Does anyone else feel the Apples were out of character in Pinkie Apple Pie?

[Never2muchpinkie 211]

I just watched the episode yesterday. I gave it some time to marinate, as sometimes when I watch a new episode I jump into judgment, then I'll feel differently the next day.

 

It was a very underwhelming episode to me. It felt like a season 1 episode, where in order to have a lesson be learned everyone has to act in such a way to reinforce the lesson. I think the main reason the Apples behavior bugs me is based on two simple things: their closeknit family behavior from previous episodes, and the pony they're 'being good' for.

 

Take a look at just about ANY episode that involves the Apples. When do we EVER see them fighting so much and getting on each others nerves about everything? Yet apparently in this episode every thing they do annoys each other. I guess the Sisterhooves Social episode was an illusion, which was one that clearly demonstrated how much AJ and AB love each other and how close they are.

 

And of course, the second that bugs me is that it's PINKIE PIE they're supposed to be related to, and that pretty much speaks for itself. Try and count how many times Pinkie loses her smile throughout the whole trip. She has a blast throughout all of it, and even tells them she thinks they're all super WHILE they're in the midst of arguing. It might be more understandable to do a 'best behavior' bit if it was Rarity, who already dislikes the dirty farm work and has very high standards, or Rainbow Dash, who only likes to do cool things.   But super sunny, overly happy Pinkie Pie?  That makes no sense to me.

 

Don't get me wrong. I do understand the lesson, that no family is perfect, but back in the SSCS 6000 episode, Applejack already counted all her friends as 'honorary family members' and she's known all of them and worked with them to save the world, etc. So NOW she's all of a sudden super worried about image? It just didn't feel real to me.

 

So maybe someone can change my mind. What is your opinion on the matter? Do you think their behavior felt off, or do you think it was justified?

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I think it worked with Pinkie Pie since we're in for a boatload of Rarity this season Gotta give some of the other, not as fabulous ponies some screentime, eh? We're also having a ton of RD, too.

 

It would've worked better with Pinkie than Twilight; for some reason, I think it would've been awkward with Twilight on the raft instead of Pinkie. Same with Fluttershy. Dunno why, but still. Maybe Fluttershy; not Twilight.

 

One thing I gotta say, though, is that the Apple family is based on Southern families (or, at least, they act like Southerners) and as a Southerner myself, gotta say, man, we've got the closest families with the most bickering. My family wo;; yell at each other as regular conversation sometimes, but that doesn't mean that we aren't close and we wouldn't give anything for each other, because we would. Down South, it's like that. Always yelling, always bickering, always loving. At least, most families. Not gonna generalize us here

 

I don't doubt the love and closeness they have for each other, nor do I doubt there's bickering like that amongst them at times. Doesn't take away from how they care about each other, man

[Scootalove 10,689]

I don't think they were out of character, because sometimes they get along and sometimes they argue with one another but after all of the arguing they are still able to regroup and work together as a unit. They still care about each other, the arguing shows that they can still work things out like families do.

[Gears of Halo Duty V 394]

 

Don't get me wrong. I do understand the lesson, that no family is perfect, but back in the SSCS 6000 episode, Applejack already counted all her friends as 'honorary family members' and she's known all of them and worked with them to save the world, etc. So NOW she's all of a sudden super worried about image? It just didn't feel real to me.

 

 

That's the thing though. Saying someone is like family is one thing, but having them actually be, literally, someone who belongs to the family line can be something else.

 

When I look at my friends, I consider them to be bros; they be family to me. I've got their back and hopefully they have mine. But none of them are related to me, none know of the problems or the perks of being of my family, because I don't have to expose it to them. None know how uptight or lazy or obnoxious we can be at times, because it doesn't relate to them because it makes no sense to. We're family, but in a casual sense.

 

All the times we've seen the Apple Family, we see them in the moment; we don't see every little in-between moment. After spending so much time with your family, you begin to notice small things that would be passive to others, small things you can't help but notice.

 

When you find someone important to you is now gonna share all of these things on a different level, you try to put on a good show the first time; First impressions DO matter after all.

