S06:E24 - Top Bolt

[EmeraldStar04 250]

Those new ponies are adorable and I am SO GLAD they didn't have that new guy turn out to be a jerk.

[Sh Pie 65]

This was a humorous episode. I thought Sky was kind of a jerk but then his backstory was revealed and I pitied him since his parents didn't notice him and Vapor's help was hampering his flying. She tricked him in to thinking he was so talented that it lead to his aspirations of becoming a Wonderbolt and then the truth came out and he was back and square one. He didn't bother to try his best and he wasted his foalhood believing in a delusion.

 

The last of the Cutie Map episodes this season pairs up Twilight with Rainbow Dash. I was quite amused by Twilight's enthusiasm and Rainbow Dash's overall portrayal. She wasn't easily offended like she was in Season 6 episode 7 and her behavior was both very in character and amusing. I liked that red and pink background pony whose name is Angel Wings apparently as well.

[Nightmare Season 617]

Can say just one thing. "Come On! I was just there!" Not once but twice. Great times.

[bluseymoe 258]

Rainbow Dash had two great episodes this season. That's honestly more than can be said for Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie. More stuff like Top Bolt and STFF is what she needs.

[AmbientBeat 27]

This episode was actually really good. The first episode in a while that actually gave me the feels.

[BlinkZ 1,151]

Another good episode this week. Vapor was cute, and honestly I liked Sky's backstory. It was genuinely believable and not cheesy, like some other characters whose back stories have been pretty bad.

 

I don't think I'm the only one who thought Spitfire's voice sounded a little different. Please replicate the original actor as best you can, because she was great.

 

The story behind Angel Wings is really great. It looks like the young girl will forever be apart of MLP, which I think is a wonderful thing. Her character was pretty cute!

 

Pretty fun episode, especially Twilight's smile.

Yeah at first, I thought my footage was sped up but nope differnce actor. and man is it jaring.

 

This episode was great, good wonderbolts and Spitfire and the like. The argonce didn't bother me cause I knew that well it come to bite him in the butt. I mean we did see RD in such situation where she got a good boot(the time she had to take that entrence exam, and well her becoming a wonderbolt episode despite how much still don't like it pacing.

 

Defenitly best of season.!

[ImpctR 155]

I typically love Rainbow Dash in the Wonderbolt Academy type of episodes and unlike Newbie Dash where I saw things I disagreed with, this episode was awesome imo. It wasn't focusing on a RD problem but seeing an interaction with Twilight Sparkle, I was curious to see Twi in Cloudsdale and how she interacts with Spitfire in those few moments she did. And aren't episodes featuring new ponies and some of their background great? We have seen a lot of the Mane 6 focused episodes, so to not bore of learning lessons esp when not much lessons are left to learn, seeing new ponies is a good way to go but nit every time new ponies. I give it a 5/5 although I expected an unforgettable RD episode after some weaker ones before.

 

I have a bit of a crush, a new crush, on one of the newbie ponies in the WBA, that is Angel Wings

 

looks really cute to me and these mane colors and color lines, I actually like such hairstyles irl. Also with the blue eyes, so adorable ^^. Vapor trail also looks quite nice. I liked Sky Stinger's speed trail, with such special ability I am wondering how he could not fly. Vapor also leaves a trail. Not too much happened in this episode but the whole setting in WBA like I mentioned is all great.

 

 

 

 

[Buttonmash1973 1,024]

I also think this was just decent.

[Pastel 7,627]

Loved it! How could I not like the map episode with my 2 favorite mane 6.

The relation between Vapor Trail and Sky Sting was very cute, and I liked how Rainbow Dash felt like a senior, as well as her "complicity" with Spitfire.

 

My only complain would be that the problem was solved too quickly.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Blobulle

[Moony the Cat 3,697]

I found the Episode to be great, i thought Twilight and Rainbow were really cool as Teachers and the Episode was cute and funny.

[Nye 1,652]

Vapor Trail and Sky Stinger were really good friends in this episode, and they came out of the episode with an even stronger friendship.  

[CAGY 8715 0]

I feel happy for Rainbow Dash in this episode. But that Air horn scene really pissed me off. 

Why would she take a Peanut Whistle and scare the everliving crap out of RD?

I wish I could take a Leslie RS5T and get back at Twilight.

And to me, if it isn't a Leslie, Nathan, or Prime horn, IT IS NOT A HORN!!!

Thank You.

 

 

[Senko 459]

To be fair it was Dash who brought in the air horn to wake sleeping ponies to begin with Twilight was just doing what she wanted.

I have to say it was a fun episode and I loved Dash's you can either keep fighting or make up and become two of the best fliers the accademies ever seen. PLEASE pick the second option I don't want spitfire to be mad at me line.

