My Little Pony: Friends Forever #32 - Fluttershy and Daring Do
- Story by Ted Anderson, Art by Jay Fosgitt
Fluttershy is surprised to be visited by Daring Do, on the suggestion of Rainbow Dash. Daring needs Fluttershy's help to find a map spider, which legend says has a map to the fabulous treasure of Queen Parabola, a Zebra Alicorn. Daring could get it herself but she says she's allergic to spiders. Fluttershy wavers, but agrees to come along.
Finding the map spider is rather easy, but by the time they've recovered one, Doctor Cabelleron and his mooks have shown up and captured the rest of the map spiders, planning to deliver them to Ahuiztol. Daring is able to get the upper hoof, but when Fluttershy gets tangled up and needs up, Cabelleron and his mooks get away with the spiders. Daring thinks the trail is cold, but Fluttershy reveals she had kept one of the spiders herself, and the two use the map on its back to find Parabola's castle. They make their way through the traps within the castle but are caught by Ahuiztol. After taunting Daring about her going after the map spiders, he ties them to a rock and throws them down a well.
The two are able to prop themselves to the side of the well to figure out how to escape. Fluttershy asks Daring what Ahuiztol meant about the spiders, Daring reveals that she is actually deathly afraid of them, a secret that only Ahuiztol knew and would use against her. She then tells Fluttershy with how impressed she is by her bravery, that despite being afraid she still faced her fears. Fluttershy gets an idea for how to escape but it would also require Daring to face her fear of spiders, allowing the map spider companion she got to untie the rock holding them to the rock. Daring allows her to proceed, and soon the two escape.
They watch as Cabelleron delivers the spiders to Ahuiztol and then bicker over the form of payment. Daring and Fluttershy use the opportunity to free the rest of the spiders, causing Cabelleron and his mooks to flee and confusing Ahuiztol long enough for Daring to drop a stone pillar on him, knocking him out. With her enemies out of her, Daring quickly locates the treasure and thanks Fluttershy again for her help and her bravery. Fluttershy says the same about Daring facing her fear of spiders, having her thank their map spider friend, however Daring still recoils in fear. Fluttershy comments to her "Baby steps".
Tropes appearing in this issue:
- Continuity Nod: Fluttershy's advice that Daring face her fear using "baby steps" refers to the episode "Filli Vanilli", where Fluttershy used the same phrase to describe what she plans to do in overcoming her stage fright.
- Plot Allergy: Daring Do's supposedly allergic to spiders, necessitating she bring Fluttershy along to help her track down the Map Spiders. Turns out she only feigned this to hide her real arachnophobia.
- Spiders Are Scary: How Daring Do reacts at seeing a map spider close up, and latter as the mooks are swarmed by the released spiders.
- Tempting Fate: Fluttershy rejoices that she has a whole week ahead without adventure. Guess what Daring Do shows up to drag her on immediately thereafter.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Daring Do has a crippling fear of spiders.
- Winged Unicorn: A variation: Queen Parabola was an Alicorn Zebra, and ruled over an ancient pony civilization much like Luna and Celestia rule over Equestria today.
