Fillies, gentlecolts, and foals of all ages, welcome once again to another edition of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Recap/Review. Well, it took them about 19 episodes for this to finally happen, but after all this waiting we finally see Fluttershy take center stage in her own episode. This week, will we see a changed Fluttershy when she learns a lesson in “Putting Your Hoof Down”? Let’s find out.
When your pet is kicking your butt, you know you need help.
We open the episode at Fluttershy’s Cottage, as she’s feeding the many animals she takes care of. Although one in particular, her pet bunny Angel, is being a finicky jerk as always. Despite her best attempts to feed him, Angel simply refuses to eat anything. He requests a special salad, but Fluttershy doesn’t have the ingredients to make it. He slaps her, and pretty much tells her to do it anyway. So yeah, if you hadn’t guessed, Angel is a jerk.
But it’s apparently not just Angel that’s being a colossal douche today, as when Fluttershy heads into Ponyville Market to get the ingredients, she encounters plenty of mean ponies. From catty valley ponies, to ponies who cut her in line, to shopkeepers that overcharge her for everything, even something as simple as a cherry. Rarity and Pinkie Pie try to help her out by trying to make her a little more assertive, but it fails. Fluttershy manages to get everything, but the cherry for the top of Angel’s salad. And since the bunny is an unappreciative little jerk, he throws it out in disgust. But before Fluttershy can think about what rabbit stew tastes like, she reads a flyer in the mail for a seminar by self help guru Iron Will.
Iron Will: Self Help Minotaur
At the seminar, we’re introduced to Iron Will, who’s a jacked up, somewhat brutish minotaur who speaks in rhyming catchphrases. He offers his assertiveness training to anypony in the audience with the guarantee that if they aren’t totally satisfied with the results, they won’t have to pay him. He picks Fluttershy out of the crowd, and teaches her the lesson that “If somepony tries to block, show them that you rock”. The lessons seem to pay off as Fluttershy manages to pass Iron Will’s seminar with flying colors.
The "New" Fluttershy insults her friends
But it appears that the lessons taught to Fluttershy work a little too well. As the day goes by, Fluttershy not only gets more and more assertive, but also becomes more and more of a jerk to everypony. She bullies other ponies, and forces any of them out of her way. Rarity and Pinkie show their concern for their friend, but “New” Fluttershy retaliates by telling them both off, and calling them frivolous. After sending them off crying, Fluttershy comes to the realization that she’s turning into a monster, and barricades herself in her home. Rarity and Pinkie try to convince her that her new assertive ways are the fault of Iron Will, and not hers. But at that moment, Iron Will shows up to collect his money for a job well done.
Satisfaction not as guaranteed.
However, Fluttershy stands up to the minotaur, and reminds him about his offer that if she wasn’t satisfied with the results, then she wouldn’t have to pay him. Despite Iron Will’s attempts to bargain with her, Fluttershy tells him that no means no, which stuns Iron Will as he leaves. Rarity and Pinkie are proud of her for how she handed her self, as we get the moral for the week. Fluttershy sends a letter to Princess Celestia saying that standing up for yourself isn’t the same as changing who you are.
Well, we certainly got a lesson in “Putting Your Hoof Down”. But was this a good episode? It’s time to look at the pros and cons.
PRO
First off, after such a long wait, it was finally good to have an episode focused on Fluttershy. She always manages to not only be adorable, but sort of this lovable underdog that is impossible to hate. Plus, she always delivers in the adorable. And even as “New” Fluttershy, she didn’t fail to deliver. So, this was definitely worth the wait. Just, let’s not have to wait a season and a half for another one.
Iron Will was a great character. He’s this weird mixture of a charming self help guru, and a pro wrestler. Heck, with how charismatic he is, he could easily fit in as a wrestler. I also like that he wasn’t really a villain, but just this overly assertive character who thinks that the only way to get something is to be tough and brutish, instead of talking things over and finding another way around it. I like these kinds of characters, and hope this isn’t the last we see of him.
It was nice to see Rarity and Pinkie as the supporting cast for this episode. They have great charisma with one another, and somehow out of all of Fluttershy’s friends, I can see them being the best of the five. Plus, since I’m a massive mark for Rarity, having her in the episode is a definite plus.
Pinkie Pie with an homage to “Rabbit Season, Duck Season”. Another reason I love this show so much.
CON
Okay, when did Ponyville, which was once so seemingly accepting of everypony turn into a place filled with total jerks? Seriously, everypony was a collossal douche in this episode. And not just to Fluttershy. I get why they did it, since we needed a reason for Fluttershy to need this assertiveness training, but I’d rather it be from a couple mean ponies, and not from practically all of them.
On that same note, wow is Angel a jerk. Seriously.
The episode does feel a little lacking in the comedy and pacing departments. It felt like they didn’t put in enough time with “New” Fluttershy, and even with Pinkie in the episode, there wasn’t really enough randomness. A lot of the episode also felt very bland, and lacking the spark that makes other episodes so much better.
“Putting Your Hoof Down” is a good episode, but certainly not perfect. While a solid story about learning to be assertive with yourself, there just seems to be something missing that keeps it from getting a good score. While this was definitely worth the wait for Fluttershy fans, I do still feel there could have been something more than what we got. It’s still a good episode, but far from the best this season.
RATING: 7 out of 10
Next week, “It’s About Time” that Twilight Sparkle took the lead again. When Twilight receives a message from her future self, can she find a way to prevent ponyville from an upcoming disaster? Or is the future set in stone? Find out in seven days.
Until next week bronies and pegasisters.