Twidash Explained · 5:26am Sep 10th, 2014
So I get asked this a surprising amount; why Twidash. I've had people outright ask me to tell them why it's a good ship before they read my fic and I've had people ask me why I like it and why it's so popular. Well, I wanted to sit down one night and write out my thoughts on the matter, and since I'm dreading having to rewrite a couple Imposter scenes I figured tonight would be my best bet.
So... Twidash... let's start with the easy to answer question; why do I personally like it.
Simply put, it was the first ship fic I ever read, and I got attached. I've tried reading other ships and none of them have the same spark Twidash did. I think part of the reason is that I identify quite closely with both Twilight and Rainbow, so them being together feels right to me.
But that's just me.
The harder question is why it's a good ship. Being completely unbiased, I think it is a good ship. Not just because I like it but because it seems a relationship between two with characters such as them would work well and last if done correctly. It's not just an "opposites attract" scenario at all if you really look into it, like I have done and try do to in many of my fics.
It's important to not focus on how they're different from each other but rather how they're similar.
If their differences are the magnets that draw them together, then their similarities are the glue that holds them.
On the surface, the two couldn't be any more different. But there's a difference between different and incompatible. One is a simple thing; differing likes/dislikes/opinions/viewpoints and the like. Incompatible would be two personalities that just would not work well together in a romantic scenario. Think Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. No; I'm sorry if any of you ship them, but I simply can't see it realistically happening and actually lasting.
Pinkie Pie is, by nature, spontaneous, energetic, a little weird, and unpredictable. She's kind and caring, yes, but she's sometimes oblivious to other's feelings and is often times difficult to hang around. Fluttershy is... well, shy and soft-spoken. If the two were to enter a relationship, Pinkie would be in total control of it, as Flutterhsy simply wouldn't be able to speak up. And though Pinkie is caring, she can sometimes be rather oblivious to the finer details, which she would need to pay close attention to in a relationship with Fluttershy. A relationship where one partner is in total control is... not healthy at all.
"But Kodeake!" I hear you cry, "Dash always takes control! That's her character!"
Yes, that is her character, but it is also Twilight's. She's in constant control of her own life and tries to keep everything orderly. There would be a struggle for power between the two, without a doubt, but ultimately they would battle themselves to a middle ground where they have equal control, which is ideal. This similarity is one of their strongest; the leadership instinct they both have. Twilight has led the M6 before, and Dash already recognizes her as a leader, so in a relationship this would carry over. Yes, she'd still like to take charge, but Twilight is equally able to pass the torch onto those she trusts.
Another similarity is one I like to focus on in my fics; their determination. In different fields, sure, but it's plain as day they both have the same fighting spirit. The same desire to succeed. I emphasize this because it's the easiest for people to understand, much easier than trying to explain how they both recognize each other as a leader.
It's important to have personality similarities, but also some common likes and dislikes, otherwise the couple would never agree on anything and constantly be fighting, which can and does evolve into worse and worse situations. Daring Do and reading is the most obvious example shown in the show, but it's easy enough for an author to give them a few more that don't go against canon; foods and a hobby or other little things that give the two some common ground on which to start and move forward.
However, that's just one end of that spectrum; the other end, where the personalities are too similar, is perfectly shown through Appledash. I think the ship could work.... for a while. In the end, I think it would fail. Competitiveness is fine, and is a fun twist to throw in a bit of a challenge in a relationship, but Appledash takes this to the extreme, turning every little thing into a competition. That would, eventually, grow tiresome. It's a ship that would only work in the long-haul if the story shows the characters developing and learning to not compete over every little thing, which requires a lot of commitment from the author. It's a good ship for long stories where the characters continue to change and grow, but for short little one shots I'm left with a feeling of dread, knowing that the ship would break apart if left as it is.
"But Kodeake!" I hear you scream, "Rainbow would still compete with Twilight!"
Yes, she would, but Twilight wouldn't bite the bait. If one has no competition, one has no need to compete. Occasionally Twilight could take the challenge, which keeps things interesting and fun for the both of them, but Twilight's able to back down from a challenge since she's naturally modest. She wouldn't feel the need to prove herself or be better, and as such Rainbow would feel no need to show that she's better. Thus, no over-competition. Neither of them would have to grow or change much at all for a relationship to form and last.
I see relationships as a balancing act, between similarities and differences, to keep things together and interesting. To keep the power balance roughly level, where one partner feels safe allowing the other to take full control from time to time if the situation calls for it. Yes, Twilight may have some issues relinquishing control to Rainbow, as organized and borderline OCD as she is, but she's shown that she trusts her friends. Forming a romantic relationship would increase this trust further and I have no problems seeing Twilight giving some of her control away to somepony she trusts. Namely, Rainbow Dash.
Twidash is, as far as I can tell, a perfect balance. Both of them are comfortable both leading and being lead, both of them have a similar characteristics but are different enough that conversations between the two could be engaging without turning into arguments, and because of how they are different they wouldn't have to worry about competing with each other.
That, my dear readers, is why I Twidash and why I think Twidash works and is truly the best ship. Questions, or perhaps you disagree with something I said? Feel free to have at it in the comments.
I should go work on some Twidash now...
Until next time,
Kodeake out
Sounds like pretty much my thinking process behind the ship, so I can't really find fault with it. The only thing I find missing, though, is their common fear: fear of disappointing others.
Rainbow Dash has shown a tendency to panic when things are going bad, more specifically when she finds herself stuck: when she knows she can't do the Sonic Rainboom, she gets stage fright and even paralysis. When she's got her wing stuck under a boulder, she doesn't realise she can dig herself out. When she's stuck between deciding which team to join, she freezes and decides to not join either. The list goes on. I'll not drag Mare Do Well into it, because that's a loaded topic, but the idea remains the same.
Twilight has a similar reaction, only instead of freezing up, she keeps going and digs herself in deeper and deeper into trouble. When her friends mistake concern for her brother for possessiveness, she accuses Cadence out of the blue, making her (Twilight) look like a petty jerk. When she's 'tardy', she goes completely nuts. Ditto when everything she tries to get rid of Parasprites fails, or when everything she tries to change the future fails.
The thing that I think makes the ship make sense, is that they both have the same trigger for fear: the idea that what they're doing won't work, that their actions are pointless and that they themselves are worthless. That's why I think the ship is so popular and why it works: they both understand how that feels and they both know that it takes kind words and understanding to get past that.
But that's just my opinion.
Good piece, still need to get around to reading She Said No. I've had similar experiences with reader response to Empathy.
I have to agree with everything he said.
I, too, love TwiDash and It was the first ship I ever read... I can't remember exactly which one, but I think it was between "Egghead and Featherbrain", "Rainbow Rambles" and "The Best Has Yet To Come"...
Those three single-handedly created, built and reinforced my love for this ship...
And I gotta say, this guy is not sitting around and doing nothing...
I really agree with this!
You made some great points! It's exactly what I was thinking. 
Which is why I'm proud to have TwiDash as my OTP.
This pretty much touches on all the points that I think about with twidash. A good balance of similarities and differences. Too different and the relationship has no ground to stand on. Too similar and it gets stale and boring.
Speaking of TwiDash, you should indeed be working on it. These are great points to be made. I must go meditate on their true meanings.
I know what many mean when they say those two are too different, I hated this Shipping so much. TwiDash was in my opinion the worst ship I had ever seen and there was no way I'd read a fanfiction about them...well I did it once per accident, but I was suffering through the whole fanfic...
It's kind of funny now. ^^
I couldn't have said it better!!