Okay, to kick off my review system, I've decided to review this episode simply because I just watched it, and well... Let's just get to the review.
Chrgan's Review of Sonic Rainboom
Plot Summary/My Opinion: The episode starts with Fluttershy cheering for Rainbow Dash, which is both adorable and hilarious. It turns out that Rainbow Dash is entering the Best Young Flyers Competition, and is gonna try to perform the Sonic Rainboom (which she hasn't done since she was a filly). The rest of the Mane 6 want to cheer for Rainbow Dash, so they give Rarity wings and use a cloud-walking spell for themselves. Why did no one notice that they are not pegasi and are walking on clouds? Oh well. That's probably the only flaw with this episode. Then, some guys suggest Rarity join the contest, which she does. While Rainbow Dash is nervously cowering and Rarity is getting ready for her performance, all the other ponies go. Rarity and Rainbow Dash end up having to go out at the same time. When Rarity enters the final phase of her performance (posing in front of the sun) her wings disintegrate, and Rainbow Dash has to perform a Sonic Rainboom to save her. She does, and trust me, it is oh so satisfying.
Good Stuff:
Fluttershy's hilarious/adorable cheering (+5)
Stage fright is very relatable (+6)
Ending was epic for me, even though I knew how it was gonna end (+10)
For some reason, the weather factory was pretty cool (+4)
Bad Stuff:
No one noticed earth ponies and unicorns on clouds (-4)
Rarity being a tad unlikable (-4)
Minor Good Stuff:
Pinkie tasting the rainbow was hilarious (+1)
Rainbow changing the numbers was pretty funny (+1/2)
Nitpicks:
The weather section could be considered filler, but it's pretty good filler nonetheless. (-1/2)Final Verdict: After watching an episode I didn't particularly like, I started to doubt my own brony-ness. But then, I watched this episode. This confirmed that I was a brony. Everything from Fluttershy's adorable cheering to the amazing ending was epic, and I have no reason to doubt myself here. Even before I watched this, I watched MrEnter's review, and so I wasn't surprised about Rarity's wings burning or anything. But I WAAS surprised at how satisfying something that you know will happen can be.
Overall, this episode gets a 43/50. There were a few flaws, but overall, IT. WAS. AMAZING. Originally, I thought that all the love this gets was due to nostalgia, due to it being many people's first episodes, but I was dead wrong.