The Elements of Equestrian Imperialism, part two · 3:34pm Jun 17th, 2012
What on Earth do furriners think about the Element of Honesty?
Well, there's the question again: what do they know? The Apple family (or clan, rather) is widespread and influential, but until her career in heroism I don't get the impression that Applejack was that important to outsiders. Yeah, the clan met once in her home, Granny Smith is a wiz at the clan specialty, the Appleloosans seem to specifically have wanted Bloomberg which was grown at Sweet Apple Acres, but that's inside business. I'd say people in Equestria and people outside Equestria with interest in the apples business/hobby/fetish know about the Apple family, but they wouldn't know about Applejack because of that. Every Apple member would.
So besides her business, what would stand out?
Well, just like Rainbow Dash, Applejack is a master athlete. Do you fathom how hard it is to get second place in that many disciplines? The majority of athletes train specifically to do one thing very very well. You don't use you muscles the same in a high-jump as you do in a bike race or when playing soccer. Applejack's feelings of inadequacy aside, she's a wiz.
And it runs in the family. We have yet to see a pony as big and strong as Big Macintosh, and earth ponies are strong. I know she is under influence of a magical date rape drug, but Cheerilee - not a workmare, but a teacher, and of average build - shows signs of super-equine strength in "Hearts and Hooves Day". Writers have said that this is Earth Pony magic, that Earth Ponies are tougher and stronger pound for pound than other ponies.
So... I'd say Applejack is The Brute - dumb muscle. Rainbow Dash is also mainly known for her physical abilities, but these seem more miraculous to non-ponies. Any supervillain theme would need someone to buck gates off hinges and carry around the heavier Doomsday devices.
Mind you, there's another thing about her as well. Equestria isn't America (yeah, I know I have drawn parallells in my fic and in the show, but bear with me). It's not like the USA is a diarchy for starters. But Applejack's family comes from a region/cultural group of (earth) ponies who look like stereotypical American soouthwest or even better pioneer people. In the real world "Americans are cowboys" is a pretty common association even for us foreigners that should know better, because it is a very distinctive part of American culture. I'd suggest that cowpoinies relate to Equestria in the same way, so in a way Applejack looks the most Equestrian of the Elements. Just like Crimson Cloak thought that Vigg's barbarian costume (I assume Saga aimed for the ungulate version of this ) was how a reindeer should look like, people think an Equestrian Earth Pony should look like Applejack.
Well, that's all for now, folks!
Nice. So she is the 'average equestrian' stereotypical pony.
179482
Yeah. Notice how many fans IRL who does superhero-crossovers who makes her into the analogue of Captain America - a symbol of her country.
I actually remember IRL again, how an aunt told me that when an older relative who had worked in America for all his life came back and visited them, she was very disappointed. I mean, she had expected him to be a cowboy or an Indian since he was from America! Of course, she was like six and it was the Fifties, but...
179489I always thought that Applejack was most similar to Vigilante(DC) rather than the cap because he just about the only (good) cowboy hero
179663
Sure, that fits. I just think it is that they try to use the most well-known and central characters from whatever franchise they are crossing over MLP with, and it's not like Vigilante is an A-lister. And then, they feel Applejack is best Cap.
I think Applejack's talents with a lasso are particularly impressive. She can make a rope dance like it's alive; virtually as good as unicorn telekinesis and with a longer range than many unicorns.
I can't help but think of USSR propaganda with those good-looking awesome workers. So this is what AJ is, a face for Equestrian propaganda, trying to convince us pony prosperity comes from mere hard work and great strength of pony muscles (and good geographic location, pegasi and unicorn abilities and having competent leaders for thousands of years) rather than secret sorcery.
Oh yeah, except she also sells Zap Apple Jam, a product created using a procedure either completely unknown or too ridiculous to be true, from fruit that are clearly Discord's creation. What is this mysterious substance, and if this is what they sell openly, what magical apples do they keep for themselves? Are AJ strength and good looks a result of consuming fruit of some sort of Tree of Life?
179834
Note that Everfree Forest, despite its monsters, is a fairly NORMAL place for foreigners; that's how their countries are.
I like the "perfect worker" shtick a lot, though for purposes of Plot it is important that the spurious rumors make the Element Bearers into something like the Authority, only more pastel; they need to be able to hit things as well.
179767
Yeah - and I'm sure that's a rodeo skill!
(Rodeos take a certain nefarious overtone when cattle are sentient...)
"It's not like the USA is a diarchy for starters."
I've always thought of it as a secular theocracy.
180269
USA or Equestria?
I don't even know whether "diarchy" is an actual word - I was punning on "monarchy", given that they have two monarchs.
180273 Equestria, I wasn't making any political rants about my own country.
By "secular theocracy" I mean rule by a physical god(dess).
