S02:E22 - Hurricane Fluttershy

[Dark Horn 430]

I enjoyed it, as predictable as it was, as I do all episodes, with the exception of possibly Babs Seed.

 

Flutter's animals coaching her was hilarious.

 

 

[Wynn-Shy 29]

Not sure if this should be posted here, or if it's been noticed before, but I paused this episode at the wrong moment, revealing another character derping. Like wat.

 

Um, yeah

 

Haha I never noticed something like that ^^

She really looks like derpy in that picture!

But I think it's just a mistake they made while editing the episode

[King Sejong 859]

   Not only is this my favourite episode of season two but my favourite Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash episode, plus we see how much Rainbow Dash cares for Fluttershy, at first Rainbow wanted to break a wind speed record, but her loyalty to her friendship with Fluttershy matter most of all, and wanted Fluttershy's help not matter what the other pegasi thought about Fluttershy's flying. To see Fluttershy rise to the challenge was inspiring, as scared as she was of public humiliation, Fluttershy rallied to the task and verified Rainbow Dash's faith in her friend, which proofs just how close Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are, that no matter what event or what other ponies might think about the other, these two pegasi work quite well together, as they each provide their own unique qualities, that make a hard move smoothly. Fluttershy definitely showed her true grit, some people might see her as weak or shy, others see here true colours, with the support of her friends, Fluttershy could overcome public perception that underrate and underestimate her, just because she is cute, speaks softly and is shy; will not see Fluttershy's inter strength as proof of her perseverance,  

[Bossycarl 0]

I bet they chose ponyville cause of rainbow dash.

[Doctor T 11]

I loved this episode i just wish their was more fluttershy episodes

[Batbrony 16,055]

After a string of a few episodes of largely normal quality for Season 2, we got... well, a special episode.  A dang special episode.  In fact, it's probably the best episode in the closing episodes of Season 2 until the season finale.  "Hurricane Fluttershy" is one of those perfect episodes that just seems to get everything right.  A great lesson, good pacing, sweet thrills and fun laughs, and most importantly, great friendship all around.  Without further ado, let's take a look at the awesomeness that is "Hurricane Fluttershy"! 

 

I can honestly say that this is the strangest training montage I've ever seen.  

 

Seeing as this is a Fluttershy episode, let's start off by covering the timid little pegasus herself, along with the amazing lesson of this episode.  Put simply, in my opinion, this episode has Fluttershy at her finest, and is probably her best episode to date!  The only other one that might highlight her qualities better is "Keep Calm and Flutter On", but the reason I feel that "Hurricane Fluttershy" is superior is that, whereas Fluttershy faces off against a completely separate entity in "Keep Calm and Flutter On" (i.e. Discord), in "Hurricane Fluttershy" she has to overcome a very difficult personal obstacle, a physical and mental challenge.  So what's Fluttershy up against this week?  Well, Ponyville's been selected to provide rainwater to Cloudsdale for the year, and Rainbow Dash, as the obvious flight-leader of the Ponyville pegasi, dives headfirst into the task, attempting to not only complete it, but break the wind speed record set the previous year by Fillydelphia.  To do so, she needs every single one of the Ponyville pegasi to participate at their absolute top speeds, and yes, that includes Fluttershy.  This, however, proves to be rather problematic for Fluttershy; she's both physically a weak flier, having always had trouble flying, plus she just doesn't enjoy flying in general, both because she prefers to stay on the ground unless she absolutely must fly and also because as a filly her weak flying drew laughs and derision from the other pegasi in Cloudsdale.  If this were an emergency, she'd probably have less trouble participating, but this is simply a civic activity that's technically voluntary and which Rainbow doesn't even think will be that hard to pull of at the very least.  Obviously Flutters is going to have some difficulty with this.

 

