SPOILERS? Mariusioannesp Reviews: Where the Apple Lies

WARNING!!! The following contains SPOILERS for the latest MLP episode “Where the Apple Lies”.

Now, without further a-shut-the-buck-up-Big-Mac-do, here is my review of “Where the Apple Lies”.

Apple Bloom gets caught in a lie trying to cover up a mistake. Applejack tells her the story of how she came to value honesty. Long ago, Applejack tried to prove her skill at running the farm in the future by making a deal with Filthy Rich to sell cider at his store. When Granny Smith puts the kibosh on this, Applejack lies to get out of the deal. This lie however quickly snowballs into a whole slew of lies that leads to everypony ending up at the hospital. Will Applejack learn for the first time the true value of honesty?

So, what’s the verdict?

This was not what I expected at all. However, it is was what I should have expected, and I shouldn’t have expected more than that. Because what we ended up getting I really did enjoy.

So yeah, I liked it!

Let’s begin where these things generally begin at the beginning. Applejack and Big McIntosh are loading up a wagon of zap apple jam for Filthy Rich and his store. Ah, it’s that time of year again; time for zap apple jam. Apple Bloom is helping out to prove that now that she’s older, she’s ready to take on more responsibilities on the farm. However, she has thoughtlessly placed the zap apple jam jars in the same unmarked crates that she put the apple cider. Apple Bloom assures Applejack, though not seeming very certain, that she kept track of what went into what crate because they wouldn’t want Filthy Rich to get a shipment of cider when he was supposed to get zap apple jam. Granny Smith doesn’t take kindly to cider being sold anywhere but the farm. Despite Apple Bloom’s assurances, Applejack and Big Mac find a couple of crates full of zap apple jam. They don’t believe it when Apple Bloom says its extra. Once everything gets straightened out, Filthy Rich rather fretfully confirms that Granny Smith doesn’t think he tried to abscond with her cider.

Wonder what’s got him so nervous about Granny Smith? Anywho, Applejack scolds Apple Bloom for lying like that. She apparently thought she could fix it herself without them finding out. Applejack tells her that she knows from experience that lying never solves anything. Apple Bloom doesn’t believe this as Applejack has never lied in her life. Big Mac’s snickering indicates that this is not the case. Turns out, Applejack used to lie a lot as a child until the day they all ended up in the hospital because of one. Granny Smith then pulls up a chair and tells this story.

An indeterminate time ago when Applejack and Big Mac were a bit older than Apple Bloom, Applejack and Big Mac are arguing over who would run the farm better when the time comes for them to do so.

Let’s look at this for a second. We see Applejack with the teenaged pony body that was introduced earlier this season in “The Saddle Row Review”. Instead of one pony tail in her mane, Applejack then had two. It looks kind of adorable. Also, there’s Big Mac. I like his short spiky hair. You can totally tell he’s a moody teenager. Also, surprisingly enough, Big Mac is quite talkative in the flashback that comprises most of this episode. In fact, it’s almost to the point where he just won’t shut up. Last season, I said that part in the end of “Brotherhooves Social” was the most we’ve ever heard Big Mac talk as himself. This episode is now the most we’ve heard Big Mac talk ever. Moving on, Applejack argues that she has the ideas that will make the farm better while Big Mac counters that you can’t plow a field with ideas. Apparently, this is something he says all the time. Granny Smith then interrupts them and sends them to town to pick up more spray for the apple blight that has been affecting their crop.

While in town, Applejack and Big Mac happen to run into Filthy Rich and are introduced to his fiance Spoiled Milk.

Just this moment tells us quite a bit. For one thing, it implies that Diamond Tiara hasn’t been born yet, and presuming that Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom are close to the same age, either Apple Bloom hasn’t been born yet, or she’s a few months old or so if she’s a bit older. That is of course if Spoiled is already pregnant, which she could be. That could be the only reason they’re getting married in the first place. But if Apple Bloom hasn’t been born yet, their parents should be around, but neither hide nor hair of them is seen or even mentioned in the episode. There are a number of explanations why they aren’t around at the moment, but now’s not the time for that. Also, we learn that Spoiled’s name before she was married was Spoiled Milk, meaning that they do have surnames in Equestria. I wonder though if her name was Spoiled Milk, why is her cutie mark a diamond ring? That has nothing to do with milk, spoiled or otherwise. Does it indicate that her very destiny was to marry into wealth?

Hey, wait a minute.

