History Main / CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds

** {{Schoolgirl Lesbian|s}} Shizuru has had two of these occur. In the {{anime}} itself, she goes insane, though a combination of her popularity and the ResetButton nature of the ending save her in the end. The video game based on this, which is aimed at a different {{demographic|s}}, has her committing suicide if the [[DatingSim main character chooses to be]] with Natsuki.

Often the [[BaitAndSwitchLesbians fate]] of SchoolgirlLesbians. As a type of [[DieForOurShip backlash]], sympathetic {{fanfic}} will often get rid of the heterosexual competition in this fashion as well. Often the fate of the "second" father when FirstFatherWins.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Shuffle}}'' does this ''twice'' to the main obstacle of the final pairing, both by having her [[{{Yandere}} go nuts]], and then having a two-second implication that she falls in love with [[SchoolgirlLesbians another of the girls]] in the ending credits.

* Creed from the ''Manga/BlackCat'' anime, after realizing that Train will never return his feelings ([[{{Asexuality}} or anyone else's, for that matter]]), does a HeelFaceTurn and ends up with [[LoveMartyr Echidna]].This never happens in the manga.

* [[LastMinuteHookup Quickly falling in love with someone else]], sometimes even with Charlie going for Dave or for [[PairTheSpares Bob's own Romantic False Lead]]; [[HookedUpAfterwards two birds with one stone!]]

* ''Film/TheresSomethingAboutMary'' takes the fourth option to a ridiculous extreme, with Pat being a sleazy asshole, Tucker being a loser named Norm who faked being crippled to get close to Mary, Woogie being psychotically obsessed with her, and Brett Favre for [[MurderArsonAndJaywalking playing for the Packers and not the Raiders]], leaving Ted as the defacto winner.

** The GrandFinale depicts [[BetaCouple Beta Couples]] hooking up (Varrick/Zhi Li, Bolin/Opal, Jinora/Kai), gives some definitive closure to Korra/Mako who decide to definitely stay as JustFriends, and then has [[spoiler:Korra and Asami]] head off into the sunset together.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

** During the first season the OfficialCouple of Lucas & Peyton was slowly built up with the clear goal of eventually putting them together. Come the second season, this was all ignored in favor of Lucas & Brooke, due to the real-life chemistry between Chad Michael Murray & Sophia Bush. Peyton, however, was retconned into being in love with Jake Jagielski - a recurring character from the previous season, who she had a mild flirtation with whilst she was trying to move on from Peyton[=/=]Lucas[=/=]Brooke love triangle.

* ''Anime/MaiHime'':
** [[SchoolgirlLesbians Schoolgirl Lesbian]] Shizuru has had two of these occur. In the {{anime}} itself, she goes insane though a combination of her popularity and the ResetButton nature of the ending save her in the end. The video game based on this, which is aimed at a different [[{{demographics}} demographic]], has her committing suicide if the [[DatingSim main character chooses to be]] with Natsuki.
** In the [[Manga/MaiHime manga]], this is averted, as while Natsuki continues having feelings for Yuuichi after he has essentially chosen Mai, Shizuru does not go insane, kill herself, get together with anyone else or even seem affected at all by Natsuki's pursuit of Yuuichi.

* ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': [[{{Tsundere}} Germany]] sought Italy. [[YamatoNadeshiko Japan]] sought Italy. [[CrazyJealousGuy Both]] [[GreenEyedMonster were jealous of each other]]. Italy [[{{Polyamory}} chose them both]].

* ''FanFic/RosarioVampireBrightestDarkness'': When Tsukune finally chooses Moka as his girlfriend, the other members of his harem slowly but surely move on to other boys that become part of the TrueCompanions; Kurumu ends up with [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Rason Miyamosa]], Mizore with [[DarkIsNotEvil Dark Kuyumaya]], Yukari with [[ChildMage Ahakon Maradoza]], and Ruby with [[GentlemanThief Razico Kalashin]].

* [[LastMinuteHookup Quickly falling in love with someone else]], sometimes even with Charlie [[SuddenlySexuality going for Dave]] or for [[PairTheSpares Bob's own Romantic False Lead]]; [[HookedUpAfterwards two birds with one stone!]]

* Played with hilariously in ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''. Tiana and Naveen fall in love and are married, but this leaves Charlotte as the only "good guy" who doesn't hook up with anyone or achieve her dream of meeting a prince. [[spoiler:In the final song of the movie, we see Charlotte dancing happily with Naveen's younger brother - who is six and a half! Charlotte shrugs and says "I've waited this long," suggesting that she can wait until he grows up, but it's clear that she's joking.]]

