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Romantic Runner-Up

618 statements
115 feature instances
118 referencing feature instances

Romantic Runner-Up	type	FeatureClass
Romantic Runner-Up	label	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up	page	RomanticRunnerUp
Romantic Runner-Up	comment	You know, there isn't really anything wrong with this guy. He just doesn't measure up for some reason. Somebody else can make the jokes he tells a little funnier. He could use a little help in the wardrobe department. He loses a lot of women to the taller, more handsome, more suave guys (and/or the bad-boy types). Or, maybe he has all of those qualities, yet somehow isn't quite Mister Right Enough for the leading lady, who prefers the Protagonist's flaws. The reason this character shows up so often in stories is likely to make a statement about the mysterious ways of love and about how the chemistry between two people is something that cannot be predicted. This message is a little undercut by the fact that certain people seem to be exactly the type to be cast as second-runner in a romance. Perhaps the chemistry is not so mysterious, after all. Note that although this trope largely applies to male characters, it can occasionally affect female characters as well, particularly in Love Triangle relationships where there're two women and one man. In these cases, the exemplar of this trope is usually the "Betty" of a Betty and Veronica matchup. Sometimes called "The Baxter" (but not Ted Baxter) from C.C. Baxter of The Apartment, a sad sack who actually gets the girl. The Michael Showalter movie The Baxter deconstructs the concept. Compare Hopeless Suitor, Romantic False Lead, Unrequited Tragic Maiden, and No Sparks. See also Did Not Get the Girl and Everything but the Girl when it's The Protagonist who is the romantic runner-up. Note that since this trope involves the resolution of love triangles, SPOILERS AHEAD! Please don't use this trope to bash Official Couples that you don't like, too.
Romantic Runner-Up	fetched	2024-04-11T04:17:18Z
Romantic Runner-Up	parsed	2024-04-11T04:17:18Z
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Not an Item - CAT
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to ArmouredClosetGay: Not an Item - FEATURE
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Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to GentlemanDetective: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to HappilyMarried: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to HeroicSacrifice: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Not an Item - FEATURE
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Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to MedicinalLullaby: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
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Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to PlayedWith: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to PrinceCharming: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to RomanticFalseLead: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to RunawayBride: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to SecondLove: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to SlapSlapKiss: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to SubvertedTrope: Not an Item - CAT
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to TookALevelInBadass: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingComment	Dropped link to blackmagiciangirl: Not an Item - FEATURE
Romantic Runner-Up	processingUnknown	Clannad
Romantic Runner-Up	processingUnknown	MarmaladeBoy
Romantic Runner-Up	processingUnknown	Medicinal Lullaby / Fan Fic
Romantic Runner-Up	processingUnknown	StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords
Romantic Runner-Up	isPartOf	DBTropes
Romantic Runner-Up / int_115b0150	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_115b0150	comment	Sailor Moon V makes Rei one of these for Darien. Serena is fully aware of this, and feels sorry for her friend.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_115b0150	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_115b0150	featureConfidence	1.0
Sailor Moon V (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_115b0150
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12451e5f	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12451e5f	comment	(500) Days of Summer is interesting in that one of these is the main character and it is about the fact that while he was completely in love with her, she wasn't at all in love with him(which isn't a spoiler). The key theme is the difference between his expectations and the reality of the situation.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12451e5f	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12451e5f	featureConfidence	1.0
(500) Days of Summer	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_12451e5f
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12b036b1	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12b036b1	comment	Shouta from Momokuri is this to his best friend Rihito. Rihito has always been popular, and while Shouta's far from a bad catch, he's just not quite to the level of hot-guy Rihito. Even Shouta's Childhood Friend Yuzuki, who everyone in the entire series has described as either being in love with him or not realizing she's in love with him, winds up dumping him for Rihito in the end.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12b036b1	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_12b036b1	featureConfidence	1.0
Momokuri (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_12b036b1
Romantic Runner-Up / int_18de62ff	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_18de62ff	comment	The Michael Showalter film The Baxter is a parody from the perspective of one of these guys.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_18de62ff	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_18de62ff	featureConfidence	1.0
The Baxter	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_18de62ff
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1a21786a	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1a21786a	comment	Advice and Trust: As far as it is known, Chihiro Tanaka is not a bad girl -albeit persistent and meddlesome-, but Shinji loves Asuka in spite of all her flaws. Rei is Shinji and Asuka's friend, they would do anything for her and they would never hurt her. But when she confesses she loves them both, they are too committed to each other to consider a three-ways relationship (not that she would interfere anyway).
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1a21786a	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1a21786a	featureConfidence	1.0
Advice and Trust (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_1a21786a
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b2dbfd0	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b2dbfd0	comment	In Corsair, Aura, a plucky (if naive) girl had been planning to marry Canale for a very long time. Though Canale really respects and cares for her he does not want to pursue a relationship for reasons even other than the obvious, and he ends up with the jerkass Fetishized Abuser instead, who is something of an adopted sibling to Aura, just to rub it in.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b2dbfd0	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b2dbfd0	featureConfidence	1.0
Corsair	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b2dbfd0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b386512	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b386512	comment	Ranma Â½ has one for either member of the main couple: Akane openly considers Ryoga to be much nicer and sweeter than her Compassionate Critic and No Social Skills fiance, but she's more or less Oblivious to Love when it comes to him, and quite scared of getting accidentally killed by his hugs, as he loses control of his strength when overly emotional. That said, Ryoga does find somebody else... Shampoo is the only girl besides his fiancee that Ranma has ever shown explicit attraction, even when she was trying to murder him, and admits she can be much nicer... Except Shampoo made a horrible first impression with the whole "trying to murder him" thing and has a very strange morality that makes her act in ways Ranma can't stand.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b386512	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b386512	featureConfidence	1.0
Ranma ½ (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_1b386512
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1dd9862b	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1dd9862b	comment	Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Juzo becomes this when Chisa ends up as the one the love of his life, Munakata, falls in love with.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1dd9862b	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1dd9862b	featureConfidence	1.0
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_1dd9862b
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1e703d1f	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1e703d1f	comment	Gilmore Girls: Dean. He may have been Rory's first-ever boyfriend, but he eventually loses her to Jess and Logan as the series progressed. Christopher, but not for lack of trying. By season 7, Christopher has undergone a heavy dose of Character Development and is much more successful and stable than when he was introduced, but he and Lorelai have long since outgrown each other and their one serious go of it goes down in flames. Lorelai even tearfully tells him he's "the man [she] want[s] to want" but ultimately, it "was always supposed to be Luke."
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1e703d1f	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_1e703d1f	featureConfidence	1.0
Gilmore Girls	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_1e703d1f
Romantic Runner-Up / int_226f6b3f	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_226f6b3f	comment	On Haven, Duke is this in the Love Triangle between him, Audrey, and Nathan. There isn't anything about him that Audrey finds unattractive or makes them incompatible. He even asks her out and she accepts, though she bails (for work reasons). She just falls hard for Nathan, and when it comes out that they have some sort of Love Transcends Space Time thing going on, the Love Triangle naturally fades out of the story line. In a surprisingly mature take on the Love Triangle trope, Duke sees the writing on the wall pretty early on, but he doesn't do anything to change it—recognizing that the choice is Audrey's and that he can't make her choose him. His lingering feelings come up a few times after Audrey has solidly chosen Nathan, but they turn more sororal after Duke gets his own Love Interest in season four.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_226f6b3f	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_226f6b3f	featureConfidence	1.0
Haven	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_226f6b3f
Romantic Runner-Up / int_231b713e	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_231b713e	comment	Zach was this to Seth in The O.C. with regards to Summer. A nice guy, son of a congressman, confident, mature, and yet just not quite what Summer really wanted. The implication when he was Put on a Bus was that he went into business with George Lucas, so maybe it all worked out in the wash.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_231b713e	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_231b713e	featureConfidence	1.0
The O.C.	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_231b713e
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2324de49	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2324de49	comment	My Best Friend's Wedding is entirely built around Julia Robert's character fighting not to become this. She doesn't get the guy, but hooks up with Rupert Everett at the end. Awwww!
