Be it a pegasus or earth pony, nothing's impossible for a Wonderbolt!
- Story by Thom Zahler, Art by Nicoletta Baldari
It's Foals and Friends Weekend at the Wonderbolts Academy! Rumble is set to fly in an air parade, but after an accident during practice, he finds himself grounded with a sprained wing. Good thing General Dauntless is there with a story or two to tell! Including one about the only earth pony who has ever been a member of the Wonderbolts...
Tropes:
- …And That Little Girl Was Me: After finishing the story of Wind Sock, the Wonderbolt general reveals that he was Dauntless, the Wonderbolt Wind Sock saved.
- Artistic License – Engineering: The wings on Wind Sock's glider would be WAY too small to lift a full-grown pony, let alone allow that pony to lift yet another pony.note
- Big Damn Heroes: Wind Sock used his glider invention to save a trapped Wonderbolt, the design meaning he was unaffected by the strong winds that kept the others from succeeding.
- Continuity Nod:
- Rumble still dreams of being a Wonderbolt like his big brother.
- General Firefly, Admiral Fairweather and Commander Easy Glider are among the Wonderbolts whose pictures hang in the museum.
- The Wonderbolts motto, "Altius Volantis: Soaring Higher" is referenced, having first been mentioned in "Newbie Dash".
- The Determinator: Wind Sock created many inventions to try and help him fly. Many failed, but he kept trying anyway.
- Dream-Crushing Handicap: Wind Sock wanted to be a Wonderbolt more than anything, but being an earth pony made it all but impossible. Subverted when he rescues Dauntless with his glider, and is offered a place in the Wonderbolts. note
- Fantastic Slur: When Wind Sock offers to help save Dauntless, one of the Wonderbolt officers derisively calls him a "ground pounder".
- Innocently Insensitive: While lamenting his sprained wing, Rumble notes to Scootaloo that they're both "grounded". To his credit, he quickly realizes what he just said, and apologizes.
- Leeroy Jenkins: A Wonderbolt by the name of Red Bank flies too fast during practice, causing Rumble to crash and sprain his wing.
- Misapplied Phlebotinum: The comic ends with Rumble using a replica of Wind Sock's glider (which Scootaloo helped to build) to fly in the air parade despite his injury. At no point is it even briefly acknowledged that such technology could be useful to Scootaloo (who, as far as has been presented, will probably NEVER be able to fly naturally).
- Those Magnificent Flying Machines: The style of Wind Sock's glider is reminiscent of Leonardo Da Vinci's inventions.
- Trailers Always Spoil: While the official summary made it clear who the Wonderbolt telling the story of Wind Sock was, in the comic itself, his identity isn't revealed until after the story is told.