What I love about this scenario is that this episode, with Fluttershy and her fears, is clearly reaching out to anyone who's ever had self-esteem issues on account of physical or mental limitations and any derision they receive as a result from their peers.  This is an extremely relatable issue for so many people, and the writers handled it excellently!  While she's fearful at first, with the help of both her animal friends, as well as a great deal of encouragement from Rainbow Dash and Twilight, Fluttershy pushes herself to her physical limits and overcomes her mental blocks, flying about as well as she can.  While it's certainly not much compared to what more naturally capable pegasi can reach, in the end, Fluttershy's little bit of speed is essential to even creating the water tornado at all after the feather flu devastates the Ponyville pegasi ranks.  Overcoming her fears and disbelief in herself, Fluttershy finds the courage to believe in herself and do what she must for her friends, town, and all of Equestria.  While it's great that she does something for her home, it's also worth noting that she equally does this for herself!  It's not that she's being selfish or anything, but sometimes we have to be reminded that often overcoming personal demons is as much for ourselves as it is for the people we love, plus as selfless as Fluttershy is, she of all ponies certainly needed this lesson in self-confidence and believing in yourself.  I love too that Fluttershy, although essential in the end, doesn't end up being the fastest flyer or anything.  She's a necessary cog in the machine, but she's still no star player.  Too often a kids show will have an episode where some kid ends up being an unexpected hero for say a sports team by doing something truly exceptional, such as a game winning touchdown.  This message, however, feels a lot truer, more sincere and real: you do not have to be the best player out there or make some amazing play on a team in order to be making valuable contributions.  Speaking from personal experience, while I never encountered any derision, I can say with confidence that I myself somewhat know where Fluttershy is coming from, largely in physical limitations.  From my childhood through high school I always played sports, but I never had that much natural ability.  I did however have a heck of a lot of persistence and determination and always stuck with it because I loved the sports and I loved the friends I made and teammates I played with.  In football, I never went beyond second string in high school, but in my senior year I earned Scout Team Champion of the Year from our very own coaching staff.  In track and field, I was never at the front of the pack, but in the spring of my senior year I was named one of our four or five captains.  There is truth to this lesson in "Hurricane Fluttershy", a great truth, and I know that I and thousands of other people out there have experience with it.  You can still make great contributions, play important roles, and earn the respect of your peers even if you aren't the greatest at something; hard work, giving it your all for yourself and for others, those are the things that really matter and are their own rewards.  Definitely one of my top ten favorite lessons in the entire show, both for the quality of the moral as well as the execution.

 

Everyone has a role to play in the grand scheme of things, even if it's not so apparent what that role is sometimes.  But once we find it, the best we can do for ourselves and others is give it our all.  

 

Well we're not quite done yet with this review, no sir.  Besides Fluttershy, there's one other character who really shines in this episode: Rainbow Dash.  As far as supporting roles go, this is most definitely my favorite RD episode in which she's playing a supporting character.  Heck, I like her in this episode more than in a bunch of her starring appearances in all 3 seasons, including Season 2.  So just why does she stand out so much here?  Well, to be honest, RD probably behaves more maturely here than she ever had in the show up until that point.  It's really one of the best examples of clear-cut character growth paying dividends from lessons learned in previous episodes for any of the Mane 6!  She's not boastful, braggy, asinine, arrogant; rather, she behaves like a leader and a good friend, both with Fluttershy as well as the other pegasi.  With Fluttershy, she's gentle; yeah, she pushes her, but she doesn't push her for selfish reasons, but because she believes in Fluttershy and wants to see her friend do her best, both for herself and Ponyville.  With the Ponyville pegasi, Dashie's a relentless leader; her biggest shortcoming in fact is simply her not taking their personal hygiene more seriously seeing as that feather flu pandemic takes them so off-guard.  Even when it becomes clear that they can't break the record which they were on pace to doing, does Dashie throw in the towel?  Hay no, of course not!  Instead, she presses on and pushes everypony else to follow her lead so they can get Cloudsdale the water they need for all of Equestria!  That is simply RD at her best; it's one of the best highlights of what a truly awesome and loyal pegasus she is, and her sheer determination in the face of impossible odds is just a blast to watch.  She's a great friend, a tireless leader, relentlessly loyal, and just plain awesome; nothing more you can say other than this is Rainbow Dash at her finest!

 

Alright guys, remember, all the stores open at 6 A.M. on Black Friday; if we bull rush 'em all, there's no way we'll miss out on all the hot sales!   (yes I just made a Black Friday joke when it's not even November yet, wanna fight about it? )

 

Finally, there's a lot of other things that really make this episode great, not just good.  I love seeing all of the Ponyville pegasi; I'm kind of a sucker for pegasi especially, and boy oh boy they're all over this episode!  Derpy cameos, the introduction of Snowflake, Flitter, and Cloudchaser, and tons of other pegasi, this episode's just a dream come true for me!  In addition, I love how involved all of these background ponies are.  In the end, pretty much the entire Ponyville pegasus population is directly involved in saving the day, and since it's so rare that we ever get to see background ponies making any real contributions to the action of the show, this episode stands out in a pretty unique and awesome regard for the inclusion of so many.  There's some funny Spike and Twilight moments, as there usually are when those two are playing supporting characters.  Fluttershy's woodland critter friends are hilarious and adorable as usual, and Angel Bunny especially gets a special shout out for probably being more supportive in this episode than I've ever seen him before or since of Fluttershy.  The 80's training montage is hysterical and so cheesy and delicious, and that's all that really needs to be said about that.  The animation's gorgeous as usual, especially during the climax, which is pretty much perfect in every single regard.

