Fluttershy

Fluttershy is a pegasus pony and one of the main characters of the series. She's normally very shy and quiet, and frequently seen tending her animals. She wields the element of kindness.

Personality
Fluttershy seems to have a great love for all animals except full-grown dragons. She is more open around animals than she is around other ponies. The best way to get her to open up is to ask her about her animal friends. This ability to handle animals seems to be unique to Fluttershy who unlike other pegasus ponies is not involved with the weather manipulation of Ponyville.

In Dragonshy, she is revealed to have been extremely terrified of full grown dragons and was almost unable to function out of fear. When she saw her friends being harmed by the dragon, though, she was able to overcome her fear and talk down to the dragon. This shows that underneath the soft voice and the usually kind nature there does exist a strong will.

Skills
As a Pegasus, Fluttershy has the ability of weather manipulation but her skills are more focused on interaction with animals, even befriending them. She also has the the ability to tame them by giving them a fierce and paralyzing gaze which is known as "The Stare" which she used to do on the Cockatrice.

In Suited For Success, she is revealed to have a "freaky knowledge of sewing" like Rarity. She's good enough to create a dress from Rarity's design (with the help of or possibly directing her other friends). She can also recognize machine stitching, stitching styles, uneven pleats, and traditional clothing styles.

History
When Fluttershy first met Twilight, she was too scared to do more than mumble quietly, but opened up when she met Spike. She was in charge of music during the Summer Sun celebration.

She took part in the search for the Elements of Harmony in the second episode. When the group encountered an angry manticore, Fluttershy was able to tame it by kindly talking to it and removing a thorn from its paw which was responsible for its rampage, earning her the element of kindness.

Fluttershy's pet bunny Angel is introduced in the third episode. Angel seems to boss Fluttershy around on occasion. Angel persuades Fluttershy to express herself much like the other ponies try to do.

During the episode Griffon the Brush Off, it is revealed that Fluttershy is a year older than Pinkie Pie, which surprisingly means that Fluttershy may be the oldest of the ponies.

During the episode Dragonshy, Fluttershy's fear on fully grown dragons serves as one of the plot points, but she puts aside her fears to stand up and protect her friends.

While escaping from the hydra during the episode Feeling Pinkie Keen, Fluttershy repeats the jumping line Pinkie Pie taught her during Dragonshy. She also had the courage to be the first to jump to safety, although the hydra was arguably the greater threat.

In the episode Bridle Gossip after going through the Poison Joke flowers with the other ponies while they were looking for Apple Bloom, Fluttershy's voice became deep and masculine, although she seemed unaffected otherwise.

Appearances
Fluttershy appears in all episodes so far except episodes eight and eighteen.

Trivia

 * Fluttershy's caring nature and similar appearance is based on Posey, an earth pony in the 1980's show except for her cutie mark which is represented by butterflies, reminicent of the G2 pony Sky Skimmer. Her name is based on an earth pony in the G3 line.
 * A second example of the effect of Fluttershy's displeasure is seen in The Ticket Master. When all five of her friends begin arguing over who should get Twilight's second ticket, most of Twilight's attention before the break is on Fluttershy.
 * In episode 17, her ability on animals was revealed.