Is Rainbow Dash a hated character?

[MJNSEIFER 55]

I've wondering for a long time; Is it the overall opinion that Rainbow Dash is the worst pony?  Ultimately it doesn't matter, as everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but I was just wondering. 

Here are some things that give me the impression that she is hated;

 

1. Whenever another pony's flaws a shown, the fandom understands them, when Dashie's flaws are shown the fandom hates on her, and deems episodes like that as bad episodes (Rarity also suffers from this, but not as much)

 

2. She is often called a tomboy, which isn't a very flattering term, and she is not one at all.

 

3. Whenever she's shipped with another female pony, she is singled out like she is the only one who this happens to.

 

4. My favorite episode ("The Cutie Mark Chronicles") is often used as fuel to hate her (this annoys me, obviously).

 

5. Fanfictions that star, or mostly feature her, such as "Cupcakes" or "My Little Dashie" seem to be universally hated (I adore MLD, Cupcakes I can take or leave)

 

[Lisa 5,552]

Like you said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

So you hate her or like her. 

 

In my opinion, I like Dash, she's not too 'girly' and takes risks and such.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Holiday

[Sir.Flutter Hooves 2,953]

Your opinion is yours, but I love Rainbowdash! She is my forth favorite next to Fluttershy, Derpy, and Vinyl!

 

 

Who could hate on RD! She makes the show 20% cooler!

 

 

Bro hoof /)

[Blue Moon 6,336]

Rainbow Dashie is not really one of my favorites. I don't really like her personality. But don't get me wrong, I don't hate Rainbow Dash. She ranks 5th on my ranking of the Mane 6. She has some of the more iconic lines in the show and has some cute moments. She also isn't too bad of a singer (When she actually sings, that is). One of the main reasons I do like her is because she is in My Little Dashie. (My favorite fanfiction of all time and one of my favorite stories period). 

Edited March 24, 2013 by Blue_Moon

[Rainbow Dash 1,471]

IMO Rainbow Dash isnt hated at all. People generally like her. I would guess that half the fanbase loves Rainbow Dash though i could be wrong. It is your like said above it is your opinion and this is mine:

 

I think the only people/group that openly hate her is christwire. 

 

1.Some fans tend to be over critical with their favorite pony and hate the episodes that show their flaws

 

2. i personally dont see tomboy to be a negative thing in a girl...though thats just me

 

5. I was under the impression that Cupcakes and My Little Dashie were adored.

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

I wouldn't say she's a hated character. Bear in mind, that for all of the fans out there who dislike or hate Rainbow Dash, there's probably three times as many people that love her. She's easily a top three favorite of the Mane Six. I wouldn't say she's a hated character by any stretch. Her massive fanbase makes up for the criticism she gets at times.

 

Dash is the type of character you either love or you hate. A lot of fans love her because she's the go-to cool character. Others dislike her because she can be a jerk at times. I honestly don't see any more dislike for Dash than other characters. I would say Rarity garners more hate and criticism than Dash does. Applejack too. And both of those characters aren't as popular as Rainbow is, so I wouldn't feel too bad for Dashie.

 

1. All of the Mane Six have flaws. People either see them and accept them, or they don't.

 

2. She is, by definition, a tomboy. Dictionary.com states:

 

an energetic, sometimes boisterous girl whose behavior and pursuits, especially in games and sports, are considered more typical of boys than of girls.

 

This isn't a bad thing, so anyone that uses that as a reason to dislike Rainbow Dash is very short-sighted. However, not being a fan of tomboyish characters in general, is a different story.

 

3. Shippings have nothing to do with anything but fan interpretation. Because of her tomboyish personality, it's popular among fans to view her as a lesbian. I don't agree with that, because it's like saying all tomboys are lesbians and all lesbians are tomboys.

 

4. I don't know about the argument from that episode, sorry.

 

5. Perhaps people just dislike the fanfiction for other reasons. Not because they hate Rainbow Dash.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Sugar Cube

[Megas 27,064]

I've wondering for a long time; Is it the overall opinion that Rainbow Dash is the worst pony?  Ultimately it doesn't matter, as everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but I was just wondering. 

