Line #23 Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E9HonestApple


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/everypony_getting_frustrated_at_applejack_s7e9.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E26TheBestNightEver Beg yer pardon, but we don't normally wear clothes!]]]]
3
4	->''"At first, I didn't think I'd be much help. But thank goodness I signed on! Without me, they'd be doin' all kinds of crazy fashion-y things!"''
5	-->-- '''Applejack'''
6
7	->Written by Kevin Lappin
8
9	With Spike's assistance, Rarity is walking through Ponyville hanging fliers. Upon approaching Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie inquires about the fliers, which Rarity explains are for potential submissions to her fashion showcase for up and coming designers. She recounts her own difficulties getting started in the industry so hopes to use this showcase to pick the best and the brightest to feature at the Carousel Boutique. For judges, she's selected noted fashion critic Hoity Toity and fashion photographer Photo Finish to help judge, with the final slot being filled by an unexpected pony: Applejack!
10
11	This garners some surprised reactions from Spike and Pinkie, along with Applejack herself, who happens to be walking by at that moment and is just finding this out for the first time. Rarity rationalizes her choice because of Applejack's eye for practicality, contrasted against the other two judges' focus on design and color. Applejack objects but Rarity insists she at least sleep on it.
12
13	Later Applejack is working the apple fields with Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom. While Applejack explains why she thinks she's a poor choice, Apple Bloom is struggling to catch the apples Applejack is bucking off the trees. Finally Apple Bloom trips on the bow of the large hat she's wearing, which Applejack observes is what's slowing her down. She undoes Apple Bloom's bow, which makes a big difference, and then comes to the realization that she does in fact have the talent to critique the fashion show in the areas Rarity is looking for.
14
15	She heads over to the Carousel Botique to volunteer her services just as the other judges also arrive for the contest. The other two judges inform Rarity that Coco Pommel is debuting her own line of clothes in Manehattan and Photo Finish provides some pictures to Rarity. Applejack pipes in and gets introduced by Rarity before being presented the photo of Coco's clothes by Hoity Toity. Applejack scoffs at the strange design, comparing it to a disco ball, which does not earn her good favor from the other judges.
16
17	Rarity takes the judges into her workroom to introduce them to the contestants: Lily Lace, Starstreak, and Inky Rose. They each explain their entries, which impress both Photo Finish and Hoity Toity but perplex Applejack's different sensibilities. Eventually Applejack openly expresses her criticisms, which again upsets the other two judges and causes the participants to become disheartened. Applejack begins to doubt her thoughts are being appreciated but Rarity reassures her that this is why she was brought in.
18
19	Unfortunately, Applejack's critiques continue to act as a sore spot among the contestants. She dislikes Inky Rose's decision to put prefabricated holes into her clothes, says Lily Lace is using far too much fabric and will cause the dress she's making to collect dirt off the ground, and thinks the mane-do that Starstreak is giving to his model is a mess. Applejack and Rarity leave the botique with everpony else getting sick of her opinions. Upon encountering Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner, Applejack thinks her contributions are doing a lot of good but Rarity is getting frustrated at all of Applejack's commentary.
20
21	The day of the contest arrives but Applejack is no less disapproving of the contestants' work. She calls out Inky Rose's design for containing far too many buttons, destroys Lily Lace's hat for being impractically covered with feathers, and mocks Photo Finish and Hoity Toity's idea for adding a belt to Starstreak's outfit by noting that the belts each of them chose are mostly identical. Rarity agrees both look good but this pushes Applejack over the edge and causes her to declare fashion is "ridiculous". This acts as the final straw for the judges and the contestants, who all leave angrily and ruin Rarity's fashion show.
22
23	Rarity runs outside and stops construction of the stage. Pinkie Pie arrives and asks what's wrong and Rarity angrily blames Applejack for destroying her hard work but Applejack states that she's just giving her ''honest opinion''. To show Applejack how honesty can be hurtful, She takes Applejack over to Strawberry Sunrise's house and asks for Strawberry's opinion of apples, to which she simply says she doesn't like them. Applejack immediately goes on the defense, which escalates into a venomous argument, but Rarity sarcastically tells her that it's Strawberry ''honest opinion'', and Applejack states that she works hard to make her apples as perfect as can be... which suddenly leads her to realize that Strawberry expressing her opinion without consideration for Applejack's hard work is what Applejack was doing to the contestants, telling them that their work is meaningless if she doesn't like what they make. Applejack apologizes to Rarity for ruining the fashion show with her BrutalHonesty.
