@Krek 
You can see the future?

That her parents would be proud if they were there. Meaning, they aren’t there. And they haven’t been there for 5 years. And for members of a family who places so much emphasis on family, not to be around for that long; missing family reunions, seeing their children grow up, being there when they get their cutie marks, etc. that’s the closest will ever come to confirming they’re dead, Jim.

@CoriumQuest  
Same here, you said it exactly how it was for me…

@RIG  
>>998876  
…bruh

@CoriumQuest  
It just feels like they threw everything out the window and just said “Screw it, let’s give them cutie marks but make it so they can still crusade.”
 
It makes them seem more special than they should be, taking away some of the magic of them getting cutie marks.  
All ponies are equal, but some are more equal than others.

@Krek  

 
I’m going to use this for a WMG:
 
AJ’s parents will appear in the finale, thanks to time travel, and they’ll get to tell Applejack just how proud of her they are.
 
And then they sacrifice themselves for time.

@Master Shadowpaw
 
Indeed. It was very heavily implied, even Twilight I feel thought she knew what their destinies were…
 
Going into personal opinion, I am both disappointed and pleased with what their cutie marks are. Disappointed because it had been built up for a while, especially in show stoppers, that their talents were carpentry, singing, and scooters because that is what they enjoyed the most and seemed naturally gifted at. It was the idea that they were just so focused on getting a cutie mark that they were blind to what was in front of them
 
However, the idea that they are also naturally gifted at wanting to do good, to help others, to be crusaders… They also seem to be good at that. Given their ages, the CMC are pretty level headed.
 
It takes me fully by surprise and feels WAY out of left field and just thrown in out of nowhere to the point that I hate it… but yet I also love the idea of what it means and that they all have a connected fate and somewhat greater destiny than just building, singing, and athletics.

@Serious B
 
It was only implied. In the first season it was heavily implied that the cmc’s cutiemarks would be about scooters, singing and arts & crafts(?), and look how that turned out.

Wow. Apple Family Reunion was two years ago and there are still people who didn’t get the memo that AJ’s parents are dead. You don’t make an elaborate shot focusing on two shooting stars, just as AJ mentions that some members of the family might not be back for the next reunion and then repeat the same shot on a night sky backdrop as the episode ends just for shits and giggles.

@Background Pony #5E23
 
there was a WOG that they where, both from the “Faustian” and “Post-Faustian” period, but has not show up again after that…

At first I thought he tagged it #MLP6. Now that would’ve been a tease.

I still say Celestia has them in a dungeon somewhere for tax evasion.

@Background Pony #5E23  
I don’t think they’ll mention death in the show, the closest was in “Tank for the Memories” and it was hibernation..

The only thing we learned from that line is that their parents are not in contact with them. They could still say, be in a coma, or missing.
 
Yeah, they’re very likely to be dead, but it’s not confirmed.

@Krek  
Don’t ruin my dreams with the reality that it will never happen D:

@Corrderio  
That seems more a scenario fit for confusion.

@Corrderio  
At best, they’d be written in a flash back episode.

“If mom and dad were here, they’d be so proud of you”

I’m still crossing my fingers the show staff are forced by Hasbro to write them into the show. The amount of rage and tears will be beautiful due to all the shattered headcanons.

Apple parents are dead. it confirmed.

Something to do with mom and dad, I imagine.