I think that's right, Chem. As confident as Rainbow is... was she solidly confident until she met her friends? I sometimes wonder.
In season 1 she suffers from a lot of self doubt and anxiety, so I think she really was searching for a place to belong, or the right kind of affirmation of her skills.
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It's a good lesson.
DERPY! 
I kind of figured that was coming, what with the McCarthy tweets, heh. But it was still great to see, and she was so cute! I especially liked how when Twilight comments they probably won't win now, and says "no offense", Derpy smiles and shrugs. She knows she's not a great flier, especially when compared to Dash, but takes it in stride and wants to help anyway.
Bulk Biceps... well, I much prefer Snowflake, and it is pretty weird that they just kind of forgot that he can fly just fine according to his previous appearances. But eh, he was still amusing (loved the part where he just slipped through the ring during the actual race), and it's not the kind of continuity error that will stick with me and make it harder to enjoy the episode. I really liked the character development for Dashie in this one.
To Gep's point: It didn't feel to me like a repeat of Wonderbolts Academy, because that was entirely about her relationship to the Wonderbolts as an organization, and how that relationship was brought into question by the seeming reward to the pony who was advancing her own status at the expense of those around her. Dash's loyalty to her friends was not in any way a part of that episode's story. Whereas it was at the core of the story in Rainbow Falls. The Wonderbolts weren't being examined organizationally, or in terms of how they reward ponies for what kinds of actions, but in terms of what happens to the personalities of these ponies who join them and basically become celebrities. And Dash had to make a more direct choice between loyalty to her friends and her dream. I also really like the fact that they didn't have Twilight just tell Dash "Hey, this is wrong, you need to fly for Ponyville!" Instead, she says, I can't help you or decide this for you, only you can do that, forcing Dash to face what she had done and come to terms with it. The "choice" in WA wasn't really a choice at all. Her friends showed up out of nowhere, which she wasn't expecting, and were falling to their death; of course she was going to save them, and it was that incident that really brought into much sharper focus her misgivings about what was going on with Lightning. And, one could still take that action (saving those you consider friends from peril), but in the larger sense, choose the dream over the loyalty - she could have thrown herself into the Wonderbolts 100%, moved back to Cloudsdale, etc. Basically removed herself as an everyday part of their life. Whereas in RF, no one is in any danger, and she has to make a conscious, reasoned choice between the two, and we see she DOES choose her friends, and during her journal entry at the end, she states - with no ambiguity and no reservations - that winning plays second fiddle to her friends. Would she have been able to just come out and admit that so openly and easily in season 1? I don't think so, personally.
10 out of 10 for me. This season is awesome so far!
I kind of figured that was coming, what with the McCarthy tweets, heh. But it was still great to see, and she was so cute! I especially liked how when Twilight comments they probably won't win now, and says "no offense", Derpy smiles and shrugs. She knows she's not a great flier, especially when compared to Dash, but takes it in stride and wants to help anyway.
Bulk Biceps... well, I much prefer Snowflake, and it is pretty weird that they just kind of forgot that he can fly just fine according to his previous appearances. But eh, he was still amusing (loved the part where he just slipped through the ring during the actual race), and it's not the kind of continuity error that will stick with me and make it harder to enjoy the episode. I really liked the character development for Dashie in this one.
To Gep's point: It didn't feel to me like a repeat of Wonderbolts Academy, because that was entirely about her relationship to the Wonderbolts as an organization, and how that relationship was brought into question by the seeming reward to the pony who was advancing her own status at the expense of those around her. Dash's loyalty to her friends was not in any way a part of that episode's story. Whereas it was at the core of the story in Rainbow Falls. The Wonderbolts weren't being examined organizationally, or in terms of how they reward ponies for what kinds of actions, but in terms of what happens to the personalities of these ponies who join them and basically become celebrities. And Dash had to make a more direct choice between loyalty to her friends and her dream. I also really like the fact that they didn't have Twilight just tell Dash "Hey, this is wrong, you need to fly for Ponyville!" Instead, she says, I can't help you or decide this for you, only you can do that, forcing Dash to face what she had done and come to terms with it. The "choice" in WA wasn't really a choice at all. Her friends showed up out of nowhere, which she wasn't expecting, and were falling to their death; of course she was going to save them, and it was that incident that really brought into much sharper focus her misgivings about what was going on with Lightning. And, one could still take that action (saving those you consider friends from peril), but in the larger sense, choose the dream over the loyalty - she could have thrown herself into the Wonderbolts 100%, moved back to Cloudsdale, etc. Basically removed herself as an everyday part of their life. Whereas in RF, no one is in any danger, and she has to make a conscious, reasoned choice between the two, and we see she DOES choose her friends, and during her journal entry at the end, she states - with no ambiguity and no reservations - that winning plays second fiddle to her friends. Would she have been able to just come out and admit that so openly and easily in season 1? I don't think so, personally.
