Battle Couple: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

You know, the kind of couple where bullets figure prominently in the story of their early romance. Where "war buddy" and "significant other" are synonyms. Where if you harm either one, the other [[Berserk Button|will kill you]] as surely as the sun rises. Likely to have a [[Back-to-Back Badasses]] moment.

 

See [[Bash Brothers]], [[Sibling Team]], and [[Fire-Forged Friends]] for the non-romantic, sibling and platonic forms, respectively. If they're criminals, they're an [[Outlaw Couple]]. If they are royalty who do this as one of their jobs they are also a [[Ruling Couple]]. If they're villains, they live in [[Unholy Matrimony]]. Absolutely no relation whatsoever to [[Battleship (game)|this classic board game]].

 

* Narumi and Shirogane of ''[[Karakuri Circus]]'' were beginning to lean that way...until [[Rule of Drama|'circumstances']] got between them.

* Pictured above: Yuji and Shana of ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]'' develop into this over the course of two seasons, as Yuji finds ways to make himself useful in battle {{spoiler|at least until [[Wham! Episode|"Snake Of The Festival"]] and [[The Reveal|even then he is the]] [[Big Good]]}}.

* In ''[[Kaze no Stigma]]'', Kazuma is often paired up with Ayano for his missions.

* Max and Milia/Miriya from ''[[Macross]]/[[Robotech]]'' are probably one of the earliest examples in anime. Their races were at war. Max is a human, and Milia is a Zentradi, but after she defects, the two end up marrying. Milia gets a red variable fighter to match her husband's blue one. They even lead different squadrons together for a time span of about 30 years after the events of the original series.

* Kiri and Elraine in ''[[Double Arts]]''. They even developed the [[Title Drop|Titlular]] ''Double Arts'' fighting style to fight while constantly connected. They are the official couple of their series and will never let go of each other. [[Can't Live Without You|No matter what]]. {{spoiler|Elraine is afflicted with a special disease that killed a third of the world's population, and the only reason she isn't dead yet is because of Kiri's mysterious ability.}}

* You'd think [[Sailor Moon]] and Tuxedo Kamen would be this, being the main characters, but this trope instead goes to [[Schoolgirl Lesbians|Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.]]

* A common fandom interpretation of the meister-Weapon partnerships in ''[[Soul Eater]]''. Shipping aside, canon does ''nothing'' to dissuade this [[Boys Love|whatever your]] [[Schoolgirl Lesbians|pairing preferences]]. Except for Kirikou and his weapons, which would be somewhat problematic.

* Elfin and Preyas from ''[[Bakugan]]'', complete with [[Belligerent Sexual Tension]] and [[Cannot Spit It Out]]. They constantly argue about which one of them is Marucho's guardian, as well as other things, but when the time to fight comes, they make a great team. And whatever you do, do not, I repeat, '''''DO NOT''''' attack Elfin, or else Preyas will go [[Ax Crazy]] on you.

* Rust Blaster: A BL example (however, although the series is classified as shounen-ai, there are only vague hints of their being an actual couple).

* ''[[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple]]'' has Kenichi and Miu, who, due to having sparred together for a long period of time, naturally fall into this slot whenever they have to fight side by side.

* In ''[[Liar Game]]'', despite not actually physically fighting together, Nao and Akiyama make one heck of a team, able to psychologically and mentally defeat their opponents. Combined with his wits and skills and her often deceiving honest nature, they are a near invincible team.

* Though we have yet to see them actually fighting together, [[Badass Normal|Minato]] [[Four-Star Badass|Namikaze]] and [[Action Mom|Kushina]] [[Sealed Evil in a Can|Uzumaki]] from ''[[Naruto]]'' can pretty much be assumed to be this.

* ''[[Freezing]]'' has this as the main premise, with an older female [[Action Girl|Pandora]] and a younger male [[Barrier Warrior|supporter]] called a Limiter. One of their abilities, the [[Psychic Link|"Ereinbar Set"]], specifically requires that the Pandora and Limiter have a relationship based on deep, mutual trust. It's not so surprising then that, as Violet, older sister of female lead Satellizer, mentions, many Pandoras end up marrying their Limiters. As per the trope, however, these couples are particularly vulnerable to losing one half during battle (they fight [[Hero-Killer]] [[Eldritch Abominations]], after all), and the manga does show the psychological and social effects of losing a partner in combat.

