Yes, friends, now that our Couchbound Spooktacular of a whole month of Twin Peaks (plus weekend horror flicks) has finished, two things are self-evident. First, I can watch whatever I want (WOOHOO)! Second, it's been a decent while since I've watching any My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and I think it's about time that I changed that.Today's episode is a cute little Rainbow Dash centered episode that's a sendup to Top Gun.
It seems, after years of pining for the Wonderbolts and trying to show off at every event she could, from the Best Young Flyer Competition to the Grand Galloping Gala, she's finally of either the age or skill level (or both) to join the Wonderbolt Academy.
Of course, that doesn't mean things will go smoothly for our spunky overachiever. While she's there, she ends up playing second fiddle to another egocentric pegasus named Lightning Dust and, though Rainbow Dash is eager to excel and push her limits, Lightning Dust's antics begin to cause RD, the other cadets, and even the Mane 6 harm.
While not the most humorous of episodes, the lesson is fairly poignant and it's nice to have RD making the connections for herself without having to have it spelled out for her by Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6. In fact, it should be noted that RD has to actively push against the example given to her by her commanding officer, Spitfire, to do the right thing. Sure, it takes being knocked around a bit and a possible gruesome end for her best friends (who come to Wonderbolt Academy to hand deliver a care package), but it's still Rainbow Dash comprehending the moral herself and standing up for her principles, even if it might cost her the thing she wants most in life, being a Wonderbolt.There a few decent moments of comedy, though, mostly centered around Pinkie Pie and her obsession with getting a letter from RD (who is obviously too busy to write). I love how insanely codependent she is, in a non-Fatal Attraction sort of way. It really is the cutest bit watching Pinkie constantly open and close her mailbox, hoping a letter will miraculously appear via quantum tunneling or some such.
I also want to make special note of a few of the other cadets and background ponies. Not only is there another appearance of the roided out pegasus, Snowflake, with his trademarked "YEAH," but there are also two cameo ponies in the form of Manerick (Maverick from Top Gun) and Whiplash who is a Tom Skerritt pony (also a Top Gun reference), if I don't miss my guess. While not as cute as the Big Lebowski ponies during the bowling bit during that Cutie Mark Crusaders episode, it's still a nice nod to the adult audience of the show.The ending is a little weird in that Wonderbolt Captain Spitfire does a stereotypical "you've got what it takes" speech and rewards RD for doing the right thing as a leader, stripping Lightning Dust of her rank as Leadpony but not resolving things with Lightning Dust in the standard "everyone learns a lesson, even the villains" way. Instead, LD is just led off in shame and there's no hint as to whether she's been demoted or completely kicked out of the program. A bit ambiguous and that annoys me.
Still, while not the best episode, by far, it's still a decent watch in its own right... especially for Pinkie's antics and a strong show of character by Rainbow Dash.Man, I'm glad to be done with Twin Peaks. It's been so long since I had a real, honest choice of what I wanted to watch for the blog. Sure, it's probably telling that I instantly went for Ponies as a balm for my soul, but I don't care! I mean, c'mon... PONIES!
Until tomorrow, Potatoes~
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