Fan art ofDean Winchester andCastiel (togetherDestiel) from the television showSupernatural. Members of fandoms often create pieces of fan art depicting fictional characters that they ship in romantic situations.
Shipping (derived from the wordrelationship) is the desire by followers of afandom for two or more individuals, either real-life people or fictional characters (in film, literature, television series, etc.), to be in a relationship. Shipping often takes the form of unofficial creative works, includingfan fiction andfan art.Shipping may depict pairings that are opposite-sex, same-sex,polyamorous, orlove-hate relationships. Interspecies pairings and pairings with large age differences between characters can give rise toshipping discourse related to the ethics of such ships. Shipping can also create conflict within fandoms and between a work's creator(s) and its fans. Notable cases of shipping exist within the fandoms ofDaria,Harry Potter,Xena: Warrior Princess,Avatar: The Last Airbender,The Legend of Korra,Star Wars, andStranger Things.
The usage of the term "ship" in its relationship sense appears to have been originated around 1995 by Internet fans of the TV showThe X-Files, who believed that the two main characters,Fox Mulder andDana Scully, should be engaged in a romantic relationship.[1][2] They called themselves "relationshippers" at first;[1][3][4] then "R'shipper", and finally just "shipper".[4][5][6]
The oldest recorded uses of the nounship and the nounshipper, according to theOxford English Dictionary,[7][8][9][10] date back to 1996 postings on theUsenet groupalt.tv.x-files;[11]shipping is first attested slightly later, in 1997 and the verbto ship in 1998.[12]
"Ship" and its derivatives in this context have since come to be in widespread usage. "Shipping" refers to the phenomenon; a "ship" is the concept of a fictional couple; to "ship" a couple means to have an affinity for it in one way or another; a "shipper" or a "fangirl/boy" is somebody significantly involved with such an affinity; and a "shipping war" is a dispute between the proponents of different ships.[13][14] A ship that a particular fan prefers over all others is called an OTP, which stands forone true pairing.[15][14]
When discussing shipping, a ship that has been confirmed by its series is called acanon ship orsailed ship, whereas asunk ship is a ship that has been proven unable to exist in canon, or in other words, will never be real nor confirmed.[13][16][17][18]
Various naming conventions have developed in different online communities to refer to shipped couples, likely due to the ambiguity and cumbersomeness of the "Character 1 and Character 2" format.
The first method was using a slash,[14] first used forKirk/Spock.[19] This is today mainly used for same-sex ships; fanfiction with these pairings is known asslash fiction.[20][19]
These combinations of names often follow systematic phonological principles, in which the first character in the ship's name is seen as the 'dominant' partner.[32] Japanese ship naming conventions often attach names together without slashing or blending by using an XY name-name format. This format is ruled by boy-girl ordering, or seme-uke (top-bottom) inyaoi. In many East Asian countries there is a distinct difference between the pairing of XY and YX. Such as the pairing names of 'MomoYuki' (where Momo is dominant) vs. "YukiMomo" (where Yuki is dominant) from the seriesIdolish7.[33][better source needed][34][35]
Many fandom-specific variants exist and often use fandom-specific terminology.[36][14][37] These often employ words that describe the relationship between characters in the context of the fictional universe and simply add the word "Shipping" to the end (For example, AmourShipping, SpecialShipping, PokeShipping, RocketShipping, and ContestShipping inPokemon).[38][39] Other terminology include using a combination of the characters' names and codes as a ship name. For instance, ship names forcharacters inRWBY include "Bumbleby" (Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long) and "White Rose" (Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose).[40][41][42]
Within shipping,same-sex pairings are popular; they are sometimes known as "slash" and "femslash".[19][43][44] Within the anime/manga fandom, borrowed Japanese terms such asyaoi andyuri may be used.[45][46] In the context of Chinese TV series, related same-sex pairings are also referred to as "Tanbi CP".[47] A person who supports same-sex pairings and reads or writesslash fiction may be referred to as a "slasher",[48] although the Japanese term "fujoshi" for women who like same-sex stories,[49] and "fudanshi" as the male equivalent of that,[50][51] are also commonly used within the community, especially by fans of yaoi (boy on boy) and fans of yuri (girl on girl).[citation needed]
