Bright Mac and Pear Butter

:Not to be confused with MLP/Transformers 01 Unnamed Mare - Heart and Pickle.
Bright Mac, full name Bright Macintosh,Compare: Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena Diane Pie; Maud (Rock) Pie, Maudalina Daisy Pie; Joe, [Donut/Pony] Joe; Cuppa Joe, Mocha Macchiato Caffe Latte Skim; Cadance, Mi Amore Cadenza; Daring Do (Dazzle), A. K. Yearling; DJ Pon-3, Vinyl Scratch; Tempest Shadow, Fizzlepop Berrytwist; etc. and Pear Butter are the married Earth pony parents of Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big McIntosh. They physically appear in flashback in the season seven episode The Perfect Pear, and they are alluded to in other episodes and media.
==Development and designs==
In December 2011, Lauren Faust mentioned that the whereabouts of Applejack's parents had not been planned and that the show was unlikely to mention that they've passed away. Faust stated that while she wanted it to be the case, she "didn't think they would allow it." At the 2016 Middle Equestrian Convention in Poland, My Little Pony character designer Kora Kosicka stated in response to a fan question that Applejack's parents are dead.
Bright Mac's color scheme is similar to those of Strawberry Sunrise, Don Neigh, "Special Delivery", "Nolan North", "Gingerbread", and male Starburst, and he shares his coat and mane colors with Apple Bloom.
Pear Butter's nickname is the same as the name of Buttercup, was previously used as the name of a G2 Earth pony, and is also the same as the name of the basis of Friends Forever 16 Unnamed Filly - Buttercup.
On November 17, 2012, Tim Stuby joked about Applejack's parents being played by John Stamos and Nancy Kerrigan.
When asked on Twitter about his "Favorite mom of the Mane 6" in late May 2017, Jim Miller replied "AJ's."
According to M. A. Larson in October 2020, Pear Butter was originally named Honeycrisp and written for an earlier scrapped episode titled "Mother Country", in which a satyr gave her the ability to make anything grow by touching it but she left home after realizing she could no longer touch her children.
Pear Butter as a young mare has a similar build to Plaid Stripes, "Pearly Whites", "Thunderstruck", filly Fluttershy, later filly Applejack, later filly Derpy, and Crystal Hoof.
==Depiction in the series==
In the season three episode Apple Family Reunion, a pair of shooting stars appears twice flying through the sky over Sweet Apple Acres. According to then-storyboard artist Sabrina Alberghetti, who implemented it, the shooting stars are meant to represent Applejack's parents; this was also hinted at by Tim Stuby.
In the season five episode Crusaders of the Lost Mark, Applejack tells Apple Bloom after she receives her cutie mark, "If Mom and Dad were here, they'd be so proud of ya."
In the season seven episode A Royal Problem, Applejack's parents briefly appear in a dream bubble holding an infant Applejack while Princess Celestia observes ponies' dreams.
In The Perfect Pear, the Apples' parents' love story is revealed and detailed through flashbacks. As infants, Bright Macintosh of the Apple family meets and becomes friends with Pear Butter of the rivaling Pear family, nicknaming her Buttercup. As they grow up together, their friendship slowly turns into mutual romantic affection, despite the disapproval of Bright Mac's mother, Granny Smith, and Pear Butter's father, Grand Pear.
When the escalating feud between the Apple and Pear families threatens to split Bright Mac and Pear Butter apart, they have a secret wedding, officiated by Mayor Mare, with Burnt Oak and Mrs. Cake (their respective best friends) in attendance. Granny Smith and Grand Pear soon find out about their marriage, and when Grand Pear refuses to accept Pear Butter's love for Bright Mac, she renounces her family ties to be with the Apples.
Bright Mac and Pear Butter's eventual fate is unknown, but their legacy lives on through Applejack's honesty, Big Mac's humility, Apple Bloom's intuition towards others' special talents, and a large tree that grows both apples and pears, the seeds of which they planted on the night of their wedding.
In the holiday special My Little Pony Best Gift Ever, Applejack mentions that she got her hat from her father Bright Mac.
