Plausible Pony Pairings · 1:11pm May 20th, 2013
As follows is a list of what I personally consider to be plausible pony pairings - that is to say, plausible future relationships (or in some cases, present relationships) between the major characters of the series. I mostly considered only the main cast, though I threw in a few side characters for one-off pairings for fun.
These are sorted by plausibility, from most plausible (Spike having a crush on Rarity, the only canon "ship" that there is, even if it is not reciprocated) to the LEAST plausible pairing (you'll have to read to find that one out, though it is more of a character than a pairing - if that doesn't give the game away already).
If you disagree, feel free to argue with me in the comments. I'd love to hear what you think on the matter. Well, probably not. Still, onto the analysis!
Canon
Spike -> Rarity (one-sided crush)
Starting out with the big obvious one, Spike has the world's most obvious crush on Rarity. It is not at all a secret, and everyone knows it, Rarity included. Indeed, Rarity even takes advantage of it on occasion, and even eggs Spike on, even when it ISN'T to her advantage to do so - her pet name of Spikey-Wikey certainly does nothing to discourage him. Spike is clearly infatuated with Rarity, and was willing to give up a gem to Rarity - a gem which was his birthday present to himself - simply because she liked it. However, the biggest indication of his affection is simply the fact that he likes spending time around her and trying to do things to impress her and endear himself to her.
While Rarity obviously enjoys Spike's attention and company from time to time, Rarity does not love him in the same way that Spike is infatuated with her. She certainly takes advantage of his emotions, but at the same time she IS really fond of him, just not in a romantic manner - he is a good friend, and while she flirts with him, she does genuinely care about him.
Unlike every other possible ship, this is completely canonical. However, the show itself sinks it, at least for the time being, and in truth, while Spike clearly adores Rarity, calling it romantic love would be incorrect - he is infatuated with her, but he does not truly love her, and even when Spike grows up, he is not really Rarity's "type".
Plausible with on-screen support
Please note that, canonically, it is highly unlikely that ANY of the ponies are anything other than straight. Rainbow Dash and Rarity both have shown some indications of liking stallions, and none of the other ponies have shown any indications whatsoever that they are interested in ponies of the same gender, or have any romantic interest in any of their friends.
As such, there are absolutely no other ships whatsoever which really have even been hinted at in the show (well, with the exception of Gilda), and certainly no signs of real crushes or anything similar.
That being said, these are the ships which could work, and which have at least some basis in character behavior on the show, if you choose to see it in that light.
Gilda -> Rainbow Dash (one-sided crush)
This is the most heavily implied non-canonical relationship. Gilda only shows up once, but comes off as being very possessive of Rainbow Dash and jealous of her spending time with others, and keeps trying to get Rainbow Dash alone with her, as well as trying to turn her against Pinkie Pie (who she may well view as a rival for Dash's affection, either thanks to green eyes or simply as a competitor for Dash's time and attention). However, it is extremely obvious that Rainbow Dash has absolutely no idea that Gilda has a crush on her or, if she does know, she doesn't acknowledge it at all and thinks that her behavior is seriously uncool.
Interpreting Gilda as being jealous of Rainbow Dash's new friends and of having a crush on Dash is an entirely reasonable character interpretation, though it is (probably) unintentional on the part of the show's creators. Poor gryphon.
Scootaloo -> Rainbow Dash (one-sided crush)
Much as Twilight Sparkle idolizes Celestia, Scootaloo idolizes Rainbow Dash, but to perhaps an even greater extent - while Celestia is a teacher and something of a mother figure and someone that Twilight Sparkle wants to impress, in many respects, Scootaloo wants to BE Rainbow Dash - she wants to be cool. It is somewhat ironic that a flightless pegasus would idolize the greatest flier in Equestria, but it is a cruel sort of irony - there is good reason for her idolization, not the least that Rainbow Dash is unquestionably awesome, something that Scootaloo would like. Rainbow Dash is acknowledged for her talent and (at least to Scootaloo) is very secure in her position and talents in the world, and her future trajectory is only upwards.
It is very easy to imagine that Scootaloo could have a bit of a crush on Rainbow Dash, and she certainly loves spending time around her idol, and wants Rainbow Dash to make her more like herself.
However, this is a classic example of a childhood crush which, if Scootaloo has, she will probably grow out of, and it is a good thing too - Rainbow Dash wouldn't go for it, certainly not in the present and likely ever, for similar reasons to why Celestia would never go for Twilight Sparkle.
Rainbow Dash x Applejack
Rainbow Dash and Applejack have a lot in common. They both are competitive and stubborn ponies, neither of them want to be perceived as being overly girly or "fru-fru", both are extremely loyal to their friends, and both of them are highly athletic. They both have a strong connection to nature (Applejack in a green thumb sort of way, Rainbow Dash with the weather) and both of them possess strong leadership qualities. Both of them appreciate people being straightforward with them, and while Rainbow Dash is often less than straightforward with others, on the other hand she always makes clear where her loyalties lie.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack have a friendly rivalry, and are clearly good friends with each other even if they drive each other crazy sometimes. They share numerous common interests and enjoy spending time around each other, and while both of them find plenty of occasion to knock the others' abilities, they clearly have a great deal of mutual respect for one another, and while neither of them would want to take on the others' ambitions, likewise, they respect them - and both of them likely respect each other more for wanting to be better, always.
They can easily share numerous activities - both are highly physical ponies, both have the ability to help the other from time to time in their chosen field of endeavor. There are many ways that Rainbow Dash can help out around the farm, while Applejack has a lot of ways of helping Rainbow Dash train athletically, and there are a lot of simple joys that they could share in such ways, as well as more complicated ones. Both can appreciate almost everything about the other pony's way of life, and even though Applejack isn't much for putting up a facade of coolness the way that Rainbow Dash is, Applejack can at the very least understand why Rainbow Dash does it.
Of all the ships amongst the main cast, this is perhaps the most supported in the series - it is easy to imagine them falling for each other in the heat of competition, in shared activities, or in helping one another out. They would probably have a fiery romance, tease each other a fair bit, and periodically fight and then make up. Rarity would probably be driven crazy by their flouting of romantic conventions, and likewise would likely often make not-at-all helpful suggestions to the pair of them as far as romance goes.
Applejack x Rarity
Applejack and Rarity have a great deal in common, despite their surface differences. Both of them are strong, independent women in charge of their own small businesses. Both of them are ambitious - Applejack is always wanting to improve the Apple Family Farm and spread their business far and wide, while Rarity wants to be a widely recognized fashion designer. Both of them are stubborn in their own personal ways, and yet are capable of giving in and doing things that they don't really enjoy when they must, or for the sake of others. Both of them love their little sisters, and while the rest of Rarity's family somewhat embarrasses her, as compared to Applejack's less fondness of her own family, both of them do care for them. Both of them are willing to go to great lengths and take great burdens onto themselves to help out their friends, no matter what, and both of them are willing to sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of others', even if Rarity has her selfish moments and Applejack her moments of stubborn pride.
