Rainbow Dash, the nervous wreck prodigy!

[Sheogorath 1,155]

Okay then, several months ago I made a Pinkie Pie character analysis and constructed it into somewhat long forum post. Well it has come Rainbow Dash's turn now that she has filled "sufficient basis" for analysis.

 

So, get your popcorn out and prepare for a long wall of text.

 

-****-

Rainbow Dash is an interesting pony, clearly she appears as confident and impulsive character but under all that posturing lies an insecure and scared little filly who is constantly haunted by her parents expectations of her, to a point that she longer has really unique goals of her own.

As an athletic prodigy we can assume that Dash has been under pressure to perform and the fact that she is not a famous flyer ace yet has caused her relations to parents go sore, leaving her pretty much to fend for herself as their disappointments is too much for her to handle.

Dash's dedication to her athletic ambitions has basically overthrown all her other interests and she overcompensates over trains and over stresses over everything. It is mostly because of her desperate need to be a good team player and carry her own weight at any cost.

As a result of her perfectionist attitude she has gained a high level of skill, but unlike her external appearance Dash is really insecure and doesn't trust herself as much as she seems, this all roots from her need to keep others at ease into her skills but same time fear of letting them down.

Her parents, likely father is strict and very established individual with lots of merits under his belt, and he expects Dash to live up to his example, and getting her into wonderbolts is the way for him to gain status through Dash. Some indication we see of Dash's lack of personal ambition in the level of disinterest to general performance in to things like clearing skies and her frequent naps and laziness. Only way to get her involved is to either question her abilities or to put her loyalty in the line. Dash practices a lot and this is about all she does, due the loyalty towards her parents desires. she knows she can not chase her own passion so she has pretty much lost all interest to life and exploring into new things.

This is where the tragedy that is Rainbow Dash comes to play: She is depressed deep down and only thing that keeps her going is the need to make her family proud and give her friends a champion to be proud of. Lacking personal direction, living her parents vicarious dreams Dash has lost all sense of self worth. This forces her to practice hard and push herself over her own limits until she breaks as in the episodes "Read it and weep" and "Sonic Rainboom". There also have been other indications of her lacking personal attachment to her direction in life like how she after becoming hero of Ponyville in episode "Mysterious mare-do-well" finally saw an escape from the uninteresting path of becoming a wonderbolt one day and perhaps find another venue for fame and glory to sate her fathers need for success she tried her best to milk it for maximum benefit and find a way to be famous and gain some freedom in her life. Sadly her friends interrupted her due mistaking her desperate attempts to generate hype as ego.

This is pretty much the most depressing part of Dash's life too, she has to pose as happy, and egoistic pony who's filled with ambition when she really would rather have a normal life or do something fun like perhaps design work or cloudfarming. But since she has been cast in the role of athlete she feels like she needs to be strictly that, as well as if it is all she can be, as everything else would make her parents even more disappointed. Her very element of Loyalty landing her in a dark place in life where she can't even allow herself thoughts of anything else or she might discover things she likes to do more than flying sports. Fear of this drives her constantly and therefore she was so reluctant to even take up reading.

Despite all her posturing as super confident, inside her shell there is a sensitive filly that likely sits long evenings alone in her cloud home just thinking how she makes her parents sad by not being in the wonderbolts already. This also drives a wedge between her and everyone she ever comes close to as it means she then has to put on a brave face on even more so. Rainbow Dash's greatest desire is just ot be a good girl and a good friend, she does not really want to be admired by everyone or a grand superstar, it is what her parents want and so she pretends like it is what she wants just to give them the hope.

After long and careful analysis based on Dash's behavior and interaction methods I have typed her psychological type as ESFP (<-link) which pretty much explains a lot of her coordination abilities in air and quick reflexes as well as her need to be loyal and trustworthy. The downside of that type commonly is the fact that they may not be exactly honest with themselves and therefore are prone to long term social depression, hindering their extroverted nature and becoming a negative self-reinforcing spiral into bitter and lonely individuals because they could not cope with everyone's expectations and roles that are projected onto them.

