An Odyssey to Canterlot: Apple Family Reunion

Dear Princess Luna...

This should be the 'Applejack episode.' This character was one of my favorites from Season 1, and she had a strong start in Season 3, acting in a leadership role. Unfortunately her actions since then have been mostly lackluster, and bordering on 'What the hell?' with her withholding info about her cousin (which led to said cousin becoming a rampaging bully). Now that it's her turn in the spotlight, things should improve. =]

It has apparently been 'almost one-hundred moons' since the last Apple family reunion, which we saw in the very first episode of the series. I'm not too familiar with what 'moons' as a unit of time refers to, if it's days, that would only mean 13~ weeks have passed since then, so that's not right, so it must refer to the moon's phases going from full to full, which I think takes almost a month in our time, but that seems like it wouldn't work either, right? Since that would put it at 100~ months? So, it might refer to each quarter of the moon (new, waxing, waning, full, etc.), which would put it at almost two years. That seems about right. Which would also mean it's been almost two years and the Cutie Mark Crusaders still don't have their marks, no wonder they get so obsessed with them, and it was a year or so before Trixie showed back up, etc.

The Apple family reunion is coming up and Granny Smith has apparently been talking about the last one non-stop. She asks Apple Bloom who all is coming, apparently everypony is coming, with RSVPs from their relatives in Yonder Hill, Hollow Shades, Galloping Gorge, Foal Mountain, Fillydelphia, Tall Tale Town, Appleoosa, and Manehattan. Apple Bloom is excited for the latter, Babs Seed is coming, so we should get to see her again, yay. Granny Smith is not so excited about so many Apples coming, remarking that they'll need to get a bigger cider trough.

At their dining table, Big Mac hauls in a wheelbarrow full of more RSVPs, Granny remarks that the Apple family has grown tenfold since the last reunion, and her grandchildren all volunteer to help with the reunion. Granny Smith thanks them, saying she's a 'little rustier in the giddy-up' since the last get together, while pulling on her face, which returns to its wrinkled look shortly after. Applejack volunteers to take over the reunion duties so Granny Smith can just worry about enjoying herself, and asks Granny to just tell her what needs to be done. Granny says she'll do better than that, she'll show Applejack.

Granny Smith has busted out a photo album to show Applejack and Apple Bloom. It is apparently tradition that they have reunions every 100 moons, ever since they settled in Ponyville. Apple Bloom points to a picture in the book, which is of their great-great-auntie Applesauce, but that's not her real name. All the ponies started calling her Applesauce because her teeth fell out while she was making apple jam, and, disturbingly, they never found them.

The next photo is of Granny Smith next to Applesauce and two other Apples, working on a quilt they've worked on every reunion. Granny Smith wanted to help but apparently didn't know much about sewing, as she pulls the thread straight through then scowled and uttered, "Fingle fangle!" as the others laughed.

Applejack starts doing a list of what she'll need for the quilt, then acts surprised that they've been working on it since the first reunion and it's never been finished. You'd think Applejack should have heard these stories by now, she's got to be at least a teenager.

The next photo is much more modern and the tale it tells is about a baby Applejack eating plates full of apple fritters, which was how they figured out Applejack has the appetite of a full-grown stallion.

The next photo/tale, Granny Smith and her favorite cousin, Apple Rose, compete in the seven legged race. They competed every reunion, and never won, but they had fun, which is the important part.

At the end of every reunion, they take a photo in front of the barn to see how much the family has grown.

Pretty small gathering, despite the Family Appreciation Day episode showing tons of Apples traveling together. Guess they weren't all able to make it.

Granny Smith says she's looking forward to more memories they'll make at this reunion, especially since the whole family is coming. Applejack looks out the door in reflection as she realizes that since they might not have this opportunity again where everypony is available, the burden of providing a good time rests even heavier upon her shoulders. Two shooting stars streak past in the night sky, for some reason,

Applejack says she's going to make sure this is the most memorable reunion ever. Now, that can mean it will be super awesome, or a complete disaster.

Applejack and Apple Bloom both can't sleep. Applejack is obsessing over her planning, and Apple Bloom is so eager to see Babs again and play with her. Applejack says she's going to make the most out of being given the 'reins' to the reunion, and has so many things planned Apple Bloom won't get a moment's rest. Apple Bloom passes out in Applejack's bed, and Applejack tells her sleeping sister that the reunion will be worth the wait.

The next morning, Applejack wakes up Apple Bloom and they begin their preparations. They buck apples down from the trees, even Apple Bloom helps.

Applejack hits up Rarity for some fabrics for the quilt.

Applejack has picked up some more supplies and Pinkie Pie provides honey, and of course the gluttonous Pinkie has to eat some herself, and then she throws a bucket of that golden glitter stuff we saw in One Bad Apple, which lands all over Applejack.

Rainbow Dash brings over a personal storm cloud and jumps on it to fill buckets of water, drenching Applejack in the process.

Applejack gets hit by lightning from the cloud, shocking both of them, and Rainbow whistles innocently.

Big Mac chops up and arranges firewood for the cooking fires.

Applejack uses Spike as a lighter/flamethrower to get the fires lit.

Applejack makes a few last-second preparations, and the Apple family begins to arrive. The Apples come in wagons, carriages, on foot, and one family even comes in an airship.

