Symbols
Symbols, also known as Cutie Marks, are specialized markings found onMy Little Pony toys. They serve as an important way to identify different My Little Pony toys.
Merchandise
Symbols take the form of colorful pictures located on the flank of the pony; historically, real horses and ponies were branded in this area to show ownership. Usually, the symbol is unique to a single pony within a generation. A pony's name can often be tied to the object or idea represented by the marking. Though they were originally known as symbols, these markings came to be referred to as "Cutie Marks" from Generation 3 on. Cutie Mark is a play on the term Beauty Mark.
In most merchandise, the Cutie Mark is printed on one side of the pony; the side in particular varies depending on the pony in question. The symbols are usually simplistic in terms of coloring, with 2 to 3 colors at the most, and can be grouped into a variety of themes, ranging from weather to flora to fauna and others. Some toy lines feature a theme; for example, the symbols of the first wave of Flutter Ponies are all based on flowers. In G4, Earth Ponies will often have food or plant based cutie marks, while Pegasi often have weather-based and unicorns tend toward celestial-based marks, though there are exceptions.
In Media
In media appearances, cutie marks are seen on both sides of the body. Earlier Generations did not elaborate on the purpose of symbols. Symbols usually reflected the talents or interests of a specific pony. In G1, one pony Ember was not shown with a cutie mark, with no clear explanation given.
Generation 4, however, goes to great detail. Cutie Marks are stated to be a representation of a pony's unique talents. Baby ponies are born markless, but obtain them as they realize their talent. If a pony's magic is stolen, as when Tirek absorbed magic, the mark will disappear. Marks can also apparently be removed in by an equalization spell. In this case, the mark will be replaced by a black equal sign and the pony's unique talents will be nullified.
