Applebuck Season
| Applebuck Season | |
| Generation 4 | Season 1 | Episode 4 | |
| My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic | |
| |
| Original Airdate | November 5, 2010 |
| Writer(s) | Amy Keating Rogers |
| Director(s) | Jayson Thiessen |
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Synopsis
Applejack and Big McIntosh stand on a hill, overlooking the the family farm -- Sweet Apple Acres. Big McIntosh is injured, and unable to help harvest the apples. Applejack promises to harvest all the apples by herself, despite Big McIntosh's repeated attempts to get her to go find some help.
Later, cows stampede through Ponyville, causing chaos. Applejack, along with her dog Winona, diverts the stampede. The cows explain that one of them saw a snake and they all panicked. Impressed by Applejack's reliability, the townsponies hold a ceremony in her honor. Twilight Sparkle attempts to deliver a speech, and is interrupted by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, who each excitedly announce that Applejack will be helping them with various tasks in the near future. Lastly, Twilight Sparkle is interrupted by the mayor stepping up to give a speech of her own. Applejack herself arrives late, yawning frequently and with bags under her eyes. She comments on her reflection in the trophy she is being given, making various odd faces at it. Pinkie Pie joins her, and they make faces together. Then Applejack slowly drags the trophy home, while Twilight comments on Applejack's odd behavior.
Later, Twilight Sparkle decides to go to Sweet Apple Acres to talk to Applejack. Applejack explains that it's Applebuck Season - the season when the apples must be harvested. When Twilight Sparkle asks why Applejack's rather large family isn't out picking apples with her, the latter explains they were only in town for the family reunion. Applejack then turns down Twilight Sparkle's offer of help.
Applejack, having promised to help out her friends, shows up late for her appointment with Rainbow Dash. Applejack's task is to jump from a platform onto one end of a catapult, launching Rainbow Dash into the air to practice flips and spins. Her vision blurry from fatigue, Applejack keeps missing her end of the catapult. On her final attempt, she does land on the catapult, launching a startled Rainbow Dash with much more force than intended. Rainbow Dash lands on Twilight Sparkle's balcony. Twilight Sparkle guesses that Applejack was involved and returns to Sweet Apple Acres to once again offer help. Applejack has difficulty hearing after hitting her head on a branch, but declines.
Afterwards, Applejack goes to bake muffins with Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner. Applejack is once again having difficulty hearing, and misunderstands her friend's instructions: she substitutes potato chips for chocolate chips, soda pop for baking soda, a cup of sour lemon juice for a cup of flour, and earthworms for wheat germ. Pinkie Pie then gives the muffins to various townsponies, who get sick from eating them. Spike eats some as well, and seems to enjoy them, due to how different a dragon's digestion is from a pony's.
For her final task, Applejack meets Fluttershy in the forest to round up baby bunnies for Fluttershy's rabbit census. Fluttershy tells Applejack to be gentle, but Applejack's rough attitude and Winona's barking scare the bunnies. Applejack and Winona corner the terrified bunnies, who freak out and stampede into Ponyville, where they eat most of the town's plants, ruin the town’s gardens, and make Fluttershy's census impossible to finish. Seeing this, Twilight Sparkle decides enough is enough and goes to confront Applejack once and for all.
At the orchard, Twilight Sparkle tells Applejack that her stubbornness caused as many problems with her friends as with her, and that she really needs help. Applejack thinks she's finally finished harvesting, asking Big McIntosh "How do you like them apples?". The view then pans to show a large number of trees with unpicked apples on them, as Big McIntosh asks "How do you like them apples?". Applejack then faints from surprise and exhaustion. When she wakes back up, Twilight Sparkle tells her that, although she respects the Apple family ways, Applejack must put a little of her stubborn pride aside. Applejack finally admits to needing help, much to Twilight Sparkle's surprise.
Twilight Sparkle is then seen writing a letter to her mentor, Princess Celestia, about how, as nice as it is to help others, it's also important to accept your own limits and ask for help when needed.
At the end of the episode, Applejack is seen harvesting apples with Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy. When the friends take a break, Applejack serves them apple juice, thanking them and apologizing for causing so much trouble. Spike comes by to offer them the worm-filled muffins he found in the garbage, and the disgusted ponies walk off as the episode ends.
Episode Cast
Main
Supporting
Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Big McIntosh, Spike
Cameo
Princess Celestia, Rarity, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Mayor Mare, Minuette, Derpy, Sea Swirl
External Links