10 out of 10 for me. This season is awesome so far!
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^Great points. I'd also like to add that it's possible Bulk Biceps can fly in short bursts, but anything requiring finesse or grace is just beyond him. Though he looked positively smashing in that dress. 
Thanks. I'll probably modify and expand upon that little rundown I wrote and put it up as part of a review post for the episode. I've been doing posts for each episode of the season so far, but I fell behind, so I only recently put up a post for "Flight to the Finish" and then one more covering "Power Ponies" and "Bats". (SHAMELESS PLUG LINKS ALERT). I've got "Rarity Takes Manehatten" mostly written up, it just needs some tweaking. I'm hoping to get that and the two eps since then done by the end of the weekend, then I'll actually be caught up and can post about each ep the weekend it airs, which was the whole idea when I started doing this.^Great points. I'd also like to add that it's possible Bulk Biceps can fly in short bursts, but anything requiring finesse or grace is just beyond him. Though he looked positively smashing in that dress.
Anyway... that's actually an interesting thought about Snowflake (yeah I know... but I like that name better, so I'll probably keep calling him that.
). I doubt the creators had this in mind, and it was probably just a continuity slip, but eh, as I said, not a big deal. Gee, that kind of talk about continuity slip-ups is really familiar, makes me think of another franchise that I bet everyone here is a fan of... now what could it be...
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In that case, ALL SHOULD READ SAITO's REVIEWS. THEY ARE BOTH EXCELLENT AND PART OF A BALANCED BREAKFAST.
There. Now THAT'S a shameless plug.
Oh, that reminds me, I was rewatching the episode a little while ago, and I noticed two things:
1) The Mickey Goldmill (from Rocky) coach who was training the Wonderbolts (he's on Spitfire's back when they're doing pushups with Dash), which I thought was awesome. I took a screencap:
2) When Rainbow Dash is speeding towards the qualifier ring, Applejack has this look of apprehension on her face. Well, it turns out she's just taking a big bite out of her Apple Brown Betty and isn't concerned at all.
I clipped a part of the video and uploaded it:
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxsaa14TfmM&feature=youtu.be[/yt]
So many gems in this episode!
There. Now THAT'S a shameless plug.
Oh, that reminds me, I was rewatching the episode a little while ago, and I noticed two things:
1) The Mickey Goldmill (from Rocky) coach who was training the Wonderbolts (he's on Spitfire's back when they're doing pushups with Dash), which I thought was awesome. I took a screencap:
2) When Rainbow Dash is speeding towards the qualifier ring, Applejack has this look of apprehension on her face. Well, it turns out she's just taking a big bite out of her Apple Brown Betty and isn't concerned at all.
I clipped a part of the video and uploaded it:
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxsaa14TfmM&feature=youtu.be[/yt]
So many gems in this episode!
The new Griffons are great, but the fandom is coming up with quite a lot of names for them, think we need some official ones.
http://derpibooru.org/528561
http://derpibooru.org/528561
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I'm looking forward to seeing more about the griffons in the story ahead. Also, she's adorable!
Personally I had too many problems with this episode to like it. Yes, Derpy was awesome and made the second half at least a little more watchable.
But I have too many questions when it comes to this episode.
If you are qualifying for the Equestria Games, why choose two of Ponyville's worst fliers? Is there nopony else who wants to be on the same team as the fastest pegasus in all of Equestria?
And Bulk Biceps, I don't know why but personally I can't stand him, sure he's a little fun in very small doses, but an entire episode dedicated to him?
Oh, well, one can't like everything. So far season 4 still has been a wonderful ride!
But I have too many questions when it comes to this episode.
If you are qualifying for the Equestria Games, why choose two of Ponyville's worst fliers? Is there nopony else who wants to be on the same team as the fastest pegasus in all of Equestria?
And Bulk Biceps, I don't know why but personally I can't stand him, sure he's a little fun in very small doses, but an entire episode dedicated to him?
Oh, well, one can't like everything. So far season 4 still has been a wonderful ride!
I love Bulk Biceps with his drill sergeant yelling and his hummingbird wings. Fluttershy was hilarious around him. And I loved his high pitched scream when Rainbow Dash announced she had faked her illness
His name could be better, but I'm glad to see more of him. Everyone was great in this but the story itself was too retread, Dash should have had a more original setting for her choice.
His name could be better, but I'm glad to see more of him. Everyone was great in this but the story itself was too retread, Dash should have had a more original setting for her choice.