Ugh, why does Youtube keep doing this?Analysis: Fluttershy has the potential to be a good antagonist. · 5:47am Sep 9th, 2013
Yes, yes, I know. She isn't one. However, before I get started on an analysis on her representation throughout the series I feel like I need to post this. Because I know if I don't, someone else will feel the need to.
There, happy now? Good. 
Now, if you all remember the ticket-master episode.
When Twilight got her two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, all her friends had their own reasons for wanting to attend, and each of them made a plea to have themselves selected over the others. However, Fluttershy stands out here for a few very specific reason--well, Applejack does to, for not initially asking to go, and being the one Twilight was about to invite when Rainbow interrupted and started the entire 'invitation argument'--Unlike the rest of the cast, Fluttershy showed no hesitance, guilt, or awkwardness about lying prior to or during the accusation of trying to manipulate Twilight. The only thing that caused her to admit the truth, was, quite simply, Angel telling her to--in his own way... namely aggressive glaring--.
There's also the second point, namely...
"Oh no, I'm doing this because you're my very best friend. Right Angel? Oh, yes, we are just doing this for the ticket."
— Fluttershy in 'The Ticket Master'
Fluttershy and Angel didn't just come up with the idea--I do use 'Angel' hesitantly here, as this is basically the only time it happens, it's just Fluttershy for the most part--but they manipulated the woodland creatures into doing manual labor for Fluttershy despite the fact there was no evidence they benefit from this in any way... Outside of the fact they seem happy in the scene, as if they were enjoying helping Fluttershy just because they like her. In either case, she manipulated their feelings or bribed them into doing manual labor. This shows Fluttershy has a degree of power over Equestria's wildlife that she doesn't actually bring up much. This becomes even more apparent in episodes like Friendship Is Magic Part 2.
While I am aware that Fluttershy did this guy a favor, hence his very noticeable appreciation, you need to keep in mind her profession... And the fact, this means Fluttershy is capable of dealing with powerful mythical beasts that had even the mane six scared.
After all... Regardless of what the animal is, it seems to be rather liable to be unusually friendly to her, even despite its own natural personality.
And of course, in the only two cases where there's been any display of something not being willing to obey her--A full sized dragon in Dragon Quest, and cockatrice in Stare Master--she was still able to persuade or use 'The Stare' to manipulate their emotions--guilt and fear, respectively--in order for them to fall in line.
Stare Master also brought up an interesting implication.
"YOU! Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone? You should be ashamed of yourself! I have half a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man! Now you go over there and turn Elizabeak and my friend Twilight back to normal - and don't ever let me catch you doing this again! Do you understand me?" — Stare Master
Contrary to her warnings and general attitude, she seems oddly familiar with the residents of the Everfree forest, this also implies that she manages relations between the various mundane and mythological wildlife and Ponyville. This is later confirmed in Keep Calm And Flutter On.
"[gasp] Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth! Such language!"
— Fluttershy in Keep Calm and Flutter On
While Fluttershy has always been depicted to be shy, it also hides--rather well--that in that awkward, mumbled mass of words she innocently spouts... It's almost impossible to tell when she's trying to lie.
In most episodes when she isn't being pressured--if you haven't read it yet, I already have a Fluttershy analysis blog on her emotions: Clicky--she displays a high tendency to approach things by being manipulative. An example of this is her attempt at babysitting the CMC in Stare Master.
So far, we know now, that Fluttershy both has a potentially massive army at her call, and is well experienced with lying and being manipulative. However, there's still something missing... Motivation. She doesn't have any... does she? It's easy to forget, because of her shy attitude, but she is incredibly emotional, moreover if she has a problem with something, she tends to not say anything for the most part, unless she is pressured into snapping. In which case...
"I'll catch you yet, my pretties. Oh yes, as soon as one of you little birds or monkeys or bears touches this net, you'll be mine! MINE! HahahaHAHAHA! "
— Fluttershy in The Best Night Ever
"You're... going to love me!"
— Fluttershy in Best Night Ever
We also of course, have this incredibly ominous statement from the official elements of harmony guidebook.
