So, apparently I'm one of the few that didn't like this episode. So I have decided to write down my thoughts about this episode.

It started out OK enough, but nothing I found particularly funny. Bulk Biceps just seemed, from the start, like they were trying too hard with the "YEAH" personality thing, instead of trying to think of new ways to make him entertaining. But really there was a bigger problem with his character... Why couldn't he fly? He was in the Wonderbolts Academy, and flew pretty proficiently, so... what happened?

So then they "explain" why nopony else could be on Dash's team, that the rules state that ponies can only be on one team... So... you can't compete in any other competition other than one? Maybe this is for sake of being fair, but this would imply that the entirety of the Equestria Games is team sports... Do they not have individual sports too? And if so, could they compete in those? I don't know, the whole Equestria Games rules seem iffy to me. It seemed like a forced way to place Dash in that situation. On the plus side, Dash's arrogance is pretty on point, and up to this point I feel like all the characters are pretty spot on (and I did like the cheerleaders). Also the other thing that confused me is that they seemed to have plenty of Pegasii in Ponyville during Hurricane Fluttershy. They seemed to only focus on a spare few popular background ponies and leave all the rest to the wayside. I'd have been happier if they chose another BG pegasus rather than Bulk (but I guess they wanted to name and use him since apparently that is what they thought fans wanted?).

Oh right and the setting was awesome. I kinda want to know more about the Rainbow Falls area.

The interim was more boring than bad... Then we have the Wonderbolts riding Sorin' hard, and in all the yelling he gets distracted by... cheerleaders? Surely he has had them before, along with stadiums full of screaming fans. I don't know, I just don't buy how he got injured, but it happened so that starts the conflict... Soarin' has an injured wing and can't do the qualifiers. Then the Wonderbolts being jerks, but I can buy that especially since we didn't have any characterization for Fleetfoot, and in the Wonderbolts academy Spitfire seemed more interested in results than morals (but you'd think she would have learned something after that, but I can buy that she didn't).

Then we have... Sweet and Elite Rainbow Dash edition? I preferred this with Rarity, but more because they took advantage of how taxing it was on her and everyone else was seeing how tired and flustered she was. The only one who noticed here was Twilight (which is believable, she was the first to realize what was going on with Rarity as well or at least piece it together). Here she lightly chides RD. Also Micky was Spitfire's trainer.

"More fun training with the winners than with the nonwinners." I actually understand the sentiment since she is able to push herself further making her a bit selfish (which Twi points out), which she has been shown to be, but she has also been shown to have grown in that respect. Was it because it was the Wonderbolts?

The next part is what really annoyed me for two reasons... 1) They lied for no reason. They are a professional sports team. How hard would it have been to say that "Sorin' needs to rest and we don't want him taxing an already injured wing?" It happens all the time in sports, the health of the athlete takes precedence to the competition (and as we have seen too many times not taking said precautions leads to disaster). 2) Do they not have any alternates? No secondary Wonderbolts who aren't on the team? Nothing? They had to ask RD? And again this wouldn't be an issue even remotely if ponies were allowed to compete in multiple competitions (again still questioning that rule but by this point I accept it as a contrived reason to create the conflict that will arise).

And there it is "Fly with us or fly with them." RD's dream... which she seemed ready to give up last we saw the Wonderbolts... I liked Wonderbolt Academy for the growth that RD went through and this set up seems to cheapen it, since she chose integrity and her friends over becoming a Wonderbolt (only to be told that she was right by Spitfire, which again both grew and that growth seems to be thrown out here and we do the same song and dance). Now she has the SAME situation and is conflicted? I don't get it.

Friends being good friends! Woo! Making Dash feel bad... Then DERPY! Well I don't exactly like Derpy, I have no issues with the character but I'm not as crazy about her as others. But why did she just stand there waving a flag? I'd have liked it better if she actually showed some concern. They didn't even need to do anything other than her drop the flag and show it on her face rather than look cute and oblivious. (I initially overlooked this but for the sake of an actual review I simply can't) She still could have been silent and not stirred up controversy. But that was my only issue with Derpy and her enterance, or Derpy at all in fact. She was fantastically well used, unlike Bulk Biceps who seemed forced everytime you saw him (AJ too for that matter but to a lesser degree). But here is what made me happy, a fantastic moral. "Not choosing is not making a choice" basically. That is a good lesson, and I'm happy that it was touched on (even though the lead up was basically forced throughout).

Then RD's realization and coming around. Then another thing that bothered me... Before they said Competition, now it's Tryouts? I don't know it felt weird... "Where I live and where friends are" Nice sentiment, I approve. But right after I'm confused... It hasn't even been a day since Sorin' was injured. Pretty badly I might add. Even still having bandages on the wing ala Dash in Read it and Weep. So... how did he fly? He was barely able to move his wing before. And Dash says basically the same thing she said in Spitfire's office... man Deja Vu, even Spitfire mentions that she showed the same sort of emotion during the Academy.

Naturally Ponyville qualifies, the Wonderbolts learn something about loyalty and all is well. (And I believe someone said this in the thread that the rainbow thing happens when they teach someone else about their element, and I'll subscribe to that since the two characters that got something shined and they were both given by the character that learned something)

So overall and sum up:

The good:

Nice moral

Twi and Pinkie were in top form for characterization

They used Derpy exceptionally well, being subtle rather than overt (which this episode was all about apparently)

And they finished pretty strong

The bad:

The entire plot was contrived, asking why everything happened the way it did. They basically made rules for the sake of conflict

The first 2/3rds was also boring, basically until Derpy showed up which occurred when there was 6 minutes left (Almost 15:00 on the dot out of 20:54)

Dash's (and Spitfire) growth from Wonderbolt Academy was basically thrown out the window. The conflict shouldn't have been a conflict at all when she was willing to give up her dream entirely for her morals and friends, not even just flying for them in a simple competition

AJ seemed a bit too obsessed with her baked goods. I really feel bad for AJ fans this season, they are basically trouncing on her character. They are making her fairly one dimensional... Pinkie Apple Pie actually helped her but it seems like one step forward and two steps back. Bats could have been phenomenal for her character but that got sabotaged by Flutterbat.

Bulk Biceps felt forced the entire time. There wasn't a scene he was involved in where I didn't feel that everything was just a case of the writer trying to hard to make him funny

Overall the entire episode felt overt, forced and contrived. There was no subtly other than Derpy which was rather short lived. I know people say that the last third really made up the episode for them, but not for me. I just felt annoyed by basically most of this episode. I'm not saying it is the worst, but it is basically on the level of many Spike and CMC eps for me. Just not entertaining. I certainly didn't expect Wonderbolt Academy 2.0: Loyalty edition with a dash of Sweet and Elite. Dash had turned down her dreams TWICE already for either her integrity (Wonderbolts Academy) or her friends (Basically THE VERY FIRST EPISODE (really second but first story if you will)). The first time I watched it I couldn't watch this through, barely laughed and just felt 'meh' watching it. The second time I felt a bit better but still couldn't watch it all the way through. The third time (for this review) I was finally able to watch it all the way through, but the problem was that I still didn't feel entertained.

In the thread I said 5/10 as a standalone episode, which I'll stand by (or 3/10 comparing to the last two episodes which were very strong). But if I was going to give it an overall rating for all 4 seasons, it would be a 4/10. Easily one of the weaker episodes but not the worst (probably not even in the bottom 5 to be perfectly honest). Maredowell still takes that which is the only episode I absolutely did not like. This one was just not entertaining and very "meh" to me, and being very much a case of "trying too hard" (especially to please Bronies)