While the two of them may not see eye to eye in some ways, with Rarity's distaste for dirt, mud, and sweat and Applejack's view of high-class society as pointless, they both DO care about each other, and indeed, to some extent, are capable of understanding each other better than anyone else. While Rarity and Applejack's competitive streaks display themselves in vastly different ways, the underlying mentality and drive is there, and it is all these similarities which would allow the two to actually pursue a successful relationship.
The two of them do clearly have mutual respect, and they could very believably come to love one another in a romantic manner. Indeed, if it came down to it, Rarity could aid Applejack in her work, while Applejack DOES know how to behave herself if need be - she simply doesn't ENJOY high society manners. But if Rarity needed to show Applejack off, Applejack would likely go along with it, though she would probably grumble a bit.
As with Rainbow Dash x Applejack, this would likely be a fairly fiery, feisty relationship, with some fighting and making up. However, it could very easily be a bit tragic if either of them didn't reciprocate the feelings of the other after a confession, and even if they did, most likely it would be fairly difficult for Rarity to actually initiate the relationship - Rarity would probably see it as being Applejack's place, though she certainly wouldn't be above heavy flirting and implications to get Applejack to do something romantic. Rarity is a LADY after all. While Applejack probably isn't quite so much into the "mushy stuff" as Rarity would like, on the other hand, she likely WOULD make romantic gestures in her own way for the fashionista, and Rarity would likely treasure them all the more for their earthy sincerity.
Rarity x Fluttershy
Rarity and Fluttershy have their own common bonds. While Rarity clearly spends a fair bit of time being perfect, in many ways, Fluttershy is already there - Fluttershy has a great deal of natural grace and beauty, and Rarity knows it. Both of them do clearly care about beauty, and we know that Fluttershy has more than a passing knowledge of fashion and even sewing - while she is not the artistic genius that Rarity is, she certainly holds interest in Rarity's endeavours. Both of the ponies clearly enjoy certain creature comforts, as well as some simple comforts as well - while Fluttershy does live more plainly than Rarity does, she also goes to the spa with Rarity, and given the volume of her mane and tail, she likely spends a fair bit of time looking after herself.
These two having a relationship is highly plausible due to various mutual interests as well as mutual appreciation for one another - both of them look up to one another in various ways, with Rarity envying Fluttershy's natural grace and beauty, and Fluttershy at the very least appreciates Rarity's ability to assert herself, though Fluttershy could never really imitate her - it is not within her to play the emotions of others the way that Rarity does at times.
A relationship between the two could easily be initiated by either one of them, and would most likely be quite amicable and low-key in many ways, though both of them would likely make various romantic gestures to the other. It would also probably be ridiculously sweet even for the saccharine world of Equestria.
Twilight Sparkle -> Celestia (one-sided crush)
Twilight Sparkle will always be Celestia's faithful student; she adores and idolizes her mentor, and she looks up to her in a not entirely healthy way - and indeed, probably in not quite the way that Celestia would like, as Celestia, regal as she is, clearly is underneath it all a very likeable pony - and not only that, but a relatable one as well. She is very much capable of being casual with others, and indeed, it is obvious from her interactions with her subjects that, in truth, being treated normally is something she would appreciate (even if it would horrify everyone else).
These two actually have quite a bit in common - they are both powerful, they both have strong leadership abilities, both of them are knowledgable, and both of them are likable and relatable once you get down beneath their outsides. However, their student-mentor relationship, along with a somewhat maternal relationship, will always define them - even if someday Twilight Sparkle became more powerful than Celestia (possible), it would just make Twilight feel awkward about surpassing her mentor.
While it is entirely plausible that some of the idolization of her mentor could turn into a crush (or did at some point in the past), Twilight would never, ever act on it, and likewise, while Celestia clearly loves Twilight, she does not do so in a romantic manner - and, in truth, probably cannot ever do so, given that she was likely a second mother figure to Twilight in many ways. Twilight is too smart to believe that Celestia would reciprocate and know her feelings to be impossible, while Celestia would never bring it up in the first place.
Purely theoretical
These relationships have no real basis in canon at all; there are no real hints of them. That being said, they are relationships which could, plausibly, exist or occur - though two of them are crushes, and one of them is pretty much entirely theoretical.
Fluttershy -> Applejack, Twilight, or Rainbow Dash (one-sided crush)
Fluttershy, due to her generally shy persona, could easily have a crush on just about anyone without them noticing. Fluttershy is very much capable of appreciating a wide variety of qualities in other ponies, and her general kindness, sweet demeanor, and desire to see the best in other people makes it very easy to imagine her developing a crush on one of her friends. With Applejack, it is her hard work, her determination, her ability to be straightforward with others, and her general strength of character. With Twilight Sparkle, it is her leadership, her ability to cut through chaos to bring order, her ability to solve problems, and her confidence in herself, her own abilities, as well as those of her friends. With Rainbow Dash, it is Dash's loyalty, her desire to draw Fluttershy out of her shell and make her the best pony she can be, as well as her generally vibrant personality and love of flight (even if her stunts sometimes scare Fluttershy, she is happy for her friend).
Note that Rainbow Dash is probably the least likely target for this, however, as noted in the unsupported section - their relationship in the show does not suggest any sort of romantic possibility at all, and even if Fluttershy DID like Rainbow Dash romantically (which she probably doesn't), Rainbow Dash would not reciprocate, and a relationship between the two would never work out.
The problem with these pairings being mutual is that, while it is easy to see Fluttershy appreciating numerous qualities about her friends' personalities in a romantic light, the converse is much more difficult to see - while she is a very pretty pony, and certainly possesses strong moe appeal, there is little for most of her friends to hook on beyond that, and the quiet, shy pony would have hard time having a relationship with any of them.
Pinkie Pie -> Anyone (one-sided crush)
Pinkie Pie could easily have a crush on just about anyone in the show and no one would ever know it, simply because of her odd personality. While many people see her as being crazy, in truth her focus episodes show that underneath her external zaniness, she clearly is at least somewhat self-aware, and while she wants everyone to smile, be happy, and have fun, she does value her friends and, when it comes right down to it, does want to be someone that others can depend on, not only for fun, but for serious things as well, such as when she babysat for the Cakes.
