Friendship is Forever Card Games: Memnagerie · 11:13am Jun 21st, 2020
Much as I’d like to do Applejack’s clip show in light of her not getting a “Meet X” Pony Life promo, Fluttershy’s next on the docket. Let’s examine Buttershush through the years.
Ah, yes, the animal end of the coronation choreography. That definitely could’ve gone better, and it seems like there were issues with it from the beginning. Though I can’t deny that it’s amusing seeing Angel get mobbed by hummingbirds and butterflies.
Ah, the Ponytones. Not quite a one-and-done—there were later references and sightings—but they still almost never came up after “Filli Vanilli.”
Oh dear. Speaking of which, “Filli Vanilli” Pinkie Pie. Do we really have to remember this instance of her? She deserves more than one bop from a rolled-up poster. And by “her,” I mean Amy Keating Rogers. Not her finest work, that episode. Not with Pinkie, anyway.
Ah, the Hearth’s Warming pageant, a wealth of world-building. Though given later information about Clover the Clever, I do have to wonder how many of the Founders were stallions. (On the other hand, given Clover’s master, they may well have been a mare to begin with. For all we know, they turned into Discord.)
“Maybe even thousands!” 
I mean, it’s bad, but at least it’s not describing Fluttershy becoming a social pariah in lavish detail.
Also, I do love it when the ponies make actual horse noises when shocked. Either a translator skipped a beat or they deliberately turned it off when Fluttershy said something a lot stronger than “peeved.”
Ooh, the Breezies. One of Fluttershy’s finer moments… after one of her less fine ones. Though I am a bit disappointed we don’t get to see the bee costume again.
Ohhh goodness, “Fame and Misfortune.” Though Fluttershy unloading on ponies accusing her episodes life consisting of the same lesson over and over was one of the better moments of the episode. Plus, “Are you attacking my friend because you want to be in a book?” is a great reaction to character-bashing self-insert OCs. Even if those don’t generally go after Fluttershy.
Oh wow. The Flutterrude montage is amazing without any further context, from Iron Will’s lessons to the multiple fashion personalities to Saddle Rager. If someone hasn’t seen those episodes, they will be very confused.
Ah, the Stare. That basically stopped being a thing after a while. A shame. Staring down the cockatrice was one of Fluttershy’s greatest early feats (and earliest great feats.) With the flashbees, the question is whether they’re naturally resistant, if Fluttershy was too sick and exhausted to make it work (as Twilight notes,) or if it just doesn’t work well when directed to hundreds of individuals at once.
Oh wow, that transparent manipulation. It’s that particular “poor, pathetic me” tone Fluttershy has that says “I’m making you feel bad enough for me that you’ll do what I want.”
“Think of all the times she’s stood up for you!” And then cut to an area miles away that none of these creatures wave ever been to. Brilliant plan, Twilight. (Unless Fluttershy brought some critters with her after the incident with the Hooffields and the McColts, which isn’t out of the question.)
Also, let’s not forget that time someone nearly got their skull cracked open by a shovel on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
And obligatory clip from the series premiere. This does show off some impressive capabilities from the rest of the Mane Six as well. Just ones poorly suited for the task at hand. Or paw, as the case may be. But the Trial of Kindness really did set the tone for Fluttershy throughout the series: The quiet strength to seek the unconventional solution that yields even greater harmony than just firing the Rainbow Friendship Cannon.
Discord saying “For Scorpan’s sake” still presents so much to unpack…
Excellent point. A rousing speech, Twilight, but they literally couldn’t understand a thing you said. Fluttershy comes with multiple audio streams.
Seriously, the Flutterguilt game is so strong here. She has Twilight wrapped around her primary feathers.
Note: Meadowbrook is explicitly described as a sorceress in the episode that establishes her as an earth pony. Checkmate, atheists unicorn supremacists. 
Discord never said he didn’t create the plundervines, just that he couldn’t take responsibility for them. And when’s the last time he took responsibility for anything?
Huh. Interesting to see only half of the Elements light up. I do wonder if that would’ve actually done anything.
Very interesting to see the focus on Fluttershy’s earlier interactions with Discord, but Twilight is trying to emphasize patience. Once he was at the point of appreciating Tuesday tea, that wasn’t the virtue at work.
Yeah, without a Spike and Starlight scene at the beginning, it was clear where this was going.
