A Fluttershy episode? In season two?! When's the last time that has happened?? That would be never, by the way, as poor Fluttershy has been kind of neglected for the majority of the season.
So the question on everypony's mind is "how is her first season two episode?" And I suppose that's what I'm here to establish in some form or another, so without further ado, let's get right into it!
After the break contains some spoilers, so I'd recommend that you watch the episode first.
So we start off the plot with Fluttershy being tasked by everyone's favorite jerk of a rabbit, Angel, to make him a salad with supplies she needs to get from Ponyville's market. So she heads to the market, but finds her characteristic timidity preventing her from actually managing to get the ingredients. Rarity and Pinkie Pie see this and elect to help her out.
I'm just going to put this out there immediately: the market scenes are pretty great. Lots of minor pony shenanigans, and Pinkie Pie's scene is an especially great, classic reference that just further establishes her as the Looney Tunes pony.
But best of all is the background ponies. I know I didn't notice it without some help from Equestria Daily, but there is some GREAT stuff happening back there. I won't spoil it if you'd rather go back and take a look for yourself (or just check the EqD post), but I have to say that it couldn't have come at a better time, what with all the Derpy-related drama as of late.
So Fluttershy isn't assertive and want to be assertive, so she end up going to IRON WILL's assertiveness training. IRON WILL is amazing, by the way. He's probably one of my favorite parts of the episode, with only the background ponies giving him a run for his money.
Oh, and IRON WILL's name doesn't really need to be in all caps. I just feel like putting it in all caps, because lowercase letters simply cannot contain the greatness that is IRON WILL.
The twist is that IRON WILL's training is actually really over-the-top: IRON WILL thinks that being assertive means being a jerk and pushing people around, so Fluttershy proceeds to do just that. After terrifying most of Ponyville and making her friends cry, Fluttershy realizes how terrible she's become and opts to tie herself to a chair. Because why not.
Ultimately, it's actually a pretty interesting conclusion. The lesson learned is that it's possible to assert oneself without being a jerk, and not only does Fluttershy learn this but she actually manages to teach IRON WILL this as well.
And that's really my favorite bit about the ending: not only is it a good lesson, but it makes IRON WILL a very interesting character at the same time. He's not just an antagonist for the purpose of teaching how not to do things, like Gilda or Trixie were, and instead is really just a misguided guy who learns just as much by the end of it as anypony else. It's kind of cool, to be honest!
On the other hand, though, the lesson learned does come off as a bit of an anticlimax. It's literally just Fluttershy coming out of her house and suddenly she has stuff figured out. I hate to say its unrealistic, as she could've easily figured everything out in the time period given, but at the same time I feel like if we had actually seen her thought process at least a little bit the lesson could've been presented a lot better.
Also, the various acts by Fluttershy in the middle seemed a little bit... almost too bad for her. Obviously that was kind of the point, but to me it didn't feel realistic that Fluttershy would do things like beat up somepony, even after assertiveness training.
Oh yeah, and did I mention goats? I like goats. Goats are fun.
All in all, I think it's a very good episode that manages to supply a lot of good character development all while having good, believable characters and some fun, goofy situations to boot. Really an episode worthy of being Fluttershy's first starring role in the season! I'll give it a...
8.5/10
Pros:
-Fun characters and situations
-Good plot while still working in goofy, cartoony stuff
-Iron Will is a very cool character, fitting the "lesson character" much better than antagonists
-Background shoutouts to the bronies? Yes please!
Cons:
-Fluttershy's learning of the lesson was a little anticlimactic
-New Fluttershy's violence seemed almost a little too over the top
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So... at the end of this episode, not only was Fluttershy assertive without being a jerk, but apparently imposing her will upon others through The Stare was acceptable for her. So we have this pony that can essentially control any other sentient being to get her way and has no problem with this whatsoever.
May Celestia help us all.
...also what the heck was up with Pinkie putting up her leg during the group hug at the end there? Was that like... the trope where lovers hug and one puts their leg up? Was that implying FlutterPie? I don't even know.
~C.O
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