Some people seem to get really triggered by a bit shipping fun.

@Chuy Ryu  
We won’t know until we get a official confirmation.

@Selaphiel  
It’s a pretty unusual gesture with anyone other than a child, RD did it one other time in the series I think, in “May the best pet win.” To Twilight, and there is was played for laughs.
 
At best, it’s probably the animators having fun

RD could be a referring to AJ’s chores on the farm.

It’s also interesting that they’re arriving together and it is implied that they were preparing to go together, even though they have different jobs with Applejack being a farmer and Rainbow Dash a wonderbolt. They were also doing something that delayed them. So either they’ve met up for some reason to go together or they’re actually living together.

@Background Pony #65F0  

 
That’s a pretty universal friendly gesture.

how is this a hint? seriously people, make friends in real life

Seen the episode, and I’d say no to Appledash being implicated. This scene and the final shot where she rest’s her hoof on Applejack’s head are, at best, little nods to the fans, like the few time they dropped ship names into the show. We geta much clearer example of two character’s ending up together with Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich, and Lyra and Bon Bon have clear, if easy to miss, moments.
 
That is not the case here. It can be read that way, if you want to, but it can also be view as the chilling out of what was once a very intense rivalry between two friends. With this being the finale, if they want it to be overt, they would have and honestly, I wouldn’t of even thought of this scene reading this way until it was brought up that some people we reading it that way.

@Selaphiel
 
Rainbow dash also puts her hoof onto applejacks head in the last sceen of the episode. It’s at least implied that they are closer then they used to be.

@Selaphiel  
Desperation.

@Selaphiel  
Maybe it’s just friends taking some lighthearted jabs and playfully arguing.

Why does everyone nowadays automatically assume moments like this is a romantic ship?
 
Is there some sort of faulty programming in people’s mental software as of late?

@StormsparkPegasus  
Exactly. The most involvement that Hasbro has with the show is approving scripts. That’s pretty much it. That’s the way this show has always been run, from the very beginning.
 
@Background Pony #E92B  
The work environment that tbis show is run under has always been hectic, even when the show was in ita infancy.

Applejack needs to comb her mane and looks like all those years of super sonic flying has caused Rainbow Dash’s mane to become a permanent pompadour.

 
…All the more reason they needed better — or any — supervision.

Not sure if this is Appledash or not.

@Smitty1991  
They DO, as they have final say over everything that comes out. However, they are busy with G5 stuff, and from what I’ve heard DHX had pretty much zero supervision for this season, especially the finale. The animators and writers just went crazy and put in all kinds of “wink wink nudge nudge” ship teases. They’ve always done this, it’s nothing new, it’s just that with zero supervision they took everything up to 11, or maybe even 12, for the finale. They LOVE messing with the fandom and always have, this is just another level of that. It’s what happens when all restraint is gone. Eventually someone (maybe Jim, maybe someone else), will stoke the fires on Twitter by “confirming” or even just saying “maybe”.

@gliese581c  
Hasbro has nothing to do with the show.

@liquidsodanium  
I think everyone went into the making of this episode with “this is the last episode, we can get away with anything!” And then just proceeded to put in a bunch of random stuff. The animators have already shown they love doing ship teases…innocent things that people will take out of of context. Eventually someone will stoke the fires on twitter by “confirming” it. They love messing with the fandom and always have.

They don’t look older to me they look still same tho

@Background Pony #E92B  

 
It’s true and you should say it.

@Copper Knight  
If Rainbow was gay, wouldn’t she have said that to Zepher already?

…Er — what does this have to do with them “shipped” together? This “implies” Rainbow helped Applejack with something. I guess everyone forgot Rainbow damaged an old barn for Applejack.  

 
Not really; they’re both straight. Whatever shipping there was forced by the animator’s fetishes — that’s all.

@liquidsodanium  
Of course I had friends, that’s why I said “possible romance” and not “definite romance”. It’s open to interpretation but the wording can imply romance.

@Copper Knight  
You… Never had friends, have you?