Outwards easygoing and "lazy" Dash is actually quick tempered and it is not only due her loyalty but the degree of angst that torments her personally to against which she feels powerless, so in order to battle it, she is willing to go to extremes for those people she cares for. With Scootaloo who admires and worships Dash, RBD makes a great friend and someone who always knows how to get in to her "level" and make a good connection with her. Same time Dash is tormented by the fact that she has yet another set of high expectations to live up to and failure to do so might influence poorly on Scootaloo, So she rather tries to encourage Scootaloo to strive high on her own and not follow anypony's example.

Dash is the type who might even succumb to self harm if left unattended, and her over training is a form of self harm she undertakes to not only punish herself from her lack of genuine passion, but a form of "atonement" for the feelings she has. In the end Dash has all the makings and all the keys to be a wonderbolt already, but as she is unable to force herself to commit to it as she knows it will not bring her happiness, only more sorrow as she will discover that life she had striven for is but an empty echo of her fathers own aspirations. This is the true barrier she faces and only reason she has not gone forward with her "dream" yet, and the attempts in which she might have done so she has subconsciously sabotaged herself to protect her own self and still keep her parents dreams alive instead of "coming out" with her true feelings.

But there is more!

Rainbow Dash is a curious and rich character to dwell into and there will be continuation to this article later.

Now, thank you for sticking with me this far!

Edited February 5, 2012 by Pencils

[Skullbuster 1,906]

im pretty sure its "wonderbolts" not "thunderbolts"

[FLARE 951]

 

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Sorry I had to, but I did read it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2012 by Flare

[Nah 3,181]

Now then, that was, interesting, I can't see any loyalty in Dash that much and doesn't really act like it. I'm not saying she has to act like that all the time, but she'll have her episode when she snaps like Pinkie and Twilight already have.

[Sheogorath 1,155]

im pretty sure its "wonderbolts" not "thunderbolts"

 

Fixed that, was that all you had in mind about this?

[D1SC0RD 987]

 

My oh my, you sure have a knack for reading between the lines, don't you?

 

I see no faults in this analysis. Though I feel a bit of sympathy for Dashie :c

 

Nevertheless! Wonderfully written. Give yourself a pat on the back. ^u^

[Skullbuster 1,906]

Fixed that, was that all you had in mind about this?

 

no, im still trying to figure something to say, dashie is my favorite pony, so i have to say some thing, its a very interesting look at rainbows backstory, how long did it take to come up with this?

[Sheogorath 1,155]

no, im still trying to figure something to say, dashie is my favorite pony, so i have to say some thing, its a very interesting look at rainbows backstory, how long did it take to come up with this?

 

It has been slowly brewing now pretty much most of the second season when I got my first "verification" of Dashies depression in mysterious mare do well, previously only indicated in Fall weather Friends, and then in Sonic rainboom. Second season has brought us many Dash focused episodes giving me deeper probe into her and her possible background.

[Eenohay 318]

Was your analyzing on Pinkie Pie that one saying she was a genious?

[Comet Tail 808]

[too much to quote]

 

I hate to challenge something like this, or ask for more after you've done so much, but why are you so sure Rainbow Dash isn't following her own ambitions, but her fathers'?

 

Personally, I have a very strong personal direction of mine, to become a brillaint cutting-edge aerospace engineer at the forefront of a new era (That's how I see what SpaceX is doing, drastically reducing orbital launch costs, like Elon Musk, I dream of growing human civilization.), and when and if those glory days are over, I'll be very happy to settle as a professor at a university.

 

All of it, though, can amount to be: I want to be something big, and something exciting to lots of people. I think that's what Rainbow Dash wants, too...

 

...getting her into wonderbolts is the way for him [Dash's father] to gain status through Dash. Some indication we see of Dash's lack of personal ambition in the level of disinterest to general performance in to things like clearing skies and her frequent naps and laziness. Only way to get her involved is to either question her abilities or to put her loyalty in the line. Dash practices a lot and this is about all she does, due the loyalty towards her parents desires...

 

Okay, the reason I mentioned my own life is for a comparison here. What if RD just wants to be great? I want to be great. She just seems like an ambitous person, I'm always ambitious. It's just I'm not ambitious about everything. I'm ambitious about my dreams, and anything really meaningful to the world, not my french homework or english poem assignments, in the same way she's not ambitious about clearing the skies. As for frequent naps, I'm very often tired, too (which I have yet to totally find out why). Maybe it has to do with her disinterest in everything other than achieving her dreams, that is, being something great, more specifically, a Wonderbolt.

