There's something I've been meaning to ask; In Friendship is Magic a pony's "cutie mark" is a symbol of their best talent, and it's a key point in the pony's life when they finally get one (assuming they don't rush into it like two snobish ponies I could mention...). However seeing as I only watched Friendship is Magic (techically speaking) I need to ask this;

Was Friendship is Magic the first My Little Pony generation where cutie marks 1) represented the best talent of the pony, 2) was a key point in the pony's life, and 3) was something the pony recieved once he or she, had discovered his or her main (mane?) talent?

I find the whole cutie mark storyline to be very interesting and love episodes relating to it, also did Friendship is Magic coin the term or was it used before - they definitely existed, but were they named?