Call of the Cutie

Call of the Cutie is the twelfth episode of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, season one. In this episode, Apple Bloom's concern about her missing cutie mark sparks her to find a way to earn it before an upcoming party.

Summary
The episode begins at a school for young ponies, with Cheerilee, the school's teacher, explaining about the cutie mark: When a pony discovers something it is talented or unique with, they will earn a cutie mark, a symbol magically placed above its flank. There is no other way around it. Apple Bloom, a resident "blank flank" (a school nickname of a pony who has yet to earn a cutie mark), eagerly writes down notes on the lesson, when she hears one of her classmates signaling her to pass a note. Cheerilee catches Apple Bloom as she drops the note in shock, and both discover the paper being blank. This leads to the class laughing at her as she is one of the only few without a cutie mark.

As school ends, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, the two young classmates who were responsible for tricking Apple Bloom, brag about how pointless it was for their teacher to discuss cutie marks, considering they already obtained theirs. They invite Apple Bloom and another "blank flank", Twist, to their "Cute-ceañera" (a coming-of-age-like party to those who just earned their mark), as a means to spite them.

Back in Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom discusses her problem with her big sister Applejack, who tells Apple Bloom that it all takes patience. She and her family all received their cutie mark after finding their place in the farm, but were always last in the class to do so. Apple Bloom is upset about this, believing that being last for this " runs in the family". Realizing her last words, she believes her future cutie mark could be based on her namesake. Granny Smith, Big McIntosh, and Applejack all have apple-related marks, which means she would have to do something apple-related to get hers. And so begins a quest to find her mark before the party.

In the Ponyville town square, she helps her sister with the apple market. She shows the townsfolk the versatile uses for apples,such as eating, playing and creating art, while getting a few "customers" to buy some. Unfortunately, her poor marketing skills drive away more customers, waste all the apples, and fail to make a decent profit. Ultimately, she is fired. Applejack asks her sister if there are other ponies without a cutie mark so she won't be left out at the party. Apple Bloom heads to find Twist to ask if she wants to go to Diamond Tiara's party since they both have something in common. To her dismay, Twist has already managed to get her cutie mark, a two candy-cane symbol, after discovering her skill with creating candies. Practically the only one in Ponyville with no mark now, a distraught Apple Bloom sulks during the afternoon.

Next, she meets Rainbow Dash to ask her about her problem. Dash tell her that she earned her cutie mark after discovering her need for speed, as well as being the first in her class. She then says that the secret to finding her mark was "trying as many things as possible, as quickly as possible". From hang-gliding to karate to kite-flying, nothing seems to work.

The little filly then helps Pinkie Pie with baking cupcakes in the Sugarcube Corner shop, hoping that her cutie mark would involve baking (as opposed to her contrary belief of getting it by eating cupcakes). Try as she might, she only makes a mess in the kitchen and burns her share of the treats.

She resorts to begging Twilight, who had been passing by to see the commotion, to magically create a cutie mark before the party, despite Twilight warning her that it was impossible. They give it a shot and, as expected, one fake cutie mark after another appears and instantly disappears. Finally giving up, Apple Bloom decides to not show up to the party. To her horror, however, she remembers that Diamond Tiara's Cute-ceañera is set up right in the snack shop, before walking right in the middle of it!

Apple Bloom tries to hide herself (and her flank) from the ponies in the party, covering herself with a table cloth, and bumps into the two guests of honor. She lies that she'd already gotten her cutie mark earlier. When Tiara calls her bluff, Bloom saves face by saying she doesn't want to show off and overshadow the guest at her own party. Unfortunately, as she prepares to leave, her disguise becomes caught and her bare rear is exposed for all the party attendants to see.

Just as she is being ridiculed, two other "Blank Flanks" arrive out of a nearby hiding spot to defend her. Neither of them have a cutie mark, saying that it just means that they still have the endless potential to find their calling. With all of the marked ponies in the party to support them, Diamond Tiara loses their attention to her own party.

The episode ends with Apple Bloom and her new friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, forming the Cutie Mark Crusaders, with a purpose of finding their talents to earn their cutie marks.

In her private quarters in Canterlot, Princess Celestia reads Twilight's latest report: Apple Bloom had learned that sometimes, the things she thinks will cause her to lose friends and feel left out can actually be the thing that helps her make her closest friends and realize how special she is.

Quotes
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon: Bump! Bump! Sugar Lump Rump!

Silver Spoon: See you this weekend...

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon: Blank flanks!

Apple Bloom: I really don't see how that's supposed to make me feel better. It probably means that being last one in your class to get a cutie mark runs in the family. Runs in the family... Runs in the family! RUNS IN THE FAMILY! You got apples for your cutie mark... Granny Smith has an apple pie... Big McIntosh has an apple half... My unique talent has something to do with apples! Apples! Apples! Apples!

Apple Bloom: You sir! Care to buy some apples?

Doctor Whooves: Uh... No thanks.

Apple Bloom: Why not?

Doctor Whooves: I have plenty at home...

Apple Bloom: Are you sure?

