Zecora's Fate may have been Much Worse than we first thought...

[@Jammerstelthzoe]

I think on the Zapp apples I believe the victim of swamp fever for that tree was once a thunderbird. Think about it they brought large storms in and are known for beautiful feathers too. Perhaps while migrating across equestria one rested in the Everfree forest caught the fever and turned into an apple tree with lighting and rainbow colors different from its feathers. And they produce fruit when the migration of the storm seasons come. That’s my possible head cannon

[@AJponyAPschannel]

yeah... shouldn't of had that zap apple pie for breakfest -_-

[@GuninGames]

She would have turned into a tree, as did many of the other pony's not cured.......shivers from the horrifying realization and of course, fallout equestria, not to mention the ponys celestia tunred into statues, that are still conscience aware of there surroundings, frozen in stone, so that means pony's are both statues and trees in equestria.....hey I just call it as I see it, now you shall lose sleep

[@pompe221]

I like it -- plus, you could argue that the zap apples from a thunderbird-turned-zap-apple-tree do carry swamp fever, but in a form that could only infect other thunderbirds. Ponies are a different species entirely so they can eat zap apples and be unaffected.

[@Cawziiku]

Actually pretty nice one here... Although it doesn't really make it any less dark, it makes a bit more sense... But the thing is, are ponies the only kind able to catch this fever, could any other creatures possibly be immune to swamp fever? I'd like to think that dwellers of the Everfree forest are most likely to catch it and spread it to other ponies, which could be a deeper, darker reason why ponies stay as far from the forest as possible.

[@broadwaybandito2480]

Good theory!

[@strandedgeek]

I think it's slightly ironic and dark at the implications considering it's fluttershy. Because in two separate previous episodes Fluttershy faked being sick with orange spots, and even said once that she'd like to be a tree. Now look at Zecora, orange spots and turning into a tree. I think this was some guy's idea of being dark/clever in taking old ideas and putting a spin on things.

[@AdarableKitten]

i did not even realize that until you mentioned it!

[@blueteller]

...you think that maybe the Timberwolves exist because of fallen branches of a tree that once had been a living being and caught swamp fever? That actually scarily likely. But what if... I mean, Timberwolves are made of STICKS, they don't have organs or anything... what if in order to eat a pony Timberwolves first infect their victim with swamp fever to turn them into wood to feast on?! O_O

[@yukikursosaki200]

I had a darker thought just listening to the implications of this newfound dark theme to MLP. How the Timberwolves even became a threat. It might sound crazy, but....Have you ever thought of the possibility that ALL creatures could, in fact, be infected with swamp fever, and a few wolves had suffered that fate? And yet, except like other circumstances, these wolves couldn't fully become a tree, so they became this mix of wolf and tree, (aka Timberwolves). Dark, yet fascinating, to take a look at.

[@Orca19904]

You just know the grimdark writers are going to have a field day with all this new material you just gave them, Doc...

[@AuroraRWinters95]

Chris Teet Yes I AM~

[@dgood5707]

Wow, that got disturbingly dark...

[@MrGabeanator]

d good yea

[@colouredsun7919]

d good Ikr

[@MrGabeanator]

ok

[@GuninGames]

She would have turned into a tree, as did many of the other pony's not cured.......shivers from the horrifying realization and of course, fallout equestria, not to mention the ponys celestia tunred into statues, that are still conscience aware of there surroundings, frozen in stone, so that means pony's are both statues and trees in equestria.....hey I just call it as I see it, now you shall lose sleep

[@MrGabeanator]

wow

[@scarlett453]

The coughing up bubbles reminds me of Discords magic, maybe the swampfever-flowers are a side effect of the seeds he planted there? The symptoms seem too random to not be chaos magic.

[@thegeekaccountyoushouldign5679]

The flowers spreading swamp fever are as old as Discord's reign, probably older. The dates with the pillars and Discord don't line up that way.

[@austinjones9276]

That makes sense.🤔

[@user-dl3vn8ze9n]

Discord's seeds were sprouted after Mage Meadowbrook.

[@scarywaterhorse9152]

My biggest grievance with this idea is that the episode more or less implied that the ponies turned into the same tree as the tree that dropped the flowers. It seems a little random to me if the victims turned into random trees. Though it still remains rather dark if you think of it more along the lines of some sort of parasite that infects and assimilates animals as a means of reproduction.

[@BGBTech]

I had interpreted it more sorta like Cordyceps, which is sort of similar but (in real life) turns creatures into mushrooms, which in turn spread spores to infect more creatures (usually arthropods). (google images can provide "inspiration" here).