 D'AWWW, those two are cute!  Kinda look like sisters even!   Wait, what's that?  Wait... what do you mean people ship them together?!?!  But I, they look like sisters, and... AWWWWW MAN, FANDOM, I AM DISAPPOINT!!!!  STAHP IT!!!!!!!!!  

 

 

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BUCKING PUMPED I AM RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!  

 

Overall, "Hurricane Fluttershy" remains not just one of the greatest episodes of Season 2, but also one of the finest episodes in MLP to date, as well as in my opinion Fluttershy's best episode so far.  With a great lesson, riveting storyline, fantastic characterization of both Fluttershy and RD, and just flat-out perfect execution in pretty much every single regard, it's definitely one of the most noteworthy episodes of MLP most certainly worth a rewatch if you're looking for a real treat. 

 

Wing-fives: they're now canon.  Because why wouldn't they be?  

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

This episode...this brings back too much memories.

 

This episode changed my life.

 

I'm not going to lie, but I'm not trying to brag; I'm pretty popular in my small school. Everyone knows the name "Riley Barrett." Everyone. That's a promise. Of course, I was a giant douche because of it. The only time I'd ever gotten on YouTube was for Cr1TiKaL videos or music; I always saw bronies getting attacked, but I, of course, was totally indifferent. I just didn't care at all.

 

So, I got a little drunk one night, and when I was back at my house sobering up, I was still tipsy; "Ohh welkl. Ima watch my little pony. hehe."

 

I ended up watching Hurricane Fluttershy.

 

I was in tears as I watched Fluttershy overcome all that adversity; all the bullying, the weakness; it was hard to watch. I finally broke down in tears when I saw Fluttershy's teary face when she was running away. I loved the episode; it deserved a standing ovation in my opinion.

 

So I kept watching. I kept on and on. I was a brony.

 

Of course, Rarity became my favorite after seeing her, but this is about Fluttershy.

 

I found myself becoming more accepting of kids I wouldn't have batted an eyelash at before; of course, Afterwards was my friend, but that was sort of a secret friendship.

 

I stopped caring about social status; I'm friends with so many kids now that I used to give crap for playing YuGiOh or stuff like that, along with my old friends I had before. I stopped being a dick. It changed me. I'm happy with it, too.

 

Sure, there's the episodes that are focused on Rarity, and I love those.

 

But Hurricane Fluttershy changed me; it actually put me on the path to becoming a better person.

 

And that's why I will always have a special place in my heart for Hurricane Fluttershy.

[7PonyFaith 4]

This episode was just what the random needed! It showed a lot on how Fluttershy interpreted herself.

[Flutterbrony 10]

Yellow pony is best pony

Yay!

[Cyan Blue 946]

Pretty good episode, one of my first. (yes I watch the show out of order.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Possibly my favorite episode of the series so far. I really felt for Fluttershy and Rainbow was awesome in a supporting role. There was plenty of action, no Celestia, and Twilight served a useful role as well.

[NomDeSpite 452]

This episode is excellent and it demonstrates how great a character Fluttershy is. Every action she takes compels you to care about her. Your heart breaks in sympathy when she mentions how she was mocked for being a weak flier and later on when she's in tears after letting her performance anxiety get the better of her. And when you see her strengthen her resolve and begin training, you cheer for her, happy that she's trying hard. When you realize that her involvement in the tornado project is necessary for its success, you hope for the best and when it succeeds and the water rises to Cloudsdale, you're filled with joy.

 

Aside from being an excellent Fluttershy episode, it's nice to know a bit more about how life in Equestria works (regarding water) and how everypony's job contributes to a flourishing society. Same with Winter Wrap Up.

 

The 1950s-style educational film is a fun little touch.

[Hanibal94 218]

This is my favorite Season 2 episode. I first felt sympathy for Fluttershy when she talks about being bullied as a filly - especially because I was mocked in middle school for being poor at sports - and later when her performance anxiety gets overwhelming. But when I saw her plunge into the tornado, overcome her fears and help the water get to Cloudsdale, you really feel great. I love this one.

