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{{trope}}
[[File:three_musketeers_movie_paul_ws_anderson_3078.jpg|link=The Three Musketeers (2011 (Filmfilm)|frame| All for one, and one for all!]]
 
{{quote|''"As long as you have friends, you have family."''|'''Jeff''', ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'', "[[Community (TV)/Recap/S1 E18 Basic Genealogy|Basic Genealogy]]"}}
 
True Companions are just like a real family -- they may not necessarily ''like'' each other, but they know they can depend upon each other in a crisis. It is a relationship considered to be deeper than mere friendship but more innocent than romance.
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* [[Queen]] -- Friends will be Friends
* The Rembrandts's "I'll Be There For You". Fittingly, it's the opening song for ''[[Friends]]''
* The band members of [[Rammstein (Music)|Rammstein]] declared numerous times that the band would rather break up than replace one member of their band. Their music video for "Haifisch" subverts this trope: not only are they considering who to replace singer Till Linderman with ''at his funeral'', it's shown that if they hadn't tried to flat out kill him, they've at least ''thought'' about it ([[Ho Yay|save one]]), and they end up fighting over who caused their true-companion group to fall, resulting in keyboardist Flake Lorenz crashing into the singer's coffin {{spoiler|which is when they found out he's still alive}}. The [http://herzeleid.com/en/lyrics/liebe_ist_fuer_alle_da/haifisch lyrics] of the song, however, play this straight, as a form of principle declaration.
* In the same vein, [[Led Zeppelin]] ''did'' split up after the death of drummer John Bonham, and up to that death they had been more or less a united front. Even though the remaining members have had problems afterwards (how's that parking spot, Jones?) they are still united in protecting their music.
* The song ''We'll Be There'' from the ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' soundtrack ''Music to Duel By''.
* ''[[The Beatles]]'' were often called "The Four-headed Monster". Before thing started falling apart, they were essentially codependent. They made decisions as a unit (if even one Beatle didn't agree to an idea, they would consider it vetoed), and didn't like being apart for long periods of time. Ringo Starr said something along the lines of "I was a single child, and I got three brothers". There was talk of buying an island for the four of them and their families to live on together. At least one of the Beatle wives had said that the Beatles were practically [[Heterosexual Life Partners|married to each other]], and that the women in their lives were superfluous. Even after the breakup of the band, the general consensus among the former members, and particularly John Lennon, was that while the Beatles could openly and horribly insult each other, they didn't want anyone else doing it.
** Their manager, Brian Epstein, was something of a dad to them as well. He looked out for their wellbeing, he always took care of their affairs to the best of his ability, and was probably the biggest factor in their early success. On their part, they appreciated his hard work and were devastated when he died of a drug overdose. In fact, [[Paul McCartney]] has said that if anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Epstein.
* [[Slipknot]] have often referred to themselves as this. Now that one of their own has died, their future is extremely uncertain. This also applies to [[Avenged Sevenfold (Music)|Avenged Sevenfold]], although they have continued to honour The Rev's memory.
* ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmL3m2zcoOI Two Little Boys]'' by Rolf Harris is about two best friends.
* [[Good Charlotte]]'s singer Joel & guitarist Benji are twins, and the entire band were solely credited by their first names on their first album in a show of unity as the brothers' father had walked out on their family & they didn't want to be credited with his name.
* The [[Iron Maiden (Music)|Iron Maiden]] song "Blood Brothers", which despite the name isn't ''quite'' about [[Blood Brothers|the trope]].
* [[Disturbed (Music)|Disturbed]] has become known for being a band that still hangs out and talks after a show when other bands would've been sick of seeing each other. They've gotten to the point that each member knows exactly what kind of song they want to write or album they want to make without having to talk about it. Also of note, some of them have had each other's back during fights.
* The basic foundation of friendship within the band was said to be one of the reasons ''Split Enz'' were able to stick around for as long as they did (about thirteen years), as opposed to ''Crowded House'' which was more a straight-up commercial venture that soon fell apart (in its initial run) once the band members realised that they didn't really have that much in common.
* "Until the Day I Die" by Story of the Year was not written about a rocky romantic relationship, but how the band will always be there for one another, even though they sometimes feel like killing each other. Truly the anthem of bromance.
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== Newspaper Comics ==
* [[Flash Gordon (Comiccomic Stripstrip)|Flash Gordon]], Dale Arden, Hans Zarkov, Barin, Thun, and Vultan. Any of them would die for any of the others. Aura eventually joins, too.
* [[Alley Oop]] is part of two groups. In prehistoric Moo, he's got Foozy, Ooola, Dinny, Guz, Umpa and th' Grand Wizer. In modern times, he's got Doc Wonmug, Oscar Boom, and Ava (although Oscar has been stuck on the [[Heel Face Revolving Door]] for a few years now). Both groups have met and are friends, but they don't interact very much.
