On the Subject of Walking Lie Detectors · 9:36am Apr 19th, 2013
Alcohol may or may not have something to do with this blog post.
Why do so many authors think Applejack is a walking lie detector? Is there something I'm missing here?
I was set of on this tangent of attacking another part of our stupid fair brony fandom when I read a scene in a story where the mane 6 converse with an extra-terrestrial being. At several points after the OC spoke, the characters all looked toward AJ to determine whether or not the OC was telling the truth. This behavior isn't local to that particular story either. I see it all over the place.
Where did Applejack acquire these mystical powers? I'd very much like to get my hands on some.
I think people seem to think the Elements of Harmony grant enhancements their particular trait. Why? Fuck if I know.
Personally, I don't think this is the case. The Elements are ancient artifacts that restore the balance of harmony to the world, usually in the form of bombarding a god-like individual with rainbow artillery. That's acceptably canon. To wield the elements, their bearers need to possess a particular personality trait, as we all know. What they don't canonically do is enhance these traits and give their bearers sixth senses of when others are going against them (Where is your evidence, scum?!).
I mean, really, when was the last time you saw Rainbow Dash bolt up to a couple, grab the colt by the ear and shout: "Stop cheating on her! That's not cool!"? When was the last time you saw any of the other elements of harmony have their personality traits modified by the elements?
The only reason I can think of is lazy story telling or just going with the flow. So why do people think Applejack is a lie detector?
Because it's cliche, and hardly anybody is original anymore...
My guess is plot progression. You see it a lot in HIE as a quick (sometimes if not a lot of times lazy) way for the humans (most likely turned pony or whatever) to ‘prove’ there story when they claim there not a pony ‘or whatever’, As opposed to them being thrown in a padded room or have to earn the credence, it’s mostly done by someone who wants to ‘get the interaction out of the way so the action can begin’.
and most of the time its painful to read. I guess it just kind of stuck to fannon.
I think it may be tied into the idea that since the Elements are ancient mystical artifacts, each one should bestow unique powers to it's wielder.
Because it is a convenient plot device.
Because most of the time it appears, it's either in HiE or in stories where the elements give the bearers powers. HiE is because a lot of HiE writers are lazy and want to write about their super-awesome adventures with the pony they love, so they skip over the gaining the ponies' trust part as fast as possible. In the superpowers fics, it's because it's a fairly useful and obvious power for AJ to have.
Finally, someone who agrees with me on this.
People who are very bad at lying, which we know AJ is, tend to also be very bad at detecting when others are lying. Therefore, I have no clue.
Because AJ needs help to make her more interesting than the apple trees she grows.
The only time this 'power' of AJ is given substance in the show is when she's trying to tell if Applebloom is lying, and even then its spotty in the show, as when her little sister got the Cutie Pox and they were trying to cure it, she had to get Applebloom to tell the truth but kept looking towards Zecora for confirmation on if that was the right truth or not.
I know this is ancient but I have to say: you make a very good point, but I don't take issue so much that people give the Element bearers extra powers so much as with the fact that they apply them so inconsistently. In a story where Applejack is a lie detector, why doesn't Rainbow Dash do that? Because the author isn't thinking it through, or because they got the idea from someone else and forgot to steal the other enhanced traits as well.