[[quoteright:340:[[Anime/{{Pokemon}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Ash-and-Gary-ash-ketchum-10888934-985-615_8589.jpg]]]]

->''"How very fitting that Yugi is competing in the first duel of my tournament. It's only a matter of time before he and I face off against each other again. After all, he's my [[InvokedTrope arch rival]]. The [[SherlockHolmes Sherlock Holmes to my Moriarty]]. The [[Manga/{{Akira}} Kaneda to my Tetsuo]]. The [[Anime/SpeedRacer Speed Racer to my Racer X]]. [[OverlyLongGag I could go on, but I won't.]]"''
-->--'''Seto Kaiba''', ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries''.

The grim, volatile foe of the protagonist, who, through a series of inexplicable events up to and including attempted murder, gains grudging respect for said hero/heroine (and may [[IWasJustPassingThrough even save them]]) and goes from [[UngratefulBastard intolerable ass]] to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold tolerable ass.]] They usually never measure up in a crisis and ofttimes end up sacrificing their lives (RedemptionEqualsDeath) so everybody else can have CharacterDevelopment. Unless they're a DarkMagicalGirl. Frequently a {{Foil}} for the hero, showing what [[ForWantOfANail he could have become]].
Usually begins the series [[PrivilegedRival with a leg up]] on TheHero.

If fate is unkind, they may be the ButtMonkey version, the UnknownRival. If they start out as an AloofAlly, a HeelFaceTurn can be expected somewhere down the line. Occasionally a regular villain might go through a similar process and become a FriendlyEnemy. Will probably lead to FoeRomanceSubtext.

Often subject to an EmbarrassingRescue. Might [[RivalTurnedEvil turn evil]]. On the other hand, the rival might develop a [[FriendlyRivalry genuine friendship]] with the hero. If the character in question is also a [[RebelliousSpirit bit of a rebel]], then expect some [[RebelRelaxation bad posture and a tendency to lean against things]]. Compare with the ArchEnemy and SitcomArchNemesis, which may or may not overlap and TheLancer, with a similar personality but on the side of TheHero. Could one of the OpposedMentors. See also FandomRivalry.
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!!Example subpages

[[index]]
* TheRival/AnimeAndManga
* TheRival/ComicBooks
* TheRival/{{Live-Action TV}}
* TheRival/{{Sports}}
* TheRival/VideoGames
* TheRival/WesternAnimation
* TheRival/RealLife
[[/index]]

