apple. APPLE. where do i even BEGIN with her?!?!?!
so her characterisation is really dependent (hah) on what season you're setting this in, though i would assume most fics are set in a post season one world? either way, season one apple isn't too difficult to characterise, everyone's a Little flat back then. she's argumentative, permanently confused, ditzy, forgetful AND forgettable (how else would they have forgotten her on that island for basically a year?), holds grudges, VERY childish, but in a more bratty way than in later seasons. she remains like that for a liiiiiittle bit (like, very little) of season two, but there is still a visible change
going past that point. generally, post season one, apple seems to be a lot less negative. her childishness presents in a much more whimsical, naΓ―ve and playful way, and, based on something she says in episode five of season two, whatever frustrations/negative feelings she has, she lets out through art, so she has an outlet. which is great! and she does seem to be a creative person β on the ii website i beleive it was? said that apple was in the process of writing a story, with marsh helping her with the spelling. however, she is FAR from a mentally stable individual, ESPECIALLY in season two. i've talked about her dependency issues to death, but that's because they're like. the most apparent part of her in season two.
she moves on from her grudge against marsh really quickly, and then IMMEDIATELY becomes super attached, physically and emotionally, and it just gets worse as the season progresses. it's clear her mind has a very specific attention quota, because she gets antsy at the mere concept of marsh leaving her side, going out of her way to keep her around, squeezing her tightly to be closer to her, and running around yelling in attempts to find her when she ISN'T by her side. and it makes sense for that to have happened to her, considering she was isolated for so long (i think this would actually include the time before elimination, the girl made no real friends!!). that first proper friend she makes after a traumatic event is going to be someone she clings on to hard!!! to the point where, even after she starts to treat her badly, she continues to try and get her approval, continues to see her as a friend. rewatch everything's a-oj, she can TELL marshmallow isn't having it with her, but she continues to go after her, because at this time, she NEEDS marsh, and she NEEDS her approval, so she'll take a couple of smacks from a broom if it means she's not alone!!!!!
and there is reason to beleive that she has a desperation with other people. apparently things were awkward between her and bow at first, but she still forgave her pretty quick and apparently didn't get as angry as she deserved to for having her only friend taken from her out of jealousy. relating to that, in the purgatory party stream, she's relatively insistent on moving away from the topic of being possessed by bow, and that could be because 1.) uncomfortable topic, but ALSO, 2.) it would make her friend out to be a bad person.
she does NOT play about when it comes to her friends. her inanimate answers episode is literally all about her putting her needs below everyone else's, avoiding things she enjoys for the sake of others. she is a major people pleaser!!! she seems to beleive she's there to make people happy, but does she really beleive she deserves that same happiness? something something, dpd apple.
she's definitely mellowed out by the season two finale/movie, being a lot more carefree (the purgatory party shows she HAS made progress with her issues, and the mansioners are proud of her for it! her not sitting down even when fan tells her she should do that, her reacting negatively about the tv being broken because the ghosts prefer it that way rather than just dealing with it, "apple beleives what she beleives :]", etc), and that sentiment seems true as of season four as well. she's gone from a stressed-out pushover putting on a joyful mask to just a plain sweetheart, BUUUUT there are some moments that reveal that some of her Very Mentally Ill Dpd Thoughts still exist.
first of all. the detail that they rebuilt the mansion with SOOO many rooms, and everyone gets their own room EXCEPT for apple and marsh, most likely due to apple's trouble with being alone is brilliant. it doesn't matter whose idea this was, because either way it provides a great insight on apple's mental state. but that's not important. marsh says that apple has wanted to do a big sleepover for MONTHS, which shows apple is branching out and trying to make more friends (that don't live in the mansion), which is progress, but also does show this persisting desperation to Not be alone, and it would be important for her to train for cases where she would have to be alone. and, when she gets the thematic cats to play with her, she REALLY drags it on, because she NEEDS that social interaction, but it's MARSH who's upset on her behalf for the thematic cats clearly not wanting to do that. apple is the one who points out that she made a promise, and i HAVE discussed what that could mean for her mental state, but imma be real, i forgot. either way, she still needs to be with people, and she also still needs those people to be happy β and that's not just the thematic cats in this scene, but also marsh!! she doesn't want marsh to be upset on her behalf!! something something, her feelings matter less?? maybe???? i might be looking FAR to deep into this. mmy b. also this part was worded poorly.
also, gotta touch on the "whatever that means" gag. apple doesn't know what some very basic words mean, but she also uses some Slightly more complex vocabulary, like excrutiating... and there was also something in the door video, but i can't remember it. it's likely that she picks up on words other people use and uses them herself β she knows the context of how to use the words, but doesn't really know what they mean. which is real as hell, actually, though for her it might be more of a learning disorder thing than an immigrant thing like it is for me. there's also something about her pointing out that she doesn't know what these words mean rather than hiding it β why does she do this?? does she expect an answer??? does she want people to be aware that she's stupid??? is that a beleif she holds of herself???? because in the door short, she wears a dunce hat, which is obviously a reflection of what people think of her, but does she think of herself that way, too? much to think about.
okay i had another point i wanted to bring up but i FORGOOOOT. REALLY FRUSTRATING.
apple is such a fun character to think about. i do a lot of projecting onto her, but there Is a bit of basis for autistic and adhd apple, and a fuckton of evidence for dpd apple, too. seriously, i would recommend looking up dpd and seeing how the disorder functions, if you wanna develop her further while still having it based on what's present in the show.
oh FUCK yeah you just gave me so much sauce thank u
Oh by the way for the context of this: I talk about it Sometimes but I'm making a human AU centered around lightbrush BUT apple is going to be a major character who eventually gets her own arc!!! This is very helpful thank you :) ohhhhh... Ohhhh apple.... Apple and her fears of being abandoned.... What if they came True.............