24
25	Applejack decides she has to make up for causing so much distress to Rarity and the others, so she tracks them all down and brings them back to the Carousel Boutique ([[ButThouMust in her own Applejack kind of way]]). She apologizes to Hoity, Photo, and the participants, and says while she still finds their work confusing, it was no excuse to shoot down the work itself. While the contestants resume their contest pieces, Applejack helps rebuild the stage and works with the contestants to get a better understanding of things from their point of view.
26
27	Pinkie Pie surprises Rarity with the completed stage and the fashion show goes off without a hitch. When the judging commences, Rarity picks Lily Lace's designs, Hoity Toity leans towards Inky Rose's, and Photo Finish gives Starstreak the nod. Applejack is then charged with deciding a winner between the three contestants. Ultimately, Applejack doesn't pick a winner at all and all three contestants go on to feature their work at the Boutique. While they tour Rarity's design for laying out the three contestants' designs in her shop, they come across a dress Rarity was working on. Applejack tries to critique it, but struggles to find the right words until Rarity simply explains that the dress was a failed experiment, with which Applejack heartily agrees and the two friends laugh about it.
28
29	----
30	!!Tropes:
31
32	* AdBreakDoubleTake: Spike, Pinkie, and Applejack let out a series of [[BigWhat Big Whats]] before the opening theme. Applejack lets out another one after the commercial break.
33	-->'''Rarity''': [[LampshadeHanging You already said that]], darling.
34	* ArtisticLicenseMusic: Rarity shreds out some heavily distorted metal riffs on an unplugged acoustic guitar. Not to mention that the guitar has four tuning pegs and only two strings, but Pinkie can still be heard strumming six-note chords.
35	* AwesomeButImpractical: One of Applejack's main criticisms about some of the designs, having some decent points in a few cases, like a dress that is so big it will collect too much dirt, or Applebloom's hat being totally impractical for work.
36	* BackhandedApology: After Strawberry Sunrise calls apples "disgusting", Applejack [[OrderedApology orders her to say "sorry"]] and Strawberry does say she's sorry -- that Applejack actually bites into "those tasteless, mealy worm-filled things".
37	* BerserkButton:
38	** Applejack hits a '''hard''' one when she says that "fashion is ridiculous". Naturally, Photo Finish and Hoity Toity are indignant, as well as the stylist trio.
39	** And, to teach Applejack a lesson about how honesty can be hurtful, Rarity makes Strawberry Sunrise hit Applejack's button by telling her that she doesn't like apples and that strawberries are better and that she wouldn't bite into those "tasteless worm-filled things".
40	* BigWhat: Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Applejack ''herself'' react this way when Rarity announced her choice of picking Applejack as judge for the fashion show.
41	* BlackSheep: Downplayed, but it's pointed out that Apple Bloom is the only member of the Apple family who has an interest in fashion.
42	* BrutalHonesty: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]]. Applejack learns how hurtful honesty can be, especially if you don't make any effort to be polite or use tact.
43	* TheBusCameBack: Both Hoity Toity and Photo Finish (as a pony, since her Equestria Girls counterpart had a main role in the "Photo Finished" short) return in speaking roles since their initial debut way back in Season 1.
44	* CharacterDevelopment: In the first season, Rarity was desperate to impress Hoity Toity and Photo Finish, who could make or break her career. Now she greets them as old friends and equals, showing how far she's come.
45	* ContinuityNod:
46	** Applejack mentions her closet full of identical hats, as seen in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E17SomeponyToWatchOverMe "Somepony to Watch Over Me"]].
47	** Coco Pommel (still referred to as "Miss" Pommel) is mentioned, having held her own fashion show in Manehattan.
48	** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E5FluttershyLeansIn Hard Hat]] is part of the construction ponies building the runway for the fashion showcase.
49	** Rarity's failed dress was an early experiment to try and mix green and brown together. Guess what Rarity had been forced to wear in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E5MagicDuel Magic Duel]]? An awful dress [[http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/File:Rarity_only_be_used_S3E5.png that used green and brown]].
50	* DefensiveWhat: After the three {{Big What}}s from Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike, Rarity responds with a defensive "What?" as Applejack gives her a look.
51	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Rarity picking Applejack, who despite being Honest considers dresses to be "Fru-fru", to be a fashion judge. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that Rarity specifically picked her to provide an outsider's perspective and never would have expected her to be so rude about it.
52	* DoesNotLikeSpam: Strawberry Sunrise doesn't just like strawberries much better than apples, but considers apples to be tastless and a home for worms.