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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
* {{FanFic/Alex}} to [[WesternAnimation/AdventureTime Marceline]].
* The ''FanFic/PoniesOfOlympus'' series:
** Ran Biao to Rarity, out of [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] of being AlwaysSecondBest. [[spoiler: Though it turns out to be [[AllLoveIsUnrequited more]] [[GreenEyedMonster complicated]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero than]] [[RapeAsDrama that]].]]
** According to ''Atlas Strongest Tournament'', Luna's bodyguard Argent Javelin has one in [[CompanionCube Tom the boulder]]. No, seriously.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* King Brian to Darby in ''Disney/DarbyOGillAndTheLittlePeople''.
* Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow to eachother in ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'' and ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In the BackStory of JamesSwallow's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} ''[[Literature/BloodAngels Deus Encarmine]]'', Rafen and Sachiel were rivals. Lends an edge to their clashes, and their {{Foil}} status.
* Sammael of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' [[RivalTurnedEvil turned to the dark side]] because he was jealous of his rival (the former incarnation of the protagonist).
** Demandred has essentially the same motivation, but much, much stronger- he was born (birth name Barid Bel Medar) ''one day'' after Lews Therin Telamon (aforementioned prior incarnation) and his life followed that pattern from there on, with him being second to Lews Therin in almost every way, including skill with magic, political success, good looks, and even ''height''. They even both courted the same woman, but she preferred Lews Therin. Then [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the War of Power]] broke out, and Barid Bel found out he was better than Lews Therin at one thing- ''war''. Unfortunately, the powers that be made Lews Therin their top general anyway, and that final straw snapped Barid Bel's mind completely so that he became obsessessed with killing Lews Therin and joined the Shadow to better accomplish it, changing his name to Demandred in the process and quickly becoming its most feared general [[note]] Though the joke was on him still; the Dark One already ''had'' a [[TheDragon Dragon]], so Demandred was still stuck playing second fiddle, this time to [[TheAntichrist Ishamael]] [[/note]]. In the last book of the series, [[TheHero Rand]] (who now has memories of his life as Lews Therin back) reflects on how he encouraged this rivalry and expresses regret that he drove Demandred to madness and evil when he could have been one of the greatest heroes of the age- had he not been born at the same time as Lews Therin.
* In Creator/AaronAllston's ''Literature/GalateaIn2D'', Kevin's attitude toward Roger and Donna.
* In Creator/RobertEHoward's "Literature/TheScarletCitadel," ConanTheBarbarian rescues Pelias, rival to EvilSorcerer Tsotha-lanti.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Manhwa]]
* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' - Novick sees himself as a rival of Koon's half-brother Ran, who in turn sees him as nuisance.
* In ''Manhwa/FaeriesLanding'', Miranda (Medea) hates Fanta and frequently tries to one-up her, but Fanta really doesn't care much. Also, Yuri sees Fanta as a rival for Ryang's affections.
* Yeong In from ''Manhwa/HotBloodedWoman''.
* For Lotto, Aradon in ''Manhwa/{{Yureka}}.
* Ah-ra towards Ma-ri for Jae-min's affections in ''Webcomic/OrangeMarmalade''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* A light-hearted comedy example can be found in the long-running "feud" between comedians [[TheJackBennyProgram Jack Benny]] and Fred Allen. The two would frequently appear on each others shows to harass one another and trade barbs, leading to a CrowningMomentOfFunny when Jack Benny, who had taken an assumed name to appear on Allen's new game show, finds out his "big prize" is to have his pants pressed -- right then and there.
-->'''Jack Benny''': You haven't seen the end of me, Allen!\\
'''Fred Allen''': It won't be long now!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* In the ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' card game, [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/White_Magician_Pikeru White Magician Pikeru]] and [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Ebon_Magician_Curran Ebon Magician Curran]] are supposed to be rivals. The two are even shown fighting on the Trap Card [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/A_Rival_Appears! A Rival Appears]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* From ''{{Bionicle}}''; In the early days of the Toa Mata, de facto leader [[PlayingWithFire Tahu]] and future second-in-command [[AnIcePerson Kop]][[TheQuietOne aka]] bickered a ''lot.'' But, thanks to [[CharacterDevelopment character]] [[CharacterizationMarchesOn development]], they have [[FireForgedFriends forged a strong bond]] which is both professional and brotherly.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Captain Gamer's'' nemesis (Czar Gamer) regularly swings from friendly rival to bitter enemy and back again.
* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', Lord Horribus considered himself to be Torg's rival, though Torg [[UnknownRival didn't take this too seriously]] for much of the series. [[spoiler:After Horribus [[NotSoHarmlessVillain killed Alt-Zoe]], Torg still denied him the chance for a final showdown.]]
** Bun-Bun also has a [[TheRival Rival]] in the form of Santa Claus, who tries to kill him each Christmas. An odd version of the trope, since Bun-Bun is a sociopath, and Santa is generally portrayed as a decent (if slightly obsessed) guy just trying to see that justice is done.
* Lance has a rival in ''[[http://www.goldcoincomics.com Gold Coin Comics]]'' named Blake, who has traits from Seifer in FFVIII.
* Sixx and Butterfly, and to an extent [[FoeYay Ginger and Laura]] in ''Webcomic/{{Collar 6}}''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Video]]
* WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd and WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic had a rivalry, that finally got resolved in the ''Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses'' video ''WebVideo/TGWTGYearOneBrawl''.
** Later after The Nostalgia Critic got humiliated by MaraWilson, she wrote on her blog that she would love to be Creator/WilWheaton to Critic's [[TheBigBangTheory Sheldon Cooper]].
* ''WebVideo/TheyMadeMeWatchThis'' and ''TheFanfictionCritic'' are rivals in that when one sends on a crappy work to look at, the other retaliates in kind.
[[/folder]]

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