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2324de49	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2324de49	featureConfidence	1.0
My Best Friend's Wedding	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2324de49
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2644d4b2	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2644d4b2	comment	Stuart McRae was a very good version of this in Road to Avonlea. It made perfect sense for Felicity to want to marry him - and for her to dump him after it turned out that Gus was still alive.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2644d4b2	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2644d4b2	featureConfidence	1.0
Road to Avonlea	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2644d4b2
Romantic Runner-Up / int_26eb8bf3	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_26eb8bf3	comment	Ceres, Celestial Legend features a similar situation where Yuuhi readily accepts his romantic loss to Aya's Mysterious Protector, Tooya. In the end, however, Tooya tells him that he's dying and won't live more than two years, so he asks Yuuhi to take care of Aya and their soon-to-be-born child once he's gone.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_26eb8bf3	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_26eb8bf3	featureConfidence	1.0
Ceres, Celestial Legend (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_26eb8bf3
Romantic Runner-Up / int_27c708b3	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_27c708b3	comment	Deconstructed in Rosario + Vampire with Kurumu (a succubus). It's fairly clear how heartbreaking it is for her to not be the girl to get Tsukune. It gets worse because in this universe, Unrequited Love is a bad thing for a succubus.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_27c708b3	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_27c708b3	featureConfidence	1.0
Rosario + Vampire (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_27c708b3
Romantic Runner-Up / int_28fe1376	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_28fe1376	comment	Fringe: Poor Lincoln Lee. Let's recap: in the original timeline red-verse, he is in unrequited love and friend-zoned with Fauxlivia. This doesn't seem to change after the Season 4 reboot of both universes. In the rebooted blue-verse, he has a flirtation going with Olivia, who seems interested. Until a handsome, snarky stranger shows up who's actually her true love from an erased timeline. To add insult to injury, her choosing to remember Peter means she won't even really remember that she and Lincoln had a mutual attraction. However, after his much cooler alternative universe-counterpart dies, he decides to cross over for good and stick to Fauxlivia. Towards the end of the last season, when Olivia crosses over one last time using her cortexiphan-induced powers, it's revealed that they married and had a son.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_28fe1376	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_28fe1376	featureConfidence	1.0
Fringe	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_28fe1376
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a66cb8d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a66cb8d	comment	Sam from Charlaine Harris's The Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries books. He's her employer, and first indicated her interest when she got into her first serious relationship with another man. They're just good friends by now. Subverted: Sam wins.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a66cb8d	featureApplicability	-0.3
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a66cb8d	featureConfidence	1.0
The Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a66cb8d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a8943c0	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a8943c0	comment	Miraculous Ladybug: In Kagami's Season 3 rÃ©sumÃ©, she was specifically designated as an obstacle between Marinette and Adrien; that season ends with the two dating Luka and Kagami, respectively, only for Season 4 to immediately break both pairings up. From that point on, both barely appear beyond occasionally acting as Sixth Ranger part-time heroes... or, ironically, acting as Shippers On Deck for their exes.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a8943c0	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a8943c0	featureConfidence	1.0
Miraculous Ladybug	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2a8943c0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ba48a26	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ba48a26	comment	Tom Demming from Castle is a mix of this and a Romantic False Lead, as while his arc is only a few episodes and he exists, essentially, to wake Castle the hell up, he is a genuinely good guy who really does care about Beckett and seems to make her happy.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ba48a26	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ba48a26	featureConfidence	1.0
Castle (2009)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ba48a26
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2c9b0bb4	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2c9b0bb4	comment	Sam Cavanaugh of Moonlighting, whom Maddie Hayes outright admits would be perfect for her — if she weren't already madly in love with her wisecracking, strip-poker-playing, flirtatious, seemingly devil-may-care partner David Addison, with whom she has the kind of romantic and sexual chemistry frequently blamed for forest fires.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2c9b0bb4	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2c9b0bb4	featureConfidence	1.0
Moonlighting	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2c9b0bb4
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2e24be91	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2e24be91	comment	In Junpei's route in Kiss of Revenge, Nurse Saomi develops an interest in him, but he only has eyes for the protagonist. The protagonist tries to set them up together, with no success for obvious reasonsnote It's his own route, and in a choose-your-romance game, it wouldn't make sense for the protagonist to not get together with her chosen love interest.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2e24be91	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2e24be91	featureConfidence	1.0
Kiss of Revenge (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2e24be91
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ef7cb74	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ef7cb74	comment	Yuuno Scrya from Lyrical Nanoha. Nice guy, helpful, supportive; he was the one who gave Nanoha her calling but relationship-wise it just didn't go anywhere and Word of Gay states that Nanoha ended up with Fate instead.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ef7cb74	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ef7cb74	featureConfidence	1.0
Lyrical Nanoha (Franchise)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2ef7cb74
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2f3162e4	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2f3162e4	comment	Subverted in Sex and the City Steve looked like he would be this for Miranda, and they even broke up for a while. But in the end, his sheer averageness was just the kind of stability she needed.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2f3162e4	featureApplicability	-0.3
Romantic Runner-Up / int_2f3162e4	featureConfidence	1.0
Sex and the City	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_2f3162e4
Romantic Runner-Up / int_307b8ff6	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_307b8ff6	comment	Total Drama Comeback Series: Not only did Cody lose Gwen to Trent in canon, but in the first story he winds up losing in another Love Triangle, this time with Beth to Justin. This leaves as the only Gen 1 male single at the end. Fortunately, the writer throws him a bone in the sequel, where he's the axis in a love triangle between Eva and an attractive OC.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_307b8ff6	featureApplicability	1.0
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Total Drama Comeback Series (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_307b8ff6
Romantic Runner-Up / int_370e297d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_370e297d	comment	Enchanted in the Moonlight: In the epilogue of Miyabi's story line, Chikage outright asks the protagonist to leave Miyabi and be with him instead. She doesn't of course. Miyabi doesn't hold a grudge over it. Kyoga on Chikage's route. He would very much like it if the protagonist chose him over some cold-blooded tengu, but eventually comes to respect her choice.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_370e297d	featureApplicability	1.0
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Enchanted in the Moonlight (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_370e297d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_39136df1	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_39136df1	comment	Kentarou Nara from the anime/manga School Rumble. Oddly enough, he was originally going to be the main character of the show but was nonetheless relegated as a side character with little screen time or role in the story.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_39136df1	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_39136df1	featureConfidence	1.0
School Rumble (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_39136df1
Romantic Runner-Up / int_391b22c9	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_391b22c9	comment	Eleanor of Emma: A Victorian Romance is a female example. There's nothing wrong with her, it's just that William had already fallen in love with someone else.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_391b22c9	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_391b22c9	featureConfidence	1.0
