History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E22TestingTesting123

** After "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E7WonderboltsAcademy "Wonderbolts Academy"]], this is Rainbow Dash's next step to becoming a Wonderbolt.

** The Wonderbolts' performance in "Sonic Rainboom" ends with a shower of fireworks similar to Twilight's chalkboard depiction of the "magical lightning" that helped earn the inaugural squadron of Wonderbolts their name.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In the ColdOpen, Rainbow Dash easily sees Twilight trying to sneak up on her from a mile away, which is quickly forgotten as Twilight tries to get Rainbow to study. She later showcases how her keen eyesight helps her memorize anything without thinking about it, which is what ultimately helps her pick up on the Wonderbolts' history.

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Rainbow Dash suggests watching a movie about the history of the Wonderbolts as an alternative to sitting through a lecture from the text.

* ArtisticLicenseEngineering: Cherry Berry's pedal-powered helicopter is an exceptionally glaring example, even in a series rife with SchizoTech and {{Magitek}}. A human-driven pedal copter has actually been built, but it required four massive rotors on an ultralight scaffolding to lift a trained cyclist three meters off the ground for one minute; a single tiny rotor lifting a full helicopter canopy would take much more power than a single pony - even an Earth Pony - could produce for any significant period of time.

* BrutalHonesty:
** Applejack seems to have made a habit of this, dismissing Rarity's fashion show as nonsense and claiming it wouldn't have taught anything. She later admits that Rainbow is up a creek upon learning she has only 12 hours to learn whatever she can for the test.
** Pinkie's assessment of Rainbow's attempt to imitate her rap...
--->'''Pinkie:''' That... was pretty terrible.

** [=DJ Pon-3=] is manning the scratch table during Pinkie's rap, while Time Turner is one of Pinkie's backup dancers.
** Filthy Rich is present in one of the flyovers, buying a lot of apples from Big Macintosh.

* JustForPun: During Rainbow's second flyover, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, one by one, shout "E!" (Earth Pony), "U!" (Unicorn), and "P!" (Pegasus), followed by Big Macintosh lifting them up with his trademark "'''E'''-y'''up'''."
* LastMinuteProject / RidiculousProcrastinator: Rainbow did not study for the history part of the Wonderbolts entry tests, and has to get help from her friends with only a day to go to learn as much as she can. It's implied that she either didn't because of her learning problems, she just didn't retain what she learned, or that she simply discounted the test as a formality and she'd qualify on her flying skills alone.

* MythologyGag:
** The name of the Wonderbolts' founder, General Firefly, is an indirect nod to G1's Firefly as it was picked in [[https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/452552191035727872 homage]] to Creator/LaurenFaust's online username "fyre-flye".

*** Time Turner wears a Band-Aid on his nose, similar to the one that rapper Nelly used to wear on his cheek.

* MusicalWorldHypothesis: Rainbow Dash [[DiscussedTrope states]] that Twilight Sparkle's "The Failure Song" in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The Crystal Empire - Part 1"]] was diegetic.

*** Other background use elements similar to the opening credits of ''Series/SavedByTheBell''.

!!Tropes present in this episode (YMMV tropes go [[YMMV/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E22TestingTesting123 here]]) :

* ArtisticLicenseMilitary: A General, as the second-highest military rank, would ''never'' be in direct command of a platoon, the third-smallest of unit formations, no matter how elite it is (and for that matter, neither would be a Colonel). And Admirals or Commanders would never have command over the same troops as a General or a Colonel, for obvious reasons (Navy not being Army).
** On the other limb, the Wonderbolts were a performance team rather than a standard unit, meaning that even the original group was not a part of the normal command chain.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Lampshaded by Rarity; she points out that the early Wonderbolts uniforms were attractive but very uncomfortable and made of itchy fabric. And, while it isn't mentioned in the episode, they also don't look very aerodynamic.

* AwesomenessByAnalysis[=/=]SherlockScan: Rainbow Dash reveals that she can subconsciously remember everything around her as she flies. Twilight plays on this skill to come up with a plan to help Rainbow learn what she needs.

-->'''Pinkie''': That... was pretty terrible.

** Rainbow Dash's difficulty with traditional study methods, first referenced by one of the pegasus bullies in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E16SonicRainboom Sonic Rainboom]]", is the major plot element of this episode.
** After "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E7WonderboltsAcademy Wonderbolts Academy]]", this is Rainbow Dash's next step to becoming a Wonderbolt.
** The instructor who oversees the test is one of Spitfire's assistants from "Wonderbolts Academy".
** The CMC repeat their "Earth pony, Unicorn, Pegasus" chant from "Flight to the Finish", but here to help Rainbow remember what EUP stands for.

** Filthy Rich is present in one of the flyovers, buying a lot of apples from Big [=McIntosh=].

-->'''Rainbow Dash''' (to Twilight): Yeah, well, I'm sure you'll become a good flier in no time. After all, you're good at ''everything''.

** Rainbow Dash calls out Twilight on her "freak-outs" over tests, referencing the "Failure/Success Song" from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 The Crystal Empire]]".
-->'''Rainbow Dash:''' Your freak-outs are so epic, you sing whole freak-out arias about freaking out!

* EarlyBirdCameo: The pedal-copter that Cherry Berry flies is [[http://www.equestriadaily.com/2013/10/pinkie-pie-gets-helicoptor.html the toy introduced near the start of the season]]. Also counts as ProductPlacement.

* [[{{Facepalm}} Facehoof]]: Rainbow reacts this way to Twilight making a big deal of the test. Twilight responds in kind when Dash brags about acing her pop quiz when she actually got ''all'' questions dead wrong.

* GondorCallsForAid: Twilight manages to gather the whole town together to help Rainbow Dash study, banking on Rainbow's SherlockScan to watch over the town without realizing what they're doing.

