S04:E21 - Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3

[Declen 118]

 

 

Rainbow already thought she knew everything about the WonderBolts, so she didn't think she had to read; let alone learn.

That's what we call ignorance.

Ignorance is bless, he-he.

[Guest90210 3,568]

She needs way more time to mature and realize she isn't as great as she thinks.

 

Did you not see the parts where she was flying around, admitting her failures and accepting her problems to Twilight? She even apologized several times.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Rivendare

[Truffles 2,033]

Did you not see the parts where she was flying around, admitting her failures and accepting her problems to Twilight? She even apologized several times.

 

The point where Rainbow told Twilight she couldn't learn because she thought she was simply dumb broke my heart.    I have never been a big RD fan, but this episode really changed my opinion of her because we got some real insights into her self-image and why she acts the way she acts that go deeper than her simply admitting she has been scared or unsure of herself in past episodes.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Really awesome episode!
 

Totally correlates with what I have to go through to study. Love the lesson that everyone has a different learning style. 

 

And...found a recycled audio clip that was used in Episode 7 of this season. 

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

Like a making a fashion show for one student? Are you sure it's a real study method? And even if it is, it seems like a waste of time and efford on somebody, who, as we know, was never interested in learning in general anyway.

 

I didn't say they were all real, haha.

That's what we call ignorance.

Ignorance is bless, he-he.

 

 

Ignorance? Maybe. Childish behavior? Possibly. Excused for said behavior? Not really.

 

Oh trust me, I saw it.

I doubt she was being genuine with Twilight.

RainbowDash doesn't really appreciate all the things Twilight does for her.

A prime example of that is in this episode. RainbowDash blew her off as a nerd and basically said "I'm perfect, so I don't need help!"

If you ask me, that's pretty immature and shows that she still needs time to grow.

 

*sighs* Samurott77 what are we gonna do with you?

Edited April 5, 2014 by DryColt84

[Flutter's lover <3 8,205]

This was a pretty awesome episode.

 

Though, what bugged me was how everyone of the other mane 6 knew the Wonderbolts history. 

 

Pinkie's rap...wtf. It just made me go wtf. It just didn't work for her. If she had a deeper voice, then yea,. I could l see it working. Rarity's dumbfounded reaction to AJ inadvertently insulting her outfits she made,it made me laugh.Got to see Rainbow's house again, which was neat.

 

This is probably in the top 5 of my fave episodes this season.

 

 

Oh and....

 

Fluttershy is best Celestia cosplay.

 

[swordsman 192]

well it was ok to me. rainbow dash has a learning disabilitie like me and she learns things her own way. the problem to me that rainbow dash really had is that she is lazy and did not really try to get ready for her test. She got a 100 on here test so she must had did some studying at some point. I am very smart(my dad did work for  NASA :comeatus:) but i learn thing my own way and yeah on test i something have problems.

 

youtu.be/lukw4FSr-jw

Edited April 5, 2014 by swordsman

[Frostgage 7,975]

This is why I love you Twily. Going so far out of your way to help a pony who proceeds to (almost literally) spit in your face. Amy Keating Rogers writes her so so well.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Frostgage

[CrestofReliability 28]

I found a slight enjoyment watching Rainbow Dash struggle at something. It reminds me of all the stuck up balloon headed jocks I had to lead through high school just so they could continue to play football.You may ask, why in the world did you bother with those egotistical jerks. Well because one of my guilty pleasures is watching someone gain a shred of humility and me being the person to make them realize it. So when Rainbow Dash has to swallow her pride and get down to work I find it enjoyable, because Celestia knows she needs to learn some humility. This was the episode I was waiting for Rainbow Dash, a humility episode, where Rainbow Dash is completely and utterly helpless on her own and has to accept help to solve her problems at the expense of her bloated pride. I may dislike Rainbow Dash a twinge more than the majority of the fandom but when she shows a shred of humility like those balloon headed jocks from high school, I smile in approval. So yeah good episode.

