History Main / LoveCannotOvercome

** Lois amd Superman are clearly dating by the time of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'', though there's no indication that she does (or does not) realize that he and Clark are the same person

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'':
** Similar to the comics example above, Two-Face's fiancée, [[MeaningfulName Grace]], never really gives up on him, either.
** Harley Quinn occasionally broke up with SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker when she wanted to go straight or he simply went too far, but MadLove always brought her back in the end.

** Lois amd Superman are clearly dating by the time of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', though there's no indication that she does (or does not) realize that he and Clark are the same person

** Although later when he finds out ''again'', and learns they used a ResetButton to undo him learning before, he says they didn't give him enough time and he actually ''can'' handle it. And he does, mostly.

* In ''Every Day'', by David Levithan, love doesn't overcome . . . . ''sorta''. The central premise is that A is a genderless being who wakes up each morning in a different body. He falls for a girl, Rhiannon, but she ultimately can't deal with the stress and difficulty that comes along with such an existence. Then A realizes that there's a chance he/she could just pick one body and stay in it. Ultimately, though, he/she decides that would be totally unethical, and doesn't return to Rhiannon. It is, as you can imagine, a major {{tearjerker}}.

* Villainous example: A few Batman stories before the 1980s showed that Harvey "ComicBook/TwoFace" Dent's fiancée, Gilda, still loved him unconditionally after his transformation, but his criminal lifestyle and tendency to end up in Arkham eventually forced her to move on. The GoldenAge story that introduced him was quite different; there, she's immediately repulsed by his disfigurement.

* This is why Silver St. Cloud breaks up with Bruce Wayne in a famous 1970s ''{{Batman}}'' arc; She can't handle knowing that he's risking his life against people like SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker every night, so she abandons him and Gotham. This seems to be the source for many other examples from Batman adaptations in other media.

* In ''Film/BatmanReturns'', Bruce Wayne mentions that Vicki Vale, his love interest from the first Tim Burton movie, couldn't handle being {{Batman}}'s girlfriend.
* Similarly, in ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'', Rachel doesn't want to deal with the issues of being Bruce's love interest until he's done being {{Batman}}.

* Villainous example: A few Batman stories before the 1980s showed that Harvey "Two-Face" Dent's fiancée, Gilda, still loved him unconditionally after his transformation, but his criminal lifestyle and tendency to end up in Arkham eventually forced her to move on. The GoldenAge story that introduced him was quite different; there, she's immediately repulsed by his disfigurement.

* Jamie Reagan's girlfriend in ''BlueBloods'' left him because she couldn't stand loving a cop with ChronicHeroSyndrome.

This is not necessarily a very 'romantic' trope, but in some situations it can add a tremendous note of TruthInTelevision.

* Being in love with the emotionally withdrawn Bruce Banner is tough enough already, but his onetime wife Betty Ross was often driven away by his monstrous AlterEgo, Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk.

* SundayInTheParkWithGeorge. Although George Seruat loves his adoring mistress Dot very much, he is [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation too occupied]] with his masterpiece paiting to pay attention to her. She eventually leaves him [[spoiler: with his baby daughter]] for a more caring partner. [[spoiler: Before she leaves, she visits him at the park and fails to tempt him to see his infant daughter. George simply explains to her that the baby will have an attentive father now.]]

* This is why Silver St. Cloud breaks up with Bruce Wayne in a famous 1970s ''{{Batman}}'' arc; She can't handle knowing that he's risking his life against people like TheJoker every night, so she abandons him and Gotham. This seems to be the source for many other examples from Batman adaptations in other media.

* ''StarWars: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', the breakup between Anakin and Padme:

* ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'':

** Harley Quinn occasionally broke up with TheJoker when she wanted to go straight or he simply went too far, but MadLove always brought her back in the end.

* In ''SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Lois Lane breaks up with Bruce Wayne for essentially the same reason Silver St. Cloud did in the comics. The series was cancelled before we got to see how she reacted to finding out about Clark.

* Similarly, in ''TheDarkKnightSaga'', Rachel doesn't want to deal with the issues of being Bruce's love interest until he's done being {{Batman}}.

* In ''{{Lufia}} II'', this is how Tia eventually bows out, giving her spot in the party to her [[TheRival rival]], [[ActionGirl Selan]].