* The deleted scenes on the [[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition Special Edition [=DVDs=]]] of ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Return of the King]]'' pair Éowyn, who couldn't win Aragorn from Arwen, with Faramir. Granted, this was in the books, but the films emphasized the LoveTriangle far more, making the trope more obvious as a side effect.

* Or, some ficcers decide on a MathematiciansAnswer and [[OneTrueThreesome decide to ship all three]] as a unit.

* After inadvertently causing the end of the world, the heroes and their Soviet counterparts from ''Film/SpiesLikeUs'' decide to at least die happy: Chevy Chase pairs up with the gorgeous Donna Dixon, while the two older Soviet techs hook up together. Since there are two male techs and one female left, it seems that Dan Aykroyd's character and one of the other guys will be left out of the fun. Then it turns out the other two guys are gay, leaving Aykroyd to pair up with the very hot Vanessa Angel; win freakin' win. Oh, and the end of the world part? It gets better.

* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' resolves the love triangle between Hikaru, Lantis, and Eagle by killing Eagle off in an HeroicSacrifice (though then again he was fatally ill). (Which does not occur in the manga, where Hikaru does not feel a pressing need to choose just one...)

* ''Film/KickAss2'' pushed the hints of a Kick-Ass/Hit-Girl romance and had a temporary new love interest in the meantime for both. What about Kick-Ass's main love interest from the first film, whom he spent the whole film pursing and ended the film in a loving relationship? Well, she has a grand total of one scene in the sequel, in which she is [[DerailingLoveInterests derailed]] from a GirlNextDoor to a bitch that cheats on him before dumping him.[[note]]Which ironically brings her much more in line with her original characterization from the source comic.[[/note]]

* In ''Film/ThePalmBeachStory'', Gerry and Tom revive their love but in the process, they leave behind a flabbergasted Hackensacker and his Princess sister. Time to bring in the [[SettleForSibling twin brother/sister plot]] for everyone to be HappilyEverAfter.
* ''Film/VirginTerritory'': At the end of the film, Dimitri comes to marry Pampinea, driving a wedge between her and Lorenzo. Yet when it turns out he mistook her with Elissa (whom he had sex with and now loves). After that, however, Lorenzo is reluctant to marry her either as he's still pining for the mysterious "nun" who kissed him. Yet this turns out to be Pampinea, so everyone ends up with the one they love.

** At the end of ''The Chessmen of Mars'', Tara learns, greatly to her relief, that her betrothed -- believing her dead -- had fallen in love and married thus [[IGaveMyWord freeing her from her word]] and letting her marry the hero.

** Additionally, ''Breaking Dawn'' also sees Kate and Garret hooking up with only a few sentences of them spending time together and implies that [[spoiler:Charlie and Sue]] are in the process of hooking up (after, erm...[[spoiler:Sue cooks meals for Charlie, it seems]]). In the first story, Bella casually plays matchmaker for her friends, with no real mention of how well the friends get along before that. In fact, almost all of the protagonists are hooked up with someone, and the characters who are meant to be unsympathetic are left single.

** All in all: Ross, Rachel and Chandler had all kissed each of the five characters. Monica never kissed Phoebe or Joey (except for an alternate universe in the latter case). Back to the trope, it can be seen with many details throughout the series: Joey introducing Phoebe to her husband (and being actually the one who would marry them later on), Joey and Rachel deciding they're better off as friends (after roughly two years of build-up for their relationship to finally take place), Janice finally getting over Chandler after "one last moment of weakness", Gunther being shot down by Rachel in the finale, hooking up Ross' ex Julie with Rachel's ex Russ, etc.

** Jess actually averts this trope. Yes, he reforms himself but he's still in love with Rory. His final line: "It is what it is. Me. You." is actually them realizing [[{{StarCrossedLovers}} they love each other but their timing's never been right]]. Not that the ends are cleared up. Plus Rory eventually breaks up with the other guy and WordOfGod reveals had the series continued she and Jess would have got together. So definitely not this trope. The 2016 Netflix revival didn't resolve any of Rory's pairings but it left a door open for Jess who had a longing look at her just before the end of the show.

Bob, Charlie, Dave etc. have been [[LoveDodecahedron chasing]] Alice. Now it's time for Alice to choose Bob as her one and only.

