Rainbow Dash is a female Pegasus pony and one of the main characters in My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. She maintains the weather and clears the skies in Ponyville. As a huge fan of the Wonderbolts, she becomes a reservist member of the elite flying group in Testing Testing 1, 2, 3 and a full member in Newbie Dash. In Sonic Rainboom, Rarity and Princess Celestia both declare that she is the best flier in all of Equestria. Rainbow Dash has a pet tortoise named Tank, whom she acquires from Fluttershy in the episode May the Best Pet Win! She represents the element of loyalty.

History:

In Games Ponies Play, Rainbow Dash recalls experiencing disappointment as a filly when she learned that Fillydelphia would host the Equestria Games rather than her hometown of Cloudsdale, though she was selected to carry Cloudsdale's flag in the Games' opening ceremony. She boasts in Flight to the Finish of doing "tricks with that flag the likes of which nopony saw before and nopony's seen since!"

In Call of the Cutie, Rainbow mentions that she was the first in her class to get her cutie mark. She recounts the story of how she earned her mark to the Cutie Mark Crusaders in The Cutie Mark Chronicles. While attending a youth flight camp, she defended Fluttershy from a pair of bullies and challenged them to a race, wherein she discovered a passion for flying fast and "winning". Her intense speed ended up generating a sonic rainboom, and as she passed the finish line, her cutie mark appeared.

Personality -

Rainbow Dash represents the element of loyalty and demonstrates the trait throughout the series. In Friendship is Magic, part 2, Nightmare Moon offers to make Rainbow the leader of an elite flying team called the Shadowbolts if she abandons her friends and their quest to find the Elements of Harmony, but Rainbow refuses. In Rainbow Falls, Rainbow is offered the opportunity to fly with the prestigious Wonderbolts instead of the Ponyville team at the Equestria Games' aerial relay competition. She secretly practices with the Wonderbolts at first but ultimately decides to fly for Ponyville.

In The Return of Harmony Part 1, Rainbow promises not to leave Ponyville until the bizarre weather clears even though Cloudsdale is facing similar trouble. Later in the episode, however, Discord shows her a false vision of Cloudsdale falling apart in her absence and magically convinces her to abandon her friends in the Canterlot Castle hedge maze. In The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 2, in an alternate-timeline Equestria ruled by Nightmare Moon, Rainbow is one of her loyal royal guards and demands that Twilight Sparkle answer her questions.

Competitiveness: Rainbow Dash often engages in competitive behavior, having discovered a passion for "winning" while racing a group of bullies in The Cutie Mark Chronicles. She makes two attempts to become the Equestria ball-bouncing record holder in Dragonshy, and in A Bird in the Hoof, Rainbow tries to start a race with Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle as they head toward the Ponyville fountain.

Condescension and aggressiveness: Rainbow Dash is often blunt and unreserved when condescending others, including her friends. She casually refers to Twilight as an "egghead" in Fall Weather Friends and Read It and Weep and calls Spike a "lame dragon" in Dragon Quest. When Twilight tries to convince Rarity that she isn't a laughing stock after her failed fashion show in Suited For Success, Rainbow counters that "she kind of is". In Three's A Crowd, after Twilight shares her plan to spend the day with Princess Cadance at the Star Swirl the Bearded Traveling Museum, Rainbow blames her subsequent gagging sound on a "big ball of lame" stuck in her throat. Rainbow sometimes acts with unnecessary aggression. She angrily interrogates Fleur De Verre when researching how to protect the Crystal Empire in The Crystal Empire - Part 1, and in The Crystal Empire - Part 2, Rainbow deters the residents from seeing the fake Crystal Heart by growling angrily at them. In Friendship is Magic, part 2, when Twilight retreats to the Golden Oak Library after Nightmare Moon declares eternal night, Rainbow barges in and directly accuses her of being a spy. After Flim and Flam earn the exclusive rights to Sweet Apple Acres in The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, Rainbow threatens to "press [them] into jerk cider" before being stopped by Applejack

Mischievousness: Rainbow Dash is generally playful and roguish towards others. She tries to amplify her friends' fear of entering the Everfree Forest in Friendship is Magic, part 2 by claiming no one has ever made it out. In It's About Time, after Twilight determines to stand completely still to avoid an expected disaster, Rainbow spooks her by pretending to spot a mouse nearby. In A Bird in the Hoof, Rainbow tries to break the stern countenances of the royal guards by making silly faces directly in front of them.

