Okay maybe I'm just stupid, but can anyone explain to me the appeal of TwiDash, RariJack, and FlutterCord? Like I get it on a surface level but... Idk something's just not clicking for me for some reason. (Btw this is no hate to anyone who really likes these ships, I'm just genuinely curious)
Take two, my first "Why I like Rarijack" explanation deleted itself, RIP
Okay, just want to preface: I believe that the vast majority of the things that make a good ship dynamic should and DO apply to their friendship too, so even if this doesn't make you ship it or view them as working romantically any more clearly, I hope it can help you appreciate them more, because I do believe they are truly best friends and that you need to reexamine the characters if you don't see why that would be.
Also, I'm focusing on FIM because most people get the EQG version more, but I think there's a lot of overlap and there's a LOT of juice in FIM that gets overlooked because of the finale. But first, a little of the EQG version because they are cutiepies:
One of the things I like about them is that more than a lot of the pairs in the show, they're pretty consistent in their progress together. If you watch Season 1 Rarijack it just isn't anything like Season 4 Rarijack, which still had some growing before they became Season 8 Rarijack. Their bickering went from childish and mean, to passive aggressive but usually not hurtful, to not particularly common and the kind of thing you would hear in a doctor's waiting room from an elderly couple. Rarity's "we'll talk about this later"esque line in the Mean Six episode is arguably the peak of their "arguing" in that era and implies that apparently now when they have an episode worthy conflict or grievance, they handle it in private. There's also little things like every time they go camping, Rarity tries to pack less just to impress Applejack, and it's apparently a two way street because Applejack lists 'functional but unattractive hiking boots' in her packing list in Dungeons and Discords and it's SUCH a weird phrase to have come out of Applejack's mouth in a vacuum that I speculate it may have been a reworked Rarity line, because otherwise the only explanation is that in an episode that they are both barely in, someone thought it would be fun to imply that either Rarity commented on them earlier or Applejack just thinks of her clothes in terms like that now. Like, the show seems to "remember" where they're at with each other and we got a sense of build up because of it.
Which I guess leads into the fact I like that they changed each other! It's a self-improvement ship for both of them. They're really good for each other's character growth and they ways they improved as characters also was optimizing their relationship. I look at Rarity cleaning up Mistmane's garden, getting dirty, pulling weeds, her hair getting all messed up and frizzy and her not seeming to notice or care until it was over and it's so different from the Rarity of Season one who balked at the idea of mud, but if we want to point at the experiences and ponies most likely to have gotten her there, it's far and away Applejack's influence. Things she did with or for Applejack or saw Applejack do. Any time we see Rarity covered in mud and not caring, there's a 90% chance Applejack was directly involved. We also see a slow but also pretty consistent arc for her with Sweetie Belle that got kick-started with Applejack's help. Applejack advising her not to be selfish, taking her on sister camping trips, constantly preaching the importance of family to the point that in the same two parter that had Rarity gardening, she and Applejack share the line about family(the only elements/pillars in that sequence to share a frame.)
Applejack's Rarity related improvement is a little harder to track when it isn't a Rarity episode because she continues to struggle to be less stubborn or set in her ways but Rarity got her a little better at meeting ponies halfway, respecting their differences sooner into meeting someone new and very different from her and generally helped chill her out. But with Rarity in particular I notice that she tends to be more willing to be vulnerable when she isn't sure about something. She will come to Rarity(in instances I remember like Spike At Your Service, first) when she needs advice or is insecure about something to the point that in Made In Manehatten, what made them the ponies to send was actually that their relationship was the blueprint to the solution. There are other friendship missions where the ponies involved had things to iron out in their friendship that contribute to the conflict/runtime of the episode or mirror the conflict in some way, but on theirs Applejack had no idea what to do and Rarity encouraged her and told her she was perfect for the job and belonged and helped her find ways to busy herself and help, and it was those ponies seeing Applejack's contributions even when she felt like she couldn't do much that inspired them because they felt the same. But the mission needed Rarity because no one was as qualified as her to coax AJ out of her comfort zone in order to do it. AJ sets aside her pride with Rarity, be that admitting it if she feels lost or like she can't do something, or willing to accept a draw or apologize and actually change because having Rarity brings out the best in her. They both learned the art of compromise and seem a lot happier because of it.