[@scarywaterhorse9152]

I had a very similar line of thought but I didn't want to label them so closely due to the implication that it didn't seem that the ponies were being absorbed as nutrients but instead where being magically transmuted into the trees

[@ZeroRyoko]

The original plan for the EverFree forest was that it would be a sentient forest encroaching on the land of Equestria, think Fangorn or Merkwood from LotR, now couple that with ponies turning into trees and the outcome is even more horrifying!

[@UniqueHybridDragon]

I have to disagree. The disease is called "Swamp Fever," that comes from a tree that thrives in a swamp. The Zap Apple Trees have shown no signs of needing to live in, or even by, a swamp. We can also see that both trees look entirely different from each other. The blossoms also look, and fall off, differently from each other. And as for the land by the Everfree Forest, Celestia gave that land to the Smith Family. This means that the land was under her jurisdiction, meaning if some pony else wanted to live there, they'd have to consult with her first. And when the Smith Family started their home there, Celestia's jurisdiction was no longer in affect, allowing other ponies to come and live there, helping the town to begin, then thrive. But I can't disagree with the darker sense in this episode. In fact, I can emphasize on it more from the new "Legends of Magic" comic book that came out, stating that Mage Meadowbrook found a cure for a quote (dangerous and deadly disease) unquote. And there have been a few other darker implications in episodes before, such as: Nightmare Moon & Daybreaker trying to destroy each other; Tirek threating to destroy Twilight on his way to Ponyville; & possibly a few others. And even if the Zap Apple Trees are a tree on their own, & the land being under Celestia's jurisdiction are true, this episode having the darkest sense of all the episodes (so far), is also undeniably true. But I'm glad things turned out good in the end. Fluttershy doesn't want to be a tree that bad.

[@Yogasefski]

If you ask me, this seems shocking. Ba-Bum tiss?

[@82dorrin]

No. Just... no.

[@Cawziiku]

Oh. *_OH_* ok

[@bencrooker720]

YOU! CORNER! NOW!

[@mantisqueen964]

Dagnabit the pun XD

[@Chareddragon]

I think the lightning thing might be because of convergent evolution. With magical influences attracting and using electricity for energy and defense isn’t out of the question. They probably have a symbiotic relationship with the timberwolves which is why the show up during harvesting time

[@donellebullock7404]

There is a god that mirrors the forest Thor, the god of thunder, oak trees, nature, and frogs

[@austinjones9276]

🤔.....😮 Ohhh. Seems legit.

[@donellebullock7404]

My thing about Thor or Joshua?

[@mlp-hot-rod5824]

Makes me wonder about those fused trees at the end of Perfect Pear. You don't think...?

[@MelralCT-]

MLP-Hot-Rod oh my that's how they died (I know sounds a bit funny but that is bit side that actually might have) if hadn't saw them plant it though

[@mlp-hot-rod5824]

I know that they planted them, but it would've been pretty good. And who's to say those seeds ever even grew at all?

[@MelralCT-]

MLP-Hot-Rod true what they were boiled seeds that can't grow so that means

[@mlp-hot-rod5824]

Exactly. Would've made quite the twist. Someone even drew them sat down holding hooves as they let the sickness overcome them. Very sad.

[@michaelaburns734]

MLP-Hot-Rod Medieval Ages Shakespeare wrote Romero and Juliette it would explain the disappearance of Bright Mac and Pear Butter

[@peacefighter1996]

That might explain why around the castle of the two sisters, there are no structures to be found any more except ponyville. keep in mind that around a castle there is usually quit a bit of settlements to support the castle. But its seems all the structures are just gone. However in S04EP02 we can have a look at the surroundings around the castle but no settlements can be seen.

[@jeremychen6720]

I didn't know 7 years ago that the show would be so dark. Wow the show came a long way.

[@MrAnimeLover1]

Thanks for fueling grimdark fanfic materials, dr.wolf xD

[@FrankenXANA]

I think you have some potential material to work with come next Halloween, Doc.

[@SuperDarklord101]

Here's my dark theory: Zap apple trees are simply the result of what happens when you bury a pony. Swamp fever may have strange symptoms, but releasing electric potential seems to be a sign of death or dying. As the inhabitants of Equestria are all inherently magic, electricity could be a common trait among the equines. Another of the strange symptoms of swamp fever would be the bubbles. My little pony has actually used bubbles as a form of death, or at the very least, metamorphosis. If you want proof, watch MLP Silver Quill's video about villains. Specifically, watch the segment where he talks about the possible villain, Majesty.