Angel wings was cute and the Vapor Trail/Sky Stinger relationship at the end to be very cute, plus of course more adorkable twilight which is always nice.

[Thrond 3,257]

It's maybe a bit on the nose - they jump to the flashback explanation almost immediately, with very little buildup. But the ideas here are just so strong. The jokes are great, the conflict is nuanced, the characters are delightful, and I do like seeing acknowledgement of the mane six's accomplishments. The show still doesn't do a great job developing those characters, but it's at least trying a lot harder than when this kind of "mane six teach other characters" episode was more common, which makes this already great episode even easier to accept. And what the hay, I actually like the Twilight/Rainbow dynamic here. They still seem a little like they annoy each other, but it's very minor and generally in service of clever gags. Besides, seeing Dash in such a dignified position is actually a novelty, and Twilight is at least kinda dorky here. The argument between the two provides just enough conflict to override the fact that they're not the ones doing most of the learning. 

And this one isn't quite balanced in the same way as "Viva Las Pegasus," but it's got so much nuance in the moral that it manages to make both Twilight's and Rainbow's perspective feel essential even though Rainbow's plan doesn't actually work. The best map episode. 

Also, Vapour x Sky OTP. 

95/100

[bigbertha 410]

On 10/16/2016 at 7:29 PM, Music Chart Fan said:

I do find it a little hard to believe that neither Sky nor anyone else caught on to Vapor's helping Sky achieve his feats until Rainbow noticed at the Academy. Did Sky really never, in all the years from childhood onward, attempt any tricks without Vapor around, failing at them such that he might at least suspect that he can't do them without Vapor's assistance? Furthermore, has no one else ever noticed Vapor boosting Sky when performing his tricks? For example, if Vapor boosted Sky when he set the record for "fastest vertical acceleration rate", did no one see her doing so? If there's a screening process to get in to trials week at the Wonderbolts Academy, and that process includes a demonstration of skill, did the Wonderbolts not notice Vapor's assisting Sky there? It seems a little implausible, considering that Rainbow caught Vapor's helping Sky quickly, and after Rainbow primed Twilight to look for it, she was able to see it pretty well, too, despite probably not having much experience in flying tricks.

 

 

 

 

Also, what's the end game for Vapor here? Did she intend to keep this up indefinitely, even if/when the two of them became Wonderbolts? Did she think that Sky might become good enough to perform without her help eventually? Did she intend to come clean at some point, and just kept putting it off? Or did she just never think that far ahead?

 

This is why I'm not a fan of the episode. Vapor Trail and Sky Stinger's situation doesn't make sense, and since the entire episode is about those two, the entire episode suffers. There are some good jokes, and there's nothing terrible here, but since I can't get invested in the conflict, the episode doesn't work for me.

Score: 4/10

[qwerE 95]

I didn't like this episode. Sure, the two new ponies had great chemistry, and were really cute. However, I didn't like the overall story. Sky's flying abilities improved so easily and it didn't make sense at all. Wasn't the Wondervolts a group that was extremely hard to get into? Sky just practiced for a day and got in, easy as pie.

I know everything can't be realistic in a show- it's fiction, after all. But in this story, it actually hurts the moral. Somepony who was arrogant about his skills and didn't practice gets into Wondervolts, just because he practices hard for a day. He wasn't supposed to be talented, either. I think it would've been better if Sky did improve, but not enough to get into Wondervolts. After that, the episode can show him actually practicing hard to achieve his dreams... which is what you really need in order to reach your goals.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

Definitely one of my absolute favorite episodes. The humor and facial expressions were on point, it's always a treat to see Twilight and Rainbow Dash's dynamic, and the lesson is handled very well.

[bigbertha 410]

All of the tension in this episode comes from a conflict that makes no sense. How the hell could Vapor have been helping Sky for their entire lives with nobody noticing? When Rainbow and Twilight notice, it's made very obvious that Vapor is helping Sky which just makes this entire episode even more contrived since apparently Spitfire couldn't notice this while Rainbow could. And there's a scene where Sky zooms out of frame... without Vaper. That one inconsistency alone doesn't break my suspension of disbelief, but combined with everything else it certainly does.

And this conflict is the main focus of the episode. The entire thing is about helping Sky and Vaper so this situation not making sense destroys this episode. It's not like there are other things to bring the episode up. Twilight and Rainbow's dynamic is better than Rarity and Pinkie's and Applejack and Fluttershy's, but they're still not great together. There are a few good jokes and there aren't any other problems aside from the main one, but that main problem is enough to ruin the episode.

