S06:E07 - Newbie Dash

[DuskRain 193]

This was THE HARDEST episode to watch for me.

It was just so cringey. I had to pause it almost every 2 seconds just to deal with the empathetic mental pain.

[Roughshod 719]

Disappointing. Of all the words I could use to describe this episode and how I perceived it, that one fits the best. It feels like a cop out. For an arc that has helped define one of this show's principal characters, progressed over hours of screen time and years of the series existence from day one. I'm not going to enumerate all the problems or even the few good aspects, that's already been done and will continue to be done by others with far more interest and time than I have available. It's probable that I would have never been satisfied with anything done with such a highly anticipated event and to be honest I wasn't really expecting to see perfect execution. But this... I'm going to try and forget the majority of this episode beyond the fact that that Rainbow Dash has achieved her life long dream. Really that's all that matters anyway.

 

I know this review got ridiculously long, but I also want to point out that the only reason I write so much is because I love this world and these characters so much. If it was simply uninteresting, I wouldn't bother. Y'know, the day I became a brony, I had a feeling I was going to have to square with the fact that I'd always want the show to be more than it is, because this world and these characters have vast, untapped potential that is often squandered due to unfortunate constraints. I feel like that's what has happened.

It was a good review. It was well thought out and even minded, despite your clear dislike of much of the content and how it was presented. Your point here summarizes my feelings not only about this episode but the way the show has been progressing lately. There are a lot of missed opportunities as well as misplaced attention to areas and a recurring tendency to sacrifice the gains of characters in this series for the sake of short lived jokes and plot contrivance. But there has also been some really great moments as well, often things neither I nor most of the fandom expected.

 

So who knows? It could be the case that with Rainbow Dash now a full-fledged Wonderbolt we can explore her character better with how she deals with this now change in her life and the how it affects her relationships with her friends. You have to stay optimistic or you'll ruin the experience of being a fan for yourself.

[Sonic5421 423]

I think this episode had a great message. Don't get ipset over playful banter.

 

Agreed. A good moral there once you understand not to get upset at being given an embarrassing nickname.

 

[The Crystal Maiden 221]

I'm honestly surprised about the number of negative comments on this episode. I, for one, loved it. How can you not? Rainbow Dash is a Wonderbolt and I'm ecstatic!!  Wooooooo!!   

 

So onto my thoughts overall. I thought the way they did this episode was great overall. We've been waiting a long time for this moment and I absolutely loved the beginning when it happened and we saw Rainbow's reaction. I couldn't stop smiling! Pretty much most of the episode was quite an emotional experience for me: from the moment we get the announcement to when she puts her costume on for the first time and then when she actually performs with them.

 

But obviously we get a theme in this episode about what being a Wonderbolt is actually like compared to how Rainbow Dash has dreamed it up to be for most of her life. From the beginning, we get the impression that it's not as amazing as it's cracked up to be. Honestly I expected something like that to happen, because we've seen previously how the Wonderbolts have an unfriendly side to them, and also, I'm sure we've all been through times where something we dream about turns out not to be the way we thought it was going to be, and we can relate to Rainbow Dash because of this.

 

Sometimes I've been disappointed by the way Rainbow Dash has been written as a character in other seasons, but I thought they wrote her brilliantly in this one, especially considering one of the writers is new. That's correct, right? Sure, there was some cringey humour, but that's just Rainbow Dash for you: when she finds herself in a situation she wants to fix, she'll do all the wrong things to make it right, since that's just her character. I mean, she makes herself out to be a brash, headstrong pony, which she is, but when in situations like this, she can become quite insecure which is why she responds that way. This is why I like her so much.

 

It was actually hilarious when she impersonated all her friends. It was odd as well, but still funny. I couldn't wait to see who she'd do next. I thought the Twilight and Fluttershy bits were the best. xD 

 

Indeed, if there was one thing I would criticize about this episode, it would be the Wonderbolts' treatment of Dash and how the idea of name-calling and bullying is justified. I get the whole 'friendly banter' thing between them, but that doesn't mean giving Rainbow Dash a nickname that reminds her of her childhood is suddenly okay. I think she should have at least explained how much it upset her because of that, and that would have given the Wonderbolts a chance to redeem themselves in some way.