Emma: A Victorian Romance (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_391b22c9
Romantic Runner-Up / int_3b91d912	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_3b91d912	comment	Evangelion 303: Saburo was immature, sometimes overbearing, a borderline stalker and he did many dumb things and hurt people as he tried and failed to get Kaworu back... but he was not a bad person. He was just unable to control his emotions and let the past go. He also thought he was protecting Kaworu from heartbreak by interfering between Rei and him. When he realized that was not the case he gave up.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_3b91d912	featureApplicability	1.0
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Evangelion 303 (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_3b91d912
Romantic Runner-Up / int_3dd3507b	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_3dd3507b	comment	Ozmafia!! lets you change routes after starting one, leading Caramia, Kyrie, and Axel all possibly ending up as this if you start on one of their routes and then transfer to another's.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_3dd3507b	featureApplicability	1.0
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Ozmafia!! (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_3dd3507b
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4166f2bb	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4166f2bb	comment	Matt Hardy and Daniel Bryan share the humiliation of each having lost a romantic rivalry to Kane. That's right, Kane - a socially awkward, genuinely ugly, supremely sadistic borderline Humanoid Abomination. Then again, there was a saving grace in each case in that the girl in question proved to be a total slut.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4166f2bb	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4166f2bb	featureConfidence	1.0
Matt Hardy (Wrestling)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_4166f2bb
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4368039d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4368039d	comment	In Supergirl (Volume 2) Philip Decker dated Linda Danvers for a while and their relationship appeared to go full steam ahead... until Linda broke up with Phil because he was keeping things from her, and shortly after she met again Dick Malverne, who she was still in love with.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4368039d	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4368039d	featureConfidence	1.0
Supergirl 1982 (Comic Book)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_4368039d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4a8fdc3b	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4a8fdc3b	comment	Dandelion: Heejung never seems to consider her college friend Heejae as a potential romantic option. In fact, he only confesses his feelings to her if the player failed to properly romance any of the other guys, making it a Bad Ending.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4a8fdc3b	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4a8fdc3b	featureConfidence	1.0
Dandelion (Video Game)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_4a8fdc3b
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ab17360	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ab17360	comment	Inuyasha: Houjou is unbelievably and relentlessly nice to Kagome, and even though the few dates they try out are disastrous, he doesn't give up. However, his name isn't in the title, so of course he's doomed to providing lots of unnecessary medicine while she runs off to save the world with Inuyasha. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to mind much.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ab17360	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ab17360	featureConfidence	1.0
Inuyasha (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ab17360
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ec6798d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ec6798d	comment	Artemus Gordon ends up this way at the end of almost every first season episode of The Wild Wild West. Having helped save the day (and usually the girl) most of the time, he turns to talk to either her or Jim West and finds that the girl is now in Jim's arms. From the second season on Artie's luck gets much better.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ec6798d	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ec6798d	featureConfidence	1.0
The Wild Wild West	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_4ec6798d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_50dfe56d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_50dfe56d	comment	In SHUFFLE!, every girl, especially Kaede becomes this once Rin chooses one near the end.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_50dfe56d	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_50dfe56d	featureConfidence	1.0
Shuffle	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_50dfe56d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5423040c	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5423040c	comment	In Ã–verenskommelser by Simona Ahrnstedt, both of the story's protagonists have one. Beatrice has Alexandre St Cyr D'Aubigny, and Seth has Lily Tremaine. But in the end, Alexandre and Lily hook up.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5423040c	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5423040c	featureConfidence	1.0
Överenskommelser	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_5423040c
Romantic Runner-Up / int_54291151	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_54291151	comment	Blythe Baxter from Littlest Pet Shop (2012) had Josh Sharp falling into her arms as he swoons with her, even though he loses her each time she leaves him, hoping to go back to her room, resulting in a major heartbreak, due to the song Keep on Loving You by The Donnas.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_54291151	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_54291151	featureConfidence	1.0
Littlest Pet Shop (2012)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_54291151
Romantic Runner-Up / int_57f80079	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_57f80079	comment	Simon Lewis from The Mortal Instruments, Clary chooses Jace instead of him, although he doesn't seem too affected by it in the long run.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_57f80079	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_57f80079	featureConfidence	1.0
The Mortal Instruments	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_57f80079
Romantic Runner-Up / int_59623bb9	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_59623bb9	comment	Kija and Jaeha from Yona of the Dawn seem to recognize right away that they are this, and actively don't act on their slight romantic affections for protagonist Yona. She's still very fond of them, and both of them are kind and handsome, but Yona simply doesn't view them in a romantic way. Ironically Hak, the person she does end up falling for, also believed himself to be this for years due to her longstanding crush on Su-won. Needless to say, he subverts this and becomes her Second Love.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_59623bb9	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_59623bb9	featureConfidence	1.0
Yona of the Dawn (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_59623bb9
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5a2dc3c8	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5a2dc3c8	comment	Love Letter from Thief X: Tatsuro is the Unlucky Childhood Friend in every route other than his own.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5a2dc3c8	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5a2dc3c8	featureConfidence	1.0
Love Letter from Thief X (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_5a2dc3c8
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5c5251b6	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5c5251b6	comment	HERZ: Kurumi was not a bad girl per se (at least if you do not count how she got Shinji hammered in order to sleep with him), but she was not Asuka. Shinji loved Asuka for her beauty, brains, bravery, and fierceness, and being the only person could understand him, and he needed her badly.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5c5251b6	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5c5251b6	featureConfidence	1.0
HERZ (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_5c5251b6
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5d936277	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5d936277	comment	Carefree (1938)
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5d936277	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_5d936277	featureConfidence	1.0
Carefree	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_5d936277
Romantic Runner-Up / int_641203c1	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_641203c1	comment	On Schitt's Creek: Ted, in Season 1 and 2, is the broken-hearted runner-up when Alexis chooses Mutt. However, after Mutt and Alexis's romance burns out and Mutt is Put Ona Bus, the story takes a turn and Alexis realizes she made a mistake with Ted. When Mutt returns for an episode, he becomes the runner up as Alexis won't sleep with Mutt because she loves Ted.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_641203c1	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_641203c1	featureConfidence	1.0
Schitt's Creek	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_641203c1
Romantic Runner-Up / int_656e8d31	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_656e8d31	comment	Dr. Itsuki of RahXephon, anyone? Haruka initially dated someone else before the Mu arrived, then she dated Itsuki in college. Haruka's actual true love turned out to be Ayato, and they were separated literally by time and space before Itsuki ever dated her...
