Having read both prior reviews, I see how both reviews raise valid points. At times, the fanfic can seem to be a bit over the top, but I generally agree with the first reviewer (though I agree a suicide fic would have been taking it too far). But as the first reviewer pointed out, Rainbow has a Inferiority Superiority Complex, and to think that Dash might be hurt by Mare Do Well's actions is not really a stretch. The degree to which the town turns on her, yes, but not Rainbow being hurt by the whole events. We saw in Sonic Rainboom how fragile her self-esteem can be, and Rarity's arrival and showboating only compounded the problem, to the point Dash suffers a mild nervous breakdown. Rarity showing up and upstaging Rainbow Dash in front of everyone has similarities to Mare Do Well's actions, though to the rest of the Mane Cast's credit, Mare Do Well has genuinely benevolent interests at heart, while in Rarity's case the fame simply went to her head. Finally, I think the fic wasn't just meant to be a comfort fic with Rainbow Dash, it was also a defense of the Mane Cast's noble intentions. A lot of fans agree that Rainbow Dash was getting too bigheaded in the episode, and she needed to be brought down a notch, but the way in which it was done was poorly executed. There would have probably been a lot less contention if there was a scene with the Mane Cast attempting to point out Dash's hubris, only for her not to listen, and then introducing Mare Do Well in response to Dash's refusal to listen to reason. The lack of such a scene makes the Cast's actions seem mean-spirited and disproportionate. The lack of such a scene could possibly be put down to the episode's writer, a new one, just learning the ropes, or time constraints. This fic attempts to explain that the rest of the Mane Cast were not jerks, simply miscalculating. In short, while this fic can bear some improvements, its insight in the characters' actions are very well done, if not necessarily how the characters react to such actions. That being said, the fanfic No Hard Feelings also deals with the same subject, but is less controversial, and manages to both point out the flaw in the Mane Cast's actions without undermining the aesop of being humble.
Not Perfect, But Still Pretty Good
Having read both prior reviews, I see how both reviews raise valid points. At times, the fanfic can seem to be a bit over the top, but I generally agree with the first reviewer (though I agree a suicide fic would have been taking it too far). But as the first reviewer pointed out, Rainbow has a Inferiority Superiority Complex, and to think that Dash might be hurt by Mare Do Well's actions is not really a stretch. The degree to which the town turns on her, yes, but not Rainbow being hurt by the whole events. We saw in Sonic Rainboom how fragile her self-esteem can be, and Rarity's arrival and showboating only compounded the problem, to the point Dash suffers a mild nervous breakdown. Rarity showing up and upstaging Rainbow Dash in front of everyone has similarities to Mare Do Well's actions, though to the rest of the Mane Cast's credit, Mare Do Well has genuinely benevolent interests at heart, while in Rarity's case the fame simply went to her head. Finally, I think the fic wasn't just meant to be a comfort fic with Rainbow Dash, it was also a defense of the Mane Cast's noble intentions. A lot of fans agree that Rainbow Dash was getting too bigheaded in the episode, and she needed to be brought down a notch, but the way in which it was done was poorly executed. There would have probably been a lot less contention if there was a scene with the Mane Cast attempting to point out Dash's hubris, only for her not to listen, and then introducing Mare Do Well in response to Dash's refusal to listen to reason. The lack of such a scene makes the Cast's actions seem mean-spirited and disproportionate. The lack of such a scene could possibly be put down to the episode's writer, a new one, just learning the ropes, or time constraints. This fic attempts to explain that the rest of the Mane Cast were not jerks, simply miscalculating. In short, while this fic can bear some improvements, its insight in the characters' actions are very well done, if not necessarily how the characters react to such actions. That being said, the fanfic No Hard Feelings
also deals with the same subject, but is less controversial, and manages to both point out the flaw in the Mane Cast's actions without undermining the aesop of being humble.