 

...There also have been other indications of her lacking personal attachment to her direction in life like how she after becoming hero of Ponyville in episode "Mysterious mare-do-well" finally saw an escape from the uninteresting path of becoming a wonderbolt one day and perhaps find another venue for fame and glory to sate her fathers need for success she tried her best to milk it for maximum benefit and find a way to be famous and gain some freedom in her life. ...

 

The true nature of what she always has wanted, is to be great and famous, something really amazing. She wants to join the Wonderbolts because that's what the wonderbolts are.

 

But when she became a superhero, the wonderbolt dream subsided, because it was actually accomplished. She was something amazing. Maybe not as widely as amazing as the Wonderbolts, but her imagined fame of being a Wonderbolt one day was drowned out and overshadowed by her actual fame of being a more local, but still super, hero.

 

 

 

 

I agree with everything you wrote, except the bit about the Wonderbolts not being her own dream. More specifically, I think her actual dream is to be a great figure admired by huge audiences, and that's what the Wonderbolts are to her, so she wants to be a Wonderbolt.

 

---Added

 

Oh, and I really hate to challenge it further, especially since I'm very, very obviously biased since I'm clearly projecting myself onto Rainbow Dash, but I think she just wants to be great, because she's a high-input type person.

 

And what I mean by that, is she wants a lot of input. A lot of thrill, a lot of excitement, a lot of whatever. I think what everyone loves about RD is that she's so alive. But that also means she's not content with anything less than the extreme. In other words, she finds most of life to be very boring, because it doesn't meet that high input she wants, and that's why she's tired all the time.

 

Also, along with this, she's not content to be liked or admired by just a small group of friends, or to be known by only a town, but, just as she wants more extreme everything, she also wants more extreme appreciation, because of this, she wants to be famous to huge crowds. That's why she wants to be great and famous.

 

Start with loyalty, she's loyal to others, she wants to please others, but because she's high-input, she doesn't just want to please and serve (be famous to) a group of people, but to be famous to huge crowds of ponies. That's why she wants to be a Wonderbolt. It fits in smoothly with her personality.

 

-Added

 

Oh, my, I just read this from that site you linked. I think it perfectly illustrates why RD wants to be a great hero, i.e., a Wonderbolt. She's ESFP:

 

For the ESFP, the entire world is a stage. They love to be the center of attention and perform for people. They're constantly putting on a show for others to entertain them and make them happy. They enjoy stimulating other people's senses, and are extremely good at it. They would love nothing more than for life to be a continual party, in which they play the role of the fun-loving host

 

- http://www.personali...e.com/ESFP.html

 

In other words, they're a star in front of the whole world, that makes people excited.

 

 

Once again, though, I completely agree with everything you wrote, how she really feels and everything, except, the bit about the Wonderbolts not being her own dream.

Edited February 5, 2012 by EASA - Dr. Braun

[Kapi 213]

Hm.. Nice read, thanks for this.

I'd probably give some input, but right now, I'm deep in thought. Its kind of strange, I'm nothing like Rainbow Dash on the outside, yet reading your analysis, maybe I see myself a bit more like her now. I'm not a person that wants attention, yet I constantly feel the need to be loyal, honest, and trustworthy. Maybe I need to think a bit harder...

 

Anyway, I think talking about my feelings set the stage for this, I agree with EASA that joining the Wonderbolts is RD's personal dream.. YET, I feel that maybe she tries too hard, maybe she has that feeling of NEEDING to accomplish something versus a want.

 

Maybe its that she wants others to look up and respect her, rather than attention. In the episode Cutie Mark Chronicles, she defends Fluttershy from bullies. I doubt she really knew Fluttershy prior to these events, yet still felt compelled to defend her. I think this action shows that she wants other ponies to look up to her. At that, maybe its true that she had issues herself earlier in her life and didn't want the same thing to happen to others.

 

I think I'm just babbling about nothing. I dunno. But, I think there's way, way more to Rainbow Dash then we'll ever be able to understand.

 

EDIT: Sorry, my head's not on right. Disregard the Striked out text.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Kapi

[Ezynell 2,036]

Another genius thread from Pencils. Although I think Pinkie the Genius had more supporting evidence

[Sheogorath 1,155]

I hate to challenge something like this, or ask for more after you've done so much, but why are you so sure Rainbow Dash isn't following her own ambitions, but her fathers'? Personally, I have a very strong personal direction of mine, to become a brilliant cutting-edge aerospace engineer at the forefront of a new era, and when and if those glory days are over, I'll be very happy to settle as a professor at a university. All of it, though, can amount to be: I want to be something big, and something exciting to lots of people. I think that's what Rainbow Dash wants, too...