* Deciding that what they want the most is to have [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy Alice be happy]], and that Alice can ''only'' be happy with Bob.

* ''Anime/MarmaladeBoy'' is the number one example. The anime spends so much time doing this sort of thing after Miki and Yuu pair off early in the series, it's almost impossible to take it seriously. Enter boy C who wants Miki, and girl D who wants Yuu. They team up, agreeing to work together to make Miki and Yuu break up. They fail, but it's okay -- because they fall in love in the process and get together! Repeat twenty times, and you have Marmalade Boy. The word "marmalade" has become a standard name for this plot device in the vocabulary of shoujo anime fans. It was a lot less complicated in the manga because there were far less characters in it compared to the anime as well as the author herself not wanting to pair all the characters up since she thought it was unrealistic. She actually has commented on how she was slightly annoyed that virtually all the characters did seem to get paired up in the anime.

* ''Manga/KimagureOrangeRoad'' had Character C ([[spoiler: Hikaru]]) rather quickly turned down once they got to the end, with her taking it bizarrely well that the main character lead her on for so long "in order to not hurt her feelings." A later {{OAV}} subverts this, however, and touches more on the emotional ramifications.'

** We find out that Syaoran's, and to some extent Sakura's, romantic feelings for Yukito were not simply crushes but in fact [[LovingAShadow caused by magical attraction]].
** Tomoyo from the same series is the archetypal IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy-character. Unusual in that Tomoyo acknowledges Sakura is a little dense with subtly, and decides to explain more fully when they're older. It doesn't really come up again once Syaoran enters the picture; Tomoyo was both a {{Muggle}} and largely defined by her relation to Sakura, so it was a pretty serious RoadCone.

* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' resolves the love triangle between Hikaru, Lantis and Eagle by killing Eagle off in an HeroicSacrifice (though then again he was fatally ill). (Which does not occur in the manga, where Hikaru does not feel a pressing need to choose just one...)

** [[SchoolgirlLesbians Schoolgirl Lesbian]] Shizuru has had two of these occur. In the {{anime}} itself, she goes insane, though a combination of her popularity and the ResetButton nature of the ending save her in the end. The video game based on this, which is aimed at a different [[{{demographics}} demographic]], has her committing suicide if the [[DatingSim main character chooses to be]] with Natsuki.

* Also from Creator/RumikoTakahashi, ''Manga/MaisonIkkoku'' presented a long-running, but less complex LoveDodecahedron. Protagonist (and dropout) Godai is in love with Kyoko, who is actively pursued by suave tennis coach Mitaka, while Godai reluctantly dates Kozue. All this, while Kyoko pines for her dead husband Soichirou. Eventually, Mitaka discovers an engagement with Asuna, a girl who loves dogs (his [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes crippling phobia]]), but the girl is so sweet that [[LastMinuteHookup he ultimately warms up to her]]. For her part, Kozue [[LovingAShadow outgrows her infatuation with Godai]] and breaks up with him. Godai's third "relationship," Ibuki Yagami, a highschool girl who continually advanced on [[HotForTeacher her ex teacher]] was the only romantic complication not to get over Godai, still [[UnrequitedLoveLastsForever thinking she will eventually get together with him]] in the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue.

** [[spoiler: Yasuna originally rejected Hazumu not because of any of Hazumu's qualities that carried over through the change, but simply because Hazumu was, at the time, a boy, which, due to her odd affliction, made things a no-go. The later breakup was unrelated.]]
** Also, it was rather less complicated in the manga, where [[spoiler: Hazumu chose Tomari from the start, because she was the one who didn't hesitate to save Hazumu's life. She loved him/her in both genders, choosing to change her own sexuality just to be with Hazumu.]]

** There is at least a bit more foreshadowing in both the manga and the light novel, since they let you in on Ryuuji's thought process. He is always thinking about [[spoiler:Taiga and how pretty she is]], among other things.