* Happens eventually in ''[[Dragon Ball]] Z'', when Gohan as Great Saiya-Man is joined by Videl as Great Saiya-Man 2 (called Great Saiya-Woman in the US).

* Haseo and Atoli become a Battle Couple in the final volume of ''[[.hack GU Games|.hack//G.U.]]+'', fighting against {{spoiler|Cubia}} together using their Avatars. Ditto for Kuhn and Pi.

* [[Inukami!]] Youko would ''like'' to be this with Keita, and from the perspective of [[Everyone Can See It|EVERYONE ELSE]] they pretty much are.

* Saya's parents, Soichiro and Yuriko, in [[Highschool of the Dead]].

 

* Snake-Eyes and Scarlett from [[Larry Hama]]'s run on the Marvel ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' comic

* In [[Garth Ennis]]'s run on ''[[The Punisher]]'', the title character had this with O'Brien. For a little while, anyway.

 

 

* Yolei and Ken from the ''[[Tamers Forever Series]]''

* [[Final Fantasy VI|Terra]] and [[Final Fantasy VII|Cloud]] in ''[[Shards of Memory]]''

'''Han:''' I know.

''Ep. VI:''

'''[[Meaningful Echo|Leia:]]'''[[Meaningful Echo|I know.]] }}

** The fact that the ''VI'' quote comes in the middle of a battle right before Leia shoots the two Stormtroopers holding them at gunpoint requires this example to be Seconded.

* [[Amelia Peabody]] and her husband Radcliffe Emerson, Egyptologists and incidental detectives in the Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. The stories are set stretching from the Victorian era into the Roaring Twenties (so far). Peabody and Emerson are grandparents, now, but that only slows them down a little. Anyway, they have produced a second generation Battle Couple, their son Walter "Ramses" Emerson and his wife Nefret. The third generation is alarmingly precocious and will almost certainly turn out to be Meddling Kids.

* Koryk and Smiles in ''[[Malazan Book of the Fallen]]'' occasionally act like this. The fact that they are flirting while killing people is a tad disconcerting.

* [[Simon R. Green]] loves this trope:

** ''Hawk and Fisher'' stories feature the titular couple, a pair of captains of the City Guard.

 

 

* Blane and Daisy from the first two seasons of ''[[M.I. High]]'' were almost one of these. And probably would have been if they'd stayed on the show.

* Michael and Nikita from ''[[La Femme Nikita]]'' are definitely this, also overlapping with [[Spy Couple]].

* [[Word of God]] says that [[24|Jack Bauer and Renee Walker]] are headed this way (and will get together in Season 8).

** And they were... {{spoiler|[[Cartwright Curse|for less than one episode]]}}.

** As would Apollo and Starbuck, who, ironically enough, do better together in battle than as a couple.

*** Funny enough, Starbuck and her other love, Anders, are probably a minor example.

** Amy and Rory grew into a (mostly) non-violent Battle Couple over the course of series 5, with him [[Non-Action Guy|growing into the "adventure" part]] and her [[Runaway Bride|growing into the couple part]]. Embraced in series 6. It is awesome to finally see those two kicking ass together.

** Vastra and Jenny from the 2011 mid-series finale; sword-wielding interspecies lesbians who fight crime in Victorian London (and sometimes other eras). And the fandom said: ''more.''

* ''[[Scarecrow and Mrs. King]]'' though they never get married until the last season.

* ''[[NCIS]]'': Tony and Ziva disguise themselves as this in the episode "Under Covers", and goodness knows [[Fan-Preferred Couple|many viewers want them to be this all the time]]

** They also qualify as [[Spy Couple]].

* Another battle couple/SpyCouple cross are Steven and Samantha Bloom in ''[[Undercovers]]''.

* John Sheridan and Delenn in ''[[Babylon 5]]''. Although, the inclination is more to die for each other rather than to kill for each other.

** Well...it's not ''quite'' as if they mind killing for each other. After all, they won two separate wars (against all odds, of course) and reshaped the future of the galaxy. See these two quotes:

{{quote|'''Delenn, while in command of four very nasty warships''': Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. ''He'' is behind me. ''You'' are in front of me. If you value your lives, '''''be somewhere else!!'''''

and

* Not sure if this counts since they're not actually a couple, but to some shippers, Juliet and Lassie of ''[[Psych]]''.