The term "slash" predates the use of shipping by at least some 20 years. It was originally coined as a term to describe a pairing ofKirk andSpock ofStar Trek,Kirk/Spock (or "K/S"; sometimes spoken "Kirk-slash-Spock", whence "slash") homosexualfan fiction.[52][53] Other early slash pairings came from characters inStarsky & Hutch andDirty Harry."[54] For a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, "K/S" was used to describe such fan fiction,[55] regardless of whether or not they were related toStar Trek, and eventually "slash" became a universal term to describe all homosexual-themed fan works.[56][57] It now refers to a genre offan fiction that focuses onromantic orsexual relationships between fictional characters of the same sex.[58][59][60] Even so, the slash mark itself is a shorthand label for a romantic relationship, regardless of whether the pairing is heterosexual or homosexual, romantic, or erotic.[61]
The first K/S stories were not immediately accepted by allStar Trek fans.[62] Early slash fans in England feared that they would be arrested, because slash violated the obscenity laws there at the time.[63] Many early slash stories were based on a pairing of two close friends, a "hero dyad", or "One True Pairing", such as Kirk/Spock or Starsky/Hutch; conversely, a classic pairing betweenfoils was that ofBlake/Avon fromBlake's 7.[61] With the advent of the Internet, slash fiction writers created mailing lists (which gradually took the place ofamateur press associations), and websites such asFanFiction.Net[64] (which gradually started taking the place of zines). With the Internet, the number offandoms represented increased dramatically, especially those devoted to science fiction, fantasy, and police dramas.[65] The Internet also increased the level of reader interaction, making it easier for fans to comment on stories, give episode reviews, anddiscuss comment on trends in slash fandom itself. Websites and fanzines dedicated to fans ofThe X-Files,Stargate,Harry Potter, andBuffy the Vampire Slayer became common, with tens of thousands of slash stories available.[64]
Due to the lack of canonical homosexual relationships in source media at the time that slash fiction began to emerge, some came to see slash fiction stories as being exclusively outside their respective canons and held that the term "slash fiction" applies only when the characters' same-sex romantic or erotic relationship about which an author writes is not part of the source's canon and that fan fiction aboutcanonical same-sex relationships is therefore not slash.[61] Femslash, a subgenre of slash fiction which focuses on romantic or sexual relationships between female fictional characters,[66] on the other hand, centers upon characters who are typicallyheterosexual (or of unclear or ambiguous sexual orientation) in the canon universe, but when fiction focuses on lesbian characters, the stories are often labeled as femslash for convenience.[67] Original slash stories are those that contain male/male content, based on perceived homoerotic subtext between fictitious characters.[68] This can be sourced from a variety of media content, such as manga, TV shows, movies and books amongst others. These works are now generally published online[69] and use the same forms of rating, warnings and terminology that is commonly used by slash writers.[citation needed]
In May 2020,She-Ra and the Princesses of Power showrunnerND Stevenson said that while shipping has been a great tool for fans, he does not want films or shows with just occasional glances, or for all same-sex relationships to be portrayed as shipping.[72]
Love triangles are commonly used as aplot device to cause conflict in the story. The easy way around this for shippers is to pair all three together, or one member with both potential romantic partners.[73][74][75] This is not to be confused with aharem, which is usually just a single character being sought out by many others. Situations such as that may be the one tocause apolyamorous relationship or characters may be in such a relationship.[76][77]Polyamory is not always caused by love triangles,[78][79] but those that don't tend to be less accepted by the fandom.[14] In some fan fictions, characters are given a polyamorous identity, including a warning to "poly readers that the central characters are monogamous."[80]
Interspecies shipping is usually displayed in fandoms of media consisting of animals of various species or supernatural, mechanical, extraterrestrial, and fantasy beings.[81] Shipping a human character with an animal orfurry character can be controversial and has been accused of treading a contentious line withbestiality.[82][83]