[@jarnegi]

From a tasty sounding treat to a horrific concept to consider. I truly hope that it's a mere coincident, but I do love the idea of the show having subtle, darker themes.

[@ryujin8754]

It is not true, the doctor said that she would turn into the same tree that spreads the disease and for all I know the zappleaplle (I don't know how to write it...) trees don't do that.

[@jarnegi]

Ryujin Really? That's a relief. It's been awhile since I've last seen that episode.

[@GuninGames]

She would have turned into a tree, as did many of the other pony's not cured.......shivers from the horrifying realization and of course, fallout equestria, not to mention the ponys celestia tunred into statues, that are still conscience aware of there surroundings, frozen in stone, so that means pony's are both statues and trees in equestria.....hey I just call it as I see it, now you shall lose sleep

[@ryujin8754]

GuninGames "hey I just call it as I see it, now you shall lose sleep" If I didn't have a brain with working braincells then maybe I would.

[@Rose-ff8gd]

So...Theory time! If the Timberwolves were regular wolves who were then infected but didn't turn into a tree because they are semi-immune, then what if they could be used as a cure if the flash bees become hard to find or killed? I think that if their bark skin/fur was brewed as a tea or the milk was drunk from a mother _(the bark would be easier to get as they could say they shed it or something. We would be able to get timberpups if we go with the milk, though. I would be good either way.)_ it might turn the pony into a timberpony. They wouldn't be changed too much on the inside, but they become bark-like like the Timberwolves. Perhaps they become a bit more restless and more acceptable of violence, but not all too much. I would love to see a clan of timberponies in the show. Perhaps a whole town got sick, and there wasn’t enough honey to cure them all, so they experimented with the wolves? Another way to get to the bark-pony end would be to try to cure the trees in the ever-free. Perhaps Zecora decides to store a few bottles of honey just in case, or to study it, or both when she drops one on a tree, and because the pony was fully changed or changed too long, she can’t be fully changed back. What if the bark-pony is the result of a pony sick with the infection (or the sickness is fended off by the Timberwolves, who don’t cure it but don’t let it get worse) who mates with a healthy pony? Now, I know what you must be thinking at this point if you’re still reading: _NightStar, you really want this to become a thing all of a sudden._ To that, I answer with a single word: Yes. Now, I’m probably going to write a fanfic around this concept soon, but if this gives you any ideas and you don’t want to steal an idea from someone else, don’t worry about it. Just send me the link, and I won’t care about that. Heck, send me the link anyway. I want to read it :P

[@alby408]

Night Star it's a dark Theory but it has a lot of potential in this format if you do write something up like this any chance you can place the link here?

[@Rose-ff8gd]

Sure.

[@rectoraakor8843]

This could explain why the Castle of the Two sisters was abandoned after Nightmare Moon's banishment. Without anyone to control the out break of swamp fever and one of the Royal Sisters that swore to protect ponies from danger banished the Everfree Forest was now too dangerous to have as a capitol.

[@agniepintero743]

It is interesting that the mlp staff doesn't explore the lore and contents of the everfree forest, and I'm quite curious about the orgins of the name.

[@BoringBri]

The Everfree forest is called the everfree because it's forever free

[@BoringBri]

+Night Shade Wtf?

[@onyxosprey]

Broken He's just a pathetic excuse for a troll with nothing better to do than comment dumb shit on Dr Wolf videos.

[@BoringBri]

Who is Brian or Night?

[@ShadwSonic]

Nah... the whole reason that these trees turn others INTO trees is to reproduce, which is also the reason why fruit bearing trees... bear fruit. A species mutating to have a completely different reproductive system is rather farfetched in any situation, apart from deliberate genetic modification. And Equestria doesn't have the technology (be it ours or equivalent) to even think about doing that outside of specific "turn into other things" spells, which would require extremely knowledgeable AND powerful unicorns (around Twilight pre-ascension levels), and... well, we've already past the point of absurdity here. There IS one thing I thought of though... how does a tree whose fruit is only harvestable in a one week window reproduce without direct intervention? It had to do that SOMEHOW for Granny to discover it in the Everfree after all...

[@liamwhite3522]

One week goes by, remaining apples fall to the earth, are eaten by herbivores, and they are charged with replanting. Y'know, like normal trees.

[@ShadwSonic]

Normally that would be a sufficient answer, but Zap Apples DON'T fall to the ground... they simply vanish. That's the confusing part here.

[@tenkoasahina3288]

Good theory, but it is easily debukable. In the episode, they say swamp fever turns you into the tree that sprouts the flowers that cause the fever in the first place. Soooo... yeah. If you got a counter argument, lemme know

[@Galimeer5]

To give a little more fuel to this theory, Granny Smith tells us that making good zap apple jam requires the room to be painted with pinkie polka dots. -Swamp AIDS- Swamp fever covers the victim with orange spots.

