S04:E10 - Rainbow Falls

[Meushell 52]

I know the point of the lesson, but I really don’t see an issue if Rainbow switched teams. Why not? Who is she supposed to be loyal for here? Fluttershy? She’s probably only there for Rainbow Dash in the first place. For that matter, she might step it up (wing it up?) if she wasn’t relying on Dash to win. She’s a much better flyer when she has to be. Bulk Biceps? He is (suddenly) such a lousy flyer that he has no business being there.

According to Twilight... “If you fly for Cloudsdale, Pinkie Pie won't have anypony to cheer for. Rarity's uniforms will never be seen. And Applejack will have slaved over those Apple Brown Betties for nothing.”

I don’t agree with a word she says here. Pinkie Pie would then have two teams to cheer for. She’s more about her friends than where they live. Rarity is a nonissue. Ponyville was never guaranteed to win. They ended up barely making it. If she sewed outfits for something that might not happen, then that’s her own fault. (Besides, she could find another use for them.) Applejack’s food would not go to waste unless she decided to withhold them for some reason. (Speaking of her food, it was funny watching her try to get throw them.)

Besides, Derpy would get to fly if Rainbow switched. 

As for Spitfire’s actions, they could have kept it the same, but improve her motive. Have it look to be about winning, but in the end, she admits she’s worried that Soarin will reinjure himself if he flies competitively so soon after being released. The Wonderbolts are about pushing their limits after all. Similar injuries have probably happened before.

Edited August 3, 2018 by Meushell

[starrymiss 114]

I loved this episode basically because of the interactions between Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps. Soon as Biceps giggled as Rarity put flowers in his mane, I was like "Okay. I love this." 

That, and Derpy.

I also totally relate to Rainbow Dash in avoiding a hard decision. Choosing not to make a decision at all, rather than go one way or another, is something I've struggled with so much in my life.

Twilight Sparkle was really annoying in this though. She was so unhelpful to Dash by saying "This is a decision you need to make on your own." I mean, obviously, but ????? HELP YOUR FRIEND, OMG! Just a single word of advice would have helped, or even just listening to her. Not shaming her. Not turning tail and walking away with a snide, holier-than-thou remark. Jesus.

The Wonderbolts also seem really out of character. Where does this concept of them being jerks come from??

If Rainbow Dash is a better flyer than Soarin, and Spitfire keeps learning from her, why don't they just make her a Wonderbolt already???

I don't think the episode's moral was a good message for children at all. Be loyal to a place, simply because it's where you're from and where your friends are from? Even if there are better opportunities elsewhere? Yeah. Dunno about that.

Edited September 18, 2018 by starrymiss

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

On 10/30/2015 at 11:02 PM, Gavin the Wolf said:

Random fact: This was the first episode to use the newer DHX Media logo.

Back then I thought that DHX only was used for FiM.

[qwerE 96]

I see some people saying they don't see why Rainbow Dash switching teams is a problem. It's a valid point, but isn't it weird that they can change teams in the first place? I thought Eqestria games were Equestria's equivalent of the Olympics. Why is changing teams allowed?

Anyway, the episode itself was fun, and I liked it.

[Thrond 3,263]

The Netflix subtitles for this episode consistently spell the letter “P” in the cheerleader chants as “pee.” It’s weird and feels vaguely inappropriate. 

[bigbertha 414]

This is one of the most contrived episodes of the show. Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps are chosen for the Equestria Games despite there probably being a lot of better flyers, and on top of that they're made incompetent when they've been shown to have at least a basic understanding of flying. Spitfire completely forgets that Wonderbolts Academy happened and learns the exact same lesson of respecting her teammates. Rainbow Dash puts on such a terrible performance in faking being injured and everyone buys it. Rainbow Dash goes through the exact same arc from Wonderbolts Academy of learning that she should put her morals first and that joining the Wonderbolts isn't worth being disloyal. 

I seriously have no idea why Wonderbolts Academy is even mentioned since the episode breaks continuity from it and rips it off. If you're making an episode that incredibly similar to another episode, the worst thing you can do is remind people of it. And the continuity problem can't be excused by saying that this show doesn't have strong continuity because the episode directly acknowledges that Wonderbolts Academy happened. 

Everything else sucks too. None of the jokes are funny, most of the mane six are flanderized, and there's no tension for Rainbow's decision between Cloudsdale and Ponyville since no good reasons for Rainbow to stay loyal to Ponyville are given, and Fluttershy literally states that she and Bulk Biceps are fine with Rainbow flying for Cloudsdale.

There are a few positives, but they're all pretty minor. For one, I like the design of Rainbow Falls. It's not amazing, but it's nice and interesting to look at with the rainbow waterfall in particular being a good way to make the location more unique. And it's cool to see griffon teams competing. That's a good way to make the world feel more connected and I wish more stuff like that happened. And I like the title of the episode. It's a good play on words... That's it. 

Score: 0/10

[HedonismBot 239]

On 1/24/2019 at 12:53 PM, ABANDONED said:

And the continuity problem can't be excused by saying that this show doesn't have strong continuity because the episode directly acknowledges that Wonderbolts Academy happened. 

It does not, however, acknowledge that Bulk Biceps was in it. His presence back then implies that his flight capability is well above average, and here he's barely better than Scootaloo.

And if Derpy was ready to replace Rainbow Dash, why could she not have been picked over him to begin with? Do the Equestria Games not have any weightlifting events, or anything else that could take advantage of his brute strength?

[Hadrien 950]

So Rainbow learns the same moral she already learned in the pilot. That's what this episode is when you think about it. In the pilot, she get offered to join the Shadow Bolt, at the detriment of her friends, so she can be famous and admired. But she refused because her friends are more important than winning or fame. In this episode, Rainbow gets offered to join the Wonderbolts at the detriment of her friends, to be famous and admired. But now she doesn't outright say no, because it's Spitfire asking and not Darkfire or whatever Nightmare Moon Shadowbolt OC name is ? That's not very coherent with what we know of our beautiful Rainbow girl ?

I don't know what I would change to make this episode works, but to me it's just the reverse pilot.

4.5/10, I'm not a fan of this episode.

[Hazel Sparks 18]

This episode is terrible. Pinkie Pie is reduced to being annoying, Rainbow Dash almost betrays her friends again, and nothing makes sense! Why are Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps such horrible flyers now? Why are they even competing if they are?

The only thing that even somewhat redeems this episode is Muffins aka Derpy is back. That's the only thing.

[Antiyonder 1,119]

YouTube upload of the episode: