(I have no idea if this goes in this forum, and I apologize if it doesn't.) So, everypony: what are your theories on Applejack's parents? They've never been shown, referenced, or even implied to exist, and as such are clearly a matter that must be speculated upon :^P I'd imagine the simplest explanation is that they've just been dead for a while, and left the farm to Granny Smith; Presumably Big Mac's the one mostly running it now though, since she seems a bit too old to do so. Also provides a logical explanation for why Applejack constantly wears her hat: it's her dad's. (and I'm sorry for vanishing off the face of the forum pretty much immediately after joining, stuff got in the way AND I left for camp for four days sorry pleasedontkillme)
We wouldn't kill you! We would just have you...help make CuPcAkeS..... And I have read a couple of Fanfics where it explains where her parents are. It's not cannon, but it is generally accepted that they are dead. But hey, they could be at their actual farm and the Apple children were sent to their grandparent's house to help with their farm....I dunno.
NOOOOOOOOOOO- Huh. Y'know, I'm surprised I didn't think of that, because that's pretty much the only proper way they could be alive without having to justify why they're not with their kids.
i thought granny smith was thier mother, just she got called granny smith...because she was old fits in with big macs size
After giving it a little thought, I realized that Grany Smith and Big Mac couldn't be AJ and AB's parents. Why you ask? Spoiler: THIS IS WHY!! I put the image in a spoiler because it is HUGE, but it shows that Big Mac was a foal when AppleJack was.
The parents, most likely, are dead, like above stated (Heh, useless post). It's a bit illogical, though, to say that they're dead, because we have young Applebloom, and she was not existing when the episode about the mane cast's cutie marks was. That means they are just absent - most likely on another farm or something.
Maybe they died AFTER Applebloom was born? Or Applebloom was too young to be shown in the episode, like cradle young.
Celstia and luna are like all powerful and magic, not all ponies live for 1000 years, besides I think their bigging themselves up with that.
Maybe they were characters which just wouldn't have added to the "family unit" farm which Faust was trying to create. It's meant to be stereotypical right? In the same way we could question why 4 out of the other ponies don't have parents either. I wouldn't be surprised if the ponies family trees expanded quite a bit during season 2.
I did consider that they could be dead. However, I then realized, as Jaret pointed out, we have Apple Bloom. She's fairly young and had to be born somewhat recently, which wouldn't have worked if Big Mac and AJ's parents were dead. Although the theory about them working on their grandparents farm seems legit. Maybe their grandfather died, and Granny Smith is too old to take care of the farm, so AJ and Big Mac ponied up and came to help.
Well I also thought about Applejack's parents...in the first episode where everyone is being introduced at the Apple Family Reunion her parents aren't mentioned, the only family members ever mentioned to actually live on the Ponyville farm are, Applejack, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith. this does lead me to believe that her parents are dead, for explaining Apple Bloom's existence, she was too young in Applejack's story in The Cutie Mark Chronicles to have remembered any of it. Sending a little filly as young as Apple Bloom to live with her Grandma when you've already got two kids who are actually old enough to help out doesn't make much sense.
Considering this is My Little Pony, I'm not even going to question they're alive, regardless of what fanon says. I can't imagine the old 'dead parents' device would fit in with this show. My guess? As I_Ride_Ponies said, they just didn't fit in to the writing. Speaking within the pony universe, I'd say the most logical reason while remaining child friendly is her parents work on a different farm. I remember Applejack saying, the Apple family is spread all over Equestria. They just probably sent her and Big Mac to help on Granny Smith's farm, due to her being old. "Here ya go, ma, the kids can help ya with the farm 'n' what not". Sounds better than they died in an unfortunate combine harvester incident.
Maybe we will get to know who AJ's parents are in season 2? It would be nice to know, since we have 4 other ponies besides, AppleJack's parents. The only ones we know about there parents is Twilight and Pinkie Pie. I mean. That can't all can be dead, right?