[Megas 27,653]

I thought they were great, in fact I loved the fact that it showed them getting at each other's throats, it shows they they aren't perfect as some fans believe they were

[Anilewe 2,178]

Quite the opposite, actually Even though we've seen some scenes, in which Apples don't get along as good as usual in the past (Apple Bloom's argument with Applejack in Bridle Gossip or Big Mac's sceptical behaviour in Applebuck Season, when AJ stated that she's gonna be fine and do all the work alone), in most of episodes we saw that they're really close as a family. Sometimes even to the point, when it doesn't look realistic. So it was a nice change to see that they're the normal family. And in normal families arguments are something absolutely normal. I have the family like that. We're close, but there're times, when we just can't stand each other and we need some time alone. It's how it works Sometimes we're screaming and saying things, we don't mean, but we love each other and are always ready to strengthen that bond.

[Mars Caramel 319]

One reason why Applejack is thought to be so underappreciated is because of how underdeveloped she's believed to be, and the same could also be said about her family. I like to think about this episode as a neat attempt to fix that matter, especially with Big Mac. I admit it might have been a little awkward to see them behave like this exclusively in this episode so far, but that's character development for you.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

I don't think they were out of character. If anything they summed up most families with how they get along when around many ponies like the town when selling stuff and when there are less ponies and they interact more, of course they would have to fight at some point. It's defiantly more realistic when it comes to families.

[Dark Qiviut 22,425]

Not once were they out of character. The Apples have a tendency to argue and quarrel, even in episodes when they were individually out of character. Even if they didn't argue on screen, a close family doesn't mean they'll always get along. The Apples were doing whatever they can to impress Pinkie, but they all screwed up badly and lost patience equally. If anything, PAP portrayed the quartet believably while keeping them in character.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Wild Star 141]

road trips can drive anyone crazy, esp. if your with your family.

[Shift 4,272]

No, they were trying to impress Pinkie. As such, they tried to be on their best behavior, but the plan backfired after a bit.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

Most of the time when we've seen the Apples come together, it's been to assist each other with what is for them fairly routine work. They get settled into it and work like a machine; comes second-nature to them. Familial interactions aren't so commonplace on screen. We have seen Applejack chastise Apple Bloom a few times before though, and Applejack and Big Mac had a slight fuss over AJ's ability to handle the place on her own. They disagree/quarrel like any family. Evidence of this has been there from the beginning. In this episode though, they weren't exactly working together and were given many more opportunities to interact on a casual level, and road trips (being confined to a vehicle for a long duration) is taxing on families most of the time. Not to mention that everything you don't want others to see about your family has a way of presenting itself at inopportune times, and things tend to get worse when people feel they can't allow their problems to show and work them out normally in front of non-family, which only causes problems to fester and ultimately explode into something much worse than they needed to be in full view of everyone. Seen it happen to my own family on several occasions. And a friend's family. And to families of strangers.

 

 

A side of their family that has been known to exist was simply given a spotlight in this episode. Nothing out of character here.

[AvionSpace 1]

I don't really see how they were out of character, because I don't think the episode would've been the same if they were 'in character'.

[FNGRpony 658]

  Gotta give some of the other, not as fabulous ponies some screentime, eh?

Not cool.

 

Back on topic (is gotten to)

ahem,

i hate to be horribly rude but

lets pretend the apples were out of character?

 

It was amazing.

Pinkie apple pie is the best episode of season 4.

And pinkie and apple jack are by no way shape or means my favorites.

 

It takes two horribly under used or mis used characters and creates epic.

Epic you can, touch, feel, experience (still stewing about that dig above),

taste,

it's all around you and through you pink pinkie apple pie.

 

And it all happens from a first time writer.

She's doing the breezy episode next, so I'm keeping my eyes open.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Chigens and Kay

[TwilightDreamer 69]

I wouldn't say they were out of character here, maybe it was just one side of the Apple Family that we've haven't seen yet.

 

Besides, we've seen AJ, Big Mac, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith go out of character and going out of line a few times by now so it must mean that the writers are still exploring some possible elements that could be utilized to expand on the relationships between the quartet and see what usually happens to them when they're not at work in Sweet Apple Acres.