Romantic Runner-Up / int_656e8d31	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_656e8d31	featureConfidence	1.0
RahXephon	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_656e8d31
Romantic Runner-Up / int_6e965d38	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_6e965d38	comment	This Nearly Was Mine revolves around Frederic Horshoepin filling this role for Octavia, who's dating Vinyl Scratch.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_6e965d38	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_6e965d38	featureConfidence	1.0
This Nearly Was Mine (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_6e965d38
Romantic Runner-Up / int_71a2d83d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_71a2d83d	comment	Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries: Both Katherine and Elena prefer and have chosen Stefan over him. Is always second best to Stefan in regards to love and romance.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_71a2d83d	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_71a2d83d	featureConfidence	1.0
The Vampire Diaries	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_71a2d83d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7393c0ce	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7393c0ce	comment	In Hellsister Trilogy, Brainiac 5 is handsome, intelligent and well-meaning; however, Supergirl finds she can't love him back the way he wants to be loved and ends up falling for dashing but abrasive Dev-Em instead.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7393c0ce	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7393c0ce	featureConfidence	1.0
Hellsister Trilogy (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7393c0ce
Romantic Runner-Up / int_73d7930f	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_73d7930f	comment	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: This has happened to Bashir twice. Leeta dumped him for Rom, whom she marries. Later on, after Jadzia is gone, Ezri tells him that if Worf hadn't come along, Jadzia would have chosen him.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_73d7930f	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_73d7930f	featureConfidence	1.0
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_73d7930f
Romantic Runner-Up / int_74185a1d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_74185a1d	comment	Kiznaiver: Of the love triangle between Sonozaki, Katsuhira, and Chidori, the end game is Sonozaki/Katsuhira, leaving Chidori as this. Of the love triangle between Nico, Tenga, and Chidori, the end is left open over who will end up with whom, but considering that Tenga had fallen for Chidori and she started developing feelings for him after the events of the show, as well as Nico openly stating she will value their friendship over any possible romance, it's likely that Nico ends as this.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_74185a1d	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_74185a1d	featureConfidence	1.0
Kiznaiver	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_74185a1d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7431d0bf	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7431d0bf	comment	In Dragon Quest: Your Story, Nera Briscoletti is a beautiful, kind-hearted, rich lady. Yet still, despite having a more overt crush on Luca compared to the game, she ultimately convinces him to back out of their engagement after picking up on how close Luca really is with Bianca.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7431d0bf	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7431d0bf	featureConfidence	1.0
Dragon Quest: Your Story	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7431d0bf
Romantic Runner-Up / int_75ab313	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_75ab313	comment	His Girl Friday (1940)
Romantic Runner-Up / int_75ab313	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_75ab313	featureConfidence	1.0
His Girl Friday	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_75ab313
Romantic Runner-Up / int_76686539	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_76686539	comment	Mass Effect: Dr. Michel has feelings for Garrus but will lose to a female Shepard who romanced Garrus in the second game, and even if the player does not romance him, he'll end up with Tali if Shepard didn't romance her.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_76686539	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_76686539	featureConfidence	1.0
Mass Effect (Video Game)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_76686539
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7668653b	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7668653b	comment	Given the many ways one can play their character, almost all of the series' party members can be subjected to this if Shepard decides to romance one character in either of the first two games and end up with someone else in Mass Effect 3.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7668653b	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7668653b	featureConfidence	1.0
Mass Effect 3 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7668653b
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7832b74c	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7832b74c	comment	Pearl in Steven Universe was in love with Rose Quartz AKA Pink Diamond for thousands of years and was her right hand during the war for Earth. When they settled on earth permanently, Rose would sometimes date humans but Pearl never truly paid much attention as Rose would inevitably outlive them due to gems being effectively immortal. Everything changed when Greg Universe came along and they fostered a relationship deeper than any other Rose had had before. Ultimately, Rose chose Greg and gave up her physical form to bring Steven into the world. Pearl would become one of Steven's caretakers from then on but still pined for Rose and her relationship with Greg remained tense up until "Mr. Greg" where the two reconciled after her song "It's Over Isn't It"
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7832b74c	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7832b74c	featureConfidence	1.0
Steven Universe	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7832b74c
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7988cb68	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7988cb68	comment	Mass Effect: Mass Effect: Dr. Michel has feelings for Garrus but will lose to a female Shepard who romanced Garrus in the second game, and even if the player does not romance him, he'll end up with Tali if Shepard didn't romance her. Given the many ways one can play their character, almost all of the series' party members can be subjected to this if Shepard decides to romance one character in either of the first two games and end up with someone else in Mass Effect 3.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7988cb68	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7988cb68	featureConfidence	1.0
Mass Effect (Franchise)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7988cb68
Romantic Runner-Up / int_79b8b1e2	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_79b8b1e2	comment	There are two on Homare's route in Class Trip Crush. His classmate and self-appointed rival Takashi develops a crush on the protagonist, which given Takashi's awkwardness serves mostly to bemuse her and give Homare something else to snark about. Nagisa also expresses an interest in the protagonist at a couple of points during the route, but when he finally gets the chance to make an overture in her direction, Homare immediately makes it clear in no uncertain terms that she's already spoken for, and Nagisa backs down gracefully.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_79b8b1e2	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_79b8b1e2	featureConfidence	1.0
Class Trip Crush (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_79b8b1e2
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7e90688	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7e90688	comment	What Goes Around Comes Around: Played With; Adrien and Alya both incorrectly assume that Luka is one of these. Sure, Marinette seems perfectly happy with him, but clearly they're not meant to be together! Adrien is Chat Noir, after all, and with Marinette revealed as Ladybug, he's convinced she's meant to be falling into his arms. Alya repeatedly 'reassures' Marinette that she doesn't have to stick with 'second place' anymore, ignoring how much she's irritating her 'bestie' by pushing her ship. Adrien also invokes this to justify and dismiss how his relationship with Kagami fell apart, claiming that she was only ever his 'second choice'. Plagg calls him out on this, pointing out how horribly he treated both girls, including the fact that he was actively pursuing and flirting with Ladybug even while dating Kagami.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7e90688	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7e90688	featureConfidence	1.0
What Goes Around Comes Around (Miraculous Ladybug) (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7e90688
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f2f5e71	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f2f5e71	comment	In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2016), Shad hits it off with the amnesiac Ilia well enough that an eventual romance becomes a likelihood...and then Link barges into the tavern to continue that Rescue Romance he and Ilia were evidently having. Ilia is the actual runner up in all this, losing to Midna.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f2f5e71	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f2f5e71	featureConfidence	1.0
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2016) (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f2f5e71
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f6eb95d	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f6eb95d	comment	Paris, of Romeo and Juliet.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f6eb95d	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f6eb95d	featureConfidence	1.0
Romeo and Juliet (Theatre)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7f6eb95d
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7fc57c48	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7fc57c48	comment	Brian Krakow in My So-Called Life may be the ultimate Deconstruction of this trope. Especially since he gets his own runner-up in Delia Fisher, and shows you exactly what the real-life consequences of at least two tropes, and a complete and utter crushing deconstructive subversion of a third.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7fc57c48	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_7fc57c48	featureConfidence	1.0
My So-Called Life	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_7fc57c48
Romantic Runner-Up / int_82439e64	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_82439e64	comment	Between her roles on The Office (US) and Parks and Recreation, Rashida Jones seems to be building a career on playing this character.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_82439e64	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_82439e64	featureConfidence	1.0
The Office (US)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_82439e64
Romantic Runner-Up / int_83d41855	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_83d41855	comment	In Gargoyles, Brooklyn has some bad luck. First he fell for Maggie (mistaking her for a female gargoyle at a time when they believed Demona was the only one left), but she was freaked out by him and ultimately wound up with Derek/Talon. Then he's clearly depressed when Angela chooses Broadway over him (Lexington having bowed out of the cock fight for some reason). Word of God and the official comic continuation eventually throw him a bone, however, when he meets and marries Katana.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_83d41855	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_83d41855	featureConfidence	1.0
Gargoyles	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_83d41855
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8785b96a	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8785b96a	comment	In Your Arms Tonight: Koichi ends up in this role in Ginnosuke's route, realizing only too late how much he values the protagonist as his wife. Genji ends up in this role in Soji's route: he very much wants to rekindle his previous relationship with the protagonist, but after twelve years without hearing from him, she's moved on, and by the time Genji makes it clear he's serious, she's already falling for Soji.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8785b96a	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8785b96a	featureConfidence	1.0
InYourArmsTonight	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8785b96a
Romantic Runner-Up / int_88b89bbc	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_88b89bbc	comment	Be My Princess: On Glenn's route, Yu ends up the runner up. Unlike other VN examples, this continues to be a point of contention between the two men.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_88b89bbc	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_88b89bbc	featureConfidence	1.0
Be My Princess (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_88b89bbc
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8954ed21	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8954ed21	comment	Subverted in Paradise Kiss. Hiroyuki Tokumori was in a love triangle with Miwako and Arashi, ending up as the loser. He also was Yukari's first crush, but then she fell for George. In the end, though, Yukari and George break up, George goes abroad... and Yukari marries Tokumori.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8954ed21	featureApplicability	-0.3
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8954ed21	featureConfidence	1.0
Paradise Kiss (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8954ed21
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8aa7c509	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8aa7c509	comment	Tom in Star vs. the Forces of Evil. He spends most of seasons 3 and 4 (ie nearly half the series) as Star's boyfriend, but they break up right as final story arc begins. 5 episodes later (and less than a day in-universe), Star and Marco become a couple and remain together through the finale, even bringing about the ending via The Power of Love.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8aa7c509	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8aa7c509	featureConfidence	1.0
