Belligerent Sexual Tension: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
m (update links)
Line 126: Line 126:
* ''[[Strawberry Panic!|Strawberry Panic]]'': Much of the interaction between Tsubomi and Yaya hints at this.
* ''[[Strawberry Panic!|Strawberry Panic]]'': Much of the interaction between Tsubomi and Yaya hints at this.
* Riku ([[Tsundere]]) and Dark Mousy ([[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]) via the [[Forceful Kiss]] Dark gives Riku in ''[[D.N.Angel]]'' and how they always argue and sometimes get along and Dark is hinted to like Riku.
* Riku ([[Tsundere]]) and Dark Mousy ([[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]) via the [[Forceful Kiss]] Dark gives Riku in ''[[D.N.Angel]]'' and how they always argue and sometimes get along and Dark is hinted to like Riku.
* Kagura Sohma (an odd mixture of [[Tsundere]] and [[Yandere]]) and Kyou Sohma ([[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]) in ''[[Fruits Basket]]''. Note that it ultimately doesn't go anywhere because Kyou {{spoiler|eventually falls in love with and marries Tohru instead.}}
* Kagura Sohma (an odd mixture of [[Tsundere]] and [[Yandere (disambiguation)]]) and Kyou Sohma ([[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]) in ''[[Fruits Basket]]''. Note that it ultimately doesn't go anywhere because Kyou {{spoiler|eventually falls in love with and marries Tohru instead.}}
* Tomoe and Nanami from ''[[Kamisama Kiss]]''. Tomoe is a definite [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] while Nanami is very ''deredere''. [[Everyone Can See It|It is obvious]] to several other characters in the series that they like each other and Nanami doesn't bother to hid the fact she has feelings for Tomoe, but Tomoe has some real problems admitting his feelings about Nanami.
* Tomoe and Nanami from ''[[Kamisama Kiss]]''. Tomoe is a definite [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] while Nanami is very ''deredere''. [[Everyone Can See It|It is obvious]] to several other characters in the series that they like each other and Nanami doesn't bother to hid the fact she has feelings for Tomoe, but Tomoe has some real problems admitting his feelings about Nanami.
* ''[[Bakemonogatari]]'': Hitagi and Koyomi.
* ''[[Bakemonogatari]]'': Hitagi and Koyomi.
Line 179: Line 179:
* In the second ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean]]'' film, ''everyone'' keeps giving Jack and Elizabeth crap about having the hots for each other. Do they admit it? No way in hell.
* In the second ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean]]'' film, ''everyone'' keeps giving Jack and Elizabeth crap about having the hots for each other. Do they admit it? No way in hell.
* The ''[[Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time|Prince of Persia the Sands of Time]]'' movie, so very much.
* The ''[[Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time|Prince of Persia the Sands of Time]]'' movie, so very much.
* <s>Kate</s> Kat and <s>Petruchio</s> Patrick from ''[[Ten Things I Hate About You|10 Things I Hate About You]]'', what with the film being a [[High School AU]] of [[The Taming of the Shrew]].
* <s>Kate</s> Kat and <s>Petruchio</s> Patrick from ''[[10 Things I Hate About You]]'', what with the film being a [[High School AU]] of [[The Taming of the Shrew]].
* Philip Marlowe and Vivian Rutledge in ''[[The Big Sleep (film)|The Big Sleep]]''.
* Philip Marlowe and Vivian Rutledge in ''[[The Big Sleep (film)|The Big Sleep]]''.
* Following in the footsteps of the Star Wars example above, ''[[Spaceballs]]'' naturally has Lone Star and Princess Vespa.
* Following in the footsteps of the Star Wars example above, ''[[Spaceballs]]'' naturally has Lone Star and Princess Vespa.
Line 430: Line 430:
* Zap and Reona from ''[[Zap]]''!, at least until Reona [[Defrosting Ice Queen|defrosted some]].
* Zap and Reona from ''[[Zap]]''!, at least until Reona [[Defrosting Ice Queen|defrosted some]].
* {{blue| Tarvek}} and his cousin {{blue| Violetta}} in ''[[Girl Genius]]''. When she's first introduced, Violetta's rage at and contempt for Tarvek makes Moloch von Zinzer ask it they're married. Violetta makes a sick face ("Ewwww . . . ") but many in the fandom have already shipped the two. They deserve each other.
* {{blue| Tarvek}} and his cousin {{blue| Violetta}} in ''[[Girl Genius]]''. When she's first introduced, Violetta's rage at and contempt for Tarvek makes Moloch von Zinzer ask it they're married. Violetta makes a sick face ("Ewwww . . . ") but many in the fandom have already shipped the two. They deserve each other.
* Black Mage and White Mage in ''[[8-Bit Theater (Webcomic)|Eight Bit Theater]]'' would have this. Only BM lacks the heart of gold. Probably a heart at all. Oh and White Mage finds him completely and utterly repulsive in every single way possible. And some that aren't.
* Black Mage and White Mage in ''[[8-Bit Theater|Eight Bit Theater]]'' would have this. Only BM lacks the heart of gold. Probably a heart at all. Oh and White Mage finds him completely and utterly repulsive in every single way possible. And some that aren't.




Revision as of 05:50, 3 October 2014

Aww, look. They really do love each other.
"Wonderful girl! Either I'm gonna kill her, or I'm beginning to like her!"
—Han Solo, Star Wars: A New Hope, about Princess Leia after she lambasted their lack of strategy during a firefight.

