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

[Truffles 2,033]

Is it just me or does Twilight flap her wings faster than Rainbow Dash while hoovering in the introduction?

 

Good eye! The whole episode in fact she flaps faster than RD, and as soon as she lost focus and slowed down (during their last flight together) she starts dropping like a rock! This make sense since she still is trying to get the hang of flying (and in fact it was one of my fave moments in the episode when RD brought up this fact again).

 

I just realized we saw Vinyl's eyes this episode. Is this the first time we've EVER seen her eyes when she was a pony?

 

I do believe it is! I was happy to finally see what color her eyes were. It does sort of ruin some of the other fans' idea that she might be blind, tho.... She clearly was able to look at something with those eyes.

 

 

So here's some of my other favorite moments that make this one so full of win for me all summed up in one place (some of these have been other poster's faves, too! -brohoofs all around again!- ) :

• Twilight being able to sit comfortably on clouds - so adorable!
• Yay, Twilight's checklists make a comeback! (And Crazy Lesson Zero Twi makes a brief cameo!)
• AliTwi: "Hey I am NOT that tall!"
• RD, Spike and Owlicious' impromptu band!
• Spike and Owlicious leaving Dash hanging on her high-five after the horn gag - aww...but -
• This ep could have fallen into a dualing characters cliche, but Fluttershy bringing Twi and RD to their senses was brilliant.

  Also loved Flutter's "Oh not again" look:

• Loved Pinkie's triple "Woohoos!" Those are woohoos of awesome!
• Rarity's deadpan annoyed look in reaction to AJ calling Rarity's teaching method "nonsense":
• AJ: "Oh... Then you ARE up a creek!"
• RD: "I'm just too DUMB to learn anything..." Awwww.
• Loved how the shadows changed size on the roofs of the buildings, and the whole sequence was brilliant.
• Aww.. Mopey pegasi resting on clouds makes them into rain clouds...
• Pinkie's rock farm makes the script again!
• Rares: "Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!"    Who does she think she is, newly hatched Vader?
• E - U - P .... "Eeeyup!" So Big Mac hasn't been agreeing with other ponies, he's been trying to teach them history all along!
• Wow, Flutters looks beeautiful in that Celestia outfit!

   

[Solar Cloud 493]

I just realized we saw Vinyl's eyes this episode. Is this the first time we've EVER seen her eyes when she was a pony?

 

 

Either way, damn is she sexy.

It was not the first time.

[crazitaco 596]

This one felt odd to me, but in a good way. Something about the pacing, the angles, and the low-definition film moments made it feel rather surreal to me. It didn't feel like the typical episode of my little pony and I guess that's why i like it

The best thing about the episode was definitely the plentiful character interactions. The whole cast was there, but it didn't feel forced. They each had a role in the episode.

Fluttershy looked so pretty in that celestia costume, and i love that she actually decided to play peacemaker when the other two were fighting. Pinkie's old school educational rap was glorious. The episode could've used a bit more Applejack, but that's just a nickpick. (I love that she just flat out hasn't had to study )

The lesson of this episode was pretty good and relatable as well. I'm very much a last-minute cram session learner.

If its an easy test, i can look at a study guide shortly before testing and still come out okay. If its something like an essay or a more difficult test, I study it all at once, even if it takes me all day and night.

But if i try to study with plenty of time in advance, i just can't do it. I get fidgety and distracted too easily. Impending doom forces me to sit down and actually get my work done.

Edited April 6, 2014 by crazitaco

[NavelColt 22,880]

Title: Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3

Air Date: April 5th, 2014

Synopsis: Rainbow Dash is preparing to take her test on the history of the Wonderbolts; a test she must pass in order to become a member of the Wonderbolts Reserves. Twilight offers to help her study, but soon realizes that her conventional methods do not work.

 

~Chaotic Discord~ misses out on making a thread for a Rainbow Dash episode. Film at 11.

 

~Chaotic Discord~'s too busy being upset that there is no Scootalove in this episode like he had been pleadingly hoping for, to focus on anything else. Tantrum in interview with Oprah at 2.

 

--

 

This was quite the episode in the ways of character interaction, and animation shots. That is to say, even before the intro popped up, we got to see some Twilight and Dash interaction that we haven't seen in this amount of focus on just them, or in the amount of length, for a long time. Not only were they completely in-character, but the writers' took the situation and played their personalities onto it, making a very humurous, fun to watch scene that was full of character expansion and even some continuty.

 

'Relax Twilight, not everyone freaks out over tests like you do.'

 

'>:U I do NOT freak out about tests! *pouty corner*'

 

  'Lol, when you get test stress, you sing that shit up, bitch.'

 

'Yeah, I guess you're right. Come on, I'LL teach you. Good thing I have the chalkboard and pedastel already set up!'

