Apple Family Reunion

Apple Family Reunion is the eighth episode of the third season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the sixtieth overall. In this episode, Applejack has been granted permission by Granny Smith to organize the upcoming Apple Family Reunion. However, she soon loses focus of the important things, such as spending time together as a family enjoying each other's company, in her haste to put together extravagant activities.

Production and development
Cindy Morrow, the writer of the episode, revealed that in the original script, there were no bats, but rather, Timberwolves.

The episode is listed on both the iTunes Store and Zap2it as the ninth episode of the third season, and the keywords of Hasbro and The Hub's YouTube uploads of a clip from the episode respectively include "Ep. 309" and "309". Layout supervisor Tim Stuby wrote on Twitter "Apple Fam Reunion is 309" in response to an Equestria Daily post that, at the time, listed Apple Family Reunion and Spike at Your Service as the respective eighth and ninth episodes of the third season, Sabrina Alberghetti wrote on deviantART that Apple Family Reunion was slotted as 9 when she "did it, but stuff like that changes all the time", one of the show's layout artists wrote on The Allspark Forums that Apple Family Reunion is episode 9, and show storyboard artist Raven Molisee listed the episode as number 309 on deviantART.

The episode was released on the iTunes Store a few hours prior to its television premiere on The Hub on December 22, 2012, 10:30 AM Eastern Time.

Introduction
The episode opens with Applejack, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom in the Sweet Apple Acres barn. Applejack and Granny Smith are bringing old family heirlooms out of storage, while Apple Bloom is sorting through dozens of RSVP's for the upcoming reunion sent from Apple family members all over Equestria, including Appleloosa, Fillydelphia, and Manehattan; she's particularly excited to see Babs again. Granny is markedly surprised to hear that so many relatives will be coming and comments that they might need a bigger cider trough.

The reunion preparations
Seeing how many RSVP's they received from out-of-town relatives, Granny Smith predicts the reunion preparations will keep her especially busy. Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big McIntosh offer their services, which Granny happily accepts. Applejack goes so far as to offer putting the reunion together for her so she can enjoy herself. Granny agrees, and Applejack promises not to let her down. Granny Smith shows Applejack and Apple Bloom an old photo album, filled with photos of other Apple family members, and tells of past reunion activities, such as working on an old quilt, making apple fritters, seven-legged races, and the big family photo. During this, Applejack takes down mental notes of what supplies will be needed to set up those activities. Granny Smith mentions looking forward to the upcoming reunion since the whole family will be getting together, and voices her concern over whether they'll be able to make it to the next. Applejack concurs and promises to make this the most memorable family reunion ever.

Hours later, Applejack is pacing back and forth in her bedroom. Apple Bloom walks in, and Applejack wonders why she's still awake; Apple Bloom wonders the same about her. Both are unable to sleep: Applejack is still anxious about the reunion, and Apple Bloom is excited about seeing Babs and the fun they'll have together. Applejack gets her second wind, realizing the responsibility that Granny Smith has entrusted her with, and continues brainstorming. Apple Bloom falls asleep on the bed, and Applejack tucks her in, saying the reunion will be worth the wait.

Day of the reunion
The next morning, Applejack pulls Apple Bloom out of bed, saying they don't have much time; preparations for the reunion are officially underway. Apples are bucked out of the trees and into bushels. Applejack collects rolls of fabric from Rarity, jars full of honey (and glitter) from Pinkie Pie, and buckets of rainwater with assistance from Rainbow Dash. Big McIntosh chops up hundreds of logs for firewood, and Applejack (with help from Spike) lights a fire under a row of cauldrons of cooking oil. The last of the decorations is put up just as the family arrives in pony-drawn wagons, carriages, coaches, on foot, and flying in in zeppelins. Granny Smith goes to hug her cousin Apple Rose, and dozens of Apple family members exchange similar warm greetings. Among those in attendance of the reunion are Braeburn who was last seen in Over a Barrel, Hayseed Turnip Truck from Sweet and Elite, and many other background ponies and foals.

Through a megaphone, Applejack welcomes the family to the reunion and gives a rundown of the first couple of activities. In the crowd, Babs Seed surprises Apple Bloom, and the two happily reunite. While they are excited to catch up, Applejack butts in and over-eagerly directs them to the seven-legged race, which consists of several long and increasingly complex segments. Meanwhile, Granny Smith, her cousin Apple Rose, and Auntie Applesauce catch up and reminisce on past reunions before -- once again -- Applejack appears. She'd replaced their rocking chairs with several (loud) sewing machines to finally finish the quilt with. The three elderly mares are put off by the sudden change in reunion tradition, but Applejack doesn't notice. Apple Bloom and Babs try to catch up during the race, but are too occupied with the race's complicated legs to do so. It's slowly made clear to everypony except Applejack that very little fun is being had at this reunion.