Some episodes prominently feature Rainbow playing tricks on other ponies. She goes on a pranking spree around Ponyville with Pinkie Pie in Griffon the Brush Off, and at the end of the episode, Rainbow reveals that she organized the pranks for Gilda's party. In Luna Eclipsed, she spends Nightmare Night startling other ponies with a lightning cloud while dressed as a Shadowbolt. In 28 Pranks Later, Rainbow plays a series of pranks on the residents of Ponyville, include disguising herself as a dragon-like monster to frighten Fluttershy, replacing Cranky Doodle Donkey's hairpiece with a live skunk, and putting a brick in Mr. Cake's sandwich.

Confidence and self-image: Rainbow Dash tends to think highly of herself and exudes confidence in her physical abilities. In Boast Busters, she joins her friends in criticizing Trixie for bragging about her magic powers, noting that they already have Rainbow "being better than the rest" of the townsfolk. In The Crystal Empire - Part 2, she convinces Fluttershy to join her in a jousting match to cheer the Crystal Ponies, claiming that her "awesomeness has a way of putting ponies into a pretty good mood". When Fluttershy breaks down crying after the first match, Rainbow grudgingly agrees to go easy on her but insists that she has a reputation to maintain. At times, Rainbow's self-confidence waivers. In The Mysterious Mare Do Well, she basks in the positive attention of the Ponyville townsfolk after performing several heroic feats; later in the episode, however, Rainbow becomes upset when Mare Do Well steals the spotlight with her apparently superior abilities. Rainbow doubts her capacity to win the Best Young Flyer Competition after being taunted by a group of bullies in Sonic Rainboom. Later, when the Cloudsdale Pegasi convince Rarity to join the competition with her captivating butterfly wings, Rainbow collapses in a nervous fit. Rainbow tries to maintain an image of bravery and athleticism and tends to avoid activities or behaviors that appear feminine. In Ponyville Confidential, she despairs after being labeled a "super softie" in the Foal Free Press. At the end of The Last Roundup, Rainbow tears up as Applejack becomes reconciled with her friends, though she bemoans that the situation made her act "all sappy". Despite this image, Rainbow occasionally shows a more caring and cultured demeanor. In Just for Sidekicks, she shows affection toward Tank when she thinks no one is looking. When Scootaloo confesses her fear of scary stories in Sleepless in Ponyville, Rainbow reveals that she used to be afraid of them as well and agrees to take the young Pegasus "under [her] wing". In Rarity Takes Manehattan, Rainbow expresses excitement for watching the latest hit musical.

Love of books: Rainbow Dash discovers a love of reading in the episode Read It and Weep. After a failed aerial maneuver lands Rainbow in the hospital for several days, Twilight Sparkle finds her a Daring Do novel to help pass the time. Rainbow dismisses the idea of reading as antithetical to her athletic persona, but when boredom sinks in, she picks up the book and becomes enthralled with the story. Following a botched attempt to retrieve the book after her discharge from the hospital, Rainbow admits her interest in reading to her friends, who express their complete support. Twilight offers Rainbow access to her Daring Do book collection upon learning of her interest in the series, and Rainbow is seen reading the novels in A Friend in Deed and Too Many Pinkie Pies. After A. K. Yearling's identity is revealed in Daring Don't, Rainbow and Twilight reference complex Daring Do storylines as they argue about the intent of the author's assailants. In Trade Ya!, Rainbow tries to procure a first edition Daring Do book at the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange and eventually succeeds; upon realizing the burden it would place on Fluttershy to uphold her end of the bargain, however, Rainbow reverses the transaction. In Spike at Your Service, Rainbow mentions that she's writing a novel about "this awesome Pegasus who's the best flyer ever and becomes the captain of the Wonderbolts".