 

The entire teaching scene felt straight out of a school session a many I've been in, and like many others have. Can't count how many times I overheard the teacher making a comment one on one with a student about how they're highlighting too much. And HAHAHA you draw that teach, Rainbow Pony.

 

And look at this shit, Princess Sparklebottom herself is teaching even further Equestrian History Including that G1 Dash's equivillent, Firefly is 100% canon and had to do with the founding of the Wonderbolts. Rainbow, you're adorable rocking on your chair like that, but this shit is incredible, trust me. Entire headcanons will be created and edited based upon that purple pony's words, this day.

 

>Delayed reaction,  thy name is seven minutes into the episode

 

Again, can't capatilize enough on the ace work interactions with these two, this episode. The obvious problem between the two being that, Dash was never incapable of learning, she was incapable of learning through Twilight's textbook, classic learning methods. Learning comes in many forms, from hands-on and interactive to simple reading and reciting of facts. Every individual is different, and they're best equipped to learn through a learning style that matches their personality. That's precisely what many of the higher-tier schools known throughout the country cater towards. After all, you cannot expect to stick dozens of kids in a room, do a lecture, and expect them all to be captivated enough by it to soak it in and remember it. Sorry, that's not how it works, society. Simply, Twilight learns best through classic methods of textbooks, studying, quizzes and tests, Dash is better to learn in an interactive enviorment where she can experience the things she's learning, not just to read about them in a book.

 

Very nice storyline, episode about best pony, and it's easily a highlight episode for Princess Sparklebottom as well.

 

  Oh no, my friends are fighting

Hmmm...girls?

  Girls?

GIRLS! SHUT THE FUCK UP AND MAKE WITH THE FRIENDSHIP!

 

And then Pinkie did things, amazing things, and I got a major Fresh Prince of Bel Aire Theme Song vibe going on which was glorious. So take that people who've been complaing about Pinkie this season. That blew out even some of her tier moments from past seasons, for me.

 

I dunno, Rarity was fantastic, too. Maybe I should just say this episode topped the Slice of Life category so far this entire season, brought a lot more Equestrian History to light which is always fantastic, as well as great humor, visgual gags, character interaction, etc, and leave it at that.

 

"Pinkie, stop rapping, that isn't going to help Rainbow!"

• SILENCE, ROYAL HETHEN. FUNKY TRIPLE PINKIE P CANNOT BE STOPPED IN HER ALBUM-BREAKING GENIUS.
• Wait, clouds change to rainclouds when sad pegasi sleep on them? Headcanon from canon visual aid accepted.
• Yes Pinkie, and I'm intrigued too. Because that hat you're wearing is FUCKING SCATMAN JOHN'S HAT.

 

Anyway, it was great that Dash found her own method for learning in the end, and I agree with the writers' description of how it works. Creative and very fitting. What her friends went through was incredibly clever as well as heart-warming.

 

*Sigh*, there may not have been Scootalove, but alright, that was an Ace Dash episode, and I look forward to watching all the Youtube react bronies who no doubt are/will love it, too

[NezPPTS 36]

 

• AliTwi: "Hey I am NOT that tall!

 

Huh... I noticed that line too. Have the Mane 6 even noticed that Twilicorn is slightly taller? 

[Misterian 118]

Okay, I like the episode, I like the aesop, whole nine yards, but...

 

There's still this really huge thing I still don't understand;

 

I still don't understand the need for this Wonderbolt history test.

 

I mean, I thought the Wonderbolts were only athletes, what's up with putting so much formality on an organization of stunt flyers? and since when were the Wonderbolts a military organization? they're stunt flyers! the show never gave us any indication that they were also protecting Equestria up 'till that point, so what's the point story-wise in doing this apparent retcon aside from fitting this aesop? was there any real hint that the Wonderbolts were military aside from how Spitfire was acting like a drill sergeant during the 'Wonderbolts Academy' episode?

 

I know Twilight said this;

 

  Twilight: "Knowing their origin and being able to properly represent them for all of Equestria is just as important [as being a good flier]."

 

but still doesn't really make sense to me.

 

I'm no expert on this matter (or indeed, anything, aside from hooking up electronics), so I hope some of you can help me understand this, but what real need is there, exactly, to know the history of an organization (like the Wonderbolts, for example) and how that's supposed to help 'represent for them properly'?

[Truffles 2,033]

Huh... I noticed that line too. Have the Mane 6 even noticed that Twilicorn is slightly taller? 

Is she? She still looks the same size to me.

I thought it was meant as as in-joke in that some fans thought Twi would be this towering Alicorn this season.

