Applejack is the kind of character who is defined by her family, the virtues and the difficulties of family bonds. So the idea you're giving us is an very interesting one.
JohnnyFireFlame indeed, I can see a situation where sugerbelle moves and starts taking more of big mac's time. It would be interesting to see AJ balance wanting him to be as happy as possible and still not want to loose him from family times. Also seeing how she deals with a new member of the family dynamic would be a good chance to see how much she has learned to adapt to change.
I would love some more character development from Applejack.Your suggestions would work great. As for the status quo, well, the writers were willing to blowup Twilight’ original home. The crusaders now have their cutie marks. Two former villains are now primary cast members. I think it’s safe to say that they’re fine with altering the status quo a little bit.
Two former villains: Starlight and...who else? Trixie? Discord? Thorax? I really don't know. However, I really hate episodes that forget who the show's original main characters are because they need to give too much time to others instead of dividing main characters between 2 different plots, like The Times They Are a Changeling. You also should not use breaking the status quo as an excuse to keep pushing out your own main characters. If you don't believe me, look at where that got Wayward Pines. May 2, 2018, 9:29pm
I think having Applejack deal learn to deal with change would be a perfect arc for her. Though I'm not sure they'd go so far as to have anyone in the family move away or get seriously ill.
Graeme Pischke what about when Apple bloom starts venturing off with the crusaders more? They already are but with a older pony with them. They’ll get older and have their own adventures
Could be that or since the crusaders are getting older as well you could have them simply discover that colts are a thing. With either AJ or Big Mac playing the role of an overprotective parent.
Keep in mind the Tank episode - among others (like the time rainbow broke her wing) - if the crew really wanted to, they could manage it... That said, if something really serious happened, it would likely be contained to a single episode, and be fairly child friendly.
I think a key thing to always remember is that AJ has a slightly different goal arc than the rest of the Mane 6. Whereas thier arcs were about getting their dreams, AJ's has always been about KEEPING it. She's there to remind people that merely getting to your goal doesn't mean the battle is over; you need to fight just as hard, if not harder to hold onto what you got. To that end, I think that that is the line through which AJ's development is going to have to go; with her facing the pressures of what it really takes to keep everything going. Both of the situations you described could do that but ideally, she should face BOTH of them at once, and find herself having to transition from being part of Sweet Apple acres running to basically running it by herself and eventually, taking over Granny Smith's role as Grand Matriarch of the clan. REALLY down the road, they'll probably be some trying to find a mate herself, not just to share the work but because, given the way she thinks, AJ probably feels she (and Big Mac and Applebloom) has a responsibility to have children and keep the Apple line going.
I love your ideas! It would be fun to have Sugar Belle at the farm and watch how a pony from the outside of Ponyville tries to bond with Applejack and family.
I hope to find out more about the Pear side of the family. The Apple family got a ton of characters introduced in the first episode, and lots more in Apple Family Reunion. How about an episode where the Apples meet the Pears?
Seriously, I think the first AJ episode in season 8 would be to have her and her siblings come to Vanhoover to visit and learn more about the Pears side of their family, then realizing that not all the Pears like them, have some conflicts, then make up. It is a milder, more realistic and easier idea to work with than the "changing status quo", yet it can still strike home very deep lessons.
I was thinking the next step is the revelation of what exactly happened to the Apple parents, it’s possible Applejack and/or someone else in the family still haven’t gotten over their deaths
Dracomut you never fully get over a loss like that and the way it impacts AJ over time in how she acts is very well done. Much like Flutters she changes little from 1 episode to the next but you look a few seasons apart and you see it.
No, you guys just want to know what happened with their parents. I'm pretty sure that Apple family knows already what happen and they don't bring that up for the sake of good taste. I mean how do you even imagine it? That would be heavy ass episode
The former seems like it *MIGHT* be coming true in an upcoming episode, to some extent. I would like the idea of Big Mac pursuing his relationship, and not having as much time to spend on the farm anymore, giving Applejack a conflict over whether she wants to intervene for the sake of keeping her brother around. And they could also throw in Apple Bloom wanting to finally work in the fields, and seeing Big Mac's departure as a chance to have Applejack let her do just that.
Here me out because normally I would not suggest this however if the show ever gets to its last season, I want Applejack to become a mother. What bigger challenges of life and family is there. Plus she is already a mother figure to apple bloom.
What about Big Mac instead? Because you know what would happen if they tried to get any of the mane six in love... Remember the Twilight and Flash thing? That said, I’d love that idea too, I just can’t see it realistically happening without backlash...
NoArtisticLimitation that is why this could only work when they knew the show was going to end. A sort of "what do we have to lose" mentality is needed.
How about an episode where Applejack decides to visit the farm where the Pears moved to, hoping to get to know the rest of her family on her mother’s side.
Jet The Spartan have you ever watched a Disney movie? Disney proves that you can have death in Kids Media as long as there's no blood. And it doesn't have to have blood. Maybe they got really sick one winter, maybe they fell off a bridge and there wasn't any pegasi around to catch them.
Oh and another episode would be Aj hiring more hands to fill in/replace Granny or Big Mac. Since, it's pretty obvious Applejack can't handle taking care of the whole farm.She already tried before in season one I think and failed.
1 scenario that could yield interesting growth in AppleJack (& Apple Bloom 4 that matter) is if Big Mac decided 2 move 2 Sugar Belle's Village & start up a new Apple Farm there, rather than having his girlfriend move 2 Sweet Apple Acres (that's not 2 say he wouldn't b seen any less in the show since I'd imagine he'd visit his family as often as he's been visiting Sugar Belle at her home). But if we're talking logic here, it makes more sense 2 have Big Mac start his own farm in an area where there is no Apple business, he would generate more income that way. Plus Sugar Belle already has an established bakery in her hometown, while the Cake family does the exact same job in Ponyville. There would b 2 much competition between businesses. Learning 2 let go of those u hold dear (that doesn't involve dying!) would b an AMAZING lesson 4 the Apple sisters 2 learn! As well as them gradually embracing the changes that come with it (Like AppleJack taking over Big Mac's role & Apple Bloom taking over her sister's) SO much could b explored here!!!
Considering Granny's connection to Ponyville, I bet that if she did get too old and needed professional medical care, that the Apple Family could get a nurse to come and help take care of her, instead of having to send her away. And if money ever becomes an issue, then I'd bet that Mr. Rich would be willing to cover the bill for them, given his respect for Granny and the rest of the Ponyville Apples.
I don't think that Granny Smith could be put in a care center just yet. I mean she still seemed pretty energetic in "Grannies Gone Wild". Her health seems to be doing really well so far. But it would be interesting to see what the writers could do if they decide to go that route
Well Doctor Wolf what about her meeting more of her pear relatives or reuniting with her orange relatives in manehattan? After all there's the opinion that applejack is kinds racist of other fruits if its not apples. Seeing that kind of opinion and knowing she has family that are oranges and now knowing she is related to pears... I think could offer valuable lessons of not selectively picking your family though that doesn't mean we'll be expecting oranges and pears showing up to family reunions.
These are all interesting ideas. Maybe if these happened over the course of a couple of episodes, they could show Applejack hiring a few hands and growing lonely enough that her friends push her to start dating. I also wondered if there could be an episode where Grand Pear is still having trouble forgiving himself, and Luna gives him the chance to talk with a dream version of his daughter. I also want to see the ApplePearPieBelle family reunion. On that note, I'd like to see more about the potential cousins. I take it for granted that they are indeed related, and would like to see more interaction that addresses that.
I loved your suggestions. I actually thought that the episode "A Maud couple" from season 8 would have worked better with Big Mac, Sugar Belle and the apple family. It looked like a missed opportunity to me.
