Apple Bloom

Apple Bloom is the younger sister of Big Macintosh and Applejack, she is a member of the Apple family in Ponyville.

She is one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders trio. She was the only named school-age pony until the episode Call of the Cutie. She doesn't have a cutie mark.

Development
Apple Bloom was first originated from an early draft made by Lauren Faust on her Pitch Bible in 2008. Originally she was named Appleseed, but the name ran into copyright problems, leading to the current name. Her colors are reminiscent to three Earth Ponies; Sun Shimmer, a Generation 3 Earth Pony, Sunburst, a Generation 1 Mountain Boy Pony and lastly Fiesta Flair, A Generation 3 Earth Pony who never appeared as a toy. Her talent however is a tribute to Toola-Roola, another Generation 3 Earth Pony and a member of the Core 7 Ponies. Faust may have used the color schemes of these ponies to the early draft and Toola-Roola's talent in arts, creating Apple Bloom's current appearance.

Personality
Like many younger siblings, Apple Bloom resents being treated as the baby of the family. She claims she can take care of herself, though that never stops her older sister from keeping a close eye on her whenever it is necessary. She has a strong independent streak and greatly wishes to win the respect of others, especially Applejack. She bravely ventures into the Everfree Forest in Bridle Gossip, trying to befriend Zecora, whom is feared by the other ponies.

Like her sister, she has a very stubborn, aggressive streak to her. Despite her sweet appearance, many adults find her hard to deal with, especially when she's with the other Cutie Mark Crusaders. Her mastery of selling apples mostly involves intimidating ponies into buying products they don't want, and she's very quick to feel aggrieved when she feels she's been wronged. However, she also possesses some of her sister's virtues, being brave (venturing into the Everfree Forest alone in Bridle Gossip), honest (as she works with Zecora and is quick to tell the truth about her to the mane six in Bridle Gossip), hard-working (trying valiantly to obtain her cutie mark in Call of the Cutie and Stare Master), and affectionate towards her friends (group hugging Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo at the end of The Cutie Mark Chronicles).

Skills
Apple Bloom is skilled in practical design, craftwork and carpentry, which is implied to be her special talent in The Show Stoppers. In the same episode, she rather ineptly bases her dance routine on martial arts moves, though in Call of the Cutie martial arts is one of the skills she unsuccessfully pursues.

History
"Aren't you gonna stay for brunch?"

- Apple Bloom to Twilight at the Apple family reunion

Apple Bloom's first appearance was in Friendship is Magic, part 1, where she makes a brief but memorable appearance at the Apple family reunion. She is first seen balancing a large cake on her saddle while being introduced by Applejack. After Twilight announces she can't stay for brunch, Apple Bloom helps persuade her to stay by using her cutest, most pitiable expression. Later, when Nightmare Moon appears, she huddles together with the ponies who would later be her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

In Bridle Gossip, she is one of the many ponies who is hiding from Zecora, an "evil enchantress". When Twilight Sparkle tries to reason everypony into talking to Zecora instead of hiding from her, she is the only pony who listens. She is believed to be trying to see the zebra before her older sister stops her, after denying that she's scared. When she discovers that Applejack and her friends are "cursed", she goes off into the forest to find Zecora. Off-screen, she befriends the mysterious character, seeing that she isn't as scary as the older ponies believe. She helps Zecora make a remedy for poison joke, the plant that was the real cause of the "curse".

Apple Bloom is the central character of Call of the Cutie. In that episode, it is revealed that she has yet to find her hidden talent, and is considered one of the "blank flanks", young ponies that have not earned a cutie mark. Despite her best efforts, she cannot succeed in finding what she's good at. She later makes friends with two fellow markless ponies, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a club with the sole purpose of finding their hidden talents and therefore, earn their mark.

Appearances

 * See also: Character appearances

Apple Bloom is featured in Call of the Cutie, Stare Master, Bridle Gossip, The Cutie Mark Chronicles, The Show Stoppers, The Return of Harmony Part 1, Lesson Zero, Luna Eclipsed, Sisterhooves Social and makes brief appearances in several other episodes.

She was added to the remastered intro at the end of the train along with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

Relationships
Applejack – Applejack is Apple Bloom's older sister, and the two are shown to be close. Apple Bloom has been seen going to her sister for advice, and openly values her attention and respect. This doesn't always mean she gets it, however, and Apple Bloom is shown to react negatively to any overprotectiveness or disregarding of her opinions by Applejack, wanting more than anything else to be treated as an equal. In Bridle Gossip, Applejack's resistance to her idea of talking to Zecora obviously upsets her, and when Applejack is shrunk by the poison joke, Apple Bloom takes gleeful enjoyment in taking the opportunity to bully and push her sister around for a change.

Zecora – She and Zecora become friends when everyone else in Ponyville is afraid of her during Bridle Gossip.

Apple family – Apple Bloom's family, including her sister, grandmother, and brother. However, other than Applejack, Apple Bloom hasn't had any interaction with them.

Scootaloo – Scootaloo and Apple Bloom became friends in Call of the Cutie and, along with Sweetie Belle, form the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo have strong, dominant personalities, but they seem to enjoy the friendly arguments they sometimes cause. They both have praised the other's talents and are often seen working together.

Sweetie Belle – Despite Sweetie Belle's quieter personality, Apple Bloom shows a great amount of respect for her friend, never hesitating to take her advice or go along with her plans on the occasions when she offers them.

Twist – Twist was one of Apple Bloom's earliest friends. Both are viewed as social outcasts by the popular students and, until Call of the Cutie, both lack a cutie mark. Twist is very supportive and generous towards Apple Bloom, causing Apple Bloom to turn to Twist when she feels depressed. Nevertheless, she is shocked when Twist gains her own cutie mark in Call of the Cutie, and has not been seen with her since.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon – During the twelfth episode, the two tease Apple Bloom and Twist for not having a cutie mark, and invite them to their cute-ceañera to rub it in. By the end of the episode, however, they are upstaged when Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle arrive to defend Apple Bloom.

Fluttershy – During Stare Master, she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders spend the night at Fluttershy's cottage. Initialy the three don't listen to Fluttershy much and continue with experimenting with activities to earn thier Cutie Marks, despite Fluttershy's protest. After the three sneak off into the forest to chase one of Fluttershy's chickens, Fluttershy goes looking for them, and finds out that a cockatrice had turned Twilight Sparkle to stone. When the Crusaders find the chicken they also find the Cockatrice, which Fluttershy stares into submission. After the evening Apple Bloom and the rest of the Crusaders have a newfound respect for her.

Gallery

 * Apple Bloom image gallery

Trivia

 * Until Call of the Cutie, Apple Bloom was the only school-age pony who's appeared on the show who is not based on any characters from the previous line. She is later joined by many more such characters.
 * Apple Bloom is somewhat similar to Blossom from The Powerpuff Girls, another cartoon by Lauren Faust, and parallels her respective Powerpuff Girl more closely than the other crusaders, (based on the theory that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are based off of the Powerpuff Girls). Both Apple Bloom and Blossom are the leaders in their respective groups. They both wear bows and have long, red hair/mane, and both have a flower-related word for their name (Blossom and Bloom are even related words).