Controversial age differences have a wide range. An elderly adult with a young adult, anyone with an immortal or slowly aging being, teenagers with young adults, or even ships involving fictional children are all part of this category.[5][84][85][86] Connected to this are continued arguments about which ships are "best" and "right," with inevitable "shipping wars".[87][88][89]
Daria was marked throughout its run by shipper debate, primarily over whetherthe title character should have a relationship with Trent Lane.[95] A common argument was that it would signal a turning away from the more subversive aspects of Daria's character, such as bitter criticism of romantic relationships.[citation needed]
In a later episode, Tom Sloane, who became Jane's boyfriend, is introduced, drawing a wedge between Jane and Daria, for instance.[96] Daria and Tom warmed up to each other throughout the fourth season, leading up to its finale.[97] With Jane and Tom's relationship in crisis, a heated argument between Daria and Tom led up to a kiss in Tom's car. In the TV movieIs it Fall Yet?, Daria decided to begin a relationship with Tom, and Daria and Jane patched up their friendship. This caused an uproar, and conversation turned to whether Tom was more appropriate than Trent had been. The debate was satirized by the show's writers in a piece on MTV's website.[98]
In interviews done after the series' run, series co-creatorGlenn Eichler revealed that "any viewer who really thought that Daria and Trent could [have] a relationship was just not watching the show we were making,"[99] Tom came about because "going into our fourth year... I thought it was really pushing credibility for Daria to have only had one or two dates during her whole high school career," and "teaser" episodes like "Pierce Me" were "intended to provide some fun for that portion of the audience that was so invested in the romance angle. The fact that those moments were few and far between should have given some indication that the series was not about Daria's love life."[100]
AuthorJ.K. Rowling appeared to refute the first possibility before the debates began following the release ofGoblet of Fire in July 2000, when she stated in October 1999 that Harry and Hermione "are very platonic friends" after the release ofPrisoner of Azkaban in July 1999.[111] An interview with Rowling shortly after the release ofHalf-Blood Prince in 2005 caused significant controversy within the fandom. An interviewer stated that Harmione fans were delusional, to which Rowling responded that they were "still valued members of her readership", but that there had been "anvil-sized hints" for future Romione and Hinny relationships incorporated in the book itself,[112] and that Harmione shippers needed to re-read the books. This caused an uproar among Harmione shippers, some of whom claimed they would return their copies ofHalf-Blood Prince and boycott future books.[113] Clare McBride ofSyfy described the shipping wars between those who liked Harmione and Romione, calling them the "Harmony Wars", saying they began in 1999 and 2000, and that "tension between these two factions ran hot", with specific communities and fansites for each ship. McBride noted that Harmione also came to be known as "HMS Harmony" by fans,[21] but that the 2005 interview in which MuggleNet's Emerson Spartz stated that "Harry/Hermione shippers" were "delusional" led Harmione fans to "openly insult Rowling" and stated that this moment gave birth to shipping that "only values a ship for whether it not it wins, not whether or not it is enjoyable."[114]
Rowling's attitude towards shipping has varied between amused and bewildered to frustrated. In that same interview, she stated that she was a "relative newcomer to the world of shipping" and that it was "extraordinary" to meet the shippers, calling it a "huge underworld" seething beneath her.[115] In an interview conducted byEmma Watson (who portrays Hermione inthe films) in February 2014 forWonderland magazine, she stated that realistically Hermione and Ron had "too much fundamental incompatibility," that they were written together "as a form of wish fulfillment" to reconcile a relationship she herself was once in.[116] She admitted to thinking she could have paired Hermione with Harry: "in some ways Hermione and Harry are a better fit", and that "Hermione's always there for Harry." However, in the same interview, she later clarified: "Maybe she and Ron will be alright with a bit of counselling, you know. I wonder what happens at wizard marriage counselling? They'll probably be fine. He needs to work on his self-esteem issues and she needs to work on being a little less critical."[117] Watson later clarified that Rowling's comments about pairing Hermione up with Harry were taken out of context, and that she was in fact joking.[118]
