History Main / LastMinuteHookup

* ''Changes'' in {{The Dresden Files}} actually manages to subvert this: Harry and Karrin finally almost-acknowledge their feelings for each other and manage to set up a date, but Harry [[spoiler:gets shot and dies]] just before the date can happen. Of course, this being Harry, [[PlotArmour the hero of the series]], [[spoiler:he goes on to solve a case ''while being a ghost'', then comes back alive]].

* ''{{Firefly}}'': Simon and Kaylee don't have a chance to get very far on the show itself, but in the BigDamnMovie, they finally share their feelings during the final showdown with the Reavers, and one of the last shots is them making out.
* ''{{Friends}}'': The final episode ended along similar lines: Ross and Rachel had already been together and broken up in various capacities, but only in the series finale did they get to hook up For Real, presumably to be together happily ever after.

* This happens in so many Books of AgathaChristie such as ''The Murder on the Links'', ''Towards Zero'' or ''Why Didn't They Ask Evans''.

* This is heavily implied in the anime ending of MÄR between Ginta and Koyuki/Snow. Their last scene together is very suggestive, and literally about 2 minutes before the end.

* The GrandFinale of ''{{Daria}}'' has [[ExtrovertedNerd Upchuck]] [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight randomly hitting on]] [[{{Goth}} Andrea]] during a party. She agrees to leave the party to go on a date with him, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny to his complete and utter amazement]].

* ''KamenRiderDouble'': Akiko and Ryu hook up six episodes (plus a movie) before the end of the season. Akiko started with a vague interest in each of the three male leads, though definitely leaning towards Ryu, who on the other hand, didn't seem interested in a relationship at all. Despite Akiko never overtly pursuing Ryu on-screen, they show they've for some reason hooked up via a prank on Shoutarou. Sadly, they barely advance the pairing at all within the confines of the last episodes beyond a handful of superficial lines and gestures, (one being concern when she accompanies the heroes on a raid at the enemy HQ, another being a hug Ryu doesn't return in the finale, and a small moment in TheMovie.) but many fans rejoiced all the same. Publicity material reveals that by the time of the CrossoverMovie with KamenRiderOOO they are married.

* ''SuperSentai'':

** ''JukenSentaiGekiranger'': Mele's motivation throughout the whole of the series is her love for Rio, but he doesn't return her affections until right before [[spoiler:they die together]] at the end of the show.

* ''Manga/CaptainTsubasa'': In the last two Volumes of the first manga series[[hottip:*:Volumes 36 and 37]] Tsubasa and Sanae realized the feelings they have for each other, Sanae finally became honest with herself and her feelings, but Tsubasa is a strange case, he showed no hints whatsoever that he liked Sanae or anyone else, so his love confession felt like a last minute plot. This is saved from its own awkwardness because that’s only the first manga series’ climax, the sequels does take its time to show Tsubasa showing affection towards Sanae, and consequently developing their relationship.

** ''ChoujinSentaiJetman'': After a series-long love triangle between Ryu, Kaori and Gai, with the attraction between Ryu and Kaori only implied, a WhereAreTheyNow epilogue shows that they marry three years after the events of the show.
** ''BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger'': The WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue and Dekaranger Vs hint at Yukito and Emiri being in a relationship. Finally confirmed in Gokaiger that they got married.
** ''TokusouSentaiDekaranger'': Episode 46 is a massive ShipTease between Sen and Umeko, but it's not till Magiranger Vs the following year that it is confirmed as canon.
** ''MahouSentaiMagiranger'': Hikaru and Urara suddenly marry two episodes before the end of the show. JustifiedTrope since Hikaru had had a vision of his own forthcoming death so there wasn't really time to extend the courtship.

* ''StargateSG1'': In the final episode, Daniel and Vala finally get together, having been constantly bickering (and, in Vala's case, flirting) throughout season 10 and some of season 9. They spend many long, monogamous years together. Even then, the hookup is reversed when Teal'c goes back in time and changes the past, but, it's implied that they'll end up together eventually anyway.

* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'': The pairing of Faramir and Eowyn at the end of the third film comes [[StrangledByTheRedString basically out of nowhere]] (though [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication it's given much more attention in the books]]) after Eowyn has spent most of her time pining after Aragorn. Though you might argue realizing the crush is hopeless shows CharacterDevelopment.

