A review of a review involving Applejack · 9:29pm Apr 5th, 2013
While exploring the interwebs, I came across a review/critique/analysis-type thing of AJ’s character and why she doesn’t have more episodes based around her. The argument basically boiled down to the fact that AJ’s character simply doesn’t have a lot to explore, an assessment I think I agree with as someone who has tried to write for her character without rehashing what’s already happened in an episode.
Bronycurious (the reviewer) also talked about the episodes AJ has had a major role in (through season 2) and made the claim that of the seven episodes AJ stars in (I haven’t checked to see if this is a complete list), only one was a successful AJ episode. It’s this claim I disagree with, and I’m going to explain why. Because the only thing better than a review is a review of a review.
First, let’s look at bronycurious’ criteria for what makes a successful character-driven episode, which he conveniently outlines in the opening minutes:
1) The episode’s focus must remain on the central character.
2) An obstacle must prevent the character from a achieving his/her goal(s).
3) Character emerges from the struggle stronger, and/or coming to a new realization.
He goes on to apply this criteria to the episodes in question. I’m going to analyze how fairly these criteria are applied. Now, I don’t know if this is something bronycurious came up with or if there’s more authority behind it. They seem like fair criteria to me, but that’s not the point of what I’m doing.
Applebuck Season
This is the episode bronycurious states meets all of his criteria, and I agree.
Look Before You Sleep
Bronycurious disqualifies this episode because AJ costars in this episode with Rarity and Twi. This, in my opinion, is grossly unfair. Both AJ and Rarity have an obstacle to overcome (each other), and both reach new realizations at the end (that both their views have their place). The entire episode focuses on this conflict, and by extension the characters who are causing it. In fact, the reviewer states during his analysis of the next episode that costarring isn’t a deal breaker, so to disqualify this episode on those grounds is inconsistent with not only his criteria but also his own statements later in the video.
Fall Weather Friends
Bronycurious disqualifies this episode on the ground that AJ does not learn the episode’s lesson—cheating is bad. I disagree with this statement because a) I believe AJ does learn this lesson (as opposed to already knowing it), and b) because this isn’t the lesson the episode is trying to teach.
MLP has a good track record of explaining an episode’s moral at the end, and this one is no exception. After finding out Twilight beat them, both AJ and RD admit that they weren’t very good sports. Celestia tells them that “anypony can get swept up in the excitement of competition,” and Twi states that “it’s important to remember that friendship is always more important than the competition.”
Thus, the lesson is not “cheating is bad,” but rather that competition should not spoil friendship, a lesson both AJ and RD have to learn. The lesson is good sportsmanship, and while following the rules is an important part of that, isn’t not the only one. Bronycurios mentions that AJ argues against cheating throughout the episode, and he’s right. He also points out that AJ cheats during the race, and that’s the point. AJ let the competition push her own code of honor to the side, not to mention her friendship with RD—she got “swept up in the excitement of competition,” as Celestia says during the moral’s explanation.
In fact, one might argue that AJ isn’t necessarily against cheating at all, but rather upset that RD’s wings put AJ at a disadvantage in the Iron Pony competition. RD states, and AJ tacitly agrees, that “no wings” was never an official rule, so RD wasn’t actually cheating in the first place. And, again, AJ cheats plenty during the race, so “don’t cheat” is a lesson she needed to learn, even though she preaches against it. It’s one thing to say something is bad, and it’s another thing to actually believe it. The fact that AJ does cheat during the race—even though she’s pushed to do it—shows that she didn’t fully know this lesson at the start of the episode.
Over a Barrel
Bronycurious’ argument is that the episode’s focus is not on AJ but rather a clash of ideologies, and I agree. While AJ and RD do play a role in escalating the conflict, the focus is more on the Appleloosans and the buffalo tribe and their differing views.
Sisterhooves Social
Again, while AJ plays an important role in this episode, the focus is on the conflict between Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and AJ and Apple Bloom act as more of a foil to the feuding sisters.
Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
The reason for this one’s disqualification should be obvious to anyone who’s seen the ending: “Ah didn’t learn anythin’! Ah was right all along!”
Let’s take another look at the criterion in question:
Character emerges from the struggle stronger, and/or coming to a new realization.
It’s true that AJ states she didn’t acquire new knowledge during this episode. However, the fact that she knows something doesn’t mean there’s not a lesson to be learned about that very knowledge. For example, In “Fall Weather Friends,” AJ knows cheating is bad but still does it.
To see AJ’s realization in this episode, we need to look at a scene toward the beginning. After Flim and Flam make their big show, the Apples huddle together to discuss the situation. Granny Smith (the oldest and most experienced of the four) is staunchly against the upgrade. Apple Bloom (the youngest and most impulsive) thinks they should go along with the salesponies. Then we get AJ’s opinion: “Ah just don’ know, y’all. We’ve always made cider the same way.” Mac has his trademark (and rather noncommittal) “Eeyup,” and Flim and Flam barge in to make an offer: a partnership in which the Apples get a quarter of the profits and the salesponies get the rest. AJ is immediately wary of this deal and says it will ruin the family financially, and the Apples decline the offer.