* Rya'c and Kar'yn become this in the ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' episode "Sacrifices". This trope is [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] and used to justify their marriage when they face opposition from Teal'c on the basis that Rya'c has chosen to fight the Goa'uld and that war has to be his priority. As Ishta points out, "A warrior is always stronger with another at his side" so being a Battle Couple will be better for both them and their cause.

* Prince Charming and Snow White in ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]''. He is a badass with a broadsword and she doesn't seem all that unfamiliar with weapons either when she unhesitatingly drew Charming's at the wedding when the Queen shows up

* While not a war situation, I'd include Danny and Lindsay from ''[[CSI: NY]]'', since they both spend a lot of time fighting evil and bad guys, and there have been a lot of flying bullets in that romance thus far. And the "hurt one, the other will hunt you down" applies.

* Tristan and Isolde from ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]''.

* The music video for Mayer Hawthorne's ''The Walk''.

* Rick Castle and Kate Becket in ''[[Castle]]''. Of course Kate will [[She Is Not My Girlfriend|never admit they are a couple]].

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''[[Armored Core|Armored Core 4/For Answer]]'', the player character of 4 (Unknown Lynx—Pilot of White Glint in For Answer) and [[Mission Control|Fiona Jarnefeldt]]. Considering that in at least one mission in 4 she pulls a "[[Save the Girl Screw The World|Save the Guy, Screw the City]]", it's kind of obvious she has definite romantic feelings for him.

** And the [[Player Character]] and Sumika from ''Armored Core: Project Phantasma''.

** There's also the two-person Espada Squadron in ''Ace Combat Zero'', whose [[Number Two]] heavily implies that she was in a long-time relationship with Espada 1 at the time of their fateful encounter with the Galm Team.

** Even earlier, ''Ace Combat 04'' gave us Yellow 13 and Yellow 4, the only permanent members of their squadron. However, in their case, the romantic feelings were probably one-sided, since 13 seemed to have only seen a valued student and a trusted wingwoman in 4.

* ''[[Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana]]'' has Klein Kiesling and Lita Blanchimont as the Galgazit partners with an inversion of the usual hero and heroine state as Lita is a tank while Klein is a magician/healer.

** ''[[Atelier Iris 3]]'' has Iris and Edge, before Nell comes in, that's it.

* ''[[Golden Sun]]'' fandom almost universally accepts villains Saturos and Menardi as a couple, despite the lack of clear canon support.

** Issac and Jenna, officially, though they married ''after'' the period they did fight together. Though considering how long it took for their kid to pop out, they probably [[Cannot Spit It Out|did not spit it out]] until some time after the first series ended.

** [[Black Magician Girl|Arche]] and [[The Lancer|Chester]] are a bona-fide example, [[Belligerent Sexual Tension|not that they'd ever admit it]]: the two of them are very ''[[Tsundere|tsun]]''[[Buffy-Speak|-y]].

** ''[[Tales of Destiny]]'' gives us [[Wide-Eyed Idealist|Stahn]] and [[Classy Cat Burglar|Rutee]].

* Eddie and Ophelia, in ''[[Brutal Legend]]''.

* [[Suikoden]] series : Hix and Tengaar (Suikoden 1 and 2), Lepant and Eileen (Suikoden 1), Freed and Yoshino Yamamoto (Suikoden 2) and Ferid and Queen Arshtat Falenas (Suikoden 5)

* Link and Zelda in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks|The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks]]'', if one goes by [[Puppy Love]].

* [[Germanic Depressives|Sasha Nein]] and [[Mama Bear|Milla Vodello]] of ''[[Psychonauts]]''.

* ''[[Rune Factory 3]]'' allows you to pick up a partner and go into battles. If your partner is your love interest or wife, it's this trope. Sonja and Aden from ''[[Rune Factory Oceans]]'' may or may not count, since they share a same body for a large amount of gameplay.

* ''[[Dragon Quest V]]'', after you marry a girl, she helps you in battles, [[Stay in the Kitchen|up until you reach Gotha.]]