* Even though they get on each other's nerves a lot, the core cast of ''[[Peanuts]]'' counts.
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== Tabletop Games ==
* The werewolves of both ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse (Tabletop Game)|Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'' and ''[[Werewolf: The Forsaken (Tabletop Game)|Werewolf: The Forsaken]]'' follow the combined social instincts of humans and wolves to form small "packs" with each other, ideally a [[Five-Man Band]]. These packs follow the entire true companions trope: packmates are practically family, you might love or hate them, and intra-pack romantic relationships are considered incestuous. (But then, in ''[[The World of Darkness (Tabletop Game)|The World of Darkness]]'' games, any werewolf/werewolf relationship effectively ''is'' incestuous, as werewolves must mate with humans -- or, in the ''[[Old World of Darkness (Tabletop Game)|Old World of Darkness]]'', wolves -- or breed twisted, sterile mutants.)
* ''[[New World of Darkness (Tabletop Game)|New World of Darkness]]''-specific:
** The same goes, to a lesser extent, for most of the other supernatural groupings ([[Mage: The Awakening (Tabletop Game)|Mage]] cabals, [[Promethean: The Created (Tabletop Game)|Promethean]] throngs, [[Changeling: The Lost (Tabletop Game)|Changeling]] motleys, [[Hunter: The Vigil (Tabletop Game)|Hunter]] cells). Which, given the often cathartic nature of the supernatural societies, makes a lot of sense. [[Vampire: The Requiem (Tabletop Game)|Vampire]] coteries, on the other hand, tend to be brief marriages-of-convenience, formed by the recently Embraced until they get to grips with Vampire existence. The line about coteries is [[Jossed]], sort of, in Clanbook Ventrue. As part of a section on how The M spreads, the author talks about how young coteries drink each other's blood to form bonds deeper than family. Young ''Ventrue'', on the other hand, are discouraged from such things.
** Kindred Cyclical Dynasties are another good example. Closer than family, often to the point where the lines between them begin to blur, cyclical dynasties are made up of two or more kindred, with the eldest acting as mentor to the next eldest, who acts as a mentor to the next eldest, etc. When the eldest falls into torpor the next eldest takes over, secure in the knowledge that his dynasty-mates will take him under their wing when he wakes up confused and isolated in decades or centuries.
* ''[[Shadowrun (Tabletop Game)|Shadowrun]]'' tends towards extremes. Groups of runners who are largely indifferent towards each other tend to drift apart. Most established teams are held together by tight bonds. It's also not uncommon for every member of the team to have a plan to kill any or all of his teammates, just in case.
* In ''[[Exalted]]'', this is the idea of Solar, Lunar, Sidereal, and even Abyssal circles, plus Terrestrial sworn brotherhoods. As for when it doesn't turn out like that... well, just ask the Deathlord Eye and Seven Despairs about that one.
* Despite [[Crapsack World|the setting]], ''[[Warhammer 40000 (Tabletop Game)|Warhammer 40000]]'' even manages to demonstrate this trope with the Space Marines. ''Nothing'' is more important to them than loyalty to their Battle Brothers and fealty to the Chapter, and aside from the God-Emperor himself and the founding Primarch they recognise no authority other than their Chapter Master. This is why the Horus Heresy is considering so tragic, as conquering solar systems and crushing civilisations was perfectly fine, but turning against and fighting your brothers was inconceivable.
* Adventuring parties in ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'' are usually this, for the practical reason that, for the game to work, the PC's have to stick together. "Splitting the party" is a phrase that makes most players and DM's cringe.
** It's not really an exaggeration (it might even be an understatement) to say that Thri-Kreen society revolves around this concept, as well.
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== Video Games ==
* ''[[Mother 3 (Video Game)|Mother 3]]'' has DCMC, who are all true band bros. When their bassist, Lucky/{{spoiler|Duster}} has to leave do to reasons of heroism and amnesia, they sing a heartfelt little song begging the "Big Guy in the Sky" to look out for their pal. Awwww.
* ''[[Final Fantasy V (Video Game)|Final Fantasy V]]''. The four Light Warriors hold together through failure, poisonings, and {{spoiler|the death of one of their own}} without fail. Galuf even calls a retreat when he's {{spoiler|attacking Castle Exdeath}} to go and rescue the other three, alone. And in the ending, {{spoiler|a lonely Krile is told by the other three that there's no way she's going to be alone when they're around.}}
* ''[[Final Fantasy VI (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VI]]'' has the quintessential [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits]] that become True Companions.
* ''[[Final Fantasy VII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VII]]'' and ''[[Crisis Core]]'' both stress the importance of having True Companions. Cloud needs his friends and comrades to be a complete and effectual person.