Within thebrony fandom, homosexual relationships in fan fiction are colloquially termed "fillyfooling" for mare-to-mare relationships and "coltcuddling" for stallion-to-stallion relationships. AsMy Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic mostly consists of female characters, lesbian stories constitute a significant portion of romantic fanfiction onFimfiction; lesbian relationships equal or outnumber heterosexual pairings. Unlike traditional slash fiction which typically focuses on male-male relationships,My Little Pony slash fiction predominantly features female characters. These stories generally emphasize emotional compatibility and character development over explicit content (clopfics). According toLGBTQ magazineAutostraddle, fans cite personality dynamics and shared interests as motivations for their favorite pairings. Despite this, there is a documented "double standard" (as reported byEquestria Daily[119]) where male/male homosexual stories receive less community support and are downvoted immediately by fan fiction readers without even reading the story.[120]
The 1995–2001 action/fantasy TV seriesXena: Warrior Princess produced "shipping wars," with spillover fromreal-world debates abouthomosexuality andgay rights.[46] The show spawned various websites, online discussion forums, works ofXena fan fiction and several unofficial fan-made productions, with members of the fandom writing numerousfanfiction stories of the series,numbering in the thousands, and popularized the termaltfic to refer to fanfiction about loving relationships between women.[121][122][66]
Shortly after the series' debut, fans started discussing the possibility of a relationship betweenXena and her sidekick and best friendGabrielle.[123][124] According to journalistCathy Young, the quarrel between fans about a relationship between Xena and Gabrielle had a sociopolitical angle, in which some on the anti-relationship side were "undoubtedly driven by bona fide bigotry", while some on the pro-relationship side were lesbians who "approached the argument as a real-life gay rights struggle" in which "denying a sexual relationship between Xena and Gabrielle was tantamount to denying the reality of their own lives".[123] She argued that the fact that staff paid attention to fan opinions may have led to problems, with an "incentive for the rival groups to out-shout one another to make themselves heard," leading to shipping wars.
In 2000, during the airing of the fifth season, the intensity of the "shipping wars" was chronicled (from a non-subtexter's point of view) in an article titled "The Discrimination in the Xenaverse" in the onlineXena fan magazineWhoosh!,[125] and numerous letters in response.[126] The wars did not abate after the 2001 series finale. With no new material from the show itself, the debates were fueled by various statements from the cast and crew. In January 2003,Xena starLucy Lawless toldLesbian News magazine that after watching the finale, she had come to believe that Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was "definitely gay".[127] In March 2005, one-timeXena screenwriterKatherine Fugate, an outspoken supporter of the Xena/Gabrielle pairing, posted a statement on her website appealing for tolerance in the fandom, telling people to "allow everyone the grace to take what they need from the show and make it theirs," whether they see Xena with Gabrielle, or Xena with Ares.[128]
WhenAvatar: The Last Airbender ran onNickelodeon, from 2005 to 2008, fans supported various different ships, such as Tokka (Toph Beifong andSokka), Ty Laang (Ty Lee and Aang), Jinko (Zuko and Jin), Tyzula (Azula and Ty Lee), Sukka (Sokka/Suki),[129] Maiko (Mai/Zuko), Rozin (Roku/Sozin), Zukka (Zuko/Sokka),[130] Yukka (Sokka/Yue), Mai Lee (Mai/Ty Lee), Taang (Toph/Aang), Zukki (Zuko/Sokka/Suki), and Azutara (Azula/Katara),[131][132][133] but the main contention was between fans ofKataang (Katara andAang) andZutara (Zuko and Katara).[134][135][132]
Some reviewers said that Kataang fans are "blinded by their appreciation" for the ship, stated that both ships "have validity...and textual evidence", or described Kataang as "always meant to be."[136][137][133] Rincke de Bont wrote that although Kataang became the canon ship, "heavily disappointing" Zutara fans, the latter made fanart and fanfiction for the ship, arguing why they preferred this ship, and noted that the series creators,Bryan Konietzko andMichael DiMartino even picked up on this phenomenon "within the fandom". de Bont added that onFanFiction.Net, Zutara stories became more popular because they "fulfill the wishes" not possible with the original series.[138] The Zutara ship has also been described as "one of the most popular" ships within the show's fandom,[139] and having the potential to be the "perfect execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope" by fans.[140]
