History Main / PromotedToLoveInterest

* ''Film/StreetFighterTheMovie'':
** In the film (and subsequent [[WesternAnimation/StreetFighter cartoon]]) Guile and Cammy are attracted to each other. In the games Guile is HappilyMarried [[FamilyMan and has a daughter]] whilst Cammy seemingly isn't interested in romance.
** Inverted with Ryu and Chun-Li whom in the games have been presented as [[ShipTease possible]] love interests for decades, in ''Street Fighter The Movie'' they don’t so as much as talk to each other and in ''Film/StreetFighterTheLegendOfChunLi'' Ryu isn’t even mentioned until the end.
* ''Film/{{Tekken}}'' makes Christie into Jin's love interest, even though they've never interacted in [[Franchise/{{Tekken}} the games]].

** In the ''ComicBook/XMen'' comics, [[Characters/XMenTheOriginalTeam Iceman]] is just a friend to [[Characters/MarvelComicsRogue Rogue]], which in later comics is partly due to Bobby being gay. In the Fox films, thanks to [[Characters/MarvelComicsGambit Gambit]] (Rogue's actual love interest) being AdaptedOut of the first three movies, Iceman becomes Rogue's boyfriend instead.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' Jessie Rasberry was a minor member of [[LaResistance AVLANCHE]] who very briefly flirted with protagonist Cloud Strife if the player choose to respond to her [[spoiler: before dying when Shrina attacks Sector 7]]. In the ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'' Jessie gets a massive AdaptationalExpansion to her character, and is firmly Cloud's ThirdOptionLoveInterest after Tifa and Aerith even inviting him back to her room for sex at one point in the game. [[spoiler: This makes Jessie death towards the end all the more [[TearJerker sad]] despite it being a ForegoneConclusion]].

** Starting with ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' [[Characters/MarvelComicsMystique Mystique]] and [[Characters/MarvelComicsBeast Beast]] become StarCrossedLovers. In the comics, while they both have a lot of love interests ([[ReallyGetsAround especially the former]]), Mystique and Beast's few interactions in the comics are purely hostile or platonic. Hank even expressed relief when he learned Mystique's other blue son Raze was Wolverine's son and ''not his''.

** Starting with ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' Characters/{{Mystique}} and [[Characters/MarvelComicsBeast Beast]] become StarCrossedLovers. In the comics, while they both have a lot of love interests ([[ReallyGetsAround especially the former]]), Mystique and Beast's few interactions in the comics are purely hostile or platonic. Hank even expressed relief when he learned Mystique's other blue son Raze was Wolverine's son and ''not his''.

* The anime of ''Manga/OnePiece'' much like ''Anime/{{Bleach}}'' [[ShipTease does this]] with its MainCharacters the Straw Hats, whom in the manga as stated by the author Eiichiro Oda are [[NoHuggingNoKissing purely]] JustFriends or “Nakama” which can mean someone as close as family. While there are definitely some PlatonicWritingRomanticReading moments in the manga it’s still not supposed to be taken as genuine love. Creator/ToeiAnimation however outright places Luffy & Nami, Sanji and Nami, Zoro & Robin etc in overtly romantic scenes in filler, TV specials and movies that weren’t in the manga, painting said platonic friendships as actual potential love interests.

** ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'': Lila in ''Series/MiraiSentaiTimeranger'' had a simple enmity with the Timeranger and never befriended them let alone had any romantic interest in any member. Her counterpart in ''Time Force'', Nadira, eventually becomes an item with Trip. Similarly, Captain Ryuuya was never involved in any romance in ''Timeranger'', while one of his two counterparts, Alex, was initially Jen/Pink Ranger's fiance.

** Arya and Gendry get more ShipTease in the show than the novels (where they did have some). Arya actually propositions Gendry to be her family and in their reunion she is obviously flirty. [[spoiler: They sleep together in Season 8 but she turns down his marriage proposal.]]

** "Love interest" is a stretch, but the series combined Sansa with her friend Jeyne Poole and gives her the storyline where Jeyne is married off to Ramsay Bolton. As Ramsay is a depraved serial killer and rapist, this makes the marriage as bad an example of AwfulWeddedLife as possible. Although this did result in another variant of this trope, as Theon shakes off his conditioning as Reek, helps Sansa escape and develops a lot of ShipTease with her.

** Arya and Gendry get more ShipTease in the show than the novels. Arya actually propositions Gendry to be her family and in their reunion she is obviously flirty. [[spoiler: They sleep together in Season 8 but she turns down his marriage proposal.]]

