don’t care on how to spell it) in RARITY’S CLASS! Okay well that’s not much of a stretch but that’s STILL something to think about!
He's not a pony! He's the same size as the horses from Saddle Arabia!
This. I'm pretty sure he's a horse! A clydesdale, to be exact. According to the episode synopsis, his name is Troubleshoes Clyde.
I honestly don't really know what to make of it myself. I mean, I like how it was sort of about discovering talents you didn't see in yourself and finding a more positive outlook on what is originally conceived as a misfortune. However, I didn't really like how they played the whole thing with so much...ambiguity. Usually I like ambiguity in storytelling but this was NOT the right story for it. This story needed to be clearer and more coherent than it chose to be. Prime example: How exactly are we supposed to know and accept that Trouble Shoe's cutie mark was "upside-down"? Also, as you pointed out, why doesn't it have something silly about it if it's supposed to represent silliness and comedy? Maybe he IS meant to be funny but not necessarily as a Clown. Maybe he could be a different act entirely. Well, that's all I got right now.
Along the same lines, I thought it was okay but also my least favorite of the season so far. I thought it spent a little too much time going through the motions of that cliche story about a misunderstood gentle giant and townspeople who just don't understand, but it still had some good character bits and morals. I have to admit though, you thought out the logistics of his cutie mark better than I did.
Do you think you could review 'Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron'? It's probably the most underrated movie out there, and it really deserves credit for what it's accomplished.
Also the dreamworks series of the same name.
I don't thoink the cutie mark made him clumsy, I think he lost confidence and became clumsy because that's what he thought it meant. He found joy in entertaining others, and that's when he got the mark.
I had to come up with a headcanon in order anything about his cutemark to make sense and for me not to be annoyed. I think that he got his cutie mark because he found where he belonged, at the rodeo and that's what it represents, entertaining people at a rodeo. His clumsiness so more or less a side affect of being big in a world built for smaller peop-er ponies. Being a rodeo clown is more or less the only way for him to...express his cutie mark.
So those my OC. Which has a Dimond pickaxe surround by a red circle and a hexagon. which stands for my love of gaming and MC. So ya.
Great Video :) Keep going!
im just gonna leave a copy of what i left on anthony C's cutie markless video
"twilight has been overly literal, since always. dont trust her words. cheerilie said it much better. its ones realization of ones true talent, not the talent itself. so if you have the realization for a talent that you do not in fact possess, you realize your good at something your not, e.g. the sucking at said thing.
since there is a mental component to even physical tasks, be it form or technique, so the equal signs suppressing (your own word) their 'realization of ones true talent', disrupts their knowledge of that talent, you'll also see the graying animation caused by the equal signs, and the only graying effect we have seen thusfar is discords which causes a change in personality, so we can safely assume that is part of the equal signs effect as well
analysis 102 - knowing who not to trust.
thinking successful."
with a sidenote:
i cant remember the exact term, but if one is certain of the outcome and conducts and plans ones activities around and/or to a certainty, it causes said certainty to become more likely to occur.
plus, receiving a possible concussion during an important life realization is bound the harm just about anyone.
Trouble shoes is actually a workhorse
This sounds like the book To Kill A Mockingbird
I know this doesn't have to do anything with MLP, but could you do a "Worst to Best Book to Movie Review"?
How did your OC get her cutie mark? I’m curious. 🧐
Its not my favorite episode either, but i like Troubleshoes.
and we got to know a bit more about Braeburn
Maybe there cutie marks will be about deciphering other ponys cutie marks
Did cellspex just predict the future
I always thought the cutie marks just dictate your job and or life
5:24 hmmmm that would be interesting *wink wink*
XD You liked seeing AJ with a wet mane? CellSpex, do you have something you'd like to tell us? Nah, I'm just playing with ya.
did you know that troubleshoes and Eore r voiced by the same actor? no wonder!
Because slippers indeed.
Personatliy, this episode wasn't as strong as the others we seen so far. But I still enjoyed it.
hmmm yes :-) i am still alone in see stuff in this episode :-(....
Sheriff Silverstar is not a new character
You predicted the future.......