Deconstruction is Magic: A My Little Pony Retrospective (S1E17) · 12:25am Nov 3rd, 2020
Grrrrrrrrrrrrreetings everypony, and welcome back to Deconstruction is Magic, my Retrospective/Review/Analysis of every episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is magic ever. Today, I'm tackling a Fluttershy/CMC combo episode, The Stare Master! Without wasting any more time, let's get on with the analysis! I am the Mage of Mind, reminding you, as always, that even a cheeseburger can be deconstructed to its source.
This episode starts with an important establishment of Sweetie Belle's relationship with Rarity. Like many children, Sweetie Belle desires to have some level of responsibility, helping to take a bit of weight off Rarity's shoulders with her creatrive work. Back in the day, CR of Familiar Faces stated that one of Rarity's best character traits is that she isn't just a girly girl who likes dresses. No, she is a business woman, making dresses for a living specifically to her client's requests. It isn't just her creative passion, it's her life! Unfortunately for Sweetie Belle, this also means she has virtually no time for her, meaning that she just gets in the way when she tries to be involved.
And that's where Fluttershy enters the picture. Since she's so good at handling Rarity's cat, Opalessance, she offers to look after the CMC for their Slumber Party as well. After all, how hard could it be? Turns out, much harder, because while children may respond to some basic body language, vocal tone and assertiveness is far more important. This is in contrast to most animals, where the reverse is true. Understanding a cat's body language, recognising where they may be upset or afraid, goes a long way into presenting yourself as a friend!
(Just according to keikaku*.)
[Note: keikaku means plan.]
This is where the episode starts to drag its hooves. Much of the first half is taken up by Fluttershy's meger attempts to control the CMC, though she never tries to relate to them on any level. She expects them to be peaceful and quiet, without any further plans. It would've been nice to see her try and channel that energy into something productive, rather than doing nothing at all. It's one thing to be out of your depth when it comes to kids, and another entirely to not try at all!
Part of this is excusable, given her meekness, but this can only go so far when she accepts responsibility for the CMC. Speaking of, the three girls are pretty much on point for children around the target audience. They have boundless energy, often impulsively using anything and everything for their creative persuits, with little situational awareness. While their "crusading" is a little one note at times, their desire to find their special talents manifests in many forms of play, preventing this character point from getting too stale.
(Surprisingly, Broadway Lulabies never took off as a concept.)
The episode shines the most when it introduces the fantasy elements. We've already established the dangers of the Everfree Forest, and now we can add Cockatrices to the list! A Cockatrice is an old european mythical creature, sharing the Basalisk's petrification powers through its stares. In a way, this serves as a metaphor for how Fluttershy must use her stare to save the day. Through her intense gaze, she can literally bring a dragon to tears, using it as a common body language sign that she means business! While the Cockatrice literally turns its victims to stone, Fluttershy paralises the animals with fear, presenting a harsh intimidation that shows her to be a bigger threat than whatever the animal can bring.
Most animals have a natural instinct to avoid harm, where possible! So predators seek out the easiest prey, finding a meal that is least likely to end up hurting them. If the prey is too strong or there is a more dominant predator present, the weaker individuals will usually submit and live to fight another day. This is exactly what happens with the Cockatrice, and it's Fluttershy's power that captures the CMC's attention. She didn't need to use the stare on them, but she did need to step up and pull weight as an adult. The CMCs learn a valluable lesson as to why adults keep kids away from dangerous environments!
(The only thing to fear is far itself! And maybe your mother.)
Conclusion
Despite a slow start, the Stare Master brings a small arc for Fluttershy to a satisfying conclusion. The CMC are written in a way that kids can likely relate to, without being overly obnoxious for the adults. We understand they mean well, while also showing how much both they and Fluttershy are in over their heads! While Fluttershy could've put more effort into engaging with them, instead of just telling them to be quiet, it doesn't detract from just how badass she can be at the climax. I give this episode a final score of 7/10.
What did you make of this episode? Is Fluttershy being a little bit too lazy for what she signed up for? Feel free to let me know in the comments of this blog! Until next time, take care all~.