[MagicalStarSwirl 15]

This episode was a rather good episode. Its moral in good for kids to know, but its not really that relatable (Why is relatable counted as a wrongly spelled word for me? I am confused) at least for me since I just go with Twilight's methods. The things in the episode I thought were pretty funny were Pinkie's rapping and the fact that Rarity studies with fashion (Seriously how does that make any sense). Rainbow Dash is pretty damn lucky to have a photographic memory! T.T I wish I could study like Rainbow dash... 

[NezPPTS 36]

Watching the opening scene again, and you can distinctly notice that it already shows Rainbow's way of learning. Like, when she heard and saw everything Twilight did when she was flying away.  

 

Is she? She still looks the same size to me.

I thought it was meant as as in-joke in that some fans thought Twi would be this towering Alicorn this season.

Yep. It's a bit subtle, but you can definitely see a difference.

[BastementSparkle 20,326]

I loved this one! For starters Twilight was actually interesting this episode. Ever since season four started I've felt that Twi has been pretty bland. Not because of the alicorn thing, but simply because the writers weren't doing anything interesting for her. She just kind of existed, it's one of the reasons Rarity replaced her as my favorite pony. But this episode I really liked her, she seemed more real, like in past seasons.

 

 Everypony else was in character as well and I feel like they all helped to contribute, especially Pinkie. Seriously that rap was pretty funny. This episode was just humorous in general with quite a few funny little jokes going on. I loved that music party Rainbow had going with Spike and Owloscious (Is that how you say his name? I can never remember.) I found Rainbow to be really relatable in this episode. I struggled in school quite a bit because I had a hard time finding a study method that worked for me. Screw flash cards, I was actually required to make those for a lot of my classes and they didn't help at all. If I ever find them I'll use them to roast marshmallows.

 

 Great characterization, nice humor, a really good moral, wonderful animation. I don't have enough praise for this episode. I could probably nitpick it or something but I don't really want to. 10/10.

[CharmingStallion 63]

I absolutely loved this episode. For one, while it was technically mostly about RD (who's awesome!) it involved a lot of others almost as equally. And then there's the lesson in the episode! I mean wow our school systems could sure learn a thing or two from this episode! Way to go Hasbro! (or more specifically the writers).

I absolutely loved this episode. For one, while it was technically mostly about RD (who's awesome!) it involved a lot of others almost as equally. And then there's the lesson in the episode! I mean wow our school systems could sure learn a thing or two from this episode! Way to go Hasbro! (or more specifically the writers).

Wow and how the heck did I forget the Pinkie Rap! Wow, that's the one and only Rap album I'd ever spend money on!

[Pastel 7,630]

Also loved Flutter's "Oh not again" look: FluttersNonplussed.jpg

This needs to be a new emoticon in the forum! Edited April 6, 2014 by Blobulle

[raspymanic 36]

I'm surprised there isn't 100s of different pinkie pie raps dubbed over with different 90s rap songs, she just kills it :'D

[spacestorm 183]

This was very good episode.
I love those kind of episodes about two ponies spending time together.
Focusing mainly on two characters provides the best ground on building an extended interactions between them which I like the most. And here we have two colliding opposites resulting in even more amusing actions.
I couldn't refrain myself from laugh when I've seen how RD was doing everything but not listening the lessons and how it was irritating Twilight. It was as though I saw myself trying to learn but in fact doing anything but this. I just obtain the best results when I do things last minute under the stress.

 

Fluttershy really surprised me, in very positive way. Her reaction for arguing RD with Twilight was so much not her and very in her character in the same time. She really lacks of
such a proper use of her kindness to mitigate conflicts and supporting ponies so seeing her acting like that seems to be so improperly unusual.

 

AJ just won the day, her way of learning through the experience was just the most effective and most natural from all presented.

 

Pinkie Pie rap - I wonder if this didn't steal the episode, at least not for me, but it was really cool.

[Thaliel 116]

This needs to be a new emoticon in the forum!

I second that

 

should I be worried I DIDN'T memorize wonderbolts history?

Edited April 6, 2014 by Thaliel

[The Crystal Maiden 221]

I really really loved this episode! Part of it was because how easy it was to relate to: I've got exams coming up and have to do a lot of revision, so it was interesting to see different kinds of people (in this case, ponies) learn. I'm sure many of us have done the things Rainbow Dash did at some time in our lives: highlighting EVERYTHING in the textbook (I don't do that but I know many people who do), doodling in class, (I've done that loads) slacking off work, finding the simplest things entertaining when you're bored etc. 

So seeing as I myself have to do studying at the moment, it was interesting to see how Rainbow, of all ponies, dealt with it in her own way. When seeing all the things her friends were doing to try and help her learn, I just thought "Nope. That doesn't work for me. Nor does that." And I actually learned quite a bit about Wonderbolts history by the end! XD 

The moral was good; the idea that everyone's unique and does things in a different way.Plus, it was just plain entertaining. I loved all of the Mane Six in it, particularly Pinkie's catchy rap song, and Fluttershy being the one stopping Twilight and Rainbow's quarrelling. And Rainbow was so goddamn adorable all the way through!! <3

[Scootalove 10,689]

I wouldn't be surprised if this episode had some mixed emotions, but I loved this episode.