What if Sugar Belle were to move to Ponyville? She could do business with the Cakes and spend more time with Big Mac. Though some change to the status quo needs to happen if we're going to get any interesting stories from Applejack's perspective at this point. I still think we're a bit early to have a story dealing with Apple Bloom's teen hood, maybe next season, but I do like the idea of Granny Smith having to leave the farm, or Big Mac choosing to spend more time with Sugar Belle than with his family, they could all be interesting changes. Now it's just a matter of weather or not they can be executed well by the writers.
You either watched the leaked episodes or are just really good😂 Grannie won’t leave the farm that’s just wrong in my opinion but it kinda covers some stuff about retiring and other things you mentioned in other episodes. You’re good!
Oh, my apologies, I meant that she'd work with the cake family, just as Cake family, just as Pinkie does. Selling her products through them. Though I don't know how they could introduce a business element like that without boring children half to sleep.
Really, there's an episode on that. Wow, I'm exited, I didn't think they'd ever an episode like that. Also, thank you for the compliment. The more positivity we can have in these comment sections, the better.
A.J doesn't sound like she has too much left for future plans. I mean look at the others. Twilight's the Princess of Friendship and is using her knowledge to spread it. Rainbow Dash achieved her dream of being a Wonderbolt, Rarity successfully opened two additional boutiques in Canterlot and Manehattan, Fluttershy achieved her dream of opening an Animal Sanctuary. Pinkie Pie more or less is ok with how things are going for her
I would like to see Sugar Belle moved onto the farm. It is a change in the household family dynamic still. There is this new mare on the farm who doesn't just slip in with the rest of how things have been done, not a natural farmer, at least not capable of doing it the earth pony way. You could see a bit of conflict here between the unicorn way of doing things and the earth pony way.
I love all of these ideas. One idea I feel the staff may have been toying with is Granny Smith's death. We have seen them dance around the topic of death before in Tanks for the Memories. They clearly aren't afraid to touch on heavy sjbjects such as the idea of ultimate evil, loss of a pet, self destructive behaviors, etc. I feel death of an elderly relative is a good lesson. It certainly would have helped me as a kid. If do eventually go down this path, they can't cram it into a single episode. They need to show the apple sibblings struggling with it for a few episodes after and the occasional heartfelt moment remembering her for a few more seasons. It isn't something that has an instant fix or even a quick one. Death of someone you are that close to will stick with you forever; it just gets easier to live with over time.
Interesting theory-crafting. I do kind of dislike the "we must always force characters to evolve" mantra, but in AJ's case, there is an argument to be made that of all of the mane six she's had the least changes in her life. Combining all of these ideas, there is a nice potential for "AJ having to deal with change": Granny gets injured and needs to retire, Applebloom decides to go her own way (CMC's business keep's her from farm work?), and Big Mac and Sugarbelle's relationship. That's a lot to handle. It would be nice to see Sugar Belle move to Ponyville to run her shop there, and live with the Apples, causing some Sugar Belle-AJ conflict putting poor BigMac in the middle.
Applejack can always get married with a nice stallion and have a new life at Sweet Apple Acres, and Big Mac marries Sugar Belle and live somewhere in Ponyville
it would be interesting to see somepony from a sheltered environment like "Our Town" try to adjust to somewhere overly friendly like ponyville and a loving family like the apple family. Remember, all the ponies in "Our Town" all came there on their own looking for friendship; not knowing much about it then being subjected to brainwashing before suddenly having freedom thrust upon them.
Well possibilites: Big Mac starts a family with Sugarbell, but I am quiet certain she would need to move in at the farm (Big Mac is to loyal to abendon it). Applecheck or may even Applebloom getting into relationships of their own (I know this partilly against canon law, but whatever). Granny Smith hitting the hea (for good, or one of her friend). Also I am still interessed in the cannon death story of their parents (maybe it could be some kind of hero story, like a fire at the farm). A less elegant move could also be let them come home from some spy mission (forget sounds like the worst fan fiction ever now that I write it down).
I think Granny Smith will have to fully retire soon, causing AJ and the others to have to work harder. Due to working for the school, the farm, and having her other map-related responsibilities, AJ will struggle to juggle everything. After giving it her best, she will come to the realisation that she has to look for employees to hire to work for Apple Acres. Big Mac will inherit the farm (as he has no other job) and AJ and Apple Bloom will train the new pony or ponies. I would like someone surprising, maybe Silver Spoon or Pip Squeak? (Which could lead to Pip getting his cutie mark.) Could be a special episode where they expand the farm and start growing other kinds of fruit now they have extra help.
I have a few ideas: Applejack and her family investigating the whereabouts of their parents and discovering a dark secret . Tired of Applejack’s overprotectiveness Applebloom decides to go to Zecroa and ask the zebra to teach her how to survive in the wild in order to prove to her big sister she can be independent, However AJ starts getting jealous of Zecora being AB’s current role model. Applejack dealing with a conflict where she has to choose between being traditional or being innovate . Feeling she’s not living up to bring the Element of Honesty, AJ drinks a potion that makes her be tell the truth all the time .Hilarity Ensues
I wrote a fan-fic a while back involving some of the Mane 6 considering how they might go their separate ways one day and for Applejack it was about how Applejack has been secretly considering leaving to start an apple farm of her own while Big Mac and the family he’d build with Sugar Bell would be the next generation to run Sweet Apple Acres.
On Hasbro’s _My Little Pony_ website, Applejack’s character page lists her aspiration as: “Carrying on the family farm to her foals.” Assuming that is true, maybe that is a topic that can be explored in the future?
I think some of these, like 'granny getting older' is better suited to something other than Y7. It seems like all the points people make in commentaries these days affirm why the next generation needs to happen and at a higher age rating.
Hey Doc.^^ A lot of good points being addressed here. Would it is possible for Big Mac to live on his own, but come work on the family farm maybe? Or perhaps build another family home on the same farm? I feel like with huge farms, with lots of acres, where the profit is shared among the members, building a family home on the property for Big Mac and his dear sounds like a nice solution. And it might help keep the farm in the family, with Big Mac's future kids caring for the main farm, instead of him starting his own, competing farm. ... In the event that AJ or Applebloom don't have kids of their own. What do y'all think?^^
Doc I like where you're going with this but I do want to change the idea of Sugar Bell moving to Pongvile that Big Mclntosh moves away to be closer to her. I remember you talking about this idea before (I think in a live stream) and feel that would have more impact on the Apple Family as a whole.
0:13 Well that's what happens when you tell someone 'No' and then finally give them something they keep asking for. Doesn't matter if its a cheap take on what they asked for, they'll still cherish it and consider it a victory, despite it being little more than a cardboard cutout. I find it cute if anyone thinks that TPP somehow developed AJ's character, despite the fact that she was so irrelevant to the episode she could be written out entirely. I also find it interesting what you say at the end about changing the status quo; yet the status quo has changed multiple times and most of the characters themselves have not actually changed [outside of possibly seriously regressing]
WOW!!!! i love these ideas, but i think these would be great for the final season ( when ever that might happen... ). have Big Mac go off and start his own Apple Orchard with Sugar Bell =). maybe Granny Smith gets hurt whole working and she needs to retire, and have Applebloom grow up enough that her and AJ could handle running the farm. there are some many great ideas for the Apples. this was a great vid Doc
I'd think that if they did have Granny Smith go into a care center and Big Mac move in with Sugar Belle, then they could have Aj HAVE to team up with Flim and Flam in order to keep the farm running.
I think that there should be an episode where Grand Pear invites the Apples to a Pear farm to meet the other half of her family. And we get an episode where everyone gets different thoughts on their Pear-half.
The first idea might work, with Sugar Belle moving in or nearby, or even more upsetting, Big Mac moving to Cult Town. They're never going to tackle the second idea. It would be great, but it'll never happen. They're not going to touch mortality with a ten foot pole. Tanks for the Memories is the closest we're ever going to get.
*Just cuz family isn't abandoning family don't mean there isn't the reality of change....* (really is one of the less good wrong yet "recent" ideas held in western cultures?) There is nothing wrong with younger members 'staying on' to help older members keep living well.
