Was Applejack ''out of character'' in the latest episode?

[LordDiscord 289]

Applejack and paranoia has happened before. It was her paranoia about their friendship breaking up that caused her to lie and be affected by Discord. She was caught up in the paranoia about Zecora. There was her paranoia about the bats. Her paranoia about letting the town down after failing to win a blue ribbon.

Yes but all of those instances were caused by outside sources, Discord showed her a future were her friends broke up, the rumors about Zecora were spread around Ponyville and blown out of proportions, her farm was being destroyed by the bats, she was afraid of disappointment. Here she was afraid of Applebloom doing choirs that she had done numerous times in the past.

[Cloud Runner 26]

AJ's main character trait is being honest and she never broke that, so no, she wasn't out of character

[Celli 4,338]

Hmm, maybe a little. Applebloom is growing up and Applejack looked after her because their parents aren't with them. And Applejack doesn't want to let go of having someone to take care of.

[Singe 2,111]

Yes but all of those instances were caused by outside sources, Discord showed her a future were her friends broke up, the rumors about Zecora were spread around Ponyville and blown out of proportions, her farm was being destroyed by the bats, she was afraid of disappointment. Here she was afraid of Applebloom doing choirs that she had done numerous times in the past.

 

Applebloom doesn't have a squeaky clean history in this series. The show has proven that Applebloom is very capable of (getting into/making) mischief and trouble, when left alone to her own volition or with the CMC.

 

Applejack has also been a victim of it, in Ponyville Confidential.

 

Not even Zecora could leave Applebloom alone without trouble in Cutie Pox.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

No, people have now said this about two of her episodes that I know of, Pinkie Apple Pie and now this. I don't think people get that she was so painfully underdeveloped before and giving her a character that isn't perfect all the time does not mean you're taking away from her perfect undeveloped character with hardly any personality. The writers are actually trying to make her more realistic and give her flaws now and I'm all for it. 

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

I just wanted to say, while I don't personally think AJ is OoC in this episode @Dark Qiviut brought up a really solid opposing argument. I must say he definitely has good reason for thinking she is. I'm just gonna stop debating this, because I now understand that interpretation of her characterization here.

[ninjamon102938 222]

Well the answer to that question is quite simple

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoq1c1CQA-k

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

AJ's main character trait is being honest and she never broke that, so no, she wasn't out of character

 

I don't generally call OoC, but that's horrible logic.

 

AJ: "I'm gonna kill a bushel of fillies." *kills several fillies*

 

................At least she was honest.

[Gyruss 125]

Eh, I'm not entirely sure if I'd consider it out of character.  Having said that, I'm not sure I was a fan of Applejack's behavior.  Then again I wasn't the biggest fan of her behavior in Family Appreciation Day, which reminds me a lot of the way she acted in this episode.  I suppose I can understand and accept it, though.  Truth be told I haven't watched this episode since it first aired, but I suppose that's true for a lot of episodes.

Also, I do think that knowing the definitions of honesty are fairly important in understanding Applejack's character.  I mean, most people think that it's simply about not lying, but as the link I just provided mentions...

 

 

1

a :  free from fraud or deception :  legitimate, truthful <an honest plea>

 

b :  genuine, real <making honest stops at stop signs — Christian Science Monitor>

 

c :  humble, plain <good honest food>

2

a :  reputable, respectable <honest decent people>

 

b chiefly British :  good, worthy

3

:  creditable, praiseworthy <an honest day's work>

4

a :  marked by integrity

 

b :  marked by free, forthright, and sincere expression :  frank <an honest appraisal>

 

c :  innocent, simple

 

Of course, I think the full analysis of what honesty is and how it relates to Applejack is a matter for another thread.  I just wanted to point out that honest doesn't just mean "truthful."

[PsychedelicPony 440]

I've noticed a lot people talking about characters being "out of character" in recent episodes. I like to think that these characters are dynamic and changing rather than being static and type-casted into specific traits. Especially this episode, the relationship between Applejack and Applebloom and the idea of Applejack not being there for Applebloom hasn't really been explored, so we have no idea whether or not this is how Applejack would always act or not. When episodes show a different side of character we haven't seen before, they aren't really OoC in my mind they are just gaining new traits to act to their character portfolio.

