Well.

I liked this episode!

Admittedly Applejack should've made "no wings" an explicit rule from the get-go instead of bringing it up after she lost. Even so though, you'd think Dash would've respected the fact that A.J. doesn't have wings and that this gives Dash an unfair edge.

---

Now that I'm going into analysis mode, I did think about two things not related to the "turning points" I mentioned before.

One, Applejack wants to raise money for Ponyville, but after she reveals the truth... she heads home moneyless. Why didn't she and the Mane Six just stay at the cherry factory and keep working with her to help build up the money faster?

Two, Rainbow Dash I can see pulling a wagon... but Fluttershy? I mean I guess they figured they might need to fly at some point, but she was honestly the last pony I could see being a wagon-puller (I know, she pulled a wagon in "Feeling Pinkie Keen", but that was to cart a lot of frogs around and didn't necessarily demand speed. This would've been physically taxing for her). Only thing I can figure is, they must've guessed they'd need flight at some point... or else Fluttershy was just in that state of mind.

@Applejack Pony: To be honest Applejack Pony I think most people liked this episode. I think most people like the episodes. It is just that some people. . .like me are loud and obnoxious with their dislike. I'm sorry, if I've been a problem and making you feel terrible.

I guess I should just stop, if it is really making people feel bad.

edited 21st Jan '12 8:18:48 AM by Mio

That's it! AJ wanted to win PRIZE money. So she stretched herself too thin and tried to win EVERY event rather than focusing on one or to things (in an attempt to maximise the amount of money she would've won)

When I heard Derpy, I went OH OH OH OH OH OH OH and pointed at the screen while spazzing out.

Fluttershy tends to switch to Badass mode when her friend are involved, so I'm guessing that chasing down AJ qualified.

@Ginger: That's the same thing I though. I mean, she apparently got in the top five or so in every event in what's apparently a national competition.

edited 21st Jan '12 8:19:44 AM by JapaneseTeeth

Derpy's voice kind of annoyed me, but this episode had what I had been wanting. Previous uses of characterization used in familiar yet new ways.

oh, so only a few people disliked it? that's still a little shocking in my book. //

Yea, this among my fave season 2 episodes now. oh, and i heard about the pinkie donkey episode. that guy sounds like a jackass.

Agreed; I really like the way they developed Applejack. It's actually pretty similar to Applebuck season; her greatest fear is letting other ponies down.

edited 21st Jan '12 8:20:28 AM by JapaneseTeeth

They have been solidifying the world for a while, though, so yeah few things in the episode surprised me. Well, except for Derpy being canonized. There goes the 'Where's Derpy' game.

Applejack is a character whose identity is wrapped up in being good at what she does and dependable, so it totally makes sense for her to refuse to come back home when she loses. She does need to learn that her family and friends value her for who she is even when she's not always awesome or fails them - not making other people worry is also an important aspect in relationships. I can also understand her friends freaking out and pestering her. Just disappointed that the big gun is sicking Pinkie onto them instead of, oh I don't know, Applebloom.

@Applejack Pony - Are you sure you're not misreading people's reactions? I know I've been analyzing it and saying it marks a turning point... but that IS NOT the same as saying "its a horrible episode." Far from it, in fact. Give people a chance.

Applebuck season seemed to be more about letting HERSELF down. That one was pride based. (but her unwavering desire to help others only compounded the problem)

This one, yes, definitely about not letting others down.

edited 21st Jan '12 8:22:44 AM by gingerninja666

So, according to my friend, Derpy is speaking like a person with Down's Syndrome.

Well then.

Again, as I keep having to say, you have to make adjustments for media induced restraints, in this case, yes there grilling AJ went a bit hard a bit quick, but it HAD to due to media restrictions, in this case as in so many others, time. I'm sure if there was time to show it the Mane 6 would have started slower and took more time to try and talk it out before setting into some of the stuff they did.

Secondly, even then they were concerned, if one of your best friends suddenly moved away, completely changed, and you could tell there was something wrong they needed help with, wouldn't you do everything you could to find out what was wrong so you could help them? Sometimes to be a friend you need to help other friends even when they don't want it, same theory as behind an intervention, sometimes you just have to resort to Tough Love. Especially if said friend has a habit of keeping there problems to themselves until they grow much much bigger then they should be allowed to, the Mane Cast knew AJ well enough to know that if she wasn't willing to talk about it, it meant it was problably something that she really needed help with but would never ask for, so they knew what steps they had to take.

I think they both have measures of the same thing; Applebuck season just leaned more to the personal end of the scale.

edited 21st Jan '12 8:23:57 AM by JapaneseTeeth

@AJP: Don't go brony, you need us, and we need you to take care of yourself!

I enjoyed the episode, flaws and all anyways.

Sad Mac needs a hug too.

edited 21st Jan '12 8:24:46 AM by AceOfScarabs

I think Applejack's version of letting herself down is letting other people down, in a way, Ginger.

That's AJ's problem. She's the element of honesty.

Why does she go to such extreme lengths to keep her word?

She doesn't want to make herself a liar.

Ooooh, I like that!

On the subject of Derpy... I honestly don't mind how they characterized her, or her voice. I just hope they don't start shoehorning her into every episode, because so far the only personality we've seen is that she's a Master Of Disaster, and such a one-note character (or should I say "a one-trick pony"?) would get grating after the second or third time you see her.

Unless they actually develop her somehow.

Finally...shit, I was expecting things to be annnoyingly cynical here.

(has been reading the past several pages of raging and capslocking and other shenanigans)

...This is why I don't post in this topic even though I love this show. You guys take everything so seriously that it's taking all the fun out of discussing the show. That and reading all of the overblown raging is just exhausting.

(shuffles back off to Yack Fest)

Huh? Only a couple of us here are that exciteable.

Well you do get that sucky feeling when you make a promise and find out you can't keep it.

But i'm still keeping headcannon that Derpy is just a nickname.

And as said, sure she didn't actaully WIN any of the competitions, but she came in in the top 5 for ALL of them, and according to Cherry Jubilee won more ribbons then she'd seen any pony win in one rodeo, so while she's not the absolute best at one thing, shes incredibly good at a whole lot of things, which is better since it prevents Crippling Overspecialization