Why Hurricane Fluttershy breaks my heart · 12:54am Sep 7th, 2015
I really don't want to blog about every single time I go back to rewatch season 2, yet in sticking with "only when I notice something new", I find myself doing so anyway. Well, so far. Today, I watched three episodes.
MMMystery on the Friendship Express is one of those episodes I tend to forget about. In truth, it's actually really terrible. It comes off as a series of fun set pieces for Pinkie Pie's imaginative wild speculations, followed by a whole bunch of the mane six being terrible friends, all as preparation for a really dumb joke. The only things I like beyond those set pieces are Rarity being dramatic about wearing false eyelashes only to turn around and flippantly add she took "a bite of the cake", and the fact that you can see the eyelash on the portrait after she loses it. But really, this is near Mare-Do-Well levels of forgetting what the show is about; it's an episode where no one listens to or cares about Pinkie, not to mention you can see the foundations of the character destruction she underwent in seasons 3 and 4 being laid.
Ponyville Confidential is dull, as CMC episodes tend to be, but it impressed me with a twist on the classic "how would you feel if it happened to you" style of lesson. To be specific, rather than enacting a wrong on someone to show them how it feels, Rarity brings up the fact that she rummaged through Sweetie's saddlebag, and how upset Sweetie was by this, to show her how the gossip column is hurting her and other ponies. Also, one of the best episodes for Diamond Tiara.
And then, there's Hurricane Fluttershy...
I think I can safely say that I watch this show for the characters. I enjoy the humor, I enjoy the fights, I enjoy the world-building, but if you gave me the RCL interview question, what I get from the show is strong characters with strong dynamics learning about how to be friends. So it bothers me a lot when, in episodes like MMMystery, the characters seem to forget everything they ever learned about friendship.
Hurricane Fluttershy is, by many metrics, one of the absolute best episodes of MLP:FiM ever aired. I would put it easily in my top five. I honestly had tears in my eyes as Fluttershy came to the end of her amazing character arc.
And yet, something occurred to me. For all that Fluttershy is the title character, this is every bit as much an episode about Rainbow Dash. She's the character we start off with in the first scene, and she dominates both that scene and the next two before Fluttershy's conflict is introduced.
And what a Rainbow Dash she is! It's obvious that she and Fluttershy have been friends for a long time, given their interaction. Dash knows Fluttershy's a weak flyer, but still comes to her saying, "I need you on this". She knows Fluttershy has performance issues, but is willing to work with her; not even give her a bye so much as make sure she's able to come out and do whatever's necessary to do her part. She supports and encourages Fluttershy throughout the whole episode, with hardly any tough love, because she knows that doesn't work.
Where in the fuck is this Rainbow Dash in the rest of the show?
This is what breaks my heart. I've had RD on the bottom of my "favorite mane six" list since at least season four, possibly earlier. Yet, for one gleaming moment, she was best pony. This is the Rainbow Dash from Aftershock, who goes through the mirror and punches her human self because she wasn't loyal enough. I mean, fuck's sake, I praised Rainbow Dash in Rainbow Rocks because she was an arrogant, self-centered ass. Those were the only characters traits she had at that point, and they were able to ramp them up to ludicrous levels, which was hilarious! But that doesn't make her a good Rainbow Dash. She deserves to be punched.
But it got me thinking about her interactions with the other mane six. With AJ, she's more brash, loud-mouthed, and braggy. Y'know, jerkass Rainbow Dash. She does this because AJ has some of those characteristics as well and she can get away with it. She enjoys competing because she knows AJ does too, and they both really do love testing themselves against one another. Compare her in Fall Weather Friends to this episode.
With Pinkie, she's got pranking. She can kick back and be lazy and unserious. She doesn't have to compete with Pinkie, and she gets to eat awesome stuff at her parties.
With Rarity, she doesn't have as much interaction. (Would love to see an episode where they bond over the fact that their shared passions are eventually going to take them outside Ponyville.) If anything, I'd say she's a good friend for Rarity to have, though. That constant mantra of "You'd better make sure my dress is cool" keeps Rarity considerate of others, which she can sometimes, y'know, not be.