Here are some things that give me the impression that she is hated;

 

1. Whenever another pony's flaws a shown, the fandom understands them, when Dashie's flaws are shown the fandom hates on her, and deems episodes like that as bad episodes (Rarity also suffers from this, but not as much)

 

2. She is often called a tomboy, which isn't a very flattering term, and she is not one at all.

 

3. Whenever she's shipped with another female pony, she is singled out like she is the only one who this happens to.

 

4. My favorite episode ("The Cutie Mark Chronicles") is often used as fuel to hate her (this annoys me, obviously).

 

5. Fanfictions that star, or mostly feature her, such as "Cupcakes" or "My Little Dashie" seem to be universally hated (I adore MLD, Cupcakes I can take or leave)

1) I'm gonna have to agree with this one, when ever she shows any sort of negative action, a lot of the fandom seems to blow it out of proportion(I mean look at the comments at EQD when the released the extended synopsis for Sleepless in Ponyville and how everyone was flipped their shit on Rainbow just for telling freaking campfire stories before the damn episode even aired, and after it aired, some still complained)

2) But she is a tomboy, but there's absolutely no negative connotation with the word, all it means that she has a more boyish nature than most girls do. Just to clarify, Applejack is also a tomboy, it's just not as obvious as Rainbow Dash

3) This feels more the result of annoying stereotyping than anything(whether it actually is is up for debate), though the fact that most of the characters are female helps. Also she does have her fair share of straight ships which has been gaining steam, but in all honesty the lesbian shipping isn't a big deal, and doesn't really factor if the people hate her or not. To be fair if people hate her, she either wouldn't be shipped at all or be shipped with Cupcakes Pinkie

4) I've seen this a lot top, though I've never figured out why

5) If Rainbow Dash really was one of the most hated characters in the show, Cupcakes would be a lot more popular. But alas, neither are hated for involving Dash, Cupcakes is hated because it's a demented take on a fairly innocent show that serves no purpose than to make the reader sick to their stomach, and many fans hate it for how it portrays both Pinkie Pie and what happens to Rainbow Dash throughout the story. For MLD, many probably hate it because they find it overrated(As a Rainbow Dash fan myself, I could honestly care less about that fic)

 

In my opinion, yes and no. She does get some of the most hate in the fandom, especially after season 2, but she's also has one of the biggest fanbases as well so I guess that sort of negates everything. I think the biggest reason why RD hate is very noticable is because her hater tend to be an incredibly loud bunch(and to be honest, based on personal experience, I think they tend to be some of the biggest assholes in the fandom, with them presenting their opinions in a douchey and rude manner, behaving like bigger jerks than the character they say they hate so much)

Granted not all of them act like that, I've meet some friendly ones, and some have good reasons for not liking her(not everyone has to), it's just that I come across a lot more that act like that

 

tl;dr

 

She's not very hated, people just have loud "opinions"

Edited March 24, 2013 by Megas75

[That DJ Pony 15]

I don't know why people hate on her, she's really cool. Maybe its because she might not be as "girly" as the other ponies, but hey everyone has they're own opinion. She's my 3rd favorite pony next to Fluttershy, and Vinyl Scratch.

[King 5,625]

Rainbow isn't really hated, but some people don't understand her well, seeing her as just a boastful pony. But I love her, she is very loyal and has always been there for Fluttershy

 

The two are practically sisters :3

 

Edit: spelled "btu" instead of "but" :3

Edited March 24, 2013 by ~Dawn♥Rider~

[Lisa 5,552]

The two are practically sisters :3

 

OH GOD I WISH FLUTTERSHY AND RAINBOW DASH WERE SISTERS!

 

If they were sisters, I would give Hasbro $2000 just for making them siblings! C:

 

 

~Luna

[RetroDash 42]

Hate and Rainbow Dash in the same sentence? Bwhahaha! Too much, my gut cannot take it.

I will answer number four for you since many seem to be perplexed as to why.

 

 

4. My favorite episode ("The Cutie Mark Chronicles") is often used as fuel to hate her (this annoys me, obviously).

 

Rainbow Dash is technically the reason why the rest of the Mane 6 earns their cutie marks. Thus making Rainbow Dash the "creator" of the Mane 6. That's powerful. Rainbow is already super successful and on top her astonishing physical abilities she was able to "create" cutie marks. Some viewers cannot handle when one character surpasses another. Or in our case, when one pony surpasses five others. Dash's arrogance and conceitedness doesn't help the issue either, it just adds fuel to the already massive fire.

[King 5,625]

Im alot similar to RD in a few ways. Sometimes I admit I can be boastful and a little self appreciating, but Im very loyal to my friends, id never leave them hanging and Im always there for them...and pretty much everyone.

 

RD is alot more than the element of Loyalty in my opinion.

 

 

And yes, Fluttershy and RD being sisters would be like a... D"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW moment :3

I think id die :3

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

She certainly isn't hated by me. Dashie is best pony. Period.

