@Kiryu-Chan
I mean, being kind
does seem like the “cheat code” to initiating a friendship, way more than the rest. Generosity and being a goofball can kinda work, but not with everyone. It’s always been the underdog that fixes broken relationships and personalities.
Fluttershy hasn’t taken over two season’s worth of premieres and finales for the sole purpose of being (unsuccessfully) integrated into the main cast as this “Best of both worlds” combination that isn’t bound to a main character role yet is constantly shown to be above and beyond them. Instead, she has clear limitations that, while revisited ad nauseam, manage to prove that she’s still a part of the team as opposed to a fifth ranger that’s showing off and proving themselves for way longer than necessary.
In Fluttershy’s case, the ability is there, but she neither flaunts it nor can apply it to every situation of her life. Though her know-how is often handled poorly (Bats,
guuuuh), it’s also restricted to wildlife and flora, so there again, limited. Then on a technical level, she can’t exactly reach the Sue status due to being part of the original cast as opposed to being an outsider addition to the cast that’s grown out of control.
Yknow what really should’ve been addressed, though? Best Night Ever showed us that when she fails to bond with creatures,
she flips the fuck out. We haven’t seen this excessive of a fail-state ever since, have we? I do agree that her bonding skill could’ve had way more holes poked into it, instead of being used as this all-powerful conflict solving ability.