53	* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: Designer clothes aren't ''supposed'' to be practical, they're supposed to look cool. It's like peacock tails. Likewise, Gothic fashion is supposed to be depressing and slightly old-looking. Applejack doesn't know this and doesn't (initially) care.
54	* EverybodyLaughsEnding: The last shot is Applejack and Rarity sharing a laugh at Rarity's awful dress.
55	* ExplainExplainOhCrap: How Applejack comes to realize she was much too harsh on the fashion designers when explaining how upset she is about Strawberry Sunrise's ''honest'' opinion about apples, despite the hard work she put into her apples:
56	-->'''Applejack''': Well, that's fine if she doesn't like 'em! But if she knew how hard we worked to make our apples perfect, maybe she wouldn't be so mean about-- (''{{Beat}}'') [[JerkassRealization Ohhhhhhh... Oh, boy.]]
57	-->'''Rarity:''' Uh-Hmm, doesn't feel so good, does it?
58	* {{Expy}}: Inky Rose is a gothic pegasus pony with braided pigtails who is all about the simplicity and subdued emotion of black. Doesn't that remind you of [[Series/TheAddamsFamily Wednesday]]?
59	* FaintInShock: Photo Finish faints after Applejack makes fun of a ''disco ball'' dress.
60	-->'''Photo Finish''': I faint!
61	* ForgotAboutHisPowers: When Applejack has to forcefully bring the three designers back to the Boutique, Inky Rose, a pegasus pony, is the one suggesting to run away instead of trying to fly herself.
62	* GoneHorriblyRight: Rarity asks Applejack to be a judge for the fashion show ''because'' she doesn't know anything about fashion, and so will add a contrasting viewpoint based in practicality. Furthermore, judges should be honest and ''nopony'' is more honest than Applejack. This to leads to Applejack being ''so'' honest about her opinions on fashion and insisting so much on practicality that she insults both the other judges and the designers.
63	* GotVolunteered: Rarity didn't ask Applejack if she'd be a judge for the fashion design contest; she makes the announcement to Spike and Pinkie Pie while Applejack is barely within earshot and expects Applejack to accept.
64	* {{Goth}}: Inky Rose wears all black, designs in black, acts stoic, and her designs are praised for their "sadness" by Hoity Toity. It's possibly a ShoutOut to [[Franchise/TheAddamsFamily Wednesday Addams]], particularly with the pigtails.
65	* HammerspaceHair: Pinkie Pie stuffs her guitar into her forelock.
66	* HiddenDepths: Pinkie suggests Rarity to relax by strumming a bit on a guitar. Rarity plays a few moments with an intense metal guitar solo. She does this [[BeyondTheImpossible on an acoustic guitar, somehow]].
67	* InnocentlyInsensitive: Applejack is well meaning for the most part, if a bit overzealous, but ends up escalating and being insulting.
68	* IronicEcho: Used by Rarity in a sarcastic way after Applejack gets angry because of Strawberry Sunrise's insults towards apples.
69	-->'''Rarity''': Applejack! [[SarcasmMode Why are you so angry? It's just Strawberry's ''honest'' opinion. What is wrong with that?]]
70	* {{Irony}}: When Applejack is mulling over Rarity's offer to become a Fashion Judge, one of the reasons she's skeptical about it is a concern about not being able to make any relevant comments. When she does become a Judge, she ends up making ''abrasive'' comments in her insistence on practicality.
71	-->'''Applejack''': But I still wouldn't know what to say.
72	* JerkassBall: While initially more tactful when she first starts judging, Applejack soon gets overzealous. Normally, she would be sufficiently smart enough to understand the difference between expressing an opinion and an offensive statement (particularly since her experience in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E21LeapOfFaith a previous episode]] contrasts sharply against her behavior here, as she spent that episode biting her tongue when she really shouldn't have). Possibly the worst example is when she removes all the feathers from Lily Lace's hat (despite hearing Lily say it took her "for-literally-ever" to stitch them all on).
73	* JerkassHasAPoint: When Rarity brings Applejack over to Strawberry Sunrise's homestead to ask her what she thinks about apples, she pulls ''no punches'' establishing she doesn't like them. While she's being exceptionally brusque and rather smug about her opinion on apples, she also lets Applejack know she's not obliged to like apples more than [[TrademarkFavoriteFood strawberries]].
74	* JerkassRealization: Applejack, big time, when she realizes that by insulting all fashion, she's insulted ''all'' of the effort that has gone into it.
75	* LimitedWardrobe: Applejack admits that her closet consists of twenty versions of her regular hat.
