History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E9TheFaultInOurCutieMarks

* ParodySue: Gabby is [[ThePollyanna cheerful]], [[GenkiGirl energetic]], [[NiceGirl helpful]], [[RenaissanceMan ridiculously multi-talented]], and [[HundredPercentAdorationRating totally adored by everyone she meets]]. However, she's so good at everything that the Crusaders have no idea what the one thing she's best at is, which is what matters most to her.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating:
** The Crusaders have built up an incredibly good reputation in Ponyville, since they do such a good job helping ponies who undergo existential crises. All of the citizens they've aided in the past are all too happy to point Gabby their way when she comes asking for someone who can solve a cutie mark problem.
** Gabby not only makes a great first impression with everyone she meets in Ponyville, but in the span of a single musical number spent helping others with their problems, there isn't a single pony left in Ponyville who isn't swayed by her charms.

* IdiosyncraticWipes: The montage song uses several as scene transitions: The CMC's sheet of paper, an eraser over a blackboard, a mass of bubbles or apples mowing down, kelp or a baseball bat wiping the screen, a flash, water, flowers, muffins, tree leaves... etc.

* MutuallyExclusiveMagic: The episode deals with the hard truth that cutie marks are exclusive to ponies.

* GenkiGirl: Hoo-boy. Gabby is constantly overflowing with enthusiasm. She could probably give even Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich a run for their bits. Sweetie Bell wonders if she ever gets tired.

WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Twilight gets pumped up and ready to do all sorts of research on Gabby's cutie mark, yelling for Spike and running off. We never see if or how she finds out that the cutie mark never happened. The answer eventually comes three seasons later in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E19DragonDropped Dragon Dropped]]": Twilight sends letters off to Griffonstone about the first-ever griffon with a cutie mark, and Gabby herself writes her a letter back explaining what really happened. We still don't get to see Twilight's reaction to learning the truth.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: The "spiny-backed" ponysaurus discovered by Petunia at the episode's start is the first prehistoric creature to be shown on the series proper.

* {{Whateversaurus}}: Spiny-backed Ponysaurus.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Twilight gets pumped up and ready to do all sorts of research on Gabby's cutie mark, yelling for Spike and running off. We never see if or how she finds out that the cutie mark never happened. The answer eventually comes three seasons later in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E19DragonDropped Dragon Dropped]]": Twilight sends letters off to Griffonstone about the first-ever griffon with a cutie mark, and Gabby herself writes her a letter back explaining what really happened. We still don't get to see Twilight's reaction to learning the truth.

* AdultFear:
** While it's PlayedForLaughs, Petunia's parents' worry that their daughter might grow up to become a pirate reflects the very real fear that any good parent has about their beloved children potentially turning to a life of crime.
** Wanting something so badly but being unable to have it just because you were born different.

* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: Furthering their change in mission from "Crusaders of the Lost Mark", the CMC realize that they can help any of the sentient species in Equestria with finding their purpose in life, even if they can't get a cutie mark.

* GoshDangItToHeck: Twice in the episodes, Apple Bloom's usage of the word "apples" can clearly be seen as a substitute for "hell" or [[PrecisionFStrike another word]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar that kids should not use]].

* {{Adorkable}}:
** Twilight on learning that she might be the first one to record a griffon getting a cutie mark.
--->'''Twilight:''' You know what this calls for? A FULL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT!
** For that matter, Gabby is just so ''cute'' in her enthusiasm.

** The reference in the title also goes all the way back to Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar'' (Act 1, Scene 2). "The fault in our stars" refers to one's place in life not being decided by the stars (i.e., by fate), but that it lies in ourselves to decide our fates. Similarly, the episode shows that one's place in life is not decided by a cutie mark, but by what someone wishes to do with their life themselves.

** The reference in the title also goes all the way back to Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''. "The fault in our stars" refers to one's place in life not being decided by the stars (i.e., by fate), but that it lies in ourselves to decide our fates. Similarly, the episode shows that one's place in life is not decided by a cutie mark, but by what someone wishes to do with their life themselves.

* OneShotCharacter: Gabby, a fledgling Griffon, is introduced as one of the main characters of the episode.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Twilight gets pumped up and ready to do all sorts of research on Gabby's cutie mark, yelling for Spike and running off. We never see if or how she finds out that the cutie mark never happened.

* ShoutOut: Scootaloo catching the dirt Petunia is digging up in a bucket, including getting splattered in the face, is very reminiscent of the malfunctioning porridge cannon scene in the Franchise/WallaceAndGromit short ''WesternAnimation/ACloseShave''.

** Scootaloo's comment about knowing what it's like to have a DreamCrushingHandicap (while glancing back at her tiny wings) is a reference to "Flight to the Finish".

** The colt with the large buck teeth from "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" appears, getting braces applied by Gabby.
** Tender Taps, from "On Your Marks", is entertaining a crowd with his dancing.

** The foal Gabby rocks to sleep during "Find the Purpose in Your Life" is the same one Rainbow Dash saved in "The Mysterious Mare Do Well."

* DreamCrushingHandicap: Gabby wants a cutie mark. As she and the Crusaders find out, it doesn't matter how badly Gabby wants it; griffons simply can't get cutie marks. However, they still manage to at least partially subvert this via TakeAThirdOption at the end.

* GenkiGirl: Hoo-boy. Gabby could probably give even Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich a run for their bits.
* TheGlomp: Courtesy of Gabby, naturally.

* RenaissanceMan: While she's trying to find her special talent, Gabby proves to be extremely good at pretty much everything she tries.

* TokenGoodTeammate: Gabby is this to pretty much the whole Griffonstone.

* {{Existentialism}}: An episode where a character struggles to find her purpose in life who ''isn't'' a pony. Notably, this episode tackles the problem of trying to find what you're best at if you can't get a cutie mark.

After helping a young filly realize what her cutie mark means, the Cutie Mark Crusaders head back to their clubhouse, recounting all the ponies they helped find a cutie mark or learn of their special talents. Just before they arrive at the clubhouse, Apple Bloom sees a griffon perched on top of the clubhouse, looking for them. She introduces herself as Gabby, an enthusiastic, happy-go-lucky mail carrier from Griffonstone who wants nothing more than to get her own cutie mark. After learning of the way the Cutie Mark Crusaders help ponies with their special talents, Gabby flew to Ponyville to seek them out for help. While the Crusaders are willing to help Gabby, they confide in each other that they're not sure if griffons can even get cutie marks.

* AlphabeticalThemeNaming: Gabby’s name begins with G, like every other griffon we’ve ever heard of.

* {{Adorkable}}: Twilight on learning that she might be the first one to record a griffon getting a cutie mark.
-->'''Twilight:''' You know what this calls for? A FULL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT!

* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Petunia Paleo's parents are relieved that their daughter's skull-and-bones cutie mark means she'll be an archeologist. When Scootaloo sarcastically wonders if they thought she'd be a pirate, they laugh of the notion after hastily tossing [[DressedToPlunder a little pirate's costume]] away.