# Apple Family Reunion

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8th episode of the 3rd season of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

"Apple Family Reunion" My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode The Apple family fix the barn while singing "Raise This Barn". Episode no. Season 3 Episode 8 Written by Cindy Morrow Original air date December 22, 2012 (2012-12-22) Running time 22 minutes Episode chronology ← Previous "Wonderbolts Academy" Next → "Spike at Your Service" My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic season 3 List of episodes

"**Apple Family Reunion**" is the eighth episode of the [third season](/source/My_Little_Pony%3A_Friendship_Is_Magic_season_3) of the [animated television series](/source/Animated_series) *[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic](/source/My_Little_Pony%3A_Friendship_Is_Magic)*. The episode was written by Cindy Morrow. It originally aired on [The Hub](/source/Discovery_Family#As_Hub_Network_(2010–2014)) on December 22, 2012. In this episode, [Applejack](/source/Applejack_(My_Little_Pony%3A_Friendship_Is_Magic)) takes over organizing the Apple family reunion from Granny Smith.

## Plot

External videos Apple Family Reunion (full episode) — Official upload of the episode onto YouTube

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Equestria Toyline Cutie mark Elements of Harmony Pony Spin-offs My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (2013–2020)(List of animations) My Little Pony: Pony Life (2020–2021)(List of episodes) Characters Mane Six Twilight Sparkle Rainbow Dash Pinkie Pie Applejack Fluttershy Rarity Supporting Spike Princess Celestia Princess Luna Princess Cadance Shining Armor Discord Starlight Glimmer Trixie Zecora Antagonists Queen Chrysalis Lord Tirek Cozy Glow Minor Derpy Hooves Background Six Cheese Sandwich Quibble Pants The Wonderbolts Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty Equestria Girls Sunset Shimmer Seasons & episodes Season 1 (2010–2011) "Friendship Is Magic" "The Ticket Master" "Applebuck Season" "Griffon the Brush Off" "Boast Busters" "Dragonshy" "Look Before You Sleep" "Bridle Gossip" "Swarm of the Century" "Winter Wrap Up" "Call of the Cutie" "Fall Weather Friends" "Suited for Success" "Feeling Pinkie Keen" "Sonic Rainboom" "Stare Master" "The Show Stoppers" "A Dog and Pony Show" "Green Isn't Your Color" "Over a Barrel" "A Bird in the Hoof" "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" "Owl's Well That Ends Well" "Party of One" "The Best Night Ever" Season 2 (2011–2012) "The Return of Harmony" "Lesson Zero" "Luna Eclipsed" "Sisterhooves Social" "The Cutie Pox" "May the Best Pet Win!" "The Mysterious Mare Do Well" "Sweet and Elite" "Secret of My Excess" "Hearth's Warming Eve" "Family Appreciation Day" "Baby Cakes" "The Last Roundup" "The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000" "Read It and Weep" "Hearts and Hooves Day" "A Friend in Deed" "Putting Your Hoof Down" "It's About Time" "Dragon Quest" "Hurricane Fluttershy" "Ponyville Confidential" "MMMystery on the Friendship Express" "A Canterlot Wedding" Season 3 (2012–2013) "The Crystal Empire" "Too Many Pinkie Pies" "One Bad Apple" "Magic Duel" "Sleepless in Ponyville" "Wonderbolts Academy" "Apple Family Reunion" "Spike at Your Service" "Keep Calm and Flutter On" "Just for Sidekicks" "Games Ponies Play" "Magical Mystery Cure" Season 4 (2013–2014) "Princess Twilight Sparkle" "Castle Mane-ia" "Daring Don't" "Flight to the Finish" "Power Ponies" "Bats!" "Rarity Takes Manehattan" "Pinkie Apple Pie" "Rainbow Falls" "Three's a Crowd" "Pinkie Pride" "Simple Ways" "Filli Vanilli" "Twilight Time" "It Ain't Easy Being Breezies" "Somepony to Watch Over Me" "Maud Pie" "For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils" "Leap of Faith" "Testing Testing 1, 2, 3" "Trade Ya!" "Inspiration Manifestation" "Equestria Games" "Twilight's Kingdom" Season 5 (2015) "The Cutie Map" "Castle Sweet Castle" "Tanks for the Memories" "Slice of Life" "Amending Fences" "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?" "Made in Manehattan" "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" "The Hooffields and McColts" "The Cutie Re-Mark" Season 6 (2016) "A Hearth's Warming Tail" "The Times They Are a Changeling" Season 7 (2017) "The Perfect Pear" Season 8 (2018) "Grannies Gone Wild" Season 9 (2019) "The Last Crusade" Series finale Media Films & specials My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) My Little Pony: Best Gift Ever (2018) My Little Pony: Rainbow Roadtrip (2019) Music Theme song "This Day Aria" Movie Soundtrack "Rainbow" "Off to See the World" Games My Little Pony: Twilight Sparkle, Teacher for a Day Gameloft video game Collectible card game Other media Home video releases IDW comics Issues My Little Pony/Transformers Brony fandom Fan works (list) 15.ai Voiceverse NFT plagiarism scandal A Brony Tale Bronies (documentary) Derpibooru Equestria Daily Fimfiction Fallout: Equestria Friendship Is Witchcraft Legends of Equestria Love & Ponystep Ponysona PONY.MOV Them's Fightin' Herds Fandom people 15 hotdiggedydemon Jenny Nicholson Odyssey Eurobeat Sethisto The Living Tombstone Vylet Pony Fan culture Analysis Brony music Bronyspeak Charity Criticism Fan art Clop Ponysona Fan fiction Military bronies /mlp/ Online communities My Little Pony conventions BABSCon BronyCAN BronyCon Czequestria Everfree Northwest GalaCon Ponyville Ciderfest RuBronyCon TrotCon UK PonyCon Vanhoover Pony Expo v t e

[Applejack](/source/Applejack_(My_Little_Pony%3A_Friendship_Is_Magic)) volunteers to organize the Apple family reunion when Granny Smith expresses concern about handling the massive number of relatives who plan to attend. Determined to create the most memorable reunion in family history, Applejack studies photographs from previous gatherings and plans elaborate versions of traditional activities like quilting, racing, baking, and group photos.

