Applejack and Rarity having nothing in common is bunk · 11:03pm Mar 8th, 2018
Applejack and Rarity having nothing in common is bunk. It's been paraded about that Applejack and Rarity are friends in spite of having nothing in common (other than breathing air) and how friendships can happen therefore when there is no common ground whatsoever, this is bunk. Total bunk.
Let's review.
-They're both female.
-They're roughly the same age.
-They're both ponies. (In an age where tribe differences no longer matter since Windigoes who feed off prejudice scared ponies into putting aside their racial differences).
-They also... SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE! Yes they have different accents and choice of words, but you can still get across if one asked for a glass or water or warned there was a bear outside.
- They both know the basics of high society (even if AJ ignores those rules on principle).
- Both have little sisters who are about the same age and are friends with each other.
- Both are Elements of Harmony. In other words, bot have a fundamental truth they hold dear to. (Honesty and Generosity.)
- Both faced a trial by fire through the Everfree Forest.
- Both are Ponyville natives.
- In spite of what AJ and Rarity might think of each other, both are hard working hooves on ponies who earn their next meal through their own hard work.
While the two have PLENTY of differences, and plenty of those are BIG ONES, to say that have effectively zero in common is nonsense. Friendships NEED a common ground in order to have somewhere to plant the seed.
I think the fact that there's a good ten year space of time where Rarity and Applejack were the only 2 of the Mane 6 to live in Ponyville is really important. I mean, there's a fairly good chance that Rarity is the only other member of the Mane 6 who has met Pear Butter and Bright Macintosh. That's a pretty good foundation for friendship.
What you said is true. The bigger question is how the Mane 5 interacted before the arrival of Twilight (pre-S1E1). Because many of your points are only valid after the series began. E.g: the Elements of Harmony, or the formation of the CMC.
How differently did Pinkie Pie treat these 4 from all of the other residents of Ponyville? I could believe that she went pranking with RD, bought apples from AJ for Sugarcube Corner, and went to Fluttershy whenever Gummy was I'll. But where was the Pinkie-Rarity connection back then?
The same question holds for Rarity-Dash. I doubt RD would drop by the boutique to get anything she would call "frou frou."
As for Fluttershy... are the Mane 5 the only Ponyville residents who own pets? Shy and RD knew each other in Cloudsdale, but their personalities are nearly diametrically opposites. How, when and why did Rarity start taking trips to the spa together? And if her connection to AJ is their close proximity to the Everfree Forest, wouldn't that be more of a negative than positive? E.g. wouldn't the Apple family be upset if Shy's animals wandered off from her cottage toward the Apple trees? And wouldn't they want Fluttershy to use her "stare" powers to ward off the timberwolves and other Forest creatures?
The series has not mentioned how the Mane 5 we're connected before Twilight arrived, except for the Cutie Mark episode. I hope the new season will rectify this.
The captain obvious similarities are funny, but you bring up a valid point.
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They're not very obvious if no one noticed them.
Don't forget AJ left for Manehattan. What if she never told Rarity because AJ knew Rarity's dream. I can't remember if it's canon or fanon, but what if the two had a falling out because of that? Childish jealousy can be a very powerful thing. That could be why people think they've got nothing in common.