S06:E11 - Flutter Brutter

[Dark Qiviut 22,383]

*watched Zephyr manipulate the animals and Spike*

 

*shaking* Zephyr, DO YOUR FUCKING JOB!

Edited June 4, 2016 by Dark Qiviut

[Trinitron Keys 89]

Wow. I was expecting him to be more slacker/dudebro-ish, but he was more like a lazier, ne'er-do-wellish version of my old massage teacher. Sad part is, I worked hard and graduated with a degree, only to discover most spas don't hire big brunette males with deep voices to do that. *sigh* I hate corporations in this country. To a VERY limited extent, I can sympathize with his position, but the guy made mistakes I WOULD NEVER have made.

 

You have to want to do the work first to be successful.

 

Rainbow's interactions were the funniest part; I've seen guys with even bigger hangups than him try to hit on the ladies, and yeah, not surprisingly sparks did not fly. He could make it with some mare after LOTS of working on himself, but one thing's for sure:

 

He's no Soarin.

 

My rate: A bit better than the last, it revealed new stuff. Epic Link pony could help Twilight fight the next big bad. 8 out of 10.

[IronM17 5,353]

Finally, since I watch MLP, I was waiting for Fluttershy's family, and now, it is happen. 

 

The episode was really good. Good topic, good characters, a wonderful song (Fluttershy and Rainbow should sing more together) and an assertive Fluttershy. I am totally happy. ^^

[ShyPie 164]

I really liked this episode. Finally Fluttershy gets some attention, and for the first time in quite a while someone manages to do an episode about her that isn't about her being afraid of things. Hooray for breaking the mold! It was great to see Flutter being strong and standing up without having to do 18 preceding minutes of "ooh...I don't know. I really shouldn't". She acted like a great big sister, being assertive with her brother, but showing that she's doing it because she cares about him and wants to see him be the best he can be. It was nice to get a song too, a quite enjoyable and uplifting one at that.

 

Best thing is surely Rainbow Dash and Zephyr ship? It was amazing how they had Zephyr semi-flirting with Dash and her being totally put off by it...or at least acting that way. Even better when Mr and Mrs Shy brought it up! I thought it has to have been the first time that the idea of flirting/romance has been brought up in the show since Hearts And Hooves Day.  Would love it if they could do this thing a bit more often, maybe even an episode with Zephyr taking Rainbow out (without her realising what it is)?

 

I had to wonder what Discord would've made of Zephyr being in Flutter's cottage if he'd been there at the same time? Where is Discord this season anyway?

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

I'm not going to complain about the third act because that part of the episode practically writes itself. Where the success or failure of this episode was depended on what kind of characterization Zephyr was given in the first two acts. Unfortunately, it lined up as expected, and it wasn't good.

 

If Zephyr was supposed to be a sympathetic character, he surely didn't earn it by being a diva stereotype that forced the Mane 6 to get ugly with him. It takes a special kind to drive the Mane 6 to the edge that he did, and his snobbish, bratty attitude does nothing to separate the early part of the episode from basically being the cartoon equivalent of one of those anti-Millenial hit pieces put out by Gen X/Boomer mainstream media hacks.

 

If the focus of this character had been on his fear of failure, this would have been more interesting. Instead, his self-centered, work-averse personality is played up for the same cheap laughs the older crowd would probably get out of reading one of those sermonizing hit pieces.

 

I wouldn't consider this one of the worst episodes, however. There was a good message to it, only the execution sucked because the character that drove it was so lazy he couldn't bother to be more original. The song felt awkwardly forced in, but wasn't too bad. And I'll admit seeing a filly being shielded from such mild language was amusing.

 

Having defended Dave Rapp despite being negative to "Newbie Dash", I now believe that he, along with the other Dave, have writing styles that are constantly at odds with the show's goals. The show is more story-driven than antics-driven, and if we see more episodes like those, it will be rough times ahead for this show.

 

I can't really tell where this episode's intentions were; if it was meant to poke fun at the stereotype (at which it didn't do a good job IMO) or if it was genuinely about the message. But there are better ways to do both, and for that, I'd like to move on from this one.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

I had a little bit of doubt coming into this episode. 

 

Zephyr started out a little cringy for me, but I warmed up to him after a while. 

