Applebuck Season

"How many times do I gotta say it!? I don't need NO help from NO pony!"

- Applejack

Applebuck Season is the fourth episode of the first season and first aired on November 5th 2010

Writer: Amy Keating Rogers

Episode Summary
"Applebuck Season" is when the apple orchard is harvested by kicking the fruit from the trees. With Big Macintosh injured, Applejack decided to take her brother's place. Despite warning her that it would be a huge task for just one pony, she vowed that she can take care of it by herself.

As she started, she noticed a herd of cattle stampeding towards Ponyville. She (and her dog companion, Winona) were able to round up the cows away from the town. Impressed by the farm pony's loyalty and reliability, the ponies threw a ceremonial party in her honor. Seeing the sleep-deprived Applejack arrive late (something that never happened to her) at the ceremony concerned the ponies and Twilight investigates. After hearing the story of Applebuck Season and the fact that her large family was away dealing with their own orchards, she offered to help, but Applejack stubbornly refused.

Having earlier promised to help out some of her friends, an exhausted Applejack ended up hindering rather than helping. During her favor to help catapult Rainbow Dash so she can perform a special aerial trick, she was unable to focus and ended up hurting herself repeatably, repeatably missing her side of the launcher. She succeeded in one last attempt, but the unprepared pegasus was sent flying into Twilight's balcony. Later, she helped Pinkie Pie with baking muffins for the town. Her tired state caused her to misunderstand her friend's instructions, resulting in some unsavory muffins which gave Pinkie and half the town food poisoning (except for Spike, who took a liking to the snacks). When helping Fluttershy with rounding up a group of baby rabbits during the "bunny census", the farm pony was too frustrated to handle a delicate operation, treating the bunnies like the cattle she herded earlier. The herd panicked and stampeded into Ponyville, where they ate most of the town's plants, and made Fluttershy's task harder to finish.



After several visits from Twilight during these times, it seemed like Applejack had finally finished, until Big Macintosh pointed out that she only gathered half of the harvest the whole time. No longer in any condition to continue, Applejack finally gives in and accepts the help of her friends. They were able to finish in half the time she herself tried to do, and they were all treated to apple juice. She thanked them all for their help and apologized for causing them so much trouble from her stubborn streak.

Since then, AJ learned that it is just as okay to accept help as it is to give help.

Quotes

 * Applejack: Are you sayin' my mouth is makin' promises my legs can't keep?
 * Big Macintosh: Ee-yup!


 * Applejack: This is your sister Applejack, remember? The loyalest of friends and the most dependable of ponies?
 * Big Macintosh: But still only one pony. And one pony plus hundreds of apple trees... just doesn't add up.
 * Applejack: Don't you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue!


 * Twilight: Now, if I can just make a point without being inter--.
 * Fluttershy: Twilight?
 * Twilight: ...--rupted!


 * Twilight: Anyone else? Anyone? No? Well then, as I was trying to say... (sees the Mayor) UGH! Never mind!


 * Rainbow Dash: Applejack, what the 'hay' is going on? I mean, I thought I was working with "Ponyville's best athlete".


 * Twilight: Oh no! What happened?
 * Nurse Pony: It was a mishap with some of the baked goods.
 * Pinkie Pie: (Sickly) No... not baked goods. baked... bads...


 * Twilight: AJ, I think you're beating a dead... tree...


 * Twilight: Ugh. That pony is as "stubborn as a mule". No offense...
 * Mule: None taken.


 * Twilight: All right, Applejack. Your apple-bucking hasn't just caused you problems. It's over-propelled pegasus, practically poisoned plenty of ponies, and terrorized bushels of brand-new bouncing baby bunnies.


 * Applejack: I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without your help. How do you like them apples?
 * Big Macintosh: (points to unharvested half of apple orchid) Um... How do you like them apples?


 * Derpy: Muffins?

Trivia

 * The title of this episode references Buck Season, which is a seasonal period of time in which the hunting of deer and bucks are allowed in order to cull their number. This references the time of year when their apples are being collected. The term 'applebuck' also plays on the word 'buck' which can both mean a deer, as well as 'a sharp, sudden, violent movement', which is exactly what Applejack does to knock the apples off the trees.