I think that could be.

Moving on though, it seems Filthy Rich has just taken over his family store, and he’s got all kinds of ideas for it. One such idea is suggesting to Applejack and Big Mac that they start selling their apple cider at his store. Applejack thinks it is an interesting idea, but Big Mac rebukes such a suggestion. Apparently, the Rich Family going all the way back to grandfather Stinkin’ Rich have been trying to convince Granny Smith to sell cider at their store, and she’s always refused. Selling cider straight from Sweet Apple Acres is a tradition. Filthy reminds them both that one day one of them will take over the farm, and it’ll probably be the one with the best ideas. This causes Applejack to provisionally accede to his request. They’ll give him three barrels of cider early to sell at the store, and if it does well, they’ll make a further deal for the rest. Big Mac is not too happy Applejack made such a deal without consulting Granny Smith first. When Applejack explains to Granny Smith what she did, Granny Smith says no. Applejack doesn’t understand what the difference is because they let them sell zap apple jam. Granny Smith explains that there’s a difference between zap apple jam and apple cider. Zap apple jam keeps for a long time. The cider begins to spoil as soon as it’s out of the press. That’s why they sell cider at the farm, straight from the source.

DIGRESSION ALERT!

About a month ago, my sister ended up dragging our family to some apple orchard that also had a farmer’s market in Colt’s Neck, NJ. There, I tried some freshly-made apple cider for the first time ever. It was so great! I got two cartons, but it was unpasteurized so even refrigerated, it didn’t keep for much more than a week. Later, I came across gallons of apple cider at Wal-Mart and Acme and was able to get some more. Those were pasteurized so they keep for much, much longer. I take it from what Granny Smith has said is that their apple cider isn’t pasteurized. Maybe they don’t even have pasteurization in Equestria. They might not need it. I mean, they got cows walking around where they can get milk straight from the milk tap. That is unless they have beer in Equestria. If they have beer, they probably have pasteurization. You know pasteurization was invented initially to prevent beer from spoiling too quickly. It actually took a while before they started pasteurizing milk.

Digression Concluded. We now return to our regularly scheduled review.

So now Applejack is in quite the pickle. She has to somehow take back the promise she made to Filthy Rich. That’s just bad business. Unless you’re Donald Trump. Big Mac offers his two cents on the matter, but Applejack accuses him of talking so much to avoid ever having to listen to anyone else. Soon enough, they arrive at Filthy Rich’s store where he has already set up a display for the cider.

So, Applejack breaks the news to him that they can’t give him any cider to sell. Filthy doesn’t take too kindly to this. Applejack and Big Mac try to explain, but Filthy just thinks they’re making excuses. In fact, he threatens to stop doing business with them over this. That’s when Applejack decides to lie her way out of this situation. So now she’s Hillary Clinton. She tells Filthy Rich that Granny Smith is sick, and that’s why they’re a bit underhooved at the moment. They didn’t want any of their business partners making any rash decisions based on that. Filthy seems to buy that, and Applejack and Big Mac make their exit.

Big Mac’s not too happy Applejack felt the need to lie her way out of this situation. Applejack feels she had no choice because Filthy Rich was threatening to stop doing business with Sweet Apple Acres.

Big Mac reminds her that she has this problem in the first place because she made promises she couldn’t keep. Either way, Applejack thinks her lie worked to get Filthy Rich off their back. That is until Filthy and Spoiled show up at their door to pay Granny Smith a visit.

Applejack quickly has to hide Granny Smith.

Applejack convinces Granny Smith to go to the barn to count up the sprayers because she thought she left one in the orchard. Meanwhile Big Mac keeps Filthy and Spoiled distracted talking about why he wears his yoke all the time. Applejack ushers them all outside trying to make an excuse for why they can’t see Granny Smith just yet. Then she sees Granny Smith outside the barn and then rushes over and shoves her inside.

In order to distract Granny Smith from Filthy and Spoiled’s presence, Applejack asks her about when she first fought the apple blight. While she’s engrossed in her storytelling, Applejack sneaks away back to Big Mac and the others. Now, Applejack concocts the story that Granny Smith can’t see anyone because she has apple blight, even though it only affects trees. She adds that they had to take her to the hospital, and they had just gotten back when Filthy and Spoiled arrived. None of this dissuades Filthy though. Now, he’s going to go to the hospital to visit Granny Smith. Applejack’s new lie has monumentally failed, but she comes up with a new plan. She goes to Granny Smith and tries to convince her to go to the hospital. She tells her that apple blight is now affecting ponies, and they require her expertise. Amazingly enough, Granny Smith buys this, and they’re off to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, Applejack sees Filthy and Spoiled have already arrived so she sneaks Granny Smith through the back and disguises her with doctor’s scrubs. She finds Filthy and Spoiled and gives them some complicated directions for Granny Smith’s supposed room.

