I had so much fun drawing the entire Dash family! I apologize, though, if some of the colors are a bit off, especially for Windy Whistles. Ah well. :’3

🎌 SYNOPSIS 🎌
Determined to write her a report on her hero, Scootaloo finds a way up to Rainbow Dash’s hometown of Cloudsdale to do some research. There, she comes across none other than Rainbow’s parents: Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles! Through the young filly, the couple are stunned to hear that their daughter has achieved her lifetime dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. With Scootaloo in tow, they waste no time in heading out to cheer Rainbow Dash on in every little thing she does. As supportive and loving as they are, Hothoof and Whistles are a bit too exuberant in their praises – to the point where poor Rainbow Dash is left completely humiliated and reluctant to have them around.

🎌 IMPRESSIONS AND STUFF 🎌
Scootaloo going full fangirl mode was precious and hilarious. I think we were all as hyped as she was to finally see Dash’s folks. The only parents I’m more eager to see is AJ’s. XD

You know, Scoots has got an uncanny ability to turn out amazing episodes whenever she plays a major role. I mean, “Sleepless in Ponyville” and “Flight To The Finish” were both amazing character development opportunities for her, and now we get this one as well? She’s a great kid, and I’m honestly not surprised she seems to be the fan-favorite of the CMCs whenever I see her shine like this.

While her anger at Rainbow Dash didn’t last long, it was good to see Scootaloo not blindly support even her greatest hero. Considering how fanatical and obsessed she can be when it comes to Rainbow Dash, I really liked seeing that Dash isn’t infallible in her eyes. I think that’s an interesting thing to note, as some people take their worship to very concerning levels: it’s important to not idolize anyone to the point of ignoring their flaws/shortcomings. It took Rainbow Dash explaining herself for Scoots to finally come back around.

Her talk with Rainbow also opened up an intriguing peek into her own family life! It was just a tiny hint, yet it still provided great insight into Scootaloo’s mindset and her motivations, especially in retrospect. Whether her words hinted at her being an orphan, or that her parents are simply supportive/neglectful, I’m not sure. In all honestly, don’t feel the need to dwell on that much either. What I found great was that Scootaloo emphasized to Rainbow how your parents play a huge role in shaping the person you are now, and that no matter how embarrassing they may be, their love and support should never be taken for granted. You need to keep in mind that some people don’t have that luxury at all, and would give anything to have that amount of unconditional love to fall back on. This lesson absolutely needs to be given, especially in regards to the younger crowd who tend to easily forget that their family (most, anyway!) have their best interests at heart and aren’t just trying to stop you from having fun. The fact that Scootaloo was able to perfectly teach this lesson to Rainbow Dash – a child to an adult – was a clever development. Sometimes children can have the best insight, as they’re unclouded with all the little things adults can occasionally get wrapped up in.

And even though she became temporarily disillusioned with Dash, I loved that Scootaloo ultimately didn’t drop her love for her: she accepted that her hero was not perfect and had real feelings just like anyone else, and learned to appreciate and accept her regardless. Best of all, Scootaloo seems to have been accepted as an adoptive daughter of sorts by the Dash Family, and that’s beautiful.

While Scootaloo may have stole the spotlight a bit here, I loved Rainbow Dash’s role in this just as much. I understood her issues with her parents: she loved them, no question about that, but their constant and uncontrolled fanfare would get on anyone’s nerves if dealt with for an extended period of time. In fact, my only issue with this episode was how it cast Rainbow completely in the wrong. Yes, I agree that she shouldn’t have been so harsh with Hothoof and Whistles. After all, they only went overboard because they want to express their limitless pride for their child. She deserved to learn a lesson in appreciating the ponies that molded her into the talented and confident mare we’ve grown to enjoy. But the two of them were really over-the-top, and even caused legitimate safety concerns with their fireworks (at what is basically an airshow, no less!). Even worse, this problem has been brewing since she was a filly: because of her parents going overboard at every event she participated in, they made it very difficult for little Dash to properly connect with her peers. So, not only was she annoyed and humiliated, but Rainbow was also rather bitter at her parents for unintentionally causing her to have trouble making friends as a filly! Perhaps she was a bit harsh in her delivery, but her folks equally deserved to be told to dial it down a few notches and be mindful of the feelings of not only their daughter, but others around them.

