Despite this episode showcasing a significant moment in the show's history, (Rainbow Dash finally becoming a Wonderbolt), it has been obvious that since its air, it's received some harsh critique from what seems to be the majority of people. From what I've seen, people have generally referred to it as "cringe-worthy", badly written, placing Rainbow Dash in an already over-used plotline in which she tries to make the best of a situation in the wrong way; and probably the most common comment I've seen is the fact it seems to be glorifying/justifying the idea of bullying and name-calling.
All this criticism is quite hard for me to take in, for I personally loved the episode. I thought it was the most enjoyable plotline thus far, mixing in the right amount of emotional moments with humorous moments, and being written in such a way that left me satisfied by the end, and thoroughly relating to the situation Rainbow Dash found herself in.
So I've been thinking: am I weird for liking this episode so much? The one that so many people have such a strong hatred towards? If so many people dislike it, surely that must mean I've judged it wrongly and it's indeed awful.
But I've decided I stand by my opinion that 'Newbie Dash' was a brilliant episode, and I've thought of a way to tell you all why. And also, perhaps, a way to explain why people hate it for the wrong reasons.
So generally, it seems that the main critique of this episode is that the writers are trying to suggest that bullying and name-calling is glorified in an inappropriate way, which sends a bad moral towards viewers. We see Rainbow finally achieve her dream, but unsurprisingly find that her first day is not as amazing as expected. Specifically, what we find is that Rainbow not only makes a disastrous first impression, but her idols respond by labelling her with the nickname 'Rainbow Crash', the same name that was given to her by bullies during her foalhood. So of course, we feel for Rainbow Dash in this situation: the Wonderbolts are once again showing they can have a nasty streak about their nature, which can make us question her loyalty towards them.
Because of her desperation to make a better impression, Rainbow Dash tries to find a way of standing out, first by impersonating her friends, and then by attempting a daring move at her first Wonderbolt performance. As we once again expect, this goes horribly wrong and she's forced to explain her actions. At this point, which is where most people find fault with the episode, Rainbow Dash finds her hurtful nickname is in fact a shared jab among all the Wonderbolts, reflecting on the fact they've all messed up badly in their early days on the team.
Now, people severely criticized this plot point for understandable reasons. Is this a way of justifying bullying? After all, it was clear Rainbow Dash was uncomfortable with the nickname, and we hated the Wonderbolts for it, and the fact they didn't get their comeuppance was probably unsatisfying for a lot of people. Were the writers implying that teasing and mocking is okay because it's all in good fun?
I can definitely understand why people would think that. For a time, I began to think like that too. But it's been some time since the episode aired and I've been debating this idea in my head. Now I believe that people might have the wrong idea about what the moral was trying to say.
I think the message was less about the actual name-calling, but more about Rainbow Dash's first impression and how that made her feel. We saw her excited to join the Wonderbolts, her first day then going badly, and her nickname is used as a constant reminder of that. Because of this, she doesn't feel she truly belongs, and has to find a way to prove that she has talent, hence her ridiculous efforts to get noticed all the way through the episode. But then we find out at the end that ALL the Wonderbolts made bad impressions on their first day, which is why they were all labelled with nicknames.
So, to argue against the general conception about the moral, the message seems to be saying, quite simply, that everyone has a bad first day. No-one is alone in feeling that, even the most talented people in the world who have already reached the peaks of their careers. We see that put into practice in 'Newbie Dash'. The ending is not justifying name-calling, but instead provides a way of reassuring Rainbow Dash that she is not alone in messing up her first day. ALL her idols have done it, including Spitfire, whom she arguably looks up to the most. We didn't even hear the nickname she had, so assume it must have been bad, but it puts Rainbow Dash in a better position because the Wonderbolt she looks up to the most has had her own share of bad days, and that puts her idols in a totally different perspective. Specifically, a much more positive one. No one is perfect after all.
This is something I've been thinking about for a while and felt the need to get it out in the open. As stated before, I think 'Newbie Dash' is a brilliant episode, regardless of other's opinions, and truly believe this is the way people should interpret the moral. If you put that with the well-written humour and uplifting moments as we see our little Rainbow Dash finally achieving her dream, you've got an episode to remember.
Go, 'Newbie Dash'.
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