It’s in quotation marks because they aren’t really villains. They aren’t really bad, at least in their first appearance.

Trixie: When trixie showed up, it was clear that she was an entertainer, not a powerful wizard. It was obvious that she should not be taken as a serious mage. But then dash, AJ and rarity challenged her. They challenged her and she did her job and met their challenges while making other ponies entertained. It wasn’t her fault that half the mane six got so butthurt. It wasn’t her fault that some foals took her seriously and brought a giant space bear. When she went into that town, she was probably expecting something like go into town, make some ponies smile, earn some bits and leave. She did not deserve the hate she got. She did not deserve to be run out of town and she did not deserve to have her life ruined like that. That’s why when she came back, although her anger was targeted at the wrong person and she did go to far, she did have a point.

Gilda: Gilda came to town to hang out with her old friend. She was probably expecting to catch up, have fun for a bit and then leave. Yes, she was a bit mean, but she was no meaner than RD. I mean, pinkie was the one to convince Dash not to prank shy. And dash often steals apples from the orchard. And pinkie was getting in the way of gilda and dashs day together. The thing was, Gilda wasn’t rude to dash. Gilda was trying hard not offend dash by telling her friends to go away. And pinky wasn’t listening ttothe fact that they were old friends and gilda just wanted to have fun. Also, she was getting upset about gilda pranking granny smith just a day after they went on a pranking rampage. Honestly, she did not deserve to have dash unfriend her because pinkie was being annoying.

Iron Will: Oh, he’s the big bad guy who corrupted innocent little fluttershy! I hate him! Wrong. first off, it was rairty and pinkie who convinced shy to go to his seminar. And even then, shy is the one who hired him. It was not his fault she took his advice a little to serious. She was the one who went out of control. Iron Will was just doing his job. He was just doing what shy was supposed to pay him to do. I say supposed because she stiffed him. Shy. Stiffed. Him. And he was doing his job. Like trixie. They were doing their job and someone took them too seriously. But oh no, she went out of control. It’s not her fault, it’s the big monster who she hired. It wasn’t his fault, it was hers. she is responsible for her own actions.

Flim and Flam: Now, when they came in, they were gonna sell cider to a town that never has enough. Their initial agreement with the apples stated that they would share the proffits and considering how much money they make from cider and they implied cider was the last thing before winter, the deal was not that bad. Not to mention that the machine did work when operated properly. And the brothers cider would be quality to the end, had the apples not cheated. And even so, they still won and proved that their cider is pretty good. They were not bad people. They kept their word right up until they were ran out of town.

That is my opinion on the “villains” of mlp.