Reasons why Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty

[~Sole~ 852]

Recently, people have said that rainbow dash (best pony ever) isn't a very good choice for the element of loyalty. That she is more suited for honesty. But I wanted to post a few objections to this, and hear if you agree/disagree.

1.she turned down the shadow bolts (isn't that their names?) Offer of fame for her freinds.

2.came to celestia's defense after discord's insult.

3.relentlessly persued applejack to bring her back in the last roundup.

4.admitted to the pranks in griffon the brush off to defend pinkie.

5.willing to give up her dream in wonderbolt academy for the sake of her friends.

And that's off the top of my head. I want to defend dash's title as element of loyalty, if you agree or disagree then reply. Just please be resonable with your responses.

[Fluttashy 325]

I think RD has grown up A LOT since the beginning of the show and has therefore grown more into her element, but they all REALLY have. I'm sure Twilight had no idea that her element of magic would traspire her into being an alicorn princess.

[~Luminiferous Ether~ 107]

Because YOLO.

 

Really though, Dashie is the element of Loyalty because she always follows through and has never been disloyal to her own volition.

 

Or at least, I think so.

[Astrobrony 655]

I might be wrong, but I think loyalty and honesty as a concept are kinda similar if you think about it.  They both deal with the matter of trusting your friend, either by word (honesty) or by deed (loyalty).  And both AJ and RD display both sides of these, heck in AJ's case she's flat out called the 'loyalest of friends'.  What sets the two apart is that when push comes to shove, Rainbow's tendency to act first leads her to be a stronger representative for 'loyalty' than AJ.

[hawkflame 3,308]

There's also her role in Hurricane Fluttershy, when she refuses to give up on fluttershy.   She believed in her friend much more than Fluttershy herself did.

[Winona the Dog 1,981]

I might be wrong, but I think loyalty and honesty as a concept are kinda similar if you think about it.  They both deal with the matter of trusting your friend, either by word (honesty) or by deed (loyalty).  And both AJ and RD display both sides of these, heck in AJ's case she's flat out called the 'loyalest of friends'.  What sets the two apart is that when push comes to shove, Rainbow's tendency to act first leads her to be a stronger representative for 'loyalty' than AJ.

 

I really think your correct here. Both Honesty and Loyalty are pretty much the same thing by virtue.

 

 

 

4.admitted to the pranks in griffon the brush off to defend pinkie.

 

 

For an example this could be considered to be both honest and loyal because Rainbow Dash was being both honest admitting she was the one who did the pranks. Yet she's being loyal at the same time by defending her friend. Before season 3 I think you could call Rainbow Dash the Element of honesty because it never really showed up in it's purest form since the season 1 pilot. You could even argue Applejack was more loyal in...say the majority of season 2 than Rainbow Dash was.

 

Rainbow Dash never really showed her loyalty like that again until Wonderbolts Academy and that episode really showed her shine as a character.

[MLPFan14 73]

Well rainbow dash is loyal to her friends and what she stands for,she would never desert her friends and is 'loyal" to them and she would never abandon them in the time of need.

[Spring Storm 276]

I think Rainbow Dash definitely fits the element of loyalty very well, and Applejack fits the element of honesty. Both elements are quite similar, but they have subtle differences. And Applejack and Rainbow Dash have their subtle differences that match their elements.

[Stoney Pony 100]

at the start of the series, she is so rash and cocky and then as time went on she got more modest and carefull, thats why shes my favorite pony she has this inner strength. i would go as so far to say she is one of the most capable ponies, in physical ability well, her and applejack but applejack cant fly which is raw.

[GrimCW 658]

I think Rainbow Dash definitely fits the element of loyalty very well, and Applejack fits the element of honesty. Both elements are quite similar, but they have subtle differences. And Applejack and Rainbow Dash have their subtle differences that match their elements.

 

Not to mention they easily rag on each other constantly helps seeing them so close as friends in that regard.

 

Now the one i'm curious of is rarity.. She SOMETIMES has a moment of pure generosity, but most of the time, even toward the (so far) end, still ends up pretty selfish and vain...

[~Sole~ 852]

Not to mention they easily rag on each other constantly helps seeing them so close as friends in that regard.

 

Now the one i'm curious of is rarity.. She SOMETIMES has a moment of pure generosity, but most of the time, even toward the (so far) end, still ends up pretty selfish and vain...

yeah, I see what you mean. In that episode when spike watches the mane six's pets (can't remember the name of the episode) and she gives him that puny gem... I laughed my head off it was pretty selfish, but she does have a few things just like dashie that tredeem her.

