Wind Rider (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

Wind Rider is a male Pegasus pony and the antagonist of the season five episode Rarity Investigates! He is a retired member of the Wonderbolts who frames Rainbow Dash for a crime to preserve his long-distance speed record.

Depiction in the series
Wind Rider first appears at a royal dinner at Canterlot Castle mingling with other dinner guests and Wonderbolts. When Rarity and Rainbow Dash arrive at the dinner, Rarity recognizes his Juniper Phoenix stallion cologne. Rainbow Dash is starstruck to meet such a decorated Wonderbolt veteran, calling him a "living legend" and mentioning that he holds the record for the Mustang Marathon. When Spitfire appears and mentions that Rainbow Dash might beat his record, Wind Rider suddenly excuses himself.

The next day, the Wonderbolts practice for an upcoming aerial performance, and Rainbow Dash fills in for Spitfire when she is called away by a note sent from her sick mother. During practice, Wind Rider has difficulty keeping up with Rainbow's speed. When Spitfire's mother Stormy Flare appears and reveals that she never sent a note to Spitfire, Wind Rider suggests someone sent a fake note to take Spitfire's place in the performance, causing the Wonderbolts to suspect Rainbow Dash.

After conducting an investigation, Rarity reveals that Wind Rider himself sent the note and framed Rainbow Dash to get her kicked out of the Wonderbolts and preserve his record. Wind Rider denies the accusation at first, but after Rarity presents several pieces of incriminating evidence against him, he angrily confesses. He justifies his actions by saying "sometimes you gotta play dirty to be the best", but Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts strongly disagree.

For his actions against Rainbow Dash, Wind Rider is dishonorably discharged from the Wonderbolts, and Rainbow takes his place in the aerial performance.

Wind Rider's photo appears and he is mentioned by Scootaloo in Parental Glideance.

Trivia

 * Wind Rider is widely regarded as one of the most hated ponies in the show's history, as well as one of the worst antagonists ever.
 * He is the second character who has Jan Rabson as his voice actor, following Mulia Mild (Season 2). He is also the last one to date.
 * He, along with Fire Streak, are the only ponies who used to have been members of the Wonderbolts.
 * He is the second antagonist who encountered Spitfire, the first was Lightning Dust (Season 3).
 * Out of all of the hated ponies in the show's history, the hatred for Wind Rider is because he was trying to kick Rainbow Dash out of the Wonderbolts in order to keep his fame.
 * Despite not knowing Lightning Dust, there are several pictures on Derpibooru where he and Lightning Dust (sometimes also with other antagonists and reformed antagonists) appears together.