The problem with Pinkie Pie is that, in part because of her insecurity and in part her strong desire NOT to make other people happy, she would have a very hard time admitting that she had a crush on anyone - not because she couldn't love them (she has a very big heart and could easily appreciate the qualities of any major cast member for who they are) but because she would fear being rejected or making the other pony feel awkward around them, and indeed, of all the ponies, she would likely be the most worried about ruining friendships with a failed relationship. Pinkie Pie defines herself by others liking her company and being able to bring a smile to someone's face, and being a source of pain to someone else would tear her up inside.
Moreover, her current perception by the rest of the cast is of a carefree, happy-go-lucky, throw a party for every occasion type pony who never takes anything as seriously as she needs to, despite the various hints that there is much more to her than it seems. Even Rainbow Dash, who has seen more of her than the rest of the cast and who enjoys spending time pranking with her, would have a hard time having any sort of relationship with her - while Pinkie Pie is fun to be around, it is difficult to envision Rainbow Dash having a truly equitable relationship with her, at least at this point in time, and Pinkie's lack of real ambition would likewise probably hurt any potential for a relationship.
Of all the cast, however, Pinkie Pie also has the greatest capacity for change - the other main cast members can certainly change in their own ways, but Pinkie Pie's personality is obviously, to some extent, a facade. It is clear that she likes being zany and goofy, but she is never allowed NOT to be zany and goofy, even though it is clear that there is more to her than fun and games. If she became a bit more balanced in life, and gained grander goals - even if that goal was to spread her happiness more widely, or make her treats become better known, or even organizing bigger, more important parties or events - it would be more likely for another pony to see her as more than a silly friend and the possibility of something more to grow there.
The likeliest crush for Pinkie Pie, however, is Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie is closer to Rainbow Dash than she is to her other friends,
Twilight Sparkle x Rainbow Dash
While this may seem like a very odd pairing at first, in truth these characters have far more in common than first meets the eye. While Rainbow Dash ostensibly is driven by her desire to join the Wonderbolts, and Twilight Sparkle by her desire to impress Princess Celestia, in truth NEITHER of them are actually truly driven by such internal factors - Rainbow Dash loves to fly, and Twilight Sparkle loves to study and learn magic. They have a deep love for their personal interests, and practice them not because of external forces, but because they personally want to be able to do them - and if they can prove themselves to others with them, all the better.
Both of them are a bit insecure in their own personal ways - Rainbow Dash exudes confidence, but does experience trepidation at times when it comes to actually showing off her talents. Likewise, Twilight Sparkle does not like showing off, and gets nervous about impressing Princess Celestia, though she is less nervous about anyone else - it is more of a focused anxiety about her mentor's approval, while Rainbow Dash worries about the approval of ALL ponies, at all times - she hates the idea of being shown up or failing when others are counting on her. She doesn't want to disappoint anyone, and constantly keeps up her facade of being cool and untouchable, when in truth, it is something of a facade - those things aren't really what matter to her, but she convinces herself that if she is seen like that, that everyone will look up to her and approve of her, something that Twilight can relate to. But underneath it all both of them also have a great deal of confidence in their well-honed abilities being able to see them through difficulty.
Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash have strong leadership qualities - Dash has lead the local weather ponies in major activities, such as the Winter Wrap-Up and the use of their local reservoir for rainwater, while Twilight has displayed her leadership qualities on dozens of occasions, to the point where the ruler of Equestria relies on her ability to get the job done. Both of them are also deeply loyal to their friends, and both have shown their loyalty to one another on many occasions.
Additionally, both of them are the best at something - Twilight Sparkle is the best wizard in all of Equestria, while Rainbow Dash is the best flier. This is a common bond, and moreover, it is a strong potential line of attraction for Rainbow Dash - Twilight is awesome, but she is awesome in a different way than Rainbow Dash is, and as such, while both of them are great, they are great in their own unique ways, allowing them to compliment each other without having to directly compete with each other. Moreover, each of them has at least some interest in the domain of the other - while Rainbow Dash hates looking uncool, it is clear that she DOES have an interest in using her imagination and reading books, and it is easy to imagine Twilight Sparkle luring Rainbow Dash further into the world of literature and study. Likewise, Twilight Sparkle has a new set of wings, and Rainbow Dash could easily bond with her while teaching her how to fly, as well as being appreciative of having a close, dear friend who actually enjoys flying with her - while Fluttershy can fly, it is clear that aerial acrobatics are outside of her realm of desirable activities to engage in, and indeed, given her generally poor flying skills, as well as minor acrophobic tendencies, she isn't much of a flying partner.
There are some rather strong barriers to this relationship, though. The biggest is some of their most obvious personality traits. Rainbow Dash's brashness and Twilight Sparkle's OCD tendencies do not mix terribly well. Rainbow Dash does do some planning at times, but also acts very off the cuff at times as well, and has a tendency to be disruptive, while Twilight Sparkle is ALWAYS neatly organized, and has a lot more trouble than Rainbow Dash when things don't go according to her plans. However, it is worth noting that while Twilight has a hard time when things don't go according to plan, when she doesn't have a plan, she tends to adapt much better to the situation. As such, a great deal of their relationship even having a chance to bud without Twilight ruining everything would be dependent on Dash helping her friend realize that not everything has to go to plan - plans go wrong, dates sometimes go wrong, but as long as everyone is having fun at the end, that is what truly matters. While Twilight has gotten a bit better about dealing with setbacks, she still has some pretty big problems with them, whereas Rainbow Dash is far less prone to freaking out if something goes wrong and merely pushing forward, and can find such hesitation a bit annoying.
Another major problem is that Rainbow Dash has some pretty bad hangups about being regarded as an "egghead", and dating someone as nerdy as Twilight has some potential to cause some real harm to her preferred self-image. While Rainbow Dash is okay with being a bit of a nerd in private, she tries to avoid it in public, something Twilight has no regard for - Twilight doesn't care at ALL if she comes off as nerdy or not, and this would dismay Rainbow Dash merely for association. This is perhaps less of a problem than it might seem, however; Rainbow Dash has matured a fair bit over the course of the show, and at this point, Twilight Sparkle is a princess and a hero of the kingdom of Equestria, which may outweigh any worries that Rainbow Dash has about being an egghead-by-association. And let's face it - in the end, if this was REALLY such a big problem, Rainbow Dash probably wouldn't hang out with Twilight in the first place. Clearly, she doesn't care -that- much about it, and indeed, would likely be insulted if someone else belittled Twilight for being an "egghead" - she IS the element of loyalty after all. However, it would certainly be a major source of initial resistance, and would likely prevent Dash from asking out Twilight.