* Dart Feld and Shanna of [[Legend of Dragoon]] become this after shanna admits her feelings at the end of Disk two

 

* If lawyering counts as combat (which in ''[[Ace Attorney]]'', it practically does), {{spoiler|Mia Fey and Diego.}}

* ''[[Fate/stay night]]'': Saber and Shirou could be considered to be this, even though they don't really admit their feelings until the end of the series. {{spoiler|A [[Bittersweet Ending]] ensues where they can't be together because Saber is being called back to her time. You can imagine the outrage that resulted from this ending.}}

** Rin and Shirou as well, during the Unlimited Blade Works path in the original game. Saber backs them up as often as they go it alone, though, and considering [[Bi the Way|Rin's preferences]]...perhaps a rare example of a Battle [[OT3]]?

*** It's also interesting to note that out of the three routes, it's only in the UBW route that {{spoiler|both people in the pairing survive/remain}}.

** After the release of ''Dawn of the golden witch'', it's pretty safe to call Battler and {{spoiler|Beatrice}} the most straightforward examples of this to show up there.

 

== Web Comics ==

* [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0508.html Daigo and Kazumi] from ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]''. (Well, before Kazumi pulled way ahead of Daigo on the awesome scale when she turned into an [[Action Mom]]).

** ''[[Spoony Bard]]'' Elan and Haley also fit, although his combat effectiveness is more in doubt than hers usually.

* Leo/Jason and Tigris/Kira from ''[[Panthera]]''. They met by being the first two students to become elemental-powered panthers designed to fight a secret government project. They've had spats since Jason brought his little sister into the club, though.

** {{spoiler|Jason and Kira broke up in chapter seven. However, it seems that Taylor and Fletcher will qualify for it sooner or later.}}

* ''[[Homestuck]]'' has several, mostly among the [[Humanoid Aliens|Trolls]].

** [[Rebellious Princess|Feferi Peixes]] and [[Playful Hacker|Sollux Captor]].

** [[Perpetual Frowner|Karkat]] [[Hair-Trigger Temper|Vantas]] and [[Handicapped Badass|Terezi Pyrope]].

** [[Ineffectual Loner|Dave Strider]] and [[Genki Girl|Jade Harley]].

* [[The Captain|Milo]] and [[Number Two|Jenny]] in ''[[The Zombie Hunters]]''.

* The title characters of [[A Girl and Her Fed]].

 

 

* Almost all couples in ''[[Chaos Fighters]]'' are battle couples. This is even lampshaded in ''Route of Earth'' and ''Chemical Siege''.

* [[Whateley Universe]] examples: the superheroes the Mystic Six were actually three Battle Couples, until Cirque died. The other two couples are still together, although nominally retired. Then there's Pendragon and Gloriana, the leaders of the Future Superheroes of America at the school.

 

 

* Dr. Orpheus tried to set this up in the episode "Tag-Sale... You're It!" in ''[[The Venture Bros]]'' with Dr. Venture, but Venture didn't want any part of it.

* THE [[Ambiguously Gay]] DUO!!

* Yumi and Ulrich of ''[[Code Lyoko]]''.

* The title characters from ''[[Delilah and Julius]]''.

* In his book ''The Greatest Battle'' (on the Battle for Moscow in [[World War II]]) Andrew Nagorski interviewed two former members of an NKVD special forces unit who were ordered to go [[Undercover As Lovers]] (in the belief that a married couple would draw less attention) who, despite their initial awkwardness, ended up getting married for real.

* George VI and Queen Elizabeth in [[World War II]].

* "Molly Pitcher" who took her husband's place at a gun when he fell.

* Agustina de Aragón, "The Maid of Saragossa", a Spanish Molly Pitcher at the siege of Saragossa.

* Sir Thomas and Lady Katherine Cochrane, a British Battle Couple in the early nineteenth century. [[Chuck Norris]] would have to consider them [[Badass]].

* Common enough among Scythians to the point of being a possible origin of the [[Hot Amazon|Amazons,]] the women rode, fought alongside and even [[Bifauxnen|dressed]] like their husbands and [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|were buried together]] [[Together in Death|in the same graves.]]

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ensembles]]

[[Category:Badass]]

[[Category:All the Tropes Superhero Team]]