FLUTTERSHY is a natural beauty with her gentle, serene ways. Despite her shy and unassuming nature, Fluttershy has a unique gift with animals. Her sweetness and sincerity can charm every animal, from tiny woodland creatures to the most powerful of mythical beasts, making her a valuable asset to her friends in all their adventures. Although she's afraid of heights (very embarrassing for a Pegasus) and shies away at the slightest sound, Fluttershy has no problem confronting grumpy manticores or scolding greedy dragons. While she lacks confidence, she has an inner strength that comes out when others are in trouble. Fluttershy has a lot of fears to overcome, but one day her strength of character and enormous heart will make her a force to be reckoned with.
We of course, have something else to consider. Her Element of Harmony: Kindness. That's not really a scary or even villainous Element. Hell, it's not even slightly intimidating.
But what motivates that kindness? In Keep Calm and Flutter On we get a massive canonized hit to Fluttershy that completely changes the context of her actions in previous episodes.
Now where is Fluttershy? I believe she may know best on how to begin reforming Discord
- Princess Celestia in Keep Calm and Flutter On
First of all, consider what generally gets her angry. What makes Fluttershy generally pissed off? And more specifically, how does she respond?
"YOU! Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone? You should be ashamed of yourself! I have half a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man! Now you go over there and turn Elizabeak and my friend Twilight back to normal - and don't ever let me catch you doing this again! Do you understand me?"
"How dare you? How dare you! Listen here, mister. Just because you're big doesn't mean you get to be a bully. You may have huge teeth, and sharp scales, and snore smoke, and breathe fire. But you do not-- I repeat-- You do not! Hurt! My! Friends! You got that?"
Just as a couple examples.
This suggests Fluttershy's general issue is with ethics, even among her friends who she has no reason to be shy around, she still refrains from voicing her opinion, she doesn't like to come across as rude.
"All right! Since you really want to know...*inhales* The armscye's tight, the middy collar doesn't go with the shawl lapel, the hems are clearly machine-stitched, the pleats are uneven, the fabric looks like toile, you used a backstitch when it clearly called for a topstitch or maybe a traditional blanket stitch and the overdesign is reminiscent of pret-a-porter and not true French haute couture. But, uh... you know... um, whatever you want to do is fine."
One of her first statements to Discord in Keep Calm and Flutter On is...
"You think you can treat poor defenseless animals like that and get away with it? You best watch your step buster, or I'll give you the stare!"
You notice that? She basically tells Discord to reform into a more ethical lifestyle or she will make him do it. She's pulling, as she always does when she stands up for her friends, the ethical high-ground.
It's not about kindness being used for the sake of benevolence or tolerance, Fluttershy weaponizes Kindness. It's not compassion and kindness for the sake of compassion and kindness--just like how every other element bearer has some sort of reason for their representation, or issues with pulling it off constantly--Fluttershy is kind because she uses it as a tool of her ethics, to try pulling people onto her level, and she does it quite frequently. People often complain about Fluttershy being shallow and one-dimensional. But that's her main strength. Fluttershy is the most subtle of the main cast, she has an internalized ethical system and personal agenda she pushes out passive-aggressively with straight faced lies, weaponized kindness and empathy.
Her apparent cliche innocence is used incredibly well when dealing with Discord. Who gleefully decides to abuse Fluttershy's innocence and play her as a fool to convince her to turn against her friends while he destroys the Element bearers ability to use other methods to reform him. Except... of course, Fluttershy was the one controlling everything from the beginning. After stating to Twilight that she knew how to handle his reformation, and before the climax of the episode, Fluttershy lied to and manipulated both Discord and the other bearers. Also of course, keep in mind the constant glares Fluttershy gave Discord throughout the episode when no one was looking. Which is to say, her declaration of friendship, done just moments after angrily glaring at him was an intentional lie.
Which was confirmed moments later with Fluttershy's exchange with Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, it's no use, they won't listen to a word I say."
"You see Discord is behind all this right?"
"Oh of course I do! Do you think I'm all a silly, gullible, fool? I've just been trying to get his friendship any way I can so he'd come to trust and listen to me."
This is probably one of the only times in the series she comes right out and completely admits that she was casually lying to those around her while utilizing her kindness as an offensive tool to manipulate someone into adopting her own ethics.
After all, in Fluttershy's gambit against Discord, she goes and tells him, when putting her manipulation to the test:
"As you can see there's a big mess down here at sweet apple acres."
"Ah yes, awful business that."
"Yes it is awful, this is Applejack's home and it's being destroyed by innocent creatures who would never be acting this way if it weren't for your reckless behavior.
