So I realize I’m several years late to the party and this is probably already well-trodden ground but uhhh a thought:

When Raleigh does these test fights against his potential co-pilots so they can be evaluated for compatibility in the drift, and he goes against Mako, he tells her this:

“Four strikes marks a win. Remember, it’s about compatibility. It’s a dialogue, not a fight.“

That struck me as significant. No matter what it may look like, they’re not really fighting, not in the sense that the true point is for one of them to defeat the other – that’s not what it’s about. It’s an interplay, a ritualistic thing of sorts, something that, if you’re well-matched in your fight, shows compatibility. That’s the point. It’s a dialogue, not a fight.

I went on the Wiki and read up on what they say about the Combat Rooms, and I quote: “The physiological aspects of battle are emphasized heavily during the training. The goal within the Combat Room is to forge an ideal partnership between the Rangers […] in order for both to successfully pilot a Jaeger.“

To quote another part: “[Drift] Compatibility is commonly determined through sparring.”



So usually this is not just a one-time thing to find a good partner, like we saw with Mako and Raleigh; no, this is what you do, when you drift together. This is what you do to more successfully drift together. You spar, you match yourselves against each other both physically and mentally, you learn each other, you become familiar.