I agree that the topic of family relations, especially with the issues of divorce, could be explored in MLP; but there is another topic that I think the MLP staff could discuss more (just to be clear this has no relation to Applejack's character arch in a way). They touched up on physical disabilities with Scootaloo's inability to fly but we have never met a character with any mental or learning disabilities like autism, dyslexia, or ADD. I think this could work in a CMC episode where they meet a foul with one of these or maybe there could be a student in Twilight's School of Friendship that or one of the Young 6 could have one of these.
okay doc, you and SilverQuill need to go and join the writing staff for MLP I love the story idea you two come up with. Like the ones you came up with for Spike, they are wonderful idea that and now these, I would love to see in the show.
These are some pretty good ideas Another idea that could happen is that maybe Big Mac will marry Sugar Belle, which would definitely mean he might move out of the farm to start his own family. I can see this affecting Apple Bloom (since younger siblings often have a hard time dealing with this) or maybe trying to help Sugar Bell fit in with the apples themselves (Heck maybe even her family could show up and the families end up being completely different from each other) There could also be a plot point where maybe the farm isn't doing so well financially and they only option is some slight modernization or having hired help. Something I know Applejack would REFUSE and would desperately try to fix everything herself, only to accept in the end that change sometimes is for the better
I am not sure even hinting at Alzhemer's would be appropriate for a show like this, but then again, it may prove to be a much-needed, mature lesson for many viewers out there. After all, many people, young and adult alike, have lost or are losing grandparents and other family. But starting with Big Mac moving out to start a family of his own with Sugar Belle makes sense, followed by Apple Bloom maturing around the time Granny Smith starts going downhill so that the show, and we as a fandom, can talk about life and death cycles in a mature and sensible way.
With Sugar Bell currently going to be working in Ponyville half the time now, it means her and Big Mac's relationship will indeed grow closer. Heck if the writers wanted to fully develop this story then they'd likely reach a point where they both are set to get married which would indeed change the family dynamic A LOT. I mean, what if the Apples aren't too keen on Sugar Bell's family joining theirs or vice versa? Not to mention Apple Bloom having to deal with all these changes at her age would also be a good story
She has her own family, children. Maybe what happened to her parents affects her desire to help the mane 6 out of fear of her dieting and leaving her hus6and children behind.
The writers need to give her a GOAL Ex: Rainbow dash wanting to be a wonder bolt, Rarity opening more boutiques, Twilight learning about friendship, Flutershy being more assertive. If they don't give apple Jack a goal then how will she develop?
I think the time has come for AJ to be a leading voice in Earth Pony Magic. She could teach Twilight, and even Cadance, to embrace their 1/3 Earth Pony Side to their Allicorn Selves. Perhaps we could give her one of those "distant" relatives we don't like ... an Earth Pony who distrusts magic, is angry Big Mac gave up Cherrilee for Sugar Belle (and his dreams of being a magic user), or her friendship with the treasonous Starlight-Trixie-Fizzlepop, or considering Twilight an honorary Apple. AJ would have to chose between family and "family."
As I said in my previous post, I think since the Apples are all about family, why not let her meet a nice stallion, get married and have a kid? The Apple family is large. Let them keep growing. Let Big Mac get married and have kids. Let Applejack get married and have kids. And then keep the farm going with the family. This is what the Apples are all about. I don't think that Applejack should be excluded from getting married or having kids at all given her family life and values. I think it would be a great next step so long as too many people don't jump on this comment thinking that I'm suggesting that "She needs a man in her life.". That's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm saying is that she needs family and that she would want to continue it. And in no way would I suggest that a stallion would dominate her in any way in any relationship. The problem I would fear is that no matter what I say, people would be accusing that the second they would introduce a stallion, people would be accusing the show of sexism against Applejack. Heck. It will probably start against me in the comments below.
Applejack appears to be the only one of the Mane 6 to not have a dream or goal. AJ striking out in uncharted waters have always been more exciting than her on her farm. What else do we know about her? She left her farm for a reason, perhaps not wanting to be a "cog" and wanting a choice. She loves her farm and Ponyville but she also loves adventure. She wanted to go on a treasure hunt at sea (plus we wanna see Pirate AJ again XD.) Mayor Mare also wants to groom her as her successor (IDW).
I think, before we go so far as to have Granny Smith or Big Mac leave, we need to show the first big change in AJ's life: What happened to Bright Mac and Pear Butter? When Apple Bloom got her Cutie Mark, Applejack said "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you". This shows that she has memories of her parents. But they're both non-present by the time Season One starts. So finding out their ultimate fate could be something interesting.
I always thought that Applejack would stay on the farm start a family and big Mac and apple bloom would go get there own house and start a family of their own like pinkie pie family. Oh am I the only one that wants a episode of the main 6 frist days at ponyvillie we know AJ grow up there and twilight was last but the others didn't I want to know what it was like for rainbow dash and Fluttershy saying to their parents hey I'm moving to ponyvillie and pinike pie too and rarity situation
killz0ne215 yes I think rarity did grow up in ponyvillie but I want to know her situation with her parents like were they live why they might of moved from ponyvillie
I personally think that while those would be interesting arcs, there’s nothing wrong with keeping them at the farm. Maybe they even build Big Mac a new place to stay... Alternatively, we could have to deal with Big Mac - who already knows how to run a family, due to becoming the stallion of the house at such a young age, even if Granny Smith helped him - wanting to start a family... Then again, using your idea of Granny Smith getting older, she could give the farm up to one of the others, bringing up a number of interesting ideas. With my point of them not leaving, it’s not as much a “I don’t want change” feeling, rather, my family like the apples, are really close. In my country, it’s completely normal for a family to live in the same house. My sister and her partner live downstairs in a two-room place, and I have an auntie who had one daughter leave, but the other stay, building a bigger place for her own family to stay. The apples have more than enough land (especially now they have the pear farm to their name) to be able to build a seperate place, and they’ve been shown to have the skills for it.
Where can Applejack go from here? She can get fed up with the fact that no one listens to her "straight-man" advice. She can become weary at being the only one with a "lick o' common horse sense." I want to see an episode where AJ just gets outright angry with all of her friends for not giving real credence to her "normal" approach to their problems. Even Twilight, Princess of Friendship, has fallen victim to this, and recently too (Horse Play).
The Apple family I am glad we saw the parents. The big question is what is next for them I am questioning how much time before the next generation of MLP thanks Dr Wolf you brought up a great questions
I think the Apple family might go on a quest to find their parents. We finally revealed that the parents of Big Mac, Applejack and Applebloom were part of two feuding farms until love sets in with Bright Mac and Pear Butter. We may also know about the connection of Granny Smith and Filthy Rich's Barnyard Bargains. Granny Smith did make a deal with Stinkin Rich to produce the zap apple jam market. I think we might have an episode to discover more about the Barnyard Bargains. I know about Big Mac getting shipped was very complicated. The connection between Applejack and Applebloom are strong. I do predict that the Apples may solve a huge crisis taking place probably at the farm or at Ponyville. We will have to wait to see what episode takes place.
It may well have been better waiting 2 weeks after the episode where Big Mac and Sugar Belle possibly break up, before posting this, that may well answer a few of your questions. As for Granny Smith, my theory is she was dying just before Apple Bloom was born of some illness, felt it was too soon and wanted to see her third grandchild grow up, made a deal with the pony equivalent of the devil and is now immortal. This ultimately backfired as the cost was both Pear Butter's and Bright Mac's life in exchange, forcing her to live in constant regret at her decision.
