Journal Of Good Animation- Top Bolt

This episode starts with Rainbow Dash in the WB academy talking about a big week she has planned, when Spitfire walks in annoyed that she has to stay behind for recruits week. Spitfire is used really well in this episode, she is a good leader but is still friendly enough. Oh and Rainbow has come to terms with the Crash name, Spitfire calls her it but Misty doesn't at the end of the episode, just something weird I noticed. Anyway, Dash is flying back and her cutie mark glows, it is a map episode, duo is Dash and Twi, location is Wonderbolts Academy to get a good joke out of Rainbow. They fly to see Spitfire drilling the new recruits, and it is decided that Twi and Dash will help them learn in order to get to know them. Twilight is put in charge of the classroom section to her delight and Rainbow is put in charge of helping to coach. We are introduced to the mane recruits in the classroom scene, Sky, the most confident pony who believes everything is beneath him, Vapor Trail, his wing pony who is much less confident, and Angel Wings, the second Make-A-Wish pony. In this scene, we get a few good jokes and we learn that Vapor is worried about the solo trials. Outside, Rainbow is watching Sky fly and realizes that Vapor is giving him boosts in order to support him which he doesn't know about. This means that Vapor is less focused on her own skills and more on Sky, who doesn't know he isn't as good as he seems. This is the friendship problem, and Rainbow and Twilight have two different approaches, Twilight wants to outright tell Sky what Vapor is doing, while Dash wants to keep it from him as it would ruin his confidence which you don't mess with. Dash is really good here and shows some responsibility and strength in her character, as well as being quite funny. They go see Vapor and confront her, she says that she was an only pony while Sky had a large family, she got too much attention and he didn't get any so she help him in order to become his friend, it is a pretty cute backstory. She supported him for ages while he remained unaware of this. Rainbow offers to help Vapor on her acrobatics while Twi helps Sky with his flying. Vapor does quite well and enjoys herself, while Sky struggles and isn't really trying. Sky continues to boast about how he is going to be a wonderbolt and how he is going to be picked straight out of the recruits which causes Vapor to break and reveal she has been helping him. He feels offended and feels she was trying to embarrass him, completely shattering his confidence. Twilight and Dash both realize they have messed up with Dash saying that Twilight was right as Sky wasn't even trying in earlier practices. However, Sky is now doing horribly and Spitfire wants to know why one of her most promising students is performing poorly, so Dash has to fix this. Twilight goes to Sky and compares his flying to her friendship, she needed to grow and practice with her friends in order to develop into the princess of friendship. Dash sees Vapor and explains she could be a really good flyer and Vapor admits she wanted to do this for Sky but now actually wants to do this for herself. Sky and Vapor reconcile and help each other with their flying. With reduced confidence, Sky actually puts effort into his practicing, and he is able to help Vapor with her aerobatics. They both perform great in the trials and we get a few good jokes about them potentially being better than RD. Then, they head home and RD has to head back due to an emergency. Overall, this episode is pretty great. Vapor and Sky are decent characters with a good relationship, every character is characterized well, there are a few different morals and lessons in there which are all good. There is some decent comedy as well even if it is in the background. The only issues I have are mainly nitpicks such as Twilight smiling when Vapor reveals her secret to Sky. Like, I know she is excited about being right but jesus Twi.