And then there's Twilight, who Rainbow needed an entire episode (Reading Rainbow) to get any kind of direct link to. I dunno, I honestly have no idea why they're friends. Holy shit is Hurricane Fluttershy a good TwiDash ep, though. :V
But yeah. I know a lot of people still love RD, but I'm just sick of her. Where has Hurricane's supportive, understanding, completely an awesome friend Rainbow Dash been ever since? That's what breaks my heart.
I don't understand this conclusion. It's all fun banter, yo.
Rainbow Dash treats Fluttershy the best?
What a shocker.
It's not like they've known each other for YEARS or anything.
As much as Rarijack is kind of teased in the show, RainbowShy is teased just as much.
According to my (obviously correct and totally objective) ratings, all of these episodes were decent to excellent.
Also, this Rainbow Dash shows up in Wonderbolts Academy as well. And Flight to the Finish (though she struggles to remain PROFESSIONAL there).
Rainbow Dash has a huge ego, but she's a good, supportive person. You know, when she isn't busy tripping over her ego.
Apparently, the writers disagree with you as to how Dash should act. :V
That's the heck of it, isn't it? These characters have developed so much that I think the writers are really struggling to find conflict between each of them. So it's easier to go back to jerky Rainbow Dash (or timid Fluttershy, or selfish Rarity, or family oriented Applejack, or obnoxious Pinkie Pie, or neurotic Twilight Sparkle) so that conflict can be created.
This is why I'm really been digging season five, since it's showing how these characters are passing on their experiences to other ponies. They are taking a more leadership role, becoming the example to live up to. It's expanding the characters while still being true to what they have been through.
For the most part. Still a few nagging traits that haven't completely been ironed out.
I think you're talking about one of mine. Specifically, "Aftershock".
As for the episodes... Honestly, I sometimes have a hard time focusing on the quality of narrative when I'm busy looking for bits and pieces I can disassemble and reuse elsewhere. I tend to watch more as a scavenger than a critic. It takes something like Mare-Do-Well or Spike at Your Service to draw me away from the details. (And even with the latter, at least we got timberwolf Voltron.)
The "Hurricane Fluttershy" Rainbow Dash is my Rainbow Dash, no question. She's the one I write about, and also the one in the "under the table" scene of the pegasi's Friends Forever comic. That episode may still be my favourite of the entire show to date, and it also contains my favourite moment of the series to date: when Dash realises 'Shy has joined her in the tornado and gives that smile of pure happiness. That is what my Rainbow Dash does.
It's interesting that the scene with those two in "Tanks for the Memories", which is in some ways a reversal of the "Hurricane Fluttershy" stuff, was by the same writer: Cindy Morrow. Who then went on to write "One Bad Apple" ('Shy is a background pony) and "Apple Family Reunion" ('Shy doesn't appear at all). Morrow's next episode actually to feature Fluttershy properly was "Tanks for the Memories" in which, guess what, we get a good Rainbow/Fluttershy scene. As I said, that's almost a reversal of the "Hurricane Fluttershy" stuff, with Flutters doing the tough-love-then-comforting bit.
Conclusion? For more good FS/RD friendshipping scenes, we need more Cindy Morrow.
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I mean, this is why I've ended up writing about the CMC and other assorted Ponyville kids as of late. There's still so much potential for dynamic character growth with them, as opposed to their pretty much saturated older companions.
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FttF is actually a good point. I'd forgotten about that, but I think she's stronger there than WBA.
Then again, I have a massive hate-on for WBA, so maybe there's that. :B I always kind of thought Rainbow was a wet noodle in that episode.
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WELL I DISAGREE WITH THEM :|
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Woot, thank you. :D
I get now why I can't find it: I read that as part of horizon's Never the Last Word, but I haven't published the reviews yet. :B It's coming.
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Hm, and another good point about TftM.
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The thing is, Dash acts much more mature when she's entrusted with some form of responsibility. When she's made responsible for others, she tends to act more leader-like. She doesn't have to compete in such situations - she's in charge, everyone else is her subordinate, and she has nothing to prove, and now she has to take care of them.
And don't forget Testing 123, which has Dash being rather insecure for a change! This, plus the whole TwiDash dynamic. Also, I think this is the first time we see Dash and Twi flying together since the start of season 4. Could be wrong on that part, but she's supposedly Dash's "new flying buddy" eh?
They don't put strange characters together enough.
Why not more Rarity and Fluttershy or Pinkie and Rarity? Or Applejack and Twilight? Rainbow Dash and Pinkie?
