Tropes

Shipping Tropes

Tropes are re-occurring patterns in storytelling that are so typical they are known tools to creators and reviewers alike. Some tropes are archaic, misogynist, heteronormative patterns of storytelling that we can keep track of to criticise and help eradicate. Other tropes can be part of what makes storytelling so satisfying.

This is a guide to tropes related to relationships, mostly romantic, that can be added to the ship pages. To add a trope to a ship page, enter into the ship infobox section called tropes. Happy browsing!

NOTE! The links mainly send you to the trope central, Tropedia. Also there do exist strictly subjective tropes, which are not featured here nor allowed on this wiki

A

 * A planned declaration which the character ultimately decides against, in the work.
 * A planned declaration which the character ultimately decides against, in the work.












 * Agents Dating


















 * Aroused By Their Voice







B











 * Badasses who fight together, stay together
 * Badasses who fight together, stay together






 * Choosing to believe something 'fated' is the inevitable truth
 * Choosing to believe something 'fated' is the inevitable truth


 * You help out an old friend who turns out to be guilty/not who they were
 * You help out an old friend who turns out to be guilty/not who they were


 * They fight so much a possible romance is kept at bay
 * They fight so much a possible romance is kept at bay


 * Secondary couple to the primary couple of a story
 * Secondary couple to the primary couple of a story


 * A couple decides their relationship is better off being platonic
 * A couple decides their relationship is better off being platonic




 * Your good friend turns out to be the Big Bad, but doesn't want to harm you
 * Your good friend turns out to be the Big Bad, but doesn't want to harm you


 * Epic kissing scene
 * Epic kissing scene




 * Similar people in a relationship
 * Similar people in a relationship













C

 * Can't tell you how I really feel
 * Can't tell you how I really feel


 * Together, but not physically intimate
 * Together, but not physically intimate


 * We grew up together, but then we get older and we fall in love.
 * We grew up together, but then we get older and we fall in love.


 * We're kids and they ask me to marry them and I promise that I will when we grow up
 * We're kids and they ask me to marry them and I promise that I will when we grow up


 * Chocolate of Romance




 * Maggie Sawyer was this for Alex Danvers
 * Maggie Sawyer was this for Alex Danvers






 * Common Law Marriage
 * They're "married", just not legally




 * Choosing one over the other
 * Choosing one over the other





D

 * A character is in a relationship with an antagonist/former antagonist
 * A character is in a relationship with an antagonist/former antagonist




 * When the hero's first priority at all times is the protection of 1 person
 * When the hero's first priority at all times is the protection of 1 person


 * When a character suddenly becomes OOC in order for writers to break up their (potential) relationship, so their SO can be paired with someone else/someone else can seem like the only option in comparison, 'without backlash'. Used often as a crutch to ‘solve’ love triangles.
 * When a character suddenly becomes OOC in order for writers to break up their (potential) relationship, so their SO can be paired with someone else/someone else can seem like the only option in comparison, 'without backlash'. Used often as a crutch to ‘solve’ love triangles.


 * One character is completely devoted to the other.
 * One character is completely devoted to the other.




 * Dating a god or godlike being
 * Dating a god or godlike being






 * Character is dating someone who looks a lot like another character.
 * Character is dating someone who looks a lot like another character.









E

 * Enemies To Lovers
 * "Started from the bottom now we're here"


 * "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"
 * "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"


 * Escape Call



F

 * "They're coming this way, quick, kiss me so they won't suspect anything!"
 * "They're coming this way, quick, kiss me so they won't suspect anything!"


 * Fake First Kiss






 * An example
 * An example


 * We didn't like/know each other, then we went through hell and now we're close
 * We didn't like/know each other, then we went through hell and now we're close


 * The first love interest introduced in the work is the character's endgame
 * The first love interest introduced in the work is the character's endgame




 * In the work enemies have discussions/moments written as romantic ones would be, even though there is nothing romantic about the relationship in question
 * In the work enemies have discussions/moments written as romantic ones would be, even though there is nothing romantic about the relationship in question






 * We only just met — let's get married!
 * We only just met — let's get married!