It's also nice to see Rainbow Dash really showing patience and genuine compassion for Fluttershy, even if her methods are a little rough at times (What's soaking wet and definitely not the Element of Honesty?). This shows how RD has really come a long way since "Dragonshy" and "The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well", and it's one of the reasons for why RD is my favorite pony.

[Pastel 7,630]

One of the best Fluttershy episode! It's already a classic.

 

Amazing scene:

 

Or Spike saying: ".5? Isn't like.....like less than 1? Ouch!"

And the end is quite spectacular.

[DJ Dashie 48]

Definitely my favorite fluttershy episode. Finally being able to see Fluttershy manipulate the weather!!! That's great!

[ideaguy1998 15]

I'd give this episode a 4/10, actually.  I did think the accurate portrayals and the character development was nice.  But despite Rainbow Dash's character development and the consequences, Cloudsdale's lack of remorse for what they've done just makes me feel like Fluttershy was helping out a bunch of monsters.

[Flutter-Power 8]

This was my absolute, number one, non-replaceable, most Flutter-Power-like thing I've ever seen! (So far...)

[Cirrus. 1,089]

Pretty good episode. Today is the second time I've ever seen it. I somehow missed Twilight's "Do I look like I speak squirrel" joke the first time!!!

 

 

 

From when Tara voiced Bubbles

 

[More_Fluttershy 127]

Best.

 

Episode.

 

EVER!!!

 

 

 

But seriously. This episode is phenomenal. It's one of the episodes that are the closest it can be to a universally loved status, and I can definitely see why. The episode is about standing up to your fears and with courage, giving it all you can get, even if it may seem like too little. The episode starts with Rainbow Dash gathering all the pegasi to a mandatory meeting, however Fluttershy is missing. Pretty clear why, because you know her character, she's kinda like the "Batman" of MLP. They get prepared to send water up to Cloudsdale, and beat the world record. Fluttershy tries to avoid the training because of her constant bullying as a filly, (everyone teased her about being near-unable to fly), but she is brought in, and thinks she will contribute nothing. But she still tries to overcome her stage fright and practice, and makes major improvements, however it still isn't enough. At Tornado Day, there are 8 ponies that are out sick, so the record must be scrapped. Everyone still tries as hard as they can, but at only a few units away, they fail. But they won't give up. Then the unpredictable happens. Fluttershy courageously contributes to it. And the goal is reached! Go Fluttershy! The moral it ends on is extremely important in life that if we add to ours, the world could be much better. It still has a lot of funny moments, but it knew when the comedy should stop at all the right times. With the great story and all, how does it play out? Like I said earlier, it's my new favorite of the series. In fact, it could compete with "Krusty Krab Training Video" as my favorite animation!

[Galen Selanno 351]

I enjoyed this episode because it showed that if you really set your mind at something and go at it with all your effort, you'll be successful.

[ponylaces 1,870]

I loved this episode. Definitely in my Top 10 Best MLP Episodes list.

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

This was a pretty good episode. It involves Fluttershy flying hard enough to create a tornado to lift water to Cloudsdale. My highlight for this episode was the Pony Pox.

[ideaguy1998 15]

What would've made this episode truly awesome was if Fluttershy encountered her old bullies and beat them up for all the crap they put her through.  Honestly hope they learned their lesson.

[Jeric 46,851]

What would've made this episode truly awesome was if Fluttershy encountered her old bullies and beat them up for all the crap they put her through.  Honestly hope they learned their lesson.

 

The only issue I see with using this approach on the episode is that we had already seen Fluttershy retaliate aggressively just a few episodes before this was aired in Putting Your Hoof Down. That sort of inconsistency would have undermined the primary plot element and them in Hurricane Fluttershy which is my favorite Flutters episode.

[ideaguy1998 15]

The only issue I see with using this approach on the episode is that we had already seen Fluttershy retaliate aggressively just a few episodes before this was aired in Putting Your Hoof Down. That sort of inconsistency would have undermined the primary plot element and them in Hurricane Fluttershy which is my favorite Flutters episode.

Most of the ponies Fluttershy "retaliated" against didn't really do anything to her.  And besides, all those shits at Flight Camp deserve a beating.  They should not be forgiven so easily, presuming they're still not even tolerant of bad fliers.