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

The Apples were as in-character as they've ever been. I don't think they've ever looked any better than in Pinkie Apple Pie. They are a very close-knit family, but all families regardless of how close they are fight to some degree. This isn't the first time the Apples have quarreled or had problems with one another anyway.

 

- Big Mac and AJ got into an argument in Applebuck Season.

- Applejack has proven herself to be overprotective and bossy to Apple Bloom in episodes like Bridle Gossip and Call of the Cutie.

- Apple Bloom's Gabby Gums gossip column angered Applejack so much that she wouldn't even speak to her, and Big Macintosh flat out scolded her.

- Apple Bloom was embarrassed about having Granny Smith show up for Family Appreciation Day.

 

And so on. Closeness doesn't equate to a picture perfect family. The fact that there are disputes among the Apples, whether they be major or minor, shows that they are a group of multifaceted characters with a great deal of authenticity. Sisterhooves Social wasn't an illusion - Applejack and Apple Bloom are very close and they love each other deeply. But like all close siblings, they have their off days too. Mistakes happen.

 

I happen to like the fact that the Apples agreed to try and be on their best behavior for Pinkie Pie. This shows that the Apples don't see her as a dimwitted airhead who, regardless of her sunny demeanor, doesn't understand the difference between good and bad behavior. Applejack and her kin are the type who'd bend over backwards just to make another pony feel welcome because that's just who they are. For example, they were all very warm and welcoming when Twilight first came to Ponyville. Applejack immediately took time to greet her, feed her, and even liken her as being part of the family. 

 

The difference between the scenario in PAP and the one in SSCS6K is that in the latter, Applejack was accepting help from her friends as "honorary" family members. In PAP, there's actual genealogy involved, and both AJ and Pinkie wanted to know if they were blood related, because if they were, this might mean bigger changes in how they live their lives. As excited as Pinkie Pie was to be part of the family, it should come as no surprise that Applejack and the others would want to maintain that excitement by being the best kin they could be, though they learned through their experience that they don't need to be perfect, they just have to forgive each other and move on when things go sour.

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

They were in character. We haven't seen them interact enough as a family to determine if they are not in character.

 

 

How are these apples out of character?

 

 

[Never2muchpinkie 211]

Okay, maybe out of character is a bit wrong. You can say it's more about exploring a mostly unexplored aspect of the Apples, but at least they had reasonable reasons for their behavior in past episodes. Big Mac was worried for Applejack, which was why he tried to tell her she couldn't handle everything on her own. Applejack was worried for Applebloom, which was why she was so overprotective about her sister staying away from Zecora. The gabby gums incident made a fool of her siblings for the entire town, so being ignored/scolded by them is perfectly reasonable.

 

  Maybe I just don't understand it because I've never had too many big family events like they do, but I just didn't enjoy this episode.  If it wasn't for it being Pinkie that was the other main pony here I probably wouldn't have anything to enjoy about it given that Pinkie is my favorite character for her random and unpredictable nature.

 

Just like in real life, while Pinkie may be a master at it, I don't want to deal with a whole bunch of negativity and try to find enjoyment out of it.  And speaking of people saying its like what would happen in real life, this is a world of technicolor magical flying ponies. In my opinion they could just as easily had a blast and enjoyed themselves as much as Pinkie but then there wouldn't be any lesson at the end. 

 

Well, who knows? At first Flight to the Finish didn't thrill me the first time because I was expecting Scootaloo to finally fly after hearing about the premise of the episode. Now that I was more prepared for it I really enjoy it now, so maybe a second watching will change my mind for this episode too.

 

On a semi-related note does Applebloom's singing sound totally not like her or is it just me? I don't think Applebloom has ever actually had a solo before this so I'm not sure. Flight to the Finish's song also at first made me feel like the singing sounded weird so I'm not sure what the deal is with this season for CMC singing to me.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

No, they were actually given character instead of being perfect all the time. So much better that way!

[FNGRpony 658]

LOL in my latest video i commented on "i don't know who said the apples were out of character." but,

 

i forgot who said it. 

 

you were one of many pieces fo a mental puzzle that helped me get from point a to b.

 

so thank you ^^.