Maybe Ever After: Difference between revisions

Unlike some other forms of [[No Romantic Resolution]], a [['''Maybe Ever After]]''' ending hints at or implies a successful conclusion to a romance arc. However, the degree of resolution can vary widely. At one extreme, a [['''Maybe Ever After]]''' ending can strongly imply that the characters in question are entering into a long-term relationship, coming just short of explicitly indicating that. At the opposite extreme, there may be just a hint of something romantic developing between the characters. That said, when adding examples, don't forget that there must be a ''reasonable'' likelihood that the characters in question would end up together. Wishful thinking doesn't count: if you can't point to specific evidence of a potential romantic relationship, leave it out. Likewise, there must be at least some degree of ambiguity about the status of the relationship: if the ending leaves absolutely no doubt about the fact that the two characters are a long-term item now, the example belongs in [[Relationship Upgrade]], [[Last-Minute Hookup]], [[Happily Ever After]], or [[They Do]] rather than this trope.

This is a common ending trope in anime adaptations of manga, where it may manifest as an alternative to a [[Gecko Ending]]. In Western literature, it may function as part of a [[Sequel Hook]]. [['''Maybe Ever After]]''' is the subtrope of [[No Romantic Resolution]], which may offer less resolution or may otherwise lack the hint-of-a-positive-ending that characterizes [['''Maybe Ever After]]'''.

If your example involves secondary characters whose relationship involves little or no romance arc to speak of, it might be a case of [[Hooked Up Afterwards]]. See also [[Belated Happy Ending]], where a sequel clears up the ambiguity of a [['''Maybe Ever After]]''', as well as [[Downtime Downgrade]], where the resolution gets unraveled in between the first work and the sequel. Contrast with [[Did Not Get the Girl]], which may lead to a [[Bittersweet Ending]].

* Oddly, for a Disney movie -- especiallymovie—especially one that's marketed as a [[Disney Princess]] movie -- ''[[Mulan]]'' ends with what is essentially Mulan and Shang's first date. No declaration of love, no kiss, just a "hey, let's get to know each other better." The [[Sequelitis|sequel]] has them marry ([[Fanon Discontinuity|if you count it]]).

* Unlike ''The Song of The Lioness'' and ''The Immortals'', both of which ended with clear romantic couplings, [[Tamora Pierce]]'s ''[[Tortall Universe|Protector of the Small]]'' ended on a [[Maybe Ever After]] note, just hinting that something might develop between Kel and {{spoiler|Dom}}.

* At the end of ''[[The Thrawn Trilogy]]'', Luke gives Mara Jade his father's lightsaber for a multitude of reasons -- butreasons—but mostly because he wants her to have it. She reflects that he's just given her one of the last remaining links to his past, and thinks that this is not a subtle message, and he's wasting his time. But as he's leaving, she tells him to hang on a minute -- sheminute—she's coming with him.

** Successive books in the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] largely ignore Mara Jade and this hint. Luke has had a lot of love interests. It's not until the [[Timothy Zahn|same author]] came back with the ''[[Hand of Thrawn]]'' duology that they, in fact, got together. It was followed quickly by ''[[Star Wars Union]]'', in which they were married -- andmarried—and then other authors ''had'' to acknowledge it.

* At the end of ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', the Duke proposes to Isabella, a novice in a religious order. She never replies, so the script leaves it [[No Romantic Resolution|unclear]] whether she accepts or declines. Depending on which performance you see, however, this might be played as a [[Maybe Ever After]]: some theater companies depict her given a sign of consent or acceptance. Others have the actress assume an expression of dismay or shock, implying a rejection.

* ''[[Blaze Union]]'''s C ending hints that protagonist Garlot and his childhood friend Siskier might be getting together in the near future--iffuture—if for no other reason, because their third childhood friend Jenon (who had a crush on Siskier) and Garlot's first crush Nessiah are both conveniently dead, leaving Siskier with no more obstacles. [[Word of God|Remarks by the creators]] in [http://disaresta.livejournal.com/73795.html#cutid1 an interview] confirm that they eventually do get together.