 

1. Actually, the problem here is that Rainbow Dash is typically portrayed out-of-character. MMDW is the most egregious example of this, but it's also highly prevalent in pretty much every "bad" RD episode.

 

2. Dashie's a tomboy. Lauren said so herself. HOWEVER, being a tomboy isn't really a bad thing. It's basically just a girl who likes to do things typically considered "boyish."

 

3. For good reason. With the possible exception of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash has been paired with more ponies than anyone else in Equestria.

 

4. I haven't really heard of anyone using that episode against her.

 

5. I loooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaathe My Little Dashie, but I have my own reasons for hating it. Cupcakes is decent, but that too has nothing to do with Rainbow Dash as a character.

 

If you want a fic where Rainbow Dash excels as a character, I would suggest reading Doc Delray's Of War and Friendship.

[NavelColt 22,876]

This thread appears to be discussing MLP:FiM in some way, shape or form. Thus, it has been sentenced to Show Discussion.

 

This is an automatically generated message, by the way.

[Nohbdy 4,108]

While Rainbow Dash receives arguably the most hate of the Mane 6 (undoubtedly because of her cocky, somewhat brash nature), she receives plenty of love as well, and is indeed becoming more popular as time goes on:

January 2012

(Source: 2012 State of the Herd Report)

March 2013

(Source: 2013 State of the Herd Report)

 

Although the Mane 6, as a whole, has lost popularity (by percentage), Rainbow Dash was very well received in Season 3, while Pinkie Pie and Twilight fans have become divided over characterization. This may have allowed her to eclipse Pinkie Pie as of the latest census, and into the top three. In any case, Rainbow Dash is far from being regarded as "worst pony."

 

Her flaws receive the most backlash because of what they are. Rainbow Dash is a very confident mare, but confidence can easily become arrogance if unchecked, and things quickly become unpleasant. This is not usually characteristic of her, however, and for this reason, episodes such as "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" are often poorly regarded. On the other hand, Twilight's greatest flaw is her inability to handle stress. When an episode, such as "Lesson Zero" or "It's About Time" focuses on this, Twilight is seen as adorkable. It's easy to see why: Twilight's behavior is far less likely to harm others directly (different story about indirectly ), and instead becomes a quirky personality trait. Quirkiness is, of course, typically preferred over arrogance. Similar story with the other ponies: Pinkie and her addiction to fun, Fluttershy and her shyness and/or bitchiness, Rarity and her greed, and Applejack and her stubborness. All of these flaws are less repulsive than arrogance. As a result, the writers need to be especially careful when writing about Rainbow Dash's flaws, as a simple slip can cross the line between confidence and arrogance. On the plus side, her tomboyish mannerisms are often regarded as a positive trait, and indeed, helps to further emphasize her cuteness.

 

I have to question the statement about My Little Dashie being hated The vast majority seem to have a favorable opinion of the story, while the most common complaints simply deal with the writer's writing and style. If the ratings on its FIMFiction page are anything to go by, then My Little Dashie is overwhelmingly well received. As of this posting, MLD has a 95.4% approval rating:

 

 

Cupcakes is hated because of what it does to the characters: Pinkie Pie becomes a sociopathic serial killer, while Dashie herself is killed in the most brutal fashion imaginable. It's the quintessential grimdark fic. Bronies are highly divided on grimdark, and Cupcakes is no exception.

 

Regarding ships, this is not necessarily a bad thing. All ponies are shipped, and Rainbow Dash is involved in some of the more popular ones (FlutterDash, for example). I'm certainly not sure how this makes her "hated."

 

From a personal standpoint, I love Rainbow Dash. Her confidence stands in stark contrast to Fluttershy, her fellow pegasus, allowing for some interesting interactions. Meanwhile, her constant attempts to be "cool" or "awesome" really highlight her vulnerable moments, making her more adorable than she would like to admit.

 

So, yeah, Rainbow Dash might be hated, but I can say with confidence that she is not a hated character.

 

Also, I'm looking forward to a certain vocal Rainbow Dash-named member's response to this thread

EDIT: Added source for 2013 poll, minor fixes

Edited March 24, 2013 by Twilicorn

[Clarity 3,094]

@@MJNSEIFER,

You're the same MJNSEIFER from the MLPwikia, right? Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Anyway, to answer your question, she's pretty much the most popular of the main six, which means that she'll most likely also be the most hated, thanks to her overratedness (not a word :3). Many anti-bronies like to use her as an example when labeling MLP as crap. Rainbow Dash's popularity is both a blessing and a curse. 