[@josepharmstrong1788]

ZAP APPLES IS PONIES!

[@lukaerd6258]

Joseph Armstrong Cannibalism!

[@weldonwin]

SOYLENT JAM IS PONIES! SOYLENT JAM IS PONIES!!!!

[@Longma1]

PINKIE BAKES ZAP APPLES INTO CUPCAKES!!! =B

[@MrConredsX]

Aj Parents...

[@MelonTartVA]

When you mentioned the lightning, I had a feeling zap apple trees were.coming. Also, there si the possibility that since there was a kingdom.around the castle of the 2 sisters before the Everfree forest, it makes me wonder if some of the citizens became the trees there

[@silentcipher5130]

i had a similer theory regarding zap apples that they may have been those spark bugs turned by the disease, and it would explain the forests odd natural state, but i dont think the timber wolves are tied to it, i think those are from the time of luna turning into nightmare moon, the sisters did have a fierce battle with lots of powerful spells where some missed, what if that errant magic animated a fallen tree that became the first timber wolf and from there the magic sustaining it radiated from it doing a similer thing to twigs and sticks.

[@KHsupergeek]

2:48 The door...has opened...

[@Wayfinder2039]

That actually makes so much sense and could explain so much. But I have a question for you doctor wolf Hulu just announced that there making two new seasons of animaniacs and I want to know your thoughts.

[@Sparkle5fanboy]

If its anything like "The magic School Bus rides again" don't get your hopes up. It'll probably just be another Teen Titan's Go.

[@Wayfinder2039]

Sorrowful Cheshire I don’t think its going to be like ttg or the magic school bus rides again I think it’s going to be it’s own reboot and stay true to the source material.

[@Sparkle5fanboy]

Here's to hoping. But I really hope they don't ruin that too!

[@techswift6102]

It's depends on, really I think because the questions is: will it have the humor that made the show memorable along with the memorable characters?, who are the People working on it and why are they making it? Because it either can be the greatest thing or not it just depends on what they do really.

[@Sparkle5fanboy]

If anyone of those people are responsible on working on any other horrid reboot than I highly doubt its quality. Plus it was a nineties show and I'd like to leave it there.

[@viscariasongbird7354]

I think that the origin of the Everfree has more to do with it. A lot of these plants and animals don't exactly show up anywhere else in Equestria. I am beginning to think that the Everfree was once just a regular forest that got settled in by the ponys, particularly the unicorns, who can't stop meddling with the way things work, trying to make things better, or worse if they leaned into that inclination. The Everfree, as the result of a lot of abandoned magical experiments that never stopped functioning and grew more independant and uncontrollable, just makes sense to me after that brainstorm.

[@thesmolswefur1357]

Great video DR. Wolf!

[@Sonic_Gamer501]

That episode made me believe the possibility of Applejack's parents being dead. It's possible that they could've gotten swamp fever, and turned into trees. I'm not talking the tree we saw in The Perfect Pair, but a rather different individual trees.

[@CrowRider1999]

That is...intriguing, yet at the same time highly disturbing. I mean, if some creature really did catch swamp fever and turn into a zappapple tree, that would bring some strange implications.

[@mariobermudez1228]

Steppin into some Matpat territory there, Doc

[@jeremychen6720]

One thing that no one talks about is how old old is starwarl really is ?

[@RedDragonForce2]

*Starswirl, as in Starswirl the Bearded??

[@MelralCT-]

Mx 4000 thousands of years old cause you know

[@jeremychen6720]

Melral CT:3718 Because he was in limbo he didn't age. I meant his real age.

[@Darkbolt04]

RedDragonForce2 yeah

[@fissshy7]

If it wasn't for the fact we saw Applejack's family planting those seeds earlier on, I'd almost think we discovered what exactly happened to them considering...well, the trees that were there. Welp, missed chance for the grimdark MLP writers I suppose.

[@SunGodNika-bi2jr]

I did read somewhere that wood conducts electricity or something

[@MintyFreshCupcakes]

Gol D. Luffy Wood does not conduct electricity at all. If the bark is wet, or if the tree is really tall I may be more likely to be hit by lightning, but not because it's conducive.

[@crystalchangeling1963]

Trees still blow up because of lightning though.