 * Standing by a friend through adversity
 * Standing by a friend through adversity





G



 * "If you want them, you have to go through me/us"
 * "If you want them, you have to go through me/us"


 * God-like characters get together
 * God-like characters get together



H

 * An example
 * An example


 * Get married, and are happy together
 * Get married, and are happy together


 * An example
 * An example




 * Both James and Harry Potter, with Lily Evans and Ginny Weasley, respectively
 * Both James and Harry Potter, with Lily Evans and Ginny Weasley, respectively


 * We're not in love, but we put each other before anyone/anything else. Eg. Stucky
 * We're not in love, but we put each other before anyone/anything else. Eg. Stucky




 * "Did you shower this month"
 * "Did you shower this month"

I

 * Either they're not interested or they're scared of losing the person altogether if they should break up
 * Either they're not interested or they're scared of losing the person altogether if they should break up






 * Because I can't be with them, I send them into someone else's arms
 * Because I can't be with them, I send them into someone else's arms


 * Normally attracted to one gender, but someone of the other gender is the exception.
 * Normally attracted to one gender, but someone of the other gender is the exception.


 * Inconvenient Attraction


 * I was just about to tell you how I feel and then a meteor hits earth!
 * I was just about to tell you how I feel and then a meteor hits earth!




 * We can't be together because they would kill you, but you may not even know my secret identity
 * We can't be together because they would kill you, but you may not even know my secret identity



J



 * "Oh, no we're just friends"
 * "Oh, no we're just friends"



L



 * The character's endgame is the last love interest introduced
 * The character's endgame is the last love interest introduced


 * They finally got together! And then the story ended
 * They finally got together! And then the story ended




 * An example
 * An example


 * The Bickersons, who aren't in a relationship... yet
 * The Bickersons, who aren't in a relationship... yet


 * Kiss in front of a light source to amplify the mood
 * Kiss in front of a light source to amplify the mood


 * Or the villain's a colleague, classmate etc. — in close proximity, but you don't know their true identity
 * Or the villain's a colleague, classmate etc. — in close proximity, but you don't know their true identity








 * A romance where the characters look similar
 * A romance where the characters look similar


 * One of the character's was the love of another but died, and the other is still mourning them.
 * One of the character's was the love of another but died, and the other is still mourning them.


 * We are from opposite sides, but together, and have to deal with the outside world possibly not approving
 * We are from opposite sides, but together, and have to deal with the outside world possibly not approving




 * Something supernatural in your life is too much for your love
 * Something supernatural in your life is too much for your love




 * Villain falls in love and turns good
 * Villain falls in love and turns good







M



 * Someone comes into a character's life and lights it up with sparkly colours the character has never seen before!, but this new person lacks any substantial characterization
 * Someone comes into a character's life and lights it up with sparkly colours the character has never seen before!, but this new person lacks any substantial characterization


 * Which leads to friction and sometimes break-ups/divorce
 * Which leads to friction and sometimes break-ups/divorce




 * The hero has to leave their dates/show up later or never, and can never provide a proper explanation because of their secret identity.
 * The hero has to leave their dates/show up later or never, and can never provide a proper explanation because of their secret identity.


 * Relationship where one is much older than the other
 * Relationship where one is much older than the other


 * An example
 * An example




 * Mixtape of Love


 * My Girl Back Home


 * gender neutral
 * gender neutral

N

 * Romance, where a new character shows up and is the hero's long lost love/old flame
 * Romance, where a new character shows up and is the hero's long lost love/old flame


 * An example
 * An example


 * Two different people together, [title] but they do. Eg. Dharma & Greg
 * Two different people together, [title] but they do. Eg. Dharma & Greg




 * We might die, so we share our first kiss
 * We might die, so we share our first kiss


 * "We're not so different after all, you and I"
 * "We're not so different after all, you and I"

O

 * Harold & Maude
 * Harold & Maude






 * When a relationship is made canon in the work.
 * When a relationship is made canon in the work.


