Defeat Means Friendship: Difference between revisions

* In Christopher Stasheff's ''[[Warlock of Gramaraye|The Warlock In Spite of Himself]]'', a goon named Big Tom picks a fight with the hero, Rod Gallowglass; when Rod proves he can best him, Tom asks humbly to be Rod's man. Subverted in that {{spoiler|Tom is a canny agent of Rod's enemies, taking advantage of this trope to get close to him}}.

* A rare example of ''pre-emptive'' Defeat Means Friendship occurs in the ''[[Belgariad|Malloreon]]'', when Emperor Zakath finally dawns to the awareness that the Alorn religious myths are ''real'', and Belgarion isn't just a rival overlord but also the designated custodian of cosmic power. Zakath takes one look at the odds and decides to just skip the "defeat" and get right to the "friendship".

'''Zakath:''' You know something, Garion? I've always believed that someday you and I would go to war with each other. Would you be terribly disappointed if I decided not to show up? }}

* In ''[[The Dresden Files]]'' novel ''Turn Coat,'' Harry {{spoiler|calls up the very foreboding spirit of an island and essentially challenges it to a contest of strength and will. By winning, he forges a magical alliance between himself and the spirit}}. He later explains it in terms of this trope: see the quotes page.