You need to fix this."
Again, we get to see that her ultimate method, and mindset is focused on ethics.
She said herself earlier that she was just "leaving Discord room to be himself", she was waiting, because she knew
he'd do something bad. Her rehabilitation process was literally just to wait for that moment, then cash in and pull her ethical high-ground card. She never legitimately liked or trusted discord, she was just manipulating him with a one sided relationship. But of course, when Discord stated he had a condition, Fluttershy wasn't expecting that right?
... Except, she totally was.
She was smiling when he asked, and her tone was cheerful. This isn't the reaction of what essentially amounts to a Chessmaster Fluttershy being caught off guard and thinking her plan will fail. This is the reaction of someone who knows their opponent made a fatal decision. Keeping in mind her tendency for lying, the following scene is a bit... varied in how it can be interpreted, but for the sake of my argument, I'm going to say her statement that she'll keep her promises--ethical high ground says hi--was part of the act. Discord insisting on them being friends, was actually not really a part of the plan and just legitimately pissed her off--that growling was scary...
Which of course, led to Fluttershy simply stating 'Not your friend', albeit with more growling and glaring.
... Except, she didn't state "No longer your friend" or "I'm stopping our friendship", no, it was "Not your friend", as in, "I was never your friend to begin with". I think this strengthens my argument on Fluttershy's skill at manipulation.
Promptly after this, was Discord trying to rub in his victory, after seeming to of not of noticed that peculiar phrasing in Fluttershy's statement... However, as he ultimately realized that he did end up caring about her, his response was "Well played Fluttershy, well played". That's not something Discord would say unless he suddenly realized he was the one being manipulated the entire time and he just lost. His response treats the context of his actions like a game, one which he unwittingly just lost. He would have phrased things much differently if he felt the friendship was a legitimate accident on his part and Fluttershy wasn't planning it from the beginning.
It wasn't until Discord made the independent decision of specifically telling Fluttershy he'd compromise and be more ethical regardless of the fact he still is the same deep down. That Fluttershy started to show genuine interest in being friends with him.
So, throughout the series we have been able to conclude that; Fluttershy is a strong liar, she is manipulative, she is intelligent, she has a strong capability for violence, she's incredibly ethical, she basically has an entire friggin army and discord at her back and call. Along with that, what was the only thing immune to her persuasion? Right, things affected by Discord's magic.
Discord, who she now has eating out of her hoof.
The only thing holding her back from being what amounts to the best friggin antagonist in the entire series is her ethics.
Fluttershy would never willingly go evil, but, of course... all that's really holding her back, is, of course, her ethics.
Now, if we think about the official comic books, when Chrysalis promised not to kill Twilight's friends, she pointed out they'd still die anyway, as she could devour Twilight's magical power and heart to make her incapable of ethical behavior or genuinely caring for someone, which would allow Chrysalis to have Twilight kill her old friends, just... because.
This of course is just my personal theory. Feel free to disagree with it, or offer a counter-argument. 
Sooooo looonnngggggg.
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Most of it is pictures... I have at most like, one or two paragraphs between them to keep things from being a text wall.
I need to write a story where Fluttershy becomes a villain.
Great blog, Trixie.
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I'd read the hell out of that.
Also, thanks.
Are you sure it isn't the fact that it's a kids show, and that the writers aren't paid to have her become evil? Because that sounds more plausible to me.
Ever since Season two ended, I've thought about Fluttershy to some extent as how you have her laid out here. That it was a shame the writers of the show could never bring about the true potential that she represented. It would be pretty epic for her to suddenly become the next antagonist, why not make Fulltershy the one affected by Nightmare instead of Rarity (Though I did find Nightmare Rarity pretty cool)
Anyway, nice job laying all that out, it'll be a fun blog to link around to my friends.
She doesn't even have to lose her ethics to become the antagonist. She just has to become convinced that a particular path must be taken to make everyone be a bit nicer to one another, and next thing you know she's leading grand armies to invade the dragon lands and sending thousands to their deaths in the salt mines.
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That's true.
Personally, I want an episode to focus more on her ethics...
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Actually, I think that different writers handled each of her episodes probably has something to do with her current state.
1338065 Nightmare Flutters would be freaking awesome.
1338077 Yeah, that'd be good. And it'd even fit the format of the show! Sure they'd have to put the overt moral in for the kiddies, but they could explore around what makes her tick in the background of that.