** In the ''FFVII: [[Advent Children]]'' movie, Cloud actually ''calls'' the other characters his 'true companions' in the dialogue, which is translated in the English version to "family."
** Zack for Cloud after their escape from Nibelheim, although Cloud was in no condition to reciprocate.
** It is revealed in ''[[Crisis Core]]'' that even Sephiroth had True Companions through Angeal and Genesis. Though that was not enough to stop Genesis and Angeal from leaving Sephiroth behind when they discovered their true origins and went rogue.
* ''[[Final Fantasy VIII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VIII]]'''s main SeeD team, which the memebers rely on each other as they do tag-team missions, {{spoiler|and that most of them are related.}}
* ''[[Final Fantasy IX (Video Game)|Final Fantasy IX]]'' has this (it's even said by Zidane that they're "more than friends - we're a team"), even though most of the characters (namely Zidane & Steiner) don't get along with each other at first. When Zidane discovers his [[Person of Mass Destruction|disturbing origin]], he tries to leave the gang. Garnet/Dagger, however, convinces him that they'll stay with him no matter what.
* ''[[Final Fantasy X (Video Game)|Final Fantasy X]]''. Although Tidus functions as the narrator, the story as a whole is centered around the exploits of Yuna's guardians, as mismatched and misfit as they were, in their efforts to protect her and defeat Sin. It's carried on to a lesser extent in FFX-2, with Yuna as [[The Protagonist|the main protagonist]], though much of the original cast has disbanded and moved on. Tidus' sword is even named "Brotherhood," and powers up as he grows closer to the party.
** Somewhat played with in that most of the party were already True Companions to Yuna ''before'' her pilgrimage: Rikku is her cousin, Kimahri and Auron knew her father, and Wakka and Lulu grew up with her on Besaid.
* The six main characters of ''[[Final Fantasy XIII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy XIII]]'' form a powerful bond thanks to the fact that [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|the entire world wants to kill them]]. Especially poignant with Fang and Vanille, who come from an egalitarian where everybody literally shared everything and took the same last name. At one point when Vanille's hit rock bottom, Fang encourages her by reminding her that they have a new family now.
* Anyone who plays the Japanese version of ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy]]'' will have this word and this [[Trope]] drilled into their head by the time they are done with the story portion of the game. The ten main heroes in this [[Crossover]] are not only true companions but several smaller, fluctuating ones as well and the concept serves as a major overarching theme across their stories.
* Watch the [[Tomato in Thethe Mirror]] [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|revelation scene]] on the Ebon Hawk in the first [[Knights of the Old Republic]] sometime.
* [[Digital Devil Saga]] is all about this, since the main characters are a group of warriors fighting to protect the [[MacGuffin Girl]], adapting to becoming demons together and ascend to Nirvana. While they have arguments and fall out quite a lot, there are a lot of [[The Power of Friendship|speeches about what it means to be comrades]] and instances of [[Fighting Your Friend]].
* ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' [[Relationship Values|support conversations]] often develop into this. A more blatant example is the Greil Mercenaries from ''Path of Radiance'' and ''Radiant Dawn''. A notable part is a speech Griel gives before chapter 6 "In times like these, it matters not what our blood ties are. We are family." Right before the final chapter, Ike states in a [[Rousing Speech]] that he finally understands what it means.
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* Dingo from ''[[Zone of the Enders|Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner]]'' says that BAHRAM ''killed his comrades'' so many times, it starts to sound completely ridiculous.
* One character gives a passionate speech about what it means to be true companions to another character in ''[[Ever 17]]''.
* [[The Chosen One|The chosen ones]] of the {{color|red|Red}} Night in ''[[Eleven Eyes11eyes]]'' refer to themselves as true companions several times, though sometimes it feels like it's being used to hold team spirit together as the challenges get tougher. Their group even has a motto. "For our friends and tomorrow!"
* ''[[Star Fox (Video Gameseries)|Star Fox]]'' has this for both teams: the main team Star Fox are like family to each other, but on recent plot themes, they have then become disbanded or at least one of them would leave to fly solo. Ironically, [[The Rival|Star Wolf]] experiences this in reverse - Star Wolf originally has Wolf, Leon, Pigma, and Andrew. The last two were kicked out because of the lack of loyalty and code of honor, and were replaced by Panther. Panther is then a permanent member, and the trio have become so closer than ever.
* Chapter 8 of ''[[Valkyria Chronicles]]'' has Welkin refer to the main players in Squad 7 as a family, with himself and Alicia as the father and mother, Rosie and his sister Isara as the daughters, and Largo as the grandfather. This scene is referenced again, as well as the reactions they all have to certain events in the game.
* Sly, Bentley and Murray from the ''[[Sly Cooper]]'' series of games. The team does expand by the third game, though in the cases of Dimitri and the Panda King it's mostly a case of [[Enemy Mine]].
