Pick a Flaw: S1, E5 - Griffon the Brush Off

[Dark Qiviut 22,396]

Note: For the collection of other "Pick a Flaw" episode threads, head over to the "Pick a Flaw" blog portal (which'll be updated periodically) or check the list at the bottom of the OP.

 

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My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is notoriously susceptible to controversy in their published episodes. This is one of the earliest in the form of Griffon the Brush Off. In it, Gilda becomes the first antagonist of the series and is met with a very mixed reception. Combined with other elements, this episode is a mix of really well-liked and really well-hated (plenty from the latter calling it one of the worst in the series).

 

So, it's now up to you. Of the flaws or weaknesses published in the poll above, pick the one that sticks out to you most and explain thoroughly. If it's not one of the choices, pick "other" and explain.

 

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The biggest episode flaw is obvious: Gilda. One of Dragon Quest's biggest objective quality flaws is the execution of the teenaged dragons, as they were all very stereotypical, one-dimensional bullies. Gilda shares that common problem, only found very early in the series. To put it simply, she's a gigantic asshole. And a very unlikeable one at that. Her personality is a parody stereotype of dated lingo and cartoonish antagonists susceptible into using it, and it sometimes gets very repetitive. *cough*usage of "lame" and "dweeb"*cough*

 

To make it worse, Gilda's role was very two-faced. While her actions towards Pinkie early were very aggressive, you could argue that Gilda just wanted to spend some time with Dash. (And be honest, Pinkie was being quite intrusive at the start.) Instead of having their personalities clash, have Gilda become fully fledged, and allow Gilda and Pinkie to make amends, the episode pulls the "bully" schtick and puts Pinkie completely in the right for her actions.

 

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Season 1:

• Friendship Is Magic, Parts 1 & 2
• The Ticket Master
• Applebuck Season
• Griffon the Brush Off
• Boast Busters (coming soon)

Season 2:

• The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
• Putting Your Hoof Down
• Dragon Quest

Season 4:

• Simple Ways
• Filli Vanilli
• Twilight Time
• It Ain't Easy Bein' Breezies
• Somepony to Watch Over Me
• Maud Pie
• For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
• Leap of Faith
• Testing Testing 1, 2, 3
• Trade Ya!
• Inspiration Manifestation

Edited May 1, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Pastel 7,630]

I didn't like Gilda, she was an interesting character, but she also made the episode annoying and unpleasant to watch.

She was just mean to everypony, and Rainbow Dash was blind not to see that...

And yeah, she was a bit like the dragons in Dragon Quest.

It was a good idea to introduce a griffon though.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Blobulle

[Megas 27,625]

Not enough Gilda, she was portrayed as the bad guy, but she seemed to legitimately care about Dash.

And in the end of the day, it kind of makes Pinkie look bad than show her in the right imo. I still maintain that Gilda deserves another shot in future episodes

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Twilight's view was out of the ballpark. I don't think she took a second and thought about it before answering Pinkie. 

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Mine would be a combination of both Gilda's character and Twilight's dismissal of Pinkie. One, Gilda was just a one dimensional bully character that spoke in annoying 90s slang and two, really Twilight, you assume Pinkie is jealous instead of oh I don't know "TRUSTING YOUR FRIEND?!"

[Tabe 216]

"Oh, you are just Jealous, Pinkie!"

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

Mine would be a combination of both Gilda's character and Twilight's dismissal of Pinkie. One, Gilda was just a one dimensional bully character that spoke in annoying 90s slang and two, really Twilight, you assume Pinkie is jealous instead of oh I don't know "TRUSTING YOUR FRIEND?!"

 

My thoughts as well. This was another "meh" episode to me, I don't dislike it, it has some good jokes ("Can't you just watch me like a griffon?"), and helped establish common ground between Pinkie and RD, but it has some pretty big flaws in its execution. This episode is also one of the few that I think has genuinely bad dialogue, though that all comes down to Gilda's parts.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Dry Colt

[Frostgage 7,975]

I'll agree Gilda was the biggest flaw. I just didn't think she was an interesting character at all.