A third problem would be Twilight's love of knowledge for its own sake. Rainbow Dash is not much of an intellectual - indeed, she sees such a thing as being an "egghead". However, Rainbow Dash DOES respect Twilight's knowledge and magic - it just isn't Rainbow Dash's "thing", and it is not as if Rainbow Dash does not consider it useful - she just isn't really one for studying, at least in the way that Twilight does it. But practice is something that Rainbow Dash not only GETS, but engages in constantly, and ultimately, it is rather analogous, so again, this isn't as much of a barrier as it seems - though conversely, it might hurt Twilight's ability to appreciate Rainbow Dash in some respects, because Twilight does care deeply about knowledge. This is a potential make-or-break - a mutual appreciation, or a mutual lack of understanding.
Ultimately, any relationship between the two is by far the least likely of the plausibles; the main barrier is that it would require each of them to have the proper perspective on the other, something which would likely only be gained either by happenstance or ending up more or less having to spend a lot of time alone together, and on top of that, one of them would have to actually ask the other one out - and most likely it would have to be Twilight Sparkle, thus bypassing the whole "egghead" dilemma that Rainbow Dash would likely to get hung up on.
Implausible and unsupported by canon
Rainbow Dash x Fluttershy
Oddly, while many ship Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, this is one of the least likely crushes for Fluttershy to have in the present, and likewise, it is actually a very implausible ship in general. While it is easy to imagine Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy having a crush on the other back in flight camp, in the present, while the two are clearly close friends, that is clearly exactly what they are - friends. Fluttershy doesn't come off as wanting to impress (or hide from) Rainbow Dash, and likewise, Rainbow Dash clearly takes a nurturing approach with her friend, trying to get her to emerge and be more assertive and powerful. They clearly care about each other and enjoy each other's company, as exhibited by the support that they give each other throughout the series, but equally, it is clear that there isn't anything more there.
Worse still, however, is the fact that Fluttershy has nothing for Rainbow Dash to build on from a romantic standpoint. Fluttershy isn't particularly athletic, she isn't a very strong flier (nor does she show any great desire or interest in becoming a great flier; even when she works on making herself better at it, it is primarily out of a desire not to let Rainbow Dash down), she isn't really "awesome" in any way that Rainbow Dash appreciates, and perhaps worst of all, it would be difficult for her to truly be the equal of Rainbow Dash in the relationship. While Rainbow Dash does want to be the best, she wouldn't actually want to BE better than her partner in a relationship - she'd want to be their equal, so that both could push forward together. Likewise, Fluttershy has no strong ambitions in life - she is happy with how things are, something that Rainbow Dash never is. Rainbow Dash always wants more, and always wants to be better, while Fluttershy clearly has much more of an appreciation for the quiet life.
As such, while it seems like a cute pairing, in truth it would never work out. Rainbow Dash simply does not find Fluttershy's take on life fulfilling, and is a good enough friend to recognize that Fluttershy doesn't want Rainbow Dash's own way of life, either.
Twilight Sparkle x Rarity
This is an odd pairing. On its face, the two ponies actually have a great deal in common. Twilight certainly has an appreciation for Rarity's work and fashions, and she is happy to go along with many of the girl things that Rarity enjoys - makeovers, dressing up in fancy outfits, and similar things. Likewise, Rarity can appreciate Twilight's leadership abilities, her organization, and her devotion to her work. They both are organized, they both are ambitious in their own ways, and they both clearly love and care about those around them. Each of them goes out of their way to help their friends, and both of them are ambitious in their own ways.
There are some obvious plusses to Twilight from Rarity's standpoint - while Twilight may not always APPRECIATE nobility and high-class manners, she is very much capable of being around the princesses without embarrassing herself and is, in fact, herself now royalty, something which would certainly appeal to Rarity, not to mention Twilight's close connection to all three of the princesses, being the student, savior, and childhood friend of the three respectively. While this may sound rather selfish of her, the truth is that Rarity has always been impressed by royalty and nobility, so in many ways, Twilight Sparkle would fulfill many of her fantasies of being royalty.
There is a big problem with this; namely, the fact that Twilight Sparkle does NOT, in fact, fulfill any of Rarity's conceptions of royalty. Twilight Sparkle, while an exceptional individual, is underneath it all a normal, down-to-earth pony. While she is very kind, loyal to her friends, and earnest, ultimately Rarity's dreams of royalty do little to match up with reality - only Celestia is truly regal, and even Luna falls short in many respects due to her personal shortcomings. As such, while Rarity is delighted by the trappings of the upper class, in truth most of the upper class ponies she has met have fallen well short of her expectations - only the princesses themselves and a handful of nobles have proven themselves to be anything but snooty hangers-on, and in truth, by dint of her personal achievements, in reality Rarity probably already stands above all those ponies in the eyes of Princess Celestia and much of the kingdom, without even realizing that she has done things which are truly special.
The opposite perspective, however, is somewhat less flattering. Twilight Sparkle clearly loves Rarity as a friend - the pony may be prissy, petty, and vain, but she clearly loves her friends, and is willing to go out of her way, often GREATLY out of her way, to assist them. Rarity is generally supportive of their interests, even if she doesn't understand them, and makes sacrifices to aid them. However, none of this really speaks to why Twilight Sparkle would be interested in Rarity romantically. Twilight Sparkle is very much about substance, while Rarity is somewhat fixated on style. Twilight is an intellectual, but while Rarity is clearly not stupid - indeed, she is clearly quite intelligent - she does not possess the same love of knowledge that Twilight does.
It is the fact that the two care about very different things that makes them unsuitable partners, but it is not merely a surface level difference - it is not merely that they care about different obvious things (knowledge versus fashion), but the deeper drive beneath it all. Rarity is much more about the ends than the means - Rarity uses magic and technology to make her dresses, and she reads books about fashion, but they are merely tools to her, things used to accomplish what she wants. On the other hand, Twilight is all about the means - she loves to learn things for the sake of learning them, not for any greater purpose. She invents new spells because she enjoys magic, not because she feels a need to show it off or even because she finds the spells particularly useful - though of course she does make use of many of them, and indeed devises several spells specifically for various purposes. Twilight is very much about substance over style, while Rarity cares deeply about style, even if substance remains important to her.
Romantically, they are likewise a mismatch. Twilight is very nerdy, and her ability at interacting normally with people varies immensely - whenever she is exposed to an unfamiliar situation, she resorts to using a book to try to navigate her way through, which would be very offputting to Rarity, as it isn't very romantic. The little oddities of Twilight's personality really go against many of Rarity's desires and ideas of a romantic partner - she wants her partner to be perfect, to be flawless, and while she would, in fact, accept someone who was flawed who ultimately made her happy, Twilight probably wouldn't actually do that. Twilight can be nice, but she has a hard time being sweet in the same way that Rarity would expect out of a lover - indeed, she is oblivious to the feelings of others at times, and would probably have trouble interpreting or responding properly to many romantic gestures, which would likely drive Rarity a bit mad. Rarity wants what she would perceive as a genuine romance, and Twilight's attempts to appease that would likely come off as stilted to her due to most likely coming from books and the mind, rather than from the heart.
