I've been asked lately why I love this ship and how it came about. Sit down and relax, we have some ground to cover:
When it all started: The tipping point for me was volume 6 when Neo returned to the show. Until then, I had no reason to compare Neo and Jaune. They had never even appeared in the same scene before. But suddenly we are faced with a very familiar sight.
Someone who is still traumatized by the Fall of Beacon is trying to face Cinder in a 1 on 1 battle. But the kicker here is, it's all for Roman. It's all for the person Neo lost that night.
Looking back to the previous season's finale, we saw Jaune in the exact same state. In the exact same fight with Cinder. Throwing himself at the Fall Maiden because he lost Pyrrha.
And that made me start looking at their characters as foils to each other. Once that started... there was no going back.
Here's a post about it more
Literary Foils: The same motivation with very different support:
Their Weapons
Their Colors Schemes of Black and White adding Gold and Silver after Pyrrha's and Roman's death respectively
Their only difference is their relationships post Beacon
The timeline
The red string of fate between the red sash and red-lined hat being out of place
Next to each other in the opening
Their Fighting Styles Matching Each Other's Old Partner
Same Trauma
Helping each other heal, the hurt/comfort potential:
The Beacon Anniversary
Common Ground
Getting Through to Your New Partner
Height difference / being cute / fluff:
Can Neo Wear the Hoodie?
Neo can Absolutely Wear the Hoodie
Height Difference Kiss
Shipping Meme
That Time I drew them like Toradora
Shameless Promotion of My Art + Kiss!
The Same Smiles
Hoodie Shenanigans
Angst of Losing a Partner Again:
What if Neo Lost Jaune
Remember that Red String?
There's the String Again
Crime? No Never! Who Would Steal an Airship? "Not me" they say at the same time:
Lessons from Nora
Bonding with Emerald
