@ambient nightfall
Right off the bat. While it’s less of a problem than it would be for a human (and only looks otherwise because of the stylization of the art), horses do have sixty-five degrees of binocular vision directly forward–where it is important in a race.
BTW, on one of the Reflections covers, Evil!Derpy has prism lenses.
My assumption with them being around the same age is they went through the proper channels to become Wonderbolts; like they as soon as they were old enough they applied to the academy, got in and worked themselves up in rank.
Meanwhile Dash finds herself kicking clouds in an earth pony town where her old friend lives now. I a popular fanon in the day was that Dash dropped out of school to stay close to Fluttershy/was kicked out. Yet she still has her dream to become a Wonderbolt. She knows if she makes a name for herself she could become a member. Seasons later, she’s famous but realizes (or is told) she has to literally apply to the academy like everyone else; her fame isn’t enough to cover her lack of education. Since there’s so much more to it than being awesome.
So Dash reaches her dreams but nearly takes the long way around.
When Dashie moved to Ponyville, she probably recognized Derpy as “that filly from Flight Camp whose eyes started giving her trouble”. Lightning Dust was certainly not a close friend at the time–Gilda was–and Cloudsdale has to be a big city (and Lightning Dust may not even be from Cloudsdale).
I’d always assumed these ponies are familiar faces merely because the show didn’t want to make eight new ones for one scene they’re in Dash’s recent memory and they just serve as placeholders. There’s no other way it’d make sense; otherwise, they all would have KNOWN each other long before their early season appearances.
Pretty much, but I also suspect DHX thought we’d just like to see these ponies as fillies. And I did find it amusing, even if it means I can’t take this flashback too seriously.
@BlueStreak
Not necessarily, they could be like the type of people (or ponies in this case) who went to the same Kindergarten but didn’t really know each other and only became friends when they met up again as adults.
I’d always assumed these ponies are familiar faces merely because the show didn’t want to make eight new ones for one scene they’re in Dash’s recent memory and they just serve as placeholders. There’s no other way it’d make sense; otherwise, they all would have KNOWN each other long before their early season appearances.
@Master Fox
Dash did mention she was the youngest there, but only by a year or so. I’m OK with Spitfire/Soarin’ being just slightly older. I always felt that people made Soarin’ too old.
@Master Fox
Yeah me too… Maybe they’re still old enough to be considered a filly/colt, but very close to being able to be considered a mare/stallion, but Rainbow Dash is still considered a filly and won’t be considered a mare for a while.
I always thought Soarin and Spitfire would be older then dash. Maybe not a lot but enough that they would be her superiors in rank. I mean Dash was still considered eligible for the Best Young Flyer competition in the first season yet the other two where already Wonderbolts in full. Spitfire already the poster child.
Maybe that’s why she lost the gold status. Her vision got worse.
Yeah, fans noticed it the second the scene happened and commented on the live chats.
And then there were these made shortly after the episode aired.

your current filter.
your current filter.Right off the bat. While it’s less of a problem than it would be for a human (and only looks otherwise because of the stylization of the art), horses do have sixty-five degrees of binocular vision directly forward–where it is important in a race.
BTW, on one of the Reflections covers, Evil!Derpy has prism lenses.
Meanwhile Dash finds herself kicking clouds in an earth pony town where her old friend lives now. I a popular fanon in the day was that Dash dropped out of school to stay close to Fluttershy/was kicked out. Yet she still has her dream to become a Wonderbolt. She knows if she makes a name for herself she could become a member. Seasons later, she’s famous but realizes (or is told) she has to literally apply to the academy like everyone else; her fame isn’t enough to cover her lack of education. Since there’s so much more to it than being awesome.
So Dash reaches her dreams but nearly takes the long way around.
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Added the appropriate tags.
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this, but she was the best of all of them.
That’s one reason I don’t take this flashback scene too seriously.
@BlueStreak
Well, those few times since this is the progression of several competitions but yes, exactly.
Or it’s an athletic event and they’ve only met each other that one time.
Not necessarily, they could be like the type of people (or ponies in this case) who went to the same Kindergarten but didn’t really know each other and only became friends when they met up again as adults.
the show didn’t want to make eight new ones for one scenethey’re in Dash’s recent memory and they just serve as placeholders. There’s no other way it’d make sense; otherwise, they all would have KNOWN each other long before their early season appearances.Yet she never stops smiling. She’s such a trooper.
Dash did mention she was the youngest there, but only by a year or so. I’m OK with Spitfire/Soarin’ being just slightly older. I always felt that people made Soarin’ too old.
Yeah me too… Maybe they’re still old enough to be considered a filly/colt, but very close to being able to be considered a mare/stallion, but Rainbow Dash is still considered a filly and won’t be considered a mare for a while.
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@Background Pony #E258 IKR? I’m glad we got to see her again, though, even if it was just a flashback. We hadn’t seen her since Wonderbolts Academy.
@TJPones Same :)
Also how Lightning Dust is unhappy the instant she’s not at the very top.