Flight to the Finish, Scootaloo and disability · 12:13am Dec 17th, 2013
Now this was an episode with a story I can relate to, having endured more than my fair share of school bullying while growing up with a disability.
Disability is a subject which media professionals are often nervous about, and for a good reason: they often mess it up. The classic annoying cliché is portraying a disabled character as 'inspirational' because they doing something perfectly normal despite being disabled. To a disabled person that's not inspirational – it's just normal.
Scootaloo is a pegasus filly who can't fly – which is a disability for a pegasus – but it's no big deal. It is a simple truth that disabled children and adults are no worse off than anyone else. The presence or absence of a disability does not determine quality of life. We all have our own gifts and flaws so individual that we cannot be compared on the same scale. This fits nicely with the MLP theme that all ponies are equal despite their very different skills, and the fact that some of them can fly, some can do magic, while others can't.
It's easy for a wise grown-up to say that. But a lot harder for a young child to believe it, when they are daily frustrated that they can't do what every other child can do. Not helped by unsympathetic Phys. Ed. teachers and Diamond Tiara like bullies. A lot of disabled children have a problem with self acceptance.
Hence we need characters like Scootaloo, who may aspire to fly, and has her moment of doubt, but she doesn't let that hold her back, or prevent her from doing want she wants to. She knows what she can do – riding her scooter – and excels at that. Ultimately whether or not she can fly is irrelevant, as she is just as awesome either way. Just like her friends.
Rainbow Dash was also playing a good role model as the genuinely understanding coach. One of her most likeable characteristics is the way she always stands up for her friends, and however awesome she believes she is, she doesn't think any less of other ponies. It was nice to watch how she dropped her professionalism act and followed her instincts to help Scootaloo.
I'm now curious to see what sort of games they will play in the Crystal Empire.
I view it as simply as I do a toddler who can't quite stand up and walk yet. It's nothing to go berserk or freak out about; nine times out of ten, they just take a little while longer to grow into themselves, but eventually they do and then everything's fine. I'm pretty sure that's going to end up being the case with Scootaloo.
although there is something that I don't get. why don't they put as much emphasis on Sweetie Belle not being very adept with magic for her age?
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Have we seen as many instances of other unicorn foals her age being especially adept with magic, though? I can't recall off the top of my head...
It also doesn't seem to bother Sweetie Belle as much, for whatever reason, whereas it's clearly a sore point with Scootaloo.