Then, Applejack returns to Granny Smith and shuffles Big Mac along to another room with the excuse that he can’t go because he might be contagious. Here’s Applejack’s plan now. She’s going to have Big Mac lie on hospital gurney with a sheet covering him so he can pretend to be Granny Smith while she brings in Filthy and Spoiled.

Big Mac thinks everything is going to out of control with Applejack’s continued attempts to lie to save face after the failure of her cider idea. Applejack however spells out that this isn’t about her ideas. If Filthy finds out about all the lies, he’ll probably stop doing business with their family and their farm will go under. No one wants that. So, Applejack just has Big Mac lie in the gurney and be quiet for once in his life. Applejack hides Granny Smith in a broom closet when she sees Filthy and Spoiled coming her way. When she brings Filthy and Spoiled to the room with Big Mac in it, she finds that the gurney is gone and is being rolled away somewhere else. She has Filthy and Spoiled follow the gurney. Granny Smith pops out of the broom closet, and Applejack is forced to bring her with her on her search for the gurney. She finds that Big Mac has been rolled into an operating theater.

Granny Smith is apparently mistaken for an actual doctor and starts going into her presentation on apple blight. Mistaking Big Mac’s naturally thick red leg for that of one of a normal-sized pony riddled with apple blight, Granny Smith explains that the only recourse is to prune the branches. So, she gets out what looks to be a bone saw!

This episode is about to take a dark turn!

But Applejack can’t take it anymore! She finally fesses up to everything. It’s Big Mac under the sheet! Granny Smith is not sick! There are no ponies with apple blight! It was all because she felt like no pony was listening to her ideas for running the farm so she made a promise to Filthy Rich that she wasn’t able to keep. She was too embarrassed to admit to Filthy Rich that she couldn’t deliver on her promise to him so she lied. And she kept having to lie to cover up the first lies. All so that Filthy Rich didn’t stop doing business with their farm. But it’s not all Applejack’s fault. Big Mac admits that perhaps all of this wouldn’t have happened if he had just listened to Applejack more and not talked all the time. Granny Smith though reasserts the fact that she’s not going anywhere anytime soon, and neither Big Mac nor Applejack will ever be the running the farm, especially after all this. Granny Smith also warns Filthy that if he ever thought of cutting ties with their farm, she’ll take it up with his grandfather. I see now why Filthy is so afraid of Granny Smith in the present. Wait a minute. Filthy Rich’s grandfather Stinkin’ Rich was like a lot older than a young Granny Smith in the flashback in Season 2’s “Family Appreciation Day”. If he’s still alive at this point, how old must he be? Anyway, I couldn’t understand watching this why they’re even having this conversation in this operating theater. And they still want to hear Granny Smith talk about apple blight when all is said and done.

Back in the present, Apple Bloom learns from this story that everyone makes mistakes on the journey of discovering who they really are. That’s a lesson I can stand behind. She also learned that Granny Smith is the one who really runs Sweet Apple Acres. Granny Smith then tells them all to get back to work after they all have some apple cider, even though it’s already dusk.

And now for another installment of amusing background pony moments!

See that.

It’s Cheerilee in that same get up she had in that old photo from Season 1’s “Call of the Cutie”.

And Big Mac is totally checking her out.

Another point for Cheerimac!

See that.

They’re like those creepy twins from The Shining. This is the second time MLP has referenced The Shining. It was referenced last season in “Make New Friends but Keep Discord”.

The Shining. It’s still a movie I’ve never seen.

Well looky here.

It’s Derpy! A teenaged Derpy! Does the bandage around her eyes mean it was some kind of accident that caused her eyes to get all derped up? I don’t think so. We’ve already seen Derpy as a filly twice, and both times, her eyes are still derped. The first time was in Season 4’s “Pinkie Pride”.

And the second time was earlier this season in "The Cart Before the Ponies".

I imagine her eyes are bandaged for a completely unrelated injury.

