S03:E07 - Wonderbolts Academy

[Malinter 3,064]

I'd have prefered the original ending too. Would have been nice to see Lightning Dust to realise what she was doing was wrong and that they would still be friends. I hope she comes back again in S4.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Malinter

[FNGRpony 655]

Okay Rainbow achieves her dream.  She's a wonder bolt.  this is a major event. 
Technically on a personal level i'd say this is bigger than twilight becoming a Alicorn priness.

 

Twilight probably didn't even think that was even on the table of options.

 

Now this isn't a huge problem for me, only because i'm not a huge rainbow dash fan, but.....................

 

you can ignore this episode ever happened.

I"m assuming this is gonna change with season 4,

 

but isn't rainbow dashes job still as a common weather horse?  Seriously you'd think she would quit that crap job the minute she made wonder bolt.

 

Not just that but you know what you see every time you see a wonder bolt?  there in their gear.

I mean you'd think Rainbow dash at least for the first month, or week would be married to that suit.

 

She's never had to blow off her friends to go to practice,

not just that but isn't she a captain or a wonder bolt of rank?

 

I know some people talk about alicorn twilight changing everything,

but do you know what would be worse?


If it literally did nothing.

and that's what rain bow dashes goal has kinda added up to.

[Sunny Fox 5,935]

Hi there, @@FNGRpony. Since your post is specifically about a particular episode, it has been merged with the thread for that episode's discussion.

 

By the way, I think you're mistaken. She didn't become a Wonderbolt at the end of that episode. If I recall correctly, an edited scene that should have been at the end explains that although her time at the Academy was successful, the Wonderbolts aren't calling her up, but are keeping an eye on her as a definite future Wonderbolt.

[FNGRpony 655]

Hi there, @@FNGRpony. Since your post is specifically about a particular episode, it has been merged with the thread for that episode's discussion.

 

By the way, I think you're mistaken. She didn't become a Wonderbolt at the end of that episode. If I recall correctly, an edited scene that should have been at the end explains that although her time at the Academy was successful, the Wonderbolts aren't calling her up, but are keeping an eye on her as a definite future Wonderbolt.

 

 

well there goes that idea LOL. 

 

Thanks for the reply, hum didn't expect that one to fall apart so completely and utterly.  I guess i'm stuck waiting on season 4.

[Malinter 3,064]

well there goes that idea LOL. 

 

Thanks for the reply, hum didn't expect that one to fall apart so completely and utterly.  I guess i'm stuck waiting on season 4.

 

Also, i think that place is also for folks who want to learn from the Wonderbolts but become one per se. There's also the problem of Dash being an element bearer. It would keep her away from her friends for months at a time and it has risks.

 

I've even seen some fics based on this, the idea being should Rainbow be hurt or killed. it render the EoH useless, forcing Celestia eftectively not allowing them to recruit her.

 

She should be a guard captain, she's be close to twilight and still be awesome.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Malinter

[rainbowdash1212 11]

in this episode rainbow dash gets an invitation to wonderbolts academy where she takes part in important flying drills.  The first exercise that Spitfire gives is a precision and recovery drill, where the cadets are instructed to land as quickly and smoothly as possible after being made dizzy by a contraption called the "Dizzitron". The Dizzitron works by spinning the trainee around in circles before releasing him or her. The centripetal force launches the trainee into the air, disorientating him or her. When it is Rainbow Dash's turn, she recovers from the "spin-out" and flies back to Spitfire in six seconds, which Spitfire calls "an academy record". Lightning Dust requests that the Dizzitron is reset to the maximum speed. She regains control and flies back in six and a half seconds, which Spitfire deems to be "not bad". The other cadets appear dazed and exhausted after their turns, and one of them crash lands on the runway.

Spitfire announces that the cadets will be working in pairs for the remainder of the camp, and tomorrow morning she will post the teams and who will be "lead pony" and "wing pony". Rainbow Dash, who is disappointed by Spitfire's decision to make her wing pony, approaches Spitfire in her office. Spitfire is busy stamping a stack of Wonderbolts posters with an inky horseshoe when Rainbow Dash enters. The office is decorated with Wonderbolts paraphernalia, and two uniformed guards wearing tinted sunglasses guard the door. Spitfire justifies her decision to allocate Lightning Dust to the lead pony role because she likes to push herself "a little harder" than Rainbow Dash does.  