Star vs. the Forces of Evil	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8aa7c509
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8b157bc2	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8b157bc2	comment	Speaking of Trope Namer Michael Showalter, how about Coop from Wet Hot American Summer? Katie's speech to him at the end basically epitomizes this trope:
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8b157bc2	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8b157bc2	featureConfidence	1.0
Stella (US)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8b157bc2
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d3d52ed	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d3d52ed	comment	Speakeasy Tonight: Vince develops feelings for the protagonist in Donovan's route, but she puts an end to their flirting once she realizes that she's serious about Donovan.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d3d52ed	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d3d52ed	featureConfidence	1.0
Speakeasy Tonight (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d3d52ed
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d7f29ec	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d7f29ec	comment	Glee: Sam unfortunately ends up being this. First, Quinn cheats on him and ends up choosing Finn. Then, he briefly dates Santana until she dumps him for the bully Karofsky, not knowing that they are acting as each others' beards. Then after a long term relationship with Brittany, she dumps him and gets back together with Santana a couple months later. Artie was this after Tina dumped him for Mike. The Quinn/Finn/Rachel love triangle had Rachel and Quinn alternating the role of runner up. The most notable instances were in season 2. Finn and Rachel broke up, leading to him and Quinn getting back together with Rachel still pining for Finn. Then Finn dumped Quinn because he was still in love with Rachel, making her the runner up.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d7f29ec	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d7f29ec	featureConfidence	1.0
Glee	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d7f29ec
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d817ccb	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d817ccb	comment	Part of the rivalry between Jack and Sawyer for Kate's affections in Lost. Jack is a very good guy, skilled, likable, and an excellent surgeon. Sawyer is dangerous, charming, and mysterious as well as almost entirely unlikeable. Ben points this out to Sawyer telling him that, on the island, he's the dashing adventurous bad boy while Jack is the bland doctor. Off the island, Sawyer is a two-bit ex-con and Jack is the respected, well-educated Doctor. Later during Season 5, Sawyer ends up forming a relationship with Juliet (who had previously realized that she was essentially a Romantic False Lead for Jack). However, the sexual tension between Sawyer and Kate remains, and Juliet continues to worry that she will be this to Kate, this time for Sawyer. In the end, Jack ends up with Kate, and Sawyer ends up with Juliet.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d817ccb	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d817ccb	featureConfidence	1.0
Lost	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8d817ccb
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8f58ab76	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8f58ab76	comment	Cary Elwes's character from Liar Liar.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8f58ab76	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_8f58ab76	featureConfidence	1.0
Liar Liar	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_8f58ab76
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9038cb73	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9038cb73	comment	A New Hope (Danganronpa): Chiaki has feelings for Hajime, who's already very close with Mikan. In Chapter 54, she admits her feelings and says she doesn't mind being "Player 3" if she has to. It's ultimately Subverted when Hajime assures he it won't come to that; he loves her just as much as Mikan. Ultimately, the three of them end up together.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9038cb73	featureApplicability	-0.3
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9038cb73	featureConfidence	1.0
A New Hope (Danganronpa) (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_9038cb73
Romantic Runner-Up / int_90f42a9b	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_90f42a9b	comment	This is part of Demandred's backstory in The Wheel of Time, and is apparently why he ended up as a mass-murdering evil general. In particular, it's massive RPT MASSIVE resentment of his status as second fiddle to the Dragon. Almost as smart, powerful, handsome, etc, etc. IIRC, he wound up playing for the side of evil so he could finally be superior.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_90f42a9b	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_90f42a9b	featureConfidence	1.0
The Wheel of Time	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_90f42a9b
Romantic Runner-Up / int_927e9d08	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_927e9d08	comment	Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura and Syaoran are both in love with Yukito at the start of the story, but Yukito ends the story with Sakura's brother, Touya. At this point, it can be considered a subversion, since Sakura realized she had no romantic interest in Yukito a bit prior to their relationship started and Syaoran fell for Sakura after they captured all Clow Cards. Tomoyo is in love with Sakura, but she much prefers the Better as Friends and I Want My Beloved to Be Happy approaches, and is, towards the end, happy to help Sakura and Syaoran get together.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_927e9d08	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_927e9d08	featureConfidence	1.0
Cardcaptor Sakura (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_927e9d08
Romantic Runner-Up / int_96387ca2	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_96387ca2	comment	Kissed by the Baddest Bidder: Takahiro in Eisuke's route. He gets as far as inviting the protagonist out on a pseudo-date and makes an impassioned plea for her to choose him as the more stable of the two men. This being Eisuke's route, she obviously doesn't.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_96387ca2	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_96387ca2	featureConfidence	1.0
Kissed by the Baddest Bidder (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_96387ca2
Romantic Runner-Up / int_986e857e	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_986e857e	comment	Cooper from Ben 10. In Alien Force, he shows himself as a caring, humble, and really intelligent kid who has a deep crush on Gwen. However, she never showed any interest in him (she even tried to avoid him many times) and always chose Kevin over him every time he appeared. This trope was taken to the extreme in Ultimate Alien during the first season finale. Cooper had a fast growth and became a big teenager who was pretty much a palette swap of Kevin (only blonde). He worked hard to make sure Gwen's plan of stopping Kevin was a success and even defended her when Kevin almost killed her, yet all he got in the end was a thank you and a kiss on the cheek from Gwen, followed by seeing her giving Kevin a big kiss on the lips.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_986e857e	featureApplicability	1.0
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Ben 10	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_986e857e
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a503357	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a503357	comment	Warlock III: The End of Innocence: Jerry is in love with Kris, whom he's known for years, but she already has a boyfriend (Michael). The Warlock promises him Kris' love in an effort to corrupt him, but he actually manages to hold out the longest of her friends rather than betray her. What finally causes him to give her up is the Warlock showing him that Kris previously believed him to be a joke.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a503357	featureApplicability	1.0
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Warlock III: The End of Innocence	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a503357
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a67b688	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a67b688	comment	Dr. Tomoaki Araide in Case Closed. Dude's handsome, soft-spoken, rich,... and he happens to have a romantic interest in a young girl named Ran, who has been smitten with the Guile Hero Shinichi/Conan already for years. One of the OAV's shows what would likely happen if Shinichi never found a way to become normal... Araide would lose even then, since Ran would rather be alone than without Shinichi. Thank Gods it was All Just a Dream... An even more blatant example is Inspector Shiratori, whose biggest in-story role was being part of the Love Triangle between Sato and Takagi. It's later explained that his reasons to like Sato go beyond the mere Love Triangle, and were centered on someone else in the end.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a67b688	featureApplicability	1.0
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Case Closed (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_9a67b688
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a6793806	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a6793806	comment	Kotori is another female example from Da Capo. Many of the characters mention that she's popular, she's a good cook, smart, and she likes spending a lot of time with Junichi. Many characters also comment that those two would be a good match for each other. But unfortunately for her, Junichi's jealous sister Nemu doesn't like him spending time with any girls but her. Sakura is another example. She even fought with Nemu at first, but eventually gives him up at the end of the first Season.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a6793806	featureApplicability	1.0
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DaCapo	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_a6793806
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a810bb3b	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a810bb3b	comment	The Awful Truth (1937)
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a810bb3b	featureApplicability	1.0
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The Awful Truth	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_a810bb3b
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a9a83b90	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a9a83b90	comment	X-Men 1970: Angel is handsome, chivalrous, good-natured and rich. He believed he had a very good chance to win Jean Grey's heart until he realized she loved their neurotic, shy teammate Cyclops. Then Warren decided Scott and Jean were meant to be together and stepped out of the way voluntarily.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_a9a83b90	featureApplicability	1.0
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X-Men 1970 (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_a9a83b90
Romantic Runner-Up / int_b07ab1cd	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_b07ab1cd	comment	Walter in Sleepless in Seattle. This is a guy who was about to get married, and basically gets dumped for some guy who lives on the other side of the country and whom his fiance has never even met.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_b07ab1cd	featureApplicability	1.0
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Sleepless in Seattle	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_b07ab1cd
Romantic Runner-Up / int_b7296d31	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_b7296d31	comment	Reito of My-HiME for Mai. Mai strongly considered him at first but ended up with Yuuichi in the end.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_b7296d31	featureApplicability	1.0
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My-HiME	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_b7296d31
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba44f5d5	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba44f5d5	comment	Earth's Children has a few characters who lose their potential love interests to someone else. Joplaya is the runner-up for her childhood crush Jondalar, who marries Ayla and never even realised Joplaya loved him romantically. Joplaya doesn't begrudge Ayla for it and they actually become good friends; she also goes on to marry Echozar. It's just as well, as Joplaya and Jondalar are unknowingly half-siblings. By the end of The Mammoth Hunters, Ranec is the runner-up to Jondalar, for Ayla, who cancels their wedding last minute. She even states that she may have been able to love him, if she hadn't met Jondalar first. He's bitter about it because he loves Ayla, but ultimately accepts there's nothing he can do to change the situation and wishes Ayla happiness. Ranec admits that deep down he suspected Ayla's heart truly lay with Jondalar, but hoped that with enough time and effort she'd come to return his feelings. Also in The Mammoth Hunters, Vincavec loses Ayla's affections to Jondalar, though he wasn't so much in love with her as he was attracted to her beauty, talents and the status she could bring him. He was at least completely honest about this to Ayla when he proposed, but she wanted to be with someone she truly loved. S'Armuna was the runner-up to Marthona, her best friend at the time, for Joconan. She didn't take it well at the time, cutting them both off and moving far away with no contact for years, though she came to regret this years later. Upon learning that Joconan died only a few years after mating Marthona, she also appears to realize that she would've lost him either way, so there's little point continuing to be bitter over it. Marona to Ayla, for Jondalar. They nearly got married at one point, but Jondalar changed his mind and decided to go on a long vacation instead. Part of Marona hoped she might have a shot of rekindling things with Jondalar once he returns from his journey, but it's immediately obvious to her he hasn't exactly been pining for her given he shows up with Ayla and announces their engagement. It's to the point where even though she succeeds in seducing Jondalar in the sixth book, it's still made blatantly obvious that he'll always prefer Ayla.