[@shoukatsukai]

They're not conductive, they're flammable

[@killz0ne215]

Wood is not a conductor of electricity. The moisture inside of the wood is however. That is why trees conduct lightning , obviously because they have water in them. What causes the trees to split is that water being super heated, super fast and causing an explosion of steam energy. In fact thunder its self is of the same concept. The air around the lightning bolt gets super heated causing a sonic boom as the pressure wave expands away from the bolt.

[@timmainson]

It is said that if a tree is hit by lightning the wood in that path makes the best wands for magical use. could it be that magic turned sour could have mixed with a lighting strike and created "timber wolves"? But if it did then why not knotty squirrels? (wanted to keep this family oriented LOL)

[@Shearper2]

i think this show sometimes gets really dark at times. mostly through what isn't directly said. it is something that makes the show really great, but, also a bit disturbing too

[@funloop]

Hmm, now this could he an interesting plot for a horror/thriller story; similar to Cupcakes and Rainbow Factory. ANd gotta make that extra money somehow...."spread the word, Zap Apple Jam is ponies!!!" But in all seriousness, if it weren't for the fact that the ponies infected with the swamp fever turned into the trees that cause the condition, this would be a plausible idea.

[@MelralCT-]

Heal me doctor! Oh wait your not that kind of doctor (so sorry I want to do that)

[@BrianRandomVA]

First thought on this video was this little old quote: "OH MY GOOOOOOOOD!" Sound familiar?

[@donellebullock7404]

Thor

[@BGBTech]

as in, "They're eating her, and soon, they'll be eating me, ..." ?... (only the best in cinematic history).

[@BrianRandomVA]

Brendan Bohannon That's the one! XD

[@BrianRandomVA]

Donelle Bullock Sorry. Wrong movie.

[@donellebullock7404]

Thor is the god of thunder, nature, frogs, and oak trees/ just trees. The forests has all of them. The forest's nature can't be tamed or regulated like the rest of the world, it has frogs (some dangerous), The tree shoot lighting, and using the vague tree version gives another possibility.

[@barrythechopper]

To me that sickness seems to be a fungus or spores. It even happens in real life with the zombie fungus that infects insects making them crawl to the upper canopy and a stem then sprouts from their heads. The trees drop the spotted flowers and it infects a living thing, with no cure they eventually become the same tree to later drop more flowers. It could be why some of the trees in season one had faces frozen in pain.

[@MelralCT-]

Ya things went down like doctor who

[@MarkMaker]

This makes me wonder if AJ's parents caught swamp fever. Maybe they chose to die at the same place where they got married, and they became the apple and pear trees? No one ever said what *kind* of tree swamp fever turns you into; for all we know, it could be completely random. But it's just a thought.

[@yukaii0]

I also notoced that back in the i think season 2. When fluttershy didnt want to come out of her house she painted orange dots on her. Simular to does that apear when you have the fever. Just a little thing i noticed.

[@pigcatapult]

More disturbing to me is that Swamp Fever is very clearly a clean version of the fungus from Slough, an X-rated creepypasta.

[@AtarahDerek]

It's made pretty clear in that episode that victims of swamp fever turn into the same tree that spreads the disease. But since the zap apple tree can produce lightning, it wouldn't be a stretch to believe that other trees, such as the swamp fever tree, can also produce lightning.

[@minskghoul]

Some thoughts on the subject. In the second episode of the season one (Friendship is Magic, part 2: Elements of Harmony) , in the scene where Twilight is researching Elements of Harmony Guide, we have following lines (important part in CAPITALS): "Twilight Sparkle: Oh. There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in WHAT IS NOW... The Rest of Mane 6: THE EVERFREE FOREST!" This may imply that there was no Everfree Forest in the area 1000 years ago when Castle of Royal Sisters was inhabited and this dreaded wood grew over this time, just like erosion turned Ghastly Caverns into Ghastly Gorges. However, in the second episode of season three (Princess Twilight Sparkle, part 2) we can see forest around the Castle at the background of Celestia and Nighmare Moon flashback battle. So it is not forest, but it's name rise over the millenia. It's seems, that this place ignores ponies nature management, just like windigo's frost did, that might mean that forest is infested with some disharmony curse. Most likely, when one holder of Elements of Harmony use Element of Harmony against another, this not only severe his connection to Element, but also release a vast amount of "disharmony energy", that curse the area. Land being cursed would explain, why Celestia didn't moved any of her belongings from Castle of Royal Sisters into Canterlot Royal Palace, even books, even her (with Luna) diary! So everything in this Forest was cursed and mutated under influence of disharmony energy. (That kind of reminds me Zone from S.T.A.L.K.E.R.). Also idea of infesting curse can be indirectly confirmed by the fact, that timberwolves can turn ponies into timber werewolves as it was shown in chapter book "The Tail of the Timberwolf".