On the other hoof, Rarity is something of an elitist, something that doesn't sit very well with the purple princess. Twilight Sparkle in her time in the capital avoided the noble ponies, and apparently cares little for such things. As such, while she can support Rarity's interests in socialization, in the end she ultimately doesn't see them as personally important - which works well for a friend, but doesn't work well at all for a love interest. She wants to support Rarity and see her succeed, but in the end she simply doesn't care that much about fashion or high culture, despite being at the very apex of society, much like her mentor. And for herself, Twilight wants someone who is genuinely interested in some of the things she is interested in, someone she can share things with, and Rarity, while certainly supportive, doesn't really fit the bill.
In the end, this is an unlikely relationship - while the two can certainly bond and be good friends, it is hard to see them actually having a good long-term relationship due to their fundamental differences in what they care about. The fact that they can appreciate peripherally the other's interest is not really enough, and their different approaches to life (and love) would make it difficult for them to build an enduring relationship - or indeed, even get together in the first place.
Twilight Sparkle x Applejack
As two of the most responsible and stable ponies on the show - not to mention two of the three resident straight men - one might think that this would work out, but in truth, there is little in the way of fire here.
There is a great deal of mutual respect between Applejack and Twilight, and while Applejack has little that she can do to help Twilight with her studies, knowing next to nothing about the art of magic, Twilight has helped out Applejack with her farm work on multiple occaisions, and indeed, appears to be even better at it than Applejack with her mass telekinesis - at least as far as picking the apples goes. Applejack is a solid, reliable friend, even if she does have some stubbornness and competitive issues, and likewise Applejack respects Twilight's competency, knowledge, capability, and leadership.
The problem is that there is really nothing deeper than that between them. While they enjoy talking to each other and hanging out, Applejack is ultimately a product of tradition, while Twilight Sparkle is anything but - while Applejack is a farmer, who seeks to run her farm the best she can, Twilight Sparkle is the personal student of the ruler of all Equestria, the single greatest wizard in the world, an innovator in magic and leadership, and all told a very unique person who is always striving for new and better things, and would do so even if Princess Celestia wasn't relying on her hard work. They are both very reliable people, but there isn't much else going for them - they can enjoy many events together, but they have trouble truly sharing their lives, particularly on Twilight's end.
While the two of them can easily be friends, being lovers requires something more, a spark which simply does not exist between the pair of them. It is not that they wouldn't get along - indeed, they get along just fine - it is that there simply isn't anything deeper between them.
Twilight Sparkle x Luna
This is probably, realistically speaking, the only possible relationship Luna could have with anyone, and given its position in the "implausible" section, that's a pretty strong sign that Luna will be forever alone. Luna is intensely isolated - she represents the night, which has all sorts of negative and mysterious connotations, and she is personally somewhat aloof. She is unused to interacting with other people in any sort of normal way, with Celestia being the closest thing to "normal" she has - and Celestia being her older, immortal sister who is beloved (and who awes) pretty much every other pony in the entire world, with the arguable exception of a handful of Twilight Sparkle's friends, "normal" has pretty big air quotes.
Twilight Sparkle, on the other hand, is very likely destined for a rather lonely love life herself. As a princess, much of the kingdom will have trouble treating her normally, and for her to get in a relationship, it would have to be with someone who perceives her as an equal - she would have a great deal of difficulty being idolized by someone close to her. Moreover, it isn't unjustified admiration - not only is Twilight Sparkle the greatest wizard in all of Equestria, she is a princess, she is the personal protege of Princess Celestia, she is one of the only people who can behave NORMALLY around the other royals, her brother is the head of the royal guard, and she has saved Equestria on at least four separate occaisions, as well as freeing the Crystal Kingdom from a terrible curse. Twilight Sparkle is, legitimately, a hero and has earned her position through hard work and dedication, but underneath it all she IS a normal person - sure, she is a nerd, and she works hard and can do some magic casually that would make any other unicorn turn green with envy, even having the ability to learn other unicorn's special talents and use them just as well as their originator - but in the end she does not behave abnormally. She may be a bit more dedicated to her studies than most, but as a person, she is not a "weirdo", but a perfectly normal, relatable person - who no one can possibly relate to normally unless they themselves have accomplished great things, or who have been around her for a long period of time and seen her grow, but can still see the person who underlies all of it.
As such, if Twilight Sparkle WAS to achieve immortality as the embodiment of magic, she would probably be able to relate to Princess Luna better than anyone else, and in some ways, they WOULD get along well - Luna seems to love a bit of mystery and the various aspects of the night and dreams overlap nicely with magic. And from what we have seen in the series, Twilight Sparkle is an amateur astronomer, something that Luna would approve of.
While a highly implausible pairing - it would require the two ponies, both likely lonely, and one of them quite aloof, to fall in love - we all know desperation is the best kind of love, right?
But it is still unlikely. We really know too little of Luna's personality to really say whether Twilight would even be compatible with her, and anyone who DID end up with Twilight would have to be able to relate to her as an equal, not trying to hold themselves aloof, something we don't know if Luna is truly capable of. And let's face it - Twilight can probably do better.
Applejack x Fluttershy
Why doesn't this pairing work? Both Applejack and Fluttershy have an affinity for nature and animals, after all, with Applejack working as a farmer and Fluttershy as a veterinarian. Both of them enjoy solitude to some extent, or at the very least do not mind it - Applejack out bucking apples and doing other farm work, Fluttershy alone with her animals.
However, their personalities otherwise are a terrible mismatch - Fluttershy is very non-physical, while Applejack is very physical, and Fluttershy often hides her emotions and feelings and has difficulty expressing herself openly while Applejack has trouble hiding her feelings or lying. Applejack is brash and straightforward, while Fluttershy is demure. Moreover, Applejack is very ambitious - while she loves the farm and loves working on it, she is always trying to do better, and while Fluttershy does want to be a better pony, she is not very ambitious about life in general, nor is she even terribly ambitious about improving herself.
In the end, they make for a poor couple - Fluttershy could easily admire Applejack, but Fluttershy has little to offer Applejack romantically. She is a comforting smile and wing, but she would add little to Applejack's life.