Shades: Rainbow Dash wears a pair of black-tinted glasses several times in the show; in Lesson Zero when Dash and her friends gather for a picnic, in May the Best Pet Win! when Dash states that her pet must have substantial "radicalness" and when she is questioned by Twilight Sparkle for not explaining the difference between "awesomeness," "coolness," and "radicalness", in The Mysterious Mare Do Well when she is bragging about her heroic acts, in Too Many Pinkie Pies while sunning herself by the lake, and in Rainbow Falls, while practicing with Spitfire and Fleetfoot. Rainbow uses her shades to hide the fact that she was sleeping during Twilight's lecture in Testing Testing 1, 2, 3. Rainbow also uses her shades in order to "act casual" in Equestria Games. In Fame and Misfortune, she wears these shades to evade crowds of fanponies, and wears them during one shot of the song Flawless

Food and beverage preferences -

Cider: Beginning with The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, a recurring gag shows Rainbow Dash's obsession with apple cider, in this case the one produced by Applejack and her family at Sweet Apple Acres. Throughout the episode, she is always denied a single mug of cider due to circumstances beyond her control, whether it be the Apple family running out, or getting a Flim Flam brothers cider taken away from her, though at the end of the episode, she is finally able to drink it. In Bats!, Rainbow's priorities are made clear when she hears that after the last fruit bat infestation, there was not a single drop of cider. In Castle Sweet Castle, Rainbow perks up when Applejack mentions cider. In Shadow Play - Part 2, Rainbow shares some cider with Flash Magnus. This gag even extends into My Little Pony The Movie, where Applejack offers free samples of cider at the Friendship Festival, and Rainbow repeatedly grabs, and gorges down, multiple samples. In Ponyville Mysteries Issue 4, Rainbow pours cider straight from the tap into her mouth.

Pie: Rainbow Dash enjoys a piece of special apple pie in Micro-Series Issue 2, implicitly eats a pie during the Sisterhooves Social[16] and in Brotherhooves Social,[17] states she has disliked pie for years as of Secrets and Pies, and states that she "do[es]n’t like it because it’s pie" in Friendship is Magic Issue 59.

Skills-

Flight:Rainbow Dash demonstrates her remarkable talent for flying throughout the show. In The Cutie Mark Chronicles, she says she got her cutie mark when she performed her first sonic rainboom when she was a young filly. In The Ticket Master, Rainbow Dash dreams of impressing the Wonderbolts at the Grand Galloping Gala with flying feats such as the "rainblow dry," the "super-speed strut," the "fantastic filly flash," and the "buccaneer blaze." She gets to meet the Wonderbolts in Sonic Rainboom after Princess Celestia declares her the champion of the Best Young Flyers Competition. She also performs the sonic rainboom in this episode. In May the Best Pet Win!, Rainbow Dash performs dangerous stunts to demonstrate a flying course through the Ghastly Gorge. She flies through giant bramble patches and dodges attacking quarray eels. Rainbow Dash clears a cloudy sky in Friendship is Magic, part 1 by kicking the clouds with her hind legs. She leads water drops out of a cloud in Boast Busters, and creates a rainbow above her when the droplets splash against her. She teams up with other Pegasus ponies in Winter Wrap Up to create a whirlwind that sucks away clouds and snow from Ponyville, and she creates a tornado to vacuum the parasprites in Swarm of the Century. In Hurricane Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash coordinates and leads the Ponyville Pegasi team responsible for creating a hurricane that lifts water to the Cloudsdale weather factory for the rainy season. During this time, Rainbow Dash's wing power was measured at 16.5, while most of the other Pegasi's wing power could barely measure more than 10. Rainbow Dash helps Twilight Sparkle learn to fly in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1. In Testing Testing 1, 2, 3, Rainbow Dash proves that she is capable of focusing on several things at once while in flight. When she's in the air, she monitors the ground and sky for trouble and makes note of everything she sees and hears. With this hidden talent of hers, Rainbow retains all that she learns about the history of the Wonderbolts and passes the entrance exam to join the Wonderbolts Reserves. In Rarity Investigates!, Rainbow Dash states that she does not "have the endurance to go long distances." In My Little Pony: Rainbow Roadtrip, Rainbow Dash teaches two twin Pegasus foals advanced flying maneuvers for their aerial performance at the Rainbow Festival.