* Most likely Neku and the other protagonists from [[The World Ends With You (Video Game)|The World Ends With You]], given everything they went through, and the {{spoiler|[[All Your Colors Combined|final fusion attack from the last boss fight.]]}} Summed up nicely by Neku in the epilogue.
{{quote| {{spoiler|'''Neku:''' Trust your partner. And I do. I can't forgive you, but I trust you.}}}}
* [[The Protagonist|The protagonists]] from the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series exhibit this, especially with Sonic and Tails. Their team in ''[[Sonic Advance Trilogy|Sonic Advance 3]]'' is even called "Unbreakable Bond".
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* If a character is recruited into the main character's workshop in ''[[Mana Khemia Alchemists of Al Revis]]'', expect them to stick by him even during the last part of the game (be it a ''[[Cute Ghost Girl]]'', an ''alien'' and even [[The Rival]]).
* [[The McCoy|Sora]] of ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' has a very large true companionship group, though the most obvious central examples are the [[The McCoy|Sora]]-Riku-Kairi and [[The McCoy|Sora]]-[[Donald Duck|Donald]]-[[Goofy]] trios. Also [[Mickey Mouse|Mickey]]-[[Donald Duck|Donald]]-[[Goofy]], and Axel-Roxas-Xion (at least it looks that way). The most close-knit trio, though, is Terra-Aqua-Ven, who are like siblings or two parents and a child, depending on the situation.
* In ''[[Tales of Symphonia (Video Game)|Tales of Symphonia]]'', towards the end of the game, the main party is split into multiple groups as a result of a trap. Lloyd and his Soul Mate go and rescue their friends, and Lloyd goes to each event, where the characters are being tormented by their own fears and demons. He accepts them for who they are and they manage to break the trap. This is most prevelant in Genis & Raine's torture, where they are singled out for being half elves. Lloyd disperses their fears and returns them to the group.
* ''[[Star Ocean the Last Hope]]''. Edge has this strange way of insisting people he has literally met five minutes ago are his 'friends' and basically coercing them into joining him, then devoting as much of his time as possible to driving them away, ''then'' doing ludicrously stupid things that typically have horrific consequences in the name of comradeship.
* The party in ''[[Star Ocean the Second Story (Video Game)|Star Ocean the Second Story]]''
* ''[[Planescape: Torment]]'', if one plays it with a team.
** Very significant is a moment when Sarhava Vhjull, a young, arrogant, drunken noblewoman, insults Annah, who is at first more flustered than angry. Not only the Nameless One (player's character) stands up for her, but even Morte (always rude towards the tiefling), if the player let's him, does the job of insulting back said NPC.
** If Fall-From-Grace is with you, she will give Sarhava (who, it turns out, was raised at her brothel) such a talking-to for being a disgrace and an embarrassment she basically shrivels up. That's fun to see, but it's notable that Grace is defending Annah, who is cold at best towards her.
*** A noteworthy subversion: {{spoiler|the relationships may be genuine, but it's the Nameless One's Mark of Torment that's magically compelling the team to stay together.}}
* ''[[Fatal Fury]]'' has a few, which led into the ''[[King of Fighters]]'' series. First and foremost, the [[Badass Family|Bogard brothers]], [[Gratuitous English|Terry]] and [[McNinja|Andy]] Bogard, [[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Joe]] [[Hot-Blooded|Higashi]], and [[Stripperific|Mai]] [[Highly-Visible Ninja|Shiranui]]. We also have the Hero Team with [[Kill It Withwith Fire|Kyo]] [[Hot-Blooded|Kusanagi]], [[Shock and Awe|Benimaru]] [[Mr. Fanservice|Nikaido]], and [[Mighty Glacier|Goro]] [[Dishing Out Dirt|Daimon]]. From the Ikari Team, [[Colonel Badass|Colonel]] [[Badass Grandpa|Heidern]], [[Badass Normal|Ralf]] [[Good Old Fisticuffs|Jones]], [[Cool Shades|Clark]] [[Charles Atlas Superpower|Still]], [[The Stoic|Leona]] [[Super-Powered Evil Side|Heidern]] and [[Whip It Good|Whip]]. And one evil example, The [[The Syndicate|Howard Connection]], Consisting of [[SNK Boss|Geese]] [[Blondes Are Evil|Howard]], [[The Dragon|Billy]] [[Simple Staff|Kane]], [[Lightning Bruiser|Raiden]], well [[Heel Face Revolving Door|sometimes]], and much later, [[Blondes Are Evil|Kain]] [[Red Eyes, Take Warning|Heinlein]].
