Opposing Farce wrote:I can't help feeling like there's something I'm missing here, because for most of the episode I just don't see this interior conflict people keep bringing up. Once Fluttershy gets into the groove of things, she's not really conflicted: she's enjoying herself performing in front of a crowd without the pressure of actually being in front of the crowd. She's having her cake and eating it too, and in a hypothetical alternate universe where Fluttershy could have just continued being Big Mac's backstage backup indefinitely
I probably won't have time to do your post justice right now and will respond to you and doodlesplat better later if it's not too late when I get in, but briefly.
I guess the thing was it was never going to be indefinite. It was a one-off that she found intoxicating enough to keep coming up with reasons to repeat it. And everyone was indulging her, but it's not like Big Mac was just going to stand there and mime forever, and Flutters wouldn't have dreamed of asking him too.
It was this snatched series of moments on the back of a ludicrous turn of events. A Capella group + turkey call injuries (the noisy killer) + deep voice flower = a short period where Fluttershy can do something she never thought she'd have the courage to do. But it was just a couple of days.
I see your point about the lack of drama, because if Big Mac had gotten his voice back and she'd gone back to normal with just some nice memories, it wouldn't have been that different. But by unmasking her (by her own hand, not some random mean guy), it takes away the bubble she's been protected in, and confronts her with her worst fear of performing. Worse even, because she's doing the running man in the air while singing bass.
But despite all this, i do agree with you really, Fluttershy's internal psychodrama aside, there is almost no drama in this episode. But for me what's there in place of drama is joy. Which sounds cheesy, but the impromptu barbershop Ponyville tour was amazing. The lack of drama is something I like about the episode but I'm not explaining myself quite right here and will try again when not phone-posting.
Edit: yeah, super brief