* Towards the end of Creator/BrianKVaughan's run on ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Nico and Victor suddenly become a couple, despite not having much previous chemistry. This is heavily lampshaded; they're both grieving Gert, and Nico's usual way of coping with trauma is [[SexForSolace to throw herself at the nearest available body]]. Nico is well aware that it's neither psychologically healthy for her or fair to Victor, but Victor becomes infatuated with her and she can't bring herself to let him go. This was inverted when Creator/JossWhedon took over and had Victor cheat on Nico, at which point Nico promptly dumped him. Neither of them have been canonically paired with anyone since.
* How Marvel ultimately dealt with Madelyne Pryor, Cyclops' first wife. She ran off after Cyclops left to check on the recently resurrected Jean Grey, along with their son Nathan. Marvel decided they wanted Scott and Jean back together and that Maddie was a loose end and turned her evil and wrote Nathan out of the story by sending him into the future, allowing Cyclops to be free of his commitments. Eventually they revealed that Cable was the grown-up Nathan Summers.
* Black Panther and Storm's marriage despite being popular to a good deal fans ended in divorce as in ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen'' T'challla annulled it in a single page due, to the Mutant's part in the massacre. Ironically Black Panther and Storm [[https://www.cbr.com/marvel-couples-ranked/ still make]] Marvel's top couples lists.

* Played with hilariously in ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''. Tiana and Naveen fall in love and are married, but this leaves Charlotte as the only "good guy" who doesn't hook up with anyone or achieve her dream of meeting a prince. [[spoiler:In the final song of the movie, we see Charlotte dancing happily with Naveen's younger brother - who is six and half! Charlotte shrugs and says "I've waited this long," suggesting that she can wait until he grows up, but it's clear that she's joking.]]

* ''Film/KickAss2'' pushed the hints of a Kick-Ass/Hit-Girl romance and had a temporary new love interest in the meantime for both. What about Kick-Ass's main love interest from the first film, whom he spent the whole film pursing and ended the film in a loving relationship? Well she has a grand total of one scene in the sequel, in which she is [[DerailingLoveInterests derailed]] from a GirlNextDoor to a bitch that cheats on him before dumping him.[[note]]Which ironically brings her much more in line with her original characterization from the source comic.[[/note]]

* In ''Film/ThePalmBeachStory'', Gerry and Tom revive their love but in the process they leave behind a flabbergasted Hackensacker and his Princess sister. Time to bring in the [[SettleForSibling twin brother/sister plot]] for everyone to be HappilyEverAfter.
* ''Film/VirginTerritory'': At the end of the film, Dimitri comes to marry Pampinea, driving a wedge between her and Lorenzo. Yet then it turns out he mistook her with Elissa (whom he had sex with and now loves). After that however, Lorenzo is reluctant to marry her either as he's still pining for the mysterious "nun" who kissed him. Yet this turns out to be Pampinea, so everyone ends up with the one they love.

* In Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs' ''[[Literature/JohnCarterOfMars Gods of Mars]]'' and ''Warlord of Mars'', Thuvia falls in love with John Carter. At the end, when he is reunited with his wife, they get to watch as Thuvia and their son are flirting (though they get a book of their own before they actually get to marry).
** At the end of ''The Chessmen of Mars'', Tara learns, greatly to her relief, that her betrothed, believing her dead, had fallen in love and married, thus [[IGaveMyWord freeing her from her word]] and letting her marry the hero.

* Ken Follett's two Kingsbridge historical fiction novels both feature a main couple (Jack and Aliena and ''Literature/{{The Pillars of the Earth}}'', Merthin and Caris in ''Literature/{{World Without End}}'') who, for various plot contrivances, can't be together in a practical and/or legal (it's 12th or 14th century England) sense for very extended periods of time. As a result, various stopgap love interests are employed, but have to be disposed of when it's time for the main couple to possibly have a shot (which, particularly in ''World Without End'', happens several times before they actually succeed). For example, after Caris is forced into becoming a nun, Merthin leaves for Florence, marries, and has a daughter; then the Black Death kills his wife, and he returns to England, has an affair with a barmaid, who ''also'' dies of the Black Death, gets back together with Caris for a while, but circumstances force another breakup, and he has an affair with Lady Philippa, his brother's wife (loveless forced marriage), but Philippa gets pregnant by him and has to pretend the child is his brother's, and her departure coincides with Caris finally getting out of the nunnery.

* Parodied on ''Series/{{Friends}}''. After Ross and Rachel get back together and Monica and Chandler announce they're dating, Joey asks Phoebe if they should get together, by the virtue of them being the only main characters left. Phoebe reveals that she has a long term-strategy for the two of them in which they make off with Chandler and Monica's money and Rachel's children, and kill Ross.

** Perhaps the most obvious ''Series/{{Friends}}'' example of this trope: Ross's wedding to Emily. "I, Ross, take thee Rachel..."

