MLP Reviews

So, Griffon the Brush Off failed to grab the show’s fans with what the DHX crew can do, Boast Busters didn’t really help, Dragonshy was the big step-up they needed. Many fans would point to this episode as one of season one’s best, and after seeing it again, I can see why.

So, what’s the story? Well, a dragon is found sleeping in a mountain cave nearby and is snoring smoke into the sky. So, Twilight gets her friends together to make the dragon leave and believes Fluttershy can be a big help for it. There’s just one problem; Fluttershy is terrified of dragons. Not Spike, she’s fine with him, it’s the grown-ups she’s scared of. After reaching the top of the mountain and Twilight’s, Rarity’s and Pinkie’s methods don’t work, Rainbow kicks him in the nose causing him to attack, with only Fluttershy to be the one to stand up to the dragon and teach him a lesson for trying to hurt her friends.

Now this is what we need in the show, seeing one of the main girls face a tricky problem, and finding a way to figure it out. And the fact that it’s Fluttershy facing this problem, it can show those they maybe there’s more to her than just being shy. In the beginning, we can see she see really on the shy side, heck, she’s even scared of her own shadow. We can see how terrified she is about facing a dragon, when though she’s friends with one, even the climb up the mountain took a lot of pacing to get to the top because of Fluttershy’s timid-ness. But when she sees her friends in danger, she knew she has to do something to save her friends.

The best scene, of course, is when Fluttershy talks down to the dragon. She was so hard on him, he went from being angry to a big crybaby and what does Fluttershy do after that? She talks nice to him and lets him go to find somewhere else to rest which surprises her friends, Rainbow the most snice during the trip, she doubts her thinking she couldn’t do anything that might be helpful. Goes to show that everyone can surprise you with skills you didn’t think one would have.

And what Twilight said as the lesson of the day about never losing faith in a friend and helping overcoming fears is a good lesson to learn and can be a great source of strength. Sure, Fluttershy is still timid in later episodes, but this is the start of her coming out of her shell.

So, yeah, this was a great episode. Many fans put this as one of the show’s best, and I’m one of those that do it too. If many weren’t fans of Fluttershy before, watch this episode again to see the kind of pony she can be.

Final Rating: 9/10

This episode felt like it could have easily been an episode from Generation 1. Unlike the last episode, all of the Mane Six shine in this episode. The only characters I had a problem with were Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash was a problem because she was completely unsympathetic towards Fluttershy throughout the whole episode. Rainbow Dash might not be scared of heights, but that doesn’t mean she has to be a bitch to Fluttershy, especially when she accidentally slipped and caused Rarity and the others to fall.

The problem with Fluttershy is that she’s a pansy. She makes Chuckie Finster look like a knight in shining armor by comparison. Given her isolated lifestyle, I can see why she’s scared of a lot of things, but her own shadow? Laughter aside, that’s pathetic.

Character issues aside, this episode gave us a great sense of adventure, very much like the pilot did. There’s constantly an obstacle that the Mane Six are having to overcome. Granted, most of those obstacles are the result of Fluttershy being a pansy, but they are obstacles nonetheless.

What also makes this episode great is the way in which all of the Mane Six approach the situation. None of them approach it the same way. Rarity uses her charm to talk the dragon into leaving. Twilight tries persuading him into leaving by talking to him as an individual. And Rainbow Dash uses brute force to get him to leave. Not the smartest of moves on Rainbow Dash’s part, but, being an athlete, Rainbow Dash really isn’t that bright. She acts first and thinks second.

The only problem that I have with this episode is that it suffers from a symptom that a lot of these adventure stories have, that being that the conflict could’ve easily been solved had Spike been used. Spike is a dragon. Therefore, wouldn’t it make sense for the Mane Six to take him with them when they go to confront a dragon who needs to leave his cave because he’s covering Ponyville in smoke? Then again, given how fully grown dragons are portrayed in this show, that might not have worked.

There is one minor other problem that I have with this episode. The only thing to convince Fluttershy to stand up to the dragon is when he injures her friends. You would think that standing up to him would provide her with some character development, but it doesn’t. Pretty much every Fluttershy episode has her struggling to overcome some silly fear she has, and usually these fears are contrived just for the sake of the plot. I just wish that character growth would be more consistent with this series.