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Earth's Children	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba44f5d5
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba741aff	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba741aff	comment	Plan B subverts this trope with Pablo. Bruno mockingly calls Pablo a "nice guy" after seeing him dating his ex-girlfriend Laura and when he asks Laura after seducing her back into bed with him if she loves Pablo, she just says that he isn't crazy like Bruno is which implies that she's with Pablo more because he's a 'safer' choice than because she truly loves him. All of this seems to be setting up Pablo as the blander Romantic False Lead who'll ultimately lose out to Bruno for Laura's affections... except that when Bruno befriends Pablo as part of a Relationship Sabotage plan, he learns that Pablo is far from a boring person to talk to and is very easy to like. So easy to like, in fact, that Bruno ends up falling more deeply in love with Pablo than he ever was with Laura and gives up on his initial plan to win Laura back in favor of hooking up with Pablo, thus making this probably the only example of this trope where the apparent Romantic Runner-Up not only wins, but does so by winning the heart of his romantic rival.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba741aff	featureApplicability	1.0
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Plan B	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_ba741aff
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bc1dc95a	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bc1dc95a	comment	This page describes the entire existence of James Norrington from Pirates of the Caribbean — even though he is played by Jack Davenport, he cannot compete with Will or Jack. Even in Dead Man's Chest, when he was dirty, drunk, and hot as hell. Poor fellow. Technically Jack Sparrow too, as he also loses Elizabeth to Will in the third film. This is less tragic though because while Norrington genuinely loved Elizabeth and eventually made a Heroic Sacrifice to save her from Davy Jones, Jack's relationship with her was more Played for Laughs and he ended up getting a new love interest in the fourth film anyway.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bc1dc95a	featureApplicability	1.0
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Pirates of the Caribbean (Franchise)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_bc1dc95a
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bd310eaa	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bd310eaa	comment	In El Goonish Shive, both Susan and Diane end up as this when Elliot starts dating Ashley.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bd310eaa	featureApplicability	1.0
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El Goonish Shive (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_bd310eaa
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bdbbfdb7	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bdbbfdb7	comment	Julian in Something's Gotta Give. Diane Keaton dumps the much-younger, suave doctor Keanu Reeves for Jack Nicholson. Sad Keanu, indeed.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_bdbbfdb7	featureApplicability	1.0
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Something's Gotta Give	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_bdbbfdb7
Romantic Runner-Up / int_c43df4d8	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_c43df4d8	comment	Doctor Who: Mickey Smith is decent, okay-looking, just an average guy with a hot girlfriend...until some guy with a leather jacket and a nice ride sweeps her off her feet. Zigzagged between Martha Jones and the Tenth Doctor. Gorgeous, funny, extremely intelligent, and brave, Martha falls in love with the Doctor almost immediately. Which the Doctor realizes - it's just that he still misses and loves Rose. No wonder Mickey and Martha end up married.
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Doctor Who	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_c43df4d8
Romantic Runner-Up / int_c715f539	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_c715f539	comment	Frank in the Outlander series has the unfortunate distinction of first losing his wife in a magic rock, and then, just as he's getting over her, getting her back only to find that she's still in love with the guy she married in the 18th century.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_c715f539	featureApplicability	1.0
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Outlander	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_c715f539
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cb456328	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cb456328	comment	In Punch an' Pie, Heather's mother describes Heather's ex-boyfriend as squarely fitting into this trope (he hasn't been seen, though). Angela's ex-boyfriend from the prequel had a lot of these traits but doesn't quite fit the trope.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cb456328	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cb456328	featureConfidence	1.0
Punch an' Pie (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_cb456328
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cd899ed6	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cd899ed6	comment	Mako. While he did fumble up his relationships with Korra and Asami a lot over the first two seasons, one could argue that in Book Four, he was mature enough to finally hold a relationship. In the end, however, he ends up as a good friend to both Korra AND Asami. He's also the runner-up to both as the two, in the Grand Finale, have a Relationship Upgrade.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cd899ed6	featureApplicability	1.0
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Grand Finale	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_cd899ed6
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ce50887e	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ce50887e	comment	Yamcha of Dragon Ball may be the quintessential example. In fact, he combines this trope with Romantic False Lead, because he was explicitly set up with Bulma after the end of the first big story arc conclusion, when the dragon was summoned. However, fast forward to Dragon Ball Z, & Bulma dumps him, & then gradually warms up to Vegeta of all people, who had been a villain actively threatening the planet in the previous story arc.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ce50887e	featureApplicability	1.0
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Dragon Ball (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_ce50887e
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cf3e7a82	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cf3e7a82	comment	He does get the girl in Superman Returns. Strangely enough, that film casts Superman as the Baxter. In the first hour, at least. In the end, he still loses, Lois pretty much states that they're done as a couple and she's going to pine for Superman, because she really loves him and he is the father to her son.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_cf3e7a82	featureApplicability	1.0
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Superman (Franchise)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_cf3e7a82
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d1fbfbbc	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d1fbfbbc	comment	Jacob Black of The Twilight Saga. Specifically in New Moon when he was still nice to Bella till she showed he would choose Edward over him, after that he started to get all Alpha Male on her trying to get her grounded, kissing her by force and later by emotional blackmail. In the end, he managed to get Bella to admit she loved him, but she still loved Edward more.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d1fbfbbc	featureApplicability	1.0
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The Twilight Saga	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d1fbfbbc
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d210ffb4	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d210ffb4	comment	Cupid from Ever After High seems to be headed this way. Dexter is oblivious to her crush on him, probably because he's too head over heels for Raven to notice. Raven reciprocates the feelings, and while they aren't official yet, all signs seem to be pointing in that direction.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d210ffb4	featureApplicability	1.0
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Ever After High	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d210ffb4