This episode was written by Dave Rapp. I was rather surprised that he was writing this episode given the other two episodes he’s written, “Newbie Dash” and “Flutter Brutter”, focused on Rainbow Dash and/or Fluttershy. However, we do see a certain focus on Applejack and Big McIntosh’s relationship as siblings. This is something we also saw in “Flutter Brutter” with Fluttershy and Zephyr Breeze. Perhaps this is also something that shall fall under Mr. Rapp’s purview. Then there’s also the dark turn the episode took towards the end with Granny Smith almost sawing off Big Mac’s leg. As I’ve said before, Mr. Rapp did used to write for the police procedural series Without a Trace. That could be a vestige of when he used to write for that show.

Like I said, this episode was not quite what I expected. I had been expecting a much more emotional episode where we meet Applejack’s parents, and they are confirmed as dead. At least, as much as they could on a Y-rated series. That was mostly because the synopsis said that they’d all end up in the hospital. When I heard that Dave Rapp wrote this episode, that only bolstered my belief that’s what we would be seeing. Like I said, he used to write for Without a Trace. Instead, we got an episode that was a different kind of emotional. It was just hilarious. Frankly, I shouldn’t have expected what I expected initially in the first place. I still have hope though we’ll get to see that in the movie. Like I’ve said before, children’s movies have a lot more leeway with these kinds of things. In fact, the Nostalgia Critic discussed it a bit in a recent video about the PG-rating not having any meaning anymore.

This is the perfect episode for Applejack because it shows her development. Applejack is one of the most put-together characters on the series. She runs her own business and helps raise her family. At times, she’s stubborn and overly competitive and whatever writers try to come up with to attempt to develop her even more. Still, she doesn’t do much development nowadays. So, to have an episode go back and show us how Applejack developed one of most prominent facets of her character, her sense of honesty, is the best way to show Applejack undergoing development. Not only for her though, but also Big Mac. We got a little deeper look at why Big Mac is the strong and silent type. Apparently, he’d just talk and talk to avoid ever having to listen to what anyone was saying. His now taciturn nature is an effort to make sure he’s always listening to others.

This episode also gave us some hint as to chronology of certain things. Those who assume that Applejack’s parents are dead tended to assume that they died right before the events detailed in Season 1’s “The Cutie Mark Chronicles”. It was believed that her parents’ death was the catalyst for Applejack briefly moving to Manehattan. That would require Apple Bloom to have just been born as well. This episode indicates that Applejack was a teenager before or around the time Apple Bloom was born. Some had suggested in the past that Apple Bloom might not have been born yet in “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” as Applejack didn’t even mention her among those she missed. This episode seems to confirm that. Of course, that’s assuming Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara are around the same age. It could be possible that Apple Bloom is a lot older than Diamond Tiara, but if there was a significant difference in their age, I think it would show. Remember how in “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” Fluttershy as a filly was much lankier than the others, and we know she’s a year older than Pinkie Pie. That’s also assuming that Diamond Tiara wasn’t born long before her parents’ engagement. Perhaps, ponies aren’t as scrupulous when it comes to out of wedlock children as some of us still are. Or she could also be from a previous relationship of either Filthy Rich or Spoiled Milk. Also, as I said before, we neither see hide nor hair of Applejack’s parents in this episode. It’s presumed they must have still been alive at the time since Apple Bloom is nowhere to be found either. Then again, Applejack and Big Mac’s discussion over who would eventually run the farm could be a conversation brought on by their parents’ untimely passing. And there’s Granny Smith’s declaration that she’s the one who runs the farm and always will. If Applejack’s parents were still in the picture, would Granny Smith need to be the one who ran the farm? It could also be possible that their parents are already dead, Apple Bloom is less than a year old, and is being cared for by other relatives as nopony on the farm has the opportunity to give her the proper attention she would require at this time. I mean, they are dealing with a blight in this episode. In the end, there are many possibilities regarding this brought up by this episode that are open to consideration.

As for what I didn’t like…. I got nothing. This was a pretty solid episode.

Overall, “Where the Apple Lies” was not what I expected but was still a lot of fun nonetheless. It was ridiculous, but you know in a fun way. It was a most enjoyable way of learning how Applejack became the mare we know and love today.

What did y’all think of “Where the Apple Lies”?

God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless Equestria.

Comments

[Steel Resolve]

Heh, lying makes you Hillary Clinton? Trump isn't exactly honest himself. *sigh* What I wouldn't give for a none of the above option .