I think she is following her parents ambitions because she over trains and same time stresses so much about any possible downtime. I also assume that Dash is a neurotypical individual without Asperger's syndrome, meaning she does not suffer from OCD or obsessions, but rather has emotional issues to give her above average drive in one specific activity.

 

Of course she might have constructed an idea in her mind that it is what she wants, and of course Wonderbolts are something of a superstars so it is still natural for her to admire them even if Dash personally does not want to be one of them deep inside.

 

Okay, the reason I mentioned my own life is for a comparison here. What if RD just wants to be great?

 

- She wants to join the Wonderbolts because that's what the wonderbolts are. But when she became a superhero, the wonderbolt dream subsided, because it was actually accomplished. She was something amazing. Maybe not as widely as amazing as the Wonderbolts, but her imagined fame of being a Wonderbolt one day was drowned out and overshadowed by her actual fame of being a more local, but still super, hero. I agree with everything you wrote, except the bit about the Wonderbolts not being her own dream. More specifically, I think her actual dream is to be a great figure admired by huge audiences, and that's what the Wonderbolts are to her, so she wants to be a Wonderbolt

 

The thing is, you are influenced by a personal perspective to similar need for greatness as well as your affection for Dash as a character. It may seem sensible to be driven and all that but there are anomalous things to consider here:

Dash has not mentioned her parents once, they didn't visit her when she got hurt and ended in hospital and they do not seem to be much at all involved to Dash. Therefore it is within very likely real of possibility that they already think that Dash should be one of the wonderbolts or some another revered status, and since she was not the one hero to save Equestria from Discord and Luna her parents didn't see it as her own merit.

 

You saw that Dash was really sad as she ended up being alone, or how she was stressed out of her mind having to lie down just two days. That is not ambition, that is fear.

Only because she does not directly communicate it, doesn't mean she doesn't feel it. That is the nature of psyche, it lies to itself first, then to others, but it always knows its own lies to be lies deep inside.

 

start with loyalty, she's loyal to others, she wants to please others, but because she's high-input, she doesn't just want to please and serve (be famous to) a group of people, but to be famous to huge crowds of ponies. That's why she wants to be a Wonderbolt. It fits in smoothly with her personality. -Added Oh, my, I just read this from that site you linked. I think it perfectly illustrates why RD wants to be a great hero, i.e., a Wonderbolt. She's ESFP: -http://www.personali...e.com/ESFP.html In other words, they're a star in front of the whole world, that makes people excited.

 

Her ambition fits with her personality sure, but it also doesn't. She prefers to live in the moment and just see where that takes her. She wan't to be the hero of the moment, not hero one day, hence her parents ambitions projected to her have taken away her ability to enjoy the current moment and robbed her from the enjoyment of strife to be something, and left her with fear of failure instead. Hence the depression and personal conflict.

I am sure she would not mind to be a wonderbolt but due parental pressure and likely tension so bad that it drives her to isolate herself from them she can not let her just enjoy the journey to become that, which to ESFP is very typical approach "journey is half of the fun to getting to places".

In Dash you see that, in other contexts but with wonderbolts and flight practice she is more goal oriented.

 

And what makes this important bit of analysis is the fact that dealing with such problems in children's cartoon is nary impossible, so approaching Dash's problem requires a bit of keen study.

[WildCard 1,037]

I have to agree on about RBDs personality because Iam quite similar, even tough less egoistic and more shy while being with friends. I still dream of being a good athlete someday and I am quite of a show off as long Iam on "stage". Also Iam really nervous and try to hide it as good as I can.

Edited February 5, 2012 by PonyPunk

[Twi Rubix 726]

...But is it canon?

[Sheogorath 1,155]

...But is it canon?

 

It is possible canon until proven fanon XD

[Comet Tail 808]

[huge amount of text to not be quoted]

Bravo, great response.

 

As for whether it's fanon or canon, future episodes will be a great show. I, too, noticed it was odd her parents didn't come down to visit while she was in the hospital.