A good summation of the Fluttershy experience, a balance between timidity and overbearing ego, along with a love for all living beings that translated into one of the more fascinating character dynamics on the show. There are a few notable moments that fell by the wayside, but who wants to remember that Zephyr Breeze exists?
In any case, let’s see what I can pull for my own scrapbook.
Karmic Retribution 2W
Instant
This spell costs 2 less to cast if it targets a creature with deathtouch.
The next time target creature or planeswalker would deal damage this turn, it deals that damage to itself instead.
An angry Fluttershy is enough to make anything bite its own tongue.
Mythos of Fluttershy 2WW
Sorcery
Exile target tapped creature. If GU was spent to cast this spell, instead gain control of that creature, put a vigilance counter on it, and it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
“One brush of her wing could cleanse a mind of cruelty.”
—Tales of the Harmonolith
Enveloping Swarm 3W
Creature — Insect
Flying
When Enveloping Swarm enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Enveloping Swarm leaves the battlefield.
“Aw, they like you.”
—Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness
2/2
Coronation Performance 3WW
Sorcery
Create three 1/1 white Bird creature tokens with flying. You become the monarch.
Doves are released during ceremony to symbolize the citizens’ hope for peace. Especially if it’s the fourth coronation this week.
Multifarious Scorn 1U
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1 for each color among permanents you control.
Fluttershy contains multitudes. Sometimes they all say no at once.
Stylish Striker 2U
Creature — Unicorn Monk
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
You may cast enchantment spells as though they had flash.
Any farmer can buck. It takes an artist to bring beauty to combat.”
2/1
Mass Paralysis XU
Instant
Tap up to X target creatures.
Spell mastery — If there are two or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard, those creatures don’t untap during their controllers’ next untap steps.
Entitled Demand 1B
Sorcery
Ascend (If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city's blessing for the rest of the game.)
Target player sacrifices a creature. If you have the city’s blessing, you choose which creature they sacrifice.
With the published journal came a rash of armchair world-saviors.
Plague Sorceress 2B
Creature — Pony Warlock
Wither (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
Whenever one or more -1/-1 counters are put on a creature, you gain 2 life.
Most of Meadowbrook’s students continued her life’s work. A few twisted it to their own horrific ends.
2/2
Backstage Prep XBBB
Sorcery
Exile up to X cards from your hand. For each card exiled this way, search your library for a card and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library and put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.
Dancing Candles RR
Artifact Creature — Construct
Haste
When Dancing Candles dies, it deals 1 damage to any target.
“Fire hazard? Ridiculous. ‘Hazard’ implies it might not happen.”
—Discord
2/1
Chaotic Halo 1R
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/-1 and attacks each combat if able.
When enchanted creature dies, return Chaotic Halo from your graveyard to the battlefield attached to a creature it can enchant at random.
Disciple of Scorpan 3R
Creature — Chimera Cleric
T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever a Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn enters the battlefield under your control, untap Disciple of Scorpan.
“It took me centuries to understand what he grasped in days.”
2/2
Romancing the Draconequus 3R
Enchantment — Saga
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I, II — Discard your hand, then draw three cards.
III — Spells you cast from your hand this turn have cascade.
Everfree Infestation 1G
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
Enchanted land is a Forest.
Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, its controller adds an additional G.
Technically speaking, the farmers’ market had never had fresher produce.
Impervious Berserker 3GG
Creature — Pegasus Berserker
Riot (This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of of a +1/+1 counter or haste.)
As long as it’s your turn, Impervious Berserker has indestructible.
She refuses to fly when the ground holds so much that enrages her.
4/3
Unruly Winterzilla 4G
Snow Creature — Beast Mutant
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player sacrifices an artifact or enchantment unless they pay 1S. (S can be paid with one mana from a snow source.)
Winterchillas assume that if something looks good, it will taste good.
5/4
Lighting the First Hearth RGW
Enchantment — Saga
I — Create a 1/1 blue Unicorn creature token.
II — Create a 1/1 white Pegasus creature token with flying
III — Create a 2/2 green Pony creature token
IV — Choose any target. Each creature you control deals 1 damage to it.
Killer Flashbees 1UR
Creature — Insect
Flying
UR: Counter target spell or ability that targets Killer Flashbees. Killer Flashbees deals 2 damage to that spell or ability’s controller.
They meet hostile magic with even greater hostility
2/1
Founders’ Heartfelt Ignition 2RW
Legendary Sorcery
(You may cast a legendary sorcery only if you control a legendary creature or planeswalker.)
