S07:E05 - Fluttershy Leans In

[Pastel 7,627]

I strongly relate to Fluttershy in this episode. It's very hard to impose your ideas when you're shy, especially when you want things to be the exact same way you want.

Also, Fluttershy really evolved throughout the series (although I guess emphasizing that was the point of this episode).

[n1029 224]

Truly one of the dullest MLP episodes of the last few seasons. Felt like they started with the idea of Fluttershy realizing an ambition but couldn't figure out how to stretch a 22 minute episode out of it. The conflict was stupidly forced and there's no reason the episode's resolution couldn't have happened right after she first told her friends her goals.

[Singe 2,109]

This episode was cringey. Fluttershy puts the vet in a bind with a bunch of animals that don't get the clue, you're healed now go. She wants a sanctuary and her friends suggest three experts that could help. Now here is where it all goes wrong, Fluttershy does a bad job at communicating what she wants with the project to everyone else and it wasn't planned out well enough for others outside her circle to understand. Before even the suggestion of the experts, Fluttershy should have presented it to her friends first to gauge what is needed before suggesting who could help. The main thing I draw away from the experts and Fluttershy is that she just wastes their time, she comes across as confusing and vague in explaining what she wants to the experts.

Edited January 14, 2018 by Singe

[Singe 2,109]

(Delete)

Edited January 14, 2018 by Singe

[Will Guide 21,325]

@Singe

We get the point. You don't have to say it 3 times!

[Singe 2,109]

Just now, WiiGuy2014 said:

@Singe

We get the point. You don't have to say it 3 times!

The forum has been having issues which causes posts to get posted repeatedly.

[Total Lunar Eclipse 515]

This was my least favorite episode alongside that trite Christmas episode we had in... was it May? idk Some non-winter month. 

Fluttershy's attitude in this episode was bad. Yeah, the experts who came in to help her were wrong, but wow. She has some serious communication issues.

And the whole animal thing is cringy too. The show claims that Fluttershy is excellent with animals and then we get gems like "Distressed animals just need hugs." Great lesson for the kids, folks. Next time you see an injured stray dog, just give it a big 'ol hug. And sure, sick and injured animals running free... great idea. Bunny has a broken leg, let's let him frollick on it with the racoons and other animals because freedom.

And where is her quarantine?

I'm sorry but that's not how animals work. I'd like to see the show teach proper lessons to kids about animals, since kids love animals and one of their characters is supposed to be so good with them. I've seen kids try to handle animals like Fluttershy does and it can be dangerous for both. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by Lunar--Eclipse

[Nye 1,652]

The episode didn’t really seem all that compelling. Fluttershy made the ponies her friends recommended go away just because they didn’t do what she asked. She could have just explained to them why her way was important.

[MystMane 6]

I don't think that Wrangler's suggestion was all that impractical.

Some of the animals are predatory after all.

Edited March 3, 2018 by MystMane

[Senko 459]

I've got to say I'm a little bemused by the number of people who seem to think Fluttershy was in the wrong about how she handled the experts (I watch the episode then browse the comments). Seems fairly straightforward to me . . .

1) She see's a problem (too many animals in the vet's clinic).

2) She has a solution (build her dream animal sanctuary).

3) Her friends who she'd trust completely say they know experts in the field better than them when she asks for their help.

4) She meets with said experts clearly lay's out what she wants including turning down suggestions she know's because of her area of expertise are bad ideas and leaves them to figure out based on their expertise how to create it. Big picture then let the subject matter experts figure out how to build it. However here all 3 experts were so full of their own expertise (I've met people like this and worked with them) that rather than trying to figure out a way to get her what she wanted and figuring out a compromise if they can't do it they said yes then did the very thing she'd said she didn't want behind her back and tried ridiculous justifications for doing so. "You wanted to use the tree's and said no building, so we used the tree's to make the building.

5) She then went to a different expert who she knew personally had experience in both construction which she didn't and animal care which she did but who was further away and less convenient. They then did what the others should have use their expertise to build what she wanted.

I'd have fired them too if I'd caught them mid job like she did. Sadly my most recent experience was hiring someone to put in my air conditioning and they did what these guy's did which was not what I wanted and had discussed with their boss. In my case though I didn't find out till it was all done and at that stage I was more concerned with getting the damage they'd done (seriously who puts a hole in an outside building wall and doesn't cover it up somehow) fixed than redoing all the interior installation. Still I've made a note of that company and will never be going back to them for any work, I'm still up in the air about hiring someone else to try and fix it so many times I've had things made worse by that.

Anyway back to the episode its not just an issue of them not doing what she wanted its that they demonstrated that rather than trying to find out why she wants something like that or explaining why it wont work they were so fixated on their own expertise/desires they said they would do what she asked and then did what they wanted anyway behind her back. You can't compromise or explain why something's a bad idea to someone like that because they'll just go "yes, yes, you're right" and then carry on doing what they feel is better than you're idea as they did. Take wrangler fluttery shy made it very clear she wanted no cages just a warm hug now i'm no animal wrangler but rather than just chuking a pillow in the cage I'd be trying to figure out how to give her what she wanted. Subtle fences threading through the tree's a nice little burrowing cage with reinforced walls to protect the animal inside that sort of thing.

I liked it especially Fluttershy's growth and confidence to stand up for what she wants rather than just going along with everyone elses desires is nice to see. I know a lot of people feel these episodes are dissapointing due to the lack of tensiosn but so far I'm really enjoying this season because I love these slice of life episodes with no big overarching threat just how they're living their lives.

Edited June 19, 2018 by Senko

[bigbertha 410]

This episode feels like nothing. Nothing interesting happens, it isn't funny, and Fluttershy's dream is accomplished before I can even care. There's nothing wrong here, but there also isn't anything right.