Also, side note: I think Rarity might have started liking country fashion more over time because I don't think AJ's even in this episode when Rarity pulls off this lowkey cowboy-Barbie fit that seems to share a base boot design with her Appleoosa getup and vibes with her Simple Ways "trying to be country but still fancy and cute" look, which also had similar boots.
I also like that they're still high contrast characters but they have SO much in common, it's really easy for them to wind up on the same page because a lot of their differences are superficial but what makes them similar tend to be the things that matter most to them. They both put so much hard work and countless hours into their vocations and really value the efforts of others as a result, and on top of it they both put tons of emphasis on quality being key. Rarity has her rules- Time, love, and couture- Applejack has the Apple Family ethos that the most important ingredient is Apple Acres quality and care. They're two of the characters most likely to "Mom" the others, Applejack has a maternal habit of checking in and Rarity will notice if something's wrong that you aren't saying and support you until you're ready, and they have a habit of bouncing off each other or finishing each other's sentences in friendship speeches and Mane 6 discussion scenes in big Plot episodes. They both love their sisters with all their heart and would do anything to protect them and make them happy, and I think a really good example of all of those things coming together is in Campfire Tales. The two of them were practically psychically communicating to help control morale and keep the girls calm once the spiderfly crisis kicked up. Like you see Applejack smile before Rarity ever said the first helpful thing because she knew where she was going and jumped in to help her. At the end they literally have a bit where they look at each other and Applejack nods to coordinate jumping into the water, then their sisters beat them to it, and as episode ends they give each other a look and a moment before following the others off, staring at each other the entire time. Like, insane capacity to mindmeld. Have a mini compilation of them doing a thing(there are more times they do this)
But also. They're both just super passionate and care so so much and they're both proud of who and what they love. They both REALLY want to be good ponies, and good friends, to the point that in Trade Ya! They basically refuse to let the other leave without what they want because if the other can't have what they want because they felt like being selfish, what does that say about them? They want to be the better friend but can't with each other because they're equally willing to put each other first. It was practically a "I love you more" contest, and if the end of the episode is any indication, those ending in a draw is a good thing. And with them, it pretty much always does.
Another reason to like them that's a little more subjective: They're funny. Like, you don't even have to play up their differences or make them fight, you can have so many bits with them. Rarity said no hats at the wedding and AJ waiting until she isn't looking to put on her hat, the silly childish way an argument can get, them trying to teach the other about something the other doesn't know much about and the conversation going sideways because they don't have a lot of common frames of reference. No one talks about it but Applejack may have committed multiple crimes for Rarity(mostly kidnapping) like? Ridiculous scenarios are waiting to happen there. They have the capacity to Odd Couple with the best of them and ESPECIALLY when they're both feeling silly or the stakes are low, they're going to be fun to watch just interact.
I also like what I call a Ship of Inverse Needs. Basically, one is good at or has something the other lacks, and if you put them together you wind up with two halves of a well rounded individual. It's like Applejack builds the crib, Rarity supplies the custom blanket. Applejack can lift the cart, Rarity can fix it with her wood mending spell. Applejack carries Rarity over a mud puddle, Rarity thanks her by helping her cross a city street or hail a cab. Applejack is grounded and practical and helps Rarity see the good that's right in front of her, Rarity is a dreamer and a drama queen and helps Applejack see that there are good things beyond her usual purview. It makes them uniquely situated to always be able to help each other and teach each other and can lean heavily into the Character Growth ship stuff I talked about before. I don't really worry about them because between the two of them, at least one of them will always have the skills to carry them through a difficult situation.