 

But that being said, I loved this episode. Definitely not the worst of the season as many people have been saying. Rainbow Dash has always been my most loved character and I'm so proud of how far she's come to get to where she is now. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens in the future now that she's an official Wonderbolt.

Forgot to add a rating. I would give this one 8.5/10.

[Thaliel 116]

I am still not very comfortable with icons like the wonderbolts showing such a mean behaviour. Were you all raised by pigs? A group many ponies look up to should be better behaved

Edited May 8, 2016 by Thaliel

[SaraEH 398]

I've been reading and chatting to quite a few of my friends and there are some really mixed thoughts on this episode, it's fascinating what people think.

 

Personally I rather liked it enough for a 9/10, it was a quite realistic episode and that was something nice, not to mention Dashie got her dream.

 

My review as always...

 

Ill give it a 12/10 :3 It was srsly my FAVORITE EPISODE EVER O_O! loved it..

[FlitterFlutter 1,583]

 

 

The moral would've been way more receptive if the episode was very clear that it was playful and wasn't full of major implications. Instead, their persistent tone and Rainbow Dash's history of hurt by this insult don't translate it to fun, and the fact that everyone has a name related to incompetence doesn't help.

Right but you, put those implications into place, the writer did not. You invented them. Also it is quite common in the camps and organizations like this to have nicknames like this.

 

The problem is everyone is trying to relate it to bullying when it really is not at all what to ep is even about.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,306]

@@vgmaster9, I haven't got a problem with anyone criticizing an episode, but writing things like "This episode was so bad, I'll stop watching the show" is just stupid in my opinion.

 

I PAUSED the episode in the middle. I then had a follow up post after I finished it. I never said I would stop watching the show. I just said it's now officially my least favorite episode. 

Edited May 8, 2016 by cuteycindyhoney

[SRN 146]

@@cuteycindyhoney, I wasn't actually talking about your post. :x

[cuteycindyhoney 13,306]

@@cuteycindyhoney, I wasn't actually talking about your post. :x

I figured that out after the fact. Sorry. I hadn't seen any posts where people said they would stop watching.

[Kimi Vulpine 219]

I was hyped for this ever since the synopsis was announced. Did the hype pay off? You know what? Yes it did. RD doing impressions is adorable and speaks for how much she knows her friends and there's a lot of ship fuel (I might even tolerate SoarinDash more after this). So glad the series didn't end before the mane 6 + CMC achieved their dreams!

[Plonkett 345]

@@vgmaster9, I haven't got a problem with anyone criticizing an episode, but writing things like "This episode was so bad, I'll stop watching the show" is just stupid in my opinion.

 

It's not so much just the episode, but their feelings on the overall direction the show has taken. For me, the only real good episode this season was Gauntlet of Fire.

[SRN 146]

It's not so much just the episode, but their feelings on the overall direction the show has taken. For me, the only real good episode this season was Gauntlet of Fire.

 

Well... you belong to a minority then. Can't make everyone happy I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Plonkett 345]

Never said the other episodes are bad, just decent.

[Truffles 2,033]

 

Did... did the show suddenly become self aware of R34 and just decide to purposely give us R34 material?  Cause that's what I'm getting from this episode   

 

I didn't even notice Spitfire giving Fleetfoot a massage back there! I don't know if this goes to R34 levels, but it was interesting to see Spitfire and a couple of the other Wonderbolts completely without any clothing, showing what they would look like if they were just normal ponies walking around Ponyville.

 

 

That's it, isn't it?  Be honest writers, I mean, what else could it possibly be?!   

 

Spitfire's nickname implies ponies in Equestria use real-world swear words just like we do in close company. (And when viewers aren't watching, lol.)

 

"Buck", "Hay", and "Horseapples" aren't actual swears - they are just their way of saying the nicer forms of them!

 

 

Since Wonderbolts Academy, Dash episodes have become Spike episodes.

 

Twilight then: "Congratulations, Spike - you're the new Rainbow Dash!"

 

Twilight now: "Congratulations, Rainbow Dash - you're the new Spike!"

 

Though in general I still feel like the worst Spike episodes are worse than the worst Rainbow Dash episodes; though from the comments I've seen across the net about this episode, I might be in the minority there.