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d461f757	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d461f757	comment	Billy Keikeya on Battlestar Galactica. For that matter, Apollo as well. Sure, he steals Dualla from Billy but then it turns out he really wanted to be with Starbuck, who instead goes for handsome, kind-hearted jock Anders. He eventually tries to get over her but it doesn't work and he gets separated. But Starbuck's dead by that point, or at least appears to be, and things get way hectic when she comes back. Then Anders is revealed as a Cylon, but the revelation doesn't break Starbuck and Anders up as one might predict. And then, Dualla shoots herself. To top it all off, when Anders dies, Starbuck, who's Not Quite Dead, disappears again. Sucks to be Apollo. Which is hilarious because in some ways Anders also fits. While, yes, he does actually get to marry Starbuck, it's implied a number of times that she would rather be with Apollo (and Anders knows this). At one point, she basically out-right states that the only reason she hasn't left Anders for Apollo is that she doesn't believe in divorce. In the original series, Athena seems to be this for Starbuck.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d461f757	featureApplicability	1.0
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Battlestar Galactica (2003)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d461f757
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d6205383	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d6205383	comment	Misty from Vandread falls into this trope. She never really had a chance since she was introduced in Season 2, and her romantic rival, Dita, was a part of the ship's crew, and they didn't want to see her miserable (nor did she want to ostracize them any further). so she painfully gave up pursuing Hibiki, and while she tries to play off her pursuit of him as "being bored", she later goes to the park alone to cry.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d6205383	featureApplicability	1.0
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Vandread	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d6205383
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8bda674	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8bda674	comment	An odd example is Kyougo Monou from X/1999. He did get to marry the girl he loved, Saya, and even had two children with her (Fuma and Kotori)... but he remained as the Romantic Runner Up since he knew Saya loved him but not that way, as she was in love with her best friend Tohru and married Kyougo mostly to fulfill her destiny. Ceres, Celestial Legend features a similar situation where Yuuhi readily accepts his romantic loss to Aya's Mysterious Protector, Tooya. In the end, however, Tooya tells him that he's dying and won't live more than two years, so he asks Yuuhi to take care of Aya and their soon-to-be-born child once he's gone.
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X/1999 (Manga)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8bda674
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8fc4c61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8fc4c61	comment	Dreamy Days in West Tokyo: Ichigo is the most obvious case on routes other than his own, but all five of the main guys have been in love with the protagonist more or less forever (although some of them are more aware of their own feelings than others). It's illustrated especially clearly on Reiji Uraga's season 2 route; Rei hints to the protagonist several times that any of her friends would fall over themselves to date her, and he takes undisguised glee in taunting the boys for missing their chances during his Super Happy Ending.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8fc4c61	featureApplicability	1.0
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Dreamy Days In West Tokyo (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d8fc4c61
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d9be958a	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d9be958a	comment	Actor James Marsden has quite the Baxter career going, playing blandly nice guys who fail to get the girl one way or another in Superman Returns, X-Men Film Series, Enchanted, The Notebook... He does get the girl in Superman Returns. Strangely enough, that film casts Superman as the Baxter. In the first hour, at least. In the end, he still loses, Lois pretty much states that they're done as a couple and she's going to pine for Superman, because she really loves him and he is the father to her son. And he gets a girl in Enchanted too — just not the one he was originally looking for. And in 27 Dresses, but he's more of a Deadpan Snarker there. And in X-Men, where Jean even marries him. Suck on that, Wolverine!
Romantic Runner-Up / int_d9be958a	featureApplicability	1.0
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Superman Returns	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_d9be958a
Romantic Runner-Up / int_da92c130	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_da92c130	comment	Erfworld has Jillian, who has three people in love with her. After she leaves two behind to go after the third, one of them asks the other why he didn't go with her.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_da92c130	featureApplicability	1.0
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Erfworld (Webcomic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_da92c130
Romantic Runner-Up / int_db30cf92	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_db30cf92	comment	Ashfur in Warrior Cats, when Squirrelflight passes him over in favor of Brambleclaw. This does not bode well for his mental health...
Romantic Runner-Up / int_db30cf92	featureApplicability	1.0
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Warrior Cats	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_db30cf92
Romantic Runner-Up / int_db96ded4	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_db96ded4	comment	The Legend of Korra: Mako. While he did fumble up his relationships with Korra and Asami a lot over the first two seasons, one could argue that in Book Four, he was mature enough to finally hold a relationship. In the end, however, he ends up as a good friend to both Korra AND Asami. He's also the runner-up to both as the two, in the Grand Finale, have a Relationship Upgrade. For some delicious irony Korra and Asami are able to bond and become closer over their shared bad experiences with dating Mako.
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The Legend of Korra	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_db96ded4
Romantic Runner-Up / int_e293455a	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_e293455a	comment	Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Xander qualifies for this trope on multiple occasions. Buffy rejects him for the more romantic Angel. Cordelia ultimately also winds up with Angel after breaking up with him. Willow, after pining after him for the first two seasons, ultimately chooses Oz over him. Even Anya sleeps with Spike after breaking up with Xander. Inverted when Buffy does begin to develop romantic feelings for Xander — and Xander rejects her for her little sister, Dawn (who had a crush on him and he rejected her). Spike. And on a century-plus streak going at it, despite numerous metamorphoses, whether he be human, rabid young vampire, sarcastic and surprisingly sane old vampire, chipped reluctantly-good vampire, soulful good vampire, soulful bad vampire, or all-out champion of good. The irony being that most of the time he's losing out to Angel or Angelus, probably because while Angel was taking levels in badass he was getting hit by Badass Decay so hard the trope had his name for a while. Finally averted in the season 10 comics, where he and Buffy start dating, and even the brief appearance of Angel couldn't break them apart. Riley Finn, who loved Buffy, but she didn't love him back. The interesting thing is that Riley is otherwise more the Prince Charming type. The problem is that Buffy is... well, take your pick: a) just interested in him because he's the 'normal' guy, b) not Angel. Willow suffered from this, too, as she had a crush on Xander during Seasons 1 and 2, only for it to go unrequited, as he was more focused on Buffy and Cordelia at this point. It was only during Season 3 that they expressed mutual attraction for each other. Oz lost out on Willow's affections to Tara in "New Moon Rising".
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_e293455a
Romantic Runner-Up / int_e694aadb	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_e694aadb	comment	Subverted with Ciaphas Cain: On discovering Mira has gotten affianced to the local planetary governor, it's all he can do not to do handsprings for sheer joy of getting rid of her in a way that doesn't leave her sending assassins after him. Even better, she doesn't want him at the wedding as she doesn't want a Hero of the Imperium (who just saved the system from a genestealer/ork infestation by singlehandedly exploring a space hulk) upstaging her.
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Ciaphas Cain	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_e694aadb
Romantic Runner-Up / int_e83541f7	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_e83541f7	comment	In A Knight's Devotion, Haku falls for the protagonist during Lute's path, bringing the two of them into conflict at points when Haku's frustration with Lute's denseness boils over.