I just love that they trust each other so much and seem to genuinely admire each other by the later seasons. Like I love how in It Isn't the Mane Thing About You like all of AJ's lines were things like "if anyone can make lemonade out of lemons it's Rarity" or if you wanted to shine you became the brightest filly in Equestria" and they gave her the finisher line in the speech and a wink. She knows what Rarity can do and she will find a way to shine. And Rarity's really out here inventing judging categories literally because she values AJ's opinion so much. Like in Sisterhooves Social she has a line like "Applejack why do you have to be so good, and make me look so bad?" And I genuinely think Rarity sees some pony she wants to be more like in Applejack and craved her respect from the beginning because of it, and Applejack inspired her to be a better sister, and be less selfish, and let icky things bother her less or hold less power. She's so badly wanted to inspire Applejack with that gala dress in Suited for Success that Applejack's probably the pony putting the least pressure on her in the song but her dress is the one with some of the strongest lyrical emphasis because it's HER that wants Applejack's dress to be perfect so badly. It takes like seven seasons, Applejack gets there eventually. And I think most of it is genuinely subconscious, so it makes what follows in why I like it a little bit funnier(and just me being silly)
Ever notice that Rarity's love interests get compared to AJ and are blond? Blueblood- Prince she never met, but chose because he was a prince. Long pretty blond hair. Rarity was super fed up with him, when Applejack gave her a freebie, she was like "at least someone has good manners.
Trenderhoof- travel writer who prides himself on being relatable and has an obvious thing for Earth ponies. Blond, kind of color picked from AJ's palette but for his eyes. She realizes the true nature of love because she and Trenderhoof were both trying to change to impress someone and making fools of themselves. Something she realized because she was so distressed to see Applejack acting radically out of character that she went a little crazy and got mud on pretty clothes about it. What made her see her problem wasn't seeing Applejack make a fool out of herself(Applejewel was composed, in control, and was an incredibly flattering impression of Rarity, all things considered) but her own freak out about someone she loves not being themself and that guy can't love her like she loves Applejack if he doesn't know who she really is. I used to interpret this episode's ending much less gayly but the letter of what was said and what was emphasized was wild because it's what they seem to have intended but no-homo.
Just really funny every time the show had her crush on a guy at some point Applejack was better than them. Also, side note on that episode: Applejack's "I KNOW you" and "that's the pony I know" when she gets her back is really telling to me because she demonstrates in a lot of episodes that she can anticipate or predict Rarity behavior. She knows to catch her, she knows how to comfort her, the aforementioned mindmeld moments. Applejack is a creature of habit who likes knowing what comes next- by season four she has studied Rarity enough that she is a confident Rarity handler. And she's proud of it. Like, I think Applejack loves what she knows, it's one of her character flaws to an extent that she likes it so much she freaks at the new stuff sometimes- and she knows Rarity.
But also back on Rarity, another kind of funny coincidence. There are characters designed specifically to be Rarity's friends or cute little beans she adores or not specifically for her but they have a special relationship. Some of which include: Sweetie Belle, Spike, Pistachio, Opal, Capper and Yona:
If all her faves have green eyes... And Applejack has green eyes...
Best friend material confirmed???
And Applejack has this too with her pretty, shimmery, curly gradient with prominent blue in her palette, childhood fillyfriend she describes as, when being herself "the brightest star I've ever seen shine," Rara. Who she named that. Rara is a wild leap to me from Coloratura, but maybe less so for someone who knows a filly back home the fandom had already been calling Rarara for three seasons. I don't know for sure that Rara as a nickname was Rarity inspired in-universe, and I doubt it was for the production crew, but it's really funny when people notice the similarities in their names and the similarity is there because of Applejack. Literally nobody called her that before or after Applejack until it became her new stage name. But Applejack loves a girl who shines. And it's clear that at some point along the way, Rarity became that for her if she wasn't secretly all along. Like Rarity thinks Applejack is morally good, but Applejack seems to really hold on to ponies who are creative and beautiful and sparkle, and I think she kind of undersells how much value she puts in beauty. Because she doesn't have time for it, she has to be practical, she has to get things done. But also her house is fully decorated with little custom apple decorations, she has paintings on her wall, and in Sonic Rainboom, at the peak of Applejack being like "phooey to fancy pretty girly blahblahblah, maybe I like mud!" In season 1, of all the ponies to witness Rarity with wings for the first time, Applejack's the one who gasped in awe. And it's really funny in that episode, because you can hear her oohing and see her staring with everyone else at the weather factory but she has angry eyebrows about it. She doesn't like that the wings are doing it for her apparently. There's also a line where she's like "oh we got to watch out for Rainbow and Rarity" but doesn't turn her head to actually look until she says Rarity. Which you don't have to read into, and I normally would not have, but put with the other things it's just really funny to imagine Applejack was like frustratingly into the gossamer wing Rarity look. Like again I'm pointing back to part of the appeal being it being funny. Looking through episodes like, or early season grumpiness when Rarity acts all charming, and choosing to interpret Applejack's resistance as being an "oh no, she's hot" thing just makes it funnier.