 

Just out of curiosity, I'm sure you've been asked before, but how do you do these? Are you getting a major/minor in a psyche field or something? You're clearly working off a large established base of knowledge.

 

And are Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash the only two to get these analysis yet?

- I just want to be sure I'm not missing anything. And I'm curious about Twilight at this point.

 

Who's next? xD

 

-Added

 

Hm.. Nice read, thanks for this.

I'd probably give some input, but right now, I'm deep in thought. Its kind of strange, I'm nothing like Rainbow Dash on the outside, yet reading your analysis, maybe I see myself a bit more like her now. I'm not a person that wants attention, yet I constantly feel the need to be loyal, honest, and trustworthy. Maybe I need to think a bit harder...

 

Anyway, I think talking about my feelings set the stage for this, I agree with EASA that joining the Wonderbolts is RD's personal dream.. YET, I feel that maybe she tries too hard, maybe she has that feeling of NEEDING to accomplish something versus a want.

 

Maybe its that she wants others to look up and respect her, rather than attention. In the episode Cutie Mark Chronicles, she defends Fluttershy from bullies. I doubt she really knew Fluttershy prior to these events, yet still felt compelled to defend her. I think this action shows that she wants other ponies to look up to her. At that, maybe its true that she had issues herself earlier in her life and didn't want the same thing to happen to others.

 

I think I'm just babbling about nothing. I dunno. But, I think there's way, way more to Rainbow Dash then we'll ever be able to understand.

 

EDIT: Sorry, my head's not on right. Disregard the Striked out text.

 

Okay, confidence boost, I'm not alone

 

I think the issue is that the psyche review makes some pretty big claims, and is almost as revolutionary to RD's character as Pinkie Pie's was. With Pinkie Pie, it added depth. But with RD, it's displacing her into a different character, almost. Not to mention it really makes her a tragedy...

 

That's to say nothing of it's authenticity, though. Just that it's kinda hard to swallow, because how it's written, it makes it sound like she's not exactly the character everyone thinks she is.

 

I'd really be of the opinion that she's gotten to the point where she thinks joining the Wonderbolts is her own dream. Likely it's not, as you said, but from what we've seen in the show, she really does get very excited at the very thought of even being near them. A lot more than any other pony, at that.

Edited February 6, 2012 by EASA - Dr. Braun

[Sheogorath 1,155]

Bravo, great response.

 

As for whether it's fanon or canon, future episodes will be a great show. I, too, noticed it was odd her parents didn't come down to visit while she was in the hospital.

 

Just out of curiosity, I'm sure you've been asked before, but how do you do these? Are you getting a major/minor in a psyche field or something? You're clearly working off a large established base of knowledge.

 

And are Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash the only two to get these analysis yet?

- I just want to be sure I'm not missing anything. And I'm curious about Twilight at this point.

 

Who's next? xD

 

I only have done pinkie and Dash here by far, but my list of victims contains on it a combo of twilight and Celestia, and Fluttershy whom all three are under expanding case study

My basis for my analysis is more of a self trained knowledge, I have read countless books on psychology and even more articles. On top of that I have read sociology and anthropology on a hobby basis covering even criminology.

This is not really goal oriented reading however just a borderline obsessive accumulation of knowledge.

[83awsm 234]

Dang... talk about taking character analysis to the next level Your studies have been well rewarded with such a good post.

[Kapi 213]

Okay, confidence boost, I'm not alone

 

I think the issue is that the psyche review makes some pretty big claims, and is almost as revolutionary to RD's character as Pinkie Pie's was. With Pinkie Pie, it added depth. But with RD, it's displacing her into a different character, almost. Not to mention it really makes her a tragedy...

 

That's to say nothing of it's authenticity, though. Just that it's kinda hard to swallow, because how it's written, it makes it sound like she's not exactly the character everyone thinks she is.

 

Maybe, but I see it this way, everybody in real life has reasons for their actions and feelings. I would assume that'd be the same in the world of MLP, or any other cartoon at that. For example, we know Twilight Sparkle wanted to learn magic. Recall in the Cutioe Mark Chronicles that as a filly, TS wanted to go to the Summer Sun Celebration. After seeing Princess Celestia bring up the sun, Twilight wanted to learn everything she could about magic.

