Applejack: There's More to Her than Stubborness and Honesty, A Character Analysis - Part 2 · 8:02am Jan 10th, 2017
Just a quick note: it's recommended but not necessary that you read my last post before you read this one.
In my last blog post, I analyzed Applejack's character weaknesses; in this one I will be discussing her personality strengths. This is not a list of all the reasons why Applejack is my favorite pony (although if anyone is interested, I could certainly share such a list later). This is only a detailed list of her character strengths, which I have written in an attempt to spread realization about how totally awesome she is. Not enough people understand how much goodness lies within Applejack's personality; even those few who do like her often don't take the time to really think about her strength of character. So if you do like Applejack, than I hope this post makes you love her even more. If you don't, then hopefully this post will give you a newfound appreciation for this amazing pony.
Buckle down, y'all. Ah have a lot t' say.
Let's start with the obvious.
1) Honesty. Applejack is, unquestionably, one of the most honest ponies you'll ever meet. And yet she's not blunt and thoughtless in her honesty - she's developed the perfect blend of getting the truth across while avoiding hurting other ponies' feelings. She's perfectly capable of deviating from the truth a little when she needs to reassure a friend. Some people would use this as an excuse to say, "HA! Applejack isn't really honest at all. She's lied to her friends before to make them feel good. That's not honest at all." NO, PEOPLE!!! No! All this means is that Applejack knows the true definition of honesty: being honest means that you can be counted on to tell the truth when it counts; you can be counted on to view the world as fairly and openly as possible. You don't need to always tell the truth to be considered honest, and Applejack knows this, which makes her brand of honesty really unique and admirable. Now, her honesty goes hand-in-hand with another character trait...
2) Trustworthiness. You can always count on AJ, not just to tell the truth, but to always be there for you. To have your back. In one episode, she even refers to herself as the most dependable pony in Ponyville. Not to boast - she's merely stating the honest truth. She will always be watching out for you, protecting you, and asks for nothing in return except friendship. Not only is Applejack the most honest pony in town, she's also one of the most reliable. I could name quite a few episodes where this trait is showcased, but I won't, because that list would go on forever.
3) This trait is not really mentioned in the show but is incredibly obvious upon some careful thought: Applejack is a master at reading situations!! She knows exactly what any situation calls for and always knows exactly how to fix it. Think about it: she is always the first to offer an apology, or a cheer, or an encouraging pep talk, or even a scolding. She always knows exactly what to say and do, and she is the first to say and do it. Why is she the first? Because...
4) She is one of those rare people (or ponies, in this case) who has the ability to look deep into your character and understand everything about you. She knows you. She gets you. Applejack seems to have a deep connection to all of her friends; she is the glue that holds the group together, the one who is so attached to them that she instinctively knows what hurts them and what they need to hear to make them feel better. This is why she is usually the first to speak up: she is the first to even bother considering how everyone else is feeling. She is the first to truly care.
5) This trait is connected to the one above: Applejack is brilliant at making ponies feel happy. She's just as good as Pinkie is at encouraging and cheering up other ponies. Think about it - all of the strange and sometimes poorly thought out things she does are for her friends and family... to make them happy, to make them feel loved, to comfort them. She would probably go to hell and back to cheer up a friend in need. And ponies don't keep secrets from her: they're not at all hesitant to come to her with their problems, because they know she'll be able to bolster their spirits.
6) Applejack has the ability to love wholeheartedly and forever. This mare has a big heart, one of the biggest that can be found in Ponyville. Losing her parents at an early age, it seems, made her realize how much you need to treasure the ponies who are still with you. And treasure them she does: I can't even count the number of times she's given up her own personal welfare just to save her family and friends from some terrible fate. She throws herself into the fire, over and over, out of love. Her love is not overly passionate or in-your-face; it is patient, steady, and warm - the best kind.
7) This brings up another point: Applejack's selflessness. Out of the Mane Six, Applejack is unquestionably the least selfish. Part of this is certainly because she has so much love for her family and friends that her first concern is always how she can help them, rather than herself.
Here's a quote from The Ticket Master.
Applejack: Drummin' up business for the farm?
Rainbow Dash: A chance to audition for the Wonderbolts?
Applejack: Money t' fix Granny's hip.
Rainbow Dash: Living the dream.
Case in point. All Applejack wants is to get money to help her family. Her personal welfare didn't come into that conversation once.
8) The Ticket Master also revealed another of Applejack's key traits - generosity. She had the most legit reason to go to the Gala, and yet she was the first to give up the ticket! (Incidentally, part of this was because she loved her friend far too much to continue stressing her out. See? When I said Applejack loved wholeheartedly, I meant it).
9) That episode revealed yet another personality trait. Applejack knows when she makes mistakes and is willing to rectify them! We all know how hard it is to own up to our own mistakes. I mean, come on. We have to force apologies off our tongues. It's human nature. But look at Applejack. It just seems to come naturally to her! When she messes up, she realizes it right away, and isn't scared to own up to what she did. If that's not admirable, then I don't know what is.