Teen Vogue noted the series had one of "the biggest" shipping wars between Zutara and Kataang, during the series original run, and stated that the shipping debate "continues to this day" among some online users.[141]TheGamer described the shipping wars between these fans as "crazy" and "quite a big deal," noting that writers toyed with making Zuko and Katara a couple originally, and added that shippers of the latter can take "some comfort that their ship almost happened."[142]
Later, Konietzko noted his awareness of the shipping discourse, saying he "remember[s] Kataang vs. Zutara" and noted that the show's crew was wavering on how direct they could be with Kataang.[143] Others criticized the show's creator for going "a little overboard" in their criticism of Zutara shippers, stating that it led to be more shipping discourse.[141]Zach Tyler Eisen, who voiced Aang in the series, later stated that he favored the "Kataang" ship, and joked, afterDante Basco (who voiced Zuko), mentioned Zutara, "this is a Zutara-free zone. It's all in your head, buddy."[144] Basco andMae Whitman (voice of Katara) were also noted as creating content for a week celebrating the Zutara ship.[140] Other reviews said thatthe live-action adaptation has the possibility of canonizing the Zutara ship and noted that the shipping debate between fans of both ships, including by social media users responding to aNetflix post saying Zuko and Katara make "a good couple."[139][89] However,Albert Kim, showrunner of the live-action adaptation, said he was "smart enough" to not get involved in the shipping debate because he is aware "how passionate both sets of fans are."[145]
Throughout the run ofThe Legend of Korra there were shipping debates between those who supported various pairings, within the show's "passionate fanbase",[146] including between those who supportedMakorra (Mako andKorra),[147][148] and Masami (Mako andAsami Sato)[citation needed] and later between fans of Makorra andKorrasami (Korra andAsami Sato) after the end of thefirst season.[149][150][143] Series creatorBryan Konietzko stated that there was a tumultuous "teenage love-hate relationship" between Mako and Korra which leads to an "ill-timed kiss", disappointing Bolin.[151] English studies scholars Rukmini Pande and Swati Moitra described Korrasami as one of the "only popular nonwhite couples occupying a primary position in an English-language fandom," which is primarily based onTumblr, and pointed to issues such asfanart whichlightened Korra's skin or whitewashed Asami's "cultural specificity."[152] Other popular ships among fans included Borra (Bolin and Korra), Wuko (Mako and Prince Wu), Kainora (Kai and Jinora),[citation needed] Kyalin (Kya and Lin), and Korpal (Korra and Opal).[131] The ship of Kai and Jinora was also described as "wholesome" along with nine other canon ships between characters in the series.[153] Konietzko later said that the show's crew was "not easily swayed" by posts onTumblr orTwitter even though they "changed and tweaked stuff" as the show was being developed.[154]
Following the series finale, some accused the series creators Konietzko and DiMartino of "fan service" for making Korrasami canon,[155][156] but others noted that the Korrasami ship was seeded throughout the series run, and said that it was greeted by queer fans enthusiastically, and argued that many of the show's fans were pushing for the pairing.[29][150][157]IGN editors said that this conclusion felt "earned" and "stunningly rendered."[146] DiMartino would say that the final scene in the episode made it clear that "Korra and Asami have romantic feelings for each other".[158] Konietzko said he had "bragging rights as the first Korrasami shipper", noting that Makorra was only the “endgame” when Book 1 closed, and added that once the series entered Book 2 they "knew we were going to have them [Korra and Mako] break up".[148] In an interview in April 2015, DiMartino and Konietzko refuted charges that Korrasami was not built up through the series run.[154] Konietzko would later draw artwork of Korra and Asami embracing as an exclusive print forThe Legend of Korra / Avatar: The Last Airbender Tribute Exhibition at Gallery Nucleus, in March 2015, with proceeds donated to an LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline,[159][160][161] and a rainbow version of the artwork posed in June 2015.[162]
The relationship between Korra and Asami would also be developed in thecanonicalgraphic novel series,The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, with DiMartino tellingEntertainment Weekly about the ship's impact and that he had heard personal stories about how the relationship between Korra and Asami "inspired young adults to come out" to their friends or family and Koh saying they wanted Korra and Asami to be resilient heroes in the series.[163][164] The ship would later be compared to other ships between female characters inArcane[29] andTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.[165] E.B. Hutchins, forComics Beat, would later say that Korrsami, like Bubbline, had kept the fandom going, and was an example of having aheadcanon which made it "to the screen," and called the canonization of both ships a "landmark in queer representation on television."[166]