[@futabanarugonzalez3399]

Look Dr. Wolf, you've now reaching 90K subs. Yay #90K

[@drathick9390]

Well, I got some good ideas now for a new fan fiction. Great video Dr Wolf.

[@heatherkramer3139]

There were several trees with those flowers, and this seems to be how the trees reproduce. We have a lot less older ponies and more single parents in Ponyville than you would expect too...

[@thewolf8660]

Swamps are in nature. Swamps are home to frogs. This tree shoots lightning. Thor is the Norse God of thunder, nature,and frogs. Zecora is turning into Thor. You're welcome internet.

[@IkeFanBoy64]

But Zecora speaks on rhymes... And Thor was the inspiration for Nora (from RWBY)... So if Zecora is Thor, then Nora would also (potentially) speak in rhymes... OH GOD NO!!!

[@FoxofMaysville]

The castle of the two sister in in the Everfree Forest. So, that means that at one point the Everfree was the capital of Equestria. So, then next question comes to my mind is why would you move the capital from the Everfree lands north to Canterlot? The first answer could be that Princess Celestia wanted a fresh start after her battle with Nightmare Moon. But, plague could have also sent the ponies north as well. After all the Swamp Fever flowers seem to like warmer wet places, not mountain sides.

[@wynnefox]

I think part of the fun of Equestria is that the place is crazy dangerous... it is just we follow the story of 6 extremely capable mares who live in a town on the edge of the wilderness. But watching any episode and you can point to where danger could have lead to fates worse than death. I mean just look at The Stare episode. If it wasn't that Fluttershy had her own magic that can put others in their place with a look, she would have been another statue for Celestia's garden. Hell, that garden is another example. How many there were like discord, placed there as punishment. Then there is the comics where they seem to turn the danger up to 11. You can't kill or maim in MLP due to the intended audience, which leads to creators having to come up to with far more darker ways to put the characters into danger.

[@davidcarter4877]

Geez, that got dark quick!

[@Sparkle5fanboy]

Give's one a whole new perspective on the tree of Harmony! The six saviors did say they planted a seed, but what kind of seed and what was the cost? Did they sacrifice an Alicorn or two? is that where Princess Celestia and Luna's Parents went?

[@xonxt7479]

and everyone forgets that Hasbros way to nosy around deadly infections is to turn a victims into a freaking tree!

[@ИльяАнтонов-с5б]

Good point about Timber wolfs. I wonder if show writer ever touch the subject.(They could easy pull out a villain for season premiere/final and expand upon lore.)

[@rue23ko]

Does that mean that Princess Celestia send the apple family to a super dangerous region where they could become trees?? Well everything turned out super well with the foundation of Ponyville, so maybe she gave them a crash course on how to evade the plague? Or maybe she can see the future like some people say out there...

[@EnigmaazGC]

What if... Applejack's parents contracted swamp fever, and those two trees we see at the end of A Perfect Pear were them?

[@DragoSonicMile]

+EnigmaazGC Butter Cup and Bright Mac specifically buried one seed each during their wedding day. The resulting pear and apple trees wrapping around each other came from those seeds, not their literal bodies.

[@arniemagnethooves2206]

the zapp apple tree may be a special wolf pack with their relation to the timberwolves traditions

[@ponystuff6154]

Are you forgetting when it said the tree they turn into is the one that produces the flowers that give the disease? Last time I checked, Zap Apples don't give ponies swamp fever.

[@mondenkindqueen]

Part of me wants to think that some members of the Apple clan; when nearing the ends of their lives, would go out and WILLINGLY contract this disease so they can turn into zap apple trees so their descendants can continue their prosperity.

[@cameoshadowness7757]

I'm going to be dead honest, I highly doubt the writers intended for most of this. They write blindly in many ways and make many implications that are never intentional. Even if by a sliver of a chance it is, they will simply drop it.

[@Cutie_Kitsune]

Headcannon: Samp fever caused the Birth of the Everfree forest, the zap apple trees were unicorns and Timberwolves were Pegasus ponies who still protect their fallen kin to this day

[@82dorrin]

This is why you shouldn't overthink things... It makes MLP *EXTREMELY* dark.

[@liamwhite3522]

Isn't it stated in episode that you become the same type of tree that releases the Swamp Fever Lotuses?

[@Shadow-xb2ce]

That could resolve Twilight's line in Winter Wrap Up about Ponyville being settled 100's of years ago and Granny helpint (re)settle the area.