Well she's a farmer from a farming family. Things work different when you grow up on the farm. If we're looking at real life, big farms usually have several homes on the property for various family members. Family is the most important thing to farmers, and not just because all the cheap labor! So if Big Mac did move out, it would be odd if it was anywhere else but a new home on the Sweet Apple Acres family farm, just because he seems that as his home. I remember when I was little my mother would go on and on about how we needed to have a house for me, a house for my brother, a house for my sister, just so she could keep us all close without us being stuck. It's also one reason that a lot of farms have just gigantic houses, because a whole lot of family can fit in them! Now that doesn't mean serious change can't happen, but it'd have to have a good strong story reason why it happened. Like if Big Mac just said "moving out to Our Town" it'd make no sense. He feels a duty to the farm, he cares for his family like nothing else, and I don't think he'd ever leave his smallest sister without a big brother close by to run to. But if there was a good genuine reason for him to move to Our Town, I'd love to see it, and it could be done if done right keeping in mind the values of a farmers family.
I'd like to believe that Apple Jack (AJ) would adopt a foul, maybe she was wandering around the Ever Free Forest and she sees a foul is being surrounded by timber wolves and AJ leaps into action and saves the foul and takes it home and gives it a bath and decides to adopt the foul.
Here's just a idea. What if Applejack found someone who said they know where her parents where. Held by a queen or something like that. Desperate to find them, she would have to go throught hardships of possible losing them again. Or pushing farther to try and get them back at any cost. So they go to the kingdom or land, defeat the queen save the people. Only to find that they are gone. But the recused people tell her that her parents helped out whom ever they could, right till there every end. You could then end with applejack looking over their graves. With pride in her heart at what they did.
How about having Applejack and her siblings find a clue that what they think happened to their parents, didn't actually happen? I would love to see an Apple Sibling journey to find out what really happened to their mother and father, and give the audience a set canon answer for where they've been all this time, and why.
I would want to see a episode where Applejack meets more of the pear family. Like a big family reunion between the Apple and pear family. What if there still is conflict between the two familys. Grand Pear is hinted as the head of the pear family. Now that he lives in ponyville this could cause the pear family reunion to be held there instead of Vanhoofer. (Not sure I spelt that right.) I know Granny Smith and Grand Pear made up but it hasn't been said that the pears and Apple family's have made up. It could be a two part episode trying work out the fuad that spreads into Ponyville. Another way could be Grand Pear bringing Applejack, Apple bloom and Big mack to Vanhoover. Not all the Apple siblings don't have to go. But all 3 could go to learn more about their mom and her family. All we learned about was how their parents meet and basic character traits. But maybe the pear family isn't happy to see them. Or it's split in half and some of them are happy to see them. It would be interesting to see Apple siblings even working on the pear farm. Maybe they are good at it or maybe they keep messing up. The Apple siblings could be embarrassed about messing up so much.
"Throw in a few moments of little applebloom not seeming so little anymore and you got some good stories-" let me stop you right there. *ahem* what about the fanfics?? XD
Maybe AJ could learn not to be too overprotective of her family? Or maybe we could find out that Bright Mac and Pear Butter are still alive somewhere and AJ goes to find them with Big Mac and Apple Bloom?
Entirely unrelated Doc, but have you ever listened to the audiobook of "The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant" by Drew Hayes? I ask because the narrator, Kirby Heyborne, sounds so much like you I can't get over it. Give it a listen sometime, I think you'll get a kick out of it.
Considering time travel is a concept. Why don’t they do an episode where applejack goes back in time to meet her parents. Say she’s warned that she can’t intervene but stubbornly suggests otherwise due to it being her parents and how in comparison to the rainboom it wouldn’t have much affect and warns them about what would kill them. She then returns to the future and in a twist, it actually appears perfect. Like the schools doing better than ever, the cutie mark crusaders got their marks early, Big Mac getting married etc. Only with small hints about people saying that it’s good to see these things during ‘these’ times. After a brief investigation scene, it’s Then revealing that despite the joy, it turns out that outside of ponyville the rest of the world has been taken over and/ or destroyed by every villain in MLP working together. When applejack hears of this she’s shocked but hesitant about going back in time and stopping herself from causing this, even suggesting that they save this world so everybody can win and her parents can live. However before any arguments can be made, they are attacked. By an unreformed starlight glimmer. It could turn out that due to the time travel, unlike everybody trying to reform villains or defeating them with the power of friendship, they were all banished to Tartarus, where they hatched a scheme to take over the world. After a fight scene and maybe a rescue here or there, they could all get into another argument about going back and stopping this. Applejack could suggest that they could just simply go back to when the villains were banished and warn them beforehand about this, but everyone argues that the future will just keep getting worse and worse, which applejack struggles to argue with but all admit that they understand, leaving it to applejack to decide what to do, since it’s her parents at stake in all of this. They all go back In Time before applejack warned her parents and simply says goodbye. Everything goes back to normal the end. There could be a lesson about letting go and accepting the past and how dangerous it could be to let it guide selfish actions. I don’t know that’s just an idea. What does everyone else think?
I don't think Big Mac would leave the farm, at least not by choice. He can be hard to read since he's generally reticent, but I'm pretty sure that family and the farm are just as important to Big Mac as they are to AJ. I think that if Sugar Belle wanted him to leave the farm, his loyalty to his home would win out (though I hope she doesn't make him choose between her and Sweet Apple Acres).
What about Applejack wanting to start her own family, or to add the family? We never see her think about the future of Apple Family and it would be interesting to see how she interacts when she realized it may be time to try to start a relationship, but don't know how even thought of who. Maybe another that is more adult, so I don't think they could do it, but what if Applesmith seeing Big Mac entering a relationship and trying to get Applejack to develop one so she can smile knowing grandchildren will continue the family farm after she died. However, Applejack realizes she can't grant Grannies wish due to the fact she is either unable to have foals, or not even attracted to stallions. It would be interesting to see what she would do in a no-win scenario where she can't tell the truth about it would disappointed Grannysmith, or lie and betray herself.
Personally I wish Hasbro would have stuck with the toy line canon. And not to mention applejack was in the pilot for G1. There was a baby applejack toy and an adult of course. They should've had this series AJ be the baby grown up and her mother the adult from the pilot.
Seems to me that the farm is as much Big Mac's as it is AJ's! So I can see Sugar Bell moving in with the Apples as Big Macs wife. And as for Sugar Bell she can work for the Cakes [with Pinkie?]!
Applejack is the kind of character who is defined by her family, the virtues and the difficulties of family bonds. So the idea you're giving us is an very interesting one.
JohnnyFireFlame indeed, I can see a situation where sugerbelle moves and starts taking more of big mac's time. It would be interesting to see AJ balance wanting him to be as happy as possible and still not want to loose him from family times. Also seeing how she deals with a new member of the family dynamic would be a good chance to see how much she has learned to adapt to change.
I would love some more character development from Applejack.Your suggestions would work great. As for the status quo, well, the writers were willing to blowup Twilight’ original home. The crusaders now have their cutie marks. Two former villains are now primary cast members. I think it’s safe to say that they’re fine with altering the status quo a little bit.
Two former villains: Starlight and...who else? Trixie? Discord? Thorax? I really don't know. However, I really hate episodes that forget who the show's original main characters are because they need to give too much time to others instead of dividing main characters between 2 different plots, like The Times They Are a Changeling. You also should not use breaking the status quo as an excuse to keep pushing out your own main characters. If you don't believe me, look at where that got Wayward Pines. May 2, 2018, 9:29pm
I think having Applejack deal learn to deal with change would be a perfect arc for her. Though I'm not sure they'd go so far as to have anyone in the family move away or get seriously ill.
Graeme Pischke what about when Apple bloom starts venturing off with the crusaders more? They already are but with a older pony with them. They’ll get older and have their own adventures
Could be that or since the crusaders are getting older as well you could have them simply discover that colts are a thing. With either AJ or Big Mac playing the role of an overprotective parent.
agreed this is a mature show but i fell wolf is hoping for to much
Keep in mind the Tank episode - among others (like the time rainbow broke her wing) - if the crew really wanted to, they could manage it... That said, if something really serious happened, it would likely be contained to a single episode, and be fairly child friendly.
Have granny die, on screen.