 

As a Twilight fan, her reaction to Pinkie really bothered me, but I wouldn't consider it as an episode flaw. It was only the fifth episode, Twilight was still new at the whole "friendship" thing, and I think it was an important part of her development.

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

Gilda. I wonder why Dash was friends with her in the first place, she seemed like a total jerk through and through. Her character doesn't come off as more complex than "I'm an bullying antagonist!" 

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

I hadn't really given it much thought before, but yeah, Twilight shrugging off Pinkie's feelings is kinda messed up.

I mean I could believe it if the dialogue had been a bit different, but Pinkie straight up told Twilight the mean/rude things that Gilda did to her.

 

"Just because Rainbow Dash has another friend doesn't make Gilda a grump."

 

Well what about popping her balloons and telling her to buzz off?

That's pretty grumpy. Did she think Pinkie was lying?

 

EDIT: Though she WAS reading a book during the conversation. Maybe she just wasn't paying attention.

Gilda. I wonder why Dash was friends with her in the first place, she seemed like a total jerk through and through. Her character doesn't come off as more complex than "I'm an bullying antagonist!" 

 

Rainbow Dash and Gilda have a lot of the same interests it seems, and RD can be kind of a jerk too.

Thing is RD's growing out of it and learning to broaden her horizons. She's growing. Gilda it that kind of person that doesn't grow. They pick a routine or an attitude, decide that it's the perfect one for them, and don't want to break out of that box no matter what.

Edited May 1, 2014 by ShadOBabe

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

This was one of the first episodes of the series that I ever watched and the first act had probably some of the most memorable dialogue on the show to date. That kind of tips to the wayside when Gilda shows up and starts using slang so old that Robert Redford wouldn't have understood it, but that's the least of it.

 

Gilda had the potential to be somewhat interesting, given that she's a griffin, which is very rare in this series, and a character from Rainbow Dash's past, this coming at a time when backstory was being explored quite a bit in this series. However, this was as easy as they could have done it. I really wish they would've put more thought into how Gilda was portrayed, preferably as something other than a one-note bully, but I guess they were too busy doing that to Trixie. It actually would have done the story better as it would have given the scene where Twilight and Pinkie both doubted Pinkie's feelings toward her a bit more weight. I'll leave the possibility of a future return open for now.

 

And I am aware of the irony of using Gilda as my username and avatar. And I'm also aware that I'm 19 years old and know who Robert Redford is. Gilda won't be on my profile for long, she's only there as a placeholder while I fix things up on my profile.

Edited May 2, 2014 by ~Happy Gilda (WCP)

[baba_booey 4,302]

I'm probably going to get hate for this, but I like Gilda. 

Sure, she isn't "OMG I LUV HER SO MCUH SHE'S MYA WAIFU", but well.. she was rather interesting and believable, to say the least. Sure, I didn't support the way she treated everyone, but, you get my drift. Which is rather strange because I like Gilda, but I don't like one of the most popular antagonists of the show, Trixie.

 

So, that out of the way, my main problem with this episode is Twilight's dismissal of Pinkie Pie's anger. I mean, she TOLD her what Gilda did, but then she just shrugged it off and said she was just being jealous.. really? In that case, my disliking towards Trixie must be jealousy to her. Yeah, no. She had REASONING for getting so angry. So the fact that Twilight Sparkle dismissed it as jealousy is kind of.. sad.

[shocker1991 32]

I think Gilda had potential to be one of the most interesting characters of the series but she was instead portrayed like the stereotypical bully we have seen in most kids shows. I really wanted an explanation about why she was so rude. Her dialogue also sounded very outdated since she was using insults like "dweeb."

[Guest]

Whilst Gilda's characterisation was rather one dimensional, the biggest flaw for me was Twilight's dismissal of Pinkie Pie. I was rather disappointed when that happened, especially as Pinkie Pie began to doubt herself because she trusted Twilight's judgement, as Twi should have initially done with her