** Jess actually averts this trope. Yes he reforms himself but he's still in love with Rory. His final line: "It is what it is. Me. You." is actually them realizing [[{{StarCrossedLovers}} they love each other but their timing's never been right]]. Not that the ends are cleared up. Plus Rory eventually breaks up with the other guy and WordOfGod reveals had the series continued she and Jess would have got together. So definitely not this trope. The 2016 Netflix revival didn't resolve any of Rory's pairings but it left a door open for Jess who had a longing look at her just before the end of the show.

* Exception: At the end of ''Series/ManAboutTheHouse'', the main character, poor Robin Tripp, gets ditched by both his love interest and other main character, Chrissy, who prefers Robin's brother Norman. Robin can only acknowledge his defeat, which isn't softened by any narrative gimmick. However, this is only a partial exception, as Robin quickly falls in love with someone else, in the series spin-off ''Robin's Nest''.

** During the first season the OfficialCouple of Lucas & Peyton was slowly built up with the clear goal of eventually putting them together. Come the second season, this was all ignored in favor of Lucas & Brooke, due to the real life chemistry between Chad Michael Murray & Sophia Bush. Peyton, however, was retconned into being in love with Jake Jagielski - a recurring character from the previous season, who she had a mild flirtation with whilst she was trying to move on from Peyton[=/=]Lucas[=/=]Brooke love triangle.
** When the writers eventually pulled the trigger on restarting the Lucas[=/=]Peyton relationship in the third season, after subtly leaving hints throughout the season that Peyton wasn't quite as over Lucas she first appeared, they brought Jake for a three episode stint for no other reason than to show that Peyton never really loved Jake by having her confess her feelings for Lucas to Jake when she said "I love you, Lucas" in her sleep.
*** Similarily, the episode before Lucas & Peyton finally got together in the fourth season featured Brooke & Lucas realising that whilst they cared about each other, they really weren't in love with one another.

* In ''Series/PetticoatJunction'' Steve Elliot was introduced as a possible love interest for the Bradley girls, Billie Jo, Bobbi Jo, and Betty Jo. He and Billie Jo became a couple for several seasons. But then the actor playing Steve married the actress playing Betty Jo, so TPTB decided to have them get married on the show too. Out of the blue, Billie Jo mentions to her mother that she and Steve are "just friends." An episode or two later, Steve and Betty Jo declare their love, and Billie Jo doesn't mind at all. She wanted to focus more on her acting career, and wasn't ready to get married like she knew Steve was wanting. And Bobbi Jo, who'd had a crush on Steve all this time, doesn't mind either, because she didn't have that big of a crush on him anyway.

* Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'' ends with the good guys rewarded, the "bad" guys punished, and everyone happily paired up... ''except Antonio, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek''. Antonio's constant devotion and implied love for Sebastian goes completely unacknowledged. At least one film version ends with him walking away from the castle all alone. And Aguecheek, well... despite being rather slow in the head, his ending is quite tragic, as he appears smitten with Olivia and, judging by his early comment that "I was adored once too", he's really not got any other existing prospects.

* Subverted in ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'', in an episode where Fry dates a digital copy of Lucy Liu. At the end, Fry deletes the copy after being asked by the real Liu, and hopes that he can get to know the real Liu. However, it turns out that Liu and Bender (who has [[HypocriticalHumor been against human/robot relationships for the whole episode]]) have fallen in love. The heart fade-out shows Bender and Liu kissing... then turns to Fry, who is growling at them.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', Brooklyn is the series' romantic ButtMonkey, falling for multiple femmes and being brushed off by all of them. Creator Greg Weisman to finally fixed that in the official comic book continuation where Brooklyn is whisked away for a 40 year journey where he finds his true love and raises a family before they all return to his clan at a time that is five minutes after the moment he disappeared. That journey was originally supposed to be depicted in a SpinOff series called ''Timedancer''. In addition, in the interim after the original TV series cancellation and before the SLG comic book continuation depicting the results of this, plenty of Brooklyn fans who were FanFic writers were happy to supply their own idea of the ideal true love for him.

** The original miniseries spent considerable time on shipping during the second act, only to realize that its substantially more relevant plotlines were getting less attention. In the span of less than 7 minutes, Korra's love interest nebulously breaks up with his current girlfriend to be with the Avatar.

* After winningly declaring her independence from Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle in ''Theatre/MyFairLady'' returns to Higgins after all give the audience a so called romantic happy ending, deviating from the source material, ''Theatre/{{Pygmalion}}'', by Creator/GeorgeBernardShaw, who strongly felt that the characters should not end up together.

