What Is With Spitfire Being So Out Of Character In Rainbow Falls Episode?

[BalanceBrony 259]

I'll give you a lot of points for that.

 

I know Spitfire doing what she did taught Rainbow Dash a lesson was something that helped me give the episode a chance, but the way Twilight told Rainbow Dash to make her decision wasn't executed the right way if you ask me.

 

I guess you're right.

I would actually say Twilight was golden in this episode. Telling RD to figure it out herself is exactly what she would have done, and I feel it was a nice little treat to show her as a wee Trollestia-in-training.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I would actually say Twilight was golden in this episode. Telling RD to figure it out herself is exactly what she would have done, and I feel it was a nice little treat to show her as a wee Trollestia-in-training.

Well, you got me there. I just think that Rainbow Dash should have learned to make her own decision, without Twilight having to tell her to make her decision.

[BalanceBrony 259]

Well, you got me there. I just think that Rainbow Dash should have learned to make her own decision, without Twilight having to tell her to make her decision.

Ah. That doesn't bug me. But to each their own :3

[Scootalove 10,689]

Ah. That doesn't bug me. But to each their own :3

Yes, to each their own. I'll just say that you are right. :3

[RED20 289]

Yeah, it bothered me too. (It especially bothers me) I think the writers just needed someone to set that up, and Spitfire was in the position to do it.

 

I hope the don't go the whole "The Wonderbolts aren't what Rainbow Dash thought they were so she quits her dreams because the Wonderbolts are jerks" route. That'd actually make me mad. Rainbow Dash probably wouldn't have committed herself to it if that what it was.

[BalanceBrony 259]

Yeah, it bothered me too. (It especially bothers me) I think the writers just needed someone to set that up, and Spitfire was in the position to do it.

 

I hope the don't go the whole "The Wonderbolts aren't what Rainbow Dash thought they were so she quits her dreams because the Wonderbolts are jerks" route. That'd actually make me mad. Rainbow Dash probably wouldn't have committed herself to it if that what it was.

I think it's already shown that RD won't go that route. I'm more confident than ever that the writers will follow through, because it would show her spreading her newfound mastery of Loyalty.

[UserNotFound 964]

 

This is why it's a key episode. Rainbow Dash finally puts it all together and discovers the true meaning of loyalty, and then she teaches others how to live by it. Spitfire awards RD the badge for showing her the true meaning of loyalty, and being a team. She was a dick to begin with, but RD taught her how to stop being a dick, and as a result, the badge was infused with pure Loyalty energy, becoming the second key (Do you really think that the right ponies just happen to be carrying the keys?). That's what I have to say on the matter.

I hadn't actually noticed that before... The two episodes where we've had the rainbow objects at the end, both objects have Been gifted to the ponies who feature as the main character in the episode... They demonstrate their element thus teaching another pony about their element and they receive a gift which is infused with their element... We already know the mane six have the elements power inside them from the first episode... Their element jewels were created AFTER they realised they were the holders... So them sharing their knowledge and demonstrating their element is how the keys come about? Perhaps a? Just an observation... AS for spitfire...

 

Well I think it shows a realistic sense to her... Her character is shown to be competitive, and even though she seemed to be corrected in the academy episode, she wasn't the one being disloyal... She was just doing her job... Outside of the academy however, her loyalty was put to the test and both she and fleetfoot sought to advance their chances of qualifying, so they made some tactical manoeuvres to try and put themselves in a better position... Being disloyal... So... I think that in a sense the academy episode wasn't spitfire learning a lesson, at least not directly personal... Whereas in rainbow falls she did...

 

I doubt any of this makes sense but... I'm tired and it's late

[Motion Spark 7,807]

I would actually say Twilight was golden in this episode. Telling RD to figure it out herself is exactly what she would have done, and I feel it was a nice little treat to show her as a wee Trollestia-in-training.

I agree Twilight was pure gold, and even if this wasn't an episode about her, heck! Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps literally shined more than her, Twilight was so wise but also respectful...she wanted RD to stick with her team, but she let her have her own space let her decide what does she wants.

Man I did appreciate Twilight a lot in this episode!

[MLPFanatic34 3,235]

Twilight is such a good friend to have, if I was a pony I definitely would be friends with her and the rest of the mane 6, but yeah Spitfire acting the way she did in the episode was really out of character, she seemed quite bitchy and arrogant, and I didn't like that at all.

[Megas 27,847]

I would actually say Twilight was golden in this episode. Telling RD to figure it out herself is exactly what she would have done, and I feel it was a nice little treat to show her as a wee Trollestia-in-training.