 

But really, this episode applies to everyone looking for something to do, but just not committing to it. I realize that myself during 2015 when I was doing a ton of job search, and getting nowhere. It wasn't until this year, just a few weeks ago, that I've found my niche. 

 

It took a lot of sitting and searching, working with others. Zephyr was just too much of himself. 

 

Also, Rainbow's disgusted expressions were absolutely adorable in this episode. Also, a ton of FlutterDash in this one. 

 

Overall, excellent episode! S6 is still firing on all cylinders. 

[CastletonSnob 3,074]

Zephyr Breeze ruined the episode for me. I get that he's not supposed to be likable, but it's really hard to cheer for him when he spent most of the episode being a self-centered, manipulative, lazy asshole. 

[PacificGreen 1,163]

Peeved is a bad word in Equestria? Wow, those ponies are pretty sensitive to language.

[Dark Qiviut 22,383]

Fluttershy: "Zephyr, you're smart and talented. You could do anything if you just try."

 

 

SERIOUSLY! Zephyr didn't try and fail. He didn't attempt to try at all! When he was in Mothershy and Fathershy's house, he destroyed property just to suit his needs. When he was given even the simplest tasks, he tried whatever he can to get himself out of it! Why? Not because he feared failure. Because he's damn lazy! These tasks are so simple in Equestrian standards, Snips and Snails can do them. Instead, he manipulated the animals and Spike and then quit on Dash! He's a stereotypical freeloader AND diva!

[Flutter's lover <3 8,205]

Was pretty ecstatic about this episode, since well, we haven't seen much of Fluttershy this season...and she's my fave.

 

Finally! After so many seasons of having no idea of what Fluttershy's background is or who her parents were, we finally get to see some of it! So, we actually got to see Fluttershy's family. Honestly, her parents were kinda what I was expecting. Kinda hush hush, quiet ponies, sorta like Fluttershy. Also got to see Fluttershy's little brother, although he wasn't so "little" really..he seemed too.."hipster/hippie" for my taste. I rather liked her parents...her brother? Eh..he got better in the end...Sort of.I mean, he was pretty lazy throughout most the episode, but he did get better and actually tried at things and succeeded.

 

One issue I had with the episode, rest of the mane 6 seemed to have already "known" Fluttershy's family, yet there's been no mention of it at all until today's episode, that kinda bothered me.I mean, AJ's talked about her family a lot as has Pinkie Pie and Twilight. Nor has Fluttershy ever mentioned them in previous episodes.

 

 

Seeing quite a bit of Flutterdash is also a huge plus for me in this episode. Although Fluttershy's parents and her brother seemed to of thunk that Dashie had a crush on Zephyr, for whatever reason....which Dashie was quick to dismiss/ignore usually as she obviously had no interest in him. I think this also reinforces Flutters and Dashie's own relationship between each other.

 

Fluttershy herself in this episode was pretty great, I mean we saw her use everything she's learned in the past seasons in this one episode and I applaud her for that, well done my dear, well done. Fantastic portrayal of her in this episode. We also got to see a side of her we don't usually get to see a "peeved/pissed off" side of her. Good to see that side of her every now and then. It shows that she's not a push over anymore and can get annoyed and even angry because of certain things.

 

 

I really hope Shy's family stick around for future episodes, like how we've seen Maud Pie in other episodes. I also hope in such episodes, we learn more about them. I mean, as is we've learned a lot more but there's always more to know.

 

 

Overall I rate this episode 12/10 because this episode added so much to Fluttershy's character. We seen her parents and brother, and is officially my fave episode this season, thus far.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Flutter Baby <3

[Truffles 2,033]

 

 

Also, was Zephyr supposed to be a parody of a flamboyantly gay person? Because that's definitely the impression I got.  

 

 

He may be effeminate, but considering how many times he hit on Rainbow Dash I don't think he's gay.

 

Unless he thinks Rainbow is male... 

 

He sure is a waifu-stealing piece of sh-...work. Hopefully the Wonderbolts gave him an appropriate nickname when Dash brought him over to do that job at the Academy. Like "Zephyr Sleaze".

[PacificGreen 1,163]

Just finished watching.

 

It was a decent episode. Took a while for me to really understand and digest how the moral was played out (it was a little confusing at first with the mane therapy and the sculpting/meditation studio- I thought that was actually going to be part of the plot), but I think it worked out in the end.

