Pinkie's B plot was kind of essential to set up the climactic confrontation, though.

I didn't mind the Pinkie subplot, mostly because it is an exaggeration of what people actually think when you ship off to basic (according to documentaries and stuff ) and I found it really funny.

Oh god, Bronystate is talking about airing Top Gun.

Prepare your plot, Dashie

Oh god, Bronystate is talking about airing Top Gun.

Well, this was the MLP version of Top Gun.

Me gusta (Humanized)

the wonder bolts might not like Lightning Dust anymore but I can think of another organization where she'd fit right in.

I wonder if I'm the only one who's already contemplating Lightning Dust the Shadowbolt fics.

Top Gun - never seen it. Don't really have any interest in doing so, either.

Damn you I wanted to be the first to think of that one.

edited 15th Dec '12 8:11:56 AM by HouraiRabbit

Oh good, you're all finally done.

That was definitely a good episode. I'd say just a tad below the last episode, but it had a very season 1 feel to it, in terms of the plot. I'm not sure how to describe it any other way, really. Character Growth aside, I could honestly see this mixed into a pile of S1 episodes and not pick it out, whereas I would be able to pick out any given S2 episode from the S1s. Less emphasis on humour, I think, then simply telling a compelling story. Even the Pinkie subplot tying in at the end was a really good trick, and not something you see a lot in cartoons.

I really liked the fact that LD wasn't just a blanket evil or jerk character. I like that she started off looking genuinely good, and he meanness only came through development. Being ambivalent that she endangered the lives of five ponies was a bit of a jump, but beyond that everything else was a really solid progression. I also really like that they gave her a bit of a 'signature' with that stall drop of hers. That was a neat touch.

Interestingly, I actually thought the animation was pretty basic, though the episode doesn't suffer for it by any means. I just found it interesting that, in an episode where they had the opportunity for really huge animation moments, what with the flying and all, they didn't really push it all that hard. I mean, we didn't even get many new ponies - although it was pretty nice to see all our favourite pegasi from Hurricane Fluttersy, and Orion, and Omigoshomigosh that white pegasus with the curly black mane was SO CUTE! Plus it was nice to see Spitefire again, and in military duds no less!

There was definitely a lot to love in this episode, and while nothing really stuck out about it, except for the overall solidness of the writing, it's been one of the most generally, completely good episodes I've seen.

For those who missed it earlier :3

You guys know the Shadowbolts aren't real, right?

Unless Luna's been busy since she came back...

Maybe because of the flying and all, they couldn't do a lot more than the basics? I dunno, I'm no animator, but a lot of their time might have been spent getting it done at all.

Well, Celestia has the Wonderbolts, so Luna has the Shadowbolts.

They do night shift though, so Lightning better be ready to turn her biological clock upside down.

Oh yeah: Also, REALLY digging the Wonderbolt Trainee uniform.

@ Enlong: Pffft. Just a minor detail.

It also explains why Orion hasn't been around the thread lately

It'd be cool if there was a new chapter of the Wonderbolts designated for night work. It'd be even more funny if Luna herself started it, remembering the whole "Shadowbolts" ploy.

I still thought it was amusing that Dash used a Shadowbolts costume for Nightmar eNight.

Wait, what? Why?

edited 15th Dec '12 8:15:48 AM by KylerThatch

He's off at the academy. You can see him doing pull-ups in the first scene showing off the academy.

Whether intentional or not, I love how they showed that it takes a good deal of maturity to be in an outfit like the Wonderbolts. Anyone can be a hotshot flier with enough training but it's more than just that.

re: ambivalence at reckless endangerment, I think it was semi-plausible for a young and immature pegasus, maybe she rationalized it as a one-off or an accident, plus she was blinded by Spitfire's implication that she wasn't giving her best. People have been known to hide injuries on this sort of thing so they don't get held back, even if it would endanger themselves (there's always a story about a guy who tried to hide being bitten by a Recluse until he had to have emergency care done on the gigantic swollen bite). So maybe a little absurd but more likely than one might expect.

Huh. Didn't notice that.

edited 15th Dec '12 8:17:24 AM by KylerThatch

Twiyawn.gif :3

I didn't mind the Pinkie subplot too much. I think she was a bit exaggerated, but it could have been a lot worse.

My only other issue is that I think LD jumped from over competitive jerk to not giving a crap about the lives of other ponies a bit too quickly. That and I kinda wish they had differentiated her personality from RD's a bit more.