The Apples begin to greet each other as old friends reunite and the kids start running amok. Disturbingly, Hayseed Turnip Truck, who was the slack-jawed yokel that upset Rarity in Sweet and Elite, is apparently part of the Apple family, I guess he could have married one. Applejack gets on the loudspeaker to welcome everypony and get the events started: an obstacle course for the young'uns and fritter making and quilting for the older ponies.

Apple Bloom is upset because she can't find Babs, but she's there.

Aww.

Both of them think of the other as their favorite cousin, and that although it hadn't been long since they had seen each other, it felt like forever. Babs is also still doing that thing with blowing her hair, too. Babs has apparently started at a new school, but Applejack interrupts the two, telling them to go the obstacle course, and that there will be plenty of time for family bonding during a race against their other cousins. Apple Bloom and Babs are not amused.

Apparently, we don't get to see this obstacle course and it instead cuts to the seven-legged race. Babs sees a flag way in the distance up a hill and is alarmed at that being the finish line. Applejack merrily replies that that is merely a marker for the first leg of the race, because she put something together they will never forget. Seems to be heading towards that 'disastrous' infamous memory.

After the race, the participants, who as you can see above are all the 'little kid' type ponies, will have to bob for apples, run around trees fifty times until they are dizzy, jump wooden hurdles, then balance spinning plates on their head while saying, "Pappy pony picked a pluck of prickly plum puckers." The last pony standing wins. Apple Bloom speaks for the rest by asking, "Seriously?" and the race begins soon after. Applejack apparently can't see how insane her activities for little kids are.

Apple Bloom and Babs take the lead but are soon getting tired, and they aren't even at the first marker yet. Applejack leaves them to go check on the quilt, apparently content with letting these little ponies run a marathon without any supervision.

Three Apple matriarchs, Granny Smith, Applesauce, and Apple Rose, are looking at Applesauce's new teeth. They start giggling about a story six reunions ago involving Applesauce's parasol and a piñata.

Applejack arrives with the quilt and Granny Smith asks where their rocking chairs are. Applejack says she got rid of them so she'd have room for sewing machines - this reunion they will finish the quilt. The three elderly ponies don't seem too thrilled about this, but eventually get to work.

The foals (that's what they're called right, their newspaper was the Foal Free Press?) have finished or given up on the race, moved passed bobbing for apples, and are doing their laps around the tree. Babs asks about Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom says they are great, then is so dizzy she goes flying and faceplants on the ground.

Applejack catches Big Mac eating apple fritters he was helping to make and he runs away. Two mares are chatting and catching up (the green and white maned one has eight children apparently, including one named Apple Tart) while making the fritters and Applejack scolds them and tells them to speed up the assembly line for she wants everypony to taste the 'best darn fritters in Equestria.'

The foals have moved to the last event, the plate spinning. I believe Apple Bloom had this as one of her cutie marks in The Cutie Pox. Babs gives us an update on the expansion of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, there are two blank flanks at her new school and they want to be Crusaders. They both can't feel their tongues after repeating Applejack's tongue twister so much.

Applejack calls out a break, and the Apples collapse, thankful for a respite. Babs should probably be the winner, as she caught her plate instead of letting it hit the ground.

Applejack tries to take photos for the album, but doesn't find anything memorable, and tells herself she needs to kick it up a notch.

Apple Bloom and Babs relax behind some hay bales to try and talk, Applejack finds them and sends them towards a hay ride. At the hay ride, Applejack says that every reunion they have a nice and relaxing hay ride around the farm. This year, she's changing it up a bit.

Applejack kicks the wagon and it goes tearing across the field, jarring the passengers as it hits rocks.

Granny Smith asks where Applejack is sending them and wonders if it's the west orchard. Big Mac looks and says, "Yup." Granny Smith says she was joking and that they stopped tilling those fields since the trees filled up with- All sweaty, Applejack has ran ahead of the hay ride and kicks the trees in the west orchard, sending swarms of fruit bats into the air, forming a rainbow over the hay ride.

Fruit bats probably came from Everfree Forest, notorious for the crazy things that dwell within, or perhaps Twilight Sparkle or some other unicorn fouled up when using magic. The fruit bats see the fruit on Applesauce's hat and begin doing strafing runs at the wagon.

The wagon heads towards the barn and Apple Bloom yells for everypony to bail as the drivers/pullers detach and leap aside. The wagon smashes into the barn and destroys it. (Possibly the same barn they were raising in Too Many Pinkies) So Applejack's insanity has not only demoralized her family members and worn them out, it has not done property damage.

Applejack fights back tears then pulls her hat over her face in shame.

Apple Bloom and Granny Smith join Applejack by the ruined barn, and Applejack laments that all her plans are ruined. Apple Bloom says that may be a good thing. Granny Smith explains to the enraged Applejack that she had them all so caught up in doing things, they haven't had time to enjoy it with the ponies they are doing it with. The other Apples agree, and tears well up in Applejack's eyes as she says Granny Smith charged her with making memories, and the only thing they will remember is it was the worst reunion ever.

Granny Smith tells her there's still time to make good memories, Applejack just needs to give them a chance to make them. Applejack immediately thinks of the family photo, then remembers she just destroyed the barn. She announces she has one more activity, and Granny Smith immediately begins to scold her, but Applejack says it will be one they remember for all the right reasons.