There have been shipping debates within theStar Wars fandom since theoriginal film's release in 1977. At one point, some fans made unverified claims thatGeorge Lucas attempted to "restrict Star Wars fan work" after reading eroticslash fiction.[167] Within the fandom, some fans havereview bombed anddoxxed those who have shared critical thoughts about a certain aspect or shipping culture of the fandom itself.[168] One of the first slash pairings that some fans gravitated toward was Luke Skywalker andLeia Organa, also known as Luke/Leia or L/L, rather than male slash pairings.[169] Romantic subtext between Leia and Luke was hinted in the 1978 tie-in novelSplinter of the Mind's Eye byAlan Dean Foster. This pairing was shown to beincestual inReturn of the Jedi (1983), in which it was revealed that Leia and Luke were siblings.[170][171]
Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, later said on social media that he found it "weird" and "disturbing" that Leia "passionately" kissed Luke inThe Empire Strikes Back (1980), after it was revealed that Luke and Leia were twins.[172][173] An early draft ofThe Empire Strikes Back, written byLeigh Brackett, included "a lot more romance between the pair". There was also a deleted scene has Luke trying to confess his feelings for Leia and earlyStar Wars comics have Luke and Leia kissing one another. Thelove triangle between Luke, Leia, and Han was abandoned inReturn of the Jedi, whichretconned the relationship between Luke and Leia.[174][175][176] An original and unpublished version ofStar Wars Infinities also made Luke and Leia a couple.[177] Some fans called the kiss between Luke and Leia "a bit awkward"[178] and said that the sibling relationship between Luke and Leia was "much more comfortable" than a Han-Leia-Luke love triangle.[179] Later the ship between Han and Leia, known as "Scoundress",[citation needed] would be canonized inReturn of the Jedi.[180][181] Some fans of the original trilogy shipped Han andLando Calrissian ("HanLando" or "Han/Lando"),[182][183] Han andChewbacca,[184] or Han and Luke ("Skysolo").[94]
Theprequel trilogy spawned additional ships, including betweenAnakin Skywalker andPadme Amidala, known as "Anidala",[citation needed] and Obi-Wan/Anakin, known as "Obikin."[185] Although the relationship between Anakin and Padme was canonized inAttack of the Clones (2002), their relationship remained controversial due toan age difference, with some calling it "doomed" from the beginning.[186][187] Others noted the relationship between Padme and Anakin had a "bigger purpose" in the franchise, or defended the romance from criticism.[188][189] Some fans described the pairing of Obi-Wan and Anakin as a "star-crossedbromance,"[190] a "love story",[191] or a "deeply broken relationship" between a master and padawan.[192] In aGQ interview,Ewan McGregor who plays Obi-Wan in the prequel trilogy, and inthe stand-alone Obi-Wan series, said that a "lot of homoerotic" Obikin art was sent to him, calling it "a bit of an eye-opener" and expressed surprise at how it is sent his way.[193] Others paired Obi-Wan and his clone commander, Cody, as "Codywan," becoming more relevant with the franchise focus on "The Clone Wars",[185] Obi-Wan and Padme ("Obidala"),[194] and Obi-Wan andQui-Gon Jinn ("Qui-Gonbi").[195][94]
Thesequel trilogy, consisting ofThe Force Awakens (2015),The Last Jedi (2017), andThe Rise of Skywalker (2019), sparked renewed fan discourse. This centered around three ships: Reylo (Rey andKylo Ren),Finnrey (Finn and Rey), andStormpilot (Finn andPoe Dameron).[196][197] Of these ships, Reylo became a subject of shipping wars, with some forming ananti-Reylo grouping, calling the ship "toxic", "manipulative", or "polarizing," while others were committed to the pairing, creating "tight-knight and outspoken" fan communities onTumblr,Twitter,Reddit, andArchive of Our Own.[22][198][199] These fans read certain details from official media, actors playing characters in the trilogy, and related media, to "prove" their ship as valid.[198][196][200] Some observers were surprised that the ship became very popular considering the "number of parallel pairings".[185] Others, likeAlan Dean Foster said that in the sequel trilogy, the FinnRey pairing was supposed to be canonized, but that this was invalidated inThe Rise of Skywalker.[201][202] The Stormpilot ship, also known as "FinnPoe", "Star Husbands," "General Husbands", or "Pinn",[203] also remained popular, especially among fans "eager for queer representation" in the franchise and others who saw them as a good pair. There was disappointment among these fans that the ship did not become canon.[204][205][206] Shippers were fueled by "article summaries," fanfictions, fanart, and other postings, on sites such as Tumblr, Archive of Our Own, and elsewhere, with the subtext between the characters becoming a "widely accepted interpretation" ofThe Force Awakens.[207][208] In interviews, the ship was embraced byJohn Boyega andOscar Isaac, who play Finn and Poe in the films.[209][210][211]