I don't mind the fact Twilight had to help RD with the moral, in fact I love seeing the characters helping each other and guiding them on the lessons they need to learn(and not force/spoon-feed them the moral ala Mare Do Well). What I didn't approve of was Twilight essentially guilt tripping Rainbow Dash, I thought that was really shitty of her.

 

Personally, the character I thought really shined on this episode was Fluttershy, who I feel does not get enough credit

Edited January 21, 2014 by Megas75

[FNGRpony 658]

@Motion Spark,

 

S3!Spitfire = Rewards effort/skill and punishes carelessness/selfishness.

 

S4!Spitfire = The ends justify the means.

 

I don't even really care that Spitfire was an antagonist, but do you see the blatant and rapid 180 in personality?

If i may?

The motivation is entirely different.

Do you act the same in all situations?

Spit fire was in the role of teacher/instructor in wonder bolts achedemy.

Which she did poorly.

She's a competitor in Rainbow falls.

 

I think spit fire might have rarity problems.  she makes poor decisions in major moments, accept rarity after the fact has that "wow that wasn't my best moment."

Spit fire seems like she's content to screw up as long as no one calls her on it.

I think her reaction is a political one.

I think spit fire would be a terrible friend.

and in all honesty she'd not saurons friend.  She's his team mate.

I think people have this mental image the wonder bolts are bro's.

They hang out together in Professional situations.  The gala for example was likely a PR thing.

Do you think spit fire hangs out with Sauron for fun?  

[BalanceBrony 259]

I don't mind the fact Twilight had to help RD with the moral, in fact I love seeing the characters helping each other and guiding them on the lessons they need to learn(and not force/spoon-feed them the moral ala Mare Do Well). What I didn't approve of was Twilight essentially guilt tripping Rainbow Dash, I thought that was really shitty of her.

 

Personally, the character I thought really shined on this episode was Fluttershy, who I feel does not get enough credit

It was shitty of her, But that's why I loved it so much. She was literally Celestia. Think of all the times Celestia tricked or guided the ponies to their lessons, while also having them learn it themselves. Twilight will be a solid Princess of Friendship.

[Naive Wolf Josh 93]

Is it horrible I don't think she was acting out of character?  She ignored Rainbow Dash during the Grand Galloping Gala, she didn't help out the Ponyville pegasi in Hurricane Fluttershy, she completely shirked her responsibility to Lightning Dust when she kicked the poor pony out after the constant rewarding of LD pushing her limits, and she couldn't remember who Rainbow Dash was for the longest time, the pony who saved her life.  This episode made me realize that Spitfire is a real jerk and I'm kind of shocked I didn't put it together before this.

 

Luckily Soarin was proven to be the most loyal of friends.  Even after being betrayed he instantly forgave his friends.  Now there's a role model for the Element of Loyalty.

[Guest90210 3,569]

Are you trying to tell me that in RL life is okay to lie and play mindgames with people to get the best teams? right? this is where the discussion has no point.

 

I never said that, but if you know anything about the sports world you know people are dropped for better players all of the time.

 

 

Is it horrible I don't think she was acting out of character?  She ignored Rainbow Dash during the Grand Galloping Gala, she didn't help out the Ponyville pegasi in Hurricane Fluttershy, she completely shirked her responsibility to Lightning Dust when she kicked the poor pony out after the constant rewarding of LD pushing her limits, and she couldn't remember who Rainbow Dash was for the longest time, the pony who saved her life.  This episode made me realize that Spitfire is a real jerk and I'm kind of shocked I didn't put it together before this.

 

Luckily Soarin was proven to be the most loyal of friends.  Even after being betrayed he instantly forgave his friends.  Now there's a role model for the Element of Loyalty.

 

I agree. She wasn't out of character at all.

[ManaMinori 4,146]

I don't really want to defend her actions, since- yeah she and Fleet came off  like dicks in this episode, but thinking back to "Fall Weather Friends", Celestia stepped in and told AppleJack and Rainbow Dash that she understood their constant screwing each other over just to win, because "it's easy to get swept up in the spirit of competition", so the same could probably be applied to Spitfire. I want to believe that- unlike RD, at times, the Wonderbolts- being a team of eliete athletic flyers- have to make teamwork a priority, in order to pull off all those coordinated stunts that they do, but in the heat of competition like the Equestria Games, it's easy to lose sight of where priorities should lie; like waiting on the recovery of your friends or trusting them enough to put in their pest effort to bring the team through, even if they're not quite healed from an injury.

[FluttershyIzDaCutest 0]

I may be wrong on this but I feel that her being so out of character was so it fit in with the plot.