 

[BlinkZ 1,151]

I'm not sure why people hate this episode sometimes. I'm not a big fan of RD but  I still liked the episode. I'm not terrible nickpicky like others out there.

[Firehearted 120]

Lightning Dust got off so easy... She only got kicked out... If this were a real military situation she would be in jail for this.

List of charges:

Endangering fellow soldiers

Endangering civilains

Millions of dollers worth of damge (If it were a real arifield. Jets are expensive)

 

She also showed examples of bieng a bad leader. When Rainbow Dash was visualy hurt from hitting her wing Lightning Dust didn't care. A good leader would slow down and pick up her slack form her injury.

 

It was a good episode though

[NomDeSpite 452]

So, I have no idea if this has been mentioned or not and I cannot be bothered to read 16 pages back. But here's something to point out:

Lightning Dust is a sociopath.

 

Read the writing at this link ( http://www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html ) and it becomes obvious, if it wasn't already. Lightning Dust suffers greatly from the "Need For Stimulation", "Grandiose Sense Of Self" and "Lack Of Remorse, Shame or Guilt" symptoms. And given that the lives of the Mane Six were in danger when that balloon became damaged and they free-fell, it's easy to see how someone like Lightning Dust is capable of trampling on corpses.

 

When you step back and think about it, it really is amazing that a character this dangerous is in a show for little girls. She's more akin to OJ Simpson and Ted Bundy than anything else.

 

OTHER NOTES: Pinkie Pie's behavior in this episode is pretty funny...and pretty paranoid.

Edited February 1, 2014 by NomDeSpite

[Venomous 18,818]

1. I don't like Rainbow Dash, but I will admit that she and Lightning Dust play off of each other VERY well.

 

2. Lightning Dust was a great one-shot character. (Better than Gilda in my opinion).

 

3. Rainbow Dash quitting the Wonder Bolts was surprising.

 

4. Spit Fire was great in this episode

[Pastel 7,627]

Great episode, easily in the top 5 of the season.

The main plot with Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust is very entertaining and catchy, and I like both RD and LD in it. They're both well written and have their own personnality.

And I love the scene when Rainbow Dash saves her friends.

Pinkie Pie's subplot is kinda boring and unnecessary though.

 

"That's an academy record!"

[Justin_Case001 4,860]

Hands down one of my favorite episodes so far.  (I'm watching in order, this is the most recent one I've seen.)  When I had only seen a few episodes, I wasn't a big RD fan.  I found her a little arrogant for my taste.  But she's definitely grown on me.  There's so much more to all of these characters than meets the eye, which is what makes this show so good and keeps me coming back.

 

From the get-go, I predicted this episode would be a "winning isn't everything" lesson.  I figured RD would crash and burn at the academy and learn that she doesn't need to be Wonderbolt material to be proud of her skills and her she's still #1 in her friends book and blah blah blah.  Soooo glad it didn't go that way.  Sure, that's a good lesson, too, but we want to see our heroines kick ass as well.  And she really kicked ass in this episode.  I loved it.  And she wasn't arrogant at all.  This episode made me like RD so much more.  I also liked that they didn't make RD and LD rivals from the start.  I figured they would just hate each other, but I loved how they were friends until LD went overboard.  I loved RD's mature, responsible reaction to LD's recklessness.  Again, it made me love her even more.  And I think they did a great job showing how much RD cares about her friends, which is important.  And RD's quitting based on her principles showed her strength of character.

 

However, one little thing bothers me: yet again we have another example of how any problem in this show could be instantly fixed if Twi remembers that SHE CAN DO MAGIC!  When they were falling to their deaths, why didn't Twi just catch them with levitation?  It's been proven time and again that she is a very strong levitator.  Or perhaps she could have used her gravity reversal spell from Crystal Empire repeatedly to bounce them back and forth and effectively hold them in place to buy time?  But, as always, when it's somepony else's turn to have the spotlight, she conveniently forgets that she can do magic.  But of course, if she always used her magic, then most episodes would actually suck because we wouldn't have great scenes like RD saving her friends.  I just get a kick out of over analyzing.  A+ episode, though.

