This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
//is this the same as Antipode Attack?
Gus: Well, I'd say Strange Bedfellows is the same as this, indicating that this would be the better merge target.
Binaroid: I disagree. Strange Bedfellows is about a third-party threat appearing that makes two opponents and/or opposing factions agree to a truce, so they can deal with it together. Enemy Mine is more about individuals from opposite sides needing to work together in order to survive (usually against an impersonal threat - a hostile environment, for instance) — at least that was the premise of the original story and film of that name. Granted, many of the examples under Enemy Mine should be under Antipode Attack; and this may be a Splitter situation.
Gus: Okay. Enemy Mine is a better title. I'm a Lumper, so the distinction seems pretty indistinct to me. That's fine, though. Perhaps the title of Antipode Attack could be changed to something that reflects the distinction.
Ununnilium: I think the biggest difference is that Enemy Mine usually involves the two sides gaining sympathy for each other, and their antagonistic relationship changing at least a little, while in Antipode Attack, they can hate each other all they want, as long as they get the job done.
Gus: pulled out ...
- Avatar The Last Airbender, "The Blue Spirit." Prince Zuko must rescue Aang from an impenetrable fortress. During the rescue, Zuko gets knocked out and Aang briefly contemplates whether to save him or not. Naturally, he does but the twist here is the character development after such and action-oriented episode. As he regains consciousness, Aang tells Zuko of his old friend Kuzon (naming similarity) who was from the Fire Nation before the War started, then openly asks if things weren't the way they were, they could be friends too. Zuko replies with a fireblast that sends Aang off, but the audience can somewhat see the look of surprise on his face.
... as it seems a little off-point. I take it that Zuko rescuing Aang is the notable bit; that they are not buddies. The team-up seems to be constrained to Aang co-operating with the rescue for a very brief while. At best, it seems to be a marginal case of Strange Bedfellows.
- Man Without A Body says "I don't think our opening quote is very well related to this trope."
Lale: "Picard retells similar parts of The Epic Of Gilgamesh." Does Picard have his facts right? I don't recall an Enemy Mine in that myth. Maybe he was referring to a Defeat Means Friendship scenario.
Seven Seals: I moved the Kim Possible quote to Strange Bedfellows, since that's where it belongs after the split.
Puck: "The Enemy of my Enemy [is my friend]" seems like the opposite of this trope. Thoughts?
—-
Had a third quote for this page, so I pulled the less relevant of the existing quotes to avoid "TV Tropes"? More like "TV Quotes"!:
Simmons: No, that's not ironic. Ironic would be if we had to work together to hurt each other.
Donut: No. Ironic would be instead of that guy kidnapping Lopez, Lopez kidnapped him.
Sarge: I think it would be ironic if our guns didn't shoot bullets, but instead squirted a healing salve that cured all wounds.
Caboose: I think it would be ironic if everything was Made of Iron.
two hours later...
Church: Okay. We're all agreed that while the current situation is not totally ironic, the fact that we have to work together is odd in an unexpected way that defies our normal circumstances. Is everybody happy with that?
Neenee: It's probably me, but could someone explain the difference between this and Strange Bedfellows again? (I read the above, but...) Because the descriptions sound really similar, and half of the examples here seem to belong in the other trope.
We are lumping the Discarded YKTTW Support Your Local Monsters
, so there will be several 'add examples' edits....