[@DiceWarwick]

good Fallout Equestia matrial

[@rockethonchcrow3604]

Due to this episode I hope we're able to see some interesting things relating to timberwolves and the everfree forest

[@Spyro757]

When is season 8 comping out

[@royveldboom7266]

No official debut date has been announced as yet.

[@snowdaybornagainbrony6832]

The idea of a parasitic creature that infests a host and then replaces it is pretty dark sci-fi on its own without taking into account the possibility of zap apples being related. If anything though it makes me wonder how much of the unique ecosystem that is the Everfree forest, is that way, because of different creatures succumbing to Swamp Fever and then becoming trees. Perhaps it works somewhat like Xenomorphs (and possibly there's an intentional easter egg hinting at this in the form of those poison-spraying whip-vines which look conspicuously like facehuggers), where the emergent creature retains some unique traits of what it hatched from. This fusion of plant and animal DNA could be responsible for why the forest it so animate and has such a diversity of aggressive plants (and as you said, Timberwolves). It's also worth noting that the possible common connection being electricity, could be a reference to the presence of a central nervous system relying on bio-electric signals; something that plants don't normally have. We can also assume that such a thing in its late stages would force the host to return to a place where the plant could flourish, just before it starts taking root (sort of like zombie ants). The only big glaring problem with this though, is that the Castle of the 2 Sisters is in there. The main castle was where Everfree now stands. One could wonder if the forest wasn't yet mutated back then, which would mean that Swamp Fever didn't come to the Canterlot region until much later. So we're dealing with a very aggressive mutagenic life-form of some kind being responsible for an ordinary forest slowly transforming itself into a living nightmare. Wow. Everfree just got a lot more interesting.

[@williamcrowe2576]

I think we should delve even further into the origins of the Everfree Forrest, given what we know (or think we know) so far.

[@Iscreamatmycousin]

i just realised last month thats its the everfree forest, not the evergreeen forest.

[@connorthompson8376]

They did mention 'shock sneezing' in the doctor's office.

[@donellebullock7404]

There is another reference, and here is the list: 1) Lighting/ Thunder 2) A form of tree, the leaves may be Oak-like 3) Swamps have some of the most variety of frogs 4) In the forest, no pony controls nature. It runs on its own. Drum-roll.... Thor, the god of nature, thunder, frogs, and Oak trees.

[@autumbreeze1129]

Yikes! Just when I thought that episode's implications couldn't get any darker

[@Chocolate_Spider]

I've been listening to too many mlp grim dark fanfictions because this is not the first time i heard of ponies turning into trees, and now I might not sleep tonight.

[@bencrooker720]

Good Lord, that is ridiculously dark for a show originally aimed twards little girls. I kinda like it.

[@sethcarlow8363]

nice review. and Dark eps are wow.

[@brigidtheirish]

Thankfully, this is rather unlikely as the infected ponies (and zebras) specifically turn into the trees that spread the disease. Those kinda willow looking ones with the blue flowers that fall onto lily pads. The kind that were all over that swamp in the first scene of the episode... Yeah, still dark.

[@thisworldsans]

As soon as I heard her not rhyme I literally died a little one the inside and just fell fell backwards not knowing how to comprehend what I just heard. Also, hi Dr.Wolf! Still love your videos! I hope you still vaguely remember me, if you don't then it's fine.

[@dominusalicorn3684]

There's a Dr Whooves Fimfic called "Along Came a Spider" by Loyal2Luna that shares a lot of similarities to this episode. Has anyone else read that one, and what are your thoughts on any similarities between that fic and this episode?

[@phantomdragon3893]

The problem with the theory is one swamp fever rare. Two seeing how out the way that swamp is maybe I see one or two ponies falling for it . But there too many trees to be ponies. Three trees being ponies doesn't explain why Zapp apples are needed to be grow in certainly way.

[@captainkirk400]

Nice theory, Doc, but according the the doctor pony in the episode, the pony turns into the same species of tree the flower came from and zap apple trees don't look like the Swamp Fever Tree. Also...given the name of the disease and the appearance of the tree, the tree is more suited to areas with lots of water, like swamps. Now it could be they don't only grow in those areas, but they are most common in those areas.

[@glenngriffon8032]

As a writer, not of the show but of my own original work, I feel a need to inform folks that usually we usually don't think *too* deeply into things we come up with and only worry about sorting it all out later on and offering explanations. I and my writing partner have come up with a myriad of different concepts and things and it wasn't until much later, sometimes a year or longer, that we look back at the story in an attempt to keep continuity up that we begin to notice things that could easily have been seen as foreshadowing but were totally not foreshadowing. Things that happened back when in the story that make stuff happening presently seem even darker and more ominous. Now does that mean this fan theory is bull and invalid? Not at all. I'd even be willing to say that the show writers would enjoy this kind of connection. To see fans connecting stuff they just threw together for episodes suddenly coming out to appear really dark and frightening in ways they never thought. I'm just saying that when written out originally I'm betting there was never meant to be connections.