 * On the Rebound






 * Works where it is expressly and continually stated that this is a character/characters' true love, destiny etc. Eg. Jafael
 * Works where it is expressly and continually stated that this is a character/characters' true love, destiny etc. Eg. Jafael








 * "They may have been a player, but what we have is different"
 * "They may have been a player, but what we have is different"


 * Criminals in love
 * Criminals in love

P

 * The academics/genii/scientists/bookworms etc., eg. Science Boyfriends
 * The academics/genii/scientists/bookworms etc., eg. Science Boyfriends


 * Two characters respectively pursued two people who are now a couple. So, the two characters who didn't win their heart's desire, get together instead
 * Two characters respectively pursued two people who are now a couple. So, the two characters who didn't win their heart's desire, get together instead








 * Platonic Kissing








 * An older sibling takes the role of a parent for the younger ones
 * An older sibling takes the role of a parent for the younger ones

R

 * The hero takes on a protégé/mentee, and gets exasperated when the sidekick doesn't exactly follow orders/wrecks missions.
 * The hero takes on a protégé/mentee, and gets exasperated when the sidekick doesn't exactly follow orders/wrecks missions.




 * "How do I know you're not still evil?!"
 * "How do I know you're not still evil?!"


 * Relationship Revolving Door
 * We're in a relationship, now we're not, we're in a relationship, now we're not, we're in a relationship, now we're not etc.






 * Returning the Wedding Ring




 * Rivalry as Courtship




 * A relationship which ends up being "just" an obstacle for the "official couple" to happen
 * A relationship which ends up being "just" an obstacle for the "official couple" to happen


 * Romantic Fusion


 * Rulers in a relationship (royalty etc.)
 * Rulers in a relationship (royalty etc.)



S

 * Despite a foretelling, a character makes a free will choice
 * Despite a foretelling, a character makes a free will choice




 * A character gets over a death/break-up with their first love and finds love again
 * A character gets over a death/break-up with their first love and finds love again


 * ♫ Nobody knows it ♫
 * ♫ Nobody knows it ♫


 * The person who shares your experience, when nobody else can understand
 * The person who shares your experience, when nobody else can understand


 * ...but everyone thinks so
 * ...but everyone thinks so















T



 * Teamwork Seduction


 * They break up but get back together fairly quickly.
 * They break up but get back together fairly quickly.


 * Resolution to a love triangle: a character begins a relationship with a third person
 * Resolution to a love triangle: a character begins a relationship with a third person






 * A romantic subplot that is shoehorned into the main plot
 * Together in Death
 * Together in Death




 * Multiple varieties of intricate love dynamics between 3 or more people. Includes 13 common trope variations.
 * Multiple varieties of intricate love dynamics between 3 or more people. Includes 13 common trope variations.


 * More than friendship, they are like family
 * More than friendship, they are like family


 * People look for and date a certain 'type'/'ideal' and then end up with someone who's very different from that, which they didn't expect.
 * People look for and date a certain 'type'/'ideal' and then end up with someone who's very different from that, which they didn't expect.


 * A kiss causes a magical miracle; waking someone from a coma, breaking a spell, etc.
 * A kiss causes a magical miracle; waking someone from a coma, breaking a spell, etc.

U



 * In spite of the gendered name, all significant others who accept and support their love's otherworldly nature/powers and superhero responsibilities
 * In spite of the gendered name, all significant others who accept and support their love's otherworldly nature/powers and superhero responsibilities






 * Villains who are a team and in love
 * Villains who are a team and in love





V










W












Y

 * Making someone feel better
 * Making someone feel better


 * Can't save you, so am joining your fate
 * Can't save you, so am joining your fate


 * Something prophesied comes true
 * Something prophesied comes true


 * An example
 * An example


 * Their older relatives feud, while they love/find a peaceful solution/advocate for peace
 * Their older relatives feud, while they love/find a peaceful solution/advocate for peace



Z

 * Ooh lala
 * Ooh lala