[Singe 2,111]

I've noticed a lot people talking about characters being "out of character" in recent episodes. I like to think that these characters are dynamic and changing rather than being static and type-casted into specific traits. Especially this episode, the relationship between Applejack and Applebloom and the idea of Applejack not being there for Applebloom hasn't really been explored, so we have no idea whether or not this is how Applejack would always act or not. When episodes show a different side of character we haven't seen before, they aren't really OoC in my mind they are just gaining new traits to act to their character portfolio.

 

This being Applebloom and knowing her history of trouble when being left alone or with the other CMC, it does bring second thoughts of doubt if she is capable of being left alone.

 

It was just 2 episodes ago that Applebloom got caught up in mischief.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Singe

[XxConfusedUnicornxX 834]

Applejack was just making sure her little sister is safe. She wouldn't want her sister have a serious injury right? Yeah sure, she might've gotten a liiiiitle bit carried away but I honestly would be like that to my sibling because I don't want to lose them. AJ probably didn't want to lose her sister after her parents (even if we dont know if they died or not).

[LordDiscord 289]

Applebloom doesn't have a squeaky clean history in this series. The show has proven that Applebloom is very capable of (getting into/making) mischief and trouble, when left alone to her own volition or with the CMC.

 

Applejack has also been a victim of it, in Ponyville Confidential.

 

Not even Zecora could leave Applebloom alone without trouble in Cutie Pox.

Even if that is so, the fact that she got away with it numerous times in the past without this reaction does not mean that AppleJack should suddenly just up and become this overprotective when she is actually not causing chaos. Its like punishing her for doing the right thing. And the fact that it took Applebloom, down right disobeying AppleJack just to prove a point is not a lesson that they should be insinuating toward children, showing them that the only way to get parents to stop being so overprotective is to put yourself in danger and disobey them.

Edited March 10, 2014 by LordDiscord

[Sunny Fox 5,951]

I'm not so sure it's "out of character" as is it is a reversal of character development. If this had happened in Season 1,  I don't think that anybody would have been so annoyed. But happening in Season 4, where Applejack should "have known better by now", it does seem out of place.

[GrimCW 658]

No one recall her treatment of Applebloom in "Bridle Gossip"? How she forced words and actions into applebloom that never happened while applebloom tried to prove she was fine on her own?

 

TBH it was actually in character for her, as her relationship with applebloom, aside from being close sisters, hasn't been very much explored.

 

though it is odd given appleblooms usually dangerous life with the CMC's... but usually AJ is somewhere about during that in some way. 

Maybe seeing the glass and such about triggered something in AJ...

Edited March 10, 2014 by GrimCW

[RockinRarity 1,605]

Applejack being overprotective is something I would never have ruled out. She was very protective of Apple Bloom in "Bridle Gossip" and that kind of stubbornness and desire to be in control (somewhat like Twilight) was in "Applebuck Season" as well.

 

The problem was that Scott Sonneborn took that trait and overexaggerated it to run a string of gags from it, instead of using it naturally to build up conflict rather than to force it in under the comedy or vice-versa. This kind of overreliance on comedy that hinders the delivery of the rest of the story is why "Games Ponies Play" is one of my least favorite episodes. I wouldn't exactly call this "out of character" but just a one-off Flanderization, or Jerkass Ball, or whatever trope name one would prefer to call it.

 

Yes I 100% agree with this.

 

It's not so much that it's OOC for AJ to be overprotective, it's that they took it to the extreme just to make it funny.

 

Had there been more realistic reasons for her blowup and had her antics been a little more subtle, I think that this would have been a much better episode. Also, if the dialogue wasn't so damn repetitive and cheesy in many places.

 

Scott Sonneborn is now officially worst writer of the show. :/

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

Scott Sonneborn is now officially worst writer of the show. :/

I wouldn't put one bad episode as grounds for that. I know expectations for new writer debuts are high after Corey Powell's first episode became what is often considered the best of season 3, but even a frequently challenged writer like Polsky has a great one like Rarity Takes Manehattan once in a while.

Edited March 10, 2014 by WindChaserPegasus

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

Yes I 100% agree with this.

 

It's not so much that it's OOC for AJ to be overprotective, it's that they took it to the extreme just to make it funny.

 

Had there been more realistic reasons for her blowup and had her antics been a little more subtle, I think that this would have been a much better episode. Also, if the dialogue wasn't so damn repetitive and cheesy in many places.

