How old do you have to be to join the Wonderbolts?

[ggg-2 3,553]

(Using Soarin as an example here since he's my favorite and because of a point i'll get to in a second) Soarin has been shown to have been a Wonderbolt since practically the beginning of the show, and is second in command to boot. As revealed by the writers, Soarin is only slightly older than Rainbow Dash who, if we go by the number of candles on her birth-aversary cake, turned 21 in Pinkie Pride. Moreover, the age of enlistment in both the US and Canada (MLP is produced in Vancouver) is 18. Is it the same in Equestria?

[cmarston1 5,959]

Whatever age constitutes as a legal adult in the world of Equestria.

Which given how it works differently than our world, might not be 18.

[Ganondorf8 11,370]

An interesting question and one that doesn't have an answer yet since the writers have never brought it up before. Maybe it could be the focus of a future episode or even a one-shot issue of the comics. If I were to take a guess, a pegasus would need to become whatever constitutes as reaching adulthood in Equestria before they can join up.

[St3venp 37]

(Using Soarin as an example here since he's my favorite and because of a point i'll get to in a second) Soarin has been shown to have been a Wonderbolt since practically the beginning of the show, and is second in command to boot. As revealed by the writers, Soarin is only slightly older than Rainbow Dash who, if we go by the number of candles on her birth-aversary cake, turned 21 in Pinkie Pride. Moreover, the age of enlistment in both the US and Canada (MLP is produced in Vancouver) is 18. Is it the same in Equestria?

who said Soarin is older than Rainbow Dash.

[sweetolebob18 728]

In Pinkie Pride (S4), Dash tells Pinkie she came to town on her birthday (IMO, she should know :-o ).  As you say, there are 21 candles on that cake. I'm going with "The cake isn't strictly accurate.  It's drawn with artistic license".  That is to say, there are no unseen candles.  Realistically, there should be 5 or 6 unseen candles but I take the attitude that 21 is all there are.

 

If you assume 2 are for the anniversary, that makes Dash 19 at that time.

 

Hasbro has said that the 1st 3 seasons occur  over 1 year's time. (Mathematically possible).  Princess Twilight (S4 opener) starts "2 days to the Summer Sun Celebration" , 1 year to the day from the pilot & the start of Twilight's 2nd year in Ponyville.  This means Dash had her 18th birthday during Twilight's 1st year in Ponyville.  (This raises the question "So why didn't Pinkie know this is when Dash came to town?" & a bunch of other off topic issues)

 

IMO, Wonderbolt's Academy took place shortly after Dash's18th birthday

[pnylvr 185]

I agree with the general sentiment that one needs to be an adult to join. My headcanon is that ponies mature more quickly than humans, so they become adults at maybe 12 or 13 (which would explain why they're functioning adults but their EQG counterparts are in high school).

[sweetolebob18 728]

Maybe.  IMO, schools like the one in Ponyville only go to 8th grade (14 years old) & that is how old AJ was when she went alone to Manehatten.  But Rainbow was almost certainly older than that during the Wonderbolt's episode.  The question arises "If they let you join at, say, 14 why didn't Dash join earlier?"  IMO, Dash would have tried to join as soon as possible.

Edited January 23, 2017 by sweetolebob18