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[[File:cheryl.jpg|link=Archie Comics|frame|Can't choose between your [[Betty and Veronica]]? [[Take a Third Option]]!]]
Bob is in a [[Love Triangle]] with two girls, Alice and Carol, who often have a [[Betty and Veronica]] dynamic. He likes both of them, and both of them like him, [[Status Quo Is God|and he can never, ever choose between them]]. While this dynamic has plenty of dramatic potential, on occasion the writers will want to shake it up a bit. To avoid showing favoritism to either of Bob's existing love interests, they may have him fall for a third girl: the
The
▲Bob is in a [[Love Triangle]] with two girls, Alice and Carol, who often have a [[Betty and Veronica]] dynamic. He likes both of them, and both of them like him, [[Status Quo Is God|and he can never, ever choose between them]]. While this dynamic has plenty of dramatic potential, on occasion the writers will want to shake it up a bit. To avoid showing favoritism to either of Bob's existing love interests, they may have him fall for a third girl: the [[Third Option Love Interest]], Donna, whose job is to shake up the status quo of the relationship and breathe new life into it by tempting the vertex of a love triangle to [[Take a Third Option]].
▲The [[Third Option Love Interest]] can be of either gender depending on the initial triangle. They can sometimes even overlap with the [[Gay Option]].
May lead to a [[Love Dodecahedron]]... or, since [[Status Quo Is God]], Donna may be [[Put on a Bus]], leaving the original two [[Love Interests]] to duke it out. Sometimes Alice and Carol will [[Enemy Mine|lay aside their rivalry]] and unite against the interloper -- [[The Only One Allowed to Defeat You|each would rather lose Bob to the other than to anyone else]]. However, in some cases [[Last Girl Wins|Donna/Bob]] will become the [[Official Couple]].
In [[Fanfic]], the
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* While there
▲* While there's half a dozen girls after Tenchi Masaki in ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]'', there really might as well just be [[The Ladette|Ryoko]] and [[The Ojou|Ayeka]], the only ones who really have a chance. Until ''[[Tenchi in Tokyo]]'', which introduces [[Ordinary High School Student|Sakuya Kumashiro]] into the equation. She's probably one of the biggest examples of the [[Die for Our Ship]] effect relating to this. {{spoiler|Though she eventually succeeds in winning Tenchi, she doesn't survive to the end of the series.}}
** The third OVA introduces Noike {{spoiler|who shows up already arranged to be married to Tenchi by a very powerful matriach of the Jurai royal family.}} Ryoko and Ayeka are not amused. Fan reaction, oddly enough, is less extreme than what Sakuya faced, but that's probably because the third OVA seems to get even more [[Fanon Discontinuity]] than ''Tenchi In Tokyo'' (the latter being treated as relatively more acceptable because it's just an alternate universe anyway).
* Sasuke Uchiha from ''[[Naruto]]'' has two girls that have a crush on him pre-time skip, Ino and Sakura. Post-time skip he gets another admirer in [[Stalker with a Crush|Karin]]. At best, [[Dump Them All|Sasuke never shows romantic interest in any of the girls.]] At worst, [[Ax Crazy|he stabs through them]] to further [[Revenge Before Reason|his revenge]].
* In ''[[Parallel Trouble Adventure Dual]]'', Yayoi, Mitsuki Sanada, and D's chances with Katsuki are ''apparently'' ruined when he meets Mitsuki Rara. A [[Tenchi Solution]] later develops when it is implied the girls themselves apparently come to an unspoken mutual agreement to all share him by living together, even in the newly created combined world.
** For his part though, Kazuki only really shows any reciprocated feelings for Mitsuki Rara.
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* [[Neon Genesis Evangelion|Let's face it]], you can argue that [[Betty and Veronica|Asuka's Betty and Rei's Veronica or vice versa]] until the Angels come home, but either way, Kaworu is one ''damn'' [[Ho Yay|successful]] [[Gay Option|third option]]. Though he fails miserably in the manga, where he's gotten an "evil" upgrade and any attraction on Shinji's part is only expressed both briefly and {{spoiler|posthumously}}.