This trope revolves around a couple, usually a sweet but quickly angered female paired with a secretly-kind jerk, who are not able to admit their feelings. At the top of their lungs.

Despite the conflict, there is an attraction. This is obvious to everyone around except the couple. Confront them with the obvious, they'll deny deny deny. Sometimes they will progress to admitting their friendship but insist they are Just Friends.

Might involve a Cannot Stand Them Cannot Live Without Them situation, or even Domestic Abuse (but usually Played for Laughs).

Older Than Steam, since this is used in Much Ado About Nothing, and has varying degrees of popularity at different times. (Alternate Character Interpretation often makes it Older Than Dirt, by way of The Epic of Gilgamesh and other Mesopotamian Mythology). Is often a component of Screwball Comedy.

If there is a Love Epiphany with one of these characters, expect it to change almost nothing, at least in the short term.

Note that "belligerent" need not necessarily mean "Hot-Blooded" -- the trope is just as valid if one or both of the pair is a Deadpan Snarker who enjoys taking potshots at the other with their rapier wit specifically to get a rise out of him or her.

Sometimes an effort to avoid a Shipping Bed Death, but might end up in the same place anyway. Compare with:

May lead to Destructo-Nookie or Literally Falling in Love. Either Slap Slap Kiss or Kiss Kiss Slap tends to be involved at some point. If the UST is sustained over some time, expect a "Take That!" Kiss or "Shut Up" Kiss in one or both directions, too. If the two character don't stop fighting even after they become an actual couple then they've joined The Masochism Tango. See also Takahashi Couple, an anime fandom term for this trope.

Given how entertaining they are, expect this couple to be popular with the fandom.

Examples of Belligerent Sexual Tension include:

Anime & Manga


Comicbooks

  • Yorick and 355 do this more or less throughout Y: The Last Man. Then 355 is killed.
  • Subverted in Preacher (Comic Book) -- a man deliberately tries to be the male half of this pair, and instead ends up... eaten by an alligator.
  • Calvin and Susie in Calvin and Hobbes, to an extent. With Susie being more stable, Calvin plays much of the role of the avoidant--attracted Tsundere as well as all of the Jerk with a Heart of Gold one, leaving her mostly to just react as any reasonable person would. In one early comic, Calvin makes a hate valentine and dumpster dives for some dead flowers. Susie reacts as can be expected by pelting him with a snowball. As she's walking away and he's recovering, their thought bubbles reveal:

Susie: Flowers and a valentine! He likes me!!
Calvin: She noticed! She likes me!


Fan Works

  • Asa and Yoko in Futari wa Pretty Cure Blue Moon fit this, although they're both Type B tsundere -- they only tsun around each other. Even in the beginning of the series, when Asa is scared stiff of "Ice Queen Nakayama", they start bickering practically Once an Episode. Late in the series, though, they argue less and start to get along more.
  • AVERTED in That Damn Mpreg. Jerkass Bruce Jameson (son of She-Hulk and John Jameson) believes his has this kind of relationship with Tsundere Rebecca Altman-Kaplan (daughter of Young Avengers Wiccan and Hulkling). In reality, she wants nothing to do with him and ends up with one of their Badass Normal teammates instead.
  • In A Different Lesson, Tai Lung and Tigress take this trope and run with it for more than half the fic, which is, incidentally, one hell of a Doorstopper.
  • In the Tamers Forever Series this pretty much sums up Takato and Rika's relationship
    • Actually a subversion in that Takato is a Dogged Nice Guy to Rika... usually
    • Takato also initially believes Rika's hatred of Ryo is secretly this, but in reality she genuinely does dislike him. Ryo for his part, just enjoys getting under Rika's skin
  • Peggy Sue Fanfic The Second Try actually averts (?) the trope. Living on their own had helped Shinji and Asuka grow past this point, but when they return to the past, they try enacting this trope to avoid arousing suspicion. The key word there is Try.


Films -- Animation

  • Anya and Dimitri in Anastasia. Lampshaded by Vlad who calls it an unspoken attraction.

The Nostalgia Chick: Yes, animosity. It must be love.


Films -- Live-Action

Jake: Honestly, I'm tryin' to be a gentleman about this. Now just, get down on your knees, stick your ass up in the air, and don't move 'til I tell ya.


