Why haven't Applejack's parents been shown?

[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.

[Shanks 10,811]

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.

I have seen the confirmation about her parents being dead but I haven't heard anything about an actual episode idea that talks about this. If that is in fact the case it is a real shame, it is because Applejack has gone through something that would destroy so many and has taken on so much at such a young age and has come out of it stronger than ever that has made her to me the most inspiring character in this show and one of the main reasons she is my favorite pony. I don't blame Hasbro too much for being reluctant on this matter though with just how afraid people are of this subject, parents think it is good to protect their children from this but I think it does them a great disservice.

Edited March 26, 2014 by EarthbendingProdigy

[Cirrus. 1,088]

This has always been something in the show that bothers me. The Apples' absent parents are supposed to be dead according to Faust and one of the writers. The thing that bothers me is that there aren't in any pictures of them in the Apples' house or in albums. They are supposedly all about family, yet there's no evidence of their parents.

 

The "Somepony To Watch Over Me"  episode may give insight to what could have happened to them. Those delivery journeys do seem pretty dangerous, especially if done alone. They could have just never made it back one day.

 

Now thinking of it that way actually makes it more sad - to me anyway. 

Edited March 26, 2014 by steve88

[Swoony 195]

The concept of AJ's parent being deceased is actually super interesting in a sense. Who says kids can't be informed about death in a show like this? Disney are the masters at having emotional and heartwarming lessons told through the lessons of death (simbas dad, Bambi's mom, there are other countless examples). I actually think that could be an interesting episode or concept to have for an episode. Just a hint about AJ's parents anyway. They don't have to mention how they died or what happened exactly, but to have applejack allude to it may be something they could do.

 

@steve88 Maybe it was some horrific accident and Applejack was so traumatized that she had to hide or get rid of all the photos of her parents to just forget because she was in so much pain? That sounds like fanfiction material. Lol

Edited March 26, 2014 by Swoony

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

 

Mystery solved, courtesy of the T-800.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

They're confirmed to be dead.

[Magic Twinkle 204]

Wonder why you didn't mention Scootaloo on the same post...

[Argumedies 1,748]

They were killed in a chimaera accident.. toxicology reports they had high levels of cider in their system at the time of the incident.

 

Oooo!.. My new head canon

Edited March 26, 2014 by Argumedies

[SomeReallyRandomGuy 137]

Last thing I heard (could be wrong though) is that they are dead.

 

Don't remember where I heard it, most likely youtube.

[TwilightDreamer 69]

You know what, I've honestly no idea.

 

If there was something tragic that happened to them like their early deaths, it could pinpoint Applejack, Big Mac and Apple Bloom's position in their family as orphans and that before or after Apple Bloom came, she, Big Mac and AJ were brought to Granny Smith by them since they possibly have some other businesses requiring their presence. 

[Lunas Sorrow 21]

i think i read from somewhere that AppleJack doesnt have parents (which means her parents died at somepoint) 

[Jangocoolguy 433]

Hasbro wants it swept under the rug, even though even those little girls have put two and two together by now...

 

The closest we'll ever get to an acknowledgement is those suspicious shooting stars from "Apple Family Reunion". I will be greatly (but pleasantly) surprised if we EVER get anything else.

[Icedog68 71]

All we know is that she has: A grandmother A Brother An aunt And an Uncle.

but wht about apple bloom? don't forget her!

[Thespian 78]

This is just guessing, but I thought I read that one of the writers of the show confirmed that the two shooting stars applejack sees in that one episode are her "Parents". They died and that was just a reminder that they are still looking after Applejack, Big Mac, and Applebloom... just not on the same plane of existence.

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

They are not explicitly referred to in canon as dead, however it is strongly implied, and not really canon until it's mentioned up front on the show. This is unlikely as numerous such attempts at such a story have been labeled by Hasbro brass as "too sad" for this show. Chatter from show staffers is not really official until it's confirmed onscreen, in the show.

 

Absentee parents are a constant in this show. Rarity/Sweetie Belle's parents live somewhere way offscreen, Twilight/Armor's parents most likely still live in Canterlot, Pinkie's parents still live on the rock farm, Rainbow Dash's parents were only seen in flashback, and Fluttershy and Scootaloo have no known family at all. I could say that Pegasus culture probably values self-sufficiency and/or Equestria has such a robust economy and educational system that it's easy for ponies to stand on their own at a young age, but those are just theories.

 

Any theories on these are ostensibly fanon until they are proven canon. Absentee families or parents are just as much a constant on this show as single parents are in Disney canon.

Edited March 31, 2014 by WindChaserPegasus

[Solar Cloud 493]

They are not explicitly referred to in canon as dead, however it is strongly implied, and not really canon until it's mentioned up front on the show. This is unlikely as numerous such attempts at such a story have been labeled by Hasbro brass as "too sad" for this show. Chatter from show staffers is not really official until it's confirmed onscreen, in the show.

 

Absentee parents are a constant in this show. Rarity/Sweetie Belle's parents live somewhere way offscreen, Twilight/Armor's parents most likely still live in Canterlot, Pinkie's parents still live on the rock farm, Rainbow Dash's parents were only seen in flashback, and Fluttershy and Scootaloo have no known family at all. I could say that Pegasus culture probably values self-sufficiency and/or Equestria has such a robust economy and educational system that it's easy for ponies to stand on their own at a young age, but those are just theories.

 

Any theories on these are ostensibly fanon until they are proven canon. Absentee families or parents are just as much a constant on this show as single parents are in Disney canon.

Can you explain this then?

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

Can you explain this then?

That those are definitively Applejack's parents is never directly stated in the show, that was Twitter chatter from some of the show staff. To me, it's only a theory until it's proven. I'll take it as legitimate, but not fact until either Applejack's parents being dead is actually stated in fact or the show ends without giving more on this.

 

If you can believe this beyond all doubt, then you're welcome to it.

Edited March 31, 2014 by WindChaserPegasus

[Something Floaty 1,333]

Applejack's parents were killed in a tragic gasoline fight accident. 

[Red Cedar 1,406]

It's no secret to the connected fandom that Applejack's parents are dead (represented by the shooting stars in Apple Family Reunion). Hasbro, however, has final say on anything that goes into the cartoon and they didn't feel having an orphan character was in keeping with the tone of the show they wanted to present, so it has never (and likely will never) be outright said by any character in the show itself.

 

Hasbro likewise put the brakes on coming out and saying that Scootaloo was disabled, and would never be able to fly.

[Adorkable 2,737]

They're confirmed to be dead.

 

 

 

Really, I'd like to see AJ's parents in the show sometime before it ends.

 

I can understand the theory about her being an orphan and living with her Grandmother, that's a good head-canon.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

 

The shooting stars in Apple Family Reunion were confirmed on Twitter to represent her parents being dead.

[Malinter 3,064]

 

The "Somepony To Watch Over Me"  episode may give insight to what could have happened to them. Those delivery journeys do seem pretty dangerous, especially if done alone. They could have just never made it back one day.

 

 

Imagine if it were that same Chimera that took them? Seemed willing to eat AB if it couldn't get the cart.

[Adorkable 2,737]

The shooting stars in Apple Family Reunion were confirmed on Twitter to represent her parents being dead.

 

Can I get a link to it, please? ^^"

 

I think I may remember seeing it, but it would help to actually see it again. ^^

[Swoony 195]

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.

I'm sorry but I wanna point out that your post here made me laugh so hard (harder than it should have anyway).

 

 

Applejack's parents everyone.

[Adorkable 2,737]

To actually raise the Element of Honesty, I'd say Applejack's parents would have to be really sweet. ^^