Episode Re-Review: Daring Don't · 4:17pm Mar 26th, 2021
So after "Castle Mane-Ia" established a new method for delivering the aesop and also teased the prospect of a continued search for the keys, what was next for Season 4? Well, the short answer was not much. The search for the keys would not in fact take up every episode even just in the background, and in what was ultimately a sign to come the show would not commit to the possibility of a story arc. Dave Polsky was brought on to write again despite his track record in Season 3 being rather mixed (most didn't like "Keep Calm and Flutter On" and at the time no one knew how much of "Spike At Your Service" had originally been his idea, and even "Too Many Pinkie Pies" was plagued by a bad case of third act stupidity). This episode was the first (but certainly not the last) of Season 4 to be hotly contested, and at least one Brony reviewer seemed to almost destroy his reputation when he came out against this episode after having praised the first "Equestria Girls". About the only thing that made or broke the episode was what it ultimately revealed. So, controversy aside, does this episode hold up since it was the first in which alicorn Twilight would definitely take a back seat? Well, let's find out.
The episode begins with Fluttershy trying to teach some baby birds how to fly when Rainbow Dash zooms past, excited about the new Daring Do book that's coming out in a couple of months. And she's eagerly anticipating what adventures Daring Do will get into next. So much so that she doesn't pay attention to her surroundings and crashes into the tree, the baby birds flying around her head as a variation of the classic trope of having birds circle your head after hitting your head. Then, Rainbow Dash drops by the Golden Oak Library a few months later, anticipating the deadline only to find her friends are having a party. Pinkie Pie made up a holiday to celebrate, just like Spongebob.
Rainbow complains about not being invited only for Applejack to point out that she tried to invite Rainbow, but Rainbow was too busy re-reading the last Daring Do book again. When Rainbow points out that she's doing it to get psyched for the next installment, Twilight mentions that it was announced by author A. K. Yearling that the next book will be pushed back by two months for reasons unspecified. Rainbow is naturally devastated and complains about Twilight knowing this first, with Twilight pointing out how she was the one who got Rainbow interested in the series in the first place.
When Twilight then brags about knowing almost everything there is to know about Yearling (except where she lives), Rainbow proposes a visit to find out what Yearling needs help with. Twilight rightfully is skeptical of the idea since it would be an invasion of privacy, but Rainbow insists Yearling could always say no. Then all the mane six embark on a journey to find A. K. Yearling's residence, but Spike doesn't go with them which means this is yet another adventure Spike is being left out of for no reason.
They eventually arrive at an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest, which has apparently already been ransacked. Though Pinkie Pie thinks Yearling could just be a slob. Rainbow is initially only worried because that would mean no more Daring Do books if something happened to A. K., and Twilight has to correct her on how A. K. as an individual is important too. Then A. K. shows up looking suspiciously similar to Daring Do except she has a hat, glasses and a robe. She seems to be worried about a golden ring of some sort but is in no mood for visitors. Twilight then pulls Rainbow outside to lecture her about respect for other ponies' privacy, which Pinkie interrupts by pointing out some henchponies on the roof. They go inside and confront Yearling who sheds her robe, hat and glasses to reveal that she is in fact Daring Do, having attended the "Clark Kent" academy of disguise.
The mane six just watch as Daring Do fights off the bad guys while keeping the golden ring safe (at one point tossing it into a fire and then yanking it out with a rope and quickly cooling it down), only for Rainbow to suddenly shout at Daring and make her lose focus. The ring ends up in the possession of a stallion named Doctor Caballeron as Twilight exposits that he wanted to partner up with Daring but she refused. Daring also exposits about how Caballeron is going to sell the ring to Ahuizotl to allow him to subject an entire valley to eight hundred years of unending heat, which I guess even Princess Celestia wouldn't be able to dispel.
It's only once Caballeron leaves that the mane six feel like they should do something, most likely having just now gotten over the shock of seeing Daring Do not only be real but actually fight (plus, even if they had joined in there's no guarantee they would've made a difference and just as likely could've gotten in Daring's way). Daring Do fortunately isn't too badly hurt and even bandages herself, though she also weirdly refers to herself in the third person (or I guess third pony) as she insists she doesn't need help. Twilight and Rainbow Dash then banter back and forth about the Daring Do books and their canon, which definitely gives the episode a meta feeling even more than it already had. Eventually, Rainbow argues that Ahuizotl is poised to obtain all the rings and be able to break an enchantment, and Twilight can't argue with that. Twilight then insists they need a plan, but Rainbow flies ahead on her own before Twilight can think of one.
Rainbow rushes off and spots Daring Do, but she has to frequently compose herself by smacking herself in the face to keep from fangirling all the time. I guess she was a bit too loud though because Daring catches onto her and pounces on her, though fortunately Rainbow quickly identifies herself and Daring ends her assault. Still, she insists she doesn't need a partner and does the old "I work alone" routine, even saying the phrase word for word. Rainbow asks why Daring won't let her team up, and Daring says that because of her work it's better to trust nopony. Not for nothing, but she's not a secret agent on an undercover mission. What she's doing is not espionage. In that line of work it is kind of an unwritten to never trust anyone, because you never can be sure who's on your side. Here, it feels like Daring just doesn't trust others because she doesn't think they can be trusted. But at no point is there an indication that she was betrayed or taken advantage of by someone she thought she could trust.
