MLP:FIM Newbie Dash

Today's episode is the first episode to be written by David Rapp, and he has already proven himself to be a good writer for this show. He co-wrote this episode with Dave Polsky, who has been writing for the show since season one. This episode was storyboarded by Emmett Hall (who started storyboarding for the show in season 2) and Thalia Tomlinson (who started storyboarding for the show last season).

For such a big deal as (slight spoilers, it happens before the theme song) Rainbow Dash becoming a Wonderbolt, this episode feels like a smaller episode. After the theme song there are no big reveals, and no huge plot points. While this might disappoint some I think it is the perfect way to do this episode. They have been building up to this for so long, that would be hard for anything really elaborate, or anything that feels big, to be anything but a let down. The relatively small feel of this episode also works so well, because it is handled so great. Rainbow is at her most likable in this episode, and it is obvious that both Dave Polsky and David Rapp really understand her character.

One scene that needs an especial call out is when Rainbow imitates her friends in front of the Wonderbolts. The animation and voice work in this scene is fantastic. She not only sounds like the other ponies, but she looks and moves like them too. She adapts the way the other characters walk. Vocal wise they don't sound like Alisha Ball imitating the characters, but rather like Rainbow Dash imitating the characters. Even when she does Applejack (who is also voiced by Alisha Ball) it doesn't sound like Applejack, but rather like Rainbow Dash imitating Applejack. That is really impressive and must be hard to pull off. This scene is truly a fantastic scene in a quite good episode.  

-Michael J. Ruhland