Amethyst_Gem wrote:To me, she does seem like such an obnoxious jerk almost all the time... but I come away from (most) episodes feeling like she, I dunno.. tries to make up for it? Means well but sucks at showing it? It's difficult for me to figure out, I ought to dislike her as much as you do, for many of the same reasons you've shared. I've gotten just as unhappy with her before as I have during this episode. So.. I dunno.
Probably the best episode to show an actually nice side is Hurricane Fluttershy, where Rainbow Dash is sincerely considerate with her friend throughout. What do you think of her behavior with Fluttershy in that one? Honestly it almost seemed out of character to me, but they are very close friends...

I'll allow that episode is indeed one of the nicer episodes, when it comes to Rainbow Dash development (the pivotal moment for me being her realization that her duty comes before her pride). What it showed for me though was that while Rainbow Dash was eager to
include Fluttershy (partly possibly out of the kindness of her heart, but certainly also because there was a record to beat ("I'm gonna need every Pegasus to break the record, including you")), she demonstrated very little
actual understanding of her. (Sort of similar to how Pinkie Pie completely misread (and inadvertently terrorized) her in
Filly Vanilli, though Rainbow Dash at least acknowledges that she does not know what to do about her (that would then be a "known unknown", right?)). Twilight Sparkle was the one, who nailed it ("Do it for Equestria!"

"Do it for Rainbow Dash!"

"Do it for
yourself!"

). No doubt, however, that Rainbow Dash is really, really proud of her friend afterwards, even if she was not the one who in the end was capable of helping her.
I, BTW, don't require my characters to behave all the time (how could I be a Rarity fan, if I did? ), and my favorite Fluttershy episode (well, until
Filli Vanilli) is
Putting Your Hoof Down—I have probably watched few segments of MLP:FiM more often than her towering take-down of Pinkie Pie and Rarity*. One, because it is an amazing vocal performance (unparalleled for sheer forcefulness (and still unbeaten for viciousness) until Rarity lashed out in
Rarity takes Manehattan), two, because it is so unlike her (I belong to the camp that believes that this was lashing out in hurt and anger rather than any long-held resentment), and three, because the scene demonstrated that Fluttershy is
self-aware. She realizes almost immediately what she has done.
That self-awareness is something I like in my (pony) characters (Rarity certainly knew what she was doing in
Sweet and Elite, and her horror at her own actions in
Rarity takes Manehattan was palpable), and Rainbow Dash is not strong on introspection, because apparently you don't have to when you're
awesome. (No, self-pity doesn't count, sorry,

). When you come down to it, the lack of self-awareness is probably my number one issue with her. She is almost pure Id, with little fore- or afterthought, and just a minimum of theory of mind. (I'd like her a lot better (as a character), if she
knew what a jerk she was being most of the time, but I suppose she'd be an antagonist then).
While the friendship between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash is clearly there in the show today, I generally find the evidence for it predating S01E01 by much rather lacking—old acquaintances, certainly, but friends? The earliest scene with both of them could either a) be a friend courageously defending a weaker comrade, or b) a young bruiser looking for an excuse for a fight and/or race (or c), a combination, or something completely different). She certainly didn't waste any time getting on with the race, did she? Happily, there were (astonishingly strong) butterflies to catch the one who
nopony noticed falling (I have my doubts about pegasi pedagogy, see also
Hurricane Fluttershy).
Dragonshy shows more the exasperation with an acquaintance compartmentalised as "weak flier" than loyalty and support towards an old friend (based on that episode, Applejack and Fluttershy would seem to be the old friends, and given those three's habits that makes a lot more sense). Pinkie Pie was the one who knew better than to prank Fluttershy, not Rainbow Dash.
Sonic Rainboom—choosing
Fluttershy of all Ponyville pegasi for cheering? Does she even
know her? As the seasons wore on, this obviously changed, but I'll need more flashbacks to support the notion that their friendship was old, when the show started.
Is she redeemable? Of course, she is (most seem to be in this show). She may well be ripe for her own Princess Luna episode—she seems to be the Princess of the Hard Truths, after all.
* Now imagine that scene with Rainbow Dash getting an earful instead.