'''Basic Trope''': Human forms an emotional bond with a non-human friend.
* '''Straight''':
** Adam, a 7-year-old boy, has a close animal friend.
** Adam becomes friends with a robot.
** Adam becomes friends with a paranormal creature.
** Adam becomes friends with something that is either living, unliving yet still moving, undead, or inorganic but sentient.
* '''Exaggerated''':
** Adam becomes friends with [[CompanionCube an inanimate object]].
** Adam gets an alien friend. They get such an emotional and physical bond that their life is dependent on each other and at the end, they fuse together.
** Adam becomes friends with an EldritchAbomination
** Adam has an alien friend who has a RidiculouslyCuteCritter friend.
** Other characters besides Adam also have non-human friends.
** Adam has more than one "X".
** Adam becomes friends with ''[[FriendToAllLivingThings everything]]''.
* '''Downplayed''':
** Adam and his "X" are not unusually close.
** Adam would consider his dog a friend, but his bonds with his human friends are closer.
* '''Justified''':
** Adam lives in an area where many people have non-human best friends.
** Adam's life is such that he needs his "X".
** Adam is a lonely misfit (bullied/abused, disabled, etc.) and his "X" is his only friend.
** Adam has just moved into town and doesn't know anyone yet, so for now, his only friend is his pet.
** Adam really likes and is good with animals, aliens, or whatever the "X" is. If it's an inanimate object, he might have a collection or a deep interest.
* '''Inverted''':
** A non-human and his human sidekick.
** Adam becomes enemies with his non-human sidekick.
** Adam and his anthropomorphic cat sidekick live in a [[WorldOfFunnyAnimals city of cats]].
** In a WorldOfFunnyAnimals, [[FantasticRacism no one has any friends outside their own species]].
** [[WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle A Harvard educated dog adopts a human boy]].
* '''Subverted''':
** Adam has a ghost alien friend. However, it turns out to be a hologram prank by bullies.
** The creature turns on Adam.
** Adam is delusional and the creature is {{imaginary|Friend}}.
* '''Double Subverted''':
** ...But it turns out the hologram was contacting the REAL ghost alien, who comes to visit Adam.
** The creature momentarily turns against Adam, but after he reminds it of the great moments they have spent together, it manages to snap out of its confusion [[ThePowerOfFriendship and they remain friends from that point onwards]].
** However, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve thanks to the strength of Adam's imagination]], and either AppliedPhlebotinum or magic's help, the creature manages to turn itself real.
* '''Parodied''':
** An RubberForeheadAlien boy and his RubberForeheadAlien dog.
** A non-sentient CompanionCube has a lot of potential to be played as a parody of ABoyAndHisX.
** Adam is friends with the [[LiteralMinded letter X.]]
* '''Zig Zagged''': Adam is friends with "X", it turns out that it's a hologram, but it turns out the hologram was contacting the REAL "X", and then you find out he's in a psychiatric hospital.
* '''Averted''': No one has an "X".
* '''Enforced''': "We need a cute animal to capture female audiences. Let's give Adam a pet."
* '''Lampshaded''':
** "Here's a new pet. You'll become best of friends, I bet!"
** "This is my best friend, Squeaky the mouse. He understands me, and unlike you, he loves me."
* '''Invoked''': Adam says, "I'm so lonely, I wish I had a companion of some kind." Cue the "X".
* '''Exploited''':
** The "X" hangs around Adam for the sake of getting treats.
** Adam is [[NaughtyIsGood naughty]] and uses his "X" as a scapegoat.
* '''Defied''':
** Adam doesn't consider his "X" a friend; he only likes it as a pet.
** Adam refuses to like the new companion.
* '''Discussed''':
** "You know, you're really that kind of child who could use a non-human friend."
* '''Conversed''': "Wow, I love Adam's new puppy! I hope they show it more, and they become really close."
* '''Implied''': Adam is seen happy around his X fairly often, but he never talks about it.
* '''Deconstructed''':
** Adam is depressed after his mouse [[WeAreAsMayflies dies of old age]].
** As time goes on, Adam and his "X" start to drift apart.
** Adam is the only human with a non-human sidekick and has to cope with it.
* '''Reconstructed''':
** Adam eventually learns to have friends other than his "X".
** After his mouse dies, Adam gets a pet with a longer life span, such as a cat or a dog.
** Adam's bond with his "X" is strengthened after the "X" saves Adam's life.
** Adam has a dog, and meets a girl with a cat. They become best friends, and [[InterspeciesFriendship so do their pets.]]
* '''Played For Laughs''':
** The "X" is a hindrance to Adam in comical ways.
** A cat eats Adam's mouse. [[LetNoCrisisGoToWaste Adam adopts the cat as his new pet.]]
** Bob wonders why a human-like behavior to non-alien friend causes a great affection compared to normal human/human friendship.
* '''Played For Drama''':
** The "X" dies, leaving Adam alone.
** Adam dies, leaving "X" alone.
** They [[TogetherInDeath die together]], saving the world in a HeroicSacrifice.
** The family doesn't pay attention to Adam and his "X" is his only friend.
** Once the parents discover that Adam has an X, they pay their attention to X only.
** The family exploits or seeks to end their relationship.
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Back to ABoyAndHisX
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Untwisted''': ???