 

I'm sure RD's personal dream is to be part of the Wonderbolts, I don't think anything would be influencing her to do that. BUT, I think her personality is something else. There's a reason why she is the way she is. I made my post above a bit too hastily, but I have to admit, even if this isn't canon, I can see RD when I'm looking in a mirror. I've lied to myself for years. I alwyas said I wanted to be a great computer technician, to make a "magical" and creative website, and I have nothing to show for it. That's not me,I'm someone different, and my actions speak louder than my "dreams." In my own experience, I can see why RD is so loyal, she's lazy sure, but I having that feeling there's something in her history that we don't know about.

 

Do I see RD in a different way because of this? Heck no, she's still a cool pony who constantly tries her best.

 

I'd really be of the opinion that she's gotten to the point where she thinks joining the Wonderbolts is her own dream. Likely it's not, as you said, but from what we've seen in the show, she really does get very excited at the very thought of even being near them. A lot more than any other pony, at that.

 

 

I think that joining the Wonderbolts IS her dream. Nobody else could force her to feel that way. Yet I feel that the underlying goal, to be the best she can be, is somewhat forced.

Sorry if my post is a bit nonsensical, it sounded better in my head than it does on screen.

[Comet Tail 808]

[...]

I think that joining the Wonderbolts IS her dream. Nobody else could force her to feel that way. Yet I feel that the underlying goal, to be the best she can be, is somewhat forced.

Sorry if my post is a bit nonsensical, it sounded better in my head than it does on screen.

 

Haha, that happens to me all the time, but yeah, I'm pretty sure I understand what you're saying.

 

Honestly I keep flipflopping on whether I believe this or not about RD

 

It makes sense, of course (Pencil's analysis), but at the same time it's saying that there's a whole bunch to Rainbow Dash that never shows, and it makes some pretty big claims on some somewhat ambigious evidence.

 

She's very goal-oriented with her intense practicing, which differs form her personality. True, but that assumes that she isn't having fun practicing, and from what we've seen, whether her dreams are to join the Wonderbolts or not, she does enjoy flying. So I would say she definitely does enjoy practicing, not to mention it's a sort of way to show off. As someone who enjoys intense experience, her pushing the limit all the time doesn't necessarily have to be a form of "atonement" or self-harm, any more than any athletes' intense workouts are. Rather, she's just enjoying the thrill of pushing the limit.

 

Which brings me to the Wonderbolts bit. I remember someone making an interesting point on her in another thread:

Rainbow Dash's thrill for speed and winning may not be totally mutually exclusive. In fact, it would be difficult to contextually separate them since they appear to be so critical for her character. [...]

 

She's Rainbow (thrill; bravado) Dash (speed). Take one of those parts of her away, and the other becomes a hallow attribute.

[...]

The Wonderbolts fulfill both those requirements. They're a thrilling team of performers, lots of bravado. And if RD has ever just thought about the world (in some of her nap time), she would doubtlessly think of it as a giant competition, and the winners, the champions of the world in her eyes, are the Wonderbolts.

 

Being competitive in spirit (probably a way she gets a sense of self-worth), she would doubtlessly want to be one of those winners.

 

I think she is following her parents ambitions because she over trains and same time stresses so much about any possible downtime. I also assume that Dash is a neurotypical individual without Asperger's syndrome, meaning she does not suffer from OCD or obsessions, but rather has emotional issues to give her above average drive in one specific activity.

 

Of course she might have constructed an idea in her mind that it is what she wants, and of course Wonderbolts are something of a superstars so it is still natural for her to admire them even if Dash personally does not want to be one of them deep inside.

 

It's interesting that you mention that. We assume she's neurotypical, but as I read that, I remembered times she's been blatantly honest in a socially offensive way, she either didn't notice or didn't care. Once was in episode 3, when she said she was napping instead of helping Applejack, and at the end of the same episode she shouts for joy at getting the ticket, oblivious to the mood of everyone else, until they all stare her down (IIRC). She was unusually bad in that episode, but throughout the series there continues to be little nuggets of her lacking the ability to understand and feel others' emotions.

Remember, Asperger's syndrome is a part of autism, a spectral deal. It goes from people who can't function in society, to people where it's so minor that you wouldn't even notice.

 

Google braining this, I guess what I'm saying is she might have a mild form of atypical autism, so subtle, that it's difficult to detect. Where she may come off as obsessive over the Wonderbolts, and a little less than empathetic towards others, may actually just be this showing.

