Scorpio comes right after Libra as the eighth sign of the zodiac, symbolized by the Scorpion. It’s a water sign ruled by the planet Pluto in modern astrology (and Mars in ancient astrology), and its modality is fixed. Scorpio is known to be deep, mysterious, and intense. As astrology expert Imani Quinn tells mbg, despite being side by side on the zodiac wheel, Libra and Scorpio aren’t typically thought of as compatible because they operate very differently. “They have different needs, and they would have to be very attuned to each other’s needs and be willing to compromise and balance each other out,” she explains. Now’s also a good time to point out that we’re specifically talking about the dynamics between these two signs’ energies, and to get a real sense of astrological compatibility between two people (aka synastry), their whole birth charts need to be taken into account. For starters, Libras have the potential to lose themselves in Scorpio’s depths. They could wind up neglecting their own needs in the relationship, she explains, because of their tendency to prioritize balance and harmony above all. Scorpio also tends to be more introverted than Libra, she adds, so Scorpio may run into issues with their social battery if their Libra partner wants to be on the go all the time. They also have different ways of processing things, with Libra being more intellectual, and Scorpio more emotional. As Quinn puts it, “Scorpio needs to go all the way, deep to the root, in order to be able to move on, where Libra doesn’t necessarily,” adding that Libras tend to look at emotions a lot more intellectually and even a bit more on the surface than a Scorpio would. However, all of these differences don’t have to be a bad thing if both people can approach each other with understanding and further, help each other grow. Libra can help Scorpio see things from an intellectual standpoint, Quinn notes, while Scorpios can help Libras go deeper and evolve. She also adds that Scorpios are extremely loyal in relationships, which a Libra will greatly appreciate. “They love that they would be adored by the Scorpio—that initial attraction would be really nice for them,” Quinn tells mbg, adding that the key with this zodiac matchup is sustaining that initial spark. As Quinn says, “The opposites in them could really be nice places of growth because it wouldn’t be intensified with spending so much time with each other as it would in a relationship,” noting Scorpio can help Libra dig deeper and facilitate growth and transformation, while Libra encourages Scorpio to come out of their shell, socialize, and have a little fun. Libra season and Scorpio season also both occur in fall, which Quinn says is significant because it results in a laid-back approach when it comes to being in social settings, akin to the way things seem to slow down in fall. Aside from that, these two signs really don’t have all that much in common. Again, though, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing, with opposites encouraging growth. “Libra would learn a lot about themselves being around a Scorpio because Scorpios are naturally focused on rebirth and transformation. And Scorpios can be very one-on-one type of people and want to spend a lot of time alone, so Libras would get them to be social,” Quinn tells mbg. Apply that to a relationship, romantic or otherwise, and you can see how Scorpio may view Libra as flippant, and Libra could find Scorpio too intense. “Scorpio’s energy could end up being a little bit too intense for Libras. Libras are very lighthearted and again want to keep the peace and that’s their nature,” Quinn notes. To that end, Libra really has to check how much of themselves they’re compromising, so as to “not overgive for the sake of keeping the peace,” she explains. Libra would need to be careful not to overgive for the sake of keeping the peace, while Scorpios would need to identify when they need to pull back and spend time alone.