[GrimCW 658]

yeah, I see what you mean. In that episode when spike watches the mane six's pets (can't remember the name of the episode) and she gives him that puny gem... I laughed my head off it was pretty selfish, but she does have a few things just like dashie that tredeem her.

 

hah.. forgot about that one.. Even when she was the only one to pickup on dash's need for encouragement, when dash was entering the cloudsdale games (?) though, rarity started with the right idea and ended with a bad run of vanity taking over.

Same with the Galloping gala dresses. While up front she was doing her friends a favor, she was only doing it because she didn't want to be caught near her friends wearing the outfits they intended.

She has seemingly innocent moments of her element, but reading them, they aren't often without a personal reason hidden between the lines.

anywho.. may hafta go elsewhere if this is to continue, don't wanna hijack this... 

Edited June 18, 2013 by GrimCW

[Dashabel 381]

I think Dashie represents the element of loyalty very well. All the things you listed were proving that. And yes, she has matured a lot, which I like about her. She was really cocky in the first episode and all, despite that being the most loyal thing she did toward the end of part 2 but yeah... everypony has their flaws, but Dashie has definitely grown up a lot, like when she admits about being scared to those stories and then hugging her (d'awwww!!!) and also i was shocked when in ~can't remember episode name~ Dashie was like "I thought I was working with Ponyville's best athlete!?" and stuff... She made better decisions and didn't always just think if herself.

 

Dashie is best loyal pony.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Dashabel

[Sir.Flutter Hooves 2,953]

Cause Lauren told her to be? XD

 

Really, I do think that Rainbow Dash does make a great pony for loyality. First, you can tell she really wants to be in the Wonderbolts, but she defended herself in Wonderbolt Acdemy. That takes some loyality. She also protected Ceestia from Discord, and refused the offer from the Shawdow Bolts, which takes extreme loyality not only to herself, but to her friends.

[Nobody Special 210]

RD has no doubt, grown as a representation of loyalty from the start of the season. The only REAL time she abandoned her friends was when Discord had changed her to be the opposite of loyalty.

[Dashabel 381]

Another act of loyalty I think was when in Keep Calm and Flutter On, she was the one who made it clear that Disord was still the baddie and refused to give in incase he turned it back on them. This also brought in elements of bravery (which she obviously has as a character) and defence, which is kinda like loyalty.

[Scootalove 10,684]

Dashie represents the Element of Loyalty because, even when she doesn't get her way she will still go out of her way to stand up for her friends in bravery.

[lincolnshirepony 527]

None of the ponies live completely up to their elements. Rarity can be selfish, Applejack has been dishonest, Twilight has a lot to learn about magic, Fluttershy isn't always kind, and Pinkie Pie isn't always cheery. The ponies strive for and often achieve these qualities, but not unfailingly. Which is why I think that Rainbow Dash doesn't have to always be perfectly loyal to represent loyalty.

 

I do think Rainbow Dash holds loyalty as one of her dearest morals, though. When she told Spitfire she wanted to quit the Wonderbolt academy, she was being loyal to her friends and principles. She wasn't going to abandon what she believed in, even to get what she wanted more than anything. She also is loyal under extreme circumstances. She saved Rarity from falling despite being a nervous wreck in Sonic Rainboom, which I think she was able to do because of her loyalty to Rarity as a friend. Even as a filly, she showed a strong commitment to loyalty as an important part of friendship. She defended Fluttershy against the bullies without even having to think about it. 

 

Rainbow Dash doesn't hold to honesty as important friendship quality the way she does loyalty, in my opinion. She does speak her mind, but that comes from her blunt personality. Her honesty isn't always constructive to her friendships. In Dragonshy, she had no problem being honest about Fluttershy, but it wasn't nice and it wasn't benefiting their friendship. Honesty as a part of the Elements is supposed to be something that is not only important in friendships but also a quality that benefits friendships. Rainbow Dash may speak her mind, but she doesn't necessarily do it out of a desire to strengthen her relationships or a belief that friends have to look out for each other by telling the truth. She does put loyalty as a huge priority and does use it to the benefit of her relationships. Her commitment to being a loyal friend is what makes her fitting to represent the element. 

[veryoriginalponyname 121]

I don't remember where I saw it but there was a comment I read somewhere that said something perfect about her. It was that the fact that she hasn't just up and left Ponyville all together is enough proof that she deserves her element. All that's really holding her there are her friends. Her house is easy to move around (it's a friggin' cloud), she could easily get a job like the one she already has anywhere else, if they needed the Elements she could probably get back to them quickly considering she'd be aware of a major threat to Equestria no matter where she is. Honestly all that's stopping her from ditching Ponyville for something better are her friends... and that's enough for her. 

