Sonic Rainboom

Sonic Rainboom is the sixteenth episode of the first season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. Rainbow Dash is worried about her performance in the Best Young Flyer competition, but she pulls off a sonic rainboom at the competition.

Production and airing
This is one of the few times that the Treehouse channel does not mute the word "loser" in its airings of the episodes. Rainbow Dash says "The Wonderbolts will never let a loser like me join!" Two sound clips from Friendship is Magic, Part 1 are reused. Rarity's laugh is the same as her shocked scream when she noticed Twilight's unkempt hair. Fluttershy's inhale is Pinkie Pie's gasp (also reused for the crowd in that episode when Celestia is revealed to be missing) played backwards.

Preparing for the competition
Fluttershy watches Rainbow Dash practice a routine for the Best Young Flyer competition. Rainbow Dash unsuccessfully attempts to perform a "sonic rainboom" and ends up crashing into Golden Oak Library. She knocks over books that her friends just finished sorting. Rainbow Dash tells her friends about the competition and says that the competition's grand prize is a day with her idols, The Wonderbolts. Before she leaves, she tells Fluttershy to work on her cheering. Rarity urges Twilight Sparkle to find a spell that will allow the non-Pegasi friends to access Cloudsdale so they can support Rainbow Dash. Rarity volunteers to be the test subject of a spell that gives her a pair of beautiful butterfly wings.

Touring Cloudsdale
In Cloudsdale, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash run into three bullies who say that Rainbow Dash can't pull off the sonic rainboom. She doubts her own flying skills after the bullies leave. The rest of the main characters arrive and explain that Twilight cast a spell that enables them to walk on clouds like Pegasi. The friends tour the weather factory, where Pegasi manufacture snowflakes, rainbows, and clouds. The workers stop to admire Rarity’s wings, much to Raindow Dash's chagrin; one worker even suggests that she enter the Best Young Flyer competition. Rarity decides to participate in the competition, much to Rainbow's shock.

The Best Young Flyer Competition
At the Cloudeseum stadium, the competition begins. Princess Celestia and three Wonderbolts (Spitfire, Soarin, and Misty Fly) are the judges. The competitors have number tags on their flanks:
 * 1) Orange Swirl
 * 2) Rainbow Dash, moved to #5, #6 and finally #15
 * 3) "Cloud Kicker"
 * 4) Rarity, who ends up performing with Rainbow Dash
 * 5) Dr. Hooves, moved to #2
 * 6) "Parasol", moved to #5
 * 7) Meadow Song, who exclaims "LET'S DO THIS!"
 * 8) Lucky Clover
 * 9) Sprinkle Medley, tag obscured, possibly #10
 * 10) Unknown. Fluttershy remarks, “She just looked like such a nice pony.”
 * 11) Caramel
 * 12) Derpy, #15 and presumably moved to #6

Rainbow Dash switches her tag with other competitors to delay her turn. When everyone except Rainbow Dash and Rarity has gone, the announcer tells them that they will have to perform together due to time constraints.

The sonic rainboom
Rainbow Dash makes several mistakes in the first two phases of her routine. She starts phase three: the sonic rainboom. Meanwhile, Rarity, dressed in an extravagant costume, flies higher to let the sunlight illuminate her wings. However, the wings are too delicate and they quickly burn to ash. The Wonderbolts immediately dive to rescue her, but Rarity’s flailing limbs knock them out cold. Seeing the potentially deadly situation they're in, Rainbow Dash hurtles down to save them. She pulls off the sonic rainboom, exciting Fluttershy into a loud cheer and astonishing the rest of their friends into speechlessness, and catches them just before they hit the ground.

Epilogue
Rarity apologizes to her friends for getting carried away with her wings, and they forgive her. Princess Celestia presents the grand prize for Best Young Flyer to Rainbow Dash. Rarity gives this episode’s friendship report and says that she learned to be there for her friends while keeping her hooves on the ground, literally and figuratively. The three bullies want to give their congratulations and apologize to Rainbow Dash, who forgives them. Dumb-Bell asks her if she wants to hang out with them and hopes that she will teach them how to do the sonic rainboom, but Rainbow Dash replies that she's already got plans to hang out with the Wonderbolts.

Quotes

 * Rainbow Dash: ... Ugh. You're gonna cheer for me like that? Louder.
 * Fluttershy: Yay.
 * Rainbow Dash: Louder!
 * Fluttershy: Yay.
 * Rainbow Dash: LOUDER!
 * Fluttershy: [deep breath] [quietly] Yaaay.
 * Rainbow Dash: Ugh...
 * Fluttershy: Too loud?


 * Fluttershy: Way to go.


 * Fluttershy: Rainbow Dash, you rock. Woohoo.


 * Rainbow Dash: And here's where they make the rainbows.
 * Pinkie Pie: [lick] Ack! Pwah! [pants] Spiiicyyyy! [neighs]
 * Rainbow Dash: Yeah, Rainbows aren't really known for their flavor.


 * Rarity: [panting] Look upon me Equestria! For I... am... RARITY!


 * Fluttershy: A sonic rainboom! She did it! She did it! WOOO-HOOOO!


 * Rainbow Dash: [gasp] Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!
 * Spitfire: So you're the little pony who saved our lives. We really wanted to meet you, and say thanks.
 * Rainbow Dash: Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh...