Big McIntosh

Big McIntosh is Applejack's and Apple Bloom's older brother and part of the Apple family. He makes his debut in the first episode, during which he idly walks in Ponyville the moment Twilight Sparkle first arrives. Later, Applejack introduces him during the Apple family reunion, although he has no speaking roles until the fourth episode, Applebuck Season. He is soft-spoken and laconic, and often replies with a simple "eeyup" or "nnope". He is first called by the nickname Big Mac in The Cutie Pox.

Development, design, name
Big McIntosh's original name was Big Apple, but it was changed at the request of Hasbro's legal department. The new name alludes to the McIntosh variety of apple, which is mostly red with green streaks on its skin. The name was spelled "Big Macintosh" on early merchandise packaging, but in mid-2012 the spelling was changed to "Big McIntosh", the same spelling used on both deviantART and Twitter by the show's developer, Lauren Faust, and four times out of five on Twitter by one of the show's writers, M.A. Larson. In the credits for Apple Family Reunion he is listed as "Big Macintosh". His name is also spelled "Big Macintosh" in a parody/promo from The Hub in February 2013. Little, Brown's My Little Pony Friendship is Magic official guidebook My Little Pony: The Elements of Harmony and the IDW comics' and  all spell his name "Big McIntosh".

Big McIntosh's design ("size and furry fetlocks") is inspired by G1 Big Brother Ponies. His appearance is that of a draft horse: His tail is cropped, a common practice with work horses to prevent it becoming tangled in the harness or cart shafts, and he wears a work horse collar in almost all his appearances in the show, including the younger version of him in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, the only exception being when he is disguised as male Applejack in Magic Duel. He is generally seen with a sprig of wheat hanging out of the side of his mouth. He and Applejack have similar large, light freckles on their cheeks. During some shots in Friendship is Magic, part 1, Winter Wrap Up, Sisterhooves Social, MMMystery on the Friendship Express, Spike at Your Service, Just for Sidekicks, and Magical Mystery Cure, his cutie mark is depicted with six-pointed white stars around the apple which are not present in most of the show's shots or in the toy line; an image from the development of the mobile game states that stars are not part of his cutie mark design. As with most stallions his size in the show, his hooves are colored differently than his coat.

Faust noted in a comment on her deviantArt page that an idea for a Big McIntosh-centered episode was pitched to Hasbro but was turned down. The episode revolved around Big McIntosh gently keeping the peace in the Apple homestead, with a running gag that his sisters and Granny Smith are very verbose while he only responds with facial expressions.

Personality
Big McIntosh has a rather calm and easy-going demeanor in contrast with that of his sister, Applejack. He is a pony of few words and, like the rest of his family, he speaks with a Missouri Ozarks-like accent. He tends to answer questions or reaffirm things with a taciturn "eeeyup" or "nnope". He is hard to agitate, although he scolds the Cutie Mark Crusaders for publishing harmful gossip about Applejack and him in Ponyville Confidential and is quick to agree with Cheerilee's disciplining the scheming Crusaders in Hearts and Hooves Day. He has a practical sort of wisdom; for example, he advises Applejack against single-handedly harvesting all the apples in Applebuck Season.

His close bond with his sister is evident in The Last Roundup; he tears up when he learns of Applejack's note saying that she won't be returning to Ponyville.

He is humorously involved in the "want it, need it" spell fiasco in Lesson Zero, becoming infatuated with and refusing to relinquish Twilight's enchanted raggedy Smarty Pants doll. Many other Ponyville citizens also fall prey to the spell and dog-pile Big Mac, but he throws them off in a cartoonish explosion. Once the spell is lifted from the doll, he still runs off with it. The episode Ponyville Confidential references his affection for the doll; one edition of the newspaper titled "Big McIntosh: What's he hiding?" features a photo of him playing with the doll by himself.

Farming
He is as an exceptional farm worker due to his strength and physical stamina. He and Applejack perform all the heavy-duty work on the farm because Granny Smith and Apple Bloom are too old and young, respectively. Farm work entails bucking apple trees, moving hay bales, plowing through soil, pulling loaded wagons, and making their famous apple cider.

Repair
Big McIntosh is asked by Apple Bloom in Hearts and Hooves Day to come and fix the gazebo, in an attempt to arrange a romantic picnic between him and Cheerilee; he arrives carrying a toolbox, but doesn't get a chance to work on the gazebo since there's nothing wrong with it. Big Mac assists Pinkie Pie in fixing the bridge in It's About Time as they work together to tighten the nuts along the bridge supports. He also reinstalls the side panel of the dessert car on the train to Canterlot in MMMystery on the Friendship Express, as the side panel needed to be removed in order to get the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness cake on board the train.

Strength
Big McIntosh displays unusual physical strength in Hearts and Hooves Day when he drags two oxen and a cart of anvils and then a house, all without much signs of exertion, with the intent of seeing his magic-poison-induced sweetheart, Cheerilee. His stamina is also pushed to its limit when he spends an entire hour running non-stop on a treadmill to power the Apple Family's cider press in The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. Big McIntosh apparently applebucks with only one hoof in Hearts and Hooves Day, however, he does not mange to remove every apple from the tree; whereas Applejack makes every apple fall off in a single, two-hooved buck.

History and appearances
Big McIntosh first appears walking through town as Twilight lands in Ponyville in episode one. Later, he briefly appears at the Apple family reunion, holding a small, green apple cupcake. Although he is mentioned by name and referred to in following episodes, he does not speak until Applebuck Season. His only significant speaking roles are in Applebuck Season, Hearts and Hooves Day, and Ponyville Confidential. Prior to the events of Applebuck Season, he was hurt and so unable to harvest apples with Applejack. In Winter Wrap Up, Big McIntosh and other earth ponies clear the snow in the fields around Ponyville. He also tells Applejack that Caramel lost the grass seeds. In Fall Weather Friends, Big McIntosh, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom cheer on Applejack during the Iron Pony competition. Applejack's flashback in The Cutie Mark Chronicles depicts Big McIntosh as a shorter and scrawnier younger pony, anxiously watching her leave the farm to find her destiny.

A pony with Big McIntosh's design and Caramel's coat and mane colors is seen pulling a cart in the original opening sequence and in Green Isn't Your Color. In the remastered opening, which first appears in Lesson Zero, Big McIntosh replaces him, though the character is still used as a background pony in Lesson Zero, Putting Your Hoof Down, and Magical Mystery Cure.

His first Season two appearance is in The Return of Harmony, part 2. After Discord takes over Ponyville, Big McIntosh behaves like a dog.

Big McIntosh is featured in Lesson Zero when Twilight Sparkle slams into him after attempting to break up a fight she started between the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He retrieves Smarty Pants from the fillies, but falls in love with it himself and runs away with it. The spell attracts dozens of ponies and they fight over the doll until Princess Celestia intervenes and removes the spell. Once the commotion has died down, Big McIntosh checks if the coast is clear and runs off with it again, neighing with joy.

At the beginning of Luna Eclipsed, he is pulling several ponies in a cart. He is dressed up in his Nightmare Night costume; namely, a black top hat and cape with a white skull-shaped apple on it.

In Sisterhooves Social, he assists Granny Smith as the race announcer by whispering the correct words in her ear when she makes a mistake. In The Cutie Pox, he is inside Sweet Apple Acres during the discussion of Apple Bloom's cutie marks. He cures Granny Smith's sudden Charley horse with a gentle knock to her hip. However, he does not comment on his sister's new cutie marks, simply smiling and echoing Applejack's joyful exclamations with a "eeyup" or "nnnope".

In Family Appreciation Day, he prepares for the zap apple harvest with Applejack. He speaks a partial sentence at the beginning of the episode when he, Applejack, and Apple Bloom cheer in unison that the zap apples are coming.

He works alongside his family with the cider production in The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. During the cider sales, he carries the heavy barrels to the stand and hooks them up to the tap so Apple Bloom can dispense the cider. He does not care for Flim and Flam's unfair business proposition, stamping his hoof on the ground and saying "No deal!" At the cider-making competition, he runs on a treadmill to press the apples into cider, later with help from Rainbow Dash.

Big McIntosh plays an important role in Hearts and Hooves Day. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo try to concoct a love potion to get Big McIntosh fall in love with their teacher, Cheerilee. However, they accidentally make love poison, which has overly powerful effects. The poison eventually wears off and Big McIntosh and Cheerilee play out an attraction towards one another to fool the Cutie Mark Crusaders. In this episode, he has a very extensive speaking role, though most of what he says are nonsensical terms of affection.

He briefly appears during the Smile Song in A Friend in Deed, giving Pinkie Pie and two fillies a ride in his hay cart.

In It's About Time, Big McIntosh helps Pinkie "disaster-proof" a bridge, suspending her by a rope held in his mouth. When Twilight walks by to inspect their work, he says "eeyup", accidentally letting go of the rope.

He briefly appears in one of the Foal Free Press prints in Ponyville Confidential, concealing the Smarty Pants doll that he collected in Lesson Zero, before appearing with Applejack later in the episode. The two engage in some character reversal in the latter: Applejack speaks with Big McIntosh's general "eeyup"s and "nope"s, while Big Mac scolds Apple Bloom and her friends for the trouble they caused.

He appears in MMMystery on the Friendship Express, carrying the Cakes' contest cake to the train station. However, the cake is so heavy that even he needs the help of the Main Six.

In Too Many Pinkie Pies, he appears with Applejack, Apple Fritter, and Meadow Song, raising a wall section with rope support gear for the new barn until the Pinkie Pie duplicates arrive and destroy the site. Shortly afterward, he also briefly appears with "Jonagold".

In Magic Duel, he appears, disguised as a gender-switched Applejack, as part of Twilight's plan to remove the Alicorn Amulet from Trixie. In this appearance, he is voiced by Ashleigh Ball and named "Male Applejack" in the credits.

In Apple Family Reunion, he appears alongside the rest of his family. During the reunion, he sneaks an apple fritter, whistling nonchalantly when Applejack glares at him.

He makes a brief cameo in Keep Calm and Flutter On, flailing around the flooded Sweet Apple Acres in an apple basket, and an even briefer appearance in Just for Sidekicks, walking out of shot with Cheerilee, a reference to Hearts and Hooves Day. He makes another brief appearance in Magical Mystery Cure, pulling Applejack in a cart while she plants some seeds.

Depiction in Equestria Girls
Big McIntosh's human counterpart appears briefly three times in My Little Pony: Equestria Girls. He helps Applejack deliver fizzy apple cider to the Fall Formal dance committee. Later, he sits with Applejack and the Cutie Mark Crusaders in the cafeteria. He watches Applejack start to clap at the beginning of the Equestria Girls song. He dances with Applejack at the Fall Formal.

Big McIntosh's jacket is the same color as his pony counterpart's coat. His brown jacket collar is the same color as his pony counterpart's work horse collar, and has his pony cutie mark on it. His trouser hem is the same shape as his pony counterpart's hooves. Like his pony counterpart, human Big McIntosh only says "eeyup" and "nnope."

Other depictions
Big McIntosh appears without nostrils in a promotional image shown on the MiniMini+ website, the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Facebook page, and the interior of the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Season One DVD set packaging.

IDW comics
Issues #9 and #10 of the Friendship is Magic comic series by IDW Publishing, entitled "Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair", feature Big McIntosh as the central focus of the story.

My Little Pony mobile game description
''Eeyup! It’s Applejack’s big brother, a farmer pony of many apples and few words.''

The Elements of Harmony guidebook
''BIG MCINTOSH, also known as Big Mac, is the protective older brother of both Applejack and Apple Bloom. The soft-spoken colt generally doesn't have much to say, but he's always keeping an eye on his family.''

Merchandise
A Big McIntosh mini-figure toy has been released individually with a collector card in the third wave of mystery packs and bundled with Granny Smith and Applejack mini-figures in the Miniature Collection's Apple Family Set. The general European and Italian-specific mystery packs spell his name as "BIG MACINTOSH", and the general European mystery packs, released in January 2012, state that he "is very gentle" (the French translation mistakes him for a female, though), while the American mystery packs, released in July 2012, spell his name as "BIG MCINTOSH" with a trademark symbol and state that he "is very gentle and wise". The Miniature Collection sets released in July 2012 spell his name as "Big McIntosh" with a trademark symbol.

A second mini-figure toy and collector card pair of him is included in the eighth wave of mystery packs, which spell his name as "BIG MCINTOSH" with a trademark symbol.

Quotes
"Eeyup."

- Multiple episodes

"Nnnope."

- Multiple episodes

"Biting off more than you can chew is just what I'm afraid of."

- Applebuck Season

"One pony plus hundreds o' apple trees just doesn't add up to..."

- Applebuck Season

"Yay, the zap apples are comin'!"

- Family Appreciation Day

"No deal!"

- The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

"'Shmoopy doo!!!'"

- Hearts and Hooves Day

"Eeyup, pumpkin pie."

- Hearts and Hooves Day

"You should be ashamed of yourself, humiliatin' your sister 'n' me like that. We don't wanna talk to any y'all right now so take your little gossip column and your embarrassing photographs and just go away!"

- Ponyville Confidential

"By the mane of Miyagi!"

- Friendship is Magic Issue #8 page 11

"Net."

- Micro-Series Issue #6 page 7

"This town gets a little stranger every day..."

- Thought, Friendship is Magic Issue #9 cover A

"...Cake...?"

- Friendship is Magic Issue #9 page 7