I think a key thing to always remember is that AJ has a slightly different goal arc than the rest of the Mane 6. Whereas thier arcs were about getting their dreams, AJ's has always been about KEEPING it. She's there to remind people that merely getting to your goal doesn't mean the battle is over; you need to fight just as hard, if not harder to hold onto what you got.
To that end, I think that that is the line through which AJ's development is going to have to go; with her facing the pressures of what it really takes to keep everything going. Both of the situations you described could do that but ideally, she should face BOTH of them at once, and find herself having to transition from being part of Sweet Apple acres running to basically running it by herself and eventually, taking over Granny Smith's role as Grand Matriarch of the clan.
REALLY down the road, they'll probably be some trying to find a mate herself, not just to share the work but because, given the way she thinks, AJ probably feels she (and Big Mac and Applebloom) has a responsibility to have children and keep the Apple line going.
I love your ideas!
It would be fun to have Sugar Belle at the farm and watch how a pony from the outside of Ponyville tries to bond with Applejack and family.
I hope to find out more about the Pear side of the family.
The Apple family got a ton of characters introduced in the first episode, and lots more in Apple Family Reunion.
How about an episode where the Apples meet the Pears?
Seriously, I think the first AJ episode in season 8 would be to have her and her siblings come to Vanhoover to visit and learn more about the Pears side of their family, then realizing that not all the Pears like them, have some conflicts, then make up. It is a milder, more realistic and easier idea to work with than the "changing status quo", yet it can still strike home very deep lessons.
I think MLP is going as far as not just teaching friendship to others anymore. I think the title should be changed to My Little Pony: Life is Magic
Preston Lockhart that could be a good title for G5
I agree with that
Preston Lockhart YES YES U R SMART GOOD IDEA YES
My Little Pony: Nothing Bad Happens
Double OO ture, but no reason to menchon lack of anything.
I was thinking the next step is the revelation of what exactly happened to the Apple parents, it’s possible Applejack and/or someone else in the family still haven’t gotten over their deaths
Dracomut you never fully get over a loss like that and the way it impacts AJ over time in how she acts is very well done. Much like Flutters she changes little from 1 episode to the next but you look a few seasons apart and you see it.
No, you guys just want to know what happened with their parents. I'm pretty sure that Apple family knows already what happen and they don't bring that up for the sake of good taste. I mean how do you even imagine it? That would be heavy ass episode
The former seems like it *MIGHT* be coming true in an upcoming episode, to some extent. I would like the idea of Big Mac pursuing his relationship, and not having as much time to spend on the farm anymore, giving Applejack a conflict over whether she wants to intervene for the sake of keeping her brother around. And they could also throw in Apple Bloom wanting to finally work in the fields, and seeing Big Mac's departure as a chance to have Applejack let her do just that.
Here me out because normally I would not suggest this however if the show ever gets to its last season, I want Applejack to become a mother. What bigger challenges of life and family is there. Plus she is already a mother figure to apple bloom.
YES! But, who would be the father? Who is AJ gonna marry? She's too honest and principled to elope, so...who would win the Honest Mare's heart?
they'll have her bump into a stallion on one of her missions and blush and mush etc.
What about Big Mac instead? Because you know what would happen if they tried to get any of the mane six in love... Remember the Twilight and Flash thing?
That said, I’d love that idea too, I just can’t see it realistically happening without backlash...
NoArtisticLimitation that is why this could only work when they knew the show was going to end. A sort of "what do we have to lose" mentality is needed.
How about an episode where Applejack decides to visit the farm where the Pears moved to, hoping to get to know the rest of her family on her mother’s side.
Your ideas are very good. But I still want an episode about how PB and BM died.
wouldn't fly in a kid's show
Yeah I don't think kids can handle that because it will be very dark, unless the episode is PG 13
Jet The Spartan have you ever watched a Disney movie? Disney proves that you can have death in Kids Media as long as there's no blood. And it doesn't have to have blood. Maybe they got really sick one winter, maybe they fell off a bridge and there wasn't any pegasi around to catch them.
they died on their way to a trade because of the timberwolves, i've read this somewhere claiming this is from Lauren Faust herself
bakago sounds plausible but I'm not one to believe in everything Lauren says, especially after she left
Oh and another episode would be Aj hiring more hands to fill in/replace Granny or Big Mac. Since, it's pretty obvious Applejack can't handle taking care of the whole farm.She already tried before in season one I think and failed.
1 scenario that could yield interesting growth in AppleJack (& Apple Bloom 4 that matter) is if Big Mac decided 2 move 2 Sugar Belle's Village & start up a new Apple Farm there, rather than having his girlfriend move 2 Sweet Apple Acres (that's not 2 say he wouldn't b seen any less in the show since I'd imagine he'd visit his family as often as he's been visiting Sugar Belle at her home). But if we're talking logic here, it makes more sense 2 have Big Mac start his own farm in an area where there is no Apple business, he would generate more income that way. Plus Sugar Belle already has an established bakery in her hometown, while the Cake family does the exact same job in Ponyville. There would b 2 much competition between businesses. Learning 2 let go of those u hold dear (that doesn't involve dying!) would b an AMAZING lesson 4 the Apple sisters 2 learn! As well as them gradually embracing the changes that come with it (Like AppleJack taking over Big Mac's role & Apple Bloom taking over her sister's) SO much could b explored here!!!
Considering Granny's connection to Ponyville, I bet that if she did get too old and needed professional medical care, that the Apple Family could get a nurse to come and help take care of her, instead of having to send her away. And if money ever becomes an issue, then I'd bet that Mr. Rich would be willing to cover the bill for them, given his respect for Granny and the rest of the Ponyville Apples.
apple jack really hasnt grown as a character as she is right 99% of the time
ladyaceina she’s the most mature out of all of them. Even Twilight because she goes into panic mode so freakin much. Such a spaz.
yes and that makes her boring she has not had much development
I don't think that Granny Smith could be put in a care center just yet. I mean she still seemed pretty energetic in "Grannies Gone Wild". Her health seems to be doing really well so far. But it would be interesting to see what the writers could do if they decide to go that route
Well Doctor Wolf what about her meeting more of her pear relatives or reuniting with her orange relatives in manehattan? After all there's the opinion that applejack is kinds racist of other fruits if its not apples. Seeing that kind of opinion and knowing she has family that are oranges and now knowing she is related to pears... I think could offer valuable lessons of not selectively picking your family though that doesn't mean we'll be expecting oranges and pears showing up to family reunions.
These are all interesting ideas. Maybe if these happened over the course of a couple of episodes, they could show Applejack hiring a few hands and growing lonely enough that her friends push her to start dating. I also wondered if there could be an episode where Grand Pear is still having trouble forgiving himself, and Luna gives him the chance to talk with a dream version of his daughter. I also want to see the ApplePearPieBelle family reunion. On that note, I'd like to see more about the potential cousins. I take it for granted that they are indeed related, and would like to see more interaction that addresses that.
I loved your suggestions. I actually thought that the episode "A Maud couple" from season 8 would have worked better with Big Mac, Sugar Belle and the apple family. It looked like a missed opportunity to me.
What if Sugar Belle were to move to Ponyville? She could do business with the Cakes and spend more time with Big Mac. Though some change to the status quo needs to happen if we're going to get any interesting stories from Applejack's perspective at this point. I still think we're a bit early to have a story dealing with Apple Bloom's teen hood, maybe next season, but I do like the idea of Granny Smith having to leave the farm, or Big Mac choosing to spend more time with Sugar Belle than with his family, they could all be interesting changes. Now it's just a matter of weather or not they can be executed well by the writers.
wait a sec doesnt ponyville not have already a cake store?
You either watched the leaked episodes or are just really good😂 Grannie won’t leave the farm that’s just wrong in my opinion but it kinda covers some stuff about retiring and other things you mentioned in other episodes. You’re good!
Oh, my apologies, I meant that she'd work with the cake family, just as Cake family, just as Pinkie does. Selling her products through them. Though I don't know how they could introduce a business element like that without boring children half to sleep.
