A NEW CHALLENGER HAS ENTERED THE ARENA…mostly for overly helpful purposes to give Applejack a run for her money in terms of helping people. This was such a random short to watch, but I don’t deny both Applejack and Timber Spruce being not just competitive, but being competitive in being helpful. The “pick me” energy is quite strong in these two. If I were to give this a moral, it would be that it’s better to work together with someone than against, especially if you have the same goals. Either that or don’t try to argue with each other while trying to save someone. Not a good look for volunteer lifeguards. Let’s dive in and see what kinds of troubles these two can prevent.
So our set up is the fact that this beach or the business that supplies lifeguards is willing to let two teenagers do the job. I can see Timber having some background in that with being at a summer camp most of the time. He has lake and water safety down along with monitoring large groups of people. And Applejack has…uh…farming experience? Ok I have no idea why there was not a throwaway line of her being trained to be a lifeguard to be volunteering. At most her edge is her pony super strength from her geode. She could probably pluck someone out of being buried in the sand very easily. I might be worried about that person’s arms coming off of the body at that time, but we’ll get there when we get there.
Well I can’t say he’s fully wrong. I would think his time at Camp Everfree would give him plenty of experience in trusting your instincts to know when something it wrong (except when your sister is abusing dark magic, but nobody's perfect). While Applejack is more alert and wanting to be ready for anything and everything. It’s definitely two different ways of helping people that can be interesting for character development, especially when Timber does come off as a bit conceited when talking about it due to his background. Hopefully he can put his money where his mouth is.
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| Timber: “Someone in need! Timber to the rescue!!!” |
Well…can’t say he’s not a Flash Sentry clone here with him trying to rush in to save the day. Only difference is that it’s not a killer toaster robot like from the “Cheer You On” music video. But that baby crying means something is happening. Let’s hope he gets there in time. And that these three girls in the background know that canonically he's taken.
Last time I checked Applejack has super strength, not super speed. But as an athletic type herself, I can count on her being fit enough to run pretty well even on sand. And the kid is safe so all’s well with the world.
And here we see the blossoming of a common trait with male characters: the bruising of the fragile male ego. It might not just be because of Applejack being able to help someone faster than him, but the fact that it bothers him that someone got to save someone before him makes it a not-so nice trait to have. Even down to saying, “you didn’t have to”. Dude, a kid was in trouble. You’re both lifeguards. Of course she had to. It’s almost the equivalent of recording yourself giving food to a homeless person to show what a good person you are. It might be more tolerable than just Timber being lazy and taking it easy with Applejack doing all the lifeguarding work, but not by much.
Well it’s nice that no trouble is too big or too small to have a helping hand there for safety. But now we get some more of the fragile male ego with having to refence that this is what he’s used to at Everfree. I think even Applejack is feeling the ego radiating from this guy. But at least Lyra is safe from a nasty spill from her bodyboard.
And now we get to the real meat of things with over helping a situation and not really making it that much better. Was it cool that Applejack caught a scoop of ice cream that was about to fall on the sand in mid-air with her hat? Yes. Was it a life threatening situation? No. Was it something a lifeguard would do or worry about? Far from it. And the lady even gets a souvenir from her ice cream savior in the form of a long blond strand of hair in her ice cream. How hygienic.
Honestly it was hard for me to take myself out of the short only because this pseudo competition over helping seemed so silly. But then I think about the type of person AJ is and how much she strives to be involved in something helpful to other. There was “Applebuck Season”, where she couldn’t say no to any promise she’s made along with trying to clear a field of apples by herself. There’s “The Last Roundup” where she had to make money for Ponyville through other means after losing the competition. And there’s “Honest Apple” where her honesty gets the better of her when being blunt with critiques and over helping to the point of destroying fashion designer’s hard work. She makes it a notion to help and if she can’t help in the usual way, she does it in other ways that might not be any better. Combine that with her over competitive streak and you have someone who could rival Spike from “Spike At Your Service” and we don’t want to go back to that, do we?
And now it’s coming to a big clash of who can save Bulk Biceps from drowning first. Even though he’s now safe, they somehow felt the need to paddle in different directions. Again, who asked to hire teenagers to be lifeguards for this beach of civilians? If this was maybe a public pool or a swim event for children, then that’s fine. But this got a bit out of hand when Bulk is confused about whether he feels saved or not when his saviors are arguing over who can save him first.
It’s moments like these that I can understand Snowflake being another name for Bulk Biceps. But I can’t resist this guy just being an absolute doll. Someone who legitimately cries because he doesn’t want Timber and Applejack to fight. You were just in trouble of drowning and all you're thinking about is not having two friends fighting. This guy has a heart as big as his muscles and I love it.
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| Applejack: “With my elbow grease and Timber’s know how, we make a pretty good team.” |
Aww. Don’t you just love when the characters talk it out and realize they’re both capable and can work well together? You always need that outsider's perspective to show that yes, you both have a problem and yes, they could’ve squashed this beef a long time ago and just help people together. Thanks for the assist Bulk. You really are the bridge to unite these two. And they’re both hat enthusiast so they should get along just fine.
That moment where you have the figure out who is saving who exactly. But this smile needed to be preserved in everyone’s heart along with the most confused pair of lifeguards who might need to give the job to the guy they just rescued.
And with another happy beach patron saved (more or less), we now get these two actually working together and both of them being thanked for saving Bulk Biceps. You could not ask for a more wholesome ending as they race off to possibly save someone who was upset they had pickles on their burger when they asked for none.
And that was Turf Wars, a strange short that rubbed me the wrong way in the beginning but was made better with a wholesome gentle giant in a red speedo. I couldn’t imagine Timber interacting with anyone else in the Humane 7 other than love interest Twilight, but seeing these two trying to out do each other in being the best lifeguard seemed to fit their personalities. Both of these characters make it their priority to be involved in something no matter how big or small and I guess I can see how someone stepping in on that can make you feel a bit on the insecure side. If someone else is better at helping someone, than what am I needed for? I can see this being the nagging voice in their minds while also trying to keep up their confidence and lifeguards who know what they’re doing. And the resolution to this endeavor felt natural when two stubborn heads like Applejack and Timber can realize “yeah this fighting is dumb.” I’m Penny Wrights and I’m gonna buy me a carton if ice cream (minus the hair).
