@CronoM  
Dude, I like a lot of what you’ve said in this most recent post, you have a lot of interesting points and good ideas…
 
But I’m not comfortable with continuing this discussion if you continue to insist that I’m downright spiteful towards Rainbow Dash.  
Yes, I dislike some of what she says and does, but that alone isn’t spite…  

@Amethyst_Crystal  
I DO agree with you on the Testing 1,2,3 part. I enjoyed that as well. But for a different reason.
 
Thing about Twilight in S4 is that before that episode, she pretty much got full karma immunity for any mistake she made or any hypocritical speech she made. That episode was the first time more words were spoken by RD that reminded me of this famous scene in TMNT
 
1:47-2:40  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdtM66SxZeI
 
While of course situations are different and less aggresive in MLP, a lot of the setups and personalities are quite similar.

@Amethyst_Crystal  
RD is officially catagorized on TvTropes for the trope “Can’t get away with Nothin’”, completely opposite of your ‘partially’ spiteful view of her. Why? Cause she literally can’t. Not only is she the replacement butt monkey when Spike’s not around, or even ‘targeted butt monkey’ like in Mare-Do-Well, all her misdeeds usually come around to bite her in the ass or she has to be passionalletly apologetic and honest about her mistakes.
 
Its these mistakes and realization that gives RD so much character growth, from “yeah I got the ticket” to “If the wonderbolts are this reckless about lives, I’m going to give up my life long dream.” And I’m not ignoring the others either. Fluttershy is harder on herself then anybody, Rarity and Applejack usually are good at apologizing, Pinkie Pie has kindness mixed with her childish disconnect with reality, and S1-S3 Twilight was usually humble enough to admit when she made a mistake.
 
Not to mention RD seems to be the best with the kids by S4. She got to the core of their problem in Flight to the Finish very quickly when she found out about Scootaloo’s battered ego, and was a good inspiration to them. Twilight made a good effort in Twilight Time…but her lack of life experiance made her VERY slow on the uptake when it came to obvious peer pressure.
 
And as for intelligence in THIS episode, to be fair, EVERYONE but Fluttershy had their brain turned completely off in that episode. At least RD was able to get her head together to both make things right on her side AND stop AJ and Rarity from bickering like children….not sure what’s going to become of Twilight now that she wants to be a hoarder now. :/ They kind of left that weird decision up in the air, don’t you think?

@CronoM  
In this particular case, it really isn’t spite: I’m just tired of seeing Rainbow Dash getting away with doing whatever she pleases with no consequences.  
I personally found Daring Do pony’s weepy reaction to her ‘i just remembered friends are the most important’ speech and willingness to cancel trade just for that pretty stupid, but hey, some people are moved by really badly phrased emotional stuff like that, even in court.  
I’m sure there’s other people tired of other ponies getting away with stuff too, lol.
 
Also, it’s possible to like and dislike someone for different reasons at the same time. I adored every moment of Rainbow Dash owning Twilight Sparkle in the cold open of Testing 123 for example:  
 
That smirk. :P

@RIG  
As PonyPon said:
 
Big deal.

@RIG  
Not sure how the conversation below effects the scene above and how much enjoyment you get from it.
 
Its not a picture, its a direct scene, and one of the ending ones at that. What did you EXPECT the comments to be like? Please, tell me.
 
What you dub as overanalyzing some(not all) are just trying to have a good discussion, and you quite rudely speak like the doomsayer with the whole “sigh, all of you are killjoys…”
 
@Amethyst_Crystal  
I wasn’t even talking about the trial specifically anymore, I was talking about the character roles.
 
If you needed to alter the current subject and spout hate on Rainbow Dash and admit “Yes I do find Rainbow Dash and other smug selfish jock characters annoying” but then try to convince me you’re okay with her…yet THEN try to say “There’s nothing spiteful about hoping something doesn’t work out for a character” is just clear BS.
 
That’s like saying “I am completely objective and unbiased about this decision….so long as the decision in my favor.”

