Why Scootaloo can't fly

[powerpuff-tsubasa 448]

scootie's still a lil filly and probably she hasnt gotten enough flying practice. unlike dashie

[TheGamerDerpy 7]

Well, Scoot's either has a strange Pegasus-only incurable disease that renders her unable to fly (as we can see in that one episode where Pinkie Pie babysits the twins, we see pound cake fly even though has only a few weeks old) or Scoot's bones in her wings aren't fully developed yet for her to be able to fly.   :diamondtiara:

[cmarston1 5,959]

I am pretty sure that she was confirmed to have a physical disability.

I am pretty sure that she was born unable to fly and will never be able to do so.

[FanOfManyShows 396]

There is one simple explanation, she's not flying correctly. what i mean is she flaps her wings to quickly to gain elevation for long periods of time.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Frannis

[PuppyKit 12]

I really hope Scootaloo is disabled and will never fly. A main character who is disabled but still cool and treated with respect on a children's show? Who isn't seen as the butt of jokes or someone to pity. She isn't even singled out from the other children.

 

If it turns out Scootaloo is disabled and the MLP staff actually confirm it in the show I would absolutely love it. Scootaloo is a good role model for disabled children and also a good message to kids about how they don't have to tiptoe around disabled people.

 

Of course I'm speaking as someone who actually is disabled and I just really like what the show has done with Scootaloo so far. She really is one of my favorite characters. She's a Pegasus that can't fly and is still amazingly awesome.

[chili 120]

I would consider the possibility of her wings not growing in the same pace her body is. The wings are simply.. Too small. Because the strength in them are working just fine, considering how fast she can flap'em when she's speeding away with her scooter.

Anyway, I think it would be interesting to have Scootaloo not fly through the entire series... I mean, a pegasi that can't fly? That must be something to work with..

[Redhatbrony 59]

She has simply a imbalance in her magic and eventually are able to fly,

if somepony identifies this imbalance and is able to heal it.

I am hoping, that Twilight could do this sometimes.

[Fhaolan 4,483]

It's been proven that all pegasi require magic to fly, thanks to Tirek. Size of the wings are pretty much irrelevant, because no pegasis in the show has wings large enough to actually support flight without buzzing like a hummingbird (and having the metabolism to match).

 

So it's down to magic. We know that not all ponies have access to the same levels of magic, or all unicorns would be like Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight. So if there are exceptional magic users, it is highly likely that there are below average magic users. Very below average in some cases.

 

There are likely Unicorns with weak telekinesis, and Earth Ponies with weak... connections to nature?... whatever....So it stands to reason that some pegasi are very weak fliers. To the point that they can't really fly.

[SoulHarmony 43]

It is definitely a issue that needs to be addressed at some point in the series - Its clear her wings do not have the power to lift her frame and yet they have the power to propel her really fast on her scooter :/

[MalekPony 36]

What if Scootaloo were to actually wind up flying like a proper pegasus for some reason? Would it be shocking or what?

[Stardust* 3,302]

Everypony needs to go back and watch "Flight to the Finish" Season 4 episode 5. 

 

In that we see what Scootaloo says is the problem with her flying. 

 

She says to Rainbow towards the end. "What if....what if my wings never grow?" 

 

Boom. mind blown. 

 

The answer has been there all along. 

[Twilight Frost 271]

I know exactly why scootaloo cannot fly. I was actually able to get a hold of Scootaloo's medical records from her doctor. 

 

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/angelwing.html

 

While it is extremely rare, Pegasus do get a variation to this that causes their wings to stick out all the time and they are also left with decreased muscle tissues in the areas that cause movement for the wing to flap. So, it makes it neigh impossible for them to be able to function right and thus robs them of their ability to fly. 

Edited June 10, 2016 by Twilight Frost

[Jeric 46,850]

One theory is that wings could be the magical conduit for pegasi. If they are underdeveloped after their initial baby boom, magic may not be enough to power flight. The only flaw is them silly Earth Ponies.

 

Small wings, small horn, small ... hooves

[gamecubeguy214 2,512]

I really hope Scootaloo is disabled and will never fly. A main character who is disabled but still cool and treated with respect on a children's show? Who isn't seen as the butt of jokes or someone to pity. She isn't even singled out from the other children.

 

If it turns out Scootaloo is disabled and the MLP staff actually confirm it in the show I would absolutely love it. Scootaloo is a good role model for disabled children and also a good message to kids about how they don't have to tiptoe around disabled people.

 

Of course I'm speaking as someone who actually is disabled and I just really like what the show has done with Scootaloo so far. She really is one of my favorite characters. She's a Pegasus that can't fly and is still amazingly awesome.

I disagree. I love Scootaloo, I appreciate the flawed character, and you're right about the message saying that you don't need to tiptoe around disabled people. But in my eyes, Scoot should achieve her dream of flying, and her not being able to fly would give that message, along with a future of her flying would be a message that you should never give up with what seems to be impossible, which adds another important message, which is better than one. Scootaloo is the perfect example for both messages and I think Scootaloo should achieve her dreams.

[PuppyKit 12]

I disagree. I love Scootaloo, I appreciate the flawed character, and you're right about the message saying that you don't need to tiptoe around disabled people. But in my eyes, Scoot should achieve her dream of flying, and her not being able to fly would give that message, along with a future of her flying would be a message that you should never give up with what seems to be impossible, which adds another important message, which is better than one. Scootaloo is the perfect example for both messages and I think Scootaloo should achieve her dreams.