In season nine, Bright Mac and Pear Butter briefly appear in a flashback in Going to Seed, with Bright Mac giving his yoke to a young Big Mac and Apple Bloom as an infant riding on Pear Butter's back. They are also mentioned by Applejack as she tells Apple Bloom before she falls asleep about how they told her the story about the Great Seedling. In The Big Mac Question, they are mentioned by Big Mac when he apologizes to Sugar Belle for not making things perfect like his parents did, but Sugar Belle reminds him that Bright Mac and Pear Butter had to handle tougher situations and were still together in the end. As a tribute to them, Big Mac and Sugar Belle both propose to each other and get married at the same tree planted on Bright Mac and Pear Butter's wedding.
In The Last Problem, Bright Mac and Pear Butter briefly appear in Applejack's group shot during The Magic of Friendship Grows.
==Other depictions==
===IDW comics===
Bright Mac and Pear Butter are mentioned by Applejack on page 8. In , Applejack recreates her mother's famous apple pie recipe, and Bright Mac and Pear Butter are also featured in several flashbacks. In , Zecora alludes to Pear Butter when trying to explain to Applejack her feelings about being expected to return to Farasi.
===Chapter books===
In Applejack and the Honest-to-Goodness Switcheroo, Applejack's mother is mentioned, though not by name, when Granny Smith gives Applejack a notebook that used to belong to Applejack's mother.
===PonyChat===
In the fifth episode of PonyChat, "BRIGHT MAC" and "BUTTERCUP" are included on "APPLEJACK'S FAMILY TREE" presented by Elle on the Inside.
===Software===
Bright Mac, Pear Butter, and their younger selves are characters in Gameloft's mobile game, and serve as helpers during "The Perfect Pear" event.
====Mobile game descriptions====
Bright Mac:
Applejack's dad always had a strong sense of responsibility... Just like Big Mac!
Pear Butter:
Applejack's mom always had a passion for helping ponies find their true talents... Just like Apple Bloom
Young Bright Mac:
Pear Butter first met him when they were just foals. It would be the start of something truly special...
Young Pear Butter:
Bright Mac took to calling her "Buttercup" -- but not when her dad was around!
==Appearances==
==Quotes==
The Perfect Pear
:Young Bright Mac: [whispering] My mom says if you hold a buttercup under your chin, it'll make your chin glow. But it doesn't work on me. See?
:Young Pear Butter: [whispering] Does it work on me?
:[heart beating]
:Young Bright Mac: It sure does, Buttercup.
:Young Pear Butter: Buttercup. I like that name.
:Pear Butter: I can't help it. We just sorta... happened.
:Bright Mac: Happy one hundred and thirty-one thousand, four hundred and fifty-six hour anniversary, darlin'.
:Pear Butter: What? [laughs] That's way longer than we've been together.
:Bright Mac: I know, but it's the anniversary of the first time I called you "Buttercup". It's okay if you didn't get me anythin'.
:Pear Butter: Actually... I did.
:Bright Mac: A guitar? For me? But... [strums guitar] I don't know how to play.
:Pear Butter: Quiet, you.
:Bright Mac: I don't want to be apart from you. Ever. I'm not sure what we'll do, but I'm sure of us. So sure that I'd marry you today.
:Pear Butter: I would, too!
:Pear Butter: The Apples are my family now, too.
==Gallery==
==See also==
*Characters with a similar name (Bright Mac): Big Mac, Bright Smile, Bright Bulb, and Bright Bridle.
*Characters with a similar name (Pear Butter): Buttercup, Buttercream, Old Mare Butterwick, Grand Pear, Mare-ion Pear, Mrs. Pearblossom, and Mr. Pearblossom.
==Notes==
==References==
de:Bright Mac und Pear Butter
es:Bright Mac y Pear Butter
id:Bright Mac dan Pear Butter
pl:Bright Mac i Pear Butter
ru:Брайт Мак и Пеа Баттер
uk:Брайт Мак і Пеа Баттер
Category:Apple family
Category:Farmers
Category:Featured articles
Category:Musicians
Category:Parents
Category:Pear family
Category:Supporting characters