[Shanks 10,811]

Rainbow Dash is without a doubt the most polarizing of the mane 6 ponies, I have seen just as many comments about her being worst pony as I have of her being best pony. She is one of those characters that is really in your face and some people like those kind of characterz and some people don't. While I used to think Rainbow Dash was a bit overrated even back then I cringed a bit when some said she was "worst pony" because though we all have our preferences I think all of the mane 6 character are extremely important to the story. My opinion on Rainbow Dash changed after Sleepless in Ponyville and Wonderbolt Academy to where she became my 3rd and then eventually 2nd favorite pony. Rainbow Dash is a flawed character but that is not a bad thing as that is what makes a character interesting is having those flaws and gradually overcoming them.

Edited March 24, 2013 by EarthbendingProdigy

[Gone Airbourne 21,969]

She is not a hated character ! I mean there is always going to be a persons character they do not like obviously but Rainbow Dash is far from being hated. There are times about her when she is extra boastful and selfish that can be annoying at times but every character has their each and own flaws. Also what I like about RD is that she is always there for her friends which is respectable.

[Phoenix237 353]

She isn't a hated character.

Granted there are people that don't like her and thats fine, but that doesn't mean everyone hates her.

It all come down to opinion and how much one likes a character.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,279]

I like Rainbow Dash because she has certain personality traits that can be both good and bad. For example, she is daring. She isn't afraid of a lot things, but at the same time, this can make her arrogant, which may not lead to good things (Mare Do Well). She sees herself as really cool, I like that self confidence, but sometimes she lets that get to her head as well and it can also lead to bad things like in May the Best Pet Win! where she could have been killed. So I see her as a balance between good and bad and I think everypony in the show should have that one way or another. The relationship between her and Tank is currently one of my favorite things in the show, it is just so cute and I love how it goes against RD's 'cool' character AND the fact that she actually likes it herself, she just tries to hide that. I love little things like that and RD's personality is perfect for it.

[Homura Akemi 974]

I remember following Pony Confessions avidly one year ago and a lot of the posts were anti-Dash or Rarity. I think that she gets 50/50 reception. You either like her or you don't.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Twilie Sparkle

[Betez 1,734]

I'll be honest, Dash is my least favorite of the Mane 6. This mostly stems from my opinion that she's arrogant and Narcissistic. I feel like she usually puts herself ahead of others, and thinks she's the best at everything.

 

However, I don't feel like she's "Hated". There's tons of people who like a Rainbow Dash.

[~Chaotic Fireball~ 498]

I don't know why some people don't like her, and single her out, like what you said. I totally agree with all that you said. I mean, Rarity is more of a b*tch than Rainbow, but everyone says that Rainbow acts like one the most. You know? However, there are quite a few Rd fans as well, me, being the biggest

Edited March 24, 2013 by Fireball Rush

[Scootalove 10,684]

I have noticed a lot of hate towards Rainbow Dash. Even if you love her or hate her, you can't say that she is a bad character. Her tomboy personality and her great characteristics define who she is, especially since her element is loyalty.

 

If you look at it well enough, Dash is a really popular character. We make art,music, and write fan fictions about her so we could say that she isn't popular enough if some people didn't look at her fan base.

I know people hate Rarity in some unknown reasons, that even I don't understand. But what can I say, all characters have pros and cons while some could be classified as characters with flaws but not as many.

 

So I guess we could say, I'm neutral in hating Dashie.

[Zygen 6,065]

Well she's hated of course by some, but adored by others. Just like any of the shows characters. There's someone who hates each character in the show. But also plenty of people who love characters in the show.

 

Her popularity makes her a target for the whole she's to popular thing, but really that's a dumb reason to dislike a character. It's like saying I like this characters personality color scheme ect, but she's to popular so I don't like her.

 

Rainbow is actually generally liked pretty well, but like all characters has people who dislike her. I like all the mane 6 so I don't really dislike any of them.

 

She is pretty much a tomboy, I don't see the harm in that, it's a cool character archetype. I don't know why she's special in ship fics either, I guess she's just more masculine and therefore people think she's most likely to be homosexual. She's also in the more popular shippings like flutterdash and stuff I guess.

 

As for cupcakes well it's not because of her but more because of what the writer does to the characters, grim dark is pretty debatable within the fandom. A lot of people like MLD actually. Of course with all things some don't though.

 

Rainbow is just a more popular character so you see more vocalized hate on her. But she's loved plenty more then hated, same goes for a lot of characters really.

 

In the end we all have different opinions.