Abstract Thoughts #78: Applejack: One Trick Pony?

Applejack may not be everyone's fan favorite, but she's still an important pony. She's tough, she's honest, she's down-to-earth yet sometimes stubborn, and she loves her family above all else. But is that all there is to her? Disappointingly, the show seems to think so.

AJ's most fondly remembered episode, Applebuck Season, near the beginning of the show, established her stubborn nature as she drove herself to exhaustion until her friends were able to convince her that she didn't have to do it alone, and a lesson was learned by all. Sadly, stubbornness and pride seem to be the writers' go-to flaws for AJ these days; in The Last Roundup, she left home because she was too proud and stubborn to admit she'd failed, and in Apple Family Reunion, she was dead set on having the reunion go her way, convinced that it would enhance the experience. Even in her Micro Series comic, she had to relearn not to be stubborn and do everything herself. And then there AJ's recent hot minute video, which has become somewhat infamous for its rather underwhelming (though possibly non-canon) story for how she got her hat (she won it in an apple bobbing contest). No wonder people tend to find her episodes unmemorable unless someone or something else steals the spotlight.

It seems the writers don't know what to do with AJ as a spotlight character. She works well as a foil and straight mare for other characters, but when it comes to being the star of an episode, she never really gets anything new explored, and so she comes off as bland compared to her costars. I think AJ could really use an unexpected direction, sort of like Pinkie in regards to babysitting in Baby Cakes and Rainbow Dash in regards to reading in Read It and Weep. These episodes added a new dimension to their mane characters, mainly by having them deal with something they never had to deal with before. Could the upcoming Season 4 episode where Pinkie apparently temporarily joins the Apple family add anything new and exciting to AJ? Or is that meant to do so for Pinkie? Oh well, AJ has plenty of opportunity to tread new ground...right?

Let's hear what you have to say. Do you think AJ is a one-trick pony compared to her costars? Why do you think she tends to deal with the same sorts of lessons in her episodes? How do you think the show could make her more interesting? Share your thoughts below!

---

Read this story on Los Pegasus Tribune