Should RD become a Wonderbolt?

[TBlaze 158]

Ever since I've seen Lauren Faust talking about the vision she had for each of Mane6, I had doubts about her opinion. I want to talk especially about RD joining the wonderbolts. Anyone else not seeing it at all?

As far as I'm concerned, being a part of a professional sport team would take basically all of her time. Probably everyday trainings, often shows given around Equestria, it would be really RUINOUS for her friendship with the rest of Mane6.

Looking at one of my favourite episodes, Wonderbolts Academy, being in the mentioned academy consumed all of her time to the point she wasn't even in Ponyville for the time the episode was going on.

And what do you guys think about it?

Edited April 13, 2016 by TBlaze

[Phanact 333]

I don't think Rainbow Dash should become a wonderbolt.

 

It flows with the same idea of the CMC getting their cutie marks (That I believe they should have never gotten), Or spongebob never getting that promotion or whatever.

 

Its just part of the character to have a goal, so I don't think she should become a wonderbolt. Hell, she's even done things that the wonderbolts can't achieve and I think Rainbow Dash realizes that, so I don't think she should.

[Denim&Venöm 16,534]

There was a fanfic where Spitfire straight up tells Dash that she can't be a wonderbolt, because she is above the wonderbolts. She is a national hero and part of Equestria's friendship council. That'd be like the president wanting to join the marines. It's a bad idea. 

[Pastel 7,627]

I don't think it would take all of her time. Applejack works at the farm but she can still be with her friends, same for Rarity and her boutiques etc.

 

In Wonderbolts Academy, it took her a week because it was an exam, she would certainly get some free time if she was a Wonderbolt.

 

And I'm pretty sure she'll eventually join the Wonderbolts.

[FlareGun45 2,221]

If Rainbow becomes Wonderbolt, I hope the cadets she trained with become Wonderbolts as well: Bulk, Thunderlane, Cloud Chaser, and the other cadets from Wonderbolts Academy.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,329]

I've said this in another thread and I'll say it again:

 

A show gets stale if a character never completes their goal.

 

The most satisfying thing is watching a character's journey to their goal, and the satisfaction of seeing them complete it. This is why I list Crusaders of the Lost Mark as one of my favorites episodes because of this.

 

I really don't get why people wouldn't want characters to complete their goal. Is it because they know the show would be ending soon if that happens? Well all good things must come to an end. 

 

Rainbow Dash never becoming a Wonderbolt would be like if Spongebob never got his driver's license or if Ash never became a Pokemon master. Oh wait, those shows are still running and those characters still haven't, and they got stale after a while after seeing the same old attempts for over a decade. I mean Spongebob has kind of an excuse as it's a show meant to have no arc or continuity, but Pokemon is an anime that has story arcs. 

 

And as for Rainbow Dash forgetting about her friends if she does become one, they already went over this in Wonderbolts Acadamy, and she didn't forget them. 

[Limeblossom 482]

I don't think she'll ever become one.

 

But she can always join the dark side of the bolts .

[Megas 27,070]

I don't know why people are still asking this when it's been pretty much confirmed to finally happen this season

[Invincible 2,090]

She worked hard enough, I say she earned her shot at being in the wonder-bolts. Seeing her strive for it season after season will eventually run dry.

[KatonRyu 1,026]

The Wonderbolts are part of Equestria's military force who happen to give shows, much like the Blue Angels in real life. I don't think it would be bad for Rainbow Dash to learn to work in a unit. Despite her skill and loyalty to her friends, she still tends to have a rather large ego which didn't show all that much in Wonderbolt Academy because of Lightning Dust's hubris. Being a part of well-oiled machine and knowing her place would probably have very beneficial effects on her personality.

 

As for her contact with her friends, I think there would be plenty. The Academy was a bootcamp designed to see who has what it takes to join the actual Wonderbolts and, if my understanding of real life military procedure is anywhere near correct, bootcamps are supposed to be hell. Once she'd be past the initial training she'd likely be a reserve for quite some time (she might already be one, I'm not sure about that) meaning she'd have a lot of downtime. By the time she'd be a full Wonderbolt her friends will probably have come quite far in reaching their dreams; for instance Rarity might live in Canterlot as part of the elite there. They'd still see each other, just less than they do now.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Ever since I've seen Lauren Faust talking about the vision she had for each of Mane6, I had doubts about her opinion. I want to talk especially about RD joining the wonderbolts. Anyone else not seeing it at all?

As far as I'm concerned, being a part of a professional sport team would take basically all of her time. Probably everyday trainings, often shows given around Equestria, it would be really RUINOUS for her friendship with the rest of Mane6.