Twilight Sparkle x Fluttershy
Twilight Sparkle is even less plausible as a partner for Fluttershy than her other friends. While Twilight clearly enjoys Fluttershy's company to some extent, Twilight and Fluttershy have very different approaches to life. While Fluttershy's shyness keeps her from social situations, Fluttershy CARES about socialization, high class, and manners - she is aware of such things and actually abides by the general rules as far as they go. Conversely, Twilight is not shy at all - her social issues stem primarily from a lack of socialization and perhaps more importantly a lack of care about socialization. She cares about impressing the princess, but she cares little about impressing others - she sees some things and important and other things as unimportant, and social niceties tend to fall in the unimportant category. Moreover, while Fluttershy admiring Twilight for her strength, her magical power, her drive to better herself (both socially and intellectually, something Fluttershy does understand), and her leadership, Twilight has much less to hook onto with Fluttershy romantically, and less to commiserate with her over.
In the end, while Fluttershy would not get in the way of Twilight's life, and would be willing to be patient with Twilight, there is no real great spark between the two of them. And while Fluttershy is content with quiet happiness, in truth Twilight loves to share her world with her friends and those around her, and much as she is a bookworm, she is more than that. Fluttershy would never really be able to truly share in many aspects of Twilight's life, and just being a pretty thing consigned to stand next to Twilight Sparkle would be something that Twilight would view as quite tragic.
Rainbow Dash x Rarity
A deeply incompatible pair of ponies, while each of them are loyal to their friends and both have grand ambitions about moving up in the world and be recognized, the two of them have very different approaches to life in general. Rarity cares deeply about social niceties, while Rainbow Dash sees little point in them - rather, she believes in a much more brash approach to socialization, and that people should impress each other with their talents, not fancy manners and social maneuvering. Rarity believes in style, while Rainbow Dash believes that without substance, there is no style.
As such, while the two of them share many similarities in some respects, they differ wildly and irreconcilably in their approach to life. Their particular areas of interest are completely at odds as well - while Rarity is capable of appreciating athletics and Dash of aesthetics, each sees actually engaging in any activity of the other's area as being beneath them, even if Rarity is fit and Rainbow Dash does care about how others see her.
Their approaches to romance would likely differ wildly as well - Rainbow Dash likely isn't so much for the "mushy stuff" that Rarity adores, instead seeing more plain, powerful, and honest expressions of emotion as being what are really important. While Rainbow Dash is certainly not above showing off - indeed, she would be likely to do so - her idea of showing off would not fit very well into Rarity's ideas about romance, and Rarity's own romantic gestures would likely come off as stilted, unoriginal, and girly to Rainbow Dash.
While the two of them can appreciate certain aspects of each other, spending a long period of time together would likely drive them both crazy, with their personalities and approaches to life likely wearing on each other, as well as a lack of common interests - and it is unlikely that they would see such differences as endearing, instead finding them grating.
Rainbow Dash x Pinkie Pie
By far the fan preferred ship for Pinkie Pie, I am afraid that, as with all Pinkie Pie ships, this is wildly implausible, particularly with Pinkie Pie in her current state. But what's wrong with this ship? Of all the ponies, Pinkie Pie is the closest with Rainbow Dash, though she is hardly Rainbow Dash's only bosom buddy - in fact, Rainbow Dash gets along very well with just about everyone but Rarity. And Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash both certainly have fun together - both enjoy inappropriate laughter and pranking other ponies, and Rainbow Dash by far deals the best with Pinkie Pie's random mannerisms. Indeed, Rainbow Dash is the only one of the main cast who has really seen Pinkie Pie in full broken pony mode, though that is somewhat debatable with the Too Many Pinkie Pies episode.
The problem, however, is that while the two are great FRIENDS, it is difficult to say that they would be great LOVERS. The problem is that really, while Rainbow Dash certainly enjoys Pinkie Pie's company, intimacy is really something that would be weird with the pink pony in general. Pinkie Pie is all fun and games, but underneath everything, while Rainbow Dash has a great deal of joie de vie, she does really care about things, something that Pinkie Pie has trouble expressing even if she does care - people have a hard time taking her seriously. Pinkie Pie's eccentricity is endearing as a friend, but as a lover, it would be annoying, even to Rainbow Dash - indeed, it might be annoying -especially- to Rainbow Dash, who very often wants undivided attention.
Pinkie also has little to offer Dash otherwise. Rainbow Dash is highly ambitious, and while Pinkie is certainly enthusiastic about the Wonderbolts, she also is a bit nervous about them as well - she had some real separation anxiety when Rainbow Dash went off to the Wonderbolts Academy, and would likely have some trouble with Dash going off frequently with the Wonderbolts to do her thing, possibly for days or even weeks at a time. Pinkie Pie is certainly supportive, but Rainbow Dash would likely find her neuroticism and separation anxiety troublesome. Worse still, however, is the fact that this is just a single manifestation of the underlying fact that Pinkie Pie is not psychologically a very stable pony. While all the ponies have had their odd overdramatic or neurotic moment, it is only in Pinkie Pie that such instability appears as full-on psychosis, with a psychological NEED to make others happy by which she judges herself.
All of this would likely frustrate Rainbow Dash, who ultimately would want someone who is her peer or equal, not someone who she had to "fix" or who she would be sharing her world with who wouldn't be able to reciprocate - when Rainbow Dash comes back from a Wonderbolts show, she would want not only to be sharing her own experiences, but for her partner to have something of their own to share. With Pinkie Pie's lack of ambition or grander goals in life, that is unlikely; Pinkie Pie, like Fluttershy, is no leader, nor does she have any sort of grand goals for advancement. Even Applejack runs her own farm and is constantly striving to increase the reach of her business, but Pinkie Pie, at least in her current state, seems unlikely to really do anything that Rainbow Dash would find truly impressive outside of pranks and humor - and while Rainbow Dash does love those things, there is more to her than that, and it is very likely that as Rainbow Dash grows older, while she will still enjoy those things, they will seem less and less important to her. Once that happens, what will be left with Pinkie Pie?
Ultimately, then, the relationship is unlikely. While it is possible to imagine them dating for a short time, any long-term or serious relationship would be doomed from the get-go, and Rainbow Dash would likely recognize that, even if Pinkie Pie did not.
Twilight Sparkle x Pinkie Pie
Dating Pinkie Pie would most likely drive Twilight crazy in a fairly literal fashion. Twilight Sparkle's OCD tendencies combined with Pinkie Pie's hyperactivity, zaniness, and lack of apparent reason (not only in her actions, but in her very existence) simply are not a good combination. Twilight Sparkle would be constantly annoyed by random interruptions, Pinkie Pie seeming to (or actually) drifting off topic, and Pinkie's apparent near-total lack of interest in Twilight's great loves of reading and magic, at least from an intellectual standpoint - while Pinkie loves magic tricks, her actual interactions with Twilight's research have done nothing but annoy the poor purple unicorn.