10) Humility is a less obvious character trait of Applejack's, but it's been a part of her personality from day one. Oh, sure, she boasts sometimes. I remember she once had a conversation with Rainbow about athleticism. She assured Rainbow that she was a great athlete... and then said that she herself was better. Moments like these make Applejack seem prideful and cocky. Really, the exact opposite is true. I'm going to approach this in a slightly roundabout way: do we ever see Applejack trying to be something she's not? Well? Do we? She knows who she is. She knows what she wants. She's an apple farmer, and she's good at running a farm, and she knows it. I know I said in my last post that Applejack seems to have a very high opinion of herself - which is true. But she doesn't flaunt it. She doesn't go around trying to do things that are above her capabilities just to show how highly she thinks of herself. She never even talks about her own prowess on the farm, even though she knows she's a brilliant farmer. That sure sounds like humility to me!
11) I can almost guarantee that you've never thought of this personality trait before... wittiness. Yes, Applejack is witty. We all know she has a snarky streak. But think about it a little more, and you'll realize that her wittiness is actually insanely perfect. Applejack has mastered the technique of delivering sarcastic comments without hurting other ponies' feelings! In fact, her comments are often deliberately delivered in order to add a touch of humor to the situation, while gently reminding ponies when they're being silly without making them feel too stupid. Consider this one:
Rarity: How in Equestria can she think that tiny patch of clouds is Cloudsdale?
Applejack: The same way he got you to think that cheap rock was a bona fide diamond.
Wow. Just wow. Perfect delivery, perfect everything. AJ's wittiness is definitely a strength...
12) ... And so is her cleverness. Yes, I said cleverness. People tend to think Applejack isn't the smartest apple in the barrel just because she's a country bumpkin. Where did that hideous stereotype even come from? The actual dictionary definition of clever is: 1) quick to apply, understand, learn, or devise ideas, or 2) skilled with one's hands, talented. That sounds like Applejack to me. If you need more proof, then just consider what an incredible businesswoman (er, businesspony) she is. When Flutttershy became a model Applejack was sharp enough to instantly capitalize on 'Shy's popularity in order to further her own business. We know she has lots of ideas, as evidenced in Apple Family Reunion. She's good at what she does, she's passionate and smart about what she does, and has a sharp wit to boot. Ergo, Applejack is clever.
13) AJ's outgoing and entirely un-pessimistic (is that a word?) Even when things are lookin' down, she never, ever gives up. I don't even need to give any proof for that one.
14) Applejack is content. And it's incredible. She hasn't had an easy life; her parents are gone; she has had to take care of her whole family and the farm from a young age; she has to worry about a lot of things such as money as well as being an Element of Harmony. But through it all, she's content. We never hear AJ complain about her lot in life. She stoically accepts everything as it comes - she's one of those rare ponies who can see the silver lining in any cloud.
15) I am fully aware that I explicitly cited stubbornness as a character flaw in my last post. But it's a strength, too. Stubbornness is normally viewed only as a flaw, but in reality it can be both. Applejack has used her stubbornness to her advantage many times to get what she wants (which is definitely what makes her so good at dealing with business) She's stubborn; she's as sharp as a tack; I have no problem picturing her taking charge of all of Equestria.
16) Applejack is mature and stable. I'm putting these two together because they're both very similar. She's had to grow up faster than she should have; she knows what it's like to experience loss. Loss automatically brings about maturity. Not to mention that she's stable by nature - Applejack isn't reckless and impulsive, at least not usually. Rather, she's thoughtful, practical and logical. She thinks things through deeply, which is another sign of maturity. Additionally, she's the only one of the Mane Six who hasn't had a major meltdown (I'm not counting sleep deprivation. That totally doesn't count). Her stability could partially stem from the nature of her life on the farm. Things are the same every day. There's little excitement, and Applejack likes it that way; she's usually content to leave the adventure, emotional meltdowns, and temper tantrums to better suited ponies.
17) AJ is supportive. If you want something, she'll help you get it, and she'll be there for you every step of the way. Enough said.
18) Courage... usually attributed to Rainbow Dash, but just as present in Applejack. She wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice herself for a friend, like when she stepped forward to save Spike from the timberwolves without a second thought for her own safety. Also, she's brave enough to be honest... honesty takes a special kind of bravery, as we all know. Plus, remember this?
Dear Princess Celestia: Ah didn't learn anythin'! HA! Ah was right all along!
C'mon, it had to have taken guts to say that to a Princess - especially a Princess who had specially requested to be written to only when a friendship lesson had been learned!
19) Applejack is loyal. Fiercely loyal. Sometimes even more than Rainbow Dash. Remember when she abandoned her friends and ran away to make money so she could be loyal to her town by giving them the money they needed? Sounds like a paradox, but if you think about it everything really just boils down to loyalty in Applejack's mind.
20) She's kind, too. Yes, yes, she calls Fluttershy's animals 'thievin' little varmints', and her sarcasm is occasionally heavily pointed. But she is capable of such emotion, such depth of character, that I can't help but admire it. She's docile, friendly, warm, compassionate, and understanding (I could keep going - I have about a billion more adjectives I could use here - but I won't).
