#mamimado

Whether canon provides input on them or not.

In the original timeline - the one taking place before Homura started jumping through time, repeating and changing the flow events ever so slightly, bit by bit -, Madoka Kaname and Mami Tomoe are already forming a Magical Girl duo. Regardless of whether or not Kyouko had already teamed up with Mami prior in this original timeline, to the viewer - and Homura herself - they appear to be a reliable team, dependable partners, ready to take on Witches and protect the innocent from their influence. As they take Homura under their wing, we already learn a bit of their dynamic - with Mami being the knowledgeable, shining Senpai and Madoka being her ambitious disciple, both nurtured by the desire to be helpful to humanity. There is a sense of idealism in the air, one that, at first glance, may remind the viewer - and Homura too - of classic stories of Magical Girls, of heroes fighting against evil selflessly, no matter the cost... Even if it means sacrificing themselves for the greater good.

And thus, one may feel about Mami and Madoka being some kind of archetypal duo, the ideal and harmonious way of how two Magical Girls are supposed to work together - as they are also one of the first teams (in the history of all of Madoka Magica) to create a fusion of attacks in the shape of Tiro Duet, complementing and nurturing each other. One might even say that they were the prototype of the "Connect" system we're gonna witness in Magia Record onwards!

But I am getting ahead of myself - because this wouldn't be Madoka Magica if there wasn't a dark side to their story. A story that just feels too good, too perfect to be true... So where is the catch?

It depends, once again, on what timeline, what state of depiction you choose to look at: Because when the viewer first meets Mami in the anime timeline - the same way as Madoka does -, the stars align a little differently. Mami is still the knowledgeable, shining Senpai - and Non-Magical-Girl Madoka is immediately smitten by her outward appearance and demeanour, basically representing everything she is striving to be: Gorgeous, courageous, wise, capable of doing something to help other people. She appears to be a beacon of confidence - something Madoka can only ever dream of (or draw in her little notebook), not thinking that she herself could ever be anything as special or outstanding.

The more it eventually surprises her when Mami's facade crumbles the moment Madoka reveals to wanting to become a Magical Girl herself - to become just as amazing and helpful as Mami. The Mami, who had warned her about the consequences before, about being careful what to wish and dedicate her life for - but now, with the prospect of not being alone anymore, she doesn't care about that caution anymore, as Madoka is on the verge of being the one to give Mami what she thought she could only ever dream of: A partner, someone by her side for her sake, fighting alongside her, literally killing her loneliness. It reduces Mami to tears, of thankfulness and relief - and yet, there is a downside she hasn't taken into consideration. And it's ironic, because the mutual admiration that had been growing in both of them was the eventual reason for Mami's downfall in this timeline: By wishing to be like Mami, Madoka would also have fulfilled Mami's desire to not be alone anymore - but this realisation caused her to become less on guard, less careful, less focused on what she had dedicated her life to... And thus, one reckless move, fueled by an innocent (yet maybe even a little selfish) desire left her to die in the very next fight. Even before Madoka could make her wish.

Just as it is the case with the majority of relationships in Madoka Magica, Madoka's and Mami's bond is doomed by the narrative. There is an ongoing theme where one of them admires what the other one has - meaning that, in theory, just as it was already implied by their aforementioned "tropes", they have the potential to be one of the most effective combinations, perfectly able to complement each other. (On a sidenote: Each on their own already has the inherent potential to be insanely powerful, if Madokami and Holy Mami are any indication here.) Plus, on an interpersonal level, they also appear to be exactly what the other wants: Mami wants to have someone by her side, someone kind, soft and nurturing, someone she can take care of and, most importantly, someone who can take care of her, so she doesn't have to be strong all the time. Whereas Madoka longs to be needed and just as capable as someone she is able to look up to and learn from every single day.

But in the end, despite all the softness, all the protectiveness and sense of companionship, there is always something that gets in the way. They share the same values, but either their inherent insecurities and/or their sense of self-sacrifice keep them from being together for the majority of the timelines: It's when Madoka thinks that she has waited too long to make the wish in the anime timeline, suffering from survivor's guilt towards Mami for the rest of the series. It's when, in The Different Story, Mami actively forbids Madoka to make a hasty decision, just for Madoka to feel left out by the formed duo between Mami and Sayaka, unable to voice her selfish desire to be needed at first - but then, as she gets to make her wish, she makes it for the deceased Sayaka's and for Mami's sake. But instead of becoming Mami's partner, here she chooses to replace her and take on her burden selflessly instead. It's when, in Rebellion Story, their barrier selves are perfectly capable of creating a combined attack, showing it off in a display of mutual trust through a playful and almost intimate dance, something reminiscent of their past selves as a duo in the original timeline - but even here, they are not each other's main focal points, as Mami's focus lies on Bébé and Madoka's on Homura. It's also when Madoka calls Mami in Another Story to ask if she's doing research on her own, unable to offer her support as a mere civilian, fearing that Mami may keep her at arm's length because of that as well...

