YMMV / My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic S8 E20 "The Washouts"

• Alternate Aesop Interpretation:
  • While it's important to let children make their own mistakes and grow from them, a responsible adult should make sure their kids don't make dangerous mistakes.
  • Safety regulations exist to keep people safe, not to put a crimp on your fun.
• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Was Rainbow Dash only trying to stop Scootaloo from doing something that was extremely dangerous and could have gotten her seriously hurt? Or was Rainbow jealous of competition for her affection without trying to understand why? Or some of both?
  • Is Lightning Dust deliberately risking other ponies' lives due to Lack of Empathy, or is she so overconfident that she literally can't conceive of the possibility that her stunts could end badly?
    • Is she taking advantage of teammates by getting them to risk their lives to fuel her own ego? Or is she honestly trying to give others like her a second chance at fame that they wouldn't have had otherwise?
    • Did she push Scootaloo into performing a potentially lethal stunt because she's willing to risk a child's life to put on an exciting show, or was she intentionally trying to get Scootaloo hurt or killed to spite Rainbow Dash? After Rainbow Dash saves Scootaloo from the stunt gone awry, Lightning Dust growls that if she knew Scootaloo was going to bail, she would've done the stunt herself. Does that mean that, despite forcing Scootaloo into performing the stunt, she thought that Scoots really had it in her to pull it off, even if she had to be nudged into it?
  • Is Scootaloo right to have wanted to join the Washouts to perform daring stunts like she's always wanted to do, even though it didn't work out thanks to Lightning Dust? Or was Scootaloo being way too stubborn by refusing to listen to any objections, even though those making them had a good reason?
  • Did that mare Rolling Thunder winked at even know it was a mare under that helmet?
• Base-Breaking Character: Lightning's behavior made her into one of these. While she fulfills her role as the episode's antagonist just fine, there's debate among fans if she went too far.
  • Lightning Dust not only doesn't get redeemed, but declares herself and Rainbow Dash "rivals for life" at the end of the episode (in what would also be her final appearance in the series). Some don't mind this because with more antagonists being redeemed over the years, it's refreshing to have one that doesn't reform, and feel that Lightning had it coming for both not learning her lesson again and putting Scootaloo's life in danger out of her rivalry with Rainbow Dash. Others are disappointed because "Wonderbolts Academy" famously had an alternate ending where Lightning Dust was reformed and stayed Rainbow Dash's friend and wingpony, so she warranted a second chance at redemption more than anypony else (especially after almost six years of waiting).
  • There's also disagreements on if Lightning's treatment of Scootaloo in the third act is in-character or not. Some see it as fitting for her given she was dismissive of putting other ponies at risk for the sake of a stunt before, while others feel that endangering a filly and forcing her to do a stunt against her will was taking her recklessness too far.
• Fanon: Spitfire being so gung-ho about how performing with the Washouts will lead to being in a "full-body wing and hoof cast, drinking through a straw" has led a few to believe that she was once in a similar predicament.
• Foe Yay Shipping: Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust, the "rivals for life". When the two see each other again for the first time in years, they go from glaring angrily at each other, to laughing fondly about their time together at the academy, to Passive Aggressive Combat about their respective flight teams.
• Heartwarming in Hindsight: In this episode, Scootaloo loses interest in the Wonderbolts because (on account of her being unable to fly) there is no realistic hope of her ever becoming one. About a year later, issue 81 of the IDW comic would have her hear the story of an earth pony aeronaut who experimented with gliders, used his invention to rescue a stranded Wonderbolt, and was welcomed into their ranks. Combined with Scootaloo exhibiting mechanical skills of her own in "One Bad Apple" and "Twilight Time", this would suggest that she could develop a workaround to her Dream-Crushing Handicap if she were so inclined.
• I Knew It!: Fans correctly predicted Lighting Dust would appear in this episode since she fit the episode summary of a reckless stunt pony and was 5 1/2 years due for a return.
• Informed Wrongness: Rainbow Dash is painted as being in the wrong in this episode because of how controlling she is towards Scootaloo's decisions. While Rainbow Dash was wrong for trying to force Scootaloo to look up to her, she had every right to be worried about Scootaloo joining the Washouts. Especially since Rainbow Dash acts as an older sister towards Scootaloo, and Rarity and Applejack trying to keep Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom out of trouble is generally portrayed as in the right because it's the older sibling's responsibility to look after their younger sibling and it's not really different from how Rainbow Dash is with Scootaloo. Plus, with Rainbow Dash being the only character who's worried about Scootaloo's safety makes everyone else come off as idiots, especially with Rarity and Applejack since they would to be worried about their sisters' lives be put in danger.
• Jerkass Woobie: Scootaloo in this episode does have sympathy regarding Rainbow Dash trying to force her to look up to something that makes her feel low due to her flying disability, she still comes off as rather rude towards Rainbow Dash regarding her trying to keep her out of danger of something that is obviously life threatening, and even openly insults the Wonderbolts, which becoming one of them has been Rainbow Dash's dream job since she was a filly and actually feels hurt by her insults since she is now one of them.
• Les Yay: Rolling Thunder winking at female fan who swoons and faints has left many with this interpretation.
• Memetic Mutation:
  • After her statement about Apple Bloom suddenly liking bananas as the equivalent of Scootaloo's situation with the Washouts, her sudden switch in demeanor regarding the situation gave one more entry to add to the list of fruits that are banned by the Apple family.
  • Spitfire's delivery of the line "FULL BODY WING AND HOOF CAST, DRINKING THROUGH A STRAW!" is one of the most memorable scenes of the episode.
• Narm Charm: The scene where Spitfire tries to scare Scootaloo away from the Washouts by talking about how dangerous the stunts they do are isn't really all that serious due to Spitfire's Large Ham yelling, which actually makes it fun to watch.
• One-Scene Wonder: Spitfire only appears in one scene when she tries to scare Scootaloo straight regarding the Washouts. The way she does so has proven unforgettable.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: The episode directly brings up that Scootaloo's inability to fly basically makes it impossible for her to follow in Rainbow Dash's hoofsteps and join the Wonderbolts. Lightning Dust and the Washouts provided a perfect alternative for her; being a stuntpony is a logical progression of Scootaloo's skill at riding her scooter, after all. Plus it would have been the perfect opportunity to give the audience An Aesop on finding something noteworthy to do with one's life despite a disability. However, once Lightning Dust is revealed as a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, Scootaloo gives up on the Washouts and everything returns to the status quo for her.
• Wheelchair Woobie: In Scootaloo's emotional "I can't fly" rant to Rainbow Dash, she states that being expected to look up to Rainbow and Rainbow alone (despite there being no realistic hope of following her into the Wonderbolts) was making her feel like she would never amount to anything. Her interest in the Washouts was motivated by her wanting something noteworthy that she could do with her life despite being unable to fly - so much so that she was willing to join a stunt team with a devil-may-care attitude towards safety.

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