Score: 3/10

[Senko 459]

9 minutes ago, bigbertha said:

All of the tension in this episode comes from a conflict that makes no sense. How the hell could Vapor have been helping Sky for their entire lives with nobody noticing? When Rainbow and Twilight notice, it's made very obvious that Vapor is helping Sky which just makes this entire episode even more contrived since apparently Spitfire couldn't notice this while Rainbow could. And there's a scene where Sky zooms out of frame... without Vaper. That one inconsistency alone doesn't break my suspension of disbelief, but combined with everything else it certainly does.

And this conflict is the main focus of the episode. The entire thing is about helping Sky and Vaper so this situation not making sense destroys this episode. It's not like there are other things to bring the episode up. Twilight and Rainbow's dynamic is better than Rarity and Pinkie's and Applejack and Fluttershy's, but they're still not great together. There are a few good jokes and there aren't any other problems aside from the main one, but that main problem is enough to ruin the episode.

Score: 3/10

To be fair Spitfire probably never once saw Sky until he started messing up. Remember this isn't wonderbolt reserves this is trials week for the accademy and based on several of the candidates we've seen anyone can apply its getting in that's the problem. At best she'd have recommendations provided by the same pony instructers who not only laugh at a kid being bullied but let those kids eat popcorn and watch a full scale battle between an Alicorn and a Unicorn. As soon as they start flying she along with Dash both comment on how bad these cadets are and not in a "break them down then build them up way" this is a largely private conversation between two wonderbolts and a princess. There's no "Sky Stinger really is an amazing pony" here and they haven't even finished the 500 laps she gave them before she walks off. Then next time she see's them properly she's also keeping an eye on all the other cadets for major issues and then from her perspective the star flyer is a mess so it'd be easy without knowing the backstory to assume it was something they did rather than his having been supported previously. I'm not saying it wasn't made obvious what she was doing in the episode but I can buy Sky not realizing it if he's spent his entire life this way he genuinely would be more impressed with his own exploits than looking for someone else being the wind beneath his wings.

[Rushing cash 824]

A really good episode with great new characters. I loved the dynamic between dash and twi here, I really can't complain about anything in this episode, really enjoyable. 9\10

[Astralshy 23,558]

This episode was entertaining but also kinda simple. But there's nothing wrong with it in my opinion. My most favorite part was the interaction between RD and Twilight. I would say it was good enough to give it a rewatch once

[Props Valroa 26,040]

I loved this episode. It could have done without RD's arrogance but Vapor Trail and Sky go well together. I really understood where the both of them came from, I know how both of them have felt so it made this episode some added credence to me. 

[Landi 597]

While I don't think season six was the worst season in the series, I definitely wouldn't call it one one of the best either. That being said, it did have a couple standout episodes, this being one of them.

Starting off, the fact that we got two new prominent pegasus characters is really cool to me. Not only that, but both characters dynamic and interactions to me was very interesting (especially Vapor Trail, who is one of my favorite supporting characters in the whole series). The fact that this episode had both the Wonderbolts and pegasi in a positive light was a refreshing aspect to me, and is well appreciated. The characters' backstory is not only heartwarming, but it also introduces a new location that appears to be half on the mountains and half in the clouds (I really wish we could have had an episode which takes place here. Maybe even a Fluttershy and Rainbow dash map episode or something). Plus, Angel wings was also a nice little addition.

As for the story, I found it very interesting. Revolving around Vapor making Sky seem like a great flyer out of her love and friendship towards him is a strange, yet fascinating idea. It also showed how kind and loyal of a character she really is (like a combination of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy). This, along with Rainbow and Twilight's funny interactions make this episode really fun to watch. By the end of the episode when the two new characters perform their flight skills, it feels very satisfying to see them succeed (along with Vapor being so adorable). This is definitely my most watched episode of season six, and it's no wonder why. I really enjoy this episode!

[Adariousmist 124]

I liked this one, and it was one of the better portrayals of RBD as well.  Plenty of good humor and both of Vapor and Sky were interesting new additions.  I kinda get why Vapor didn't like the attention she was getting, she had the stereotypical helicopter parents.  I can't say I didn't slightly enjoy Sky's fall from grace for a second .. but I don't care for overly cocky ponitudes.  I do love the dynamic with RBD and Twilight, perhaps more than anyone else paired with Twi.  I loved the whole 'princess of flying' bit .. that was great.  I liked it enough to watch it twice back to back, and there might be one-hand worth of episodes that qualify there, so that says all it needs to.

[Gale Wind 79]

Although I can see why some were questioning the storyline, I did like this one. I really like Vapor Trail’s design and Angel Heart was nice too. Wish we saw if she got into the academy.