Literature

  • Jane Eyre is very subtle, but it's definitely present, especially in the tight, intelligent discussions between Jane and Mr. Rochester. Because it was the 1800s and written by a woman, odds are good that really obvious sexual tension would've been ever more frowned upon than the book having a female author in the first place. This example is more evident in the movie, especially the 2011 one.
  • Pretty much any Mills & Boone romance novel will feature a "feisty female" lead, while the leading male is always a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
  • Harry Potter has Ron and Hermione.
  • The Lensman universe has Kim Kinnison, Lensman, and Clarissa MacDougall, Prime Base Hospital nurse. They annoy the hell out of each other as patient and caregiver, but in fact their psychological makeup has been carefully crafted to produce a good match - eventually. His rants in hospital (he wants rich food, but is still recovering from major surgery for multiple penetrating bullet wounds) later become a plot point when he has to surreptitiously let Clarissa know that she and the other captured Patrol nurses are in safe hands and shouldn't commit suicide to avoid sexual enslavement.
  • Zohra and Khardan in Rose of the Prophet, slightly altered in that they have a forced marriage early in the first book. The bride is tied up and gagged to wed the falling-down-drunk groom, and the wedding night notably involves the bride stabbing her would-be husband. Will They or Won't They? is still a big plot point (they may be married, but consummation is not forthcoming), and basically will decide if their people survive or die.
    • To be more precise, they are the eldest of the heads of two rival desert tribes who have had a very long history of hostility. Their god decided that for his people to survive, the two tribes had to be united by their marriage. The worst part is that they both do admire the other's strength, both are too quick to see what they think is hostility from the other.
  • The Prydain Chronicles has Eilonwy and Taran.
  • Simon R. Green's Blue Moon Rising has Prince Rupert (Jerk with a Heart of Gold) and Princess Julia (Type A Tsundere for most of the book, becomes type B towards the end though). They eventually get their act together at the end and by the time of the sequels are a real Battle Couple
  • Claire Bell's The Book of the Named gives us Ratha, a type B Tsundere, and Bonechewer, a Jerk with a Heart of Gold. Due to an Enemy Mine situation, they do eventually end up together, only to fall out over the secret of the Named's sentience, and her people killing him when he raided their flocks.
  • In the Night World series, Ash and Mary-Lynette are like this in the majority of Daughters of Darkness. He's a self-admitted jerk who toys with hearts, she's deredere but kicks him in the shins. A lot.
  • Supposedly Howl and Sophie from the novel (but not the film) Howl's Moving Castle and its sequels, though this is probably due more to Word of God than any actual outstanding examples within the books.
    • Howl and Sophie consistently and constantly have verbal sniping matches throughout the entire book, and that doesn't exactly change -- though it's affectionate after their marriage. They even take the time to do so while rushing using life-endangering magic to the climax of the battle. And during their confessions of love.
    • They get engaged at the end of the first book. That's not exactly an extended Will They or Won't They?.
    • In the sequel, Castle in the Air, Abdullah asks Sophie to tell him about Howl, and the response Sophie gives him prompts him to say, "Strange that you should speak so proudly such a list of vices, most loving of ladies." Sophie's retort: "What do you mean, vices? I'm just describing Howl." The belligerence is just how they roll.
  • Brienne and Jaime from A Song of Ice and Fire might count, though their relationship is mostly platonic with only a little sexual tension (fair enough, as Brienne is mourning Renly and focused on the quest Catelyn gave her, and Jaime was, until recently, faithful to another woman.)
  • Pride and Prejudice actually contains considerably less of this trope between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy than most of its adaptations and much of its fandom would have you believe. If you want a Jane Austen couple who really display this trope, check out Mr. Knightley and Emma.
  • Erasmus and Ala from Anathem.
  • In On the Edge, Rose and Declan bicker constantly, mainly because Declan insists on Rose marrying him and she is determined to maintain her independence. Despite herself, Rose finds herself wondering what such a marriage would be like...
  • Annice and Pjerin in Tanya Huff's Sing the Four Quarters.
  • Nathaniel and Kitty are this on the occasions when they meet going through The Bartimaeus Trilogy. They even fit the "jerk with a heart of gold" and "sweet but easily angered female" stereotypes. Well, then again maybe "sweet" isn't really the word for the girl, but the rest is true. Also helped along by the fact that they are on opposing sides of a politcal war.
  • CS Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia: In The Horse and His Boy, Aravis and Cor spend most of the book vehemently disagreeing and voicing their annoyance with each other; eventually, though, they quarrel and make up so often that they get married "so as to go on doing it more conveniently."
  • In The Guardians, Irena and Alejandro argue with each other constantly. It's lampshaded by the other characters.

Alejandro: "We're just friends."
Jake: "If you say so."