** [[spoiler:Lupin and Tonks' relationship at the end of HBP]] also qualifies. The actual romance between the two was hardly ever seen from Harry's perspective. Those who didn't notice the hints were naturally shocked, and even after the two are explicitly stated to have married between the penultimate and the last book, the readers still don't see much evidence of romance between the two. [[spoiler: Heck, Lupin even ditches her for a while when he finds out he got her pregnant because he was afraid he passed [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent his condition]] onto [[WhatIfTheBabyIsLikeMe their child]]. He mans up after a WhattheHellHero moment from Harry though.]]

* ''MassEffect'': Just before heading through the Mu Mass Relay in pursuit of [[spoiler:Saren]]. In MassEffect2, during the hours leading up to the suicide mission through the Omega-4 Mass Relay. In both games, this trope applies only if you sufficiently nurtured a relationship with a romanceable character throughout the course of the game. Something about uncharted Mass Relays seems to heighten hormone levels in organic species...
** And happens again in MassEffect3, just before the assault on Cerberus HQ. Probably not so much the 'uncharted Mass Relay' bit as it is the 'we're probably going to die so let's do it while we still can' bit.

* ''HarryPotter'': Hermione and Ron, anyone? After seven books of WillTheyOrWontThey, they make out in the hall while Voldemort and the Death Eaters are attacking the school and people are dying. The movies try to avert this by building them up as a couple earlier by giving more ShipTease. Just look at the film version of ''PrisonerOfAzkaban''.
** ''HalfBloodPrince'': A book specific example would be Harry and Ginny. They probably deserve to be the [[TropeCodifier king and queen of this trope]]. Not only do they become a couple close to the end after Harry spends a good portion of the book crushing on her, but they ''still manage to break up before the end of the book!'' To make matters worse, they spend [[UpToEleven even less screen time together]] in the last book. [[spoiler: By the epilogue, they're HappilyMarried]], leaving even those who took no sides in the shipping scratching their heads. Again, the film tries to avert this. Not only does Ginny get a fair more screen time and more scenes with Harry in the ''Half Blood Prince'' adaptation, but they don't break up at the end, either. Plus their interactions in ''Deathly Hallows, Part 1'' count too. (Thank you Creator/SteveKloves!) However, like Hermione and Ron, it still suffers on account of [[CompressedAdaptation how much is left out]].

* ''LightNovel/StrawberryPanic'': [[spoiler:Shizuma whisks Nagisa away from the Etoile competition to run away with her, to which Nagisa happily agrees]]. Although romantic, this is also quite sudden since we have never actually seen them work out their issues.

* ''Just Friends'' by Robyn Sisman sees the two main characters embark on rather serious relationships and have genuine problems when living with each other for a short time. They too end up together on the last page, leaving many questions unanswered as to how they would live together and deal with each other's and their own character flaws properly.

* The GrandFinale of ''{{Daria}}'' has [[ExtrovertedNerd Upchuck]] [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight randomly hitting on]] [[{{Goth}} Andrea]] during a party. She agrees to leave the party to go on a date with him, [[CrowningMomentOfShock to his complete and utter amazement]].

* ''Changes'' in {{The Dresden Files}} actually manages to subvert this: Harry and Karrin finally almost-acknowledge their feelings for each other and manage to set up a date, but Harry [[spoiler:gets shot and dies]] just before the date can happen. Of course, this being Harry, [[PlotArmour the hero of the series]], [[spoiler:he goes on to solve a case ''while being a ghost'', then comes back alive]].
* ''Literature/AHorseAndHisBoy'' ends by mentioning that [[WellExcuseMePrincess Aravis]] moves in with [[MosesInTheBullrushes Shasta]]/[[spoiler:Prince Cor]] and that the two [[SlapSlapKiss continue to argue constantly]] until they just decided to marry to make the whole arrangement easier. It [[ShipSinking sinks]] any romance between [[SapientSteed Bree and Hwin]], though, noted that they marry other people.

* ''AHorseAndHisBoy'' ends by mentioning that [[WellExcuseMePrincess Aravis]] moves in with [[MosesInTheBullrushes Shasta]]/[[spoiler:Prince Cor]] and that the two [[SlapSlapKiss continued to argue constantly]], until they just decided to marry to make the whole arrangement easier. It [[ShipSinking sinks]] any romance between [[SapientSteed Bree and Hwin]], though, noted that they married other people.

* Wonder Girl and Robin hook up in the series finale of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', though both had barely received much screentime and characterization to lead up to the development. A part of the script that didn't make it into the final product [[LampshadeHanging even pokes fun at how sudden relationships can happen]], with the two stating "We know" and secretly holding hands.

* ''ICarly'': After ''5 years'' of shipping wars, pandering for the Sam/Freddie side and the Carly/Freddie side ''and'' both relationships having canon relationships that are broken up, Carly and Freddie have a last minute kiss in the final episode.