My Problems With: Dragonshy. · 2:38am Aug 30th, 2013
It's been a while since my last one of these. Today's, as you know, is the Season 1 episode "Dragonshy." This is my least favorite episode in the whole first season, worse than "Over a Barrel" and "Owl's Well that Ends Well." My main problem with this story is not Fluttershy, but Rainbow Dash. Rainbow is a huge ass in this episode, and this is the only episode where she is like this. She may have been very egotistical in past and future episodes, but at least in those she didn't react hostilely to Fluttershy, her oldest "friend." Now, Fluttershy has never been put into a brave light before this, but she at least has a legitimate reason for all the trouble she caused. She's scared of dragons, a legitimate fear, and is extremely nervous because of said dragon. But what does Rainbow do? Say things like (And I'm taking these all from the episode), "She's just gonna slow us down," "Not YOUR fault (To Rarity after Fluttershy misses a step and slides herself, Rarity, and AJ down a gravely area)," and "Still think it was a good idea to bring Fluttershy along?" At least Fluttershy actually does something in this episode, all Rainbow does is react negatively to Fluttershy, kick a dragon, and then doesn't even apologize to Fluttershy. What a bitch. And then, when Pinkie scares Rainbow, she acts like she's too cool to feel basic emotions like fear. Seriously, Rainbow Dash is supposed to be likable, but if this was your first episode, she would come off as a villain or a bully. She gets turned from a likable (if cliched) character into a total ass who doesn't care for her oldest friend. Seriously, why did they make this choice? Now, Rainbow Dash fans like to give the example, "She's best pony because she kicked a dragon," while glossing over the important bits of this episode, like Rainbow's flat character. Now, this episode does have redeeming factors, namely Fluttershy's arc and Twilight. While Twilight did get annoyed with Fluttershy, it was during a very tense and stressful time. It wasn't from the get-go like Rainbow. Concluding thoughts: I hate this episode for what it did to the little character Rainbow had in these first episodes. Fluttershy and Twilight help the episode, but it's still not good enough.
-FlutterJack
Well to be honest this episode was written before "Cutie Mark Chronicles" thus it hadn't yet been established that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were childhood friends.
SuperPinkBrony12 does have a point, but still, Rainbow Dash was not like this in other episodes towards Fluttershy. In "Hurricane Fluttershy, I liked how Rainbow Dash was in that episode. I liked how they got her to calm down after the "Suck it up, Fluttershy" part, then she talks calmly to her. I don't mind her getting a bit annoyed at Fluttershy's problems, but I would always like her to remember just how sensitive she is.
You know what else I didn't like in "Dragonshy"? The dragon tells Fluttershy that Rainbow kicked him, and Rainbow frigging SMILES AND NODS?! Seriously?! That's a first, and I was not impressed with that. I expected a guilty look, but when I saw that, I was all like "Really?"