  • Percy Jackson and The Olympians has the titular character and Annabeth, who bicker as much as they show affection for each other.
    • It gets worse when Luke gives up his body to Kronos in the fourth book. Percy is convinced that Luke is a Complete Monster and cannot be redeemed, but Annabeth, who shares a long history with Luke, believes there's still hope. This disagreement causes a huge amount of bad feeling between them. It all works out in the end, though.
  • Miss Alexia Tarrabotti and Lord Conall Maccon in Soulless
  • Mac and Barrons in the Fever Series.
  • Ian Kabra and Amy Cahill in The 39 Clues series. Let's see, he "fakes" feelings for her and then leaves her and her brother for dead, she kicks him in the shin, he and his sister are always helping their mother Isabel try to kill them, etc., etc. And yet there's still tension there.
  • Zoe and Jason from "Addicted" 10,000%
  • The Spy Five, a short series of virtually unknown books available through Scholastic's book fair order forms, gives us Usula and Julian. They run in the same circles as Ron and Hermione. She's bossy and intelligent, while he's "cool" and loves sports. Both have a Hair-Trigger Temper, triggered by the other.
  • Mort and Ysabell. Largely because Ysabell knows she's supposed to marry Mort and resents this, and Mort is perennially clueless. As the book that introduces their daughter puts it "Between Mort and Ysabell there was an instant dislike, and everyone knows what that means in the long term".
    • Lords and Ladies implies that Archchancellor Ridcully and Granny Weatherwax had this sort of relationship when they were younger. When they meet again decades later, it immediately starts up again. Ridcully regrets that nothing ever actually happened between them, while Granny takes a more pragmatic "it was for the best" approach (although it's revealed that she kept the love letters he sent all these years).
  • Lampshaded in John C. Wright's Chronicles of Chaos: Amelia notes she once thought Vanity's squabbling with Colin was a sign of love, since that's the way it always happens in books. Vanity actually loves Quentin, and is very attentive and kind around him.
  • David Eddings is almost as fond of this trope as Rumiko Takahashi. Half the couples in the Belgariad alone fall under it, most notably Garion/Ce'Nedra, Relg/Taiba, and Beldin/Vella in the Malloreon.
  • From The Kingdoms of Evil, Freetrick and Bloodbyrn, sorry! I mean, Bloodbyrn and Freetrick.
  • L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables gives us Anne and Gilbert, though the belligerance is much more on Anne's part than Gilbert's. It started with Gilbert making an ill-timed comment about her red hair, and getting his slate smashed over the top of his head. From there it spawned a legendary academic rivalry and Avonlea's most infamous love affair.
  • Sisterhood series by Fern Michaels: Maggie Spritzer and Ted Robinson have this going on between them for a long time. They eventually got engaged to be married. However, Deja Vu has Maggie calling it off, because she ends up realizing that she's been unfair to both Ted and Abner Tookus.
  • Mercy Thompson and Adam Hauptman don't stop even after they get married. Mercy states that she actually enjoys fighting with Adam.
  • In PG Wodehouse's Jill the Reckless, Jill remembers how Wally Mason would put a worm down her back or bound out from behind a tree. Adult, he confesses to a mad love for her.
  • Colin Kapp's Patterns of Chaos has this deliberately set up by the government between secret agent Bron and his handler Jaycee, whom he knows only as the sultry female voice verbally abusing him over a communications link built into his skull. Their personalities were carefully matched so the frustration of never being able to get together for Slap Slap Kiss would amplify the belligerence part of their sexual tension, and supposedly this somehow increases their effectiveness working together. It's indicated that if they ever meet in person, falling head over heels in love is practically certain.


Live-Action TV

  • Cheers, Cheers, Cheers. Practically the television Trope Codifier; most television shows since have mimicked the hostile romance between Sam and Diane.

Sam: You are the nuttiest, the stupidest, the phoniest fruitcake I ever met!
Diane: You, Sam Malone. are the most arrogant, self-centered, son of a b...

Sam: SHUT UP! Shut your fat mouth!

Diane: Make me!

Sam: Make you....My God, I'm, I'm gonna, I'M GONNA BOUNCE YOU OFF EVERY WALL IN THIS OFFICE!!

Diane: Try it and you'll be walking funny tomorrow....or should I say funnier.

Sam: You know, you know I always wanted to pop you one! Maybe this is my lucky day, huh?

Diane: You disgust me! I hate you!

Sam: Are you as turned on as I am?

Diane: More! (followed by The Big Damn Kiss)

