What are your thoughts on the 1D dynamics? I only recently got into the solo careers and retroactively wound up watching 1D content. It feels like Harry had a different BFF every year of the band. First Louis, then Zayn, then in the final years he was sticking to Niall, but never seemed to get on with Liam (ironically just like his relationships, they lasted one year). Zayn meanwhile always had a strong bond with Louis, was close to Liam in the beginning and never seemed to like Niall.
I have been in this fandom since late 2017, so I followed the same path. Based on what Iāve observed of them in interviews, on stage, and from being a former solo Harrie and now a Zstan and Louie, Iāll wade into these turbulent seas with you, but you probably know that there are many other, strongly held opinions in fandom. Itās all speculative, but many fans whoāve been around longer than we have have paid much closer attention and will have receipts for their POV. But here goes:
Niall was the one who kept himself more detached from the various in band dramatics, with caveats, like he was closer to Harry toward the end.
Louis and Harry were close. How close and for how long is the most divisive aspect of fandom, but at least from 2010-2011 or 2012 no matter what happened after.
Liam didnāt get along with Louis at first, but they ended up being close, writing a lot together and sometimes seeming to be friends besides. Louis was the de facto leader of the band in the early years at least, so there was that dynamic.
From 2012 on, Harry had a circle outside the band, the London crew with Nick Grimshaw, and Jeff Azoff entered the picture in 2013, so outside of professional work, you can see Harry disengaging somewhat from his bandmates. That said, the Zarry ship wasnāt based on nothing. They were close for a time at least, even if I find the chronology confusing as a late arrival. They stayed behind after the AMAs in 2013(?) for a night while the others flew to Australia, and there are pap photos of them together partying and hanging out in Australia and one or two at least other early shots of them together. Zayn revised history when he said he and Harry never spoke. They clearly did. They spoke enough to have a fight in Bangkok right before Zayn left, if you believe Bangkok Joe, and they went through a period of being especially flirty onstage, so make of that what you will, but not too much because Zayn.
Zayn loved them all and fussed over them. He was affectionate and handsy with everyone, including Niall, whom he has referred to as a little brother. He flirted with all of them onstage until 2014 at least. He was especially close to Louis for most of his time in the band, and that started early, when they were partners in mischief and they certainly smoked a fair amount of weed together, not that the other three were pure and drug free. We know thatās not true. I personally believe Zouis was the friendship that was the most ārealā in that they understood each other, confided in each other, and hung out together up till the end when Z left. I agree that Liam and Zayn were close for a time, and they are shipped to this day, but Iāve never seen much evidence of an off-screen relationship like Iāve seen for both Zouis and Zarry. Iām sure itās there, because Ziam is the second most popular ship in fandom, and fans got their beliefs from somewhere.
I have opinions beyond this, but theyāre mostly just feelings. If any of my anons are online rn, Iām sure weāll hear different takes. Thanks for this ask. Itās fun to speculate even though we know thatās mostly all it is.