[RED20 289]

I found a slight enjoyment watching Rainbow Dash struggle at something. It reminds me of all the stuck up balloon headed jocks I had to lead through high school just so they could continue to play football.You may ask, why in the world did you bother with those egotistical jerks. Well because one of my guilty pleasures is watching someone gain a shred of humility and me being the person to make them realize it. So when Rainbow Dash has to swallow her pride and get down to work I find it enjoyable, because Celestia knows she needs to learn some humility. This was the episode I was waiting for Rainbow Dash, a humility episode, where Rainbow Dash is completely and utterly helpless on her own and has to accept help to solve her problems at the expense of her bloated pride. I may dislike Rainbow Dash a twinge more than the majority of the fandom but when she shows a shred of humility like those balloon headed jocks from high school, I smile in approval. So yeah good episode.

 

Because those dumb jocks are basically Neanderthals, too dull to join the superior mental race, right? 

[CrestofReliability 28]

Because those dumb jocks are basically Neanderthals, too dull to join the superior mental race, right? 

No, they just put too much emphasis in one area and it comes off that way, I don't blame them. I'd like to believe that I made a positive difference in their lives, as I hope Twilight and the others felt with Rainbow Dash. I tolerate others liking Rainbow Dash but I simply cannot rally behind a character that reminds me of those kinds of people who think that people like me are somehow less human or not worthy of being noted or popular, living in the shadows and darkness of them who shine like the sun. However I like it when Rainbow Dash can prove me wrong, even though I hate to lose, it's good to realize that I cannot be the hot 100% right but be 20% cooler at 80% maybe. Yes I deliberately made a Rainbow Dash reference there (puts on shaded sunglasses) Deal with it.  

[SveciaDash 364]

Pinkie pie.. enough said

#gangsta4lyfe

[Skullbuster 1,906]

The episode was very good, it was a little different than the previous ones, it didnt have a linear story per say, it kind of reminded me of ticket master, is was very well paced, and the pinkie rap song was amazing XD

[Flutter's lover <3 8,205]

Oh yea, I almost forgot to mention. Fluttershy breaking up the argument RD and Twi were having. She made me proud this episode. Proving further that she's not a doormat.

[Whatevs 377]

Not that great. Just fell flat imo.

Not as bad as Daring Don't or Rainbow Falls

[TeslaCoil 58]

Ernie's Undercooked Pancakes.

AMY YOU ARE A GENIUS

[Misty Shadow 7,866]

I always love it when an episode is better than I expect. MC Pinkie Pie made my day.

[joecal97 340]

I needed this in my life right now!

 

My own test are rapidly approaching, this gave me strength and hope

Rainbow dash episode? Pinkie rapping? Her awesome way of learning?

YES PLEASE!

100% I expected nothing less Dashie

 

(Ps why was there a helicopter? And rap music? What's next, a mission to Mars hasbro seems to throw technology in, as of when it is needed, rather than considering how advanced the ponies are technologically)

Edited April 5, 2014 by joecal97

[Mitchell 45]

Learning through musical intervention is the best way to learn lol. Pinkie is awesome!

[Starlight Sky 374]

I don't mind again that RD has a unique learning method, but all the same, her getting 100% on a test that she really only studied for with less than 12 hours left to study, she must be motherbucking Rain Man or something!  That rubbed me the wrong way, again, it really did; it was a slap to the face of students who put in hard work 24/7 to get excellent grades, or at least just to pass even.  Not saying that RD's stupid or that that method shouldn't work for her, but they should've condemned procrastination much more; if she'd just barely passed, with like a 75% or so, that would've felt more realistic to me.  But that was just way too easy and made the lesson feel a little hollow.

 

That's the view I might take for an anime, but something episodic like MLP needs to drive most messages home in one go. Time isn't the focus, so much as the concept.

 

There isn't going to be another exam to show gradual growth for Rainbow. If she discovered her method of learning and the episode ends with her earning a 75%, the message wouldn't be clear. Anyone can do well once they find the right method....Rainbow barely passes.

 

It's just the style of the story.

[Whatevs 377]

Not that great. Just fell flat imo.

Not as bad as Daring Don't or Rainbow Falls

I would go on to say it is certainly not as good as RTM, so being rated higher than RTM is a mistake imo

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

I'm conflicted on this episode. The mythology of the Wonderbolts was cohesive and interesting, and the way they solved the problem in the end was pretty smart, but the characterization for Rainbow Dash was abysmal.