  • Xena. Ares. SO VERY much.
  • It isn't canon, but depending on whether you can fight your way through all the Ho Yay or not, Merlin and Arthur's relationship either reads as this or as Vitriolic Best Buds
  • The Mighty Boosh. Sweet, handsome Vince Noir and awkward Loner Howard Moon are made for each other. Everyone in the Boosh universe, naturally, can see it except them.
  • Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl seem poised to play Will They or Won't They? for the remainder of the series.
    • As of season three, they are Happily Married... except without the actual marriage part.
  • Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres, the Official Couple on Star Trek: Voyager (sometimes it appeared they were the only couple on Voyager). Even after they got married.
  • A subplot of one Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode involves Chief O'Brien being forced to work with a female Cardassian engineer. The two spend the entire episode bickering and sniping at each other. He interprets her apparent hostility as typical Cardassian disdain for humans. She interprets his apparent hostility as O'Brien coming onto her, since apparently Belligerent Sexual Tension forms the basis of Cardassian courtship. (The Garak/Bashir slashers proceeded to have a lot of fun with the implications of Garak arguing with Bashir over literature for three years.)
  • Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran of Stargate SG-1. With Vala the Jerk with a Heart of Gold able to annoy Daniel (in a way no one else quite could) into losing his cool. Also none of the other cast really expect them to get together, but Mitchell did sometimes tease Daniel about it.
    • They actually took the Belligerent part of this trope quite literally in Vala's first episode with a spectacular fight sequence unlike anything ever seen in the show. Lampshaded right off the bat by Vala with; "You know, we could just have sex instead."
  • Helen Magnus and Nikola Tesla of Sanctuary. Sure, they have different opinions about bringing vampires back. And yes they did have a few arguments about this (Nikola once said "Magnus has shot me more times than I can count"). But still, he is the only one who gets on her nerves that much and gets away with it. Not to mention that lately she seems to realize that she cares about him. And that grabbing his arms and pulling him closer to her during a little quarrel they had is completely acceptable...
    • Taken to another level and possibly made canon with their Now or Never Kiss in the season 4 finale
  • Bela Talbot had it with both Winchester boys in Supernatural. She shot Sam and he still had dirty dreams about her. The trope was almost invoked word for word when Bella offered Dean "angry sex".
    • Dean's relationship with Cassie in the first season episode 'Route 666' seemed to fall under this.
    • Whenever Meg and Castiel show up in the same episode, this is their default behavior toward each other. This includes insults, occasional physical violence, and wall-slamming kisses.
  • John Crichton and Aeryn Sun in Farscape's first Season. Both seem to be jerks and Type A tsunderes in varying degrees.
  • Mal and Inara (deredere) on Firefly, with the added wrenches of Inara being a Companion and Mal being terrible about long-term commitments.
    • Further complicated by Inara telling Mal she supported Unification, which was essentially the event which destroyed Mal's faith in God and humanity. Also, she's a Buddhist and he's a misotheist.
    • Kaylee and Simon occasionally fit this. Funnily, neither are particularly Tsundere or Jerkish on their own, but come off with shades of it when they try to make a stab at starting a relationship.
    • Wash and Zoe's relationship started like this, before progressing into the mostly-amiable marriage shown on screen.
    • There is, curiously, quite a bit of sexual tension between River and Jayne, and hoo boy is it belligerent, what with the chest slashings and ball-grabbing.
    • Word of God has said that some tension is suggested between Simon and Jayne.
  • House and Dr. Cuddy.
  • Luke and Reid from As the World Turns. They are constantly snarking at eachother but everyone knows they will end up together.
  • Kyle and Max in Living Single. At times, they took turns as to who was the Jerk and who was the Tsundere in various episodes.
  • Alex Drake and Gene Hunt in Ashes to Ashes. Observe.
  • On Northern Exposure, Dr. Joel Fleischmann and Maggie O'Connell's long-simmering UST was severly impeded by a) his tendency to deal with his severe Fish Out of Water status with fits of jerk behavior, and b) her severe resistance to relationships after the deaths of several previous boyfriends (which she believed to be her curse).
  • Chad and Sonny on Sonny With a Chance. Sonny is definitely Type B, with her tsuntsun side only triggered by Chad and occasionally Tawny. Come to think of it...
    • As Chad was only introduced in the 2nd episode, Sonny and Tawni actually came first for this. As of the end of Season 1, it looks like some movement in the Chad/Sonny relationship is happening, a remarkably quick Relationship Upgrade for this type of couple (assuming they don't muck around for another season or 2 denying their obvious feelings for each other).
  • Emerson and Simone from Pushing Daisies might qualify. You can almost picture that woman holding a tight leash around Emerson's neck.
  • Moonlighting, anyone? As stated above, can lead to Shipping Bed Death.
  • Nathan and Kelly in Misfits are many fans' apparent One True Pairing. What with him being a snarky and immature Jerkass Woobie and she an aggressive, telepathic Tsundere chav, the ensuing clash of issues and attitude problems is an unexpected joy to behold.
  • Buffy and Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    • Buffy and Angel started that way, too, though they got over it right quick. Xander and Cordelia stayed that way even when they were dating.
  • Lee Adama and Kara Thrace of Battlestar Galactica Reimagined could easily blow the ship to pieces with the force of their BST (which remains belligerent even after they've had sex, and he deals with her sudden marriage to someone else).
  • Tony and Ziva in NCIS.
  • Robin Hood and all three of his Love Interets: Isabella, Marian and Kate (in that order).
  • Malcolm and Nicola in The Thick of It.
  • Damon and Elena on The Vampire Diaries have enough BST to burn a house down. It is doubtful they'll ever get together as she's dating his brother and he...y'know, kills people.