Score: 5/10

[bunkerman18 0]

This episode shouldn't be anyone's first mlp episode tbh. It was very cathartic to see Fluttershy apply all the lessons she learned from every previous episode to achieve something that she had dreamed about her entire life. I've been rooting for her ever since season 1 and this episode made all the fluttercheers worth it. She is one of the reasons why I enjoy this show. She has never been so determined to pursue anything until now.

I loved the rest of the Mane 6's reactions to her boldness; they represent the viewers that have known (watched/seen) Fluttershy up until now and understand the progress she has made throughout her life. There's a reason why Fluttershy and they are always friends.

She was honestly hard to watch at the very first season, almost annoying. I feel like we see her doing more in recent episodes than before, such as performing in the "Origin of Equestria" play in season 8 and volunteering to watch Rarity's shop.

I think there should have been more emotional devastation when she found out that the "experts" did not make what she wanted. Having to apply everything she learned for nothing would be unexpected for her and might even lower her confidence substantially. What if she thought she couldn't achieve her dream? What if she didn't think her dream would be possible? What if everything she learned was useless? However, the episode kinda made her regain her confidence on her own, which felt a bit contrived and anti-climactic.

Right now I feel like Fluttershy is too perfect. Everything is going her way right now. That's why for season 9 I hope they revisit the sanctuary and something beyond terrible happens to it that would drain Fluttershy's confidence; maybe a hurricane or a rough storm destroys it. It might be hard to come up with a non-contrived way to destroy the sanctuary, but it is definitely doable. A sanctuary is considered a safe home, but isn't perfectly safe against everything. She might go into a severe state of depression, one that might make her want to leave Equestria forever (killing oneself). Maybe she becomes so depressed that not only does she not want to talk to her friends but to her animals as well. Maybe the rest of her friends and animals will greatly encourage her to stay, leading her to cry after realizing that she would be giving up those two values that keep her going today. Trying to write this kind of episode well will involve conducing the viewer to feel sympathetic for Fluttershy instead of annoyed or frustrated at her sulky behavior. The writer will have to really put themselves into Fluttershy's hooves and analyze the feeling of depression. Also piano music and silence would be the main sounds of the episode. It will be the ultimate test of her confidence and mentality and a great end to a relatable character arc.

Even if we don't get this kind of episode when season 9 hits, I think I'll be satisfied with this one anyway.

[qwerE 95]

I didn't find this episode that entertaining. I don't really get the lesson. Fire anyone if they don't listen to you? They sure were jerks and might have actually been fired in the real world, but I didn't expect this in a My Little Pony episode. Plus, Fluttershy's instructions weren't that clear. Even I thought what she was saying sounded unprofessional and weird. All this could have been avoided if Fluttershy oversaw the construction, but she didn't at first. 

[Misty Shadow 7,084]

Yeah, my opinion on this episode has not changed much over time. Still easily my least favorite Season 7 episode and one of my least favorite episodes of the show. I do agree that the experts deserved to get fired, that's the point, but the problem is that their side of the argument is never explored. It's a plot point that just gets abandoned in favor of solving the problem of the episode in the safest, easiest way possible with Fluttershy being perfect and learning nothing, the main reason the episode fell flat. It is clearly rushed and unfinished, mediocrity that I call for what it is. 

Edited May 29, 2021 by CloudMistDragon
How did I never catch that "one of" typo?

[bunkerman18 0]

On 11/19/2018 at 5:22 AM, CloudMistDragon said:

Yeah, my opinion on this episode has not changed much over time. Still easily my least favorite Season 7 episode and one my least favorite episodes of the show. I do agree that the experts "deserved" to get fired, that is the point, but the problem is that their side of the argument is never explored. It's a plot point that just gets abandoned in favor of solving the problem of the episode in the safest, easiest way possible with Fluttershy being perfect and learning nothing, the main reason the episode fell flat. It is clearly rushed and unfinished, mediocrity that I call for what it is. 

If you mean that their side isn't explored deeply enough, I agree with you there, but before they revealed the sanctuary to her they wanted to make her sanctuary "better" than she expected. This was addressed in each scene with the expert, Fluttershy, and the Mane 6 pony that recommended the expert. If non-Fluttershy fans watch this episode then it might not be a comfortable one.

I think she was too optimistic about everything in this episode. Therefore, she wasn't perfect.

[bigbertha 410]

Fluttershy barely feels like a character here. She has no flaws to learn from and has no defining character traits aside from liking animals. This makes the episode boring because Fluttershy is the lead here. All that happens is Fluttershy decides the build an animal sanctuary, some experts don't make it in the way she likes, and she builds it on her own. She doesn't learn anything and doesn't change at all by the end. She doesn't have to alter her original plans or realize that her plans were too idealistic; her plans are perfect and everything works out. How thrilling. 

Score: 3/10

 

[Props Valroa 26,043]

It was an alright episode but I wanted to see more of those experts and have them learn a lesson. The way this one ended seemed rather half assed to me but I like the vet pony though, it was good to see more of her.

[JMTV99 1,348]

To be honest, I don't ever bother watching the rest of the episode. I only watched the first five minutes of it, and then I completely turn it off because I was so bored by it.

[MichaelWFX 35]

Didn't like this episode, the whole concept was boring and didn't they do this with Rarity before?

[Gale Wind 79]

I rarely get bored with anything so that wasn’t a problem. But I am surprised they chose this episode to use in a picture book. It’s just called Fluttershy’s Bunny Sanctuary, which isn’t the best title or all that accurate.

[Adariousmist 124]

Can sum this up very succinctly - #Flutterbull