Hello & welcome back to Flutter Month (Yay!) Well after the abomination that was A Bird In The Hoof, do we get another dud or a another good Fluttershy episode. Thankfully, it's the latter. Y'know, it's funny I have an odd history with this episode as technically this is the very first episode of My Little Pony, I've ever watched and at the time I hated it and could not understand why people were gushing about this show. Then cut to December of last year and I see this episode again after some context and understanding of how the characters work, I consider it one of my favorites because of how relatable the subject matter is and it is someone I've been. Let's just say in middle school for a few weeks, I was a lot like Fluttershy in this episode. The things, we do at a young age. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Episode Title
Putting Your Hoof Down
Not too much to say about this title other then it's a reference to putting your foot down and how said person, won't take the gruff that they've been getting.
The Plot
The best way to sum up this episode is to say that we see what happens, when the bullied becomes the bully. As mentioned in the Green Isn't Your Color review, Fluttershy has a hard time sticking up for herself and this episode explores that quite well. I mean, we see this in the prologue, where Satan aka Angel Bunny throws a hissy fit because Flutters because he is not getting the salad, he wants for lunch.
Fluttershy gives in and goes to her bunny's wishes and goes to the marketplace to get all of the items needed to make Angel's special salad. (that bunny controls my girly too easily). Though things don't go as well as planned as Fluttershy has to deal with an old man and then some rude '80s valley girl ponies cutting in front of her.
Then the other two best ponies, Pinkie Pie and Miss Rarity see this and tell Fluttershy that she can't be such a doormat.
Oh, hi Lyra and Bon Bon. They try to show her to stand up for herself such as Rarity using her charm on a nerdy type pony and Pinkie going crazy bartering getting crazy.
We see Flutters attempt this and it doesn't work at all. Poor Fluttershy, but the guy she tries it on is a toughie.
Cut to later back at Fluttershy's cottage and we see Angel throwing another fit over the salad. Tossing the salad out the door and this causes Flutters to crash into her mailbox and find a brochure for an assertive training hosted by Iron Will.
And Fluttershy declares that she'll never be a pushover again.
So, we then see Flutters at the assertive training and of course, the teacher Iron Will calls her out as a volunteer. And at first, this doesn't go so well with Flutters being Flutters but then Fluttershy gets assertive and stands up to this goat that was blocking her path.
And this is the spiral of Fluttershy becoming a bully. We truly see this the next day, when we see our gardener, Mr. Greenhoves over watering her plants and Fluttershy steps on the hose that he was using and splashes him. And two background ponies are blocking Fluttershy's path as apparently they are doing their job of carrying trash and one of them is telling a joke. Fluttershy wants them to move it but she gets impatient and knocks their carts over.
And thus New Fluttershy has been created. We later see New Fluttershy at Sugarcube Corner and a pony cuts in front of New Fluttershy and she tries to apologize but New Fluttershy sends her along with the rest of the line behind her. That is after spinning her.
Miss Rarity and Pinkie see this and at first commend Flutters for sticking up for herself. Which seems to be going great for the friends until Pinkie starts laughing and Flutters thinks that Pinkie is laughing at her, which wasn't the case at all.
After they see Fluttershy kick a poor innocent pony(who I swear reminds me of Les' pony OC) out of his taxi, Old Pinkie Pie states that she doesn't like New Fluttershy and Old Rarity agrees.
After some more beating up of innocent ponies such as the mailman delivering the wrong mail to Fluttershy again and a tourist asking for directions, Rarity and Pinkie decide that it is time to confront Fluttershy about the way, she's been acting. And that doesn't go over very well as berates her friends and drives them to tears.
After this, there is a great moment where Fluttershy looks in a puddle and sees her reflection and realizes what she has become.
So, Flutters decides to lock herself up in her cottage and never leave. Rarity and Pinkie come to check up on Fluttershy and see that she is downtrodden and upset at herself because of the way, she had acted.
Later on, Iron Will comes to collect his pay. And Pinkie and Rarity try to distract him and it works for the most part. Then Flutters comes out and refuses to pay because she was not happy with the results of his class and stands up to Iron Will while still being her lovable old self.
We then see the three friends come together in a group hug and the next day, while we Fluttershy's letter to Celestia, we see her being tough on Angel during lunch but in a motherly way and gets him to eat what is in front of him.
All in all, this is a great episode with a good message of you need to stand up for yourself but that doesn't mean to change who you are.
Characters
Now, this will be broken down into Main, Supporting, & Antagonist. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Main Character
Fluttershy voiced by Andrea Libman
This was a great episode for Fluttershy as it gave her some development and taught her how to stick up for herself. In all intents and purposes, Fluttershy was the true antagonist of this episode, once she turned into New Fluttershy. She became the bully of the episode and the show tries to tell us that Fluttershy was given bad advice by Iron Will and while that is partially true, I also feel Fluttershy misconstrued his message. Do not misunderstand me, as Iron Will didn't go about giving advice in the best way but it is up to the person receiving the advice, what they do with it.
Supporting Characters
Rarity & Pinkie Pie voiced by Tabitha St. Germain & Andrea Libman
I've decided to group Rarity & Pinkie Pie together because they pretty much serve the same purpose. They want to help their friend and as we can see here, they were hurt by their friend's words. Proving that words can hurt. I applaud them though, they never give up on their friend, even when seriously obliterates them.
Antagonist
Iron Will voiced by Trevor Devall
While Iron Will was entertaining especially with talking in third person and I get why the show wanted to paint him as the antagonist with giving bad advice but I feel that was sort of a mistake because as I said, it is up to the person receiving the advice on what they do with it and Fluttershy took it in the wrong way in my mind.
My Final Thoughts
All in all, this was a great episode and gives Fluttershy a lot of great development. I do have my minor qualm with Iron Will but other then that, I really liked this episode. Hey, close the shutters. We are about to be hit with a hurricane...
Hurricane Fluttershy
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