Why haven't Applejack's parents been shown?

[Mister Jack 566]

I would be very disappointed if one day there was an episode where their parents just show up because they've been traveling all this time. Unless they went missing from some kind of tragic zeppelin crash and only just now made it back, they would essentially have left Apple Bloom to be raised by her grandmother and older siblings, which I would have a real problem with.

 

So unless they're missing they either died or abandoned Apple Bloom, and the former seems less harsh than the latter. That's how I see it, anyway.

Edited February 9, 2012 by Mister Jack

[StarGazer 129]

This theory is best thoery.

 

Yes, I am aware of that

[Mysterystar 5]

Well she could be an orphan like everyone is saying....But She also has relatives in Appleloosa, So...She has

 

 

A Grandmother.

A Brother.

A Sister.

An Aunt.

An Uncle.

And Cousins in Appleoosa...

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

Her parents probably passed away. That would add so much depth to Applejacks character. It would be a really sad subject though.

[silvadel 1,393]

It is very common (especially in film) for talents to skip generations. I mean you have things like where the grandfather is a warrior type who did not get along well with their bookish mage son, who did not get along with their warrior type child who took up the mantle of the grandfather.

 

My guess is that applejacks parents had the wanderlust that applejack expressed at one point BUT did not have the personal love of farmwork that applejack later found. I am guessing they are somewhere out there in manehatten or somesuch and figured growing up on the farm would be the better place for their daughter.

 

It would make for an interesting plot point if we found out that the farm has been running at a loss for years and the only reason it stays afloat is money coming in from Applejacks parents.

 

----

 

One afterthought -- We arent even certain Applejacks parents are Earth Ponies.

 

That actually makes a TON of sense... Lets say grandma gave birth to a unicorn.... That unicorn ended up at the school for the gifted (who knows maybe twilight met her at some point). However when she got married the offspring was an earth pony (applejack) and it was agreed that the farm would be a better place for little AJ than wherever her unicorn parents were.

Edited August 14, 2012 by silvadel

[spas-ticShotty 3,584]

I always thought they died somehow. It would be super-sad, being a huge AJ fan, but it'd make for one interesting episode, TBH (For me, atleast)

[silvadel 1,393]

Applejack is a very private pony. Even with her friends there is much that she doesnt like to share. If her parents were unicorns and not on the farm, it is very likely that she wouldnt have brought it up without prodding. It could actually be a family secret.

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

like alot of other people said, her parents are quite hidden in the show and there isnt a whole lot of info on them

[PegasisterTaco 318]

Either:

• Applejack's parents died in some sort of accident that made her an orphan along with her sister and brother.

• Or her parents decided not to be in the Apple business and went to some other place that' not Ponyville.

I would choose number 1 since it makes a lot more sense and is very likely to have happened. Maybe in season 3 (if not some other season) they'll explain a bit more about AJ's parents. Hopefully other ponies. Edited August 15, 2012 by PegasisterTaco

[Silverhoof 2,844]

I just hope all this speculation doesn't turn into a heartwarming ABC After School Special.

That would be worse than not knowing at all.

[AnonymousTheSecond 47]

....................

Edited August 29, 2017 by AnonymousTheSecond

[RainbowAwesome 26]

I think that since she lives with her grandma and so does her brother and her sister we can imagine that her parents died. Either that or they are drug addicts or something.

[Virulence 254]

I think it's because AppleJack takes on responsibility as a mother. Showing her motherly insights towards AppleBloom especially. But Big Mac would act as the father. Both Applejack And Big Mac would be entitled "Mom and Dad" but they made them a loving brother and sister

[Sara Gouveia 5]

It has been confirmed by the writers that AppleJack's parents are dead, however, Hasbro will not allow animation and release of the episode that was going to have her tragic back story laid out. It could have been a learning episode about loss and dealing with grief, but I can understand (since I watch with my 2 1/2 year old) why Hasbro didn't want the material in the show. It is, however, also confirmed that in the episode "Apple Family Reunion" when Applejack is looking out the window and Granny Smith says something along the lines of "Every pony is coming, who knows if they'll be around for the next one" or something like that and Applejack sees two shooting starts and says "that's true!". Those stars are representative of her parents' passing. =(. 

[Elite_Error42 0]

Truth is Lauren Faust actually wanted Applejack's parents to be dead (grim I know). But the rest of the team disagreed and decided on making Applejack's parents traveling merchants, which is still never mentioned in the show, oddly. Applejack's parents are also not even planned to be in future episodes (odd).

 

 

Maybe they're related? -.O

[Adachi 772]

This reminds me of a touching comic or video where Scootaloo was at her parents graves, then she sees AJ at her parents graves, and they end up embracing while AJ puts her hat on Scootaloo's head to shelter her from the rain.

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

This will probably be indicated in the future, alongside similar veins to the fact that Rainbow Dash has no observed or indicated nuclear or biological family.

 

Her father appears in a flashback in Games Ponies Play.

 

Also the death of AJ's parents was signified by two shooting stars in Apple Family Reunion.

Edited March 25, 2014 by DryColt84

[PrincessDashieDoom 12]

Considering that Applejack lives on a familyfarm, why haven't Applejack's parents been shown? Did they Die?

Because they're dead. But no seriously where did Applebloom come from if they are gone? She isn't shown in the Cutie Mark Chronicles, and neither are the parents. Is she adopted?

[TrueWierdo1400 3]

Ok people need to calm down Maybe they are in a farm in another place in equestria or maybe they have retired farming and maybe Applemama and Applepapa are gonna be an episode

[Forlong 1,726]

 

Word of God is that her parents passed away some time ago.  No cannon information has covered it, because kids are watching this show.

[Stellafera 3,836]

Because they're dead. But no seriously where did Applebloom come from if they are gone? She isn't shown in the Cutie Mark Chronicles, and neither are the parents. Is she adopted?

 

My personal theory is that their parents died soon after AB was born, and that flashback from Cutie Mark Chronicles was shortly after that had happened (influencing Applejack's desire to leave home).

 

Applebloom was probably just sleeping and they didn't really feel like bringing a crying filly to AJ's farewell. 

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Because they are dead jim.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

I heard from the writers that in Apple Family Reunion, the two shooting stars at the end were to represent Applejack's parents, who were dead.

[Scootalove 10,689]

Applejack's parents are confirmed to be dead, the two shooting stars in Apple Family Reunion represent her parents.

[Quill Waver 1,408]

Because she is obviously an orphan. She lives with her grandmother.

I think at this point it is more like her grandmother lives with her, if you catch my drift.

 

From MLPWiki:

 

The whereabouts of Applejack's parents is touched on in the episode Apple Family Reunion. At the end of the episode, the shot fades to a view of Sweet Apple Acres as two shooting stars fly through the sky. The shooting stars are meant to represent Applejack's parents, according to storyboard artist Sabrina Alberghetti. Lauren Faust had previously mentioned that the whereabouts of Applejack's parents has not been planned, and that the show is unlikely to mention that they've passed away. Faust stated she wanted that to be the case.

 

In short, it is likely to remain one of those topics that go unanswered.