When Applejack finally calls for a break, the quilt is practically an acre long, enough fritters have been made to feed all of Ponyville, and everypony is utterly exhausted. Applejack thinks to take some photos for Granny Smith's album, but sees that no one looks to be having much fun. She organizes a hayride around the farm (once again preventing Apple Bloom and Babs from hanging out) and, in an effort to shake things up and make it more exciting, makes the ride much faster than expected. The wagon barrels down the road toward Sweet Apple Acres' west orchard where, according to Granny Smith, something has taken up residence. Applejack bucks an apple tree and stirs those "somethings" from their sleep: fruit bats, bats of assorted colors. They fly over the wagon and form a rainbow across the sky that impresses the family members below. But disaster quickly strikes when the fruit bats notice the apples in Auntie Applesauce's hat. They swoop down and cause the wagon to swerve off the road. The ponies riding in the wagon jump ship just before the runaway wagon crashes into and completely destroys the barn. Realizing what a mess of things she's made, Applejack hides her face in teary shame.

Raise This Barn
Applejack tearfully looks over the ruins of the barn, lamenting that everything is ruined. She apologizes to Granny Smith for ruining the reunion, but Granny tells her that she had everypony "so caught up in all the doin'" that they were unable to simply enjoy each other's company. Even still, Applejack remarks that the only thing anypony will remember about this reunion is that it was the worst of all reunions. Granny Smith assures her that there's still time to make good memories. Applejack recalls at the end of the reunions there was the Apple family photo, but no barn to take the photo in front of. Applejack announces she has one more activity. Granny Smith immediately expresses concern, but Applejack says this activity will be one to remember for the right reasons.

Applejack rallies the family together with a square dance-like song and leads them in rebuilding the barn from the ground up. Unlike the previous activities, however, everypony has fun working together and dancing throughout. At the song's end, the ponies gather before the newly finished barn for the family photo, and the reunion closes on a high note. Apple Bloom and Babs say their goodbyes, and Granny Smith commends Applejack on a job well done.

Epilogue
That evening, Granny Smith looks at more photos in the album with Apple Bloom and Big McIntosh, while Applejack writes a letter and narrates:


 * Dear Princess Celestia,
 * Today I learned a great lesson about family. Which, if you think about it, is really the first group of friends you ever make. Turns out that when you're with folks you care about, you don't have to do much to make that time memorable. Even the simplest of activities can take on a whole lot of meaning, and you'll find that you'll remember the "who" long after you've forgotten the "what".
 * Your humble subject,
 * Applejack.

The shot fades to a view of Sweet Apple Acres as two shooting stars fly through the sky. The shooting stars are meant to represent Applejack's parents according to storyboard artist Sabrina Alberghetti. Lauren Faust had previously mentioned that the whereabouts of Applejack's parents has not been planned, and that the show is unlikely to mention that they've passed away. Faust stated she wanted that to be the case.

Quotes

 * Granny Smith: Apple Bloom? How them RSVPs comin' along? Who's showin' their muzzle at the reunion?
 * Apple Bloom: Everypony!
 * Granny Smith: Everypony? [aside, to Applejack] Feathers on a goat. [to Apple Bloom] Are you sure?
 * Apple Bloom: Well, I got RSVPs from Apples from Yonder Hill, Hollow Shades, Galloping Gorge, Foal Mountain, Apples from Fillydelphia, Tall Tale Town, and all the Apples from Appleloosa!
 * Granny Smith: Guh?
 * Apple Bloom: Oh! And how could I forget? Manehattan! Babs is comin'! I get to see my favorite cousin!
 * Granny Smith: I think we're gonna need a bigger cider trough.


 * Applejack: You may be a tad old Granny, but you're as feisty and full of spark than eve-
 * Granny Smith: Who you callin' old!?


 * Apple Split: Hey, where did all them apple fritters go? And who are you, little one?
 * Baby Applejack: I'm Applejack! More apple fwitter?


 * Apple Bloom: Babs!
 * Babs Seed: Cuz!
 * Apple Bloom: I know it hasn't been that long since we've seen each other, but-
 * Apple Bloom and Babs Seed: -It felt like forever!


 * Applejack: Alrighty, ponies! Ready to have some fun?
 * Babs Seed: Whoa, is that the finish line? It's like a mile away or somethin'!
 * Applejack: Actually, that's just the marker where you go on to the next leg of the race.
 * Apple Bloom: There's more?
 * Applejack: Much more. Trust me, I have put together somethin' you are never gonna forget. After the seven-legged race you're gonna wanna hurry up and head over here, where you'll be bobbin' for apples!
 * [splash]
 * Applejack: Then you'll run around these trees fifty times until you're real good and dizzy, then you'll jump these big wooden hurdles, and then there's the final leg, where you'll balance plates on your head while sayin' "Pappy pony picked a pluck of prickly pluffnuggets" over and over and over again. Last pony standin' wins!
 * Apple Bloom: ...Seriously?
 * Applejack: Seriously! C'mon, y'all, let's start makin' some memories! On your mark... get set... go!