View source for Roots of All Evil Pt. 1

{{Recent Addition}}
{{Infobox episode|Gen 5
|image = Close-up of picture of ponies and roots C6E2.png
|Airdate = November 23, 2023
|Written by = [[Gillian M. Berrow]] & [[Tony Fleecs]]
|storyboard = '''Click "Expand" to view'''{{Collapsedtable|Alison Jensen Tsui<br />Brian Wong<br />Dionne Trinh<br />Franky Leger<br />Gemma Lemon<br />Irene Huang<br />Jun Kumagai<br />Megan Willis<br />Rachel Colucci<br />Shawn Pedralba<br />Virginia Findlay}}
|featured = [[Opaline]]}}
'''Roots of All Evil Pt. 1''' is the twenty-second [[Generation 5 animated media#Episodes|episode]] of ''[[My Little Pony: Make Your Mark (series)|My Little Pony: Make Your Mark]]'', the second episode of the series' ''Chapter 6'', and the twenty-second episode overall. It is the first part of the finale two-parter.

In this episode, the Mane 6 race against time to figure how [[Opaline]] is stealing the [[cutie marks]] of every pony in [[Equestria]], and the [[dragons]] are there to help them every step of the way.

==Summary==
===The great cutie mark robbery===
[[Opaline]] commences her plan to steal the [[cutie marks]] of every pony in [[Equestria]]. Using the Together Trees, she travels to [[Locations#Zephyr Heights|Zephyr Heights]], [[Locations#Bridlewood|Bridlewood]], and [[Locations#Maretime Bay|Maretime Bay]] one-by-one and corrupts the trees with her magic, causing them to grow vines of energy that stretch across their respective locations and steal ponies' cutie marks by the dozens. As a result, the population of each location collapses into complete and utter panic.

The Mane 6 and the [[dragons]] arrive to Maretime Bay, where [[Jazz Hooves]] and others apprise them of the situation. Realizing Opaline has found a way around [[Twilight Sparkle]]'s protection spell, they fear she could return at any moment to steal the Mane 6's cutie marks as well as the Unity Crystals. Before the [[Earth ponies]] start panicking again, [[Misty]], speaking from personal experience, assures them that, even without cutie marks, Opaline cannot take away what makes them special.

The ponies decide to split up their efforts: [[Hitch Trailblazer]] assembles the Earth ponies around the Together Tree in case Opaline returns, the rest of the Mane 6 go to check on the Unity Crystals, and [[Spike]], [[List of non-pony characters#Sparky Sparkeroni|Sparky Sparkeroni]], and the dragons head to Opaline's castle to reclaim the Dragon Stone.

===A connection of corruption===
At the Crystal Brighthouse, [[Sunny Starscout]] and her friends find the Unity Crystals are still there, meaning the Brighthouse is still protected by Twilight's spell. However, [[Zipp Storm]] has a realization; she remembers the picture she saw in the Zephyr Heights castle library depicting ponies standing beneath the roots of a large tree in [[The Manesquerade Ball]] and [[List of ponies/Elders#Elder Flower|Elder Flower]]'s story about the Together Trees in [[Father of the Bridlewood]]. She reasons that Opaline tapped into the connection between the trees in order to travel across them.

Misty reveals that Opaline accomplished this through the use of the fourth Together Tree inside her castle; unlike the other trees, Opaline's tree is dark and twisted because she never experienced friendship or unity with others. The ponies also deduce that Opaline is using this connection to steal ponies' cutie marks, leading them to a horrifying conclusion: with Hitch and the Earth ponies all gathered in around Maretime Bay's Together Tree, the tree's energy vines can pick off their cutie marks with ease.

Once Hitch and the Earth ponies are warned to keep their distance from the tree, the Mane 6 divide their forces further to help their friends across Equestria: Zipp and [[Pipp Petals]] head to Zephyr Heights to help their mother [[Queen Haven]] and the [[Pegasi]], [[Izzy Moonbow]] heads to Bridlewood to help the [[unicorns]], Hitch remains in Maretime Bay to protect the Earth ponies, and Sunny and Misty keep watch over the Unity Crystals at the Brighthouse.

