How does applejack reflect her element?

[defaultremix 50]

I'm sure everyone else has noticed that the only time applejack reflects her element is in the first two episodes.

 

Has anypony noticed any other time she reflects her element?

[Princess Lona 382]

The episode where she leaves Ponyville to work on the cherry farm. She never says why she isn't coming back, but she also doesn't make up a lie. She withholds the truth for as long as she can and it hurts her to do so. That's why she tells the other ponies not to talk to her about why she left when they come to get her and why she says "I'll tell you at breakfast" and then doesn't show up to breakfast. She can't stand to lie so she avoids situations where she will have to tell the truth. I think that in a roundabout way, this reflects her honesty.

[Shawn Parks 1,799]

In "Party of One," it seemed to me that Applejack had the most difficult time being dishonest with Pinkie Pie about her secret birthday party. 

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

First of all, there's more to the word "honesty" than just not telling lies. Honesty is also the quality of being upright and fair, as well as being sincere or frank. She's demonstrated all of these qualities.

 

- Fall Weather Friends showed that Applejack is fair. Applejack wanted to compete with Rainbow Dash in the Iron Pony competition and the Running of the Leaves in a fair way. Despite what AJ had perceived to be cheating on Dash's behalf, Applejack continued to play the game fair and square until the end of the Iron Pony competition. She was not only honest in the sense that she played fair, she was also honest when confronting Dash on her cheating. The Running of the Leaves? Yeah, honesty was thrown out the window once she thought Dash was cheating again, but you can only push a pony so far. That being said, she still admitted to her terrible behavior.

 

- Applejack has shown to be upright on more than one occasion. She was the first to give up the ticket to the Gala. She gave free apple fritters to Rarity and Prince Blueblood at said Gala, even though she wasn't making any money, and she wanted the money partly so she could replace her Granny's nagging hip. She willingly took a detour around the mountain when Fluttershy was too scared to continue. She's almost always the first pony to comfort her friends in distress, and when she screws up, she's usually the first to apologize.

 

- Applejack can be very frank. Look no further than Winter Wrap Up when she practically scolded Twilight for using magic. She's been frank with Rainbow Dash on numerous occasions over her reckless behavior, even pulling back her tail.

 

That's all I've got off the top of my head, but Applejack is certainly worthy of her element. I like to think of her as being the one with integrity, (Princess Celestia says this in Magical Mystery Cure) since that word summarizes her a lot better than honesty. I definitely would like to see the writers give her some more honest moments, because she's had a lot of dishonest moments throughout the three seasons.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Sugar Cube

[Mint_Melody 91]

I'm about to get run off of the forums for this, but I have to say it... Honesty is a stupid element. For one thing, since a children's show isn't going to advocate lying (for the most part) almost all character will be honest, most all of the time. I think it's fair to say Pinkie, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rainbow, rarely lie. Rarity bend the truth now and again but excluding Sweet and Elite she isn't an outright dishonest pony. It's just a really hard element to portray, especially since AJ will lie if pressed, even when not comfortable with it. Like on Pinkie's birthday. The problem is most people just expect characters to be honest, especially on a kids show. Generosity is a very easy element to demonstrate because most kids are selfish, it makes them stop and pause to see someone giving something they clearly love away. Pinkie's over the top excitement is so much more dramatic than the other ponies that it makes the element of laughter stick out, Fluttershy is nice even when confronted or taken advantage of and even if kids know that people shouldn't be treating her that way, they know Flutters is kind. Twilight is constantly doing magic... so there is your magic. Honesty and Loyalty are hard to portray though, you have to set up specific situations of betrayal to show loyalty and like I said, most people just expect honesty. AJ rarely confronts people who she thinks are liars, she doesn't clearly say that she's telling the truth after every single thing she says, it's just not easy to show AJ is the most spectacularly honest of the group. Now don't get me wrong, I love her character, but I think she needed a different element. To be fair, Applejack represents honesty almost ALL of the time.

 

I do understand the concept of being an "honest person". Applejack has a lot of integrity, she is honest and reliable and someone you can count on. In my opinion, they should have just used the word integrity, and taught the children what it meant. It may not be a quick association, but it would be more accurate as the show went on. The problem is to kids "honesty" already has one definition and one only and that is 'not lying'. Integrity is more than that and AJ has it in spades. Also, if they'd have introduced and defined integrity early on in the series, I feel like Applejack could have more episodes where this is clearly challenged, and she has to prove that she is as honest and reliable as Pinkie is optimistic. Kids can learn new vocabulary way faster than they can learn that words have double meanings.