Dozens of Apple family members arrive at Sweet Apple Acres, and Applejack immediately herds them through her meticulously planned activities without giving anyone time to relax or socialize. The seven-legged race becomes an exhausting multi-stage [obstacle course](/source/Obstacle_course), the quilting circle gets disrupted by noisy sewing machines that prevent conversation, and the baking session turns into a rushed assembly line for [apple fritters](/source/Apple_fritter). Family members grow increasingly frustrated as Applejack's rigid schedule prevents them from simply enjoying each other's company and catching up.

Noticing that her guests look tired rather than entertained, Applejack decides to escalate the excitement with an unplanned hayride. She kicks a tree to create a spectacular display of rainbow-colored [fruit bats](/source/Fruit_bat), but the swarm becomes aggressive when they spot apples in the riders' belongings. The panicked ponies bolt as bats attack the wagon, which careens out of control and crashes directly into the family barn, destroying it.

Devastated, Applejack despairs that she has ruined the entire reunion, but Granny Smith points out that the family actually welcomes the break from her hectic schedule. Applejack remembers they still need the barn for their group photo and she suggests rebuilding it together as their final activity. The Apple family members enthusiastically collaborate on the construction project, finally getting the chance to bond while working toward a common goal and singing a song ("Raise This Barn"). They complete the new barn and take their group picture, and Applejack writes to [Princess Celestia](/source/Princess_Celestia) that it does not take much to have a memorable time with ponies you care about.

## Reception

Sherilyn Connelly, the author of *Ponyville Confidential*, gave the episode a "C" rating.[1] Hillary Busis of *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)* called the design of baby Applejack in the episode "adorable".[2] Daniel Alvarez of *Unleash The Fanboy* gave the episode a rating of 3.5 out of 5 and called it a "fine episode and probably the best Applejack-centered one." Alvarez praised the song "Raise This Barn" and predicted it would be remembered as a classic.[3]

In a critical analysis of the episode, author Jen A. Blue positioned "Apple Family Reunion" as a transitional episode that carefully establishes the absence of Applejack's parents through the appearance of paired [shooting stars](/source/Shooting_stars) and their deliberate omission from the reunion, comparing Applejack to [Batman](/source/Batman) in terms of being an [orphaned](/source/Orphan) character. Blue analyzed the episode within the context of the show's declining quality following [Lauren Faust](/source/Lauren_Faust)'s departure, arguing that "the magic is leaking out of the show—and it's flowing into the [fandom](/source/My_Little_Pony%3A_Friendship_Is_Magic_fandom)," and compared Applejack's attempts to force magic into the reunion to the show's own struggles to recapture its original spark. Blue further interpreted the barn's collapse and rebuilding as [eucatastrophe](/source/Eucatastrophe), arguing that the episode demonstrates how the show needs to calm down and return to what it does best rather than pursuing experimental directions.[4]

## See also

- [List of *My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic* episodes](/source/List_of_My_Little_Pony%3A_Friendship_Is_Magic_episodes)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Connelly (2017)](#CITEREFConnelly2017), p. 80

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Busis, Hillary (2012-12-21). ["'My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic': Applejack's family reunion -- EXCLUSIVE"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121222182713/http://family-room.ew.com/2012/12/21/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-exclusive-video-applejack/). *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)*. Archived from [the original](http://family-room.ew.com/2012/12/21/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-exclusive-video-applejack/) on 2012-12-22. Retrieved 2025-06-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Alvarez, Daniel (2012-12-22). ["My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic 'Apple Family Reunion' Review"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131213152803/http://www.unleashthefanboy.com:80/news/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-apple-family-reunion-review/38205). *Unleash The Fanboy*. Archived from [the original](http://www.unleashthefanboy.com:80/news/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-apple-family-reunion-review/38205) on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2025-06-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Blue-S3-AFR_4-0)** Blue, Jen A. (2016-01-20). "Now hold on, everypony. We've done our best to improve supply this year. (Apple Family Reunion)". *My Little Po-Mo: Unauthorized Critical Essays on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Season Three and Derivative Works*. pp. 52–56.

### Bibliography

- Connelly, Sherilyn (2017-04-01). [*Ponyville Confidential: The History and Culture of My Little Pony, 1981-2016*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Ponyville_Confidential/E3VPDgAAQBAJ). McFarland. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4766-6209-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4766-6209-1).

## External links

- ["Apple Family Reunion"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2479838/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

v t e My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episodes Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Season 3 "The Crystal Empire" "Too Many Pinkie Pies" "One Bad Apple" "Magic Duel" "Sleepless in Ponyville" "Wonderbolts Academy" "Apple Family Reunion" "Spike at Your Service" "Keep Calm and Flutter On" "Just for Sidekicks" "Games Ponies Play" "Magical Mystery Cure"

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Apple Family Reunion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Family_Reunion) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Family_Reunion?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.