* GrayRainOfDepression: After being bummed out over the thought of giving up on her dream of joining The Wonderbolts, she lands on a cloud to sleep. The cloud turns into a dark rain cloud to mirror her mood.

* HiddenDepths: Rainbow Dash may act aloof much of the time, but this episode proves that, at least when she's flying, she's unconsciously [[SherlockScan tracking and remembering anything she sees]]. Rainbow plays this off as [[AwesomeButImpractical routine]], but Twilight is able to play on this to help Rainbow prepare for the test.

* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Rainbow's InferioritySuperiorityComplex comes up again: at first, she's overconfident and calls Twilight an egghead, but as soon as she notices the studying methods don't work for her, she breaks down.

* IllPretendIDidntHearThat: Rarity blatantly says she'll ignore Rainbow Dash's insult to her old-fashioned Wonderbolt uniform out of her desire to help her friend.
* JustForPun: During Rainbow's second flyover, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, one by one, shout "E!" (Earth Pony), "U!" (Unicorn), and "P!" (Pegasus), followed by Big [=McIntosh=] lifting them up with his trademark "'''E'''-y'''up'''."
* LastMinuteProject[=/=]RidiculousProcrastinator: Rainbow did not study for the history part of the Wonderbolts entry tests, and has to get help from her friends with only a day to go to learn as much as she can. It's implied that she either didn't because of her learning problems, she just didn't retain what she learned, or that she simply discounted the test as a formality and she'd qualify on her flying skills alone.

* MusicalWorldHypothesis: Rainbow Dash [[DiscussedTrope states]] that Twilight Sparkle's "The Failure Song" in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 The Crystal Empire - Part 1]]" was diegetic.

--> '''Pinkie Pie''': ''(to Twilight)'' Well, I suggest you put down your silly cards of flash / Because I for one know that they cannot help our good friend Rainbow Dash.
* SchizoTech: The pedal powered helicopter Rainbow keeps Twilight from hitting.

** In the "90s rap" segment:
*** Pinkie is wearing a giant alarm clock in her rap outfit, a fashion style after PublicEnemy's Flavor Flav. Her hat is more reminiscent of RunDMC's traditional topper.

*** Other background use elements similar to the opening credits of ''SavedByTheBell''.

** Filthy Rich presents a [[PulpFiction suitcase that glows golden when it is open]] to pay Big [=McIntosh=]. In the same vein, Rainbow Dash used so much yellow highlighting that there is a glow when Twilight opens the book.
** The uniform designs are borrowed from both the [[BritsWithBattleships RAF]] (especially the older ones) and the [[YanksWithTanks USAF]].

**** Additionally, it's surprisingly similar to the famous "Twilightlicious" artwork on Tara Strong's Twitter page.

** The "original Wonderbolts flying costume" modeled by Rarity looks like it dates back to the Napoleonic Wars.

** Spike and the pets' play has a lack of set quality ([[NoOshaCompliance and safety]]!) that would rival's the CMC's set from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E18TheShowStoppers The Show Stoppers]]".

--> '''Twilight''': Knowing their origin and being able to properly represent them for all of Equestria is just as important [as being a good flier].

** When Rainbow Dash pushes Twilight out of the way of Cherry Berry's pedal copter, she says that her SherlockScan helps her stay safe in the air. This is similar to the situational awareness that safe drivers refer to as "defensive driving", and is what separates them from drivers that get into accidents.

[[caption-width-right:350: [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E15TwilightTime Twilight Time]] got 20% worse]]

*** And Pinkie's rendition of General Firefly's uniform looks ostensibly like an UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar Officer's uniform

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mlp_testing_123_7026.png]]

* WorldBuilding: Though it flies by quickly for the viewer, we learn a good deal of the history and purpose of the EUP as a force founded after Nightmare Moon's banishment to help protect Equestria, and that the original Wonderbolts were founded by an EUP a year later. We also learn that, judging by the Wonderbolts test, grades in Equestria are percentual and not letter-based.

* WorldBuilding: Though it flies by quickly for the viewer, we learn a good deal of the history and purpose of the EUP as a force founded a year after Nightmare Moon's banishment to help protect Equestria. We also learn that, judging by the Wonderbolts test, grades in Equestria are percentual and not letter-based.

* WorldBuilding: Though it flies by quickly for the viewer, we learn a good deal of the history and purpose of the Wonderbolts as a force founded a year after Nightmare Moon's banishment to help protect Equestria. We also learn that, judging by the Wonderbolts test, grades in Equestria are percentual and not letter-based.

** [=DJ-Pon3=] is manning the scratch table during Pinkie's rap, while Time Turner is one of Pinkie's backup dancers.

** Rainbow Dash calls Twilight an "egghead" again.

-->'''Rainbow Dash:''' Your freak-outs are so epic, you sing whole freak-out arias about freaking out!\\

** Rainbow Dash calls out Twilight constantly freaking out about tests, referencing the "Failure/Success Song" from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 The Crystal Empire]]".

* LastMinuteProject[=/=]RidiculousProcrastinator: Rainbow did not study for the history part of the Wonderbolts entry tests, and has to get help from her friends with only a day to go to learn as much as she can. It's implied that she either didn't because of her learning problems or she just didn't retain what she learned.

** Also, eat breakfast.

* TheMovie: Rainbow Dash suggests watching the History of the Wonderbolts movie as an alternative to Twilight's lecture.

** The Wonderbolts' performance in "Sonic Rainboom" ends with a shower of fireworks similar to Twilight's chalkboard depiction of the "magical lightning" that helped earn the inaugural squadron of Wonderbolts their name.

*** And Pinkie's rendition of General Firefly's uniform looks ostensibly like an AmericanCivilWar Officer's uniform