I want more strange character combinations and conflicts instead of weird outside conflicts just thrown into the mix! Let them bounce off each other instead of the friendship problem of the day!
That awesome Dash is the same place as 'not a one-note gag' Pinkie Pie and the coherent plot arc behind Alicorn!Twi.
In the Bin of things the show writers gave up on because they are apparently too hard.
Eeeeeeh. I wouldn't call Shy's character arc "amazing". She's a nice character, but for me she'd definitely the worst M6. If your entire role in the show is to be the cute and useless one who avoids all conflict, nobody who can't relate to you on a deep level can like you.
I mean, seriously - sometimes Shy is useful? And whenever that happens, the entire episode has to be about how she's not completely unnecessary, guys! See? She can be part of the group too!
Her default mode is to be the damsell in distress, hence the myriad of "you gotta be assertive" episodes. And it never sticks, so yeah. Fluttershy episodes always need something else to move them forward; she can't carry one on her own. The rest of the M6 don't need that, and as insufferable as RD can be, I prefer her being brash than pandering to Shy all the time because she's special. Man, screw that.
Shy is cute as a button and can have some amazing moments, I won't deny that. She's a nice character. But the rest of the M6 have plots like "learn to get along with your sister" or "understand your limits". We still gotta see a Fluttershy episode where the lesson isn't "well turns out she's not a total failure, guys!"
The moment the show stops treating her like the one weighting down the M6, the better. This season opener did that, and it was amazing.
Also, hey, I liked Mmmystery! I found it fun as hell.
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You mean TwiDash: The Episode. :V
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"A Bird in the Hoof". The lesson being "Ask first before wading in/taking other people's things, even if you're really trying to help". Or possibly "The Royal Guards are gullible as all hay", but still.
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This is my default mode of viewing the show, and has been pretty much ever since I discovered Fimfiction. My headcanon is a confusing mix of the show and every fanfic I've read and liked, so if RD really has become as unlikable as Present says in the show alone, I haven't really noticed.
And I don't want to hate any of these girls anyhow.
Scootaloo man, you forgot Scootaoo! Rainbow's at her best when she's being a big sister to Scoots.
Same Dash as Super Speedy Cider Squeezy. And Dragon Quest.
I think the thing you gotta accept is that all the folks here with Rainbow Dash avatars, and say she is best pony, are talking about the show's Rainbow Dash, and they mean what they say.
I find it only slightly more understandable than the people who are fans of Babs, Diamond Tiara, or Aria, but a lot of people like the jerkass Rainbow Dash, and--I think--don't even realize she's a jerk. And I think the show's writers are catching on to that.
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I like characters like Diamond Tiara because we're supposed to hate them. When DT is being a disagreeable little shit is when she's at her best.
But we're supposed to like Rainbow Dash. She's a main character, one of the good guys! (Discounting how every one of the mane six has had her villain role to date.) But every time she creeps closer to the jerky athlete archetype, I just out and out hate her, and I find this to be an ultimately disagreeable thing.
3388671 You know how a lot of nice girls will fall in love with a guy that you can tell in ten seconds is an asshole, but they can't figure it out until after he dumps them? It's probably something like that. People like what they like.
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So being a Rainbow Dash fan means you're automatically in an abusive relationship? I can dig.
And probably also write a crackfic about it. :B
Yup, I'm already outlining it in my head. For shame. <:B
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Comments like yours are why sometimes I like Rainbow, in most situations I see her as a tomboy with zero consideration for others. In "Equestria Games" she feels bad for faking an injury just to avoid a decision. In "Tanks For The Memories" she wants to do anything to avoid having to let Tank hibernate. Eventually her friends convinced her to let him go. It's a heart warming scene. Her relationship with one of her biggest fans (Scootaloo) is beautiful. She wants to help this innocent filly fly. We see heir relationship in "Mysterious Mare Do Well", "Sleepless In Ponyville", and "Crusaders Of The Lost Mark". Rainbow has become something more than a sister figure to Scoots, but a mother figure. Which is cute considering we never see Scoots family. It's amazing when Rainbow uses her heart instead of her ego or brain. She becomes sentimental, inspirational, and relatable.
That's what I like about one of my least favorite characters. Next to Rarity...but that's for a different time.