** ''Love interest'' is a stretch, but the series combined Sansa with her friend Jeyne Poole and gives her the storyline where Jeyne is married off to Ramsay Bolton. As Ramsay is a depraved serial killer and rapist, this makes the marriage as close to AwfulWeddedLife as possible. Although this did result in another variant of this trope, as Theon shakes off his conditioning as Reek, helps Sansa escape and develops a lot of ShipTease with her.

* Inverted in ''Series/TheWitcher2019'' in the books and games Triss Merigold is one of the main love interests of Geralt of Rivia [[BettyAndVeronica competing]] with his OneTrueLove Yennefer, whom she is jealous of. In the show Geralt and Triss show no attraction to each other and are platonic. [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] later on, as in Season 2 Triss reveals she does indeed [[CannotSpitItOut have some feelings]] for Geralt (and even keeps the knowledge of Yennefer’s survival from him) but Geralt turns Triss down preferring them to be friends rather than lovers.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheKillingJoke'' has [[spoiler:Characters/{{Batgirl}}]] pining over Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}}. In the [[ComicBook/TheKillingJoke source comic]] she barely even appeared in any panels that didn't relate to her [[spoiler:being shot by [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]]]]. Not to mention their relationship in the comics Post-Crisis is actually more akin to father and daughter, something Barbara’s ''real'' father Jim (whom she spends markedly less time with) has expressed sadness over.

* Inverted in ''Anime/TwelveMonths''. In the original play, April and the girl are a couple, but the anime reduces it to a few moments of barely-there ShipTease. In general, there is no indication there is anything but friendship between them or that he is more special to her than the rest of the Months.

A SubTrope of AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul. See also HotterAndSexier. Compare RelationshipCompression, where the romance is present in the original but significantly altered due to the different constraints of the new medium.

* Inverted in ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow''. Mario and Peach are possibly ''the'' video game OfficialCouple but there is no romantic implications between them in the cartoon. Then again, the games can be ambiguous about this at times, too.

** Inverted with Casey Jones in the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 1987 cartoon]]. While he and April are an OfficialCouple in the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage original comics]], here he's DemotedToExtra and there is nothing romantic between him and April.

* Inverted in ''Series/TheWitcher2019'' in the books and games Triss Merigold is one of the main love interests of Geralt of Rivia [[BettyAndVeronica competing]] with his OneTrueLove Yennefer, whom she is jealous of. In the show Geralt and Triss show no attraction to each other and are platonic. [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] later on, as in Season 2 Triss reveals she does indeed [[JustFriends have some feelings]] for Geralt (and even keeps the knowledge of Yennefer’s survival from him) but Geralt turns Triss down preferring them to be friends rather than lovers.

* ''Series/{{Goosebumps}}'' seemed to do this for Steve and Carly Beth. In its adaptation of "Literature/TheHauntedMask," Chuck and Steve confess to the masked Carly Beth that they only teased her "because we liked her," something the book never mentioned or even hinted at. The later episode "Literature/TheHaunted MaskII" makes significant changes to the plot of the corresponding book, including Steve getting his mask off through ThePowerOfLove when he makes a HeroicSacrifice to save Carly Beth from the first mask (again, something that never even came up in the book's version of the plot).

* ''Series/{{Goosebumps}}'' seemed to do this for Steve and Carly Beth. In its adaptation of "The Haunted Mask," Chuck and Steve confess to the masked Carly Beth that they only teased her "because we liked her," something the book never mentioned or even hinted at. The later episode "The Haunted Mask II" makes significant changes to the plot of the corresponding book, including Steve getting his mask off through ThePowerOfLove when he makes a HeroicSacrifice to save Carly Beth from the first mask (again, something that never even came up in the book's version of the plot).

* [[Characters/{{Batgirl}} Barbara Gordon]] and [[Characters/NightwingDickGrayson Dick Grayson]] are one of the "it" couples of DC Comics, but their romantic relationship only started in the early-to-mid 1990s. Prior to that Babs saw Dick as a younger sibling if anything. There was a dispute at DC on whether Nightwing was a ''Teen Titans'' or ''Batman'' character, so [[Characters/TeenTitansStarfire Starfire]][=/=]Nightwing was broken up and the narrative of Barbara being Dick's FirstLove was {{retcon}}ned in. Since then, Barbara has been Dick's main love interest (with Starfire being his second).

** Miss Martian and Characters/{{Super|manConnerKent}}boy are paired up together despite the former being single[[note]]she only finally dated another hero in ComicBook/TitansRebirth, years after the show was conceived, albeit instead of Superboy it was Nightwing[[/note]] and the latter being in a relationship with ComicBook/WonderGirl II in the comic. The couple notably broke up for a time in the show before rekindling and eventually becoming engaged.