Sonic Rainboom: Rainbow Dash tries to perform a sonic rainboom in the episode Sonic Rainboom, in an effort to win the Best Young Fliers competition. Fluttershy confides to her friends that Rainbow Dash was unable to perform the move in her many practice trials. Nonetheless, Rainbow Dash heads to Cloudsdale to participate in the competition, accompanied by Fluttershy as moral support. Much to their surprise, their wingless friends have decided to follow them with the aid of Twilight's cloud-walking spell, easing Rainbow's fears. However, Twilight had also given Rarity beautiful butterfly wings, which led her to steal the spotlight. As a result, Rainbow Dash loses her nerve and tries to delay her performance. As the competition draws to a close, however, she decides that she must perform anyway. Dash messes up the first two rounds of her performance, hitting an obstacle and accidentally sending a cloud hurtling in Princess Celestia's direction. Due to time constraints, Rarity performs alongside Rainbow Dash, and delivers her grand finale, which involves flying up to the sun and beaming her wings. However, her fragile wings, made of "gossamer and morning dew", burst into flames, sending her plummeting towards the earth. The Wonderbolts try to save her, but Rarity hits them by accident due to her falling down and flailing, and they are knocked out. Rainbow Dash finally notices the goings-on and accelerates towards the plummeting ponies, saving both Rarity and the Wonderbolts and performing a sonic rainboom in the process. This sonic rainboom, the one in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, and the one that Rainbow Dash performs in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2 are performed when Rainbow Dash is leading with both front legs forward, while in her failed practice attempts she is leading with a single leg. Rarity is incredibly grateful that Dash saved her life, and apologizes to her friend for not minding her anxiety. Rainbow Dash is crowned the winner of the competition and leaves to spend the day with her heroes, the Wonderbolts. In A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2, bolting her bridesmaid dress off, she performs a sonic rainboom for the marriage of Cadance and Shining Armor by the request of Princess Celestia. This rainboom, unlike the other two, comes within seconds of taking off, and Dash performs it while flying upward. In The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 1 and Part 2, Starlight Glimmer goes back in time to prevent Rainbow Dash from making the first sonic rainboom to prevent the Mane Six from ever creating their special bond. Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike follow her to attempt to prevent this from happening. In the movie, Rainbow boasts about the rainboom to Capper, even offering to perform it, but he turns her down. She later performs it for Captain Celaeno and her crew; unfortunately, this gives away their position to Tempest Shadow. In The End in Friend, Rainbow performs a smaller-scale version of the Rainboom while playing Buckball with Rarity. In My Little Pony: Rainbow Roadtrip, Rainbow Dash unsuccessfully tries to bring colors back to Hope Hollow by performing a sonic rainboom; later, she performs the trick at the Rainbow Festival.

Scootaloo

Scootaloo, the Pegasus pony of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, idolizes Rainbow Dash. While Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are the younger sisters of two ponies from the main cast, Applejack and Rarity, respectively, Scootaloo is not related to Rainbow Dash.[18] Rainbow Dash affectionately calls Scootaloo "squirt" in The Mysterious Mare Do Well and Equestria Games, and appears alongside Rarity and Applejack to congratulate the Cutie Mark Crusaders for their performance in The Show Stoppers.

In Sleepless in Ponyville, Scootaloo invites Rainbow Dash on a camping trip so that they can bond more. However, when Rainbow Dash decides to tell everyone ghost stories, Scootaloo begins to have nightmares about the frightening fables; yet she is too afraid to tell Rainbow Dash, since the filly does not want her to think she's a wimp. When Scootaloo rides on her scooter in the middle of the night, trying to run away from the Headless Horse from one of the stories, she accidentally falls into the river and almost falls down a waterfall. Rainbow Dash rescues her, and then learns the truth about why Scootaloo has been acting nervous during the trip. She comforts Scootaloo, saying that even she was scared when she heard those stories, and she agrees to take care of her as a big sister figure.

In Flight to the Finish, Rainbow Dash coaches the Crusaders for their competition to carry the flag at the upcoming Equestria Games. She wears a baseball cap and a whistle during the majority of this episode, like in May the Best Pet Win! and Hurricane Fluttershy. When Scootaloo is unhappy with the fact she can't fly, Rainbow Dash tells Scootaloo that she doesn't need to fly to be awesome.

In Crusaders of the Lost Mark, Rainbow Dash joins Applejack and Rarity in congratulating the Crusaders for finally earning their cutie marks, personally telling Scootaloo how proud she is of her.

