Rainbow Dash is the only Pegasus able to do a Sonic Rainboom in the show.

[Singe 2095]

The show has established that Rainbow Dash was a prodigy flier that pulled off a Sonic Rainboom and hasn't allowed any other flier to do it in the show. The only other one that could rival her was Lightning Dust. Writers could just insert a new Pegasus that could challenge RD status of being the only one to do a Sonic Rainboom.

I just want to gauge opinions on the current lore of RD and the Sonic Rainboom and if it should be left alone or have an episode visit this.

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by Singe

[Black Sabbath 2476]

I think the idea of Rainbow being the only one capable of performing a sonic rainboom is increadibly dumb, especially considering we have seen that other pegasi can fly just as fast if not faster than her.   

[Jeric 44995]

Well ... Flash Magnus may be able to. Considering the connection they have it may actually be appropriate to have it be an anchor for a metric crap ton of cool morals. 

We know someone had to have done it in the past, what if it was him?

[4N71-V1LL41N 18443]

Doesn't Discord technically count already?

 

 

Or probably not?

[gamecubeguy214 2496]

I might say no because I think it would really make Dashie stand out even more if she was the only pony who's able to do a certain stunt. But on the other hoof, a different pony doing the Sonic Rainboom and Dashie hearing about it would cause a pretty interesting rivalry.

[The Starchild 13]

Well, in Season 1 we both hear that Rainbow is the only one who ever pulled it off, and in a later episode, that it was a legendary thing prior to her existence. So the current lore is already a bit shaky.  If we assume that it is indeed the stuff of legends, one that ponies already knew about before Rainbow Dash pulled off her first one as a filly, then there is absolutely no reason why another pegasus wouldn't be able to do it, too. However, ponies capable of the feat would theoretically be few and far between or it wouldn't exactly be anything special and there'd be no legends about it nor would it be a big deal. So, more than one pony being capable of it in the same era seems like a thing that wouldn't be highly likely to happen.

I'm not saying it shouldn't happen, by any means. Just if it does, they can't start introducing more and more characters who can do it. One showing up (or reappearing) to challenge Rainbow could make for an interesting episode, or even a more drawn out rivalry. They'd just have to not get carried away with it.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2017 by The Starchild

[Landi72 142]

At the time and point of the show, I'd say no. I think it's neat that Rainbow has a special move that only she can do. Although, considering it's legendary, that would imply that one or more pegasi in the past have pulled it off. So while I think that Dash should be the only one for right now, that doesn't mean another can't do it sometime in the future. Instead, I think it would be cool if another pegasus had a move of his/her own that could rival up to the epic Sonic Rainboom. Maybe even multiple ponies who each have their own special move that are all spectacular. We've seen that there are a number of super-skilled pegasi, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say that there aren't more on Dash's level.

[TomDaBombMLP 15390]

Yeah. Because it wouldn’t be as awesome if somepony else did it! 

Edited September 23, 2020 by TomDaBombMLP
Said would instead of wouldn’t! That’s wrong!

[Ittoni 519]

It was a mare's tale before rainbow did it in the show so it had to be somepony beforehand that did it too to become a story in the first place.

[HedonismBot 70]

Yeah, the way it was described kind of implied that any pegasus who got up to a certain speed could do a Sonic Rainboom.

Having another pegasus learn to do it could have been a fun lesson in humility for Rainbow Dash - potentially a much better sendoff for her than "2, 4, 6, Great".

[Megas 21727]

On 10/4/2020 at 11:24 AM, HedonismBot said:

Yeah, the way it was described kind of implied that any pegasus who got up to a certain speed could do a Sonic Rainboom.

Having another pegasus learn to do it could have been a fun lesson in humility for Rainbow Dash - potentially a much better sendoff for her than "2, 4, 6, Great".

They've taught her enough lessons in humility, to the point where the writers were just picking on her. I do think a trick that could have rivaled it could have made for a good story though

[HedonismBot 70]

56 minutes ago, Megas said:

They've taught her enough lessons in humility, to the point where the writers were just picking on her.

My idea there would have been to do this instead of some of those other ones, so that she could learn humility in a manner that wouldn't feel like picking on her. She wouldn't be forced to endure humiliating hazing or thrust into a job she had zero interest in - just brought face-to-face with a pony with abilities equal to her own.

[Splashee 19004]

"That's because she is a Princess"

Spoiler

Gotta love Princess Celestia's explanation, always makes sense!

 

[Flying Pencil 1025]

I would like to see another pegasus do some type of sonic rainboom and challenge RD status of being the only pony capable of doing the sonic rainboom.

