I think the ending they wound up using for Wonderbolts Academy was a more appropriate punishment for Lightning Dust's "Who gives a flying feather" attitude.

i want a name, your majesty.

@Seraphem: Sociopathy isn't something that can be identified from a few incidents. I've known people who can be just as unthoughtful about other people's safety as LD and they sure aren't sociopaths, they're just extremely self-centered.

That said, yes I'm not saying she couldn't be redeemed. I'm just saying that it would have felt extremely off the way it was written. To much like she was simply faking it to save her own plot. If she had shwon any hint of you know not being a sociopath before getting busted, it might have worked. As is, yes I wouldn't mind an ep where she comes back and we can see that she legit wants to reform.

Again it's just the way it was writeen, it would have looked less like, "Wow, I was an ass, I need to stop doing that." and more "Oh shit, I need to say whatever I need to to save my ass."

edited 3rd Apr '13 7:22:00 PM by Seraphem

   Grrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh I wasn't making that face at you!   

We also didn't see any sign that she was a sociopath other than her disregard for others' safety.

edited 3rd Apr '13 7:22:20 PM by JapaneseTeeth

GASP

@Ace: technically, we all have.

oh, and King Sombra, i found fanart of you.

edited 3rd Apr '13 7:27:12 PM by crimsonstorm15

So what you're saying, Sera, is that any sort of redemption plot within the episode itself would have felt weird considering the way the character was written, and you would not be averse to her coming back.

I certainly hope not, Your Creepiness Highness.

@Ace: Like, oh my gosh, really?!

@Ace: Hey, Fluttershy didn't seem to know.

Welp

Pretty much what Ed said. I'm not against her being redeemed, I'm just saying the way it was written with the cut line wouldn't have felt right with the way she was written in the rest of the episode. Would have come across to much like she was just faking it to save her own ass then her actually learning a lesson.

If she had shown even a hint of thinking she was wrong or showing any empathy during RD's calling her out, it might be different.

Honestly AJ looks beautiful when she dresses up :D

This Saturday, Hangout stream with s1e13 and s1e14 :D

So, sports and fashion.

Twist! You stop being adorable this instant!

I think the real issue would be us not actually SEEING her have the epiphany, seeing her realize she messed up. We go from borderline sociopath who doesn't give a buck about almost killing half a dozen ponies. To apologetic, "i was wrong" pony who regrets it. With absolutely no seeing the actual transition.

edited 3rd Apr '13 7:36:11 PM by Seraphem

Yeah, such as it is, they wouldn't have had time to make that convincing. They had a similar issue (admittedly to a much lesser degree) with Trixie.

edited 3rd Apr '13 7:39:13 PM by edvedd

Yeah, I can definitely see how that might be a problem.

   Well... I have been making progress on that.   

   I suppose I should come clean. When I first mentioned a few months ago that I was renting an apartment, it was less of an apartment and more of a stairway in an apartment building. And it wasn't really a proper lease, and more that I moved in without permission, then after a few weeks I convinced the landlord that it would be easier to just charge me rent than to kick me out.   

   But that's in the past now! The tenant of apartment B5—a pegasus by the name of Flash Fog, nice fellow—has moved to Cloudsdale. Once I learned of his departure, I enacted a plan—involving a potted shrubbery, a pair of pants, my collection of jazz albums, and an off-color nectarine—and now, the landlord believes me to be Flash Fog! Apartment B5 is mine! Mwahahahaha!   

Uh...

I think landlords tend to be aware of people moving out well in advance, dude. Mine wanted three months notice.

I'm pretty sure your landlord is just humouring you.

So thanks to LittleKuriboh I discovered the Ebonics translator. I put in the fairy tale from the beginning of the series and got this:

Yo Once upon uh tyme, in da magical land o' Equestria, dere wuz two regal sisters who ruled together, an' created harmony fo' all da land. ta do dis here, da eldest used her unicorn powers ta raise da sun at dawn; da younger brought out da moon ta begin da night. Thus, da two sisters maintained balance fo' they kingdom an' they subjects, all da different types o' ponies. But as tyme go on, da younger sister became resentful. da ponies relished an' played in da day her elder sister brought forf, but shunned an' slept through her fine night. One fateful day, da younger unicorn refused ta lower da moon ta make way fo' da dawn. da elder sister tried ta reason wif her, but da bitterness in da young one's heart had transformed her into uh wicked mare o' darkness: Nightmare Moon. She vowed dat she would shroud da land in eternal night. Reluctantly, da elder sister harnessed da most powerful magic known ta ponydom: da Elements o' Harmony. Usin` da magic o' da Elements o' Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, an' banished her permanently in da moon. da elder sister took on responsibility fo' bof sun an' moon an' harmony has been maintained in Equestria fo' generations since ya'll is mad stupid.

@Sombra: How very...evil (?) of you.

edited 3rd Apr '13 7:51:17 PM by edvedd

@Librarian: That's nothing. You should try out Gizoogle.