But also there is pretty decent evidence Applejack just straight up thinks Rarity's cute, and a couple instances that point to her specifically being endeared by Rarity's laugh, so have a collection of faces Applejack has made in response to Rarity being Rarity moments, because if I'm being honest part of the appeal for Rarijack for me, is that Applejack looks at her like this:
Like she absolutely threw her "good things are better when they're a Rarity," because she knew any way Rarity reacted to that was going to be hella cute. (Bonus point Rarijack appeal: they both have the capacity to be crazy smooth, whether you choose to interpret this as the most intense flirting of their lives, for them taking turns making each other incredibly flustered, or both, is up to you, but I'd like to point out Applejack consistently blushes when praised, and praise is Rarity's bread and butter) She wanted to see a cute happy Rarity face and get some brownie points. Also goes back to the Rara thing, and the Simple Ways thing, has anyone ever noticed Applejack's kind of the queen of the Grand Gesture? Like for an element of honesty here, she participates in many a scheme, ruse, or act in the name of doing something to prove a point or come up with the SWEETEST plan to make someone happy. Like the tree root chandelier for Twilight was Applejack's idea (that apparently Rarity did some flourishes on as soon as she heard it so I consider it like a joint idea of theirs, see previous points about their teamwork and ability to complete and elevate each other), putting on Rarity's fashion show as an apology(and kidnapping a room full of ponies. I like to think she kidnapped Photo Finish again for her and Fluttershy to have that "talk" with her, literally because Applejack roping her when desperate to fix things for Rarity being a pattern is silly to me), catching Svengallop to prove to Rara that he wasn't good for her, anytime they mercilessly tormented Rainbow Dash to take her down a peg, Applejack was always an active participant if not the progenitor of the big elaborate ideas. When Applejack goes big she really goes big. Rarity is the one who said that and she was correct. But she's also good at the small gestures. Like, put her with a romantic like Rarity, and Applejack is a straight-up natural a constantly keeping her happy, it's practically just the way her brain works. I don't even think it's even putting in that much work for her, because if it's for someone she loves she likes the work. Rarity's a piece of work and she's a workaholic
I think a lot of the appeal is literally that if you are already inclined to like something like it, there is SO MUCH to find and they have a really easy chemistry where if you put them together in a room SOMETHING is bound to happen because they almost certainly will find a reason to talk to each other and continue to do so until interrupted or they reach a reply they don't want to say out loud. If you want to take it romantic, their habit of fighting and only coming back from it stronger and better to and for each other kind of makes them breakup proof after a certain point, but the process on the way to that point makes them versatile. You want a tempestuous Will-They Won't-They? Rarijack can be that. You want wholesome and cutesy and supportive? They can be that. You want passion and fire? They can be that. You want domestic fluff and low stress? They can be that, they're practically already the CMCs two gay moms. You want funny or absurd? They can be that. You want a little angst? They have subgenres of angst. High School sweethearts? Watch Equestria Girls, because they can absolutely be that.
Rarijack is one of those ships you can approach from lots of different angles and see something you like in at least one of them, there's just so much show around them(Nine seasons! They weren't in focus for all of it, weren't always both in any given episode, and some episodes they're both in don't have Rarijack content at all, even by my standards, the queen of finding shippy potential in microinteractions) I feel like it's easy not to notice that they're usually there somewhere, being potentially kinda gay, until you see something like this and it's like
Hey Applejack, did you just imply you see your greatest flaw as being willing to be Rarity's furniture if asked?
Tldr: Pretty much everybody cites "opposites attract," but I think they're a really good example of why opposites attract. Give them time, they a strike a basically perfect balance, and are really funny doing it. What's worse? I keep thinking of MORE REASONS and I'm resisting the urge to edit this further.
(also I'm so sorry I hit the post image limit before I got to the jokey part about how Applejack and Rarity look like each other's types. Trust me. Look up pictures. It's funny, I swear)