* ''[[Mario and Luigi Bowsers Inside Story (Video Game)|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' revealed [[Big Bad|Bowser]] and his various minions to be this. Although one wouldn't think this because of Bowser's nature as an [[Evil Overlord]], the game makes it very clear that a large part of the troops have more respect for him than fear. In fact, during {{spoiler|Bowser's fight with Fawful, [[The Goomba|the Goombas]] ''offer themselves to be punched'' so that Bowser can counter-attack Fawful}}. In the epilogue, {{spoiler|Bowser even forgives three minions who trapped him in a safe after being presumably brainwashed by Fawful as long as they help fix up his castle while Kamek was telling them to scram}}.
* ''[[Cave Story (Video Game)|Cave Story]]'' shows this forming, but it only comes to fruition if you get [[One Hundred Percent Completion]]. {{spoiler|Quote}} and Curly Brace go from fighting each other, to fighting side-by-side, and they even convince [[Recurring Boss]] Balrog to help them at one point. In the [[Multiple Endings|Standard Ending]], this is as far as it goes. But if {{spoiler|Quote}} saves Curly after the Core battle, and then restores her memories, she gives him the Iron Bond: "Your tie to Curly Brace, the only warrior you would trust your back to." The endgame then involves them fighting the [[True Final Boss]] together as [[Back-to-Back Badasses]], with {{spoiler|Balrog swooping in to rescue them at the end. And then the three of them decide to move someplace with a nice view and live together.}}
* In the ''[[Jak and Daxter]]'' series, we start with [[The Hero|Jak]], [[Weasel Mascot|Daxter]], [[Wrench Wench|Keira]] and [[Team Dad|Samos]]. After the second game, [[Rebel Leader|Torn]], [[Action Girl|Ashelin]] and [[The Hunter|Sig]] join and the seven of them form the "official" party, as seen in ''Jak X''. [[Wrench Wench|Tess]] is usually included in the roster by fans because of her status as Daxter's [[Love Interest]]. Sometimes [[Polly Wants a Microphone|Pecker]] and [[Blind Seer|Onin]] are thrown in the mix as well.
* In the Japanese version of ''[[Castlevania]] 3'', ''Akumajou Densetsu'', the uber-genki pirate/freedom fighter Grant Danesti immediately declares himself and Trevor Belmont to be true companions. The sequel game, ''Curse of Darkness'', proves him right. As soon as Hector stats flailing about Trevor having beaten Dracula, Trevor immediately says he couldn't have done it without his friends. (''Judgment'''s continuity twists this, for better or worse, by suggesting that Grant grew distant from Trevor due to a [[Love Triangle]] with Sypha and continued on his own path even after reconciliation. On the brighter side, Alucard remembers his teammates well even after centuries have passed.)
** ''[[Castlevania Sorrow|Aria of Sorrow]]'' has a [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|great scene]]. Soma, about to challenge [[Giant Space Flea From Nowhere|Chaos]], worries about [[Tomato in Thethe Mirror|that thing]], only for ''everyone he's befriended throughout the game'' banding together to telepathically contact him and say, "Okay, {{spoiler|you're Dracula}}... so what? You're our friend, and we think you can do this, and we're here for you." Once he wins, they all congratulate him, and they all return in ''Dawn of Sorrow'' to cheer him on and help him out again.
* ''[[Mass Effect 2]]':
** Shepard views turian squadmate Garrus Vakarian and quarian squadmate Tali'Zorah as such in terms of them watching his/her back when walking through hell. Dr. Chakwas, the Normandy's medical officer, considers Shepard, "the center of her galaxy," a true companion. Chakwas also considers Joker a true companion, in terms of helping Joker with his brittle bone disease when he needs her. Joker views Shepard as his true companion in terms of being on Shepard's side 100% despite the occasional sass-laden conversations. In-universe example: [[Proud Warrior Race Guy|Krogans]] use the term "Krantt" for true companions that [[Band of Brothers|serve as battle-brothers]]. By the end (provided you've gained their loyalties), all of the crew members and squadmates feel like this.
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** The [http://www.nuzlocke.com/?page_id=2 Nuzlocke Challenge] puts severe limitations on what Pokémon you can catch, and forces you to release or permanently box any Pokémon that gets [[Killed Off for Real|KO'd for real]]. Several players, including the creator who initially challenged himself for the lulz, have admitted that the challenge actually makes them feel much more passionately about the few, fragile Pokémon they have, especially breeds that they would normally pass over without a second thought.
** Also the rescue team and the Guild of ''[[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]]''.
* ''[[Knights of the Old Republic (Videovideo Gamegame)|Knights of the Old Republic]]'' is all about this. In the original game and the [[Sequel]] you have a team of misfits (some of whom have very good reason to resent each other), and yet the team sticks together by the player character's leadership. Then the sequel turns right around and [[Deconstruction|Deconstructs]] it by giving a slightly discomforting reason as to ''why'' [[Character-Magnetic Team|your party forms around you.]]
