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Gave this one proofreading pass.
This episode got a bit out of hand in terms of length. Next on the agenda is probably Ring of Truth, then maybe Ring of Lies, then Madder Wish, and then who knows? (Order subject to change on a whim.)
Quick thought I am trying to put together.
What if... When or if Ryoga eggs Ranma, he first turns Ranma's relationship with Akane into brother and sister then talks up the fact they are 'best/good friends' to the point Ryoga knows what 'kind' of girl Ranma is into (allowing a fate split into suggestions by Ryoga like Shampoo, Ukyo, Nabiki, Kasumi, a crossover girl or someone else).
Of course Ryoga either has to egg that woman or get Ranma to do it... so yeah.
Well, he wouldn't really need Ranma to egg Ukyo or your gal Shampoo. He would probably just tell Ranma he loved one of those two…or maybe both of them? It's not like Ryoga has much reason to make Ranma's life easier. If he wanted to twist the knife, Ryoga could make Ranma fall for Kodachi. Or, hell, Tatewaki. Or both of them!
He doesn't have a reason to make Ranma's life easier but he does have some good friendly feelings to Ranma. (From reading on Ranma wiki).
Ranma is friendly with Ryoga even if he teases and act as an eternal rival to the pig boy. So while he might not go to make Ranma's life better, he might egg Ranma and/or girls to end Ranma's Womanizing and help Ranma out. He might egg the girls or have Ranma egg them to make the transition go easier.
Plus it eliminates the problem of the Akane-Ranma relationship (Akane beeing too good for Ranma in Ryoga's mind).
Just some thoughts...
Plus Ryoga is suppose to be the most honorable and noble of the rivals too.
Well, except that he really isn't terribly noble or honorable when you get down to it. His actions in this episode are basically despicable and probably unforgivable. P-chan is another example of him acting dishonorably. So is trying to use the koi rod on Akane. So is planning to murder the loving Ranma when she was under the koi rod's spell. And so on. I like him as a character, and he's generally a *nice* guy, but he's not a particularly *good* person. Pretty much no one in the cast is, outside of Kasumi, Akari and Konatsu. (And that includes Ranma, your gal Shampoo and my gal Akane.)
I don't disagree that he *could* decide to help Ranma out, but I wouldn't necessarily *expect* him to, even at the end of the series.
Well compared to the other rivals he is 'honourable' but that's like being the better smelling sanitation worker.
Too bad this isn't a place where you could have good options like Ukyo/Shampoo/Kasumi/Nabiki or less suitable options like Kodachi or Tatewaki.....
Hint, Hint... ^_^
Plus as I said matching up Ranma ends the threat that Ranma might try to undo the match of Ryoga and Akane.
So it is in his own self interest, the better and stronger the match the less likely the threat to Ryoga's love life.
Not sure if it's too much to think about Ryoga other then getting Ranma out of the way.