They lack deeper aspects as well - while Pinkie Pie very often isn't a good listener, and her random asides (which likely make sense to her, but little sense to anyone else) have a tendency to exasperate Twilight. Even if Pinkie Pie becomes more mature, her underlying love of zaniness is unlikely to change, and she would still more than likely greatly irritate Twilight on a near-constant basis. Moreover, they have little in common - Twilight is introverted and interested in study and careful preparation and planning, while Pinkie Pie is extroverted and is much less interested in planning and preparation (though she DOES do so sometimes, for at least some of her parties and other activities). Twilight's interests and Pinkie Pie's interests are vastly disparate as well - Pinkie's love of socialization and parties is somewhat at odds with Twilight's own love of more personal interactions, and Twilight's love of books, reading, and general studiousness is not mirrored by Pinkie Pie. Pinkie also lacks ambition, especially in anything that Twilight finds important.
In the end, the two would be fundamentally incompatible as lovers due to their personalities and overall goals in life clashing.
Applejack x Pinkie Pie
As with the other ponies, the possibility of Applejack and Pinkie Pie having a relationship is pretty much nil. While the two are friends, the truth is that while Applejack certainly enjoys parties and would rather ponies be happy than sad, Applejack has a much more serious take on life in general than Pinkie Pie does. Both are good cooks, and both can play musical instruments, but the truth is that beyond that, they have almost nothing in common.
Applejack runs her farm and believes strongly in responsibility - a responsibility she does not really perceive in her friend, even if Pinkie Pie is capable of such. Applejack doesn't expect to be happy all the time - instead, she finds joy in the simple things (like the game of collecting rotten apples with her little sister), and satisfaction in work well-done, even if it isn't always enjoyable in and of itself. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, has a tendency to get very bored with things that she doesn't find interesting, no matter how important they are, and has a tendency to go off and do something, or make a joke, or bounce around - something very at-odds with Applejack's much more patient personality.
The two are simply not a good fit for each other. Applejack may be energetic in her own way, but she is energetic in a very different way from Pinkie Pie, and Applejack prefers orderly simplicity to the colorful chaos that constantly surrounds Pinkie Pie. There is little that the two of them can share in terms of life in general, and their personalities do not compliment one another at all.
Pinkie Pie x Fluttershy
This relationship is just completely impossible. Pinkie Pie is a complete and total extrovert, while Fluttershy is quiet and demure. While both of them love to bring a smile to the faces of others and to see their friends and those around them be happy, their approaches are completely different, not only towards this particular goal, but towards life in general - Fluttershy loves peace, while Pinkie Pie loves vibrant chaos.
Their lifestyles are completely at odds with each other - Pinkie Pie is an extremely sociable pony who loves large groups, loud noises, and parties, while Fluttershy is much more introverted and shy, avoiding many of the things that Pinkie Pie enjoys. Moreover, Pinkie Pie's randomness and hyperactivity are completely at odds with Fluttershy's more subdued personality - Fluttershy had trouble with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and would likewise likely have trouble with Pinkie Pie, who would probably disturb her animals - not to mention drive Fluttershy herself insane via the repeated crazy disruptions to her life.
While it is certainly true that Pinkie Pie could change over time, and let some of her more subdued traits emerge a bit more often, Pinkie Pie clearly DOES love partying and being sociable and social, and Fluttershy, no matter how much better she gets at standing up for herself, simply doesn't enjoy these things in the same way that Pinkie Pie does. They are fundamentally incompatible.
Rarity x Pinkie Pie
While Rarity and Pinkie Pie may both interested in socialization, that is where the similarities end. Rarity is all about upper-class and upper-crust; while she likes Pinkie's parties well enough, what she REALLY loves is elegant and graceful affairs. Pinkie, conversely, loves things to be much less subtle, and much more straightforwardly fun and enjoyable. Pinkie Pie is often very chaotic, whereas Rarity believes in a polite, orderly existence. Rarity is very polite, while Pinkie Pie has little conception of personal space, manners, or social etiquette - or actively disregards them.
Every bit of the two ponies is in conflict - Rarity spends a great deal of time beautifying herself, while Pinkie is a total mess, not even brushing her mane. Rarity loves elegance and the coy dance of being social, while Pinkie likes for things to be up front and on display. Rarity hides things, while Pinkie seems to mostly wear her emotions on her sleeves. Even Pinkie Pie's hidden, more serious side holds little for Rarity - while Rarity would appreciate the greater sense of responsibility, Pinkie Pie's values are still quite dissimilar to Rarity's. Their idea of a good time differs wildly, and equally, it is very likely that their ideas of romance would clash as well. While Pinkie Pie would certainly enjoy trying to set up romantic situations, she would likely distort them in a very uniquely Pinkie Pie manner, and Pinkie Pie does not fit at all into any of Rarity's romantic ideals.
Trixie x Anyone
The great and powerful Trixie has no need of other ponies' love and affection, only their admiration and obeisance. Trixie is never alone and lonely, she is always surrounded by an admiring public! Trixie is amazing, and everypony should know that! Every pony! If Trixie wanted someone, she would have them!
Trixie's arrogance, inability to truly come to grips with her own faults, lack of introspection, and love of referring to herself in the third person means she will be alone until she changes her ways. Maybe once she changes her ways and gets some real character, she will find somepony. Until then, she will probably remain a homeless beggar.
Celestia x Anyone
Princess Celestia is the god-empress of all of Equestria who makes the sun rise and set and who ruled alone over Equestria for over a thousand years after defeating Discord and banishing her rebellious sister to the Moon. An ex-bearer of the elements of harmony, she is a powerful magic user, she can fly, and she has the strength of an earth pony to boot. She is larger than any other pony in Equestria, and almost everyone looks up to her in reverence, making it difficult for her to interact normally with ANYONE. The closest things she has to normalcy are Twilight Sparkle, her protegee who will forever look up to her; Twilight Sparkle's friends, who are fairly anxillary and who still show a great deal of obeisance to her (though it is declining every time they save Equestria); and Luna, her sister who she once banished to the Moon.
Needless to say, Celestia leads a thoroughly unlikely and abnormal life, and really, the very idea of her falling in love is itself unlikely - she IS above everyone else, and the few who might come close to being her equal (Twilight Sparkle, Luna) are her sister and something of a daughter and student respectively. As they say, it is lonely at the top, but Celestia endures it nonetheless, and indeed, even retains a sense of humor and an ability to relate to her subjects, to laugh at jokes and to not take things too seriously.
While many might fall for HER, for anyone to truly have a relationship with her, they would have to be her equal. And let's face it, Discord would be a terrible boyfriend.