[Macklin 88]

 I'm sorry to ask but the all white pegasus stallion that was paired with the pink pegasus filly. I have seen him around a lot but have no idea his name? Have they ever said his name? His cutie mark seems to be a telescope.

 

 

[A Canadian Fritter 187]

I liked this episode but There's one thing that bugged me about it, in "hurricane fluttershy" they needed every single pegasus in ponyville to form a big tornado, but in this episode lightning dust and rainbow dash make a HUGE tornado all by themselves, so in "hurricane fluttershy" wouldn't it be much easier to just have two wonder bolts fly in circles to make a tornado, instead of have every single pegasus available do it

[Pastel 7,627]

I'm sorry to ask but the all white pegasus stallion that was paired with the pink pegasus filly. I have seen him around a lot but have no idea his name? Have they ever said his name? His cutie mark seems to be a telescope.

 

I'm afraid he's unnamed in the show.

[BlinkZ 1,151]

I took a second look at this episode and still wonder about Rainbow Dash, she not really my favorite of the mane 6. she has her marits just her attitude at times drive me bonkers.

 

Anywho where was I, oh yes the episode.  It's good to see what rainbow was like back in season by via lighting dust, she arogaint, stubborn and want to be the best while not caring about others.   Okay so Rainbow wasn't completely like that but still it shows a window of her passed and how she has changed. 

 

What annoyed me however was how Rainbow was complaining about being a wing pony, really rainbow you can't follow only lead, that kind of a bad thing you know.  It like not listening to your partner during classes or something.

[Glesando 4]

Well, I don't know if it's been said before, but I might as well say it again. Apologies in advance.

 

The entire Drill Instructor attitude wasn't good enough for mybtastes. The character building of Spitfire wasn't that well thought out. It would have given better DI attitude if they just out in FMJ quotes minus the swearing/sexual defences, plus it would be really funny to see rainbows reaction to having her mane shaved off.

 

I always thought of the Wondebolts as a form of Air Force, like the Red Arrows for the Air Force in the UK.

 

But anyway, just my opinion.

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

This was a pretty good episode. We got to see Rainbow Dash chasing her dream to become a Wonderbolt. I do want her to be a Wonderbolt.

[Green Precision 421]

Anyone feel that Lightning Dust was treated a little unfairly by Spitfire at the end? 

 

They both had the same mindset, they both believed that the best should lead. However, when Rainbow Dash told Spitfire that that isnt the way to go, Spitfire immediately punished Lightning Dust for screwing up.

 

But hang on, Lightning Dust was just trying to impress the Wonderbolts right? So is it really fair to instantly punish her like that? I can understand giving RD the lead spot but how rudely Spitfire did it, i feel Lightning Dust was a little mistreated. Before RD told her about the wrongness of how Spitfire decided who would lead, Lightning Dust and Spitfire agreed: The Best Should Lead.

 

So in the end, Lightning Dust wasnt doing anything wrong, just trying to impress Spitfire, by doing what Spitfire would want to see. 

Edited March 12, 2015 by MrTrevorrMC

[Pastel 7,627]

So in the end, Lightning Dust wasnt doing anything wrong, just trying to impress Spitfire, by doing what Spitfire would want to see.

She almost killed the mane 5 though.

[Green Precision 421]

 

 

She almost killed the mane 5 though.

Yea, but Spitfire never known that. Even so, Lightning dust always just wanted to do what they wanted. That was her primary goal, however Spitfire learned the better way a lot easier than lightning dust did.  

[almozayaf 72]

I didn't understand these episode, did rainbow dash become a wonderbold or not ?

I didn't understand these episode, did rainbow dash become a wonderbold or not ?

[Judgement 445]

I loved the Full Metal Jacket reference. It automatically made me love this episode.

[Tom Snyder 4,111]

I loved the Full Metal Jacket reference. It automatically made me love this episode.

Which was that? I didn't see it.

[Judgement 445]

Which was that? I didn't see it.

It was basically the whole segment where all of the ponies were standing in a line and Spitfire was telling them that they weren't wonderbolt material.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUYsqUqlzo

At least to me, it appeared to be referencing the introduction to Full Metal Jacket:

(Warning: Contains very vulgar language)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Lft6EQh-Y

Edited March 18, 2015 by Judgement