Some thoughts on the latest episode.

WARNING. UNMARKED SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE EPISODE "TESTING, TESTING".

Oh look, I am actually talking about pony. Fancy that.
So. The latest episode. Pretty interesting actually. I really liked it. I think it's one of the best, actually. I have seen some things about the DashLight interaction being good, which it was, people liking or hating Pinkie's little rap number (which was hilarious.), and Fluttershy is now best Celestia. But these aren't why I love this episode. I like it because it's theme hits fairly close to home for me. You see, this episode is, pretty much about Rainbow Dash struggling with ADHD, and it is portrayed realistically, instead of simply being the excuse for someone to be a cuckoolander.
The episode's central conflict centers around RD and her needing to cram for a test to allow her entry into the new Wonderbolts reserve unit. She must pass a history exam on the 'Bolts, and being RD, she is about as enthused with a history lesson as Rarity is about bell bottoms. Between that and her own ego, she brushes off Twilight's concerns, and goofs off when Twilight attempts to help her study with traditional methods (lectures, flash cards, textbooks, the whole shebang. And yes, Twilight was positively giddy to be teaching, at least at first.) Twilight, and the audience, simply assumes RD is being reckless and lazy, and in fairness, considering this is Rainbow, that kind of assumption doesn't exactly feel baseless. When a pop quiz shows just how woefully unprepared Dashie is for the test though, she panics, and starts and argument with Twilight over it. Dash's attitude here seems perfectly in line with Twilight's assumptions, and the argument turns into a surprisingly nasty fight, with only Fluttershy's intervention preventing things from getting REALLY hurtful. After a round of apologies, Fluttershy, and then the rest of the crew try to use alternate teaching methods to help Rainbow. And they all fail. Spectacularly. However, it becomes clear immediately that RD is no longer slacking. She WANTS, rather desperately, to learn the material. And it just isn't sticking. While some blame can be laid in the methods used, the core problem is RD simply is not absorbing the material. She can't focus on the info she needs long enough to learn it. This is most evident in Pinkie's rap. RD clearly listens. She remembers the tune. But she doesn't actually absorb the lyrics, she got into the song too much. This is all pretty much classic ADHD symptoms here. Difficulty focusing and remembering details, even when you are trying. Inability to sit still. A propensity to let your mind wander, goofing off, all there. But it's what happens next that drives things home.
Anyone who has suffered with ADD/ADHD will find the next scene utterly familiar. Rainbow, frustrated, angry with herself, and more than a little ashamed of her inability to learn, flies off, and Twi chases. There conversation is probably the episodes highlight, and it is also heartbreaking. Rainbow is convinced that her inability here is simply due to stupidity on her part, since it's the only reason she can think of she can't learn what she needs before what is stated in no uncertain terms to be her ticket into the Wonderbolts, or what will keep her out. This is all or nothing, and she KNOWS this. She knows how important this is, and she can't make herself learn it. Therefore she must just be stupid. Again, anyone who grew up with ADHD, and who still struggles with it even as an adult knows this feeling. And it's only made worse when you remember Twilight and Dash's argument earlier. Again, ADD sufferers will have had at least one instance where someone treats them as lazy or dumb, and it only reinforces the notion. It's an awful feeling, and we see it hitting Rainbow full force. And it just about breaks her. Last time we saw Rainbow this low, she was suffering performance anxiety. Worried that her all wouldn't be good enough. Now we see her when her all wasn't good enough. She tried. She tried hard. And she failed, and it's crushing to her. And when she finally just curls up on a cloud, not even sulking, just resigned and depressed, it's absolutely heartbreaking. Of course, things work out in the end. Rainbow ends up having a supreme multitasking ability as a direct outgrowth of her years of honing her ability to fly. (This is not actually implausible with ADHD, if she has an excellent memory and fantastic eyesight. The latter is a given for a flyer like her, and the former seems to be heavily implied here.) She notices things in her peripherial vision, and is able to store it in her mind in case it's important, and Twi uses this to basically teach RD the lesson without her even realizing she is learning it. Rainbow learns the material, and passes here test, and happy ending. But that bit in the middle, that was great, and here is why.
ADD/ADHD are a pretty serious problem. They are classified as mental disorders, as in they are problems severe enough to impair one's ability to function normally, for a reason. Yet, it is probably the most ignored and/or misunderstood disorder out there. Mostly because it's symptoms are (comparatively) mild compared to other disorders, and they appear as simple laziness. This led to a rash of misdiagnoses for a while, which in turn led to a stigma surrounding it. That ADD is not a "real" disorder, just an excuse for a child's bad behavior. This belief is stupidly persistent, especially with teachers. The other is it's portrayal in media. The idea that someone with it is just a hyper nut who is easily distracted by the shiny. Many people seem to think Pinkie Pie has ADHD, but she really does not. She actually has no issue focusing if she feels sufficiently motivated to do so. She just usually isn't. This results in a skewed view of ADD/ADHD even with people who DON'T think it's bogus. So seeing a character in a show display realistic symptoms, and react believably when they keep her from doing what she needs to do is a VERY GOOD THING for kids to see. Especially since ADD/ADHD really is pretty common. Not as common as the misdiagnosis made it seem, but disturbingly common nonetheless. This is a good thing for these kids to see, and more than a few adults too.

And that's why I love this episode.

Comments

[Blue_Paladin42]

In case this doesn't make it obvious, I have ADD. Very much for real. So yeah, I related to RD in this episode REALLY HARD.