===The rise of Opaline Arcana===
Spike and the other dragons sneak into Opaline's castle to retrieve the Dragon Stone while Opaline is seemingly absent. They locate the Dragon Stone but are led into a trap that causes all of them to be captured and put under Opaline's mind control like [[List of non-pony characters/Dragons#Lava|Lava]] and [[List of non-pony characters/Dragons#Jade|Jade]]. Sparky, hidden from Opaline's view, is also captured, but he is not mind-controlled like the others. Now on the verge of complete victory, Opaline creates a gold necklace with five slots for the Mane 5's cutie marks.

Opaline returns to Maretime Bay, where Hitch attempts to halt her advance with his Earth pony plant magic. Sunny and Misty watch from the Brighthouse, with Sunny wanting to go and help him, but Misty is crippled with fear, unable to face her former tormentor. Despite Hitch's best efforts, Opaline incapacitates him and succeeds in stealing his cutie mark. His defeat is felt by his friends across Equestria, and Twilight's protection spell becomes weaker.

{{Quote|Four little ponies to go...|Opaline}}

==Quotes==
{{Maintranscript}}
:'''Toots''': Oh, my hoofness! What do we do?!
:'''Jazz Hooves''': Ruuuuun!

:'''Spike''': Whoa, what kind of welcome is this? It's me, Spike! Friend to ponykind since forever?

:'''Rocky Riff''': Uh, Jazz? Are you seeing what I'm seeing?
:'''Jazz Hooves''': Our friends just rode into town on flying dragons?!
:'''Rocky Riff''': And Pipp's hair is still fabulous!

:'''Jazz Hooves''': I'm just gonna say it... We're doooooomed!

:'''Misty''': I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you all have something to offer. You're all smart and brave and kind. I've seen you. Any of you would do anything to help your fellow pony. Even you, Sprout.
:'''Sprout''': Really? Aww!

:'''Spike''': Dragons! Come with me! That stone doesn't belong to this Opaline! And if we're gonna have any chance at stopping her, we're gonna need all the dragon power we have left!

:'''Sunny Starscout''': Spike, be careful.
:'''Spike''': Don't worry about me, Princess Sunny. This isn't my first rodeo.

:'''Sunny Starscout''': I'm not a princess!
:'''Spike''': [laughs] If you say so!

:'''Sprout''': My cutie mark! [high-pitched] Mommy! I want it back!

:'''Fountain''': You know what happens to a dragon in a dungeon?!
:'''Luxxe''': They chain us up?
:'''Fountain''': ''They chain us up!''

:'''Opaline''': I didn't put a spell around my Dragon Stone. I put a spell around my dragons! [cackles]
:'''Fountain''': Aw, COME ON! I told you guys!

:'''Opaline''': Equestria is mine! [cackling]

:[heartbeat pulses]
:'''Misty''': [gasps] She's back! Opaline's here!
:'''Sunny Starscout''': How do you know?
:'''Misty''': I can feel it in my hooves. See it in my mind.

:'''Opaline''': Don't try to hide, ponies! I will find you!
:'''Hitch Trailblazer''': Not as long as Sheriff Hitch is around!

:'''Jade''': Now, Mistress Opaline, all of the cutie mark magic in Equestria is yours.
:'''Opaline''': Not quite. Four little ponies to go...

==Gallery==
{{Expand|section}}
<gallery widths="150" position="center" spacing="small" orientation="landscape" captionalign="center">
Opaline corrupts Misty's Together Tree C6E2.png
The Mane 6 put their heads together C6E2.png
Hitch and Earth ponies face the Together Tree C6E2.png
Main ponies looking at the Unity Crystals C6E2.png
Close-up of picture of ponies and roots C6E2.png
Spike and dragons fly to Opaline's castle C6E2.png
Spike and the dragons put under mind control C6E2.png
Opaline, Jade, and Lava appear in Maretime Bay C6E2.png
Make Your Mark Chapter 6 promotional image 3.jpg
Jade and Lava bowing to Opaline C6E2.png
</gallery>

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