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Dragonshy was the big step-up they needed

When it comes to Season 1, at its early stage of its run, there was always room for improvement and they just needed to find their footing when it comes to looking for some good episodes. Now granted, there had been some good episodes prior (Kind of mixed in with episodes that perhaps didn't quite reach the fan support they were seeking). But when it comes to an episode like 'Dragonshy', it was not just a mere Fluttershy episode of the series... but perhaps it was the Fluttershy episode we needed at the time.

So, what’s the story?

When it comes to Fluttershy in general, her characteristic is strictly within her own name. A quiet, shy pony who's often sort of the Wallflower before Wallflower Blush. The pony who's in the background but hardly anyone notices because she's so meek and timid, the kind hardly anyone pays much attention to (Which shows when she tries to warn of smoke in the mountain). But if there's something we've come to learn of Fluttershy prior to this episode, it's her apparent fear of dragons. Now some may ask, 'How can Fluttershy be afraid of dragons if she seemed so friendly with Spike?'. Because apparently through the story's writing, it's not the fact she is scared of 'all' dragons... but just the big ones. Though I just know some will call her a hypocrite for that.

Still... Fluttershy finds herself part of the group on the adventure to climb the mountain and convince a terrible beast to move its sleeping spot somewhere else. And as we know with Fluttershy, when it comes to adventures with her friends, she's more often the follower who just tags along either willingly or unwillingly (In which case this episode proves no different). She makes no secret to delay the trip toward the dragon, finding any excuse not to go on without telling her friends of her initial fears (Even if she wanted to). Though in a way, it's like having that one friend who's scared to ride a rollercoaster at a park but ends up waiting till the last minute before chickening out.

Now this is what we need in the show, seeing one of the main girls face a tricky problem

When it comes to this statement... some episodes have had the girls face their share of individual problems prior to the start of the season. Whether it be something big like Twilight learning to embrace friends or Applejack facing the need to be independent and reaching out for friends or even another case of Twilight Sparkle learning to confront her own insecurity of being talented without coming off as a show-off. But still... this was a chance for Fluttershy to shine this season at the time, as more often she plays mostly a light role in some of the episodes prior. To prove that just because she's that pony who's so scared even her shadow intimidates her, it does not mean she can't contribute to her friends. For when everything they do ends up ticking off the dragon instead of convincing him to leave, it's through that assertive spark like the way she handles most of her animals which ultimately helps save the day. And ultimately we get to see a layer of her character peeled away to reveal something that in a way gives us some new respect in the timid Pegasus.

The best scene, of course, is when Fluttershy talks down to the dragon

Hence why this moment is an unforgettable scene from season one and how it fits to the moral of the episode overall. Not just the introduction of another Dragon outside of Spike, but rather for Fluttershy to stand up against something that's seemingly scary but turns out there's more that meets the eye. True, the Dragon just merely wanted a place to rest and didn't appreciate being kicked in the face, but at the same time his snoring was doing harm to the ponies' environment and just needed a reminder. Thus proving why Twilight was right to bring Fluttershy around when naysayers like 'Rainbow Dash' thought otherwise (And she's supposed to know Fluttershy more than any pony). To always keep faith that you'll have that one friend, who while some may have doubts from the start, can prove they have what it takes to overcome their own obstacles and step up when it matters. True, Fluttershy will still be the same timid mare in episodes prior and likely this episode didn't make any 'big' changes in her character. But as we soon see in the course of nine years, this was only the beginning of exploring the potential in Fluttershy's character.

So, yeah, this was a great episode.

Overall, it's plain to see why fans and reviewers deem this episode as one of the best in the series. Not just as an episode for all the Fluttershy fans in the community, but an episode worth exploring what kind of person we can be if we have a chance to show it. That even though there may be challenges that seem to inhibit us or our fears get in the way of our true potential, when we really set our minds to it (And with the support of friends who 'know' what you are capable of) you'd be amazed of what one person can accomplish.