 

Again, I don't remember who it was who said it or where it was said (might've been youtube, believe it or not), but that guy totally gets it.

[sweetolebob18 724]

I'm one of the ones who think Twilight did a poor job of assigning Elements in Episode 2.  All the mane 6 exhibit all the elements to a degree.  It's just that each emphasize some elements more than others.

 

AJ is honest? Well, she's never actually flat out lied, but more than once she has bent the truth into a pretzel to avoid hurting her friends.  I'd give her loyalty.

 

Dash is loyal? Griffon the Brush Off, she wasn't very loyal to her new friend Pinkie through most of the show, or to Gilda at the end.I'd give her Honesty.  She is by far the Most Likely To Blurt Out Awkward Truths.  & above all she is Honest to her values & won't go against them by word or deed.  The one time she almost didn't was when the Wonderbolts tempted her in at the Equestrian Games & at the end she told the truth.

 

Fluttershy is kind? We must have differing opinions on "What is kind?"  Ask the Dragon in Dragonshy, ask the bees in It Ain't Easy Being Breezy, ask the cockatrice, ask the animals at the Grand Galloping Gala.  They'll all tell you how kind they think Fluttershy is.  About as kind as Wolverine, would be the consensus.  She is Generous  + shy & that comes across as kind most of the time (Most of the time, You could use her as a bath mat & she'd apologize for shedding on you.  But, when she is dealing with a bully...Duck & Cover!)

 

Rarity is the one who is kind.  The fact that she hasn't murdered Sweetie Belle (Sisterhooves Social, For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils)  She paid Spike the least of any in For Sidekicks Only despite the fact she probably has the most money (From being a gem hunter.) The way she gloms onto that Ruby in Secret of My Excess. (Although, I concede, she probably wanted it more because it was trendy than because it was valuable)  In Dog & Pony Show, Spike saves her life, she has 6 carts of gems & she still begrudges Spike a few to eat.  Yeah, she is a very good tipper in Rarity Takes Manehatten, but otherwise she is a cheapskate  But, the way she works on her friends dresses in Suited For Success, even though she knows they should be arrested by the Fashion Police, her hiding in a mud hole in Sisterhooves Social, the way she treats Spike at the end of Secret of My Excess.  No, she is far more the Element of Kindness than Fluttershy is

 

Pinkie Pie as the Element of Fun.  Yeah, she nailed that one.  She got 1 out of 5 & a blind man could see that P is the Element of Fun.

 

Going off topic.  IMO, Pinkie is the 2nd least brave of all the mane 6.  She is usually totally unable to grasp the concept that there are things in the world that might harm her.  Even if something is actively trying to kill her, it still doesn't sink in. (sort of like me & integral calculus) She isn't actually fighting her enemies, she is just playing a bit rough with them.  I point to her behavior in Canterlot Wedding part 2.  The few times she has actually noticed she is in danger, she tends to either panic or freeze.  I point to her behavior with the Hydra in Feeling Pinkie Keen  

[Commander Shroob 51]

You may not know that but here in Germany Rainbow Dash is indeed the Element of Honesty.

The Translators screwed up in the last Episode of the 3rd Season and so Applejack became the Element of Loyalty.

[Applejackbumper 13]

I don't think she represents honesty or loyalty. Aj had honesty and Spike has loyalty and RD has... Idk

[SteveMorison 404]

I like RD as a character but I honestly see her as a pretty bad apple and halfway towards being an antagonistic protagonist (like Garfield or Homer Simpson).

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Honestly, her loyalty seems much more toward Ponyville itself than to her friends.

 

Not quite what the OP is asking, but the problem I have with it is that her element is the only one that's just constantly tested against her rather than for her. Like, the others tend to showcase their element in ways that ONLY they could accomplish. No one else would have offered their tail to the sea serpent, or offered Discord the chance he needed to reform. But with Dash it's always that she has to struggle to remain loyal when it wouldn't even be an issue for another pony. It makes her come across as the LEAST loyal.

[Megas 27,063]

I don't get why people still argue about this. People question why she's the element of loyalty should seriously rewatch the show, or at the very least rewatch the most painfully obvious examples of why she lives up to her element(i.e. like Hurricane Fluttershy, Wonderbolts Academy, Flight to the Finish, etc.)