Really, there's an episode on that. Wow, I'm exited, I didn't think they'd ever an episode like that. Also, thank you for the compliment. The more positivity we can have in these comment sections, the better.
I love all these ideas, and I hope they all happen before the series wraps up
Her finding a special somepony
Meeting the Pear side of the family
Big Mac and Sugar Bell wedding
I'm very happy you decided to make video about Applejack! Very good thinking in the video!
A.J doesn't sound like she has too much left for future plans. I mean look at the others. Twilight's the Princess of Friendship and is using her knowledge to spread it. Rainbow Dash achieved her dream of being a Wonderbolt, Rarity successfully opened two additional boutiques in Canterlot and Manehattan, Fluttershy achieved her dream of opening an Animal Sanctuary. Pinkie Pie more or less is ok with how things are going for her
When I heard "If the MLP writers kept everything the same forever," I thought DRWolf001 was going to make a Family Guy/American Dad reference.
I would like to see Sugar Belle moved onto the farm. It is a change in the household family dynamic still. There is this new mare on the farm who doesn't just slip in with the rest of how things have been done, not a natural farmer, at least not capable of doing it the earth pony way. You could see a bit of conflict here between the unicorn way of doing things and the earth pony way.
Considering that I've been to care centers for both my grandmothers, a scenario like that for Granny would be more relatable.
I love all of these ideas. One idea I feel the staff may have been toying with is Granny Smith's death. We have seen them dance around the topic of death before in Tanks for the Memories. They clearly aren't afraid to touch on heavy sjbjects such as the idea of ultimate evil, loss of a pet, self destructive behaviors, etc. I feel death of an elderly relative is a good lesson. It certainly would have helped me as a kid. If do eventually go down this path, they can't cram it into a single episode. They need to show the apple sibblings struggling with it for a few episodes after and the occasional heartfelt moment remembering her for a few more seasons. It isn't something that has an instant fix or even a quick one. Death of someone you are that close to will stick with you forever; it just gets easier to live with over time.
Interesting theory-crafting. I do kind of dislike the "we must always force characters to evolve" mantra, but in AJ's case, there is an argument to be made that of all of the mane six she's had the least changes in her life.
Combining all of these ideas, there is a nice potential for "AJ having to deal with change": Granny gets injured and needs to retire, Applebloom decides to go her own way (CMC's business keep's her from farm work?), and Big Mac and Sugarbelle's relationship. That's a lot to handle.
It would be nice to see Sugar Belle move to Ponyville to run her shop there, and live with the Apples, causing some Sugar Belle-AJ conflict putting poor BigMac in the middle.
Applejack can always get married with a nice stallion and have a new life at Sweet Apple Acres, and Big Mac marries Sugar Belle and live somewhere in Ponyville
AJ is going to link up with William Shatner and boldly go where no pony has gone before, not even Twilight...
it would be interesting to see somepony from a sheltered environment like "Our Town" try to adjust to somewhere overly friendly like ponyville and a loving family like the apple family. Remember, all the ponies in "Our Town" all came there on their own looking for friendship; not knowing much about it then being subjected to brainwashing before suddenly having freedom thrust upon them.
Well possibilites:
Big Mac starts a family with Sugarbell, but I am quiet certain she would need to move in at the farm (Big Mac is to loyal to abendon it).
Applecheck or may even Applebloom getting into relationships of their own (I know this partilly against canon law, but whatever).
Granny Smith hitting the hea (for good, or one of her friend).
Also I am still interessed in the cannon death story of their parents (maybe it could be some kind of hero story, like a fire at the farm). A less elegant move could also be let them come home from some spy mission (forget sounds like the worst fan fiction ever now that I write it down).
I think Granny Smith will have to fully retire soon, causing AJ and the others to have to work harder. Due to working for the school, the farm, and having her other map-related responsibilities, AJ will struggle to juggle everything. After giving it her best, she will come to the realisation that she has to look for employees to hire to work for Apple Acres. Big Mac will inherit the farm (as he has no other job) and AJ and Apple Bloom will train the new pony or ponies. I would like someone surprising, maybe Silver Spoon or Pip Squeak? (Which could lead to Pip getting his cutie mark.) Could be a special episode where they expand the farm and start growing other kinds of fruit now they have extra help.
I have a few ideas:
Applejack and her family investigating the whereabouts of their parents and discovering a dark secret
.
Tired of Applejack’s overprotectiveness Applebloom decides to go to Zecroa and ask the zebra to teach her how to survive in the wild in order to prove to her big sister she can be independent, However AJ starts getting jealous of Zecora being AB’s current role model.
Applejack dealing with a conflict where she has to choose between being traditional or being innovate .
Feeling she’s not living up to bring the Element of Honesty, AJ drinks a potion that makes her be tell the truth all the time
.Hilarity Ensues
Applejack can stop being overproctective of her family.
I wrote a fan-fic a while back involving some of the Mane 6 considering how they might go their separate ways one day and for Applejack it was about how Applejack has been secretly considering leaving to start an apple farm of her own while Big Mac and the family he’d build with Sugar Bell would be the next generation to run Sweet Apple Acres.
love where you're going with it Doc!
On Hasbro’s _My Little Pony_ website, Applejack’s character page lists her aspiration as: “Carrying on the family farm to her foals.” Assuming that is true, maybe that is a topic that can be explored in the future?
I think some of these, like 'granny getting older' is better suited to something other than Y7. It seems like all the points people make in commentaries these days affirm why the next generation needs to happen and at a higher age rating.
Hey Doc.^^ A lot of good points being addressed here.
Would it is possible for Big Mac to live on his own, but come work on the family farm maybe? Or perhaps build another family home on the same farm?
I feel like with huge farms, with lots of acres, where the profit is shared among the members, building a family home on the property for Big Mac and his dear sounds like a nice solution.
And it might help keep the farm in the family, with Big Mac's future kids caring for the main farm, instead of him starting his own, competing farm. ... In the event that AJ or Applebloom don't have kids of their own.
What do y'all think?^^
Doc I like where you're going with this but I do want to change the idea of Sugar Bell moving to Pongvile that Big Mclntosh moves away to be closer to her. I remember you talking about this idea before (I think in a live stream) and feel that would have more impact on the Apple Family as a whole.
0:13 Well that's what happens when you tell someone 'No' and then finally give them something they keep asking for. Doesn't matter if its a cheap take on what they asked for, they'll still cherish it and consider it a victory, despite it being little more than a cardboard cutout.
I find it cute if anyone thinks that TPP somehow developed AJ's character, despite the fact that she was so irrelevant to the episode she could be written out entirely.
I also find it interesting what you say at the end about changing the status quo; yet the status quo has changed multiple times and most of the characters themselves have not actually changed [outside of possibly seriously regressing]
I love all these ideas and would love to see them realized in the show. It would be a great way to make AJ more interesting.
WOW!!!! i love these ideas, but i think these would be great for the final season ( when ever that might happen... ). have Big Mac go off and start his own Apple Orchard with Sugar Bell =). maybe Granny Smith gets hurt whole working and she needs to retire, and have Applebloom grow up enough that her and AJ could handle running the farm. there are some many great ideas for the Apples.
this was a great vid Doc
I think they should start with Big Mac wanting to go live near Sugarbell.
AppleJack having an arc about changes should be something.
I'd think that if they did have Granny Smith go into a care center and Big Mac move in with Sugar Belle, then they could have Aj HAVE to team up with Flim and Flam in order to keep the farm running.
I would like to see AJ be the catalyst for reuniting the Apples and the Pears. Maybe the map calls her to Vanhoover?
I think that there should be an episode where Grand Pear invites the Apples to a Pear farm to meet the other half of her family. And we get an episode where everyone gets different thoughts on their Pear-half.
"Time has a way of changing things." - Big Mama (The Fox and The Hound)
The first idea might work, with Sugar Belle moving in or nearby, or even more upsetting, Big Mac moving to Cult Town.