Double the power of each creature you control until end of turn. Those creatures gain vigilance, trample, and lifelink until end of turn. Untap them.
Centuries ago, three ponies’ bonds burned away an ice age.
Faefavor Mantle 2GU
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying and hexproof.
When Faefavor Mantle is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, create two 1/1 green and blue Pony Faerie creature tokens with flying and hexproof.
Sweetfeather Crossroads
Land — Forest Plains Island
(T: Add G, W, or U.)
Sweetfeather Crossroads enters the battlefield tapped.
Cycling 3 (3, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Fluttershy tries to include room for every creature.
Ya know, as cringey as Pinkie Pie was in Filli Vanilli, I can't help but feel a bit of empathy for her. It hit a bit close to home for me. It really is easy to fall into exhibiting the same behavior in yourself that you can identify and chastise so readily in others. Heck, it's even referenced in the Bible with the passage about before removing the speck from another's eye you must first remove the log from your own. It's a fine line between doing so unintentionally and just straight up being a hypocrite. I think Pinkie just got caught up in the moment. I do wish one of the others had pointed out her behaviour and she had apologized for it tho.
Inside Baseball Alert: Green was almost allowed to do Enveloping Swarm's effect at one point using similar flavor justification (swallowing the target whole), and flying insects have traditionally been green despite MaRo saying that they probably shouldn't have been. Guess what color he suggested going forward, which also happens to be primary in this effect?
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Backstage Prep uses "up to" to clarify that reducing your hand below X won't accomplish anything, on top of giving you the option to bluff (as you only choose how many cards to exile after it's too late for them to do anything about it). Instant-speed hand denial is extremely rare due to how obnoxious it is, so of course the best version comes from OG Mirrodin. (For those wondering: Chimney Imp, Soul Foundry, and a sacrifice outlet. Yes, that's a pretty awful sacrifice outlet for this purpose, but it's from the same set and therefore possible to assemble in Limited so it gets the nod. Yes, you can "regenerate" something that is in no immediate danger of dying; that's why they don't make cards with it anymore.)
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: If everything on the board has 1 toughness, Chaotic Halo is a full boardwipe. Lesser circumstances still let it be a repeatable kill spell; even if they don't die immediately, being forced to attack while also reducing durability is exactly the death sentence it sounds like. Note that it can and will enchant your own creatures, so don't forget your Rakdos Aristocrats staples and/or "can't block" effects.
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: The land enchanted by Everfree Infestation loses all other abilities, not just the ones tied to subtype. It does, however, gain the ability of all Forests to tap for G, which then becomes GG. Depending on how the layers shake out, you may be able to get it to tap for other things, and if those things are mana you still get the extra G.
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: There are loads of ways to tap creatures for mana (most of them being creatures that have the ability to, but others exist), and it's more flavorful to cast Founders' Heartfelt Ignition without drawing upon the land anyway so don't feel bad about the cheese.
Enveloping Swarm is perfect, 10/10.
Of course she didn't get a promo. Applejack is a background pony.
Really, you could have ended the sentence right there.
Huh... I really enjoyed Pinkie Pie in that episode. She didn't have to be anything more than the comic relief ("Don't be ridiculous." "Aw, but I'm so good at it!" is a funny exchange), and if it weren't for her, the ending would have just been a lot of low-stakes standing around Fluttershy's cottage and talking. (The head-on shot of Pinkie climbing the wall is still a very funny piece of animation.)
I don't mind. It was too powerful a weapon -- if every monster and animal-related problem could be solved immediately at Fluttershy's whim, then too many plots would be over before they began.
Except Angel seems capable of understanding whatever any of the ponies say. And in "Sounds of Silence," the squirrels understood Applejack without Fluttershy translating. Animals' abilities to understand other ponies was one of those things that varied based on the needs of the episode.
At the end of the episode, it's so weird to see Fluttershy in full profile with the upstage side of her mane downstage. I'm not sure she was animated that way for any extended length of time during the series' nine seasons.
I don't have a proper ending for this reply, so in the spirit of a clip show, I'll just quote myself from the discussion of "She Talks to Angel."
Honestly, seeing scenes devoid of their context is one of the funniest things about these clip show specials. Some parts of the Rainbow Dash one had me in stitches.
Well said!
Interesting that you bring up "overbearing ego", that is not often mentioned in relation to Fluttershy.