Tragic Bromance: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

This trope refers to a specific [[Plot]], often seen in ancient epics. In it, two [[Always Male|heroes]] are [[Heterosexual Life Partners|intensely close friends]]. Unfortunately, [[Deuteragonist|the one who's not the main character]] dies during the course of the story. The death has a profound effect on the remaining hero, and changes them forever.

 

 

{{deathtrope}}

 

{{examples}}

* ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'' - Simon and Kamina

** A little confusing since they consider each other brothers, despite not being blood related

* ''[[Legend of Galactic Heroes]]'': Reinhard and Kircheis. ''How'' much does this trope play out? Comparable to Gilgamesh&Enkidu or Alexander&Hephaestion.

** There's also Reuenthal and Mittermeier, the "twin stars of the Empire."

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

** [[Captain America (comics)|Cap]] and Bucky.

 

* In ''[[Forrest Gump]]'', Forrest and Bubba. After Bubba's death, Forrest fulfills his friend's lifelong dream by buying a shrimping boat.

* Several [[John Woo]] films

* ''Brian's Song'' - Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers (yes, he's male).

* An epic ''womance'': the two female scientists from ''[[Volcano]]''. The remaining scientist (Anne Heche) is that much more determined to convince FEMA that there's really a volcano starting in Los Angeles because her best friend died to prove it.

 

 

* [[Supernatural (TV series)|Sam and Dean Winchester]] manage to do this to one another ''multiple times''. Dean is the ruling champion, but if it weren't for Sam's first major death the whole plot from the beginning of season three onward would not exist in any recognizable form.

** [[Deal with the Devil|Getting him out of it]] caused Dean to die at the end of season three, which caused Sam to have a [[Darker and Edgier|major character shift]] in the four months between then and when Dean got better again at the start of season four; and the combination of what the two of them did ''while'' Dean was dead set up the [[Heroic Sacrifice|need]] for Sam to [[Redemption Equals Death|die]] at the end of season five...

* ''[[Shut Up Flower Boy Band]]'' has one of the members of the titular band die in a tragic fashion. [[Age-Appropriate Angst|Being teenagers]], the rest of the band doesn't take his death too well.

* John is devastated by [[Sherlock|Sherlock's]] {{spoiler|apparent death}} in ''The Reichenbach Fall''. He's not even aware that the reason Sherlock {{spoiler|committed (fake) suicide was to save his life}}.

 

* [[Greek Mythology]] has Achilles and Patroclus. It's Patroclus' death that motivates Achilles to [[Achilles in His Tent|get out of his tent]] and kick some [[The Trojan War|Trojan]] ass.

* The [[Older Than Dirt|oldest known legend]] in the world, ''[[The Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', is one such tale. The whole story after the first act is about Gilgamesh's quest for immortality, to which he is driven by the death of his close friend and comrade Enkidu.

 

* ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' - Romeo and Mercutio.

* ''[[West Side Story]]'' - Tony and Riff

 

* ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' - Cloud and Zack

** Only touched upon in flashbacks during the game, but elaborated in other entries of the franchise such as ''[[Last Order]]'', ''[[Crisis Core]]'', and ''[[Advent Children]]''.

* Solid Snake and Gray Fox in ''Metal Gear 2'', but [[Revision|properly explored]] in ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', where it's shown Fox's death has broken Snake's heart when Fox [[Came Back Wrong|Comes Back Wrong]] as a cyborg [[Stalker with a Crush|desperate to fight Snake to the death so he can find some peace]].

 

* [[Alexander the Great]] and Hephaestion, who actually compared themselves to Achilles and Patroclus on more than one occasion, even laying wreaths on their respective graves at Troy.