So let’s look at the moral AJ supposedly didn’t learn: “If you take your time to do things the right way, your work will speak for itself.” It’s true that she knew this beforehand, just as she knew cheating was bad before the Running of the Leaves, but the events of the episode affirm and strengthen that knowledge. As far as I can tell, her objections to Flim and Flam’s offer and methods aren’t based on the principle of quality (taking the time to do things right), but on basic business principles (income exceeding expenses) and her unwillingness to “cheat” to win.
Granny Smith, who has likely faced similar situations, is the one who advocates quality, and Apple Bloom, who is young and inexperienced, is the one who advocates quantity. AJ and Mac, the middle children, are unsure. They have grown up with tradition but have perhaps not seen that tradition challenged, and so AJ’s growth—the “new realization”—is the new, hard evidence that what she’s known all along is true—the affirmation of her previous knowledge. It’s an affirmation Granny Smith had likely already found in her long experience, and that Apple Bloom almost certainly hadn’t. I realize this is weaker than most other episodes and is undermined by AJ’s statement that she “didn’t learn anything,” but I think the growth is still there, albeit obscured.
Last Roundup
Bronycurios’ argument here is that AJ is missing for most of the episode, and thus the episode does not focus on her because the audience is inevitably disconnected from AJ’s struggle. I admit he has a point, but I think he’s missing the bigger picture. Everything in the episode, even the conflict that does get focus (figuring out why AJ ran away), centers on AJ. We know AJ is acting out of character because she ran away and she’s hiding something, even if we don’t know what it is. Everything the others do is centered on discovering and resolving whatever conflict AJ is going through, so even though AJ isn’t constantly on-screen, the episode still centers on her and her struggle—not the struggle to be a champion, but the struggle to come to terms with losing and the discovery that the people (ponies?) who care about you will stand by your side through disappointments.
So, to summarize. While I do think AJ’s character doesn’t have a lot of room for exploration and growth, I don’t think it’s fair to say that there’s only one episode (through season 2) where AJ’s character “works” using the criteria given.
-EDIT- Note to self: make sure you don't screw up formatting before you post a blog. -END EDIT-
Bronycurious's videos, especially the adventure arc ones and the more recent per-episode reviews, are quite solid. If you or anyone else is into this, I definitely recommend checking out DigiBrony as well.
I do agree with your point that Bronycurious is inconsistent here. S3 episodes were not covered in that particular video, but in his later episode reviews, he stated that Spike At Your Service ended up being a really solid AJ episode, despite the fact that it's focused on Spike/AJ. So I don't think exclusivity is required, but I do think going beyond a pair makes the line too blurry. Taken to the extreme, you could argue that much of S1 is "Twilight episodes" because of focus on her and her learning, despite the fact that true Twi episodes like Lesson Zero have a much different feel and are much-more-clearly centered upon her. Still, I think there's something important to say, in the fact that any of the stronger AJ episodes are more ensemble affairs, often being these paired episodes, moreso than the rest of the Mane Six. Sure, family mare, but still, she's a strong enough character that she ought to be able to stand well on her own.
(On the note of S3 AJ episodes, he was quite frustrated with Apple Family Reunion, as an Applebuck Season retread)
I agree with a number of your counters here. Indeed, the fact that AJ often seems/claims to not learn much (SSCS6000, FWF) is arguably a facet of her stubborn-headedness. As you indicated, she is indeed learning and growing, but not always in a bash-her-over-the-head sort of manner. Not sure that I can agree with Last Rounderp, though. While her OOC-ness may indeed be the conflict of the episode, her extended absence really undermines the ability to connect with her character, and I feel like that needs to be a requirement of some form. This analogy will admittedly be a stretch but... Princess Celestia plays fairly pivotal roles in the plots of episodes like S1E2 and Lesson Zero and Bird in the Hoof, but since her actual screentime in them is mostly to tie up the ending (as kinda was the case with AJ's ribbon reveal at the end of Last Roundup), I don't think that anyone claims that those are "Celestia episodes"
983692 Yeah, the last two were a bit of a stretch. For "Roundup," I still find myself able to connect to her, though perhaps only on a second or third viewing and certainly not as strongly as in other AJ episodes. So I can understand why it's hard for others. It's true that the episode doesn't focus as much on her as it does on how everyone else reacts, she and her conflict are still the driving forces of the episode.
I really have nothing to say here. You've already said anything I might have said.
983692 Just watched his crossover review of "Canterlot Wedding." That ending...
999454
Anthony C is downright hilarious.