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A Knight's Devotion (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_e83541f7
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ee829854	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ee829854	comment	Joy Mercer on House of Anubis so very much. It gets to the point where even when Nina was gone, Fabian refused to date Joy, as he believes they should be just good friends and nothing else.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ee829854	featureApplicability	1.0
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House of Anubis	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_ee829854
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ef06b063	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ef06b063	comment	A Crown of Stars: Rei to Shinji. She is not a bad person and she cares about him, but Shinji loves Asuka, not her. Unfortunately she is too jealous to realize and understand Asuka loves Shinji back, and her jealousy is creating troubles right when they need her help.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_ef06b063	featureApplicability	1.0
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A Crown of Stars (Fanfic)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_ef06b063
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f0a86c12	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f0a86c12	comment	How I Met Your Mother: The show deconstructs this trope in the episode "Shelter Island". Ted sees himself as the Dogged Nice Guy, and even invites fiancee Stella's Jerkass ex-boyfriend Tony to their wedding. Only when she leaves him at the altar does he realizes that Tony was actually the romantic lead of that particular love story, while Ted is the Romantic Runner-Up. When Tony later writes and sells a movie script based on the events, Ted is pissed off and humiliated because he doesn't even get this characterization in the movie. Instead, the character based on him is an outright villain who goes around kicking dogs and doesn't even care about the female lead; he just wants to keep her away from her soul mate for laughs. The worst part is that the character, Jed Mosely, even refers to himself using Ted's real name during a Jerkass "Do you know who I am?!" rant.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f0a86c12	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f0a86c12	featureConfidence	1.0
How I Met Your Mother	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_f0a86c12
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f3e1f424	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f3e1f424	comment	Lancelot from Merlin has such low self-esteem that on realizing that Arthur is in love with Guinevere, gives up on his own romantic hopes without a fight or even checking with Guinevere herself to see what man she preferred (and at that point, he would have almost certainly been her first pick).
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f3e1f424	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f3e1f424	featureConfidence	1.0
Merlin (2008)	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_f3e1f424
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f655ed11	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f655ed11	comment	Given a twist in the final season of Frasier in which Frasier is the bland nice guy who gets the girl while the more exciting boyfriend doesn't. Aspects of this trope are played straight by the boyfriend Frank, who is overall an extremely nice and friendly guy and a committed environmentalist.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f655ed11	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f655ed11	featureConfidence	1.0
Frasier	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_f655ed11
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6c05e8e	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6c05e8e	comment	Friends: David, Phoebe's on-and-off boyfriend, showed up once again in season nine and proposed. Phoebe promptly rejected him for Mike Hannigan, whom she ultimately married. To add insult to injury, the writers went out of their way to point out that the inoffensive David was a penniless failure by this point. Also in the Season 6 finale, Richard for Monica, when she picks Chandler over him. This is rather ironic as Richard in-universe is considered the perfect guy and an Always Someone Better to Chandler. However the writers make it very clear that Monica moved on from him and it's Chandler, with all his neuroses and insecurities, who is the love of her life.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6c05e8e	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6c05e8e	featureConfidence	1.0
Friends	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6c05e8e
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6fe1bfc	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6fe1bfc	comment	Harvey Kinkle in the later seasons of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. After he himself dumped Sabrina after finding out she is a witch at the beginning of season 5, he kept returning to appear in the show throughout seasons 5 to 7 and kept dropping hints that he still was in love with Sabrina. But only in the very end, he gets the girl back.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6fe1bfc	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6fe1bfc	featureConfidence	1.0
Sabrina the Teenage Witch	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_f6fe1bfc
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f74b5f80	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f74b5f80	comment	Zack Allan in Babylon 5 with regards to Lyta Alexander. Even more heartbreaking is Lennier with regards to Delenn. They both think the world of each other, but Lennier gets Overshadowed by Awesome in the form of Sheridan. This ends horrifically when Sheridan gets trapped in a life-threatening situation and Lennier has his first "blink at the Abyss" moment in his entire life and leaves him to die. He turns back within seconds, but Sheridan is rescued by that time, leaving him with having just tried to assassinate the president of the Interstellar Alliance. He steals a fighter and flees a very confused Sheridan, who returns to Delenn to find a note from Lennier confessing the whole thing. Delenn - who never realized Lennier was in love with her - forgives him instantly, Sheridan is implied to get over it within the next day or so, but Lennier 'never forgives himself for that moment of weakness.
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f74b5f80	featureApplicability	1.0
Romantic Runner-Up / int_f74b5f80	featureConfidence	1.0
Babylon 5	hasFeature	Romantic Runner-Up / int_f74b5f80

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Romantic Runner-Up	processingCategory2	Characters as Device
Romantic Runner-Up	processingCategory2	Love Interests
Romantic Runner-Up	processingCategory2	Love Tropes
Romantic Runner-Up	processingCategory2	Stock Characters
Romantic Runner-Up	processingCategory2	Unrequited Love Tropes
Josee, The Tiger, and The Fish / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Romeo × Juliet / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Thumbelina / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
True Tears / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Waiting in the Summer / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
My Boyfriend Is a Monster (Comic Book) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Flash (2011) (Comic Book) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
For Better or for Worse (Comic Strip) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Supergirl 1982 (Comic Book) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Superman (Comic Book) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Hellsister Trilogy (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Sailor Moon V (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Shepard's R&R (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Skill Househusband EX (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
What Goes Around Comes Around (Miraculous Ladybug) (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Bicentennial Man / int_f2fe3e41	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Christine (1958) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Crimson Peak / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Dil Se.. / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Embrace of the Vampire (1995) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
(500) Days of Summer / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Giant / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
His Girl Friday / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Kuroido Goroshi / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Moonstruck / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Neptune's Daughter / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Pale Rider / int_f2fe3e41	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Queen of the Damned / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Robin and Marian / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Serendipity / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Show Me Love / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Sparkle / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Taste the Blood of Dracula / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Curse of Frankenstein / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Incredible Hulk (2008) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Irony of Fate / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Irony of Fate 2 / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Top Hat / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Under the Sand / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Corsair / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Big Little Lies / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Book Girl / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Bridget Jones / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Charly / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Darkest Powers / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
El Filibusterismo / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Hollow Kingdom Trilogy / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
I Heard That Song Before / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Like Water for Chocolate / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
R-15 / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Skulduggery Pleasant / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Spaceforce (2012) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Haunting of Hill House / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Inkworld Trilogy / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Selection / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Vast Fields of Ordinary / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
This Is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Tower and the Hive / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
BarriersOfABrokenSoul	seeAlso	Romantic Runner-Up
RomanticRunnerup	sameAs	Romantic Runner-Up
TakeshiKusao	seeAlso	Romantic Runner-Up
Boys over Flowers (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Evangelion 303 (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Honto Yajuu (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Indigo Blue (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Momokuri (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Okane ga Nai (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Paradise Kiss (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Sweet Blue Flowers (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Elder Sister-like One (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2016) (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Yona of the Dawn (Manga) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
HoneyWorks (Music) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Battlestar Galactica (2003) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Boys Before Flowers / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Chasing Life / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Deadly Games / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Extraordinary You / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
How I Met Your Mother / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Inspector Morse / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Misfits / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Road to Avonlea / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Sabrina the Teenage Witch / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Shortland Street / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Empress of China / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Newsroom / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Office (US) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Victoria / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
An American in Paris (Theatre) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Saturday's Warrior (Theatre) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Queen of Spades (Theatre) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Dandelion (Video Game) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Known Unknowns (Video Game) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
A Bridge to the Starry Skies (Visual Novel) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Class Trip Crush (Visual Novel) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Da Capo (Visual Novel) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Dreamy Days In West Tokyo (Visual Novel)	seeAlso	Romantic Runner-Up
InYourArmsTonight	seeAlso	Romantic Runner-Up
Ascension Academy (Web Video) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Carmilla the Series (Web Video) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
A Softer World (Webcomic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Erfworld (Webcomic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Mousou Telepathy (Webcomic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Abandoned Empress (Webcomic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Tom Sawyer (2000) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Spider Riders / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
A Crown of Stars (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Advice and Trust (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
HERZ (Fanfic) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
The Roman Mysteries / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up
Speakeasy Tonight (Visual Novel) / int_f2fe3a61	type	Romantic Runner-Up

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