Sonic Rainboom

Sonic Rainboom is the sixteenth episode of the first season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. In this episode, Rainbow Dash is worried about performing a sonic rainboom in the Best Young Flyer competition.__TOC__
==Production and airing==
This is one of the few episodes in which the word "loser" is not muted on the Treehouse channel airings. 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 used for the crowd in that episode when Celestia is revealed to be missing) played backwards. 
According to writer M. A. Larson, the episode was originally intended to show the concept of lightning kept in glass jars, but this was cut for time. The concept would later be recycled and used in the season five episode Tanks for the Memories.
The scene when Rainbow Dash saves Rarity and the Wonderbolts reappears in Deep Tissue Memories.
==Summary==
===Preparing for the competition===
 In a field near Ponyville, after an unsuccessful attempt to train Fluttershy to cheer loudly, Rainbow Dash practices the three phases of her routine for the upcoming Best Young Flyer competition in Cloudsdale. She attempts a sonic rainboom in the third phase but fails to gain enough speed, resulting in recoil that launches her across town.
At the Golden Oak Library, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity just finish organizing the bookshelves before Rainbow Dash crashes through the window, knocking down all the books. As Fluttershy arrives, Rainbow and Pinkie tell the others about the competition and the sonic rainboom, and Rainbow explains that the competition's grand prize is a day with the Wonderbolts, whom she idolizes.
After Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy leave for more practice, Rarity points out Rainbow's apparent nervousness and urges Twilight Sparkle to find a spell that will let them access Cloudsdale and support her during the competition. A spell is found, but when Twilight doubts her ability to cast it, Rarity volunteers to be the test subject and receives a pair of large butterfly wings.
===Touring Cloudsdale===
 Arriving in Cloudsdale, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash run into three childhood bullies who deny Rainbow's ability to perform a sonic rainboom. As Fluttershy tries to reassure her, the rest of the Mane Six arrive in the Twinkling Balloon and disembark thanks to a spell enabling them to walk on clouds like Pegasi, after the spell for Rarity's wings proved too difficult to perform more than once.
Rainbow Dash leads her friends on a tour through the Cloudsdale weather factory. Rarity's wings draw positive attention as they travel, leading an onlooker to suggest that she enter the Best Young Flyer competition. Flattered by the praise and enamored with her wings, Rarity agrees to compete, sending Rainbow into a nervous fit.
===The Best Young Flyer Competition===
 At the Cloudeseum stadium, Princess Celestia and three Wonderbolts arrive to judge as the competition begins. Nervous to compete, Rainbow Dash switches tags with other competitors to delay her turn while Rarity prepares for her act in the dressing room. The two end up as the last contestants but are informed that there is only time for one more act, necessitating that they perform their routines at the same time.
 As Rarity begins dancing around the arena, Rainbow Dash fumbles through the first two phases of her routine before ascending to prepare for the sonic rainboom. Rarity flies above the crowd to let sunlight project through her wings, but the heat exposure causes them to evaporate, sending her plummeting toward the ground. The Wonderbolts immediately attempt to rescue her but get knocked unconscious by her flailing limbs. Hearing Rarity's screams, Rainbow Dash dives to save them, generating a sonic rainboom in the process. She catches them just before they hit the ground and flies them back up to the Cloudeseum as the crowd erupts in cheers.
 Rarity apologizes to her friends for getting carried away with her wings and asserts that Rainbow Dash is the best young flyer. Princess Celestia agrees and, acknowledging Rainbow's bravery, declares her the winner of the competition. Reflecting on the experience, Rarity tells Celestia how it's important to keep your feet on the ground and be there for your friends. The three bullies apologize to Rainbow and ask her if she wants to hang out and teach them how to perform the sonic rainboom, but she declines and flies off 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?
: Twilight Sparkle: What's a sonic rainboom?
: Pinkie Pie: You really need to get out more. The sonic rainboom is legendary! When a Pegasus like Rainbow Dash gets going sooo fast... Boom! A sonic boom and a rainbow can happen all at once!
: Applejack: And Rainbow Dash here's the only pony to ever pull it off!
: Rarity: Didn't you see how nervous she was?
: Applejack: Nervous? Have you spit yer bit or somethin'? She was tootin' her own horn louder than the brass section of a marching band!
: Rarity: Oh, puh-lease. I have put on enough fashion shows to recognize stage fright when I see it. We've got to find a way to be there for her.
:Rainbow Dash: And here's where they make the rainbows.
:Pinkie Pie: [slurp] [pants] Spicyyyyyy!...
:Rainbow Dash: Yeah, Rainbows aren't really known for their flavor.
: Twilight Sparkle: Rainbow Dash, are you okay? You don't look so good.
: Rainbow Dash: Of course! Why wouldn't I be okay? Everyone's so in love with Rarity's wings that they won't even notice when I totally blow it in the Best Young Flyer's Competition.
:Rarity: Look upon me, Equestria, for I... am... Rarity!
:Rainbow Dash: [gasp] Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!
:Spitfire: So you're the little pony who saved our lives. We really wanted to meet you and say thanks.
:Rainbow Dash: Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!
==Gallery==
==References==
ar:قوس قزح المنفجر
de:Rainbows großer Tag
es:La Rain-plosión Sónica
id:Pelangi dan Sonic Boom
it:L'Arcoboom Sonico
ja:ソニックレインブーム！
ko:소닉 레인붐
pl:Ponaddźwiękowe Bum
pt:Arco-Íris Supersônico
ru:Звуковая радуга (серия)
sv:Rainbows ljudbang