In The Washouts, Rainbow Dash tries to stop Scootaloo from idolizing Lightning Dust’s titular stunt team, only to make Scootaloo resent her. After rescuing Scootaloo on her debut as a stuntpony, Rainbow Dash makes amends with the filly.

Weather patrol: Rainbow Dash manages the weather in Ponyville. She keeps the skies free of clouds for the Summer Sun Celebration, and apparently, unless the weekly rainfall is scheduled for that day of course, makes sure that Ponyville has nice weather, although in the opening of Bridle Gossip, Spike states that she rarely gets up early in the morning to get a start on it.

The Wonderbolts

Rainbow Dash is one of several ponies badgering Twilight for the extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala, in The Ticket Master. Her reason is a chance to draw the attention of the Wonderbolts, who perform there every year. She persists, even when Twilight calls her out on it, and when all her other friends say they don't need the ticket. The Wonderbolts attend the Gala in The Best Night Ever, where they mingle with the guests in a V.I.P. section. Dash doesn't manage to secure their attention, despite her several attempts.

Rainbow Dash is accepted into the Wonderbolt Academy for a week. She makes friends with a Pegasus pony named Lightning Dust and is paired with her by the captain of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire, to complete the boot camp exercises. In the challenge of obliterating the clouds, Lightning Dust tries to complete the task quicker by creating a tornado. Unfortunately, the tornado almost hurts Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy when they come to visit her in the hot air balloon. Rainbow Dash saves them just in time and chews out Lightning Dust for her recklessness. She decides to quit the academy, thinking that cadets are rewarded for being reckless. Spitfire soon catches up to her and informs her that being the best should never come at the expense of one's fellow ponies. Being elite isn't about pushing oneself, it's about pushing oneself in the right direction, which Rainbow Dash has demonstrated. Because of this, she is promoted to lead pony.

In Rarity Investigates!, Rainbow Dash, being a reserve for the Wonderbolts, is chosen as a stand in for a show if a Wonderbolt is unable to perform. In the end, she takes part in the performance in place of Wind Rider.

In Newbie Dash, Rainbow Dash becomes a full-fledged member of the Wonderbolts, despite being saddled with her old nickname "Rainbow Crash".

Tank: Rainbow Dash is the last of the main ponies to have a pet introduced in the series, only gaining her pet, Tank the tortoise, in the episode May the Best Pet Win! in the second season. While at first Dash looks down on Tank for not being as fast, agile, or "awesome" as her other prospective pets, she eventually picks him over the others for his loyalty. While all the other prospective pets hurried to the finish line and ignored Dash's calls for help, Tank rescues her by releasing her trapped wing from under a boulder. He carries her all the way to the finish line, and secures his place as her pet for being the only competitor that crosses the finish line with her, as she had specified before the race. At the end of May the Best Pet Win!, Tank is fitted with a propeller and flight goggles so he can fly and keep up with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow maintains a mostly professional attitude about him around others and is embarrassed when he displays affection towards her in Just for Sidekicks. Despite this, she reciprocates Tank's affection in the same episode but only does so when no one else is looking. In Tanks for the Memories, Rainbow Dash displays a strong affection towards Tank, to the point where she is unwilling to accept Tank's hibernation and tries to prevent it by stopping winter, though all of her efforts fail. She breaks down crying after Fluttershy bluntly states that she will spend her winter without a pet, but then she finally accepts Tank's hibernation.

Family

In Games Ponies Play, during her flashback as a filly, Rainbow Dash stands on the back of an adult Pegasus stallion with a similarly rainbow-colored mane and tail. The stallion is unnamed in the episode, but he is named Rainbow Blaze and described as Rainbow Dash's "dashing mentor" in Enterplay's collectible card game and is also named Rainbow Blaze in the IDW comics.

Rainbow Dash's parents are officially introduced in the season seven episode Parental Glideance. They are revealed to be overly supportive of their daughter and inadvertently embarrass her often, causing them to have a delicate relationship.

Residence: Rainbow Dash's Cloudominium is first shown in Griffon the Brush Off. She lives in a white cloud-house hanging low to the ground somewhere near Ponyville. It features classical columns and rainbow-colored streams and waterfalls. In Dragonshy, Rainbow Dash uses one of these streams to make rainbow-colored facepaint. Her home appears again in Party of One, with a slightly different design from the first appearance, resembling more of a cloud tower.