 

There were quite a few cringey moments (all Zephyr-induced), especially the whole teasing between him and Dash.

[The Crystal Maiden 221]

 I for one find it positively adorable this guy is flirting with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow has never gotten flirted with on the show before, so this is great! 

I KNOW RIGHT, OMG I LOVED IT!!!

Edited June 4, 2016 by The Crystal Maiden

[Jeric 46,850]

Fluttershy: "Zephyr, you're smart and talented. You could do anything if you just try."

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu_RmSJxtUE

 

SERIOUSLY! Zephyr didn't try and fail. He didn't attempt to try at all! When he was in Mothershy and Fathershy's house, he destroyed property just to suit his needs. When he was given even the simplest tasks, he tried whatever he can to get himself out of it! Why? Not because he feared failure. Because he's damn lazy! These tasks are so simple in Equestrian standards, Snips and Snails can do them. Instead, he manipulated the animals and Spike and then quit on Dash! He's a stereotypical freeloader AND diva!

He did try and fail though. Chekhov's gun moment.

 

 

He may be effeminate, but considering how many times he hit on Rainbow Dash I don't think he's gay.

 

Unless he thinks Rainbow is male...

 

He sure is a waifu-stealing piece of sh-...work.

Zephyr and Trenderhoof should start a club.

[Dark Qiviut 22,383]

He did try and fail though. Chekhov's gun moment.

Except he never tried to do the work himself. When he was given the opportunity to get himself out of it, he did.

[shy0wl 484]

It's really amazing seeing how far Fluttershy has overcome her shyness since Season 1... She went from being afraid of her own shadow (literally) to being able to stand up for herself and actually push her brother in the right direction, and it looks like it wasn't easy with Zephyr.

[Glike 487]

On the fourth watch, wow; Zephyr is just... absolutely pathetic and pitiful.

 

He's almost like a male Trixie. He has a huge ego, and he doesn't have a real home of his own and is in many aspects a complete failure. However, where Trixie has drive and believes in her talent, Zephyr has no self-esteem.

 

On the outside, he's completely different from Fluttershy in terms of personality, but inside he also suffers from a lack of self-confidence. Although, Fluttershy has definitely overcome that hurdle over the seasons.

 

I won't argue against Zephyr being a tool, he was manipulative and lazy; but at the same you can see why he is that way. I have a feeling he was extremely coddled growing up, which is why he's so dependent on family to get anything done, and even then he doesn't do much to improve himself. He has absolutely no motivation.

 

But when he finally succeed in mane therapy, as obnoxious as he had been, that's when something really stood out to me that I believe rings true for most people: you can try all you want to do a good job and succeed, but if it's something that you have no interest in and were put into than rather seek it out on your own, you'll never do it exactly right.

 

It was obviously overexaggerated how much he failed each job, but it doesn't detract from it: he had a real drive for mane therapy, but his lack of self-confidence prevented him from sticking to it. But after getting some encouragement from his sister, he went into it with both his passion for mane therapy as well as a belief in himself that he could do it, two things he never had at once. And he's obviously very talented once you can get him out of his funk!

 

In that regard I can relate, though in a slightly different way. Give me an assignment where I have to analyze a poem, and I can give it my best. I can probably do it without a hitch, but it won't be as well done with visible passion as an assignment as something I love. I don't know how to explain it, there's just that "mmph" you can detect in something when it's done by someone passionate about it.

 

Think of cooking; if you're just someone cooking because you have to, there will obviously be something lacking in the dish. But if you're passionate about cooking and you love it, it will definitely show in quality of the meal. I can't tell you how many times I've eaten something by someone who was not only talented in their craft, but loved it as well. It really makes all the difference!

 

I think I'm kinda rambling at this point, but I hope I didn't jumble things too much. Long story short; while I don't condone Zephyr's actions, I can see what caused him to become who he was and do the things he did. And I really enjoyed Fluttershy being a caring, responsible older sibling and helping him see his self-worth. It's obvious that mane therapy is his talent, and that with this new reassurance he can probably be really successful in it! It's hard to evaluate him based on one episode, but I'm sure as he becomes more and more successful and happy with his job, the less of a tool he'll be and the more of Zephyr will shine through. I would definitely like an episode in the future to catch up on him and see how he's fared.