[VengefulStrudel 1,486]

It's good to finally see Dashie achieve her dream and become a Wonderbolt. While I liked that, I felt the episode as a whole was...alright, I guess. Didn't like it, but didn't dislike it either. Many of Dashie's actions were just too cringe-worthy.

 

I did like the jokes though, like the impersonations of the rest of the Mane 6, espcially AJ's (though Rarity's mane does look fabulous when rainbow-colored ), or Pinkie saying "Rainbow Trash". x)

[ImpctR 155]

if you still don't like it even after reading my review, no big, to each their own.

 

Your review made me see once again the good side of the episode and I said, the fact that RD becomes a Wonderbolt  makes it a great episode for me alone, though you pointed out some things to support why it is great. However, I could not disagree with the critics by the others as I myself felt something was wrong with the way the episode was executed. I would say the flaws are bigger than you made them look and thus I agree with some of the opinions who even consider disastrous how some of the moments were presented. The name Rainbow Crash, from the most unwanted name for RD turned into an accepted name and happened too quickly.

 

IT IS RAINBOW DASH!  Not CMC's, not just anypony of the Mane 6, probably the most liked of the Mane 6, maybe many people started watching MLP because of Rainbow Dash, the most famous of MLP when anyone who doesnt watch MLP may know at least RD. And yet, we get a not well-written episode for such a milestone and a new writer to do that. The title of the episode was better off Rainbow Crash - at least it fit with his situations than the boring 'Newbie Crash'. The way the news were given to RD about becoming a Wonderbolt should have been spectacular almost like an event in Canterlot. It felt like Spitfire saying: 'btw you are now one of us, big deal /care' after all these seasons. Where is the lust of this great event?

 

 

 

Like, perhaps Spitfire could have ordered Rainbow to HQ, and Rainbow's afraid it's bad news, and then when she arrives, we get some kind of initiation ceremony, followed by a retirement party for...Fire Streak?  

 

This is how it could have been served.

 

The ending, though, it was better, maybe showed some maturity, accepting the consequences of probation and no longer acting more childish than any previous episode that showed her more developed than this episode's every other moment but the end.

 

On a side note, I think No Second Prances was from the good ones,I disagree with the opposite thoughts. (Maybe I know less of Trixie's character than I do of RD thus I can see better what went wrong with this RD ep)

Edited May 8, 2016 by ImpctR

[JesseJack 37]

I loved this episode. 

 

When Rainbow dash confides her concerns to the group, even though it was kind-of an embarrassing situation, they responded perfectly with support and love. That's the type of friendship love I like to see.  

 

Her trying to behave more like her friends so she would stand out for something other than her crashing was adorable and funny. She NAILED the Rarity impersonation!

 

I love that they displayed the difficulties a person can face when entering into a new group (similar with any sports team, club or band) because they showed the real struggle of trying to fit into a group that has already bonded and the payoff that will come from sticking it out. This is a great message for their intended audience who may want to give up when things are difficult.

 

Giving nicknames was a great way to show this because it's a pretty commonplace even in our culture to give nicknames as part of our bonding and it shows that even though her nickname was based on something that may have initially been seen as embarrassing, that it's good to have a sense of humor, and learn to laugh at your mistakes instead of taking everything so seriously. 

 

It was uncomfortable to see RD be put in that situation, because I've never seen her face these particular problems. But it was good to see some character growth with her. 

 

Love love love

[Redhatbrony 59]

I think, that this is the weakest of all Rainbow Dahs Episodes,

but usually she is entertaining and this is the episode for me after all.

The characters are well played and finally the world building is fine.

Not a good episode, but at least average.

I express more from my point of view in my own review.

https://youtu.be/nbI6185RqSc

[Lucky Star 972]

If I was going to say that there was anything wrong with this episode, I would say they messed up on the part where Rainbow Dash began to change herself into her friends hoping that one of her friends personalities might win over the wonder bolts when her own hadn't.
This would have been much better if they had portrayed it as a mental break. So far most of the main six have had one. Fluttershy at the gala, Applejack during apple buck season, Twilight has the most insane mental break in the show as far as I can see. Then finally Pinkie Pie.
 