180331
I dunno, part of a theocracy to me is that your leaders follow someone or something abstract you cannot tell is there, but who is infallible and thus cannot be questioned. Celestia and Luna, being physical sort-of-goddesses, is unquestionably real in a way that would satisfy the most hardline atheist, and if you want to know what the Law should be, for instance, you ask her directly. It feels more like a monarchy to me, it's just that the monarch(s) won't die within the forseeable future. That there are no succession feels less important to me than that the line of command is the same, if you get my drift.
180108
I didn't make any reference to the Everfree Forest, are you sure this shouldn't be directed at my comment about Fluttershy? Unless you mean the Zap Apples, in which case I think their weird life cycle would be known because it's very interesting trivia.
But in any case, the significance of Everfree is that there is no official pony presence there, no civilians, and comes prepackaged with explanations for any disappearances or mysterious occurrences there. Perfect place to hide secrets that would be difficult to stuff into an underground base.
Being the Perfect Worker is in no way in conflict with being a brutish enforcer - indeed, such a pony can be assumed to have the ability to tell whatever bold-faced lies Celestia needs her to. The kind of pony that can be sent after you, beat you up visciously while telling you things your mind rebels against in the style of 1984. Why did you [do something you obviously didn't]? "We aren't doing this to you, you are doing this to yourself. Why are you making us do this? Why can't you accept our friendship?" in a warm, compassionate voice. And the next day, she'll deny everything to your family with a straight face and offer heartfelt condolences and promises she'll do everything to help them find you.
180724
Thanks, for a while I couldn't formulate why "theocracies" with actual gods who are right there or D&D clerics didn't feel like real theocracy to me. You're right, the word was invented to describe the situation where a caste rules with the authority of someone that cannot be verified - we cannot go ask God what he actually thinks about homosexuality, but clerics will tell you all about it - with rules based on something that cannot be checked, but has to be taken on faith.
Even if Celestia is a god, even if she is worshiped, even if all officials were technically her clerics, this is not theocracy because she is an actual person you can talk to and not really different from anyone else in that regard.
180982
There has of course been a number of more or less autocratic states where the ruler - Emperor, Pharao, Inca - was thought of as at least sort of divine. Equestria can be thought of as such a state where it happens to be true in that the ruler is ancient and has superhuman powers you'd associate with a god. (The Empire of Mankind is another fictional example, I'm sure there are more.) But I don't think they were theocracies.
180990
Agreed. Although as I understand, the Emperor is currently unable to communicate with anyone, so as of 41st millennium the Imperium of Man would be a theocracy.
No comments on 1984!MinistryOfHonesty!Applejack?
180994
Oh, it would be earlier ages, of course, in 40K!
I didn't say anything about your thought, sorry... I'm not sure it matches my idea of what prejudices foreigners have of Equestria, but it could (Equestria is, after all, a place obsessed with harmony and joy). It makes internal sense, if you get my drift. It would perfectly, in my mind, in a slightly different story.
I should probably add that in my headcanon for this expanded universe the story takes place in, things like modern parliamentary democracy and the like isn't really a concept. People are either ruled by nobles, some king or queen that often is an ancient being like Luna and Celestia, or they are tribal people like the buffalo who aren't as much ruled as just coming to consensus on things. So obvious concepts such as "They are ruled by an absolute monarch! How horrible!" doesn't really come into it, because they are themselves. Oh, the nobles get a veto on the heir of the king of Tarandroland, but it's not like the commoners have anything to say about it.
In my headcanon, Equestria is a parliamentarian autocracy, now in the process of being returned into diarchy. Thus, ultimately the whims and desires of the Sisters are the law, but Celestia has spent a thousand years encouraging the development of civil service, independent courts, a Parliament that does most of the actual legislation these days, etc. Direct intervention from her into the workings of the government is rare but not unheard of. (Luna, of course, has at the same time more and less compunctions about invoking her divine authority.)
185159
I like that Celestia has worked to not be directly responsible for the running of the state (if nothing else because it is so big these days), but also that it is an Anachronistic Gumbo in society as well as technology, so that you still have feudal and guild and similar obligations. Odd things like only pegasi and earth ponies are called to the yeomanry (militia) but only unicorns and pegasi can join the Guard, or that the summer residence of Shiny and Cadence is a feudal manor which makes him the local law on his vacations as well (bother!), or that the Mayor of Ponyville is elected, but only by actual burghers and landowners (so the Cakes can vote, but not Pinkie). That's mostly because I find it funny, mind you.
Oh, and if there is an actual Parliament, I want it to have three houses based on Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns. Maybe today your actual species has nothing to do with what House you can sit in, but Tradition require you wear a fake horn/wings in the right House if you are, say, a donkey, sheep, or Earth Pony...