    • That's probably true, although that Damon snapped Elena's brother's neck right in front of her(though he did get better) and they still engage in the same behaviour after awhile suggests that, though it really should, that is probably not a deal breaker for them.
    • Very unlikely, given that Elena and Stefan are the show's prime couple and the producers therefore have a vested interest in promoting and maintaining them. Given the notion that Elena and Stefan are True Soul Mates it would be detrimental to Elena's character were she to suddenly ditch Stefan for Damon. That's not to say that sometimes some almost wish it would happen as Stefan often seems fairly boring next to his brother.
    • in "As I Lay Dying" Damon is dying of a werewolf bite, Elena kisses him thinking he was genuinely near death but Katherine cure him. Stefan is out of the picture as he recieved the cure from Klaus and he is Klaus' new wingman as payment. Damon and Elena now seem to be a good possibility if Elena sorts out her feelings.
  • Puck and Quinn on Glee
    • Or Rachel and Quinn.
  • Wendy and Hodges on CSI. The common theory is that at some point Wendy will have to either kiss Hodges or punch him. Possibly both.
    • The former, it turned out.
  • Rick Castle and Kate Beckett from Castle scream this trope at the top of their lungs every episode. Oddly enough, each has acknowledged their attraction, if only to themselves, but circumstances conspired to keep them from doing anything about it.
    • For the first season, anyways--it quickly switches to just plain Unresolved Sexual Tension soon after.
      • They still trade plenty of banter, innuendo and snark, though.
  • Temp worker Misawa Katsuko and vice-president Igarashi Akeo from Haken no Oscar fit this trope perfectly.
  • The Mentalist: Lisbon has yelled at Jane more times than there are episodes. Jane does some sort of Bunny Ears Lawyer trick that is likely to get both of their asses fired about as often. Doesn't mean they wouldn't kill and die for each other.
  • Community- Britta: "Jeff and I don't have sexual tension. We just argue all the time."... And then they hook up.
  • Anyone who saw the crossover between Power Rangers Time Force and Power Rangers Wild Force knows that Eric and Taylor fit into this trope pretty well, most noticeable in their first few interactions.
  • In the jiang hu TV series Chinese Paladin III, both leads are Type A tsunderes. It's particularly bad for the hero, since at the beginning the heroine knows more kung fu than him...
  • Rory and Jess from Gilmore Girls started out as a mild form of this trope. They bickered over music, books and television before admitting that they really liked each other. And to a lesser extent, this was also how Rory and Logan initially got to know each other.
    • Paris and Doyle's relationship is a more straightforward example.
  • Lynda Day and Spike Thomson from Press Gang.
  • Another Steven Moffat example: River Song and the Doctor from Doctor Who, who clearly care for each other very deeply but also spend a considerable amount of time snarking at and bickering with each other Like an Old Married Couple, which they may very well be (it's hinted at in a few episodes). Interestingly, the male half of the couple in question appears to be the Tsundere in the relationship.
    • Also, the Doctor and Amy a fair bit, despite the fact that she's been either engaged or married most of the time he's known her, and a child most of the time she's known him. And he's 900-something and a Time Lord, though (both?) of those problems also apply to River Song.
      • It gets better. River Song is a Time Lady, and Amy and Rory's daughter. She's kidnapped as a newborn baby in Season Six, and raised as a Laser Guided Tykebomb aimed at the Doctor. Whom she kills, and then sacrifices all her remaining regenerations to save.
  • Alex and Ellen on Family Ties.
  • Played with on iCarly with the Sam and Freddie relationship. They do nothing but bicker, whilst Sam routinely abuses him, punches him, bullies him and does things like hit him with tennis racquets and throw him out of tree houses. They share their First Kiss in season two but it's not a result of Slap Slap Kiss. In season 4 Sam suddenly kisses him in the middle of a speech he was giving about how she needs to put her feelings out there. Because he thought she liked another guy.
    • The relationship is then explored in iDate Sam & Freddie, and they lose the "Sexual Tension" part of the equation and instead are constantly Belligerent with each other, annoying Carly who is the one they rope in to try and fix the fights, until she gets fed up at the end of the episode and delivers a Reason You Suck Speech to Sam and Freddie and the idea of them dating.
  • Moist von Lipwig and Adora Belle Dearheart in the Film of the Book Going Postal. In the book ... it's a bit more complicated.
  • Niles and CC in The Nanny.
  • Avon and Servalan of Blakes Seven, and how. They spend most of the last two seasons either kissing or trying to kill each other; sometimes they don't even bother to separate the two.
  • Sam has this with both Ainsley and Mallory on The West Wing, and Josh and Donna have their share of it as well.
  • Clark and Lois of Smallville bicker constantly. That their Unresolved Sexual Tension will eventually become very much Resolved is a Foregone Conclusion from the moment she appears.
  • Niles tries to instigate this intentionally in Frasier after he and Daphne have an argument that leaves him trembling with arousal. Daphne, being Oblivious to Love as usual, doesn't get it and winds up acting even more sweet and polite than usual, thinking that Niles keeps insulting her because he's depressed. Fail.
  • Dr. Cox and Jordan of Scrubs. They were married and got divorced, but kept up this trope even after their relationship officially ended. They also kept sleeping together, had two kids, move back in together, and basically stayed married in every sense but the technical. And they love this trope so much that when Jordan insists they stop fighting for their son's benefit, the other characters treat it as if they have stopped having sex. Fighting is sex to these two.
  • Ted and Zoey in season 6 of How I Met Your Mother, combined with a mild form of Dating Catwoman. Abated briefly when they got together, only to mutate into a full-blown Destructive Romance.
  • Claire and Alex of McLeod's Daughters
  • The Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries: Frank Hardy & Nancy Drew. Dear GODS, Frank & Nancy. The first time the Hardys & Nancy Drew met, Nancy throws Frank to the floor. All episodes featuring the trio inevitably have Nancy & Frank getting seriously on each others' nerves — until they finally share a kiss at the end of "Mystery of the Hollywood Phantom".

