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But actually, I don’t think Rainbow Dash has had any good experiences with them really. I don’t understand why she wants to be a wonderbolt so badly. Plus, I’m pretty sure she’s better than all of them.
Spitfire wasn’t there to see most of Lightning’s behavior. Just because we, as the audience, can see something that doesn’t means every character should know about it. Even just about the tornado itself it shouldn’t cause massive alarm, since it isn’t specified how big or intense it was. If you look at the parasprite episode a tornado can be made tiny and stay in a controlled space.
Spitfire even called Dash out for not giving her a chance to respond before storming out. Once she knew that Lightning was endangering others rather than just pushing herself to be the best she immediately booted her out.
2. While it isn’t nice about Soarin the Equestria Games is a major competition, something akin to the olympics where you’re representing your hometown. If you want the best chance of victory you want to have the best team, and Rainbow was clearly a better pick over Soarin, even if he wasn’t that badly hurt. Not saying it’s right, but it’s at least understandable.
3. I’ve never actually been in the military, but this seems no different than any other way recruits are treated in movies.
4. Wind Rider is clearly a jerk, framing someone just to try and keep an old record intact. The behavior of the others is a little grating, but it’s understandable. I don’t think their behavior there is jerky so much as taking the situation seriously. No one would pull a prank like making their leader leave right before a big show, so it’s clearly sabotage.
Rainbow WOULD be the most likely suspect to try and get rid of a member for a little while, since she had the most to gain from such an action. Until Wind Rider’s confession no one else seemed to have a motive besides her, and there were several bits of circumstantial evidence aimed at her.
They do seem like they’re jumping the gun, but they’re also allowing her to go off on her own with no supervision to find evidence of her innocence. If they truly thought she was guilty they would have had another Wonderbolt keep an eye on her to make sure she wasn’t fabricating evidence.
If you take everything at surface level these episodes don’t paint them in the best light, but if you look a little deeper most of their behavior can be justified if not understandable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMiayNmoXYo
8:50
It is a restricted area.
Right, but the key word there is “restricted,” not “military.” If they are screwing around in restricted airspace, then they’re in the wrong, but if they’re just over a military base, they’re not necessarily in restricted airspace.
Sorry, but no. You just do not fly with a balloon into a restricted military area without permission.
Especially not during training.
Wolderbolt Academy is a horrible mess.
Airbase as in the actual active runway? Yeah, that’s a bad idea without clearance. Airbase as in the whole geographical area owned by the military? Often, that’s totally fine. Like I said before, there are even live-fire ranges that civilian planes can fly through whenever they want.
Just try to fly with a balloon over a military airbase and see what happens.
Exactly. Lightning Dust is not the only one to blame.
She was just a suspect in the “crime”. That’s not really accusing her, that’s just a “She might have done it” thing. It’s understandable that they would prevent her from flying in the show until everything is cleared up; that’s what would happen in real life.
I don’t agree with every point that kztxl7 is trying to make, but there are some valid things that he’s said.
“Incredibly clear” and yet your argument hinges on the assumption that the Wonderbolts would investigate who sent the letter. I can’t prove they wouldn’t and you can’t prove they would. Given how fast they turned on Rainbow, I don’t think it would go well for her.
yeah.
He did not say she would not be banned either because as you said the “burden of proof lies on the accuser” which they don’t have which means they’ll have to do an investigation.
Which is something normally done in these situations involving athletic teams.
Even if Rainbow Dash did not prove she didn’t send it, it wouldn’t mean she was guilty.
He was incredibly clear. There is no twisting of dialog.
If she proves someone else sent it before the start of the show, she can fly with them.
If she did send the letter she’s banned.
It’s clear cut and the only way they can prove she did send the letter is if they investigate, which everyone knows which is why Wind Rider went so far as to even plant fake evidence.
Edited
Soarin did not say she would not be banned either.
Soarin said “if” because he left it up to Rainbow to prove she did not send the letter. You can twist the dialogue into the most favorable interpretation you like but the fact remains that Soarin did not say there would be any kind of investigation.
The reason she is still a Wonderbolt is because now she’s aiming to sit in Spitfire’s office one day, and when she does, there will be some changes.
Actually, no.
Soarin’ told her if she could prove her innocence before the start of the show then she “could fly with us”. He did not say if she could not she would be banned.
He also said “IF you sent that letter” which implies that he has not solidified his belief on whether she sent the letter or not and implies that they’ll have to look into it and that if it turns up positive that she did then she would be banned from the Wonderbolts.
Edited
The Wonderbolts gave no indication that they were going to have an investigation or any sort of trial. Let me copypaste the transcript verbatim.
Soarin: Rainbow Dash, if you can prove that somepony else is behind Spitfire’s disappearance before the start of the show, then you can still fly with us. In the meantime, Misty Fly, Blaze, head over to Stormy Flare’s house and try to find Spitfire and bring her back. [to Rainbow Dash] I have to warn you, if you sent that letter, the bylaws are clear. I’d have no choice but to ban you from the Wonderbolts forever. Understand?
They accused Rainbow Dash without proof and demanded she prove her own innocence or be permanently banned from the Wonderbolts. That is wrong.
Which doesn’t really work as well here as you’d think.
Rainbow Dash was accused of suspicious behavior so they gave her a suspension from flying which is understandable in the circumstances. They were in fact going to carry out an investigation after the show but they gave her a chance, one they didn’t have to, to prove she was innocent before the show so she could fly with them. Even more so they didn’t give her an unbiased escort so it was massive show of faith on their part.
Edited
Ever heard of a principle called “innocent until proven guilty?” The burden of proof is on the accuser.
For #2, not necessarily. In real life, there are a lot of unrestricted places where civilian and military aircraft cohabitate (including unmarked live fire areas; any random aircraft wandering in requires the firing to cease until it’s clear), so it’s not unreasonable to assume that the rest of the mane six were acting correctly.
And this is the point I’m trying to make here. Your definition of jerk apparently differs from others.
I’m telling you to go watch it because clearly you’re operating with your memories of what you think happened in the episode rather than what actually did happen in the episode.
Spitfire was not there when the tornado was created. Spitfire actually contemplated the usage of the tornado and called it excessive when she heard it was used but operated on the good faith that they used it responsibly and no one was hurt when doing it.
“Repeatedly”. Prior to the episode we’ve only had 1 episode of the Wonderbolts acting like jerks. Called Rainbow Falls.
Edited
You know, repeatedly insisting someone “go watch the episode” when they have is annoying. And won’t win you friends in a debate.
Spitfire drilled into Dash about looking both ways because of the potential danger, but a full-fledged tornado doesn’t warrant any concern until someone was actually put into danger. Makes no sense.
Yes, he was a former commander. But so far we’ve been repeatedly given examples of the Wonderbolts acting like jerks, so the fact that their esteemed legendary former commander would resort to framing someone in a childish effort to keep a record just adds more to the “jerk” pile.
I think the thing here is you’re a huge Wonderbolts fan and you won’t acknowledge that the show has portrayed them as pretty jerky for the majority of the time.
Edited
You’re somehow denying the things listed in the picture happened? They’ll all completely factual.
This isn’t someone exaggerating things. These events were all clearly visible EXACTLY as described, in the episodes.
Edited