They're never going to tackle the second idea. It would be great, but it'll never happen. They're not going to touch mortality with a ten foot pole. Tanks for the Memories is the closest we're ever going to get.
*Just cuz family isn't abandoning family don't mean there isn't the reality of change....*
(really is one of the less good wrong yet "recent" ideas held in western cultures?)
There is nothing wrong with younger members 'staying on' to help older members keep living well.
I agree that the topic of family relations, especially with the issues of divorce, could be explored in MLP; but there is another topic that I think the MLP staff could discuss more (just to be clear this has no relation to Applejack's character arch in a way). They touched up on physical disabilities with Scootaloo's inability to fly but we have never met a character with any mental or learning disabilities like autism, dyslexia, or ADD. I think this could work in a CMC episode where they meet a foul with one of these or maybe there could be a student in Twilight's School of Friendship that or one of the Young 6 could have one of these.
I feel like I'm always waiting for an elder pony to pass away
I personally want the students from the friendship school should be the future new main characters. They would have so much character developments.
okay doc, you and SilverQuill need to go and join the writing staff for MLP I love the story idea you two come up with. Like the ones you came up with for Spike, they are wonderful idea that and now these, I would love to see in the show.
These are some pretty good ideas
Another idea that could happen is that maybe Big Mac will marry Sugar Belle, which would definitely mean he might move out of the farm to start his own family. I can see this affecting Apple Bloom (since younger siblings often have a hard time dealing with this) or maybe trying to help Sugar Bell fit in with the apples themselves (Heck maybe even her family could show up and the families end up being completely different from each other)
There could also be a plot point where maybe the farm isn't doing so well financially and they only option is some slight modernization or having hired help. Something I know Applejack would REFUSE and would desperately try to fix everything herself, only to accept in the end that change sometimes is for the better
I am not sure even hinting at Alzhemer's would be appropriate for a show like this, but then again, it may prove to be a much-needed, mature lesson for many viewers out there. After all, many people, young and adult alike, have lost or are losing grandparents and other family. But starting with Big Mac moving out to start a family of his own with Sugar Belle makes sense, followed by Apple Bloom maturing around the time Granny Smith starts going downhill so that the show, and we as a fandom, can talk about life and death cycles in a mature and sensible way.
With Sugar Bell currently going to be working in Ponyville half the time now, it means her and Big Mac's relationship will indeed grow closer. Heck if the writers wanted to fully develop this story then they'd likely reach a point where they both are set to get married which would indeed change the family dynamic A LOT. I mean, what if the Apples aren't too keen on Sugar Bell's family joining theirs or vice versa? Not to mention Apple Bloom having to deal with all these changes at her age would also be a good story
She has her own family, children. Maybe what happened to her parents affects her desire to help the mane 6 out of fear of her dieting and leaving her hus6and children behind.
The writers need to give her a GOAL
Ex: Rainbow dash wanting to be a wonder bolt, Rarity opening more boutiques, Twilight learning about friendship, Flutershy being more assertive. If they don't give apple Jack a goal then how will she develop?
Applejack needs to get a love interest. Maybe even a unicorn farmer.
I think the time has come for AJ to be a leading voice in Earth Pony Magic. She could teach Twilight, and even Cadance, to embrace their 1/3 Earth Pony Side to their Allicorn Selves. Perhaps we could give her one of those "distant" relatives we don't like ... an Earth Pony who distrusts magic, is angry Big Mac gave up Cherrilee for Sugar Belle (and his dreams of being a magic user), or her friendship with the treasonous Starlight-Trixie-Fizzlepop, or considering Twilight an honorary Apple. AJ would have to chose between family and "family."
As I said in my previous post, I think since the Apples are all about family, why not let her meet a nice stallion, get married and have a kid? The Apple family is large. Let them keep growing. Let Big Mac get married and have kids. Let Applejack get married and have kids. And then keep the farm going with the family. This is what the Apples are all about. I don't think that Applejack should be excluded from getting married or having kids at all given her family life and values. I think it would be a great next step so long as too many people don't jump on this comment thinking that I'm suggesting that "She needs a man in her life.". That's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm saying is that she needs family and that she would want to continue it. And in no way would I suggest that a stallion would dominate her in any way in any relationship. The problem I would fear is that no matter what I say, people would be accusing that the second they would introduce a stallion, people would be accusing the show of sexism against Applejack. Heck. It will probably start against me in the comments below.
Nah, there are already AppleDash, TwiJack, RariJack. No need for stallions here :))
Applejack appears to be the only one of the Mane 6 to not have a dream or goal. AJ striking out in uncharted waters have always been more exciting than her on her farm. What else do we know about her? She left her farm for a reason, perhaps not wanting to be a "cog" and wanting a choice. She loves her farm and Ponyville but she also loves adventure. She wanted to go on a treasure hunt at sea (plus we wanna see Pirate AJ again XD.) Mayor Mare also wants to groom her as her successor (IDW).
I think, before we go so far as to have Granny Smith or Big Mac leave, we need to show the first big change in AJ's life: What happened to Bright Mac and Pear Butter? When Apple Bloom got her Cutie Mark, Applejack said "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you". This shows that she has memories of her parents. But they're both non-present by the time Season One starts. So finding out their ultimate fate could be something interesting.
"... Like Big Mac getting along with Sugar Belle..."
Me: *saw spoilers*
Also me: *heavy breathing*
with all the changes she might look back on when she left the farm and wonder again if there really was something out there for her.
There is meeting the rest of the pear family, and applejack getting a special somebody to be considered too
I always thought that Applejack would stay on the farm start a family and big Mac and apple bloom would go get there own house and start a family of their own like pinkie pie family. Oh am I the only one that wants a episode of the main 6 frist days at ponyvillie we know AJ grow up there and twilight was last but the others didn't I want to know what it was like for rainbow dash and Fluttershy saying to their parents hey I'm moving to ponyvillie and pinike pie too and rarity situation
shadowwizard 23 I think AJ and BM will live on the farm and Apple Bloom will venture out.
Kayla Yeah that could totally be true and I would not mind that
I thought Rarity grew up there. If i recall wasn't her cutie mark story set in Ponyville?
killz0ne215 yes I think rarity did grow up in ponyvillie but I want to know her situation with her parents like were they live why they might of moved from ponyvillie
I personally think that while those would be interesting arcs, there’s nothing wrong with keeping them at the farm. Maybe they even build Big Mac a new place to stay... Alternatively, we could have to deal with Big Mac - who already knows how to run a family, due to becoming the stallion of the house at such a young age, even if Granny Smith helped him - wanting to start a family...
Then again, using your idea of Granny Smith getting older, she could give the farm up to one of the others, bringing up a number of interesting ideas.
With my point of them not leaving, it’s not as much a “I don’t want change” feeling, rather, my family like the apples, are really close. In my country, it’s completely normal for a family to live in the same house. My sister and her partner live downstairs in a two-room place, and I have an auntie who had one daughter leave, but the other stay, building a bigger place for her own family to stay. The apples have more than enough land (especially now they have the pear farm to their name) to be able to build a seperate place, and they’ve been shown to have the skills for it.
Where can Applejack go from here? She can get fed up with the fact that no one listens to her "straight-man" advice. She can become weary at being the only one with a "lick o' common horse sense." I want to see an episode where AJ just gets outright angry with all of her friends for not giving real credence to her "normal" approach to their problems. Even Twilight, Princess of Friendship, has fallen victim to this, and recently too (Horse Play).
with maud having a boyfriend now i think a double date episode would be a good idea when sugar belle makes a visit to ponyville
The Apple family I am glad we saw the parents. The big question is what is next for them I am questioning how much time before the next generation of MLP thanks Dr Wolf you brought up a great questions
I think the Apple family might go on a quest to find their parents. We finally revealed that the parents of Big Mac, Applejack and Applebloom were part of two feuding farms until love sets in with Bright Mac and Pear Butter. We may also know about the connection of Granny Smith and Filthy Rich's Barnyard Bargains. Granny Smith did make a deal with Stinkin Rich to produce the zap apple jam market. I think we might have an episode to discover more about the Barnyard Bargains. I know about Big Mac getting shipped was very complicated. The connection between Applejack and Applebloom are strong. I do predict that the Apples may solve a huge crisis taking place probably at the farm or at Ponyville. We will have to wait to see what episode takes place.
