History Main / AbandonShipping

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'': In a subversion the previous examples, after it was revealed that [[spoiler:Rei is a genetic construct formed by mixing the DNA of Shinji's mother and Lilith, effectively making her his half-sister]], the Shinji/Rei shippers appeared, if anything, to get ''stronger'', in what is either a very strong case of FanPreferredCouple or simple desperation.

* Early on the ''WreckItRalph'' fanbase shipped Ralph with Vanellope. As it turns out Vanellope is a cute little ''nine'' year old girl. The fanbase immedielty stopped shipping them and instead preferred a big brother-little sister, or even father-daughter, friendship.

* The ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' fandom had a variant, in that shippers didn't ditch a pairing due to one of the characters doing something unconsciousable, but simply because a better one showed up. When Tarvek and [[HeroicComedicSociopath Bangladesh]] interacted, Bang's schoolgirl glee at seeing Tarvek again earned the pairing a lot of fans. ''Two days later'', Bang met [[PsychoForHire Vole]], and everyone immediately jumped to that ship. To quote one of the posters on our own forums: "I support this ship. I support this ship so much it will not displace water. I support this ship so much it will be a ''skyship''."

** Or, you know, because Eva isn't a very happy setting, and that fact only puts a cherry on top of a tragic fic.
** On the other hand reading through various FanFiction archives do suggest a trend away from Shinji/Rei and toward Shinji/Asuka.

* ''ParadiseKiss'': During the first volumes, Arashi Nagase and Miwako Sakurada attracted massive amounts of {{shipping}}. However, as the series progressed, readers tended to gradually back away from the (''{{canon}}'') ship, as Arashi's attitude towards Miwako started to become aggressive and sometimes violent, [[spoiler:and then came TheReveal that he [[LovingForce raped her]] during their first time]]. Even though Miwako doesn't hold it against him, [[TheAtoner Arashi feels]] ''[[TheAtoner very]]'' [[TheAtoner guilty]] about his behaviour, [[MustMakeAmends and tries to correct what he has done]]. Despite this, [[spoiler:the fact that they end up together and even have a child]] has proven too {{squick}}y for many fans to overcome.

** And Amon/Tarrlok gained a small MindGameShip / FoeYay following after [[spoiler:Amon de-bends Tarlokk in a fairly HoYay-tastic scene]] only to fall into this trope once it's revealed [[spoiler:they're brothers]], meaning that anyone who didn't like [[spoiler:incest]] jumped ship, and resulted in a few HilariousInHindsight pieces of fanwork before that particular revelation.

** And Amon/Tarlokk gained a small MindGameShip / FoeYay following after [[spoiler:Amon de-bends Tarlokk in a fairly HoYay-tastic scene]] only to fall into this trope once it's revealed [[spoiler:they're brothers]], meaning that anyone who didn't like [[spoiler:incest]] jumped ship, and resulted in a few HilariousInHindsight pieces of fanwork before that particular revelation.

* ''GundamSeed'': Additionally, during the initial run, a small but devoted group of loyal Kira/Cagalli shippers existed for a time... until it was revealed that [[spoiler:Kira and Cagalli were [[{{Twincest}} twins]] a la Luke and Leia, which WordOfGod confirms was a direct allusion to ''StarWars''.]] There are still some shippers out there, though, especially after Kira [[SpeakNowOrForeverHoldYourPeace rescued Cagalli from marrying the wrong guy]] and carried her away in a wedding dress in ''GundamSEEDDestiny''.

* ''GundamSeed'': Additionally, during the initial run, a small but devoted group of loyal Kira/Cagalli shippers existed for a time... until it was revealed that [[spoiler:Kira and Cagalli were [[{{Twincest}} twins]] a la Luke and Leia.]] There are still some shippers out there, though, especially after Kira [[SpeakNowOrForeverHoldYourPeace rescued Cagalli from marrying the wrong guy]] and carried her away in a wedding dress in ''GundamSEEDDestiny''.
** WordOfGod says that Kira and Cagalli's circumstances were meant to be a direct allusion to ''StarWars''.

* ''ParadiseKiss'': During the first volumes, Arashi Nagase and Miwako Sakurada attracted massive amounts of {{shipping}}. However, as the series progressed, readers tended to gradually back away from the (''{{canon}}'') ship, as Arashi's attitude towards Miwako started to become aggressive and sometimes violent, [[spoiler:and then came TheReveal that he [[VictimFallsForRapist raped her]] during their first time]]. Even though Miwako doesn't hold it against him, [[TheAtoner Arashi feels]] ''[[TheAtoner very]]'' [[TheAtoner guilty]] about his behaviour, [[MustMakeAmends and tries to correct what he has done]]. Despite this, [[spoiler:the fact that they end up together and even have a child]] has proven too {{squick}}y for many fans to overcome.

* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Many abandoned the Spike/Buffy ship after the infamous [[MoralEventHorizon attempted rape]] in season six.
* ''{{Dollhouse}}'': More than half of [[ReluctantMadScientist Topher]] and [[TheConscience Claire]]'s {{fandom}} abandoned shipping when it was revealed that [[spoiler:Claire was actually a Doll and claimed she hated Topher's guts]]. Those who left began to ship [[ReluctantMadScientist Topher]] with [[DefrostingIceQueen Adelle]], until [[PairTheSmartOnes Bennett]] came into the picture and killed whatever was left of ''both'' pairings. (Before, you know, getting [[spoiler:killed off by Claire...]])

Some [[{{Shipping}} Shippers]] are [[DieForOurShip diehard]]. They'll go through everything, [[FireIceLightning fire, ice, lightning]], nuclear explosions, you name it, but they're still sticking by their OneTruePairing no matter what.

** Quite a few other people bailed on the pairing after Saito tried to have sex with Louise [[DudeShesLikeInAComa while she was unconscious.]]

* ''HeavyRain'': Scott Shelby and Lauren Winter. [[spoiler:All gone to hell when it is revealed that Scott was the person who killed Lauren's son. She whacks him in the most epic way though.]]

* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': During the first couple of seasons all signs pointed towards a ship between Captain Archer and T'Pol, until the third season when all of a sudden the ship turned into one between T'Pol and Trip Tucker.

See also ShipSinking for when the creators intentionally introduce something to try and make this happen, though it's not at all guaranteed to work on the more radical shippers.

* ''MahouSenseiNegima'': Negi/Asuna. Between the fact that their relationship [[PlatonicLifePartners works fine non-romantically]], rival ships (like Nodoka, Kuu Fei, Yue, Ako, Makie, [[spoiler:Luna aka Shiori, ''[[FoeYay Fate]]'']], etc.), and the false revelation [[spoiler:that Asuna is Negi's aunt, though debunked by the fact that she is way too old, somewhat reviving this ship with minor Tenchi-style family confusion.]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' did this when it revealed [[spoiler:John is Jade's brother genetically while Dave is Rose's brother genetically.]]

* ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]'': had this happen to Kara/Lee mostly after the fans found the pairs actions during the [[RomanticPlotTumor Quad of Doom]] despicable. Attrition though took place throughout the whole series with fans jumping ship as early as the first season finale, by the series finale Roslin/Adama overtook them as the largest ship in the {{fandom}}.

* ''[[TwentyFour 24]]'': The potential Jack/Nina ship came apart at the end of Season 1 for [[TheMole very]] [[ItsPersonal obvious]] [[FriendlyTarget reasons]].

* ''[[StarTrekEnterprise Star Trek: Enterprise]]'': During the first couple of seasons all signs pointed towards a ship between Captain Archer and T'Pol, until the third season when all of a sudden the ship turned into one between T'Pol and Trip Tucker.

** Tenzin and Korra. They were the first two named characters and were paired up almost immediately in a MentorShip... until it was found out that Tenzin was a married man in his fifties with three kids.

* ''StarWars'': Despite it coming out of nowhere and being obvious in its intentions, the revelation that [[TheHero Luke]] and [[TheChick Leia]] were siblings ''did'' kill off the {{fandom}} (and there was a {{fandom}} after the first two movies)...for a while. Since then they've grown up and are [[BrotherSisterIncest letting their freak flags fly on the innerblagospherat00bs]].

* ''ShoujoKakumeiUtena'': Many fans dropped Mikage/Mamiya (the show's first {{canon}}ically gay couple) when it turned out that [[spoiler:Mamiya was an illusion acted out by Anthy, a ''girl''. Even without the HetIsEw aspect, the fact that it was all an elaborate ploy by Anthy and her brother Akio to make Mikage an UnwittingPawn was also more than enough for the ship to be abandoned.]]

* ''{{Dollhouse}}'': More than half of [[ReluctantMadScientist Topher]] and [[TheConscience Claire]]'s {{fandom}} abandoned shipping when it was revealed that [[spoiler:Claire was actually a Doll and claimed she hated Topher's guts]]. Those who left began to ship [[ReluctantMadScientist Topher]] with [[DefrostingIceQueen Adelle]], until [[BrokenBird Bennett]] came into the picture and killed whatever was left of ''both'' pairings. (Before, you know, getting [[spoiler:killed off by Claire...]])