See, while I never felt that way about Fluttershy from the show originally, I did get the feeling that she'd be an impressive antagonist from certain other fics. But this explanation, I totally agree with. And it's like, you never expect the quiet ones, when they can do way more than you'd ever expect from them.
I'm going to save this.
Really, an amazing theory.
How much effort did you put into this?
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Uh, not much really. I would of kept going but I was worried it would get long enough it'd get tl;dr'd.
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I'd love to read more, if it isn't too much to ask.
Let's just say, off the top of my head, Fluttershy wanted to be evil for a brief moment.
fimfiction-static.net/images/story_images/90870.png?1363408884
Her tendancies would make her fall within the trope Faux Affably Evil. which specifically states "A villain whose polite mannerisms only serve to enhance their evil." Now, that's not exactly related to kindness, as politeness and kindness are two far different reaches of he spectrum as politeness can infer sarcasm and kindness closer to pity when flip-flopped on to the evil scale.
So, that's not right. Perhaps just plain ol' affably evil. That would work perfectly in her manipulation skills pointed out in this blog, to kindly remind the hero(es) that their plan would fail. Now then, on to her being an antagonist. While she does have the strength to command an entire army of animals, a problem I find with Fluttershy being an antagonist is being able to face serious adversity. Actual threats.
Earlier in the series, Fluttershy was brought to tears by a simple Griffon roar and afraid of flying too far off of the ground. There was also the "scared of her own shadow" in which we saw she was literally scared of her own shadow, enough so to cower into a bush. She has gotten stronger, learning how to assert herself and letting people know of the feared stare, but she still holds too many of these qualities today. Her strong capabilities for violence were all in emphasized scenarios:
Dragon? To save her home from the smokey pollution.
Cockatrice? To not turn into stone.
During Iron Will's episode when she turned into Flutterbitch? Disillusioned.
Her "You're going to love me?" Failure to exercise her manipulation, which would have to be trained to get under control if she's working with animals and ponies alike.
More to the point, what could she gain from being an antagonist? Her woodland creatures have a high intelligence. Even with your example of getting woodland creatures to clean, it could have been asking them to help her with a favor or maybe the animals liked her enough to want to get her the ticket. "Knowing" Fluttershy, she could have said, "Can you help me clean this house so I can get a ticket?" and the animals may have happily agreed. Yes, I understand that's manipulation through kindness to get others to want you to have your goals; you also said they don't benefit from helping her in that scenario. I disagree. If they helped Fluttershy, she would continue to show them that brand of kindness and in turn they could continue to use her cottage as a home and occasionally a veterinarian. Both parties benefit. Friendship.
Her being an antagonist and using the animals to achieve her goals repeatedly would likely falter after about five attempts. Her animals are intelligent; when they find out she was using them, there would be fallout. Since it's early in the morning and I'm repeating myself, what would she gain from being an antagonist on purpose? While her ethics prevent her from "going evil", I also wonder what exactly she could win that would warrant a potential loss of her friends and animals.
I'm going to excuse the situation of fighting the changelings in the Season Three Finale because fighting for everything you have tends to change your personality and morals to overcome the odds. Everyone has a strong capacity for violence when the correct buttons are pushed and given enough time to develop the emotional strength. I mean, Pinkie Pie used Twilight as a turret gun in that sequence. Really?
Actually, that would make for an interesting arguement. How much do ponies really know about guns and other weaponry?
But that's kind of it. The rest she has down. Great theory. None of that matters much since she has Discord on her side now. Written very early in the morning so I've likely come off as incoherent. Point: what could she gain from being an antagonist? As far as I see, nothing that would make her want to keep doing it for very long.
Considering that this managed to change my view of Keep Calm and Flutter On completely (in a positive manner), you should guess what I have done.
Bookmarked this blog.
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Badass chessmaster Fluttershy best Fluttershy?
1338290 Da.
This is relevant to my interests. I trust you won't mind if I borrow some ideas from here?
I'm writing a story that's essentially a moral inversion of the canon universe.
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Not at all, this is just a character analysis theory.
I read this again. It's still freaking fantastic.
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I'm glad you like it. I feel it needs to be remade though.
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I'm going to leave this here...
I can't believe you found my profile picture!
Lul.