** Mana Kirishima from the ''Girlfriend of Steel'' game. She has an unusual amount of hate directed at her, when you consider that she's a ''[[Canon Foreigner]]'' who barely even appears anywhere outside of her own game.
* The first two seasons of ''[[
* Ukyo Kuonji in ''[[Ranma ½
* In ''[[
** Watanuki's feelings for Yuuko and the [[Mentor Ship|pairing itself]] is becoming more and more canon. ''Especially'' after chapter 193, where Haruka pretty much comes out and has a heart-to-heart talk with Watanuki, giving him a relationship-advice pep talk ( {{spoiler|"If you believe that you can meet, you mustn't do anything to make her cry, then."}}). Which prompts Watanuki to {{spoiler|go into one of his melancholy worshiping moods of Yuuko, holding her pipe and saying her name}}.
* In the ''[[
* {{spoiler|Tamaki's prospect arranged fiancee}} Eclaire Tonerre sorta fills the role in the ''[[Ouran High School Host Club]]'' anime.
** The [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] Kanoya also kinda fills this role in the manga, representing Tamaki's "dream version" of Haruhi, although Tamaki has never really compared Haruhi to Kanoya.
** Also, Mei who developed a big crush on Tamaki and wanted Haruhi to help her win his heart, though Haruhi seemed more or less (really less) inclined to help. Mei eventually pulls a [[I Want My Beloved to Be Happy]] when she realizes that Tamaki's in love with Haruhi and possibly vice versa.
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** Although she was the last (officially) introduced to the viewers, she's actually the first girl that Hayate'd met, and she had appeared in flashbacks before Hinagiku had officially entered the harem.
*** Um.. by her own words, Hinagiku entered the harem on her first appearing, she just hadn't realized it yet. {{spoiler|By Maria's wordings, she knew Hina would enter it before her first appearance. Athena has also reentered the harem officially as of ch 300.}}
** Athena is probably Hata's vision of the
** Post-Golden week chapters have given us {{spoiler|Chiharu's}} entrance into the harem and potentially {{spoiler|Luka/Ruka}}, who would actually fill this slot well, since we didn't even know about her existence until Golden Week had ended.
* In ''[[Air Gear]]'', the love interests Ringo (the Betty), and Simca (the Veronica), (and [[Gay Option|Akito]]) for Ikki were shaken up by the arrival of Kururu.
** There's also [[Gay Option|Kazu]]. When all three girls (Simca, Ringo & Kururu) find out a way how Kogarasumaru can still participate in the Glam Scale tournament they all hasten to tell Ikki about it thinking 'whoever manages to tell him first will secure their future at Ikki's side'. So, who's the one who gets to tell Ikki first? Kazu, of course! It's played for laughs but it does make one wonder...
*** He's a speed freak, so it only makes sense that he would beet the girls.
* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'': [[Psychopathic Manchild|Russia]]'s part of a canon [[Psychotic Love Triangle]], harboring [[Mad Love]] for [[The Woobie|Lithuania]] and being chased by his [[Brother-Sister Incest|sister]] [[Yandere|Belarus]], but he also seems to display some interest in his southern neighbor China in a couple of strips (if "putting on a panda suit and stalking him" or "inviting him to live at his house in a very creepy way" can be considered [[Ship Tease]], which it probably can given [[Psychopathic Manchild|Russia's]] [[Stalker with a Crush|nature]]). Many fans happily take this third option, especially given the two countries' extensive real-life history together, to the point where Russia/China is actually more popular than Russia/Lithuania and Belarus/Russia combined. Russia gets plenty of other love interests in fanworks, [[Launcher of a Thousand Ships|of course]], but China is the one who has the most canon support after Lithuania and Belarus (even if he probably isn't very happy about it in canon).
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* In ''[[Vandread]]'', romantic tension is developing between Hibiki and his three love interests, and then in the second season a [[Girl in a Box]] shows up and decides he's cute.