* ''[[Nie R]]'': Neir forms one with the maladjusted but sympathetic freaks he meets along his journey, extending his [[Papa Wolf]] nature onto them. Even the arrogant Grimoire Weisse sees the group as friends.
* ''[[Exit Fate (Video Game)|Exit Fate]]'': To varying degrees, the Elysium Army -- particularily [[The Hero|Daniel]], [[The Obi-Wan|Ljusalf]] and [[Bodyguard Crush|Ayara]], who join together early on. At one point, when you've amassed many followers and generals, Ayara runs off, believing that you don't need her anymore, and you have to track her down and convince her that she's important too. And then there are Daniel's friends since childhood, Angel and Jovian - much of Daniel's grief stems from his fear that Jovian betrayed him due to their conflicting ideals. {{spoiler|He didn't. Jovian would never betray him. Ever.}}
* ''[[Professor Layton]]'': The Professor's true-companion group consists of a pair of children -- his apprentice, Luke, and his ward, Flora.
* Leonhardt and his true companions (Borgnine, Ellis, Vira-Lorr, Zerva, and Winfield) in ''[[Agarest Senki]]'' have a bond that is so strong, that they actually stick together with the descendants of Leo for ''four more generations.'' And this group is one of the few [[Combination Attack|Combination Attacks]] that are [[Limit Break|EX Combos]].
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* ''[[Super Robot Wars]]'' usually play this one straight. ''[[Super Robot Wars Z]]'' however [[Deconstruction|deconstructs]] the idea of true companions. It's perfectly justified too seeing as you really can't mix military fashioned men with loose cannons.
* The Survivors in ''[[Left 4 Dead]]'' (even though certain characters won't admit it). It can be summed up in {{spoiler|Bill's}} final message to the group "Take care of each other, you guys are the only family I've got left!"
* In the first ''[[BaldursBaldur's Gate]]'' game, the canonical party of Charname, Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, and Dynaheir were true companions. Charname and Imoen were foster {{spoiler|and blood}} siblings raised together their entire lives, Jaheir and Khalid are [[Happily Married]] and were friends and comrades of Charname's foster father Gorion, and Minsc and Dynaheir also have a close though nonromantic relationship as per the customs of their people. This is what makes the first part of the sequel ''Shadows of Amn'' [[Player Punch|especially]] [[Tear Jerker|painful]]. {{spoiler|Irenicus kills Khalid and Dynaheir and ruins their bodies beyond any hope of resurrection and nearly drives Imoen insane by ripping out her soul.}}
* ''[[Golden Sun]]'' games have a very strong focus on family and on friends that are like family. It gets lampshaded in ''Dark Dawn'' when an NPC comments on the wide variety of friends you have with you from so many different backgrounds, and how close-knit you've become anyway, and draws a comparison to family.
* The sum up of ''[[Inazuma Eleven]]'''s theme and moral lesson.
* While ''[[Suikoden]]'' often consists of many combinations of the [[Five-Man Band]], each army of 108 stars ends up being a macro version of this trope. They fight, go on adventures, drink, party, and even judge cooking contests together as a sprawling enclave.
* In ''[[The Reconstruction (Video Game)|The Reconstruction]]'', though your guild doesn't start off like this, it eventually ends up this way by the end.
* ''[[Team Fortress 2 (Video Game)|Team Fortress 2]]'' has a rather... [[Heroic Comedic Sociopath|odd]] [[Psycho for Hire|band]] [[Blood Knight|of brothers]], but they nonetheless remain surprisingly civil towards each other and always work for the benefit of the team.
* ''[[Resident Evil]]'' series: Despite the tease found in some of the games, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield are like this. {{spoiler|Jill is willing to sacrifice herself to save Chris from Wesker. While Chris is on his next mission, the moment he gets wind she might still be alive he drops everything else to find her.}}
* The general theme of the ''[[Mega Man Star Force]]'' series is [[The Power of Friendship]], so it's not surprising that Geo, Sonia, Luna, Bud and Zack form one of these.
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== Web Comics ==
* The main cast of ''[[Questionable Content]]'', if not just the workers at Coffee of Doom. Despite the relationship that developed between Marten and Dora, the group has held together quite well.
* The main cast in ''[[Sluggy Freelance (Webcomic)|Sluggy Freelance]]'' will fight vampires and demonic kittens, travel through alternate dimensions, and take down evil corporations to rescue one another. At one point, several of them are seeing a psychiatrist, partly by coincidence though it really benefits them too, and it comes up that even [[Jerkass Woobie|Gwynn]], who ''thinks'' she doesn't like the others and that they don't like her, considers the others as family, since "family is supposed to be there when you ''really'' need them, right?"
