Lightning isn't as bad a pony as she seems. Okay?

First off thank you for taking the time to read. I greatly appreciate it.

A lot of people believe that the mane 5 are always in the right.

They believe that any course of action the mane 5 take puts them in the complete and utter right. I say mane 5 because very few people give a damn about Fluttershy (who I believe is right most of the time but is ignored in favour of the other ponies when it is clear their opinions would have worse outcomes. Look at bats.)

They believe that the mane 5 are the only ponies that really matter. That as "mane characters" they are the only ponies the world gives a damn about.

Ponies like Lyra, Bonbon and Dj pon 3? They probably have just as complex and traumatic backstories as the mane 5 but no, no pony gives a hoot in the world about them.

Their opinions mean nothing, even though they are at least to me just as useful to society as the so called mane 5.

Allow me to explain please.

As demonstrated by Miss Pommel, other ponies can easily represent the elements of harmony. It is made clear after the events of Rarity takes Manehattan that she had a change of heart when she turned against her cruel employer. She would later remember the lesson of generosity in made in manehattan, when she wanted to put on a show to encourage ponies to work together in the city.

To put it simply, she essentially became a second element of Generosity, probably capable of wielding the element of Generosity were Rarity to ever be absent from the scene.

That, and the fact she is now using her newly learned lesson to improve the bleak, rough city of manehattan makes her far from useless.

Vinyl scratch has a lot of potential. It is shown that her music makes many ponies around her happy. In the movie Rainbow Rocks, the human version of her even helped the Humane 5 in a situation that they otherwise could not escape from.

Despite being a mare of few words, she is at least on par with Pinkie Pie as best party thrower and/or entertainer in Ponyville if not most of Equestria. She could quite easily have been the bearer for the element of joy and laughter in an alternate timeline (the cutie remark 2 wink wink) just as Coco would make a good element of generosity.

Her inability to say words also gives a lot of character potential which is sadly never used. Sadly she is never more than a gag.

Those are just two examples. Other seemingly unimportant characters have been shown to be far from useless yet they have never been given a voice or chance to express their opinions. I reckon that if the show writers were tapped for ideas, they could begin by giving these poor, neglected "Side characters" a voice and background.

But that's beside the point.

My point is that Lightning Dust is not evil and to me at least, certainly deserves a second chance far more than many other characters who deserved one far less.
To paraphrase. Ponies like Starlight Glimmer and Sunset did what they did because they had a selfish grudge and deliberately wanted to hurt others simply to feel superior themselves. Starlight was in fact almost willing to destroy Equestria just to spite Twilight.

Yet Twilight forgave them almost on a whim. They suffered very little if any consequence (being treated like an outcast for a short while in the case of Sunset, does not really count as that much of a consequence considering how bad her actions were and how quickly she was forgiven)

Lightning Dust did what she did because of an unfortunate accident. As far as I could see at least, she had no way of telling that Twilight and the others would be flying past at that exact moment.

And now let me ask you this.

What would have happened if Twilight and the others were not there in that time and place.

The answer. The tornado would have damaged nothing. The tornado would have cleared up the entire field of clouds like it was supposed to causing no damage whatsoever and then Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash would have been given top marks for setting yet another academy record. And Spitfire would probably have praised Lightning for her actions.

Lightning didn't seem like a bad pony to me. She wasn't simply trying to win herself but to get both her and Rainbow Dash through Wonderbolt academy so that they could both become Wonderbolts. Not once did she exhibit any ill intent towards Dash or other students.

Yes okay she overtook and caused those few students to go a bit off course but Lightning probably calculated beforehand that it would cause very superficial if any damage if she overtook. She did wait a while before overtaking if you watch that scene very closely and from the other scenes, she seemed very eager to be friends and partners with Rainbow Dash and seemed to enjoy Dash's company greatly (she probably gave Dash the tour around the academy)

Dash did state that the tornado could be dangerous, but she only said one line about it. If she really cared she would have done more than give one line of warning to Lightning and taken some blame herself instead of shifting the blame onto Lightning.

Be honest, the tornado would have been a lot less powerful if Dash hadn't helped Lightning make it in the first place.

Lightning didn't seem as arrogant as some people claim. Not to me anyway. She didn't really brag that much in the episode and putting the Dizzitron to max level was not exactly a reckless behavior. If anything, I think of Lightning as the student who aims for A star by practicing constantly to try and better themselves which is a very respectable thing considering one of the Wonderbolt's main jobs may well be to save lives and take part in dangerous missions to protect others.
Lightning is training herself so she might one day save other's lives with her skill and if that's the case, sometimes you have to go by that old saying "Take a chance and risk everything or play it safe and lose out."

Many fics I read say that Lightning will come back for revenge against Dash. I don't think Lightning's that type of pony at all. Like I said, Lightning's not another Starlight or Sunset. She did say it was awesome after the tornado, I admit.
But I don't think she meant it in the way some think.