@RIG  
Well, I apologize for being cranky about Rainbow Dash.  
 
hugs

@Amethyst_Crystal  
oh yeah, that is so easy to do! is not like each comment appears on the “recent comments” page and even without reading it, just noticing is very long is enough to make you say “sigh…overanalizing killjoys”

@RIG  
sometimes you just shouldn’t read comments :D

@CronoM  
Nothing off-topic about discussing and replying to stuff about the trial.  
Yes I do find Rainbow Dash and other smug selfish jock characters annoying, but she is a good pony too.  
There’s nothing spiteful about hoping something doesn’t work out for a character, if nothing bad or inconvenient happened to them it’d be a boring show. :P

@Background Pony #4423  

 
“Overruled.”

@RIG  
In other words: Big deal.

@PonyPon  
what?

@RIG  
It’s not like there was alot to ruin.

sigh…another adorable Twilight’s pic ruined…

@Amethyst_Crystal  
How off topic and pointlessly spiteful. Next.

@Amethyst_Crystal  
Also, regardless of how Fluttershy’s role in the trade should be classified, she went into it completely of her own free will.

@CronoM  
Rainbow’s boo hoo hoo-ing about what a selfish idiot she is lacked all sorts of charisma for me.  
Not paying attention about the details of the trade deserves no sympathy or empathy, which Twilight Sparkle was right to deny.  
It’s a wonder the Daring Do collector pony even went back on the trade, I was hoping Rainbow Dash would finally pay for her reckless selfishness.  
At least she gave Fluttershy the bird call she was wanting at the end, so that redeems her.

Hell if you think about it, that’s been that pattern since the first episode.
 
Not only was RD the only one of the 5 Twilight held direct skepticism for, and the only one to initially impress her while she brushed the others to the side…
 
…The only reason Twilight didn’t die in the Everfree Forest is because Rainbow Dash confronted Twilight after Nightmare Moon appeared in Ponyville after observing Twilight’s knowledge and behavior, bringing the other 4 along with her.

@TexasUberAlles  
Like most of the time, I can’t track your strange leaps of logic TexaxUberAlles. Especially since the subject of “Best Pony” isn’t even the topic were talking about…so why in the world bring it up? >:?
 
…The Main Character could be completely unlikable compared to other characters yet they could still be the Main Focus Character. It has to do with role, not popularity.
 
The role of Auxiliary Main Focus Character is a role where a certain character
 

@CronoM  
I’ve… never had anything like the impression that Dash was supposed to be some kind of Ancillary Main Focus Character. Sure, there are a lot of fans who treat her like that, but most people have a Best Pony. Why would you think she’s being all pedestal’d?

@Amethyst_Crystal  
Did they? I recall them saying that never actually happened before.
 
Which was weird.

@Amethyst_Crystal  
I get that but,  

@CronoM  
Fluttershy had consented to go along and help train the creature too, so it’s more like some kind of non-profit/ community service work.  
But it was also a serious legal matter that needed resolution.  
They had been building up how important it is to regard all trades as 100% final, unless it is brought to the princess overseeing the Trade and judged upon.

@Takashi.0  
Its the matter of both DOING princess stuff and not being ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE AT IT. If she can’t do that much at all, then the Princess Twilight arc has no meaning or purpose whatsoever.
 
@Nightweaver20xx  
Exactly.
 
Its not slavery! If it was something that Fluttershy could turn down, and if it was something Dash was immediately not okay with and wanted Fluttershy to stay…
 
…then the trade should of been null and void to begin with! And Twilight SHOULD have known that!
 
Why did they need the other person’s permission if RD no longer wanted the book and wanted Fluttershy to stay? If its not slavery, then the solution is as simple as
 
RD:“Fluttershy, please stay. I don’t want the book anymore.”  
Fluttershy: “Oh okay.”  
Pony:“Oh well. I’ll take back the book if Fluttershy returns the Orthros”
 
Done.
 
Twilight’s brain isn’t very useful in princesshood ruling is it? To be fair, she did exactly what everyone would predict Twilight would do in this kind of situation…have no mental flexibility whatsoever. She wouldn’t want to risk disappointing Princess Celestia would she?