!!Examples

* [[BreakTheCutie Played]] [[TearJerker horribly,]] [[DownerEnding horribly]] [[KillEmAll straight]] [[CrapsackWorld in]] ''{{Saikano}}''.

* Villainous example: A few Batman stories before the 1980s showed that Harvey "Two-Face" Dent's fiancée, Gilda, still loved him unconditionally after his transformation, but his criminal lifestyle and tendency to end up in Arkham eventually forced her to move on. The GoldenAge story that introduced him was quite different; there, she's immediately repulsed by his disfigurement.
* ''SpiderMan'': As of the ''OneMoreDay'' stuff, Mary Jane breaks up with Peter, not because she can't handle being in danger for knowing Spider-Man, but because she can't handle putting other people who are close to her in danger because she knows Spider-Man.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* ''{{Twister}}'': Melissa breaks up with Bill before he goes chasing after the final tornado because, in her words, "I can't compete with this."

* Inverted in the ''VorkosiganSaga'': Ellie Quinn loves Miles and is perfectly fine with his dangerous life as a mercenary and secret agent; it's the prospect of becoming Lady Vorkosigan and being forced to move to Barryar she can't get past.

* Victor Henry's wife in ''Winds of War'' and ''War and Remembrance''.

* Early in the fourth season of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Giles has a girlfriend named Olivia. At the end of the episode "Hush", after Olivia learns of the existence of demons, she says, "Scary." Giles asks, "Too scary?" and Olivia responds, "I'm not sure." Since we never see her again after that, we can presume that it was indeed too scary for her.
* Jamie Reagan's girlfriend in ''BlueBloods'' left him because she couldn't stand loving a cop with ChronicHeroSyndrome.

* On ''{{Warehouse 13}}'', Pete was about to reveal the true nature of his work to Kelly, but having just had a small sample of that dangerous world, she breaks it up with him and leaves.

[[AC:Theatre]]

* In ''{{Lufia}} II'', this is how Tia eventually bows out, giving her spot in the party to her [[TheRival rival]], [[ActionGirl Selan]].

* Maria Suarez from ''ElTigre'' was unable to see her husband Rodolfo/White Pantera constantly in mortal danger... this is a little strange considering that [[spoiler:she herself used to be a superheroine herself, Plata Peligrosa and not exactly of the defensive style on top of that]].
* In ''SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Lois Lane breaks up with Bruce Wayne for essentially the same reason Silver St. Cloud did in the comics. The series was cancelled before we got to see how she reacted to finding out about Clark.

* Prue's first boyfriend, Andy, from ''{{Charmed}}'' admits to her that he can't deal with her being a witch and probably wouldn't be able to no matter how much time he had to get used to the idea.

* In ''BatmanReturns'', Bruce Wayne mentions that Vicki Vale, his love interest from the first Tim Burton movie, couldn't handle being {{Batman}}'s girlfriend.

* ''SupermanII''. At the end of the movie Lois Lane can't handle being Superman's girlfriend and SecretKeeper, so he uses his Super Amnesia power to remove her knowledge of his secret identity and their relationship.

* Played with in ''Film/IronMan 2'':

* ''StarWars: RevengeOfTheSith'', the breakup between Anakin and Padme:

-->'''Pepper Potts:''' Oh my god, I can't take this anymore! My body literally cannot handle the stress! I never know if you're going to kill yourself or...or wreck the whole company...! That's it, I quit.

The counterpart to ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies. A subversion of ThePowerOfLove. See also TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife.

* ''Film/{{Superman}} II''. At the end of the movie Lois Lane can't handle being Superman's girlfriend and SecretKeeper, so he uses his Super Amnesia power to remove her knowledge of his secret identity and their relationship.

* Being in love with the emotionally withdrawn Bruce Banner is tough enough already, but his onetime wife Betty Ross was often driven away by his monstrous AlterEgo, TheIncredibleHulk.

* ''{{Superman}} II''. At the end of the movie Lois Lane can't handle being Superman's girlfriend and SecretKeeper, so he uses his Super Amnesia power to remove her knowledge of his secret identity and their relationship.

* Played with in ''FIlm/IronMan 2'':

* Early in the fourth season of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Giles has a girlfriend named Olivia. At the end of the episode "Hush", after Olivia learns of the existence of demons, she says, "Scary." Giles asks, "Too scary?" and Olivia responds, "I'm not sure." Since we never see her again after that, we can presume that it was indeed too scary for her.