Reluctantly, however, Daring lets Rainbow accompany her with no real stipulations. We then cut to Caballeron and his men having dinner at a campsite before they near a marketplace. Daring opts for a painfully obvious disguise with a hat and a beard made from leaves while throwing her voice, but it fools Caballeron enough to consider parting with the ring. Of course, the exchange is interrupted by Ahuizotl who sees right through the disguise in an instant. He and Daring exchange in a fair bit of banter as they seem to teasing flirt with each other, no doubt a sign of a great rivalry. And Ahuizotl has his band of jungle cats again, which he sics on Daring Do. It all ends, however, when Rainbow Dash gives herself away to Ahuizotl by shouting and Ahuizotl uses Rainbow as bait to distract Daring and tie her up. Already feeling guilty, Rainbow vows to come and save Daring as she's carried off, but Daring coldly tells her not to bother and Rainbow's feelings of guilt only deepen.
It's morning by the time the rest of the mane six show up and ask what happened. Rainbow Dash has by now blamed herself for getting in the way, but Twilight and the others do their best to persuade her by arguing that this isn't her and that they wouldn't be who they are if they abandoned someone in need. This is enough to convince Rainbow to try again, this time with what I assume is a plan. As for Daring Do, she has her hoofs bound to a stone wall as Ahuizotl leaves her with slowly rising water and pirahanas, flesh eating fish.
Of course, Daring escapes quite easily even though the stone bricks on her hooves weigh her down. Rainbow then swoops in to save her and tosses Daring's pith helmet to her as Daring is persuaded to let Rainbow Dash help her. Meanwhile, the rest of the mane six distract Ahuizotl with a game of keep away during the ring placing ceremony. And this serves as enough of a distraction for Rainbow Dash and Daring Do to lift the rings off their base. Daring then reveals that her plan was apparently to get captured, though she didn't anticipate the rings being so heavy. Intentionally or not though, she was a little too convincing and treated Rainbow Dash pretty poorly over a mistake she already regretted. It kind of reminds me of Tai's response to Izzy reading an e-mail message during the Digimon movie, specifically when the e-mail sounded like Izzy was berating Tai for letting War Greymon get defeated and Tai responded "You didn't have to be so convincing." And Daring never apologizes for this even though she really should. Even if she's new to having a partner she could try to learn from a pretty big mistake. Anyway, Daring and Rainbow manage to lift the final ring and trigger the temple's collapse. Ahuizotl emerges from the rubble swearing to get revenge, and Daring shatters the ring from earlier, just like Harry Potter rejecting the Elder Wand and its incredible power.
Rainbow gives Daring a hug and then Daring leaves to write her book. Rainbow Dash writes about the experience in the journal, its first official use. But I have to wonder if she ever mentioned Daring Do by name or if she wisely left it out to keep the secret. However, the next Daring Do book then arrives and Rainbow Dash is apparently featured on the cover un-edited (though with derped eyes), so I have to wonder how Daring works around that. I mean, Quibble Pants didn't recognize Rainbow but then again he may not have bothered keeping up with the series and wouldn't have seen the cover.
And that's the story, so what do I think of the episode? Maybe it is a little bit fanficy, but I feel like it's fanficy in a good way. Much like with Shining Armor and Cadence I can buy Daring Do being real and having always existed as such, there was no evidence either way to suggest she could only be fictional. It is kind of odd though that Daring Do looks exactly like Rainbow Dash just with a different coat and mane and tail (not to mention cutie mark). When Daring was just a fictional character it was already a coincidence, but now that she's real an uncanny one that kind of begs the question of whether or not she and Rainbow are related.
Daring Do is a pretty good character, well rounded. She's strong and quick to action but she's very rough around the edges and not trusting of others. However, at times she becomes a bit too much of a jerk when Rainbow Dash (or anypony for that matter) is only trying to help and she never really apologizes for this behavior even after her change of heart. Rainbow Dash is in character, though her better instincts take time to shine through given her initial concerns are only about the books and she doesn't care much about intruding on A. K.'s privacy. Twilight provides a good foil to Rainbow Dash, keeping her from being consumed by her worse instincts. However, the rest of the mane six are completely pointless to the narrative once they leave for the cottage. They contribute nothing to the story and you could write them out without sacrificing anything, Twilight alone could easily outwit Ahuizotl's goons by teleporting in short bursts and we know she can't keep up with Rainbow Dash's flying at this point. The rest of the mane six should've stayed behind, then that way Spike's unexplained absence wouldn't be a problem. And in regard to the popular fan theory that it was Twilight Velvet who wrote the Daring Do books (based solely on an award in a comic, which would an author receive a reward named after something they created?), well who says she doesn't still contribute? They never say how Twilight got A. K.'s address, but if her mom was A. K.'s editor and/or publisher it probably wouldn't be too difficult for her to obtain that information. In the end, the rest of the mane six's shoehorned in presence, Daring Do being a bit of a jerk at times and Spike's unexplained absence hold this episode back. But only to the level of a B+, it's still quite a strong episode in my book.
But just when you thought Season 4 had only Twilight's new role as an alicorn and the quest for the keys for story arcs, think again. "Flight to the Finish" was up next and would introduce a third arc of sorts with the Equestria Games. It was also hinted that it would be a very special episode addressing the prospect of Scootaloo potentially being disabled.
Yep, even though this episode clearly proves that both Ahuizotl and Caballeron are pure evil, the writing staff tried to make them sympathetic in the last season.
This is definitely a really good episode. Not one of the absolute best of the season, but one that's definitely fun to go back to.
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And much like when they tried doing this with Garble, it only comes off as a case of "too little, too late".
The random holiday party occurred only a few days after the event between Fluttershy and Rainbow where Rainbow hit herself on the head from overexcitement.
If you recall, at the episode's start, Rainbow chants 4 more months until the next Daring Do book comes out. In the next scene, she says 3 months and 26 days. If Equestrian months are the same as human months, they would be at least 30 days long, barring a few exceptions. So there's only a 4 day gap in-between the two scenes at the very least. That's barely a week, let alone several months. Gotta watch out for these kinds of mistakes when writing your reviews...
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Agree, it one of those episode that make you want re-watch