21) Applejack is a leader and a problem solver, not to mention a handy fixer-upper, thanks to her years of hard work on the farm. All of these traits are connected - problem solving and... fixing-upping?... are an important part of being a leader. Due to Applejack's modesty, however, she usually prefers to leave the leading to someone else (namely, Twilight). However, many ponies still often turn to Applejack for advice, because she has a wise head on her shoulders and a thoughtful approach to solving problems.
22) Oh, yeah. Thoughtfulness - there's another strength, one that I wish I had. Applejack is (usually) a very cautious character. She's learned that jumping into a course of action without thinking about it first can have drastic consequences, and thus is more of a thinker than a doer.
23) Rainbow Dash, pay attention.
Applejack is a good sport. A very good sport. She likes to win just as much as the next pony (Dash, I'm looking at you). But if she doesn't win? No biggie. Also, when Dash and Pinkie played a prank on her, she laughed along with them instead of flipping out. This is just another part of her easygoing nature that makes her so likable.
24) Oh, Applejack, how we need more of your empathy in this world... Ponies turn to her for advice, ponies trust her, because they know she will be able to sympathize with them. She won't criticize you without trying to understand your motives first; she has enough patience to take time to put herself in other ponies' shoes. This empathy leads to another valuable trait: AJ is the diplomat of the group; the one who breaks up every argument (unless she's in the argument. Then she just wants to win). She's always the first to step between two ponies when they're fighting; she's always the first to suggest that everyone calm down and think for a while.
25) Rarity, it's your turn to listen. Take notes, please. Another of AJ's character strengths is that she's not scared to get dirty. Does this mean she's uncouth? NO. It means she's fun-loving, easy-going, in control. It means she loves the great outdoors. This occasionally rough-and-tumble pony doesn't mind getting covered in grape juice... for fun. For fun, I tell you! How cool is that?
26) In fact, I'm gonna refer to that as another character strength: her easygoing nature. Applejack is so laid-back that she couldn't lay back further if she tried (that was actually the worst pun I've ever made).
27) I mentioned trustworthiness a while ago. A character strength that goes hand-in-hand with this is protectiveness. You can always count on AJ to have your back (even if she occasionally takes things a little too far). There have been multiple instances throughout the show where Applejack has been seen trying to protect Applebloom from various dangers, not to mention her friends...
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28) ... She's loyal, too. When she calls herself the loyalest and most dependable pony in Ponyville, she means it. Applejack will stay by your side through thick and thin - and, additionally, expects nothing back in return, which is the true definition of loyalty. Loyalty requires no reward other than the knowledge that you can always be there for your friends, and knowing this is prize enough for Applejack.
29) AJ is persevering and hard-working. Once she had her sights set on something, she's darn well going to get it. In an argument, she'll clobber you with her sheer determination.
30) Last but not least, Applejack is self-confident. She's humble, sure, but not at the expense of confidence in her own abilities. She's a strong mare who knows exactly what she wants out of life... and boy, is she going to get it. Her self-confidence manifests itself in every aspect of her character, which is why I saved it for last. It's in the way she talks; the way she competes. It's in the way she has complete faith in her own ability to win. It's in her eyes and in the proud way she crosses her legs. It's in the way she attacks every problem with graceful ease. Watch one of her episodes and you'll see what I'm talking about.
So there you have it. I could probably keep going, but I won't, because a) I'm tired and b) you're probably bored out of your mind by now. Applejack is as loyal as Rainbow, as generous as Rarity, as kind as Fluttershy, and as warm as Pinkie. She is unique in that she possesses aspects of all of the characters as well as her own character quirks. Her complex personality is full of generally unseen depths; little pockets of surprising emotion and gentleness. I hope this article has been enlightening, whether or not you like Applejack. Please leave a review and tell me your thoughts! See y'all next time!
A really exhaustive examination of Applejack's character. The only thing I might suggest would be that the positive aspect of stubbornness is not more stubbornness, but perhaps steadfastness.
Great post btw.
Thanks so much, glad you liked it. And thanks for the suggestion;)
Again, nailed it! Like I said, I like Applejack and these points just adds to it. It's just that she's dull compared to the rest of the cast. Still, I'm gonna have to think about this...
Hmm... Perhaps I could get your thoughts on the other character blogs I've done?
Yay! I hope I made you like her a bit more. :) sure, who not? I'll go check them out now. :)
Once again you nailed it, I've noticed thru out the show that you see her show off more than just her honesty, I always seen her as the foundation for the mane 6 the one they can always rely on, who will be there if they need her, always willing to help others, and she could easily represent the elements of kindness and loyalty, Applejack has been my favorite since season one and after reading both of your posts on her I just love her even more.
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Thank you! Glad you liked them both.
Absolutely agreeing with every word! One problem...you do realize you mentioned that she is loyal twice, right?
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Thanks! You know what, I realized that like a month after posting but I've been too lazy to fix it