 

I'm not an expert, though, I'm just a google brain with parents in the medical field, so I'll see what you have to say about this, Pencils

 

You saw that Dash was really sad as she ended up being alone, or how she was stressed out of her mind having to lie down just two days. That is not ambition, that is fear.

Only because she does not directly communicate it, doesn't mean she doesn't feel it. That is the nature of psyche, it lies to itself first, then to others, but it always knows its own lies to be lies deep inside.

Her ambition fits with her personality sure, but it also doesn't. She prefers to live in the moment and just see where that takes her. She wan't to be the hero of the moment, not hero one day, hence her parents ambitions projected to her have taken away her ability to enjoy the current moment and robbed her from the enjoyment of strife to be something, and left her with fear of failure instead. Hence the depression and personal conflict.

I am sure she would not mind to be a wonderbolt but due parental pressure and likely tension so bad that it drives her to isolate herself from them she can not let her just enjoy the journey to become that, which to ESFP is very typical approach "journey is half of the fun to getting to places".

In Dash you see that, in other contexts but with wonderbolts and flight practice she is more goal oriented.

 

This is kind of what I replied to earlier in this post... I think she does enjoy the practices, so it's both achieving that goal, and enjoying the journey, so to speak.

 

She certainly does have a huge fear of failure, though, as we saw in "Sonic Rainboom".

 

 

In the end, I think my opinion is a mix, here. I think maybe she does feel pressured, and perhaps a huge amount of anxiety and fear of failure at making it into the Wonderbolts, I mean, we essentially saw her go into a nervous breakdown already (Sonic Rainboom), but I think it is her own dream. Also, though, as you said, she is a perfectionist, and as such, she really is insecure, hence her fear of failure, and her huge need for praise.

 

And what makes this important bit of analysis is the fact that dealing with such problems in children's cartoon is nary impossible, so approaching Dash's problem requires a bit of keen study.

 

Aye, in the end, there's always a margin of ambiguity.

 

What would be interesting is a set of detailed predictions based off of these different models of RD's psyche, to measure their accuracy... In the end, scientific theories get verified by their ability to predict, after all

[Sheogorath 1,155]

Which brings me to the Wonderbolts bit. I remember someone making an interesting point on her in another thread:

 

The Wonderbolts fulfill both those requirements. They're a thrilling team of performers, lots of bravado. And if RD has ever just thought about the world (in some of her nap time), she would doubtlessly think of it as a giant competition, and the winners, the champions of the world in her eyes, are the Wonderbolts.

 

Being competitive in spirit (probably a way she gets a sense of self-worth), she would doubtlessly want to be one of those winners.

 

This is a possibility and I do not deny its likelihood. I only posited the "more likely" option in light of other evidence.

 

It's interesting that you mention that. We assume she's neurotypical, but as I read that, I remembered times she's been blatantly honest in a socially offensive way, she either didn't notice or didn't care. Once was in episode 3, when she said she was napping instead of helping Applejack, and at the end of the same episode she shouts for joy at getting the ticket, oblivious to the mood of everyone else, until they all stare her down (IIRC). She was unusually bad in that episode, but throughout the series there continues to be little nuggets of her lacking the ability to understand and feel others' emotions.

Remember, Asperger's syndrome is a part of autism, a spectral deal. It goes from people who can't function in society, to people where it's so minor that you wouldn't even notice.

 

Google braining this, I guess what I'm saying is she might have a mild form of atypical autism, so subtle, that it's difficult to detect. Where she may come off as obsessive over the Wonderbolts, and a little less than empathetic towards others, may actually just be this showing.

 

I'm not an expert, though, I'm just a google brain with parents in the medical field, so I'll see what you have to say about this, Pencils

 

-parts omitted-

 

I assume Dash is neurotypical since her character does not introduce itself as someone with mild form of autism, not all rash acting and occasionally selfish people are suffering from Asperger's after all. Some people are dense because they aren't attentive.

Besides Dash still does not fulfill enough symptoms for positive diagnosis on Asperger's Syndrome and doesn't do it on regular basis. She is just a pony with a mouth faster than her brain.

 

Aye, in the end, there's always a margin of ambiguity.