 

Having another episode of two characters interacting is right up my alley, I was a bit disappointed at the lack of Scootalove in the episode but at least Scootaloo was mentioned and she was in the episode. Seriously Dashie, you're too adorable when you are rocking on that stool like that.

 

The play reenactment of Celestia banishing Luna to the moon with pets and with Fluttershy and Rarity, was hilarious. Let's see, brushing up on the Wonderbolts history that I never knew about nor was I familiar with it was interesting and I'm even more interested in the history of the aerial team.

 

Pinkie's rap was funny and in character, I'm glad that the town came together to help Rainbow Dash study and pass the test.

 

Studying is Magic, check the episode if you haven't already!

 

[Hawk Moth 390]

I think that this episode was, by far the most mature one I've seen yet with the most mature message. I can't stop raving about how well the dialogue was written and paced throughout the show and set against the visuals. This is the episode that I'd submit for an awards show.

[Painted Lattice 131]

That was the BEST lesson I think this show has ever dished out!

[Rift enchanted 380]

I didn't know Pinkie was a wrapper. Well at least vinyl was in the rap

[Blique 211]

Best dialogue of the season.

 

Rarity: I am just the pony to help!

 

Rainbow Dash: Rarity, you look ridiculous.

 

Rarity: I am going to ignore that comment out of my desire to help you.

 

Great subject this episode! It tackled so many different methods of learning, and made use of friendship and teamwork for the big ending. Spatial learning, as Rainbow Dash exemplifies, is a learning method that is lesser known but highly effective. It's very fitting that the writers used it for her.

[Fhaolan 4,483]

I'm no expert on this matter (or indeed, anything, aside from hooking up electronics), so I hope some of you can help me understand this, but what real need is there, exactly, to know the history of an organization (like the Wonderbolts, for example) and how that's supposed to help 'represent for them properly'?

This I can help with. The Wonderbolts were originally supposed to be the Equestrian equivalent to the Blue Angels, Red Arrows, and Snowbirds according to what the writers have said in Tweets, con interviews, and the like. These are real life stunt teams that were formed from the chosen military pilots from their respective nations. These stunt teams are not there just for entertainment purposes, but are primarily a recruiting tool for the various militaries. As such, when you meet these pilots on the ground, they are expected to be able to talk with authority on the history of their teams and how wonderful it is to be in the military. If the Wonderbolts continue to follow this model (which all evidence is pointing to yes, so far), then Rainbow Dash would be expected to do the same.

[RockinRarity 1,605]

Nobody else mentioned the quote I kept saying to my husband after the episode was over.

 

http://youtu.be/GN5r71dGCS8?t=13m45s

 

Maybe it's because I married an Applejack lover, but she's been getting more love from me. I just think that it's so funny that her only solution to Rainbow Dash's problem was apples. Well, not literally. But you know what I mean.

 

Great episode. Laughed the whole way through. Twilight and Rainbow Dash both needed a good episode this season and this worked really well. I didn't like Daring Don't at all, and Rainbow Falls was... interesting - although Rainbow Dash has been a pretty good supporting character. I liked Three's A Crowd and the premiere, but Twilight's been a pretty bad/bland supporting character throughout this season. So, so good to see both of them in a good light.

[FlutterShiny 19]

I haven't been big on the last few episodes, but I loved this one! Terribly ironic and amusing that Rainbow Dash is Ponyville's biggest Wonderbolt fan, yet EVERYONE knows more about their history than she does. Also if nothing else of substance happened during this ep (and it did!), I would have been satisfied by the RD/Owlowiscious/Spike antics alone. 

[Misterian 118]

This I can help with. The Wonderbolts were originally supposed to be the Equestrian equivalent to the Blue Angels, Red Arrows, and Snowbirds according to what the writers have said in Tweets, con interviews, and the like. These are real life stunt teams that were formed from the chosen military pilots from their respective nations. These stunt teams are not there just for entertainment purposes, but are primarily a recruiting tool for the various militaries. As such, when you meet these pilots on the ground, they are expected to be able to talk with authority on the history of their teams and how wonderful it is to be in the military. If the Wonderbolts continue to follow this model (which all evidence is pointing to yes, so far), then Rainbow Dash would be expected to do the same.

 

Wow, thanks, that at least makes sense.

 

Still, I find it a little baffling that the show never gave any clarification that the Wonderbolts were military, granted, you could argue I should've seen that coming based on how, as you said, they're based on the Blue Angels and the like, but still, I think some clarification from the show early on would've been nice.