I actually think a message about there being some dreams that can never be achived is a much more mature and important lesson. Something that says just because your life can't go the way you want it to doesn't mean you should give up. Being disabled doesn't mean your life is over. It's something you have to get used to but you can still live a full and happy life. We have a lot of "anything is possible" lessons in children's shows but we have very few admitting that really isn't true. I think it be better to prepare children for the reality of life well explaining just because some dreams are impossible doesn't mean you should stop dreaming.

[gamecubeguy214 2,512]

I actually think a message about there being some dreams that can never be achived is a much more mature and important lesson. Something that says just because your life can't go the way you want it to doesn't mean you should give up. Being disabled doesn't mean your life is over. It's something you have to get used to but you can still live a full and happy life. We have a lot of "anything is possible" lessons in children's shows but we have very few admitting that really isn't true. I think it be better to prepare children for the reality of life well explaining just because some dreams are impossible doesn't mean you should stop dreaming.

 

You do have some very valid points, and my opinion is most certainly stupid, but I would still love to canonically see Scoot off the ground.

[PuppyKit 12]

You do have some very valid points, and my opinion is most certainly stupid, but I would still love to canonically see Scoot off the ground.

I certainly wouldn't call your opinion stupid and I'm sure an episode where Scoot flies would be a beautiful moment but for me personally it would be more meaningful if they said in show she will never be able to fly and that's okay.

 

They almost did that when Rainbow Dash told Scoot it was okay if she never flew and she was still awesome and I would love to see an expansion of that in the show where Scootaloo learns to accept herself and realize she doesn't need to fly to be an amazing person.

 

Both would be amazing moments in the show and although I would prefer it if she was confirmed as disabled, as like I she would be a great role model for disabled children, I'm sure an episode where she gets to finally fly would be amazing to.

 

It's not like I'd stop watching the show over it but it would be very bitter / sweet to see her fly for me as Scootaloo just has so much more potential as a character if she is confirmed to he disabled and it's frankly such an amazing concept to have a Pegasus who can't fly

[Spartan 433]

I got a few ideas,

 

1. Her wings didn't grow with her, so they are too small to really hold her up.

 

2. Her parents are either not around much to teach her how, or they aren't pegasi like her (example: the Cakes).

 

3. She is actually Princess Celestia's daughter, and Celestia is too busy or a terrible mother and never taught her how to fly properly.

 

Though, I'd like to see her fly one day. Maybe the last few episodes of the series she figures it out?

[chaosprincess 1,067]

In my opinion if Scootaloo went to flight school in cloudsdale I believe she would be flying due to she would be around other pegasi and they would teach her how to properly fly and strengthen her wings Fluttershy was a very weak flyer, but she still flew and she also attended the flight school and muscle biceps is huge and has tiny wings most likely the size of Scootaloo's I know those are not great examples, but that's just my opinion.

[Sals 56]

Scootaloo has been flying ever since season two. I am not sure why you guys are still freaked out 

 

[Soaring Symphony 372]

Because Scootaloo doesn't want to fly. She's too awesome to fly. She'd rather just ride her scooter. Heck, she can use her scooter to fly.Seriously though, I've seen a lot of fanfics and comics and stuff depicting that Scootaloo can't fly and she's sad about it, but has she ever actually expressed distress and disappointment of her inability to elevate herself in the show? If my memory serves right, I don't think she did. So it's quite possible that she just can't fly yet, but it's not like it's killing her so.Still, it's possible that she just isn't trying 'cause she doesn't care when she flies.

Are you forgetting about Flight To The Finish? There was an entire episode dedicated to exactly what you're talking about back in season 4.

 

 

 

Even though Scootaloo idolizes Rainbow Dash and her flying, no episode (currently) has ever depicted her as being sad or embarrassed that she can't fly. The only episode where I can recall that her flying handicap gets highlighted was the whole gossip episode where her picture of her falling into the mud puddle after attempting to fly was made as blackmail, but that was more of because Scootaloo was all dirty and goofy rather than the fact that she couldn't fly.Scootaloo is too much of a daredevil to even care that she can't fly. She loves riding her scooter and performing extreme tricks, and that's all right with her. She has substituted flying with these sort of stunts that make her get around more easily.

Flight To The Finish. It's a thing. Edited June 15, 2016 by Soaring Symphony

[MalekPony 36]

Scootaloo has been flying ever since season two. I am not sure why you guys are still freaked out 

 

Screenshot 2016-06-15 at 7.51.51 AM.png

D'awwwwww, Scootaloo sure does look pretty cute when she's flying. Don't you agree?

[Mysterycat 27]

I was thinking and then I realised that she flits about in the same way Fluttershy did as a filly. Maybe it's a delay some Pegasi have?

[Castle Bleck 19,327]

On 6/15/2016 at 7:53 AM, Sals said:

Scootaloo has been flying ever since season two. I am not sure why you guys are still freaked out 

 

 

Briefly hovering =/= all-out flying.

 

Granted, it does mean she still has a chance to get better.

[sweetolebob18 728]

I've read that Lauren Faust wanted her to be a cripple but Hasbro said that was too grim for little kids. So, I'll go with "Look at Fluttershy. Some Pegasi just fly later than others." Sweetie is just getting her magic & maybe it is the same with Scootaloo.