* AccidentalAesop: Given how Twilight was willing to lend Rainbow Dash the Daring Do book from the library despite Rainbow believing otherwise given how she insulted her earlier in the episode, it likely teaches that some peope won't let something like insults keep them from being nice to the one who insulted them.
* BrokenBase: Either it's a fun romp with a great meta moral for the {{Periphery Demographic}}, or spends too much time on a dull {{Stock Parody}}.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Daring Do manages to pull this off despite being an in-universe fictional character.
** Screw Loose, the mentally ill pony who thinks she's a dog. She even gets another appearance in season 3, assuring the fans that she's at least on her way to recovery.
* FanficFuel: Unsurprisingly, Daring-Do fics began popping up within hours of the episode's airing.
** We here on Website/ThisVeryWiki are [[JustForFun/DaringDo having a field day with this trope]].
* FanNickname
** Some fans are already calling this the "Series/ReadingRainbow Episode". [[http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/02/read-it-and-weep-was-originally-reading.html As it turns out]] the original name of the episode ''[[IKnewIt was]]'' "Reading Rainbow" but it was changed for an as yet unknown reason, probably rights reasons.
** Other suggested nicknames have been [[StealthPun "Appleaday"]] for the doctor and "Barking Mad" or "Screwloose" for the mad-pony.
** Still others brought up the names "Reading Rainboom" and "Sonic Rainbook," playing off of Dash's signature move "The Sonic Rainboom."
** "[[VideoGame/MetalGear Metal Gear Rainbow Dash]]" because Dash would sneak back into the hospital to finish the story.
* GeniusBonus: Ahuitzotl isn't just some random name the creators pulled out of their [[UnusualEuphemism plots]]; it's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahuizotl_%28creature%29 an actual creature]] from [[Myth/AztecMythology Mesoamerican tradition]], and it usually looks like... well, like a weird-ass scary dog-thing with a hand on its tail. Now, how many little kids - heck, how many ADULTS - do you think would know what that is?
** Rainbow Dash's confusion over the character might not just be his sudden appearance, but a lampshade hanging of this fact.
** Despite being uttered by Rainbow Dash who tends to BuffySpeak, "unputdownable" is not only in the dictionary, it is often used to refer to books.
* HilariousInHindsight: Not to be confused with the episode "Read it and Sleep" from ''WebVideo/FriendshipIsWitchcraft''.
** Or "[[SpinOff Rainbow Dash Presents]]" from ''WebVideo/MyLittlePonyTheMentallyAdvancedSeries''.
** The episode focusing on reading stars Rainbow Dash. [[Series/ReadingRainbow Does anyone else hear a synthesizer?]]
** [[http://askrainbowdangerdash.tumblr.com/ This]] Blog/AskAPony blog did "Rainbow Dash as Franchise/IndianaJones" first. The first post was made about a week before the preview clip aired.
** Many fans compare the premise of this episode to [[AudienceSurrogate when they first became bronies]].
* NightmareFuel: When Ahuizotl is first introduced, the fact that his eyes are close to his snout is pretty disturbing. [[VocalDissonance And then it spoke like Pinkie Pie]]. [[SubvertedTrope Although the latter was because Pinkie Pie was calling out for Rainbow Dash]]. Random factoid: Ahuizomeh were supposedly able to imitate children's voices. And he first spoke as Pinkie Pie, the most childish of the Mane 6.
** Snoring Rainbow Dash may well beat out [[MemeticMutation the FAIC]] here.
** The death trap, which combines multiple phobias (walls closing in, bugs, snakes and drowning) in one evil package, is [[DarkerAndEdgier extremely scary and nasty]] compared to similar perilous situations in other kids' shows.
* OneSceneWonder: [[LargeHam Ahuizotl]].
** The mad barking pony.
* ParanoiaFuel: ...ceiling crocodiles?! '''No one is safe!!!'''
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: An episode about Dashie breaking her wing? That's an amazing idea! Think of the drama she would go through, wondering when she would fly again, being forced to live the life of an Earth pony until it heals...for one day. The bulk of that time is spent reading about a Rainbow Dash expy that ''does'' have to find a way to function without her wings. Likely not used because Dash breaking her wing and being forced to live the life of an Earth pony has become a DeadHorseTrope among fans.