Tempest/Andromeda decisions

Oh boy. I dun goofed.

When I said that I made a decision on the whole Tempest/Andromeda thing, I never actually announced my final decision. After the insanely lopsided poll I posted, I should have laid things out better. 

My final decision (please forgive me for unintentionally leading people on) is that Andromeda and Tempest... will NOT end up being an official couple!!!

Well, at least.... not technically. Let me explain: 

I never actually intended to "ship" Andi and Tempest. It just sorta showed up when I made a "what if" shipping poll that had theirs win. As a result I got a TON of questions about it, which I made worse when I made a playful joke about the thing in an "Ask Andromeda" artwork. This apparently made the theories burn even brighter. "Nice job breaking it, hero." 




Now hear me out here.... I love the idea of Andromeda and Tempest being a couple.

I think that they could work well together, and as I've said with Bismarck and Radiance, I love the idea of two opposites being together. In Andi/Tempest's case it would be Logic/Reason meets Passion/Drive. Deep down I want it to happen, but if I'm going to be honest, it shouldn't. 

With only 10 kids of the Mane Six, making 4 of them romantically involved is pushing it a bit TOO far, especially with the fact that the vast majority of childhood friends do not end up getting married. It's INCREDIBLY RARE and the fact that Bismarck/Radiance overcame it is a near-miracle in of itself. You see, it just doesn't.... FEEL right.

When it comes down to the wire, would I be shipping them because I think it's cute and they'd go well together, or do I legitimately think that it's the right decision?

Honestly, I don't think it is. It's just that gut feeling that a creator gets when dealing with his characters. It comes off as too gimmicky and I think that throwing them into "couple" status isn't wise. You see, when I chose to bring Radiance and Bismarck together (a couple that gets disappointingly little love), I had things set from the start. I had a plan... a goal. With Andromeda/Tempest, that just isn't the case and I don't want to write something in solely because popular opinion practically begs for it. 


That being said, I DO want them to give a relationship a shot. I think it's perfectly within reason that one would see Radiance and Bismarck, look at the other, and say "If they can make this work, maybe we can too." 

Of course, this won't be in my story as it's too late to include it, but it's something I'd like to do. Tempest and Andromeda will go (or have gone) on a few dates and try to see if they feel the same kind of magic, but things won't be as expected.

Sometimes "love" doesn't go as planned. We often get so caught up in "they'd be so cute together" that we overlook the details of being in a relationship. Love is finicky and unpredictable. Sometimes that supposedly perfect guy or girl for you won't be the right one. It happens. And what of two old friends?

What if they work better together as friends than they do as a couple? I should know... I've experienced it myself. It's a muddy, complicated, twisting feeling, but in the end you KNOW that a strong friendship is better than risking it all on a relationship you know won't work out. 

Great, now I'm giving relationship advice. I swear, this all applies to Andromeda and Tempest. 

Let me just finish this off by saying that while it's cute to ship them together, I think that they work better as close friends and not a couple. We've already got Bismarck x Radiance and that's the couple that I stand by. I just don't feel the need to add even more.


So I'm sorry guys. I'm sure you'll understand my feelings on the matter. It would be nice, but as the author and creator, I think that it doesn't work.


In the meantime, I will still be doing the Grandbabies of the Mane Six. Just don't expect Tempest and Andromeda's to be one and the same.

And don't forget to check out the first grandchild, Diamond Jubilee. The poor darling is the product of a ship nobody asked for.

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