[Jeric 46,850]

Except he never tried to do the work himself. When he was given the opportunity to get himself out of it, he did.

You're focusing on what he did with the Mane Six during the second act. I was refering to the past and the ponyquin head, plus the dialog he had about school.

 

Do a close read DQ. What are the reasons people justify and distort events?

[Thunderbirds360 22]

This episode could've been a lot better if Zephyr wasn't shown as a lazy manipulative asshole. The dude's just unlikable. The worst part is that he didn't even try and fail, he didn't do anything at all! (Making animals and Spike to do HIS job)

Obviously he's gotten better at the end, and there were parts where I could see myself in him ("I can't do anything right"), but the first two parts made up my mind on what kind of character he is.

 

If Dave wanted him to be someone people can relate to (Don't think it was his intention, but who knows), he's done a terrible job at it.

 

However, I really liked how Fluttershy was portrayed. It really shows how far she's become after six seasons. Showing her parents and where they lived was a nice touch too.

 

Overall, this episode was OK, but could've been so much better.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Thunderbirds360

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,357]

Did this episode have good moments? Yes. Fluttershy's parents were really nice and the interactions between RD And Flutters was also a treat to see. Plus seeing Flutters like this was definitely different.

 

However, despite this stuff, this episode was a tad painful to watch, simply because of Zephyr. I get it, they made him over the top for the sake of the moral, but they really took it too far to the point of absurdity. A moral really loses its grounds when you make a character that is at the center of the moral be so ungodly unrelatable. Most people are not such dicks like him. His personality was so over the top that it made me absolutely hate him, all the way to the end and nothing changed. Like yeah, he is an asshole. I am not convinced of anything else. Oh, he accomplished something? Pretty sure he is still an asshole. So the moral really loses me.

 

on top of that, the moral was a tad meh. The whole 'throw yourself at a brick wall until a pizza comes out' thing is a tad tiring to say the least, but it is also immensely conflicting with one huge aspect of the show: The Cutie Mark Crusaders. What did the CMC's do the whole time before they got their Cutie Marks? They kept trying TONS of random things, usually just once, and then giving up when that thing does not work and they move on to something else. The moral of this episode? Don't give up on this thing because you fail once or even multiple times, keep doing it. I sense some hardcore confliction here.

 

So overall, this episode was not terrible or anything, but Zephyr himself and the moral really didn't do it any favors.

[Slashy 101]

I just wish he wasn't a jackass about it so I could relate and sympathize more with him. They essentially made a character no one wants to see again (both in Equestria and us the viewing audience)

[powerpuff-tsubasa 448]

the episode was good in most parts. especially when fluttershy "pushes" her brother in the right direction. other than that. the episode felt meh. but i liked the song

[Slashy 101]

Would anyone be interested if I attempted to rewrite the plot (based on the synopsis) that is done in a way that doesn't require him to be a jerk and have him be way more interesting?

Edited June 4, 2016 by Slashy

[PuppyKit 12]

I didn't really like this episode. It wasn't bad but it implied everyone that has to live with their parents and can't get a job is a free loading bum.

 

I'm disabled, I don't have a choice in the matter. The monthly check the government gives me doesn't even go to me. They give it to my dad so he can use it to take care of me and he gives me a small allowance out of that.

 

I know this episode probably didn't mean to insult people who are disabled and need their families to take care of them but I couldn't help thinking that the whole time well watching this. I know I took it a bit more personally then it was intended and on a whole I think it was a funny episode but the implications were unsettling

[Dark Qiviut 22,383]

You're focusing on what he did with the Mane Six during the second act. I was refering to the past and the ponyquin head, plus the dialog he had about school.

 

Do a close read DQ. What are the reasons people justify and distort events?

He claimed he was struggling and feared failure in mane therapy, but just because he told us this doesn't make it true. Because he behaved so terribly to his family, periodically went back to his house to freeload, intentionally destroyed his parents' prized possessions, and didn't even attempt a muscle of work when assigned by Fluttershy and friends, I'm more inclined to believe what I'm seeing than what he's saying. And what I'm seeing is total laziness and manipulation, not fear of failure.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Dark Qiviut