 

Scott Sonneborn is now officially worst writer of the show. :/

 

You can't decide quality based on one episode. I mean look at Pinkie Apple Pie versus It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, the first is widely regarded as a great episode, with great humor, good pacing, smart character use, etc. The latter, on the other hand, is widely seen as boring, with redundant scenes, humor that falls flat, awkward pacing, but has a strong moral and a great side character. Is the latter horrible? No, but if I watched these episodes back to back with no knowledge of who wrote it I wouldn't have guessed they were done by the same person.

Edited March 10, 2014 by DryColt84

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

She was actually quite on character. To say that she was out of character is misunderstanding Applejack, because this part of her character is probably the most noticeable in my opinion throughout the series.

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

Here's my take. Yes she was out of character..... But she had good reason to be. It was her love, and worry for her little sister that lead to her smothering her....... And we all know Applebloom is prone to getting herself I to trouble. So it's pretty understandable. Plus if the characters of any show never got OOC every once in a while it wouldent be natural.... We ALL get a little OOC from time to time.

[LordDiscord 289]

You can't decide quality based on one episode. I mean look at Pinkie Apple Pie versus It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, the first is widely regarded as a great episode, with great humor, good pacing, smart character use, etc. The latter, on the other hand, is widely seen as boring, with redundant scenes, humor that falls flat, awkward pacing, but has a strong moral and a great side character. Is the latter horrible? No, but if I watched these episodes back to back with no knowledge of who wrote it I wouldn't have guessed they were done by the same person.

Yes but you have to look at it on this regard, One was a Pinkie Pie key episode and one was a Fluttershy key episode. Maybe this writer is better at portraying Pinkie Pie than she is Fluttershy when it comes to a leading role.

Here's my take. Yes she was out of character..... But she had good reason to be. It was her love, and worry for her little sister that lead to her smothering her....... And we all know Applebloom is prone to getting herself I to trouble. So it's pretty understandable. Plus if the characters of any show never got OOC every once in a while it wouldent be natural.... We ALL get a little OOC from time to time.

That is true, but AppleJack's fear was birthed out of the idea that she had forgotten to tell Applebloom how to breath practically, her reasons for worry was not centered on the fact that she knew Applebloom was accident prone, it was centered around the notion that Applebloom was incapable of doing the most basic of concepts, like opening a cabinet drawer or refrigerator door. The fact that the only thing that Applebloom was tasked with was doing chores that she does basically on a daily basis is where I feel they went to far with the concept. I could understand her going home and staying because of the idea that this was Appleblooms first time doing these chores alone, but afterwards she should have been fine. I believe had they built up the notion that Applebloom was so excited to get to be home alone that when AppleJack decides to stay behind to watch her, she becomes annoyed at this fact and feels that AppleJack does not trust her, so she sets off to deliver the pies as to prove a point. This I feel would have been a better approach if they had to have it as a Applebloom story instead of it being a Spike or SweetieBelle episode as I view it should have been. 

Edited March 10, 2014 by LordDiscord

[Empty Room 512]

I was going to say yes, but then I looked through the thread and realised the opposite. It's AJ's freakout episode, it had to happen eventually.

[man dude man 555]

In my opinion, she wasn't completley out of character, she just acted in ways that were uncharcteristic of her due to the circumstances of the episode. In a way we have to obviously take into consideration that apple bloom being left alone to the acres is an entirely new concept for AJ to fathom, thus the reason for her returning, thus apple bloom becoming entirely fed up with being treated like a baby, thus apple bloom wanting to go out of her way to prove she's not. Apple Jacks uncharacteristic behavoir in end cast a butterfly effect on the plot for the whole episode. I think it's also because they like Apple Jack to have some realizations from time to time, and this episode really puts an emphasis on the "family values" that the Apple family holds close.

[Pinky Pie 71]

I think no. This episode shows us why Applejack is the element of Honesty, not Kindness and we know how much she loves her little sister from Bridle Gossip and Sisterhooves Social. This episode just verified it.

[Dashabel 381]

I'd call it character development, not out of character. As many of you have pointed out, Applejack is very nurturing and motherly towards Applebloom as this has clearly been depicted in earlier episodes. Yes, she went a little crazy, but don't they all? That's the humour in it.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Dashabel