* ''[[Drow TalesDrowtales]]'': The Highland Raiders!
* The eight main characters from ''[[El Goonish Shive (Webcomic)|El Goonish Shive]]'' are true companions. See the "Painted Black" and "Grace's Birthday Party" arcs for particularly telling examples. Like any number of examples, they don't always get along, but once [[Chivalrous Pervert|Tedd]] and [[Defrosting Ice Queen|Susan]], of all people, became friends, becoming true companions was probably inevitable given what goes on in Moperville. Like ''[[Code Lyoko]]'' further down, they didn't start as true companions. The transition was a bit smoother, though, with the friend of friends having your back when the deadly stuff starts even if you were bickering only hours before.
* In ''[[Dominic Deegan]]'', the Deegan family and their various hangers-on could be considered true companions, as could the faculty and students of the School of Arcane Arts, especially the students that fended off the Infernomancer's attack (although they were merely a random group of students in the wrong place) -- Nimmel almost committed suicide because he felt he had failed the comrades who died. The clearest example of true companions, however, is Lord Milov's "pack" of himself, Jayden, and Siegfried. {{spoiler|amusingly enough this most purest example of the trope is also the one to go the most sour}}.
** This is pretty much the core of the werewolve's "pack" cocept.
* The protagonists of ''[[Looking for Group (Webcomic)|Looking for Group]]'' are also forming one. This is even more blatant with Richard and Cale (to the point that the [[Omnicidal Maniac]] warlock is turning into [[The Atoner]] as he stays in prolonged contact with the once-naive elf) and with Ben'Joon and Krunch (with the latter being the former's adoptive father).
* In ''[[Girl Genius (Webcomic)|Girl Genius]]'', the traveling circus could be seen as this. Even the relationship between Zeetha and Agatha could count, even if it is bordering on [[Les Yay]]. A love triangle between Agatha, Tarvek, and Gil, Agatha has (in classic [[Mad Scientist]] fashion), [[Take a Third Option|chosen them both.]]
* Most of the relationships in ''[[Something Positive]]'' have something of this, especially the original core of friends Davan, Aubrey, PeeJee and Jason. Davan was described by the author as being often difficult to get on with and you might wonder why you bother, but he ''will'' be there if needed.
* The adolescent cast of ''[[RubysRuby's World]]'' functions like this, and the characters' relationships to each other are among the only things of value in a universe of [[Black and Grey Morality]].
* Dejoru of ''[[Juathuur]]'' tried to inspire a sense of family in his original team, but it didn't work out. He tries in his second team too {{spoiler|and fails. By the time we meet him again, he has lost his faith on group cohesion.}}
* ''[[The Order of the Stick (Webcomic)|Order of the Stick]]'' is all about this.
* In ''[[8-Bit Theater (Webcomic)|Eight Bit Theater]]'', The Other Warriors are seemingly the closest thing the series has to this, though the Dark Warriors seem to become close later on. All other groups range from [[Teeth-Clenched Teamwork]] or flat-out [[Enemy Mine]] in the case of the Light Warriors.
* ''[[Friendly Hostility]]'' is all about how some people just seem to tumble into your life unexpectedly and stick with you for life.
* [[Unfazed Everyman|Bob,]] his girlfriend [[Hot Scientist|Jean,]] their "synthetic pink daughter-thing" [[Cute Monster Girl|Molly,]] and [[Green-Skinned Space Babe|Auntie Princess Voluptua]] in ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]].'' Oh, and Molly's pet tentacle-bunny, [[Ugly Cute|Snookums.]]
* The ''[[City of Reality]]'' portrays a world where everyone everyone else's true companion, essentially creating a true utopia. Unfortunately, as a [[Deconstruction]] of utopias, it has since seen cracks in the structure; but, like genuine examples, the people seem determined to push forward together.
* In ''[[Schlock Mercenary (Webcomic)|Schlock Mercenary]]'' the Toughs are bonded, and each wants to do the right thing for the whole, often sacrificing their own boni. Captain Tagon is very similar to [[Firefly (TV)|Captain Reynolds]], going so far as to suggest that officers go without pay, so that the grunts don't lose their paychecks.
* [[The Dreamland Chronicles]]: [http://www.thedreamlandchronicles.com/the-dreamland-chronicles/todays-dreamland-chronicles-582/ offering support]
* In ''[[Achewood]]'', most of the main characters certainly count. If something happens to one of them, the rest will rally. Spongebath and Emeril, despite not being central characters, definitely count as part of this too.
