Fluttershy's character development

[theonenamedDJ 37]

One of the biggest complaints about Fluttershy is that she always learns the same lesson. While I think this is an MASSIVE oversimplification, it does seem like that the writers have little direction for her. Season 5 had moments where she was assertive in order to reel her friends in, and emphasizing her love of animals in ways that were lost since season 1. But these are mostly developments as a secondary/supporting character and more to reinforce already established but forgotten traits.

 

What I'm wondering is what would be good for her character. What other things can be done with her to expand on her character beyond shyness (which should no longer a big problem) and her love of animals?

 

Some of my broad ideas:

 

-A teaching role: after so much experience with facing fear, I feel like a good opportunity to cap this off is to help someone else with their own problems with shyness. Maybe even one of her friends having a crisis of nervousness and helping them through it

 

-An animal that doesn't like her or she can't understand: The raccoons in "Saddle Row Review" and Philomena's trolling show that her connection with animals can be fallible (in my opinion). I would like there to be an animal that is not receptive to Fluttershy's attempts to befriend them and she has to either learn to accept that not everyone will care for her or that despite so much experience with animals she can still make mistakes. The latter I would prefer because, since Fluttershy's connection with animals is something she has based a lot of her life on, it could give her some pride in her talent and a chance to show how despite being so experienced, she can still make mistakes.

 

-Give her a ritual with one of the other Mane 6: I like that Fluttershy had spa days with Rarity and that she and Discord had a regular tea time. I think they should expand on this and give her some ritual or get-together with one of the other Mane 6. An example in the comics had Applejack and Fluttershy have camping trips. Having one-on-one would be better for fluttershy to reinforce the idea of her being an introvert, give her a unique dynamic with one of the other Mane 6, and give her some some secondary traits and interests to round her out.

 

That's all I got right now. Is there any directions you think Fluttershy should go to get her out of this rut.

[Nuke87654 1,849]

Any of those ideas I approve of honestly. What I especially want to see more played up on is her trait with animals as I feel that is an interesting part of her character that honestly doesn't get played up enough despite the amount potential it holds still.

[cider float 2,538]

Fluttershy the Queen of Beasts: Episode where Fluttershy becomes fed up with Pony life and begins living off with monsters and animals in the Everfree Forest becoming a leader of the beasts of sorts and becoming a terror to pony travelers.

 

Fluttershy Finds Secrets in the Wild: In the event of there being another villain, Fluttershy finds a secret in the Everfree Forest with the help of nature that would help them against the fight.

[Megas 27,811]

 

 

-Give her a ritual with one of the other Mane 6: I like that Fluttershy had spa days with Rarity and that she and Discord had a regular tea time. I think they should expand on this and give her some ritual or get-together with one of the other Mane 6. An example in the comics had Applejack and Fluttershy have camping trips. Having one-on-one would be better for fluttershy to reinforce the idea of her being an introvert, give her a unique dynamic with one of the other Mane 6, and give her some some secondary traits and interests to round her out.

 

Don't think the two really have a ritual, but we see her do a lot with Rainbow Dash, and they both really shine together 

[Steve Piranha 29,444]

Though I agree with the OP, and the fact that Flutters in last chapter was her finest moment in years, I think we should explore other sides of her besides her love of animals and her growing assertiveness. It would be fine if she do an activity like swimming. Can you imagine how beautiful would she look doing that ?

[Jeric 46,861]

Selective memory? 2015 and Season Five gave us plenty of growth moments with Fluttershy. This last episode was just another entry in a long line of well crafted and genuinely purpose laden Fluttershy scenes or episodes. One even touched on a Erikson-esque stage 5 psychosocial aspect that many in this community completely missed.

 

Feels like a person who normally nets $165,000 annually making $175,000 proclaiming that it is the most money they have ever made. It may be technically true, yet it marginalizes prior accomplishments if not contextualized.

[theonenamedDJ 37]

Selective memory? 2015 and Season Five gave us plenty of growth moments with Fluttershy. This last episode was just another entry in a long line of well crafted and genuinely purpose laden Fluttershy scenes or episodes. One even touched on a Erikson-esque stage 5 psychosocial aspect that many in this community completely missed.

 

Feels like a person who normally nets $165,000 annually making $175,000 proclaiming that it is the most money they have ever made. It may be technically true, yet it marginalizes prior accomplishments if not contextualized.

This thread was made before Flutter Brutter aired, and I wasn't sure what we were in for. And yes season 5 gave us plenty of moments of growth in her being more assertive, and maybe the occasional dry line. But those are generally when she is a secondary character, and those all revolve around the "shy-to-assertive" arc. What I'm saying is we need more episodes, like flutter brutter, where they expand on her character past that. To give her more dimension and make her more interesting and dynamic.

 

Rarity is complex, varied and versatile, and has been since pretty much from the start. Principled, savvy in business, sees fashion as an art rather than through trends, hammy, overdramatic, prideful, socially aware, confident, generous, caring, ambitious, all things demonstrated by fashion horse. I credit this as one of the reasons her episodes are usually so well-received. I just wonder if Fluttershy can even come close to level of characterization after 6 seasons.

Edited June 7, 2016 by theonenamedDJ

[SquipyCheetah 449]

I've always had a soft spot for Fluttershy's development since the first episode since it reminds me of my shy self and how now, I'm slowly becoming more confident and social. Watching Flutter Brutter only made me realize how far I and she had grown. If that episode was in say Season One or Two, she most definitely would not have acted like she did and if she had, it would've felt out of character. But it's not and that makes me happy.

 

And yeah, I'd also love to see more done with her connection with animals and her other traits. 

[cmarston1 5,959]

I really like the second idea that you proposed.

The idea of an animal that doesn't like Fluttershy or one she doesn't understand could make for a pretty interesting episode in my book.