Gilda is first introduced by Rainbow Dash as her griffon friend, a "half-eagle, and half-lion", to which Gilda adds, "And all awesome." She is shown to be playful and competitive around Rainbow Dash, and she mentions she enjoys a good prank before setting out on several flying excursions with Dash. However, she is also very rude and has a short temper but hides that by acting friendly toward Dash. She shows her true colors when Pinkie Pie asks to join her and Dash and tries to discreetly ditch Pinkie by racing with Dash. This fails when Pinkie pursues them with the aid of balloons, prompting Gilda to pop Pinkie's balloons and send her floating down to the ground when Dash is preoccupied with a race. However, Pinkie manages to catch up to Gilda and Dash again; when Dash isn't looking, Gilda menaces Pinkie Pie, calling her a dweeb, a dork, and "Stinkie Pie", and sends Pinkie hurtling to the ground again. Pinkie describes Gilda to Twilight Sparkle as mean and grumpy, but Twilight thinks that Pinkie is just jealous of Gilda. Later, Gilda frightens Granny Smith by making her think her tail is a rattlesnake, steals an apple from a food cart, makes Fluttershy cry by bumping into her, doesn't accept Fluttershy's apology when Fluttershy thinks it was her fault, makes fun of the way she talks and roars at her. She then calls the ponies around her "lame".