 

It's one thing for her to be flippant, or unable to sit still during the lecture, but she acted like a complete bitch to Twilight, who was only trying to help her. And despite the clever foreshadowing in the beginning of the episode, the way she's somehow able to memorize everything that happens while she's flying without even knowing it makes her come of as some kind of Rain Man. It's weird, uncharacteristic, and ill-explained.

 

This isn't a horrible episode. It's got a lot of stuff that's really, really good. It's just held back by extremely poor characterization of the lead pony.

[Lunatic Cake 1,618]

Welp, Pinkie rapping reminded me of this Pinkie Pie:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJLL-DNu3P4

[Metemponychosis 1,261]

Fyrefly founded the Wonderbolts. Interesting.   Nice touch, I think.

 

Well, I loved this episode. Worldbuilding was nice, telling us a history of the Wonderbolts that actually works. They turned out like the Blue Angels and that makes sense in my head.

 

But the episode itself was nice. Pinkie's presence, something that has been bothering me most of the season was great and all the ponies were very nice in their appearances. Twilight trying to teach Rainbow was amusing and fun because the two worked so well together and the rest of the episode is more of the same, growing up until it breaks (their efforts, not the episode). Fluttershy's presentation was so freaking hilarious. Angel Celestia... Well done with that tweet Meghan. Then there is Pinkie's rap. I have no especial feelings for it, but it was fun to listen to, specially with how Rainbow remembers it. Rarity is great too (as usual). I liked the progression in the uniforms, with references to real life military uniforms. Specially Twilight's."Commander Easy Glider". Applejack is herself. She probably was the kind of student that instead of freaking out before a test just knows what she needs because she pays attention and does her homework. Or maybe she just know her trade because it's her whole life.

 

And then Twilight flying with Rainbow and the resolution. I liked it. Makes sense to me that Rainbow is paying attention to stuff happening around them, but I think that she'd notice thinks instead of unknowingly internalizing everything. The first time I thought that she had consciously seem those things. Well, maybe she didn't and only reacted to the "pedal-copter" because it was a threat. Well, anyway, worked for me. Are all pegasus (that actually fly fast and dangerous) like that?

 

Now, Rainbow getting a 100% in the test was a bit... Too much. I think it would have been good enough if she just passed, but this is just a nitpick and didn't take from my enjoyment of the episode.

 

Nice job, staff. Now I just need to know what is it that the Royal Guard actually do when they are not getting their flanks kicked by every enemy that appears. Are they the evolution of the EUP Guard? Or are both just the same?

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

This definitely beat AKR's work on "Filli Vanilli". She actually managed to work the entire Mane 6 and Spike into an episode and not Flanderize them or backseat their character to have them drive the plot.

 

This is definitely Rainbow Dash at her most relatable. I too learn differently from the way I'm expected to learn. I have poor study habits (by normal standards), suffer from high stress levels, and do not study conventionally, but I do score highly in many of my classes, even my worst ones, by taking a more active approach to learning and a more subconscious way of retaining information. I relate with the way the ReManeing 5 tried to push all those different methods of learning on her, all to no avail. This call for a more personal approach really has the potential to resonate. If only the people in education who'll replace those numbskulls who pushed through the Common Core agenda would watch this show, we'll have a much better education system within 5 years.

 

The technicals of this episode were really top-notch. There really was a different directorial style to it, mainly using new camera angles during the flying scenes, scene transitions not often seen on MLP, and continuing the show's signature trend of accurately and strongly parodying pop-culture in the scene with Pinkie Pie as a rapper, from the period-specific costumes to the aspect ratio and video filters. I expected that scene to be a show-stealer, and it did not disappoint.

 

The subtle reference to Rainbow Dash's G1 counterpart (and Faust's favorite character/Internet identity) was a great addition. The best thing about this episode is that we can finally go through the rest of the season without claiming Rainbow Dash got wholly screwed. It's been demonstrated that thankfully, all has not yet been lost for best Pegasus.

Edited April 5, 2014 by WindChaserPegasus