But they didn't.

All through what's going on we see that Rainbow is clearly in control of her actions and doing these things not because of a mental break which would not have just been entertaining but would have given this more reason to exist, no, she did it because for some reason ungiven she seemed to think it would work.

 

Though I must say that it wasn't nearly as bad I thought it was going to be. Though he didn't give any spoilers and he's a dear for not doing that sort of thing. My friend did warn me ahead of time to not expect too much from the episode. While I can see why he would cring at this.

 

My reaction ended up being more akin to

 

"Meh, could have been done better. Moving on."

 

I didn't find anything about the overall episode cringe worthy. Not that I'm saying I don't believe that you cringed. Not that there is anything wrong in finding fault in an episode.

There are many ways they could have done this, many, many, many ways that thing that could have made this episode great. The episode was fine. But that is just it though. It was just fine. (Wow, I probably sound all over the fence here.)

This is the next step in Rainbow's Dash's whole story arc. This is where you're supposed to go up and beyond. Take some risks. But it felt a little safe at times.

Now for the goods things about the episode. I do like that Rainbow Dash didn't go join the Wonderbolts and become the greatest Wonderbolt ever the moment she sat hoof there. I read through some of the posts here yesterday before I saw the episode, (Sorry, Bucky). One of the posts made a really good point.

 

I'm sorry I have no idea who you are and I'm feeling pretty lazy, too lazy to go back through the posts and find ya. But this person said it was like the smartest person in a school finally going to college and learning that there will always be someone better. No matter what you go into there will always be a person one step above you. The point isn't to give up, the point is to work harder and improve. And I think it is wonderful that it got touched on in this episode. 
 

Though at the same time I must say

There were a few times it felt like they might have lowered her skill level to furth that point. I would have liked to see more moves from the wonderbolts. Maybe one of them did a trick that Rainbow Dash was supposed to replicate but failed at, and that could have started the Rainbow Crash nickname.

Side note; Isn't it kinda dark that Rainbow's foalhood shame came back to haunt her here? Though I guess by the end of the episode she had taken the nickname back and wore it as a badge of honor. 
 

"Ponies called me Crash, but even though ponies back then doubted me I still made my dreams come true!" Seems less dark if you think about it like that. No longer a past insult but a reminder that you can fufill your dreams if you keep working at them. 

So those are my thought on the episode.
It may not be going into any lists but it certainly wasn't the worst poissible thing that could have happened. At least not the way I saw it. So I will remain happy and looking forward to more steps down the road if our beloved elements making their dreams true. 

 

 

 
"But Celestia help them if this happens with another main six story arc episode."

[Trixie Heartstrings 434]

If I were to play a drinking game where I take a drink every time I see or hear the word cringe used to describe this episode, I'd be dead.

 

 

I'd make a drinking game for every time someone used the word cringe, but I'm pretty sure I'd be dead

You and me both.

 

(I swear, I've seen the word 'cringe' used so much to describe this episode it doesn't even feel like a real word anymore

That kinda already happened to me on YouTube, but here it truly happened.

[ManyANewDay_36 178]

It was a little awkward at times, but overall a good episode.

 

So f*cking proud of Dashie.

We were all meant to fly
Spread your wings across the universe
It's your time to, it's your time to shine
There's a light inside of all of us
Soon you'll find that it's your time to fly

 

-Avril Lavigne

[CastletonSnob 3,074]

If the Wonderbolts all have nicknames, what was Wind Rider's nickname?

[The Crystal Maiden 221]

If the Wonderbolts all have nicknames, what was Wind Rider's nickname?

Stuck Up Asshole. 

 

.... I hope so, anyway.

[Professional Horse 94]

Some people posting on this thread continue to irk me. Remember, there's a difference between personal, subjective opinions and objective quality. You can have your opinions, but remember that they are opinions, not facts. This wasn't a bad or good episode; It was bad or good in your opinion. One person cringes, another person laughs their buttocks off, for example.

 

Also don't forget that the story editor usually does drastic changes to a script. Stop being angry at the writers and blaming them, they didn't do all of the work. In fact, don't blame anyone at all. They didn't break your knee, they made a cartoon episode.