 

What would be interesting is a set of detailed predictions based off of these different models of RD's psyche, to measure their accuracy... In the end, scientific theories get verified by their ability to predict, after all

Psychological analysis can predict reactions to situations, but not situations as that would be just plain clairvoyance though.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Pencils

[Mia Angelle 8]

ohhh wow...

well, it seems like it took a while to write, and it seems very correct and well-thought-out. deep, even. sort of makes you realize why her character might not be all that likeable, it this is true. (which i think it is)

but you also have to wonder: would the producers really put all that thought into a character? let's remember that no matter how amazing, it's basically a colorful, moral cartoon about cute ponies.

[Comet Tail 808]

This is a possibility and I do not deny its likelihood. I only posited the "more likely" option in light of other evidence.

True. And although I don't see how her practicing habits makes it more likely that it's not her own dream, my model fails to explain why her parents don't show up at the hospital when she's injured, meanwhile, yours, does.

 

Once again though, I think we're splitting hairs in terms of evidence. Parents have hardly made entrances to the show, anyways. And the explenation that they aren't associated with her, requires something very dark for what's otherwise a not-so-dark show. In the end, it's just ambigious and we'll probably have to see if RD's parents ever make an appearence in the show.

 

I assume Dash is neurotypical since her character does not introduce itself as someone with mild form of autism, not all rash acting and occasionally selfish people are suffering from Asperger's after all. Some people are dense because they aren't attentive.

Besides Dash still does not fulfill enough symptoms for positive diagnosis on Asperger's Syndrome and doesn't do it on regular basis. She is just a pony with a mouth faster than her brain.

It's probably been too long since I've seen an episode lol.

My point was that it's spectrum, though, so while she might not have Asperger's, she might have something further down on the "mild" end.

 

Psychological analysis can predict reactions to situations, but not situations as that would be just plain clairvoyance though.

 

Lol. Nice.

 

-

 

Okay, I don't want to go off-topic or anything, but this opportunity was just too perfect to pass up.

 

To really learn what's going on in Rainbow Dash, we need someone's help. Twilight Sparkle, I'm sure, would be happy to help if she knew one of her best friends might actually be extremely depressed and in serious risk of self-harm or worse.

 

Twilight Sparkle, answering the call of duty.

 

Maybe she can start by talking about Rainbow Dash's fillyhood, and her parents...

 

Is this all just a wild goose chase, chasing ghosts and drawing too much conclusions from too little evidence?...

 

Or, is Rainbow Dash keeping a big, painful secret, that she can't keep any longer?...

 

 

Tune in next week to find out!

Only on - hub! _{[and youtube]}

 

_{[reuploaded that last picture 3 times. Finally got it.]}

 

 

Sorry, creative fiction author side of me coming out. Just keep on going like normal... ^.^;

 

I only have done pinkie and Dash here by far, but my list of victims contains on it a combo of twilight and Celestia, and Fluttershy whom all three are under expanding case study

[...]

I don't mean to necropost, but this just came back to my mind...

 

Celestia!?

This will be very interesting!...

 

She's lived over a thousand years, you know, so that might throw things off just a little...

 

You know, it bothers me when people call her "trollestia". I mean, she has done things like send only one extra ticket, show Fluttershy a bird she knew would look sick, etc. etc., but, she's also a benevolent God-like immortal monarch who's over a thousand years old.

 

And if you look at those episodes, in the end, they turned out with some ponies learning lessons and becoming better ponies because of what happened. I think she orchistrated those things on purpose, not because she's a "troll" doing it for amusement, but for the ponies' own benefit.

 

I mean, she's been a monarch for 1,000 + years, and in-show we've seen her send Twilight to Ponyville to make friends so she could harness the elements and defeat Nightmare Moon. So we know she's able to orchistrate events. Heck, "The Best Night Ever" was pretty much proof that she orchistrates events, that seem like horrors at the time, but in the long run are for the better.

 

One interesting theory I've heard is she's training Twilight to one day take her place, that she's not actually immortal, but rather just immortal-like.

(Though I'd have to say Luna surviving on the moon is a sign if immortality )

Edited February 7, 2012 by EASA - Dr. Braun

[Smokin'HotRarity 182]

Hmm...didn't she seem genuinely shocked at her own behavior when when "mare-do-well" was "revealed"? I'd have to watch that part again though.

Edited February 19, 2012 by glitterlicious