Looking at one of my favourite episodes, Wonderbolts Academy, being in the mentioned academy consumed all of her time to the point she wasn't even in Ponyville for the time the episode was going on.

And what do you guys think about it?

 

 

I kind of have disliked the wonderbolts from hurricane fluttershy on, as they just started to be shown as more and more douchey as things went on, with special notice to spitfire. This ESPECIALLY came to a head after wonderbolt academy with Spitfire going full scumbag mode and seemingly ignoring lightning dust till Dash shamed her in the end by quitting (and her dressing down Lightning dust almost came off as her trying to save face after dash forced the issue).

 

I'd really like it if Dash ended up saying that she viewed the wonderbolts as heroes growing up, and that while she respects them as flyers, she's come to realize they're less heroes and more just a flight team, and that she'd rather find her own path in life after that. (Either forming her own team or Re-aiming her goal to become like daring do and become a freelance adventurer like her).

It'd close out her goal of becoming a wonderbolt by aknowledging that she WAS good enough and could be one, while opening up a new realm of possibilities by stating that she had decided to pursue a different path with different lessons to learn.

 

 

On that note, has anyone here seen the commentary for Friendship games? I heard that they say in it that they originally had spitfire in mind for indigo zaps role before changing it, I'm wondering if anyone can confirm or deny that from the commentary?

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,314]

The Wonderbolts at this point are a strange group. They seem like a group that idolizes ponies that are actually very mean-spirited and some of the members themselves seem mean spirited as well. You know what this means though? It means that the Wonderbolts NEED Rainbow Dash. Her sense loyalty, her sense of respect and leadership, those are traits that could benefit the group immensely. She may even be able to be a captain of the team. 

[Limeblossom 482]

The Wonderbolts at this point are a strange group. They seem like a group that idolizes ponies that are actually very mean-spirited and some of the members themselves seem mean spirited as well. You know what this means though? It means that the Wonderbolts NEED Rainbow Dash. Her sense loyalty, her sense of respect and leadership, those are traits that could benefit the group immensely. She may even be able to be a captain of the team. 

Maybe Celestia could appoint her to clean the mess . The Wonderbolts are dysfunctional and soon beyond repair if somepony doesn't take action, plus further shenanigans by them could lead to an Equestria-wide embarrassment on one day .

[Steel Accord 6,658]

Jesus the Wonderbolts get shit on SO much more than they deserve these days. Anypony who thinks Spitfire was condemnable in "Wonderbolts Academy" has clearly never been through boot camp or anything similar. Not to mention what has Soarin' done to earn that rep, get injured on duty and be Dash's second most vocal supporter next to Spitfire?

 

To actually answer the question, yes, she should. One of the things I love about this show is that the status quo is not written in stone. Rarity has her boutique in Canterlot (and is still expanding), the CMC got their cutie marks (and that's a good thing), Twilight became a princess and completed her arc. The fact that the characters that have defined goals can achieve them is a point in the show's favor.

 

@@Limeblossom, @@Kyoshi,

 

I don't agree that the Wonderbolts are all complete scum or a corrupt institution in totality, but I do agree that Dash can fix the internal problems that they do have with her presence alone. As evidenced by her keeping a bad candidate out in the form of Lightning Dust. 

Edited April 14, 2016 by Steel Accord

[FlareGun45 2,221]

The Wonderbolts at this point are a strange group. They seem like a group that idolizes ponies that are actually very mean-spirited and some of the members themselves seem mean spirited as well. You know what this means though? It means that the Wonderbolts NEED Rainbow Dash. Her sense loyalty, her sense of respect and leadership, those are traits that could benefit the group immensely. She may even be able to be a captain of the team. 

 

Rainbow Dash becomes captain, Spitfire becomes general, I'd like that to be Rainbow's new target.

[cmarston1 5,952]

Well I would really like to see Rainbow Dash's arch of her dream to become a wonderbolt get some kind of closure.

Twilight got closure by becoming a princess and ended up getting a good amount of character development and I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the movie (if it is the end of the series) that she ends up becoming Celestia's successor.

Rarity ended up finally getting her boutique in Canterlot that she has always wanted as well as getting a third one in Manehatten and is continuing to expand her fashion business.  Rarity ended up working her way to the top and now has finally achieved her dreams and then some.

Plus Rainbow Dash is the only other member of the mane 6 that could feasibly end up with a completed character arc.  Or reach some sort of end game.

Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie don't have any sort of long term goals or ambitions to really stride for anyways.