I think what she meant was that it was awesome no pony got hurt or worse killed because of her reckless mistake she had no control over (It was shown that she got tossed by the tornado and was therefore probably too dizzy to help. She probably would have helped if she was able to.)

She took one look back at Dash and Spitfire as she was carried away. But I don't think it was a look of hatred.

I think it was more a look of "I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. I'm willing to accept whatever punishment you give me. And I hope you keep doing well without me Dash. I hope you make it even if I won't. Good luck until I see you again. You were a great partner."

I hate the cliche of where every single new kid a main character meets at school/work/whatever turns out to be evil and is then kicked out of the show in the first episode they get introduced in. It gives the vibe that "status quo is god" (which is not true in real life at all) and opens no doors for new and exhilarating plots and tear jerking backstories which are vital if you want to make the other citizens besides the mane characters look like solid, real ponies with actual personality and depth.

Side characters are not one note emotionless helpless damsels in distress and should not be portrayed as such.

Rainbow Dash was not at her most like-able in that episode at all.

Have you ever heard that song "If I got locked away and we lost it all today, tell me honestly would you still love me the same? If I showed you my flaws if I couldn't be strong tell me honestly would you still love me the same?"

Because it sums up my problems with Rainbow Dash perfectly in Wonderbolts academy. She really did not value Lightning whatsoever as a partner and was not willing to do any of the things a good partner would have done as shown in the song.

Rainbow Dash did not react in the slightest bit sympathetic as Lightning was led away to who knows what. (The fact guards were escorting her away implies she wasn't simply kicked out of the academy and what really happened was far far worse.) She simply went "Oh my gosh" with a big grin as Lightning's badge was put onto her and seemed even to be rejoicing in Lightning's misery. Rainbow did next to nothing to earn that badge. Saying a few words about how recklessness is bad and then guilt tripping by threatening to leave doesn't make you much better when you were just as involved in the incident as your partner.

People say Lightning didn't apologies but Rainbow didn't either. She was not shown once in the episode apologizing to her friends. If she was any better than Lightning then I think she should at least have said sorry. Plus saying sorry is nothing but empty words unless you do something to show you've changed. Rainbow didn't earn her badge, she took it from Lightning's dead body as a metaphor. Lightning's loss was Rainbow's gain.

Some time passed between Rainbow going to Spitfire's office and coming back out. Lightning may have attempted to apologise then or she might not have. Or may the guards dragged her away and she didn't have a chance to say sorry.
Either way she didn't protest when Spitfire snatched the badge away (she looked a bit shocked but that was it) so she probably at least felt some regret for her actions.

It was also made excruciatingly clear throughout the episode that Rainbow was very jealous of Lightning for having the lead pony badge. Yet she never asked for Lightning to simply hand over the badge. With how eager Lightning appeared to be partners with Rainbow, I'm sure she would have been reasonable enough to negotiate with Dash. Instead in a sneaky underhanded way, Rainbow pushed all the blame onto Lightning so that when Lightning was gone, she could have the badge all to herself (just as she would have had the ticket all to herself in Ticket master without intervention from her friends)

I don't think Lightning wants revenge on Rainbow. Lightning did not look like a bad pony as I stated.

Many people say Lightning is a foil of Rainbow Dash but I disagree. I like to think that Lightning was much more closer in personality to Fluttershy than Rainbow Dash.

Lightning didn't really say much to the other cadets not because she didn't like them but probably because they treated her badly or she was too shy.

She was able to open up to Dash because Dash seemed trustworthy enough in her eyes, and she was able to open up to Spitfire because she thought Spitfire was a reasonable authority figure.

If Lightning was kicked out of the academy, she's probably moved on to bigger and better things now.

Any negative feelings she had left from the tornado would be on herself rather than on Dash.

Not to mention, former "villains" or antagonists are often more powerful than the mane 6.

Starlight and Sunset are both even more gifted in magic than Twilight.

Diamond tiara has more influence (in ponyville at least) than any of the other fillies in the cmc's class.

Cheese sandwich was shown to be an even better party thrower (or at least on par with) than Pinkie.

Discord. Not exactly a hero but reformed. Need I say more.

It's ironic but often true. A lot like in rpg games. Few villains can be recruited but the ones who can are often the most devastating weapons a hero could ask for.

This is the case with Lightning, who provided she is still the hard working, dedicated go getter she was back in Wonderbolts academy is still at least as good as if not better than Rainbow Dash as a flyer.
Even better is that unlike Sunset or Starlight, she had no ill intent to begin with and no grudge against the mane 6 whatsoever.

The team could really benefit from a master flyer like Lightning Dust, able to overtake even Rainbow Dash.

Already Starlight Glimmer has given the team an even more powerful magic user than Twilight. Why stop there.

Comments

[TheRoc11]

Great job , it totally made me see that episode and character in a new light. .

Great stuff , got me a little emotional.