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spoiler Rainbow's knowledge of animal habits


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Yes, we know that Dashie is street smart not book smart but seriously, how did she not know that other animals hibernate? One of the Winter Wrapup jobs is waking the hibernating animals for pony's sake!

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@@ggg-2

 

I edited the title of your topic and added a spoiler prefix. The original title might have been a little too spoiler happy for those who have not seen the episode.

 

Thanks. :)

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I don't understand why people are so surprised that RainbowDash didn't know/believe that certain animals hibernated.

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I don't understand why people are so surprised that RainbowDash didn't know/believe that certain animals hibernated.

Because, as i mentioned, one of the jobs they do for Winter Wrapup is waking up hibernating animals. (though i'll admit i've never heard of tortoises doing it)

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In magical mystery cure it revealed just how lost RD is with animals.  Pre-Tank I don't think she even considered at all the idea of a pet.  She went into it just wanting to belong and wanting the coolest pet, but Tank grew on her big time. 

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Rainbow Dash has been shown to be ignorant even about topics she likes, like the Wonderbolts, so it's no surprise that she knows next to nothing about animal physiology and behavior.

 

It is kind of sad really.  RD has been bequeathed the idiot ball from Season 4 onward.  She had the potential to be a much more complex character in Season 3.  In essence I saw a depth there that was written out.

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Because, as i mentioned, one of the jobs they do for Winter Wrapup is waking up hibernating animals. (though i'll admit i've never heard of tortoises doing it)

That's the animal team's job. RainbowDash's job was to work on the weather.

Also, RainbowDash is definitley no animal expert. We shouldn't have been surprised that she didn't know anout hibernation habits.

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Rainbow Dash has been shown to be ignorant even about topics she likes, like the Wonderbolts, so it's no surprise that she knows next to nothing about animal physiology and behavior.

 

This, and that isn't necessarily a knock against her. Information that should be known to people can be often-times missed; that's a common trait in humans.

 

And as Rose Petal explained Dash is no animal expert. Just because my friend is sustainable development doesn't mean I'm gonna know much about her work; likewise between Dash & Flutters.

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Rainbow isn't exactly book smart to begin with so its unsurprising that she fails to understand what hibernation is. Moreover, she isn't exactly an animal person like Fluttershy is.  ;) Its hardly surprising either, considering that when Rainbow was choosing her pet in May the Best Pet Win she was focusing on aesthetic traits, as opposed to actually learning the habits and details of each animal. 

 

It raises some issues. I really hope Rainbow is caring for Tank properly and not neglecting him.  :(

 

What's more surprising to me is that the most book smart person, Twlight wasn't able to recognize or suspect why a reptile would suddenly become inactive during winter. :o  Its not exactly a secret that reptiles are cold blooded and tend to hibernate in winter. 

 

EDIT: Also the show and Fluttershy were wrong. Hibernation is a process that occurs in endotherms, animals that internally generate their own heat source, like humans or ponies. Reptiles and like animals such as tortoises, undergo a similar process called brumation that occurs in ectotherms, animals that lack the ability to generate their own heat source and rely on environmental factors. Though I suppose kids can't be expected to know that much. Still, don't tell your kids that reptiles hibernate. It won't help them in biology class.

Edited by Cwanky
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Rainbow dash has been officialized as the resident Idiiot of the group; that's just the role the crew has decided on for her now.

 

Why is she considered the idiot? She's not the smartest tool in the shed, but to call her an idiot sounds a bit extreme.

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Why is she considered the idiot? She's not the smartest tool in the shed, but to call her an idiot sounds a bit extreme.

I thought that title went to Pinkie Pie?  :okiedokielokie:

 

I kid. I kid.

 

But Rainbow's not stupid. She's just not a studious person. Applejack herself is considered more rooted in common sense and practical work skills. 

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Either she completely forgot about that or was not paying attention in the class when she studied this in her foalhood. I can't think of any other reason why she wouldn't know that some animals hibernate for the winter.

 

Or maybe this is something the writers overlooked. She was there for the winter wrap-up so surely she must have seen some animals coming out of their slumber (or she was busy elsewhere clearing up the clouds or something so she didn't see that).

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Dash has the ability to be completely oblivious to things that don't interest her.  I agree though, this is pushing it even for her.  As to Spike not hibernating even though he is a reptile.  IMO, dragons are warm blooded (some scientists think at least some dinosaurs were).  Plus, in Dragon Quest it is shown that dragons migrate.  I think it is reasonable that dragons don't hibernate for Winter.

 

I also agree that it is surprising that Twilight didn't know about hibernation because that was one of her jobs in Winter Wrap Up.  (Still, she had so much fun with that job maybe she repressed the memory ;))

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I think the the responsability falls squarely on Fluttershy's shoulders.she should have given Dash at least some basic care instructions. Especially with a reptile. Reptiles requie some very specific care instructions like calcium supplements to their diet, and proper UV exposure. Oh yeah, and the fact that they bruminate. When you buy a pet ( especially an exotic or a reptile) a responsible pet vendor should make sure you know how to care for it..

Also, why was Spike the first choice to go to as a reptile expert? You know Gummy is a reptile too, right? Pinkie would have been a good source of information about reptiles as pets.

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I had the impression Dash was in denial about Tank needing to hibernate, not that she lacked knowledge about hibernation in general. Based on her conversation with Fluttershy, she might have been unaware that tortoises in particular hibernate -- hence her surprise and increased agitation.

 

It's also possible Dash blocked out the information as part of denying the reality of the situation. Cognitive dissonance and all that jazz.

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I think it was definitely Rainbow knowing somewhere in her heart Tank needs to hibernate yet she was refusing to admit it and was basically in denial about it. I certainly think she would have let him hibernate, but part of her needed him to be with her through winter and keep her company thus she disagreed with him hibernating and questioned it.

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I had the impression Dash was in denial about Tank needing to hibernate, not that she lacked knowledge about hibernation in general. Based on her conversation with Fluttershy, she might have been unaware that tortoises in particular hibernate -- hence her surprise and increased agitation.

 

It's also possible Dash blocked out the information as part of denying the reality of the situation. Cognitive dissonance and all that jazz.

 

 

I think it was definitely Rainbow knowing somewhere in her heart Tank needs to hibernate yet she was refusing to admit it and was basically in denial about it. I certainly think she would have let him hibernate, but part of her needed him to be with her through winter and keep her company thus she disagreed with him hibernating and questioned it.

 

You two got it. After all, the episode IS about the five stages of grief, the first of which is denial. Rainbow Dash does know what hibernation is, but she though that if she said "no" enough times, Tank wouldn't have to go.

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I had the impression Dash was in denial about Tank needing to hibernate, not that she lacked knowledge about hibernation in general.

Also, why was Spike the first choice to go to as a reptile expert? You know Gummy is a reptile too, right? Pinkie would have been a good source of information about reptiles as pets.

Hey, maybe that was a joke.

Maybe that when Rainbow Dash said she was going to ask a real reptile expert, we should have thought it was Pinkie Pie, not Spike. Based on what Spoon said, if she asked Spike, that's maybe because she wanted false informations.

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