Nancy: ARGH!!! Frank Hardy is the most exasperating...annoying...frustrating...
Bess: ...cute.
Nancy: NO! (pause) Well, maybe a little...

Myka: What is it with you two?
Pete: Man, I hate her!
Myka: Right...

  • Michael Westen and Fiona Glenanne of Burn Notice. Starts out as Working with the Ex, goes through full-blown Destructo-Nookie, into Battle Couple, and ends Season 4 with Fi's non-fatal Heroic Sacrifice to keep Michael from becoming what he hates just to save her.
  • Jon and Ygritte in Game of Thrones. Aside from the fact that he's on the Night's Watch and sworn to defend the rest of Westeros from Wildlings like her, he's also sworn a vow of celibacy - something she doesn't hesitate to needle him on constantly. They're also both fully aware of Jon's unspoken attraction to her, and Ygritte keeps baiting him endlessly.


Theater


Video Games

Baird: "I suppose you want me to say I always loved you. But I don't! I really, really don't!"

    • At the end, it's implied they end up together.
  • Croix and Prier of La Pucelle Tactics spend the last half of the game this way, with most of the rest of the party seeing it, and them denying it. They finally admit their feelings to each other at the climax of the game, and then promptly go back to denying it again in public.
  • Adell and Rozalin from Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories. Lampshaded when Etna spots the trope and assures them that they aren't fooling anyone.
    • Etna can't talk either, since in that very game she's acting like a Psycho Ex-Girlfriend towards Laharl.
    • Some of the interactions between Laharl and Flonne can come off as this, especially throughout the first game. Interestingly, they are both tsunderes, with Laharl being tsuntsun and Flonne deredere.
  • Serra and Erk from Fire Emblem 7, so much. To an extent, Hector and Lyn from the same game, as well as Dart and Farina. Also Lex and Ayra from the first half of the fourth game and Phee and Arthur from the second half, and Innes and L'Arachel from the eighth one... And doubly so with Ephraim and L'Arachel.
    • Given the nature of the games in question, all of those are optional pairings. If the player prefers, they can be paired with other people, or even no one at all.
      • The fifth game, however, did not have the option to pair units off as you will, and so as long as certain units survived, their endings would imply that they got together. Tanya and Othin appear to fit this trope quite nicely. The sixth game also doesn't have paired endings for anyone other than the main character despite the decidedly romantic nature of some of the A-level support conversations, and it, too, has a couple of pairings that bring this to mind (Clarine/Rutger and to a lesser extent Klein/Tate).
  • Pia and Vico, and potentially the Princess and Vico, in A Dance With Rogues.
  • Elika and the Prince in the 2008 Prince of Persia will spend more time snarking at each other than actually completing their quest, if the player lets them.
    • The Prince and Farah also have this in the Sands of Time trilogy.
  • Devil May Cry 3 introduced a Lady as a possible love interest for Dante. They didn't become an Official Couple, but that's how it's been in the first three games in the series. Each one introduced a possible love interest for the protagonist, yet no Official Couple was ever stated, and each fan has a different favourite.
    • It's pertinent to note that almost every fanfiction that has Dante and Lady as a couple has the later acting as a full-on Tsundere. Complete with her shooting Dante in the head whenever he angers her as a Running Gag.
  • Jessica and Kyle of Lunar 1 fit this trope very well, with Jessica being a Hot-Blooded, Cute Monster Girl dropout priestess and Kyle being a drunken, Loveable Rogue bandit running a sort of Monster Protection Racket.
  • From the Sonic the Hedgehog series, we have Knuckles the Echidna and Rouge the Bat, who practically define the term "Sexual Tension".
  • It depends on the player's interpretation of the characters, but Link from The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess could be seen as having this sort of relationship with Midna, judging by the snarky comments she makes and the obvious increase of fondness between them despite her attitude. The same could be said of Link and Tetra in Wind Waker; she proves herself to have a strong affection for him eventually, but that doesn't stop her from talking down to him for his sentimentality upon leaving home or from catapulting him into a stone wall.
    • That was an accident.
  • Tales (series)
    • Loni and Nanaly in Tales of Destiny 2. Oh. So. Much.
    • This happens frequently in Tales games. In Tales of the Abyss, Luke and Tear have a relationship like this. But then again, everyone treats Luke like dirt.
    • Luke and Tear only have this relationship for the first 1/3 of the game where Luke is a naive spoiled brat and Tear is a no nonsense soldier. After the Wham! Episode, their relationship becomes much less belligerent as Luke begins to mature (after an overlarge heaping of Break the Haughty) and Tear starts showing her more gentle and caring side.
    • Another example can be found in Chester and Arche in Tales of Phantasia. And it's taken to insane levels in the sequel, Narikiri Dungeon (specifically, the PSP remake).
  • This is the general consensus in the Touhou fandom as to Marisa and Alice's relationship, with Marisa being the kleptomaniacal, master spark-happy jerk and Alice being the haughty, dismissive tsundere.
  • Depending on how you play it, most Bioware RPGs have a pairing that runs this way.
  • Chie and Yosuke's relationship in Persona 4 could be said to be this. They constantly argue, and sometimes reach physical violence ("TRIAL OF THE DRAGOOON!") but they were practically a couple.
  • Fan Fiction tends to portray Nick and Ellis of Left 4 Dead 2 as having this kind of relationship. That is, when Ellis hasn't been completely Wimpified or is being outright raped.
    • On in-universe example, Ellis is Smitten with Zoey the moment he lays eyes on her. When he gets a chance to see her again, she may be rather belligerent and insult him. This does nothing to tarnish her "Angel" image in Ellis's eyes.
  • The Nameless One and Annah in Planescape: Torment,. The intensity of it is left to how Jerkish the player wishes to be, which in turn determines how provoked Annah will be to hold up her Tsundere end.
  • Brandon and Vera in Vera Blanc. But as they are both Deadpan Snarkers what can you expect.
  • The relationship between Squall and Rinoa in Final Fantasy VIII initially has some elements of Belligerent Sexual Tension thanks to the conflict between Squall's stoic cynicism and Rinoa's enthusiastic idealism. The trope only really applies up until they reach Galbadia Garden in disc 1, however, after which point Rinoa is more interested in finding out what Squall is thinking than in challenging him over it.
  • Fear Effect. Hana and Glas have something like this. They have a habit of pointing guns at each other and giving tough talk to each other. Glas is the one who gives her a hand and helps her up in various situations. Hana did give Glas a hand and help him up in the first game. Also, the one female of the Eight Immortals says to Glas about Hana being his friend, which he tries so very hard to deny. A Fear Effect Inferno trailer shows Glas putting a hand over Hana's hand. He awkwardly tells her that "I just want to say...be careful, you know?" A few seconds later, she smiles and puts her head against his back, surprising him. She responds "We've all got to be careful." Considering what happens later...well, see the Love Triangle entry.
  • There is a solid fan belief that Tyrell and Karis from Golden Sun: Dark Dawn are poster children for this trope. To spite the fact that they are never made an official couple in the game, the bickering nature of these two made for an excellent Childhood Friend Romance.
  • In Solatorobo, Red and Elh play with this trope. Normally they are quite capable of working together, but if Red should do something incredibly stupid (and he will), Elh is not shy about calling him an idiot and giving him an Armor-Piercing Slap or a good Megaton Punch or two, or just glaring and leaving the room.