[Shanks 10,816]

Because its important for the plot of the episode to be like that ooooooor FleetFlot is a bad influence and makes her act like a villain

While I do believe it was called for to have the Wonderbolts into the plot there were better ways they could have gone about it. Spitefires deception would have made more sense as some kind of test for Rainbow Dash as Rainbow Dash has made it glaringly obvious that she wants to be a Wonderbolt and it would make sense to only want someone in the Wonderbolts who is loyal. Or Fleetfoot could have orchestrated everything behind Spitfire's back which would have been more believeable as her character is not as established as Spitfires.There is no indication that Fleetfoot is a "bad influence" on Spitfire if either of them influenced the other in such a way it would be Spitfire, it has been confirmed that Spitfire is the captain of the Wonderbolts making her Fleetfoots superior officer.

[Forlong 1,726]

As much as I loved Bulk Biceps (I prefer to call him Macho Pony though) and Derpy (especially Derpy) one thing that really got under my skin in the episode Rainbow Falls which just how pathetically out of character Spitfire was. Soarin was his mellow self and since we haven't had any character development for Fleetfoot until then why she acted that way is forgiveable but Spitefire seemed to do a complete 180 in this episode. In all of her other appearances Spitefire was fairly harsh yet fair, a large professional ego but one that is measured. Bascially what I see in Spitfire is a more mature and level headed Rainbow Dash but what I saw in Rainbow Falls was a lying manipulative bitch. She had Soarin fake an injury to get who she thought was a better flier to join her team so she would have a better chance of winning. This is in stark contrast especially to her role in Wonderbolt Academy which while she did indeed have a lapse in judgment by letting LIghtning Dust get away with way too much until Rainbow Dash called her on it she did own up to her and said that Wonderbolts are "not just about pushing yourself hard but about pushing yourself in the right direction."

What are you talking about?  Okay, let's look through the main action of Spitfire in this episode.  She thought that Soarin' wouldn't be at his best for the competition, so she tried to get Rainbow Dash to replace him.  She did lie to Rainbow to convince her, which was harsh.  But she was fair to Soarin' by telling him what she decided and why.  So how is that contradictory to what you said about her?  Spitfire is Captain of the Wonderbolts.  She has to think of the good of the team.

[DarligPegasi 315]

Oh my gosh so true! Her personality was so unlike her! I agree with Jack Spades, the changelings must have taken her. 

[BalanceBrony 259]

Oh my gosh so true! Her personality was so unlike her! I agree with Jack Spades, the changelings must have taken her. 

Could you please explain to me her personality, and how she was out of character? I'm just curious as to your logic.

[DarligPegasi 315]

@@BalanceBrony,

 

Weill Rainbow Falls made it seem like Spitfite was a horrible person (pony) who only used people for their strengths. I mean in all the other episodes where she had lines and there was insight to her personality, she was kind of proud but not a horrible shallow person. (pony). That's just my opinion though. ^^

[GrimCW 658]

We haven't seen much of Spitfire before, from what we've seen this is consistent. 

 

^this by a long shot IMO

 

Spitfire even in previous appearances was only shown either in passing, or in charge.

Even when in charge she was pushing for the "best" as being simply the only way to get ahead. So much so she put Rainbow Dash as a wing pony instead of a lead.

Pushing your limits doesn't make you a good leader, and that other character (I forget her name) showed no leadership qualities at all, she was just arrogant and didn't care who got in her way.

Spitfire even downed RD at first throughout that episode over not wanting to be top of the game enough, and actually promoted recklessness. She almost did again at the end until RD laid out the whole scenario and threatened to walk.

Edited January 22, 2014 by GrimCW

[Empress Pinkamena 41]

How can she be out of character if she has no real character?

[Castle Bleck 19,387]

^this by a long shot IMO

 

Spitfire even in previous appearances was only shown either in passing, or in charge.

Even when in charge she was pushing for the "best" as being simply the only way to get ahead. So much so she put Rainbow Dash as a wing pony instead of a lead.

Pushing your limits doesn't make you a good leader, and that other character (I forget her name) showed no leadership qualities at all, she was just arrogant and didn't care who got in her way.

Spitfire even downed RD at first throughout that episode over not wanting to be top of the game enough, and actually promoted recklessness. She almost did again at the end until RD laid out the whole scenario and threatened to walk.

 

Spitfire never promoted recklessly endangering OTHERS, though. Nor did she ever give any indication she even knew about Dust doing such until RD pointed it out.

[Shanks 10,816]

How can she be out of character if she has no real character?

By that logic Luna and Zecora have no character either. Sure we may not know as much about Spitfire as we do with the mane 6, but dosen't mean we don't know anything. We know that Spitfire can be harsh yet fair, is relatively laid back when off duty (although not as much as Soarin) is in many ways a more mature and level headed Rainbow Dash. This is not to say she is perfect by any means as we have clearly seen in Wonderbolt Academy but that she is not the manipulative pony we have seen in Rainbow Falls.