History YMMV / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E10RainbowFalls

** If you play on the other team, you'll lose your friends.

** On the other side, Rainbow made a commitment to the Ponyville team and shouldn't decide to switch to a better team just because she doesn't like her chances. Since we're shown that winning isn't of paramount importance to Rainbow, and since trying to win at the expense of others is a dick move, as established in ''[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E7WonderboltsAcademy Wonderbolts Academy]]'', there's no good reason for Rainbow to join the Cloudsdale team.

* FridgeLogic: Fluttershy shows that here she is a reasonable competent flier once over her nerves, maybe not the speedster of Rainbow Dash, but fast and agile enough to clear the course easily. Her only weakness towards the team was the act of passing the baton.

** Many feel Rainbow Dash was in the right for wanting to go with a team that didn't downright sabotage their own chances at winning by picking not only non-athletes, but ponies that are handicapped at flying. As we were shown in previous episodes, friends are understanding, it's likely they'd have understood it was really important for Rainbow Dash to be in the Equestria Games. Instead, Twilight tells her the very opposite, that she'd offend all of her friends for doing so (Granted, it's shown that Bulk Biceps and Fluttershy would gladly respect Rainbow Dash's choice). It's only after that we're shown the Wonderbolts to be truly despicable.

** With Bulk's added vocabulary, always at the loudest volume, it's not hard to this of this as [[https://www.youtube.com/user/Yaplap Sorlac]], knowing for his "shouting" covers of various MLP songs.

** Once again, Spitfire is portrayed as a {{Jerkass}} for the first two thirds of the episode, and unlike "Wonderbolt Academy", she doesn't have the excuse of [[DrillSergeantNasty being on the job]].
** Many feel Rainbow Dash was in the right for wanting to go with a team that didn't downright sabotage their own chances at winning by picking not only non-athletes, but ponies that are handicapped at flying. As we were shown in previous episodes, friends are understanding, it's likely they'd have understood it was really important for Rainbow Dash to be in the Equestria Games. Instead, Twilight tells her the very opposite, that she'd offend all of her friends for doing so. It's only after that we're shown the Wonderbolts to be truly despicable.

* AccidentalAesop: If you play on the other team, you'll lose your friends.

* BrokenBase: Once again, Spitfire is portrayed as a {{Jerkass}} for the first two thirds of the episode, and unlike "Wonderbolt Academy", she doesn't have the excuse of [[DrillSergeantNasty being on the job]].

* FanficFuel: Bulk Biceps', a.k.a. "[[FanNickname Snowflake's]]" GentleGiant personality and his interactions with the mane six, especially Fluttershy, is prime shipping fuel.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Thought it certainly did look like Spitfire was the DesignatedVillain, one way of looking at it was that she, Fleetfoot, and possibly Soarin' deliberately put themselves in that role [[SecretTestOfCharacter to test Dash]], in which case she (again!) passed with [[JustForPun flying colors]].
** It helps that instead of getting mad or even upset at being called out, Spitfire and Fleetfoot are all smiles.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Aside from just Derpy showing up and Bulk Biceps being given an important role, people have also taken an interest in the Griffin Team... On the account that they're a Griffin Team.
* FanficFuel: Bulky Biceps', aka "[[FanNickname Snowflake]]" GentleGiant personality and his interactions with the mane six, especially Fluttershy, is prime shipping fuel.

* HeartwarmingMoments: The very fact that Fluttershy, a pegasus terrified of heights and known for being a very weak flier, competing in the relay. No reason is given for why she does this, though she does state that she wants to see Ponyville qualify, but it can be assumed it's because Rainbow needed three pegasi on the relay team to compete. There's no other explanation for why the docile, easily-frightened and non-competitive acrophobic Fluttershy, who has stage fright when it comes to flying, would want to join in the relay where she knows perfectly well half of Equestria will be watching her if they make it. And she does it with a smile on her face because she [[CharacterDevelopment ''genuinely wants to be there'']].
** She actually does give a valid reason: she wants to see Rainbow Dash (more so than Ponyville) win at the games, and this is how she is able to best help. Which makes this even more heartwarming.
** Spitfire giving her badge to Rainbow Dash was a sweet touch too. Presuming she really did lose herself in competitive vigor (and it wasn't a SecretTestOfCharacter as speculated above), that gesture seemed to say "You were more of a Wonderbolt than I."

* SpotlightStealingSquad: Much like "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E14TheLastRoundup The Last Roundup]]", Derpy's appearance is what a lot of fans remember about this episode. There's also quite a bit of time devoted to Bulk Biceps' antics.

* BrokenBase: As expected for a Rainbow Dash episode. Main points of contention include:
** Once again, Spitfire is portrayed as a {{Jerkass}} for the first two thirds of the episode, and unlike "Wonderbolt Academy", she doesn't have the excuse of [[DrillSergeantNasty being on the job]].

** Some people of accused the moral of being a rehash of the morals of "Mysterious Mare Do Well" and "Sonic Rainboom".
*** Or "Sweet and Elite," except it doesn't fit as well with the Element of Loyalty.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Imagine an alternate ending in which Rainbow, Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps ''didn't'' quality.

** Which is a moral you have to be looking for, since Dash's friends ''completely understood'' why Dash wanted to compete for Cloudsdale with the Wonderbolts. It's not exactly a secret Rainbow is a huge fan of the Wonderbolts, so small wonder even Bulk Biceps and Derpy took it wholly in stride. The only pony who gave her a hard time was Twilight.

** There's also the fact that while they were kinda jerkish to Soarin, they never resorted to cheating and only tried to replace one teammate (who has shown himself to be less than serious) with another who's extremely talented and motivated.

* FanFicFuel: Bulky Biceps', aka "[[FanNickname Snowflake]]" GentleGiant personality and his interactions with the mane six, especially Fluttershy, is prime shipping fuel.

* FridgeLogic: [[TheyPlottedAPerfectlyGoodWaste Writers' intent]] aside, was there any compelling reason for Twilight Sparkle not to be on one of the Ponyville teams?