S03:E07 - Wonderbolts Academy

[Astralshy 23,460]

RDs joining the Wonderbolt Academy - I was waiting for this one

Even if this is definitely not a environment I'd feel comfortable in, I had fun watching this.

Lightning Dust is an interesting character especially to contrast RD and her values. Pinkie Pie is over the top here, but I like her for what she is, so complains either.

 

[Cash In 21,493]

We've all been waiting for this episode since day 1. :p

Seeing the Wonderbolts Academy itself was pretty cool. Because of that, I enjoyed watching Rainbow Dash and the other recruits doing their training exercises. I felt those parts were really immersive. Also, I absolutely loved seeing Spitfire fill the role of the angry drill sergeant.

Lighting Dust is a character that I've grown to really like. She's a very interesting mirror of Rainbow Dash, in the sense that she has the same raw talent, but lacks RD's loyalty. It's a very simple concept, but it pays off once RD and LD's differences finally clash.

I really enjoyed how the ending played out. It was pretty meaningful when RD was willing to leave her dream behind in favour of not betraying her own principles. I thought that was brilliant, but I wish they played it up for a bit longer. I think it would've been more powerful if there was more time between RD quitting the academy and Spitfire recognising her faults.

Overall, really good episode. One of my favourites from S3.

[Props Valroa 25,979]

Now I realize the mailbox Joke about Pinkie just shows that she really cares and loves Rainbow Dash so much. I feel bad for judging her too much in the past but now with a fresh light I appreciate her jokes and loyalty to her friends. RD's ego really shows through in this episode though she redeems herself towards the end with how she sticks up with conviction to Lightning Dust. I like Lightning Dust because she is designed to not be a good friend, and because RD is designed to be a good friend - whenever she acts high and mighty it's always a bit painful for me to watch. 

[Hadrien 937]

The episode where Rainbow Dash learns that being the best at something shouldn't come at the detriment of the security and health of others. Lightning Dust or whatever was a pretty good foil to RD, almost the same as her, but in a more reckless and dangerous way, kind of an Unleashed RD. I like seeing the Wonderbolt academy, where RD will spend more and more time training to become a Wonderbolt. I dunno about the other recruits or what they did to deserve being picked for this, but I'm not Spitfire so who am I to judge.

Really fun, 6.5+0.5/10, bonus point for my Rainbow Girl.