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* The four main protagonists of ''[[Broken Saints]]'' have a bond akin to this. Of course, they all immediately feel a connection because they "recognize" each other from their shared visions/dreams/nightmares. With Raimi and Oran, who spend half the series together (and {{spoiler|who are the only heroes to survive the [[Grand Finale]]}}), this enters [[Heterosexual Life Partner]] territory. Kamimura does not have as much time to bond as the two of them, but after he joins the team, the three men become a [[Power Trio]]. Shandala only really interacts with the guys for about two chapters of time, but [[The Dulcinea Effect]] -- plus her being [[The Empath]] -- connects them all very quickly very fast.
* [[Screw Attack]].com are this, to the point that they have been referred to as the [[Screw Attack]] Family. Not just the people behind the website, but the community as well (to the point of a [[Broken Fanbase]]). Insult so much as one member of the SA crew, and the community ''will'' respond in kind, as will the other members of the SA crew; and this goes even further if you badmouth the team's only female member.
* The team at [[That Guy With theThe Glasses]]/Channel Awesome - They've had three anniversary crossovers where they all met up to provide something for the fans, numerous members of the team frequently have appearances in other's videos, and behind the scenes footage would ascertain that they've become friends away from the cameras. They also tend to move with lightning speed to defend each other should anyone be so foolish as to submit nasty/trollish remarks in comments on the site, on Twitter, or anywhere else on the internet.
* The eponymous Red and Blue teams from ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' reach this point in their relationship with each other by the end of ''Revelation'', when they realize that although their units suck, they fit in better with each other than anywhere else.
** This isn't just among each team, either--they're true companions with each other, too, even though they're all technically enemies. They even have welcomed {{spoiler|Wash}} into their ranks, even after all he did to them.
* In [[Atop the Fourth Wall (Web Video)|Atop the Fourth Wall]], with the exception of 90's Kid, the core cast (Linkara, Pollo, Harvey Finevoice and Iron Liz) definitely show signs of this, especially when {{spoiler|they all work together to rescue Linkara when he's kidnapped by Lord Vyce.}}
** And as of the revelations of the ''Silent Hill: Dead/Alive'' review, {{spoiler|we can now add [[Empathic Weapon|the Magic Gun]] to the team as well.}}
* Generation X and, for some of them, the Crusaders of [[Marvels RPG]].
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{{quote| '''Nicholas "Friedrich" Hammond''': I heard that what [Director Bob Wise] wanted to do was construct a family - and he did.}}
* The idea of True Companionship gains a lot of currency in the field of queer theory as an example of an alternative to the traditional "nuclear" or "sanguinuptial" family - and yet one that, like the "traditional" family, is not of one's choosing. Some see it as the best argument against the fact that "family" needs to be defined by blood and/or marital relations. Johns Hopkins professor Sam Chambers uses examples of it from media in his book ''The Queer Politics of Television'', with ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' as his main example.
* The casts of a couple of different sitcoms eventually came to be this after a while. When former ''[[Full House]]'' star Jodie Sweetin became addicted to meth, her fellow former cast members all helped intervene to get her into rehab. Meanwhile, the cast of ''[[Married... Withwith Children]]'' became very close to each other as well, with Ed O'Neill almost becoming a surrogate father to Christina Applegate, whose own parents were divorced.
* [[The Inklings]], an Oxford-based group of writers and scholars that included [[CSC. LewisS. (Creator)Lewis|CS Lewis]] and [[JRRJ. TolkienR. (Creator)R. Tolkien|JRR Tolkien]] (among many others) in their membership, functioned very much as a true companionship group for its members. [[wikipedia:Inklings|The other wiki]] has details.
* The Z-Boys, a group of skateboarders in the 1970's from South Santa Monica and Venice California who are credited with inventing modern skateboarding and essentially creating the punk/skater subculture that now exists. Their name is derived from the name of the team they competed with together, the Zephyr Competition Team. AKA [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0K6lUm5ynw The Lords of Dog Town]
* When you go to the Canadian Improv Games, spot any high-energy team. Any. These teens are usually closer than blood, and it shows in how powerful they are.
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* Software projects are, at least in the current theory of 'how to make a good team', encouraged to bond as true companions for the duration of the project. So much so that the final stage of a team project life-cycle is "mourning", ie once the project is over and the team is broken up.
* The "film brats" of the 70s: [[Steven Spielberg]], [[Francis Ford Coppola]], [[George Lucas]] and [[Martin Scorsese]]. Epitomized when the first three presented the latter with his [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbbzaS8rcak first Academy Award] for Best Director for ''[[The Departed]]'' in 2007.
* The cast and crew of ''[[Star Trek: theThe Next Generation]]'' grew extremely close during their years working together, and were pretty much completely united ''forever'' by the ideas the series was trying to put out-- and no doubt their inability to actually get away from each other, even if they wanted to. They've been best men at each other's marriages and are still close, though they don't see each other as much as they used to. It's true when they say that, on board the starship ''Enterprise'', no one is alone.
 
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