** In ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast1992'': Zelda is changed from an Implied Love Interest (which she was in ''[[ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast the original game]]'') to a Love Interest.

** In ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': Zelda is changed from an Implied Love Interest (which she was in ''[[ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast the original game]]'') to a Love Interest.

** Nico and Karolina in ''Series/Runaways2017''. In [[ComicBook/{{Runaways}} the comics]], Karolina crushes on Nico for a long time, but Nico doesn't realize she might feel something in return [[BelatedLoveEpiphany until Karolina leaves]] [[GreenEyedEpiphany and comes back with Xavin.]] Here, Nico kisses Karolina back with no hesitation and the first season ends with them getting together. Shortly after they had a RelationshipUpgrade up in ''ComicBook/RainbowRowellsRunaways'' which the writer said was a happy coincidence.

** The [[Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime manga]] for ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' adds more emphasis on something between Link and Zelda than the games do. Zelda's character is partially {{composite|Character}}d with Malon's due to Link spending a day with a disguised Zelda in the third chapter. He's [[PuppyLove attracted to her]] from the start. Later on, Malon realizes that she isn't the person that Link wants, which is implied to be Zelda. To a lesser extent, Link is implied to like Saria in the manga (if the jealous Mido isn't just seeing things).

** In the post-Crisis ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' Diana's former love interest and husband [[Characters/WonderWomanAllies Steve Trevor]] is married to Etta Candy instead, without Diana or Steve showing any inkling of romantic interest in each other.
** In Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/WonderWomanEarthOne'' Diana and Mala are former lovers. Mala from the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 original comics]] was Diana's dearest friend who grew up alongside her like a sister on Paradise Island and came in second in the contest to see which Amazon would act as their champion in the wider world to return Steve Trevor home and respond to WWII.
** In ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} is presented as a genuine {{Love Interest|s}} to Diana and, as seen in Creator/TomKing's [[ComicBook/BatmanTomKing Batman run]], they AlmostKiss barely able to control their attraction to each other. In the prior comic continuities, Diana and Bruce were JustFriends and very rarely romantically linked and at most flirting and kissing very occasionally. The ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon became a AudienceColoringAdaptation for the pairing.

** In ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} is presented as a genuine {{Love Interest|s}} to Diana and, as seen in Creator/TomKing’'s [[ComicBook/BatmanTomKing Batman run]], they AlmostKiss barely able to control their attraction to each other. In the prior comic continuities, Diana and Bruce were JustFriends and very rarely romantically linked and at most flirting and kissing very occasionally. The ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon became a AudienceColoringAdaptation for the pairing.

* The French dub of ''Anime/SonicX'' combined this with FillingTheSilence. The final episode has Sonic stating something inaudible to Amy in the original version. Various dubs decided to give Sonic dialogue during this portion. The English dub had a vague enough "Don't worry Amy, I never will [abandon you]". The French dub however took it up a notch with "Of course I love you Amy--forever".

** Ryu and Chun-Li, in the games despite having consistently starred together for decades and all of their allies being married, are JustFriends. Extremely close friends with [[ShipTease plenty of affection]] for each other, but nothing more than that. In the ''Street Fighter II'' manga however Ryu and Chun-Li are explicitly romantically attracted to each other and in the ''Street Fighter II'' manhwa they actually end up married.

* ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' inverts this with Amy and Sonic. In [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog the games]] Amy has a PrecociousCrush on Sonic and being a [[SmittenTeenageGirl lovesick preteen]] is one of her more defining traits. In the comics she is implied to [[TheGadfly only be teasing]] Sonic, and once her [[CharacterizationMarchesOn personality was altered]] thanks to ExecutiveMeddling even that was gone.

* In the pre-''Flashpoint'' continuity Bernard Dowd was just one of Tim's many high school friends who didn't show up outside of ''ComicBook/Robin1993''. In the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth''/''ComicBook/DCInfiniteFrontier'' and beyond continutiy Bernard was brought back as a potential love intrest and by ''ComicBook/TimDrakeRobin'' is his established boyfriend and a main character of the ongoing.

** In ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} is presented as a genuine {{Love Interest|s}} to Diana and as seen in Creator/TomKing’s [[ComicBook/BatmanTomKing Batman run]] they AlmostKiss barely able to control their attraction to each other. In the prior comic continuities, Diana and Bruce were JustFriends and very rarely romantically linked and at most flirting and kissing very occasionally, the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon became a AudienceColoringAdaptation for the pairing.

* In the mainstream ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' games, Amy has an unrequited crush on Sonic and is very loud about it, much to his distress. In ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', the two are good friends and Amy keeps her crush a secret. Unlike in other continuities, Sonic is shown to also have feelings for Amy.