76	* MovingTheGoalposts: Strawberry Sunrise's initial statement on apples is simply that she doesn't like them, and that they're not strawberries, to which Applejack starts to physically get into her space and angrily declare that apples are better. It's only at that point that Strawberry starts to get increasingly nasty back. After having the door slammed in her face, Applejack says to Rarity that it's fine if Strawberry doesn't like apples, and that it's her meanness Applejack takes issue with -- but politely stating a preference was all Strawberry did.
77	* OhCrap: The trio run away when Applejack was running towards them.
78	** Applejack had this reaction after realizing how BrutalHonesty can be hurtful after Strawberry gave her ''honest'' opinion about apples, despite the hard work she put in her apples to make them perfect.
79	* TheOneGuy: Starstreak is the only stallion among the trio, with the other two being mares.
80	* PaletteSwap: Strawberry Sunrise is Carrot Top, but a pegasus and with different colors.
81	* RevealShot: Applejack has to lasso the three fashion designers to get them back to Carousel Boutique. Cut to Applejack apologizing to them inside the boutique, asking them not to walk out on Rarity's show. Lily Lace agrees, on one condition, which Inky Rose clarifies as: "Untie us." The camera pulls back to reveal that AJ still has them tied up.
82	* SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud: Photo Finish greets Rarity European style with "Kiss! Kiss!", shouts "I faint!" before fainting, then "Gasp!" when Applejack shakes all the feathers off of Lily Lace's hat.
83	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: The fashion designers leave after Applejack outright called fashion "ridiculous".
84	* SeriousBusiness: All of the fashion designers in the room are outraged when Applejack calls fashion "ridiculous". Applejack later gets this turned on her when another pony mocks her for saying that apples are better than strawberries. In both cases, it's given some leeway since the offending ponies are effectively disregarding all the hard work that goes into fashion and apple farming, respectively, but it ''did'' teach Applejack that Honesty can be hurtful when you come off as mean and hurtful.
85	* ShaggyDogStory: All three designers end up being featured at Carousel Boutique, so Applejack grabbing the JerkassBall is pretty much pointless.
86	* ShoutOut: The debate over the two (seemingly) identical belts that leads Applejack to finally decry fashion as "ridiculous" is remarkably similar to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja2fgquYTCg this clip]] from ''Film/TheDevilWearsPrada.'' Both scenes feature the "outsider" character (Andy and Applejack) laughing at the idea of the belts being different, only to be scolded for making fun. The overall message of the episode--that fashion is SeriousBusiness to those who do it, affects everyone in some way, and represents a huge amount of creativity and manpower (horsepower?)--is summed up by Miranda Priestly in the clip as well.
87	* StrawCharacter: Ironically enough, '''Straw'''berry Sunrise, a character who exists solely to like strawberries, hate apples and be a {{Jerkass}} about it to illustrate Rarity's point to Applejack about excessively BrutalHonesty being harmful.
88	* SuddenlyVoiced: Strawberry Sunrise, previously just a [[RecurringExtra background pony]], gets her first speaking role.
89	* TakeThat: Applejack's critiques of ensembles designed for the fashion runway are similar to those of non-fashionistas in real life.
90	-->'''Applejack:''' She looks like a disco ball! Did they have to roll her down the runway? I can't believe anypony would actually wear this!
91	* ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine: After Applejack insults all fashion by calling it "ridiculous", Rarity takes her for a healthy dose of brutal honesty from a pony who hates apples, despite the hard work that she and her family put in those apples. Brutal Honesty doesn't feel good when it comes off as mean and hurtful ''does it'', Appelejack?
92	* TechnicallyASmile: Inky Rose pulls a ''very'' awkward-looking smile when Hoity Toity votes for her designs.
93	* TooImportantToWalk: Photo Finish has a pair of porters who carry her around on a platform everywhere she goes. This is even lampshaded when Hoity Toity is hitching a ride on her platform:
94	-->'''Hoity Toity''': I'm going to have to get one of these!\
95	'''Photo Finish''': It is the only way to travel!
96	* ValleyGirl: Lily Lace speaks in this manner, complete with liberal use of LikeIsLikeAComma and the word "literally".
97	* WhatIsThisFeeling: Inky Rose reacts this way when Hoity Toity votes for and compliments her designs.
98	-->'''Inky Rose''': You've... made me so... happy?
99	* YouKeepUsingThatWord: At the end, Applejack expresses this opinion regarding Lily Lace's constant use of the word "literally", even [[ShoutOut paraphrasing the quote]] that follows [[Film/ThePrincessBride the trope-naming line]]:
100	-->'''Applejack''': I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Context Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E9HonestApple