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The Wonderbolts
Fictional aerial performance team from My Little Pony From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Wonderbolts are a fictional elite aerial aerobatics team that appears in the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony toyline and media franchise, beginning with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2010–2019). They are a performance team and military unit within Equestria and are known for their precision flying and aerial stunts.
The Wonderbolts are depicted as the most prestigious flying team in Equestria, composed entirely of pegasi who demonstrate exceptional aerial skills and athleticism. Based in the cloud city of Cloudsdale, they perform at major events throughout Equestria while also serving military and rescue functions when needed. The team is led by Captain Spitfire. Joining the Wonderbolts is the ultimate dream for aspiring pegasus athletes, most notably Rainbow Dash, who eventually achieves her goal of becoming a member in the seventh season episode "Newbie Dash".
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Appearances
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Fourth My Little Pony incarnation (2010–2021)
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
The Wonderbolts first appear in the series premiere during the Summer Sun Celebration, performing aerial stunts for the crowd in Cloudsdale. Throughout the first season, they are established as Rainbow Dash's idols and her ultimate career aspiration. They make notable appearances at events such as the Best Young Flyer competition, where Rainbow Dash first gains their attention by performing a Sonic Rainboom.
The team's role expands throughout the series as Rainbow Dash pursues her dream of joining them. She is eventually accepted into the Wonderbolts Academy in season three, becomes a member of the Wonderbolts Reserves in season four, and achieves full membership in season six. The show explores the team's training methods, hierarchy, and both their performance and military responsibilities. By the series finale, Rainbow Dash has become the captain of the Wonderbolts, fulfilling her lifelong ambition.
My Little Pony: The Movie
The Wonderbolts appear briefly in the film during the Storm King's invasion of Canterlot, where they attempt to defend the city alongside other Equestrian forces before being overwhelmed by the enemy's superior numbers and magic.
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Members
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- Spitfire (voiced by Nicole Oliver in the episode "Sonic Rainboom" and Kelly Metzger in all other appearances), a "spirited competitor" and "no-nonsense instructor" at the Wonderbolts' training academy.[1][2]
- Soarin' (voiced by Matt Hill) is Spitfire's second-in-command.
- Rainbow Dash (voiced by Ashleigh Ball) a main character who has the goal of joining the Wonderbolts at the beginning of the series. She joins the Wonderbolts as a trainee in "Wonderbolts Academy", becomes a reservist in "Testing Testing 1, 2, 3", and then a full-time member in "Newbie Dash".
- Fleetfoot (voiced by Andrea Libman)
- Thunderlane (voiced by Trevor Devall)
- Blaze (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain)
- Wind Rider (voiced by Jan Rabson), a retired Wonderbolt who frames Rainbow Dash in "Rarity Investigates!" in order to protect his flight speed record.
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Development
According to show creator Lauren Faust, the Wonderbolts were designed by her husband Craig McCracken, the creator of The Powerpuff Girls.[3] The Wonderbolts were inspired by the Blue Angels; they both share the same blue and gold color scheme and past Wonderbolts uniforms resemble historic Air Force uniforms.[4] According to writer Amy Keating Rogers, the name of the Wonderbolts' founder, General Firefly, is a tribute to Faust's online username "fyre-flye", in turn named after the "G1" toy Firefly.[5]
Reception and analysis
In her 2016 study on military bronies (military service members who are fans of My Little Pony, also known as bronies), Maria Patrice Amon described the Wonderbolts as an Equestrian version of real-world military flight demonstration units like the Blue Angels. Amon described the Wonderbolts' uniforms, which borrow military uniform motifs in their design, as "a rare tool of unification" in a world where each pony is highly individualized through their cutie marks and color combinations. Amon also wrote that some military bronies use their official military uniforms as part of their Wonderbolts cosplay, which she described as a form of unintentional "masculine innocence."[6]
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See also
References
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