* Black Panther and Storm's marriage wasn't well-received to begin with, and the events of ''Avengers vs. X-Men'' were used to remove it. Black Panther, being a high-ranking religious figure and king of his country, annulled it on a single page.

** [[TheRival Koga]] finally leaving Kagome alone in the same book as well. [[spoiler: In the anime, he marries Ayame aka the CuteBruiser girl he made a ChildhoodMarriagePromise to years ago.]]

* Played with hilariously in ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''. Tiana and Naveen fall in love and are married, but this leaves Charlotte as the only "good guy" who doesn't hook up with anyone or achieve her dream of meeting a prince. [[spoiler:In the final song of the movie, we see Charlotte dancing happily with Naveen's younger brother - who is six and half! While she shrugs and says "I waited this long", they technically don't hook up.]]

* An JustForFun/{{egregious}} use of the trope was in the film ''Film/PrettyInPink''. Originally the heroine was supposed to end up romantically with her offbeat platonic buddy, but the test audiences insisted that she end up in the arms of the superficial rich pretty-boy instead. Thus was the [[RevisedEnding ending of the film changed]], with poor old Ducky going for some girl who merely winks at him from the dance floor, despite his stalker-like fixation with the heroine throughout the entire damn film. It's speculated that this is why the writer created the film ''Film/SomeKindOfWonderful'' the next year with the exact same story (save for the genders switched) with the "original" ending.

* After inadvertently causing the end of the world, the heroes and their Soviet counterparts from ''Film/SpiesLikeUs'' decide to at least die happy: Chevy Chase pairs up with the gorgeous Donna Dixon, while the two older Soviet techs hook up together. Since there are two male techs and one female left, it seems that Dan Ackroyd's character and one of the other guys will be left out of the fun. Then it turns out the other two guys are gay, leaving Ackroyd to pair up with the very hot Vanessa Angel; win freakin' win. Oh, and the end of the world part? It gets better.
* A major subplot in ''Film/AlexanderNevsky'' has two warriors, [[SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan Gavrilo and Vassili]], as rivals for the hand of [[ProperLady Olga Danilova]], declaring that whoever is bravest in battle will win her. It ends with Vasili yielding place to Gavrilo, as he has fallen hard for [[ActionGirl Vasilissa of Pskov]] (Vasili claims that ''she'' was the bravest of all, and Gavrilo was second).

* ''[[Film/LAStory L.A. Story]]''. Harris K. Telemacher falls in love with a younger woman, but his loyalty to his girlfriend prevents him from going any further. Luckily, he discovers that his girlfriend is cheating on him with another man, so he can proceed with his new romance.
* Kelsi and Jason at the end of the first ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' movie: Kelsi, who seemed to have a bit of a crush on Troy, is randomly paired up with his only friend, (with actual lines,) Jason, that doesn't have a crush/girlfriend/whatever, despite the fact that they never interacted before in the movie and they have nothing in common.

* This trope appears to be Creator/NoraEphron's bread and butter. In ''Film/SleeplessInSeattle'', [[spoiler: Annie Reed and Walter come a mutual agreement that they are not all that in love and part amicably, leaving Annie free to hook up with Sam later that very night]]. Meanwhile, in ''Film/YouveGotMail'', [[spoiler: Joe gives the boot to his shrill and unlikable girlfriend Patricia after being trapped in an elevator with her. Kathleen and Frank mutually agree that they are not all that in love and break off their engagement, leaving Kathleen free to hook up with Joe within a few weeks.]]

** A deleted scene has Worf hung over on Romulan Ale. General consensus and possibly WordOfGod says it's because of this. Nevermind that Worf married another woman on another show.

* Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'' ends with the good guys rewarded, the "bad" guys punished, and everyone happily paired up... ''except Antonio, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek''. Antonio's constant devotion and implied love for Sebastian goes completely unacknowledged. At least one film version ends with him walking away from the castle all alone. And Aguecheek, well... despite being rather slow in the head, his ending is quite tragic, as he appears smitten with Olivia and, judging by his comment early on "I was adored once too", he's really not got any other existing prospects.

* Fantomex and Psylocke hooked up as part of the long-running romance subplot in Rick Remender's ''ComicBook/UncannyXForce'', after the LoveTriangle between Psylocke, Fantomex and Angel was resolved (basically Angel had his entire personality and all his memories wiped). Psylocke and Fantomex hook up at the very end of the series, and it's clear that this was presented as a happy ending (those words are even used)... yeah, not even a year later, the new ''Uncanny X-Force'' series by a different writer had them break-up off-panel.