And it may be a bit nit-picky of me, but it seemed kind of ambiguous whether or not Hothoof and Whistles truly understood their daughter’s grievances and learned to be careful with their support from now on, as they were embarrassed by Rainbow’s big apology. But, again, it’s a minor thing! I like to think they got the message in the end and will be more mindful from now on. :3

And of course, Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles were all I hoped to see in Rainbow Dash’s parents. Their designs were very unique yet still simple (love that Bow Hothoof was actually confirmed via “Games Ponies Play”!), and you can definitely tell that Rainbow Dash is a perfect mix of their designs while still having the couple stand on their own four hooves as individuals. A big draw in seeing the Mane6’s parents are the traits their families would have and analyzing how those characteristics passed down. But even better were their personalities: they were the hugest dorks! They were just as supportive and loving of Rainbow Dash as Scootaloo – even moreso, if you can believe it! Their unconditional love, support, and praise of Rainbow Dash is a great explanation for why she’s so confident and driven as a character. And even though it was easy to agree with Rainbow’s criticisms of them, they remained lovable in that they never meant any harm and were one of the warmest, sweetest, and easy-going coupes you’d ever have the pleasure of meeting. Not only did they adore their daughter, you could see how eager they were to accept Scootaloo into their little family. These two are entertaining, unique, and memorable characters that I really hope make more appearances in the future.

As a side-note, I really loved all of the Wonderbolts this time around as well! I only liked Soarin’ before now, but it’s refreshing to see the WB actually treat Rainbow with respect and kindness. For once, there was no controversy! They could have easily picked on her about her smothering parents, but they didn’t. Sure, they smirked and giggled to themselves a little (cant’ blame them for that), but they accepted Raibnow’s parents and even told them that they had raised a very talented mare. That… was extremely sweet! ✨ And give them even more credit for not telling Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles off when they were making a legitimate ruckus at the shows/events. They would have been justified in doing so, but they allowed it because they realized it was all unintentional. For the first time, the Wonderbolts as a whole were portrayed positively, and I hope that finally sticks. Also, it was a cool confirmation (even if a contradiction considering early episodes) that most of the members are around Rainbow Dash’s age. Even Lightning Dust made an appearance as a filly! Pretty cool stuff. ( ᐛ )و

🎌 OVERALL OPINION/SCORING 🎌
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

This is one of my favorite episodes that showcase the best of both Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. We got a really fun look at the ponies that helped make Rainbow into the strong, ambitious mare she is today. We also got a peak into Scootaloo’s family situation without it delving too much into the subest (I don’t mind that the creators are kinda leaving her home situation a mystery), and that she and Rainbow have a much stronger connection than we would have thought. She doesn’t just idolize Rainbow, she honestly wants to know all aspects of her hero. Good or bad. And that’s a true fan.

Bow Hothoof and Winy Whistles were both wonderfully designed and written. Their unwavering support of their daughter was heartwarming, and you just couldn’t help but love this couple. I really hope the other Mane6 parents get good characterizations, because it’s an interesting look into the main characters and why they behave the way they do. Kinda like how Fluttershy’s parents were the biggest doormats around, and that’s why Fluttershy struggled to finally grow a backbone. I love that!

Again, the only thing I didn’t like was how the episode painted Rainbow Dash as the only one in the wrong. Maybe if they had the parents share a small scene where they realized, on their own, that they had accidentally pushed their daughter to that point, then I wouldn’t have had an issue. But meh, it’s no big deal!

But this was an AMAZING episode. We’ve all been wanting to see RD’s parents for years, and we got a great look at them and their dynamic here. Even better, Scootaloo got a lot of spotlight and she’s been integrated into the Dash family. Highly recommended watch. 💕