Discord x Anyone
One might be forgiven for thinking that the god-empress of all of Equestria, the physical representation of the Sun in the world, who raises the sun and moves the celestial bodies through the sky, would be the most unapproachable, undatable character in the series, but then one remembers that Discord, God of Chaos, exists. At least Celestia can take comfort in the fact that HE will never have a girlfriend, because his very nature precludes it.
At least, one would hope. But we never have seen Pinkie Pie's full genealogy...
Wow you don't like pinkie at all do you? Yikes am i the only one here that doesn't give a crap about how she is in canon and ships her anyway?
So you were basically saying she's going to end up old and alone while everyone else is happy. I don't agree with that all. I think any of her lovers can learn to put up with her antics if you love someone you would look back their personalty flaws.
just saying because if i dated someone like that i would look past it and love them no matter what. I had people tell me i am blinded by my fanboysim maybe i am but i refuse to look at canon reasons to not ship someone.
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I love Pinkie. She's an adorable pony.
I just don't think she's particularly shippable with the other characters on the show. Its not about overlooking personality flaws, its about having something to build from in the first place. Romantic compatibility is not the same thing as friendship. You can have a flawed lover, or you can find someone who is flawless who you could never date or form a relationship with.
It isn't really her flaws that keep her from being a good partner - it is her. She would drive Fluttershy or Twilight insane with her hyperactivity. There's nothing even there for Rarity to catch onto - the two are just too different. Rainbow Dash wants someone she can respect as being totally awesome and not feeling like she is holding back her partner, nor having to drag them along behind her - she wants someone who is her peer, and Pinkie isn't. And Applejack has similar issues to Rarity.
Pinkie is a good friend and a good pony. And I doubt she'll die alone; just because there is no one in the cast who would make a good romantic partner for her doesn't mean that she'll be alone forever.
And building on canon is part of the point of fanfiction. Its fine to ignore canon for your own ends, but this is an attempt at looking at it through the viewpoint of canon and character.
I don't know why you think I hate Pinkie just because I don't think the character really any logical relationships inside the show. Heck, I've enjoyed at least a couple of fics involving Pinkie Pie romansuu. I just don't think that it is terribly plausible. The Games We Play was the closest there really, but it required significant development and some changes to the character of Pinkie Pie to make it work.
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I don't think you hate her. I mean we all see her differently I am always drawn to these types of characters they annoy everyone but yet you like having them around because well things wouldnt be the same without them. So i see what you mean its a good analyzes and i really think the writers should focuse more on character devolpment rather then the humorous shenanigans Pinkie sometimes cluelessly gets herself into. like this season made me cringe alot to me its almost like her delvolpment went backwards. The way she's been acting lately makes shipping her impossible.
Hi again!
I saw this linked on a thread and had to read it. I will not rehash the AppleDash v. FlutterDash conversation, but I will say a few things about other ships you mentioned:
One-sided crushes: Thanks you for making that a separate category. Just because Spike is infatuated with Rarity doesn't mean she returns the feeling. Most of the others you mentioned fit the same mold.
I, too, generally oppose mortal x immortal ships.
And I personally find Pinkie as she is in the show to be unshippable. (A good author could latch onto a specific trait, grow that as a way to make Pinkie grow up, and thus turn her into a shippable pony without really breaking canon, but it's not easy or quick to do)
That's some very interesting insights on RariLight. (I really like the two of them, but remain ambivalent on them as romantic partners)
Just found this after reading through your backlog. It was a very satisfying read. Ever since Read It and Weep came out I've liked TwiDash the best, and now I know that there's a tense and satisfying conflict inherent in that ship I find my decision validated.
I've also been occasionally humoring the idea of a fic wherein the mane six give a six-way polyamorous relationship a try. This is a "pairing" that I find amusing, but I've been trying to think of some ways that I could take it seriously, with the characters dealing with the stress of having so many significant others at once and having to see their friends essentially with new eyes, since romantic compatibility is a whole different field. I'm still trying to think of a lot of details, like how this situation could get started at all, how it would end, and whether there would be external forces giving the characters growth and development that would change the dynamics of the relationships. It's mostly idle speculation on my part, since I have more developed fanfiction in the works, but I still think about it from time to time.
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It will be interesting to see what effect season 4 has on mine (and others') views of such things, as character development can help to show new things about them and increase (or decrease) the plausibility of various pairings.
As far as polyamory goes: it is interesting, but it is also something that most people have, I think, very little experience with. I've met very few stable polyamorous... triads? in my life. They aren't really common, and the whole thing is slightly odd to me. I think it requires that everyone involved have a certain mindset about things, and about how they think such things should work. I'm not sure if any of the characters possess it, let alone three of them, but I think it is something which could be explored (and some folks have explored it). I have never really been terribly "convinced" by such groupings, but, well, people are always free to convince me by writing an awesome enough story about it.
One of the other issues I suppose is that I think all three legs need to like each other, but I don't really see any strong triangles of shipping among the mane six; the closest is probably something like Applejack + Rainbow Dash + Twilight Sparkle, but I'm not really sure that Applejack or Rainbow Dash has the proper mentality for something like that, especially everyone's favorite apple farmer. The same barrier even more strongly with Rarity who, I think, dreams of One True Love, not two ladies snuggling up with her on either side. Pinkie Pie seems more like she would be open to such an arrangement, I could see Twilight being curious about it... and really it is hard to say with Fluttershy. I could see her having a crush on more than one pony, but on the other hand, I think she's more traditional in the romance department (though that is wholly headcanon - Fluttershy has shown no interest in romance in the show at all, so goodness knows). But Twilight + Fluttershy + Pinkie Pie seems like a pretty big stretch to me as a group.
But honestly all of it would require quite a bit of character development. All six of them falling for each other seems... messy. I'm not really sure it would work out, and it would really have an odd effect on their interpersonal relationships. Some of them also feel like they're closer to some of their friends than others, which could potentially lead to tension. Jealousy and similar trouble could easily pop up.
The Intelligent Shipping Discussion group has a thread on the subject of polyamory as well which might be worth looking at if that is up your alley.
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I'm not saying that such a concept wouldn't get messy. I suspect that the story might get more interesting if it was messy. I'm also perfectly okay with the arrangement collapsing, though I'd prefer it if that didn't end all of their friendships in the process.
It has also been suggested to me that the arrangement would be Pinkie Pie's idea because she would want to share the feeling of being in love with all of her friends, but there would almost certainly need to be some kind of alteration to the status quo that I'd need to incorporate into the story before anypony so much as thinks of herding.
I've already joined a Polyamory group, but thanks for pointing me in the direction of another one. Hopefully this one will have a bit more bustle to it.