[@seirramoon388]

good theory doctor, on a semi-unrelated note anyone remember the ghoul from fallout that turned into a tree?

[@stargrazerhorse4248]

I'm still holding out hope for timberwolf puppies and the origin of their existence being a special occasion where sticks, branches, and twigs are gathered from the Everfree and placed into a pile by the pack before being imbued with the timberwolf pack's magic to create new life. I want to see timberwolf sprout-pups. It is possible that the first timberwolves could have at some point been ponies, though I'm just as much hoping to learn more about these creatures and their behavior and pack dynamic.

[@tymenvanessen3119]

mm i myself was thinking about an even earlyer episode at first. with a certain Element of Laughter starting to sing about trees with faces. but Zap Apple trees are nice.

[@AstroBlakeD]

here's the thing: the writers aren't thinking about most of those things, you can clearly see that when they don't even follow their own cannons later into seasons like season 7 *cough, wtf happened to the rainbow powers, cough*, so i wouldn't think this deep into this because most of the writers probably dont even remember that much detail about an episode that happened years ago.

[@snowheartsoftflake8036]

That honestly wasn't where my mind went when I first watched this. All I could think of was fluttershy saying she'd like to be a tree and everything THAT could have implicated. I shrugged it off as a coincience. I culdn't find anything solid to link the quote and the episode, but still.

[@Cawziiku]

Maybe we think a bit outside the box here, and go a bit crazy with the theories? What I believe is that these ponies do not turn into zapapple trees. They produce either no or different fruit, and look nothing like zapapple trees that we've seen in the show. Now, let's get a bit deeper into this. First bit of evidence is the bubbles. Zap apples have no relation to bubbles, or the other symptoms produced by Zecora, except the lightning. Now with that, is it possible that there are other types or trees in the Everfree, or even, Equestria? Of course! There are at least thousands of types of plants and trees on earth, and many undiscovered. Though we might not the names of them, it could be a separate specie of tree, or even a new type of zapapple tree. Anything is possible, especially in Equestria, so there's just my headcanon... Hope I haven't wasted anyone's time!

[@t4washere384]

Looks like Nurgle is spreading into Ponyverse as well. These are dank times indeed.

[@barsni4779]

Why would swamp fever produce trees other then swamp fever blossom trees?

[@timmainson]

Interesting thought Dr. but let us remember that the castle of The Two Sisters is in the Everfree Forest. Could it be the area was part of a dark enchantment due to the turning the Princess of the Moon into Nightmare Moon? Keeping in mind that not far from that castle resided the Tree of Harmony I would think that some other misstep of magic could also explain twisting of nature. I wonder if the Pony of Shadows could have had a hoof in this. Thoughts?

[@shadowhound5113]

That got so dark it made my Fan Fiction seem kid friendly.

[@shadowhound5113]

FYI my OC is a wolf and I may have threatened Twilight and told her that I was going to eat her. I also broke her wings to the point they no longer worked, and broke her spirit to the point where she felt worthless. To where she had to go back to Celestia's school becoming her student again. And she stopped trusting any of her friends. Also My OC also starts a war between Equestria and the Lycan empire that last a whole season and never really ends. And the nightmare continues.

[@Here_is_Waldo]

So, Meadowbrook had a cure for this horrible illness, that turned ponies into trees in some nightmarish curse, and she never shared the secret. Instead of publishing her works on this issues and the cures she had for this and countless other illnesses, and in turn helping countless other creatures, she decided to keep the only written copy in some ram-shackle hut in the middle of nowhere, slowly rotting away. She's meant to be a good guy, right? That's like coming up with the cure for every known cancer, yet instead of letting the world know, you just scribble it down on a scrap piece of paper and cram it down the back of your sofa. It's not like that sort of thing would be important to anyone.

[@Werewolf_Korra]

My belief is that swamp fever, and perhaps many more of the various oddities of the everfree forest, could be the work of Discord. Granted, Discord himself is implied as being opposed to imprisoning ponies: "I don't turn ponies into *stone*!" But, we know he isn't above pulling terrible pranks, and may not even know his own strength. What could have been a silly idea about making people cough bubbles and grow branches led to an actual virulent disease spread by spores. He even is known to work with plants, such as the plunder vines.

[@arivetalt8528]

this reminds me of hanahaki disease