Whether I think why and how they’d work.

The course of their story, just like it is the case for so many other duos in PMMM, is a tragic series of "almost's" that, personally, makes me want to shake them and put them in a room together to make them talk honestly for once. Because I am positively convinced that they have what it takes to make a healthy, loving relationship work: Madoka may have self-sacrificial tendencies, but she isn't a doormat and is absolutely capable of calling people out once they are on their, pardon, bullshit. And in this very particular case, Mami is the perfect candidate to GET called out by Madoka, once she has gathered her confidence. Because in a rare instance of honesty, Mami already confessed to Madoka in the anime timeline that she isn't the perfect Magical Girl she presents herself as. She already opened up to her about how lonely she feels, how much she cries all the time, how hard it all is and that she has been hiding behind a mask of smiles... It's a display of trust Mami hasn't willingly offered to any of the other girls (without being pressured due to the circumstances, as it was the case with Sayaka and Kyouko in The Different Story. Even if, depending on the timeline, these two and Homura have definitely looked through Mami at least once at various points in the series).

In a way, Mami is somewhat similar to Madoka's mother Junko - which should not reduce her to being a motherly figure only or imply that Madoka may or may not be drawn to people who resemble her mother, but... Both Junko and Mami are confident go-getters on the outside, who are wise and caring, but who also need someone to take care of them. And once broken through her barrier, Mami may actually let it happen. Yes, she has pride as well and doesn't like letting her guard down - plus, just like Homura, Sayaka and Kyouko, she feels protective of Madoka, that's for sure. But Madoka is a person who needs to let her protective side thrive in non-sacrificial ways as well.

They are both caretakers who tend to take themselves back. So instead of just catering to the other, these two need to figure out a way how they can have their cake and eat it too - all puns intended. In the best-case scenario, they have to bake the goddamn cake together as equal partners! As a fighting duo - as well as while living together for example -, Madoka has to go for the final blow and take charge in certain ways, meaning Mami needs to let her nurture her self-esteem in the relationship while allowing herself to catch a break. And Mami needs to nurture her own self-esteem too - by allowing Madoka to support her and supporting her in return. By letting herself be mopey and ditzy in front of Madoka, showing off her vulnerable, messy side. Something I am sure Madoka would also find incredibly endearing - because this was already implied anytime Mami did let her guard down in the series and there simply has to be a timeline where this kind of openness, their way of being imperfect, doesn't backfire on them. Where they can learn - from each other - that being a little selfish here and there is not a bad thing. Which is what I really, really want for them.

(The real question is who of them would be the driving force in the bedroom and, you'll laugh, I can't decide on any variant yet - either they're both bottoms or both tops, the jury is still out, but I find the idea of them being softly experimental - and actually very possessive - very alluring.)

Whether I’d prefer them as platonic or romantic ship.

When I first got into Madoka Magica back in 2014 or so, MadoMami was my second favourite ship after HomuMado, I was completely and utterly enchanted by them and really wanted to see, read and know more about them. It's still my third favourite Mami ship after KyouMami and HomuMami and truth be told:

Just recently, I read about the headcanon that, in the original timeline, their sense of familiarity and closeness may imply that there was a budding romance between them - and my previous passion for them was IMMEDIATELY ignited once again. In the PSP game, there seem to be passages that imply that Mami was insanely jealous of Homura snatching Madoka's attention away - for example, when Madoka gifted her self-made cookies and her happiness immediately crashed once she heard that they were made by Madoka and Homura. In general, Mami's fate of being a third-wheel in various PMMM iterations hurts my soul, whether she has to run after KyouSaya, MadoSaya or HomuMado... But Madoka has dealt with a similar sense of third-wheeling before (like with MamiSaya), so I am currently thinking more closely about how possessive these MamiMado could actually be towards each other once they let their "niceness" down for a moment. Because it's so atypical for them to proudly say what they want without feeling guilty or awful about it - and they deserve that so much.