[ExplosionMare 7944]

I wonder, can that sort of thing only happen to rainbow-maned ponies? When Twilight did a unicorn version the magic matched her mane colors, so it wasn’t a rainbow.

[swu24 5]

On 10/16/2020 at 9:32 PM, ExplosionMare said:

I wonder, can that sort of thing only happen to rainbow-maned ponies? When Twilight did a unicorn version the magic matched her mane colors, so it wasn’t a rainbow.

It obviously makes sense because the Sonic Rainboom can happen to anypony who can fly.

[DPBOX 17]

Alicorns could do Sonic Rainbooms easily. All they'll have to do is augment themselves with magic to fly faster, fast enough to perform the Sonic Rainboom.

Alicorns should already be capable of flying faster than the average Pegasus without needing to use magic to boost their speed. Rainbow Dash is NOT an average Pegasus, though, and is shown being capable of flying faster than Princess Twilight Sparkle if Twilight doesn't use magic to boost Twilight's speed.

Edited October 27, 2020 by DPBOX

[Quinch 1033]

Personally, I think there would be would be pegasi that would be able to pull off a sonic rainboom - if only because she did.

There's nothing that spurs challenge in something previously thought impossible than finally proving it possible. The rainboom was originally thought a myth, or at best a theoretical exercise, but once Rainbow Dash pulled it off, and then proved it wasn't a one-time fluke, you can bet that there would be pegasi dedicating their lives to training to do the same, then outdo it.

It might be an interesting situation to explore - how would RD react? Would she feel threatened that her monopoly is in jeopardy? Would she be proud that she inspired what was basically a new era in flight? I'd be curious to see.

[DPBOX 17]

7 minutes ago, Quinch said:

Personally, I think there would be would be pegasi that would be able to pull off a sonic rainboom - if only because she did.

There's nothing that spurs challenge in something previously thought impossible than finally proving it possible. The rainboom was originally thought a myth, or at best a theoretical exercise, but once Rainbow Dash pulled it off, and then proved it wasn't a one-time fluke, you can bet that there would be pegasi dedicating their lives to training to do the same, then outdo it.

It might be an interesting situation to explore - how would RD react? Would she feel threatened that her monopoly is in jeopardy? Would she be proud that she inspired what was basically a new era in flight? I'd be curious to see.

Mmm, that would be a nice fan fic idea.

[Osoka_Topez 223]

Yes others should be able to do the sonic rainboom! Any pegus can be very fast if they are fit enough and practiced enough. Also if they don't have any disability or some kind. 

[DPBOX 17]

1 hour ago, Osoka_Topez said:

Yes others should be able to do the sonic rainboom! Any pegus can be very fast if they are fit enough and practiced enough. Also if they don't have any disability or some kind. 

Well, some disabilities might increase a Pegasus's chance of performing a Sonic Rainboom. An autistic Pegasus, who won't have much social contact and would prefer to be alone, won't get distracted by social stuff and will be able to concentrate better on training. At least that's what I would think.

[HedonismBot 70]

1 hour ago, DPBOX said:

Well, some disabilities might increase a Pegasus's chance of performing a Sonic Rainboom. An autistic Pegasus, who won't have much social contact and would prefer to be alone, won't get distracted by social stuff and will be able to concentrate better on training. At least that's what I would think.

Even if we're talking about a physical disability, it might still be possible with the right sort of assistive technology:

[Osoka_Topez 223]

4 hours ago, DPBOX said:

Well, some disabilities might increase a Pegasus's chance of performing a Sonic Rainboom. An autistic Pegasus, who won't have much social contact and would prefer to be alone, won't get distracted by social stuff and will be able to concentrate better on training. At least that's what I would think.

I just mean disabilities that can prevent you from flying or something like you can't fly for too long. Just anything that can mess it up. I don't know why you brought up a different subject though.  Like okay

2 hours ago, HedonismBot said:

Even if we're talking about a physical disability, it might still be possible with the right sort of assistive technology:

That's the power!

[Splashee 19004]

I think it has to do with her Rainbow tail.

Like, when Lightning Dust gets a train after her, it is not a rainbow, so no Sonic Rainboom there, but maybe something else as spectacular? She was never reformed so we will never know

[Landi72 142]

11 hours ago, HedonismBot said:

Even if we're talking about a physical disability, it might still be possible with the right sort of assistive technology:

Technically, if a pony were to do a special move (like a sonic boom) using assistive technology (like rocket boosters), it wouldn't quite be the pony completing the action. In that case, it would be the device itself which is powering the move, whereas the pony wearing it is just simply steering it. It's a bit different from actually having to use your own wings to power the special move you are attempting.

I will say though, that jet pack looks pretty cool.