Visual Novels

  • Klavier Gavin seems to be coming on to Ema Skye in Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice during the very few times they actually talk to each other - though it mostly annoys her. She constantly - and not always behind his back - calls him a "Glimmerous Fop".
    • Many people on the fan-base think these two are a cute couple, and tons of fanart pics and fanfics are dedicated to them.
  • Kyou and Tomoya's relationship more or less work's out like this in Clannad. In fact, it's implied Sunohara picked up on it even before the story begins, but it never becomes apparent to Tomoya until her route.
  • The "Unlimited Blade Works" route of Fate/stay night focuses one of these. Shirou is socially awkward and something of a Deadpan Snarker and Rin is a grade-A Tsundere.
  • Kyosuke and Mizuha from G Senjou no Maou have shades of this (at least until you enter her route).
  • Battler and Beatrice in Umineko no Naku Koro ni, as part of their ongoing Mind Game Ship. Battler's hostility is entirely justified, as Beatrice claims to have killed him and his entire family, and she'll do it as often as it takes to make him believe her.


Webcomics

EB: anyway, i kind of got the impression that you and terezi were a thing.
CG: WHAT DO YOU MEAN A THING.
EB: Like, i dunno.
EB: Going on weird fight dates and beating the crap out of each other, and being in hate-love or love-hate.
EB: Isn't that how it works?

    • In general, the troll concept of romance includes both romantic love and romantic hatred or rivalry. It's implied that it's not uncommon for couples to waver between the two kinds of relationship - Equius/Aradia and possibly Vriska/Tavros (depending on whether you believe that they've actually managed to form a romantic relationship) show signs of Belligerent Sexual Tension as well.
  • Largo and Erika from Megatokyo.
  • Definitely this for Keith and Natani in Two Kinds
  • Misfile: Invoked and subverted. Ash and Rumisiel seem to be dating despite her constant annoyance at him, but it's a fake relationship and she's really just angry at him for other reasons.
    • A better example is the relationship between Ash and Emily. It's been established many times that they have feelings for each other, and Emily has struggled with the idea of being in a lesbian relationship with a former guy, they have yet to make a real statement on the nature of their relationship after over 1700 comic strips.
  • Tipper and Charles from Namir Deiter, before they got married.
  • Nasty variation occurs in Narbonic, where Helen is unable to admit her feelings for Dave because she values him too much as a test subject, and Dave is too shy and insecure.
  • In Sluggy Freelance, Riff and Gwynn dating was a bit like this, she being very Tsundere and he an insensitive jerk towards women he dates. It didn't last, though. The relationship wasn't focused on, and while it went on, it didn't seem to have any redeeming features, but afterwards it was shown clearly enough that there had been some actual positive emotions involved.
    • Yet the belligerence lives on...
  • WTF Comics: Grouchy dragon warrior Straha and haughty elven summoner Maguna.
  • Yehuda & Sister Sprocket in Yehuda Moon and The Kickstand Cyclery.
  • Zap and Reona from Zap!, at least until Reona defrosted some.
  • Tarvek
and his cousin  Violetta
in Girl Genius. When she's first introduced, Violetta's rage at and contempt for Tarvek makes Moloch von Zinzer ask it they're married. Violetta makes a sick face ("Ewwww . . . ") but many in the fandom have already shipped the two. They deserve each other.
  • Black Mage and White Mage in Eight Bit Theater would have this. Only BM lacks the heart of gold. Probably a heart at all. Oh and White Mage finds him completely and utterly repulsive in every single way possible. And some that aren't.


Web Original

  • The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers delivers a fun example, as always. In this case, the two characters (Ninjato and Katana express this through DANCE. However, Ninjato is captured and held at an enemy headquarter, and made to dance (it's more tasteful than it sounds--they used to be close friends, and Ninjato likes to dance). Katana sneaks in mid dance and they subsequently convey the epitome of Belligerent Sexual Tension through dance. The bad guys are so in awe of their performance that they don't even get up out of their seats until Katana spirits away Ninjato.
  • Simon and Jeremy from Shadow of the Templar. They have sex often, but are extremely poor at admitting how important the other is to him, with Simon vigorously denying that Jeremy could even be his friend. Jeremy's love of treating Simon like an amusing playmate and infuriating him with his cool and unruffled demeanor doesn't help, though he does seem to be more conscious about his own feelings and makes the occasional barb about Simon's capacity for denial.
    • Simon is a lot more conventionally Tsundere about their totally-not-a-relationship, though.
  • Although ship-sunk with an embarrassing date, the Chick /Critic ship caught new fire with her Transformers-Bratz arc and Kickassia and now alternates between this at best and The Masochism Tango at worst.
  • In Echo Chamber's Unresolved Sexual Tension episode, Dana's "I hate you" directed at Tom marks a moment of belligerent tension (if any), but The Stinger leaves things a bit more unresolved.
  • Sasha and Daichi in Greek Ninja. They hate each other's guts, yet Eleonora points out that they are a match made in heaven. So she's onto them...


Western Animation

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Belligerent_Sexual_Tension?oldid=1161813"