Natalia Dyer acknowledged Ronance, stating "I'm loving this Ronance content that I've been seeing."[224] Additionally,Maya Hawke revealed she pitched a Ronance storyline to theDuffer Brothers, "I really wanted Ronance really badly."[225] Dyer also reflected on the fandom shipping Nancy with Jonathan and Steve, stating “After 10 years, you can’t help but really feel invested in these characters and their story. You want them to end up in a way that feels right. Not just the idealistic, most perfect, beautiful version — but when you’ve lived through this, you want them to come out with something that feels earned or deserved or that makes sense."[226] Ultimately, Nancy does not end up with either Jonathan or Steve. Matt Duffer stated, "It's hard to recall when exactly that idea came, but I think us — and the writers — all felt that Nancy needed to end up on her own and be independent and have an opportunity to find herself."[227]
Byler was recognized by Netflix when the search query “byler endgame” causedStranger Things to appear in the results, while “mileven endgame” did not produce any results.[228] However, Mike and Will ultimately do not end up together, while Mike and Eleven remain an established couple until Eleven seemingly sacrifices herself at the end of the series.[229] Matt Duffer stated, “For us, there’s always noise. But when we sit down to write a season, the goal is — I mean, you have to block it out, and you have to tell the story that you are always intending to tell.”[230]
^abcColbert, Isaiah (November 25, 2024)."Arcane's Long-Awaited Hookup Was Originally Longer and Steamier".Gizmodo.Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. RetrievedNovember 26, 2024.As fate would have it, "Caitvi" did engage in "sesbian lex" in Arcane episode eight, "Killing Is a Cycle"...Their love scene is already being regarded among queer fans with the same enthusiasm as The Legend of Korra's Korrasami ship.
^"Dictionary of Anime Fandom: Fanfiction & Literary Terms".Lunaescence Archives. 2005. Archived fromthe original on July 4, 2007. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.[Pairings are] used in fandom to refer to accepted relationships...between characters. It can either be used in general...or for specific, named couples. For YAOI couples you typically write the seme's name first separated from the other name using an x. So if you want to write that your favorite pairing is Heero as the dominant (seme) male and that Duo is the passive (uke)...However, in writing pairings for slash or femslash couples, you usually use a slash ( / ) to separate out the couples, and...there really isn't a rule about who comes first."
^Zheng, Guang-Quan; Lee, Ya-Ching (2022). "Do Only Fujoshi Enjoy Tanbi? A Study of Chinese Fudanshi's Motivations for Liking Tanbi CP in Domestic TV Series".Mass Communication Research.153 (153):141–194.doi:10.30386/MCR.202210.0019.
^Allington, Daniel (March 2007). ""How Come Most People Don't See It?": Slashing the Lord of the Rings".Social Semiotics.17 (1):43–62.doi:10.1080/10350330601124650.S2CID143324395.
^Ingulsrud, John E.; Allen, Kate (2009).Reading Japan Cool: Patterns of Manga Literacy and Discourse. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 57.ISBN978-0-7391-2753-7.
^Kazumi Nagaike (2015). "Do Heterosexual Men Dream of Homosexual Men?: BL Fudanshi and Discourse on Male Feminization".Boys' Love Manga and Beyond : History, Culture, and Community in Japan. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 192.ISBN978-1-62674-066-2.
^Woledge, Elizabeth (August 2005) "Decoding Desire: From Kirk and Spock to K/S1"Social Semiotics, Volume 15, Issue 2 August 2005, pages 235–250doi:10.1080/10350330500154857
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^abLaura, Marcus; Peter Nicholls (2004).The Cambridge history of twentieth-century English literature. Cambridge University Press. p. 798.ISBN978-0-521-82077-6.
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^Stewart, Brandon (December 10, 2020)."Avatar: Sokka Has Beaten Katara Where It Counts - Tumblr's Shipping Wars".CBR. Archived fromthe original on December 16, 2020. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.With Tumblr's 2020 Year in Review, however, it looks like increasingly Avatar fans are moving beyond the shipping wars of years past and taking a third option: Zuko and Sokka are the hot new ship setting sail.