 

Also,the show often does not punish white lies, and often makes light of them. If Aj was truthfulness incarnate, then she'd have never lied about Pinkie's birthday, so now you're confusing kids. They do this with all of the characters at times, making Pinkie sad, Fluttershy mean, Rarity selfish, ect ect, to show that you sometimes you'll mess up and be unkind or sad or self centered, but usually those characters realize what they've done and apologize. Not really the same with lying. The characters tell white lies all of the time, usually without punishment. Hell, Rarity told a bunch of lies in Sweet and Elite and never got called out on them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Psychology says the little white lies are important in our every day lives, and even necessary. If someone asks you if they look horrible, you don't tell them "Totally" and crush their feelings. Surprisingly kids seem to understand this on some level. But, to me, if you're going to advocate honesty as an element on the show, I feel like the character should tell less of these and AJ should NEVER be allowed to lie. It's a stupid element, which I think prevents AJ from getting more episodes and makes her character a little difficult for kids to understand.

[Stellafera 3,836]

Applejack has a lot of integrity, she is honest and reliable and someone you can count on. In my opinion, they should have just used the word integrity, and taught the children what it meant. It may not be a quick association, but it would be more accurate as the show went on. The problem is to kids "honesty" already has one definition and one only and that is 'not lying'. Integrity is more than that and AJ has it in spades. Also, if they'd have introduced and defined integrity early on in the series, I feel like Applejack could have more episodes where this is clearly challenged, and she has to prove that she is as honest and reliable as Pinkie is optimistic. Kids can learn new vocabulary way faster than they can learn that words have double meanings.

 

Exactly! People can argue that Rainbow Dash represents some sort of "brutal honesty", but integrity is something that is distinctly Applejack. 

 

I consider these to be far more accurate descriptors of what each of the ponies actually represent; it even includes Applejack with her true element of Integrity: 

 

 

Too bad it only showed up by the end of Season 3. Still, it shows that the writers are clearly going more for an "integrity" interpretation of AJ's element. Trustworthiness is another good description, although that bleeds a bit too much into loyalty. 

[Zygen 6,066]

Well she does tend to show her not lieing really quite well for the most part. Shes honest. She does lie yes and shes not perfect in the department, but even when she lies she makes a really bad job of it, and sometimes she'll just kinda withhold the truth, but not lie. 

 

She shows her element though, just maybe not as strongly as some of the others, it shows up though if you notice.

[Shanks 10,816]

Applejack has represented her element faithfully many times, as has been pointed out by Sugarcube honesty is about more than just not telling lies though that is indeed important. It is also about having morals, values and principles and I might add being true to yourself as well as others. If there is one thing I have learned in life it is that people care way too much about what others think about them so they pretend to be someone else in order to be more accepted and this is why so many people are depressed and why there are so many people with a complete lack of respect.

 

They can't be honest with anyone because they can't even be honest with themselves, Applejack tried to live someone elses life by leaving her home when she was a filly to live with her aunt and uncle Orange thinking that the grass was going to be greaner on the other side but was unhappy because she knew that she was not being true to herself. It was realizing this and going back home with Big Mac and Granny Smith that earned her her cutie mark because it is her values which stem from her honesty which defines her character. Out of all the ponies Applejack is the one who is the most honest not only to others by keeping her word, doing the right thing even when it is difficult and speaking her mind even when what she has to say may not always be popular but she is also the most true to herself.

Edited May 7, 2013 by EarthbendingProdigy

[Winona the Dog 1,984]

Yes, Applejack represents her element quite well. Even more so than Rainbow Dash and Rarity (I think). Honesty isn't just telling the truth all the time but it's also being true to ones self and morals. Something that is clearly defined within Applejacks character. For an example in the cider episode she doesn't think things shouldn't be done with machines and such because there's no love that comes with it. That's her moral and her standpoint and it's why she refused to sell out despite it being the only way it would be able to supply everyone with cider.

[Princess Lona 382]

I believe Applejack's stubbornness is a result of her honesty. In the episode where she refused to let anyone help her buck apples it was because she said she could do it all by herself and she didn't want to be untrue to that promise. The same is true of the cherry episode. She said she would bring back a bunch of prize money for Ponyville and when she didn't win any she refused to return until she had some cash because she didn't want to let them down.

 

On a side note, I think that often it is the elements of each of the mane six that cause their problems and lead to the lessons they learn in their episodes. Pinkie learned a lesson about privacy and personal space in the episode where she tried to make friends with Cranky and wouldn't leave him alone. Rainbow Dash's loyalty to the Wonderbolts caused her to keep quiet about Lightning Dust's reckless behaviour until it almost killed her friends. Rarity generously offered to make dresses for each of her friends and almost had a nervous breakdown. Fluttershy is only such a pushover (most of the time) because she is so kind and attentive to the feelings of others.

 

Each of the mane six is representative of an element but that doesn't mean they are masters of their element yet. It just means that they are responsible for becoming masters of their elements. Each time one of them solves a problem related to their honesty/optimism/kindness or whatever, that element becomes stronger, leading to the ultimate goal of discovering the true magic of friendship.

[Scootalove 10,689]

Applejack reflects her Element of Honesty by showing her stubbornness and having the courage to admit that she needs help or when she admits that she is wrong. In Applebuck Season and The Last Roundup, showed her honesty and how she can even surpass defeat but when she feels that  she needs help even when she is stubborn, she will tell her friends and family that she needs help. Her honesty shows that she will tell you the truth at anytime.