Fluttershy managed to get considerably bolder and more confidant and better at dealing with her anxieties, which is somewhat of a character arc, but not nearly as big as Rainbow's dream to join the wonderbolts, Rarity wanting to make it big in the fashion industry, or Twilight becoming a princess.  But it is still more than I can say for Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

Applejack has basically stayed the same sense episode 1, and I don't really know what to say about Pinkie Pie.

Edited April 14, 2016 by cmarston1

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie don't have any sort of long term goals or ambitions to really stride for anyways.

I know it doesn't really "fit" for them to have a goal given how content with life they seem, but I do have to admit, that seems like a handicap for them, characterwise. Its more difficult it seems for the writers to come up with ways for them to grow due to not having an external goal to work towards like RD or rarity.

 

Fluttershy I know gets alot of complaints about how her only real thing to develop is "overcome shyness" without much progress

[Aurora Storm 83]

Oddly enough, Rainbow Dash is more mature than the Wonderbolts. They could use her to keep them honest remember what teamwork is about. I don't think it'd ruin the show if she became an official member. They can write plot lines around that.  Rarity has a boutique and Canterlot and it hasn't ruined anything.

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,298]

Swear I just answered this question in another topic...  Oh well.

 

Yes.  If that's what Rainbow truly wants, she absolutely should.  Going all the way back to season one, Rainbow has more than proved herself worthy of being inducted into the Wonderbolts proper.  Whether or not she deserves to be an official member or is capable of performing any Wonderbolts-related duties isn't even a question; she does and she is.  I'd go so far as to say that she'd make the Wonderbolts look good; set the bar high.

 

I don't think that becoming a Wonderbolt would mean that she'd either 1. be seen less frequently on the show or 2. never get to see her friends.  Twilight became a princess at the tail end of season three, and you saw her interact plenty with her friends throughout season four.  And I mean prior to the whole castle bursting out of the ground thing.  Rarity has been realizing her dream in this and the previous season, and she still had time to hang out with Rainbow, Pinkie, and Maud.

 

I've no cause to believe that being a Wonderbolt means you never get to do anything but be a Wonderbolt; exactly what's expected of the modern Wonderbolts hasn't even been made perfectly clear in the series.

I don't agree that the Wonderbolts are all complete scum or a corrupt institution in totality, but I do agree that Dash can fix the internal problems that they do have with her presence alone.

I agree with all of that stuff right there.

[FlareGun45 2,221]

Well I would really like to see Rainbow Dash's arch of her dream to become a wonderbolt get some kind of closure.

Twilight got closure by becoming a princess and ended up getting a good amount of character development and I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the movie (if it is the end of the series) that she ends up becoming Celestia's successor.

Rarity ended up finally getting her boutique in Canterlot that she has always wanted as well as getting a third one in Manehatten and is continuing to expand her fashion business.  Rarity ended up working her way to the top and now has finally achieved her dreams and then some.

Plus Rainbow Dash is the only other member of the mane 6 that could feasibly end up with a completed character arc.  Or reach some sort of end game.

Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie don't have any sort of long term goals or ambitions to really stride for anyways.

Fluttershy managed to get considerably bolder and more confidant and better at dealing with her anxieties, which is somewhat of a character arc, but not nearly as big as Rainbow's dream to join the wonderbolts, Rarity wanting to make it big in the fashion industry, or Twilight becoming a princess.  But it is still more than I can say for Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

Applejack has basically stayed the same sense episode 1, and I don't really know what to say about Pinkie Pie.

 

Twilight's had character arcs too. It started off as her learning about friendship, to becoming princess, to understanding her role as princess, to having a student of her own. But MLP pretty much revolves around her.

 

The CMCs before and after they had their CMs are two different arcs. Also Spike's gonna be having a character arc soon with the dragons. Perhaps it won't be long until AJ, Flutters, and Pinkie have something of their own. People say that Discord reforming is a Fluttershy arc, and I think AJ and Pinkie being related is an arc of its own as well, but we'll see.

[bluseymoe 258]

I'll say what I always say on the matter: she's better than them in both skill and moral value and should probably consider starting her own club.

[Whirlwind 1,048]

I believe she should become a Wonderbolt

Because she has not only encouraged herself, but many other ponies to give the best of themselves

 

Rainbow Would be a great inspiration if she became a Wonderbolt

[ggg-2 3,550]

If it happened at the end of the series, sure. But looking at episode 7 of this season that isn't the case anymore. Making her a Wonderbolt now is a BAD idea. The Wonderbolts seem to be a military-like career. To my understanding, people in the military almost NEVER see their friends or family while in service. Does having the Element of Loyalty torn between her friends and her dream career really sound like a good idea? And Dash would have to leave Tank for long periods, which had terrible consequences last time.