* [[Anime Chinese Girl|Vivian Wong]] is this in the fifth season of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]''. There is an intense rivalry over Yugi by his close friend Anzu, who cares for Yugi a lot but is mostly [[Loves My Alter Ego|interested in the Pharaoh]] and the aggressive [[Bratty Half-Pint]] Rebecca who is quick to shower him with affection. When Vivian starts trying to shoehorn in, Rebecca and Tea are quick to unite against her, including Tea cheering Rebecca on in her duel against Vivian.
* [[Disabled Love Interest|Ayase]] from ''[[Guilty Crown]]'' appears to be this to Shu.
== Comic Books ==
* Cheryl Blossom of [[Archie Comics]], the character in the page picture and the former Trope Namer. She was a bombshell redhead introduced in the '80s who saw the original [[Betty and Veronica]] going after Archie and decided it would be fun to show them up. She makes her big debut in the 90s in the Love Showdown storyline, where Betty and Veronica escalate their competition for Archie, which ends in Archie choosing Cheryl Blossom instead (although the Status Quo is restored in a follow-up special). Since then, however, she has apparently started going out with the nerd of the cast after getting to know him on the internet, in a [[Throw the Dog a Bone]] moment.
** Cheryl is also shown as being in the way of ''Reggie'' too. A humorous issue shows her winning a talent contest (with Archie and Reggie as the judges) over Betty and Veronica. What'd she do? Batted her eyelashes at them.
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== Literature ==
* In the ''[[Disgaea]]'' [[Disgaea Novels|novels]], [[Disgaea: Hour of Darkness/Characters|Laharl]] is given a rather big harem of girls as the novel series goes on, but [[Disgaea: Hour of Darkness/Characters|Flonne and Etna]] are his closest friends and therefore his primal love interests, and he is not all that fond of the rest. But in the 3th novel we are introduced to [[Disgaea Novels/Characters|Ozonne]], Flonne’s little sister, and she & Laharl hit it off pretty well.▼
▲* In the [[Disgaea]] [[Disgaea Novels|novels]], [[Disgaea Hour of Darkness/Characters|Laharl]] is given a rather big harem of girls as the novel series goes on, but [[Disgaea Hour of Darkness/Characters|Flonne and Etna]] are his closest friends and therefore his primal love interests, and he is not all that fond of the rest. But in the 3th novel we are introduced to [[Disgaea Novels/Characters|Ozonne]], Flonne’s little sister, and she & Laharl hit it off pretty well.
▲== Live Action Television ==
* Many fans felt that [[Replacement Love Interest|Nina]] filled this role on ''[[Angel]]''. Of course, Cordelia was [[Put on a Bus|MIA]] at the time and [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Buffy]] was busy with her own series...but when has that ever stopped anyone?
* Series 3 of ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'' had the title character in a [[Love Triangle]] with outlaw Kate (Betty) and villainess Isabella (Veronica). If you're wondering where his traditional love interest Marian is, she'd been {{spoiler|[[Killed Off for Real]] at the end of the previous series}}, and became the third option when Robin {{spoiler|also dies and is reunited with her in the afterlife.}}
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== Video Games ==
* In ''[[Tales of Legendia]]'', the two women who were fighting over Senel most aggressively were [[Betty and Veronica|Shirley and Chloe]]. Unfortunately for them, it's revealed that the one Senel loved was Shirley's {{spoiler|dead}} sister, [[Yamato Nadeshiko|Stella]]. [[The Mourning After|And the guy never actually gets over her either.]]
* Aside of the [[Betty and Veronica]] dynamics with Kotonoha and Sekai, there are three potential
* Tiltyu in ''[[Fire Emblem]]: Geneaology of the Holy War'' could easily be this for Prince Levin: Serious, honorable Fury and flirty, clingy dancer Sylvia compete for Levin's affections (well, [[Unknown Rival|Sylvia does most of the competing]]), but the player can easily push them aside and pair him with Tiltyu, a girl with no prior plot connections to him. {{spoiler|Fury's [[Cool Big Sis]] Mahyna could have also been this if she'd survived.}}
** A male example would be Arden for Ayra; Lex and Holin both have canon crushes on her, but Arden is her third predestined lover even if she never speaks to him outside their chapter five love talk.