Mlp focusing on caretaker turnout would be so satisfying.
Having characters grow is one thing, having them age is a another thing and it can be dangerous.
It may well have been better waiting 2 weeks after the episode where Big Mac and Sugar Belle possibly break up, before posting this, that may well answer a few of your questions. As for Granny Smith, my theory is she was dying just before Apple Bloom was born of some illness, felt it was too soon and wanted to see her third grandchild grow up, made a deal with the pony equivalent of the devil and is now immortal. This ultimately backfired as the cost was both Pear Butter's and Bright Mac's life in exchange, forcing her to live in constant regret at her decision.
Well she's a farmer from a farming family. Things work different when you grow up on the farm. If we're looking at real life, big farms usually have several homes on the property for various family members. Family is the most important thing to farmers, and not just because all the cheap labor! So if Big Mac did move out, it would be odd if it was anywhere else but a new home on the Sweet Apple Acres family farm, just because he seems that as his home. I remember when I was little my mother would go on and on about how we needed to have a house for me, a house for my brother, a house for my sister, just so she could keep us all close without us being stuck. It's also one reason that a lot of farms have just gigantic houses, because a whole lot of family can fit in them!
Now that doesn't mean serious change can't happen, but it'd have to have a good strong story reason why it happened. Like if Big Mac just said "moving out to Our Town" it'd make no sense. He feels a duty to the farm, he cares for his family like nothing else, and I don't think he'd ever leave his smallest sister without a big brother close by to run to. But if there was a good genuine reason for him to move to Our Town, I'd love to see it, and it could be done if done right keeping in mind the values of a farmers family.
I'd like to believe that Apple Jack (AJ) would adopt a foul, maybe she was wandering around the Ever Free Forest and she sees a foul is being surrounded by timber wolves and AJ leaps into action and saves the foul and takes it home and gives it a bath and decides to adopt the foul.
Here's just a idea. What if Applejack found someone who said they know where her parents where. Held by a queen or something like that. Desperate to find them, she would have to go throught hardships of possible losing them again. Or pushing farther to try and get them back at any cost. So they go to the kingdom or land, defeat the queen save the people. Only to find that they are gone. But the recused people tell her that her parents helped out whom ever they could, right till there every end. You could then end with applejack looking over their graves. With pride in her heart at what they did.
How about having Applejack and her siblings find a clue that what they think happened to their parents, didn't actually happen? I would love to see an Apple Sibling journey to find out what really happened to their mother and father, and give the audience a set canon answer for where they've been all this time, and why.
I would want to see a episode where Applejack meets more of the pear family. Like a big family reunion between the Apple and pear family. What if there still is conflict between the two familys.
Grand Pear is hinted as the head of the pear family. Now that he lives in ponyville this could cause the pear family reunion to be held there instead of Vanhoofer. (Not sure I spelt that right.) I know Granny Smith and Grand Pear made up but it hasn't been said that the pears and Apple family's have made up.
It could be a two part episode trying work out the fuad that spreads into Ponyville.
Another way could be Grand Pear bringing Applejack, Apple bloom and Big mack to Vanhoover. Not all the Apple siblings don't have to go. But all 3 could go to learn more about their mom and her family. All we learned about was how their parents meet and basic character traits. But maybe the pear family isn't happy to see them. Or it's split in half and some of them are happy to see them.
It would be interesting to see Apple siblings even working on the pear farm. Maybe they are good at it or maybe they keep messing up. The Apple siblings could be embarrassed about messing up so much.
"Throw in a few moments of little applebloom not seeming so little anymore and you got some good stories-" let me stop you right there. *ahem* what about the fanfics?? XD
Maybe AJ could learn not to be too overprotective of her family? Or maybe we could find out that Bright Mac and Pear Butter are still alive somewhere and AJ goes to find them with Big Mac and Apple Bloom?
Entirely unrelated Doc, but have you ever listened to the audiobook of "The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant" by Drew Hayes? I ask because the narrator, Kirby Heyborne, sounds so much like you I can't get over it. Give it a listen sometime, I think you'll get a kick out of it.
Ah, this is so perfect! Why cann't Doc write the show X3
Considering time travel is a concept. Why don’t they do an episode where applejack goes back in time to meet her parents. Say she’s warned that she can’t intervene but stubbornly suggests otherwise due to it being her parents and how in comparison to the rainboom it wouldn’t have much affect and warns them about what would kill them. She then returns to the future and in a twist, it actually appears perfect. Like the schools doing better than ever, the cutie mark crusaders got their marks early, Big Mac getting married etc. Only with small hints about people saying that it’s good to see these things during ‘these’ times. After a brief investigation scene, it’s Then revealing that despite the joy, it turns out that outside of ponyville the rest of the world has been taken over and/ or destroyed by every villain in MLP working together. When applejack hears of this she’s shocked but hesitant about going back in time and stopping herself from causing this, even suggesting that they save this world so everybody can win and her parents can live. However before any arguments can be made, they are attacked. By an unreformed starlight glimmer. It could turn out that due to the time travel, unlike everybody trying to reform villains or defeating them with the power of friendship, they were all banished to Tartarus, where they hatched a scheme to take over the world. After a fight scene and maybe a rescue here or there, they could all get into another argument about going back and stopping this. Applejack could suggest that they could just simply go back to when the villains were banished and warn them beforehand about this, but everyone argues that the future will just keep getting worse and worse, which applejack struggles to argue with but all admit that they understand, leaving it to applejack to decide what to do, since it’s her parents at stake in all of this. They all go back In Time before applejack warned her parents and simply says goodbye. Everything goes back to normal the end. There could be a lesson about letting go and accepting the past and how dangerous it could be to let it guide selfish actions.
I don’t know that’s just an idea. What does everyone else think?
I don't think Big Mac would leave the farm, at least not by choice. He can be hard to read since he's generally reticent, but I'm pretty sure that family and the farm are just as important to Big Mac as they are to AJ. I think that if Sugar Belle wanted him to leave the farm, his loyalty to his home would win out (though I hope she doesn't make him choose between her and Sweet Apple Acres).
What about Applejack wanting to start her own family, or to add the family? We never see her think about the future of Apple Family and it would be interesting to see how she interacts when she realized it may be time to try to start a relationship, but don't know how even thought of who.
Maybe another that is more adult, so I don't think they could do it, but what if Applesmith seeing Big Mac entering a relationship and trying to get Applejack to develop one so she can smile knowing grandchildren will continue the family farm after she died. However, Applejack realizes she can't grant Grannies wish due to the fact she is either unable to have foals, or not even attracted to stallions. It would be interesting to see what she would do in a no-win scenario where she can't tell the truth about it would disappointed Grannysmith, or lie and betray herself.
I BET
All ponies are gonna move to ponyville.
So you're saying, what if Granny had to go to a nursing home?
Personally I wish Hasbro would have stuck with the toy line canon. And not to mention applejack was in the pilot for G1. There was a baby applejack toy and an adult of course. They should've had this series AJ be the baby grown up and her mother the adult from the pilot.
I want AJ's character to have something to do with her Pear side of the family now that we know about them.
Or maybe just in the comic AJ becomes in the future the Mayor of Ponyville
Coming of age mah dude. Coming of age
Seems to me that the farm is as much Big Mac's as it is AJ's! So I can see Sugar Bell moving in with the Apples as Big Macs wife. And as for Sugar Bell she can work for the Cakes [with Pinkie?]!
Two words: Bring It!
She doesn't have to go anywhere. The best role she can have is the very same that most people have. Mundane.