Doctor Whooves: I'm pretty sure.

Apple Bloom: You're pretty sure, but you're not absolutely, positively, completely, super-duper sure, are you?

Doctor Whooves: Uh... If I buy some apples, will you please leave me alone?

Apple Bloom: All right!

Apple Bloom: So, what does my cutie mark look like? A shopping bag full of apples? A satisfied customer eating an apple? Hmm... Maybe I got to increase my sales figures first...

Apple Bloom: You touch it, you buy it! We take cash or credit...

Apple Bloom: That'll be four bits.

Bon Bon: I didn't put those in my bag!

Apple Bloom: Likely story. Four bits, lady!

Applejack: Apple Bloom! I am really, really sorry about that... she's new.

Rainbow Dash: Looks like somepony's got a dark cloud hanging over her head. Let me take care of that for you...

Rainbow Dash: What's the matter, kid?

Apple Bloom: There's a cute-ceañera this afternoon and everypony in my class will be there and they'll all have their cutie marks and I wanna get my cutie mark but I'm no good at selling apples but I really wanna go to the party but how can I go to the party if I don't have my cutie mark which my big sister says I'm gonna get eventually but... I WANT IT NOOOOW!

Rainbow Dash: I always liked flying an' all, but I was going nowhere in a hurry. It wasn't until my very first race that I discovered a serious need for speed, and KAZAAM! This sweet baby appeared as fast as lightning.

Apple Bloom: Twilight, you have to help me!

Twilight Sparkle: What's the matter?

Apple Bloom: [inhales] Tiara's Cute-ceañera is today and everypony in my class will be there and they'll all have cutie marks and I wanna get my cutie mark but I'm no good at selling apples or hang gliding or making cupcakes but I wanna go to the party but how can I go to the party if I don't have my cutie mark which Pinkie Pie says I can't just make appear but I need it to appear... RIIIGHT NOOOOW!

Twilight Sparkle: Uh... I don't follow...

Apple Bloom: How could I've forgotten the time? How could I forgot Pinkie Pie was hosting the party? How could I forgotten it was at Sugarcube Corner?!

Pinkie Pie: Don't forget your party hat, Forgetty Forgetson!

Scootaloo: I said, you got a problem with blank flanks?

Silver Spoon: The problem is, I mean, she's like, totally not special.

Sweetie Belle: No, it means she's full of potential.

Scootaloo: It means she could be great at anything. The possibilities are, like, endless.

Sweetie Belle: She could be a great scientist, or an amazing artist, or a famous writer, she could even be mayor of Ponyville some day...

Scootaloo: ...and she's not stuck being stuck-up like you two.

Apple Bloom: You don't have any cutie marks either? I thought I was the only one!

Scootaloo: We thought we were the only two...

Twilight: I, for one, think you are three very lucky fillies...

Diamond Tiara: Hey! What's everypony doing?! This is my party! Everypony supposed to be paying attention to me!!

Silver Spoon: Well, we still think you're losers, right Diamond Tiara? Bump! Bump! Sugar Lump...?

Diamond Tiara: Not now, Silver Spoon!

Scootaloo: What do you say we celebrate with these delicious cupcakes?

Apple Bloom: Not the cupcakes! Trust me...

Gallery



 * Call of the Cutie image gallery

Trivia

 * The episode title might reference the title of a classic book called Call of the Wild, in which a dog has an internal struggle against his domestication in order to find itself as how he was meant to be. This mirrors the plot where Apple Bloom must go through personal struggles in order to find out who she really is inside.
 * This episode focuses on Apple Bloom and puts the main characters in a supporting role. It is the first episode to switch the cast's roles in this manner.
 * Rarity does not appear in this episode; however, Apple Bloom passes Diamond Tiara carrying her new dress in front of Rarity's Carousel Boutique.
 * This is the second episode in which Fluttershy does not appear, and the third in which she has no speaking role. She does not appear in Look Before You Sleep, and has no lines in Boast Busters.
 * The currency in this episode, and the rest of the series, is "bits". A "bit" is a common colloquial term for certain coins, but it also refers to the mouthpiece on a horse's bridle.
 * The inside of the dojo has copies and silhouettes of the illustrated Princess Celestia and Princess Luna on the walls, from the story Twilight Sparkle was reading about Night Mare Moon in Friendship is Magic, part 1.
 * When Applebloom follows Pinkie Pie to go eat cupcakes, she says, "see you at the the cute-ceañera!" to Rainbow Dash, yet Rainbow Dash doesn't appear at the party.
 * The music that plays during Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara's cute-ceanera party is the same music that plays during the montage of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' attempts to earn their cutie marks in The Show Stoppers and during Pinkie Pie's birthday party toward the end of Party of One.
 * Bon Bon makes her first speaking appearance in this episode.
 * In the classroom, the unicorn pony next to Twist at about 01:16 transforms into Sweetie Belle for a brief moment.
 * Although this appears to be the first time they met, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were seen hugging each other in fear around 20:23 in the first episode, Friendship is Magic, part 1 when Night Mare Moon appeared for the first time.