^abRadulovic, Petrana; Millman, Zosha; Diaz, Ana (February 14, 2024)."Let's settle this: Who had the best relationship on Avatar: The Last Airbender?".Polygon. Archived fromthe original on March 12, 2024. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.The battle between shippers has calmed, somewhat, in the years since the show went off the air. But these are still deeply held beliefs about how AtLA should've paired people off
^abKemner, Louis (June 23, 2022)."The 10 Most Wholesome Avatar Ships, Ranked".CBR. Archived fromthe original on June 17, 2024. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.Some ships may be downright weird or unpopular, but plenty of other ships are wholesome, healthy, and even inspiring to think about, with plenty of Avatar's main ships being "relationship goals."
^Bruce, Amanda; Roehler, Stephanie (March 15, 2024)."Avatar: 30 Wild Revelations About Aang And Katara's Relationship".Screenrant.Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.Fandoms can be contentious when it comes to relationships among the main characters, and that's certainly the case when it comes to fans who might prefer Katara with Zuko, or fans who prefer Katara with Aang.
^Perez, Rosa (August 25, 2024)."10 Reasons Why Katara Should Have Ended Up With Zuko".CBR.Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.The series ended with she and Aang kissing in front of a beautiful sunset, but in spite of the two having gone on to live a happy life together, fans—to this day—are still reeling over the fact that Katara should have ended up with Zuko.
^abClute, Emily (August 16, 2021)."Why Netflix's Avatar Cast Means A Katara/Zuko Romance Is Actually Possible".Screenrant.Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024....with that adaptation comes the possibility of a romance between Katara and Zuko...The ship...has become one of the most popular in the Avatar fandom; thousands of fanfictions for the relationship can be found across multiple platforms, and fan art and cosplays can be found across the internet.
^abStitch (February 25, 2022)."On Shipping, Ship Wars, and the Fight to Be Right".Teen Vogue.Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.When Avatar the Last Airbender was on air, it was the source of one of the biggest ship wars between 2005 and 2008, so much so that it continues to this day on some parts of the internet.
^abPitre, Jake (2017)."Rated Q for Queer: The Legend of Korra and the Evolution of Queer Reading"(PDF).Red Feather Journal.8 (2):29–30. RetrievedNovember 27, 2024.There were plenty of Makorra shippers out there, so if we had gone back on our decision and gotten those characters back together, would that have meant we caved in to those fans instead?….Trust me, I remember Kataang vs. Zutara Originally printedhere
^Ung, Lily (August 3, 2012)."Weekend of Awesomeness Weekend!".Sunburst. Vol. 52, no. 1.Issuu. RetrievedNovember 26, 2024.Joining together in the living room we all enjoyed our morning breakfast with a side of Legend of Korra (um, team Makorra)
^DiMartino, Michael; Konietzko, Bryan; Dos Santos, Joaquim (2013). "The Spirit of Competition/And the Winner Is...".The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book One: Air. Dark Horse Comics. pp. 88–89.ISBN978-1-61655-168-1.
^Locke, Alexandra (June 18, 2022)."The 10 Most Wholesome Legend Of Korra Ships, Ranked".CBR.Archived from the original on June 20, 2022. RetrievedNovember 26, 2024.Kai and Jinora began an adorable romance that reminded audiences of what it was like to fall in love for the first time. Even though they faced many challenges, they managed to stay together through it all — further emphasizing the power of young love.
^DiMartino, Michael; Konietzko, Bryan; Dos Santos, Joaquim (2022) [2015]. "Ancillary Art".The Legend of Korra—The Art of the Animated Series, Book Four: Balance (second ed.). Dark Horse Comics. pp. 184–185.ISBN978-1-5067-2187-3.
^Konietzko, Bryan (June 26, 2015)."Onward and Upward". Tumblr.Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. RetrievedJuly 1, 2015.
^Terasaki, Kimberly (June 6, 2023)."Is 'Star Wars' Ahsoka Tano a Queer Icon?".The Mary Sue.Archived from the original on April 23, 2025. RetrievedOctober 3, 2025.fans continue to ship the two, with Barris Offee/Ahsoka Tano being the most popular ship for Ahsoka on Archive of Our Own.
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