** Lachesis has... ''two'' of these, actually. Her most "canon" love interests are Fin and Beowulf, to the point that in ''Thracia 776'' {{spoiler|her son Delmud is Beo's kid and her youngest Nanna is Fin's child.}} However, if she gets enough love points with either Dew or Noish, she can have love talks with them as well.
* If the player restores the deleted romance with Neeshka in ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]'', Safiya can become the third option with Elanee as Betty and Neeshka as Veronica. Similarly, if you restored the deleted romance with Bishop, Gann becomes the third with Casavir as Betty and Bishop as Veronica.
* ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' has Aerith and Tifa being the main [[Betty and Veronica]] for Cloud, although the date scenario has Yuffie as a
* The DS version of ''[[Dragon Quest V]]'' introduces Debora, who functions both as this and as the 'Veronica' to Bianca and Nera's Betties. After showing no interest in the hero's actions or his completion of the [[Engagement Challenge]] he completed in order to possibly marry his sister, and turning an indifferent eye upon Bianca's entrance into the equation, she breezes in and offers herself as a third option at the last possible
* In ''[[.hack GU Games|.hack//G.U.]]'', Haseo can romance almost any character, though the two canon options would probably be Atoli (Betty) and Shino (Veronica). However, play your cards right, and Endrance, who is a dude, will win Haseo's heart, much to the chagrin of every female in the party.
* It's possible for Tatsuya to either romance Maya (Betty) or Lisa (Veronica) in ''[[Persona]] 2: Innocent Sin''. However, it is ''also'' possible for him to start a [[Gay Option|homosexual romance]] with Jun.
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== Web Comics ==
* In ''[[Bittersweet Candy Bowl]]'', both Lucy and Tess were love interests for Paulo, but he ended up {{spoiler|choosing Jasmine, a girl introduced at the last minute}}.
* ''[[Homestuck]]'' has this with Vriska, who had romantic feelings for Kanaya, Tavros, and plausibly Terezi. {{spoiler|She ends up asking John out, and dying before hearing a response. On the other hand, due to her species' romantic customs, she could have plausibly ended up with [[Marry Them All|all of them]] in different quadrants.}}.
== Web Original ==
* ''[[Whateley Universe]]'' example: Thunderbird has all four of Sizzle, Aztecka, Tesla, and Widget interested in him for almost a year. They all lose out when [[Mary Sue|Chaka]] realizes Thunderbird is a total 'boy scout' type and snaps him up in about ten minutes.
== Western Animation ==
* In ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', Ferb/Vanessa and Ferb/Gretchen shippers had gotten a relatively major threat for their OTP in the form of Isabella who, despite [[
▲* In ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', Ferb/Vanessa and Ferb/Gretchen shippers had gotten a relatively major threat for their OTP in the form of Isabella who, despite [[Star Boarding|having a canon crush on the other title character,]] has been revealed in [[Twenty Minutes Into the Future|'Quantum Boogaloo']] that she would marry one of the Flynn-Fletcher brothers...followed quickly by Ferb winking at her. Thankfully, she doesn't get hit with much bashing, largely due to her endless [[Ship Tease]] with Phineas.
* In ''[[Archie's Weird Mysteries]]'', a sea monster turns herself into one on purpose by using a potion to combine the traits of Betty and Veronica that Archie found most attractive.
* ''[[Total Drama Island]]'' originally featured a [[Love Triangle]] between [[Perky Goth|Gwen]], [[Chick Magnet|Trent]] and Trent's friend [[
* The Flame Princess from [[Adventure Time]]. [[Die for Our Ship|Much screaming has ensued.]]
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Characters As Device]]
[[Category:Love Interests]]
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