History Main / FriendshipFavoritism

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* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': Even though the former Axis Trio were all supposed to be friends, Germany and Japan both favored Italy over each other [[LoveInterest because both liked him]]. [[{{Polyamory}} At]] [[OneTrueThreesome first]].
* In the ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' fic series ''Fanfic/TwiceUponAnAge'', the Inquisitors both like all the members of their inner circle, and vice versa; however, it's gradually made clear that each of them (except possibly Vivienne and Josephine) are closer to one Inquisitor than the other. In particular, this is true of Dorian and Varric for Victoria, serving as a {{Foil}} to her serious nature and the fact that the two have soft spots with her due to her kind and genuine nature. Meanwhile, Mahanon hangs out more with Iron Bull and Sera, befitting with his carefree and fun-loving nature, although he had a falling out with the latter in the middle of the story (they immediately bury the hatchet though).

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[[AC:Live Action Television]]

* In the ''Series/{{Friends}}'' episode "The One Where Emma Cries", after Rachel has accepted Joey's AccidentalProposal in the previous episode, Ross asks her "So when I came in here to see if you wanted to maybe start things up again, you were engaged to my best friend?" Rachel attempts to derail the conversation by saying she thought Chandler was his best friend, and Ross begins "Well, Chandler's my ''oldest'' friend..." before realising what she's doing.

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[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'': In "Truth Or Scare", Mandy tries to force Alex to choose between Sam and Clover; the latter two compete for her (Alex's) affection. At the end of the episode, Alex says that despite her childhood stuffed toy turtle (named Ollie) being her favorite, she would never choose between the two of them, causing the girls to cry TearsOfJoy.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'' episode, "Best Friends Redux," when Bugs Bunny's childhood friend, Rodney Rabbit, comes to visit him, Daffy begins to question who Bugs's best friend really is. Bugs insists that adults can't really have best friends, but rather a whole bunch of friends. Daffy decides to travel back in time to ensure that he is Bugs's oldest and best friend. Within the same episode, Daffy has his own top nine best friends list, which, in order from nine to one, are [[ButtMonkey Porky]], Granny, a stranger who pardoned him in the restroom of Pizzarriba, Carl (a stranger he met in a Phoenix airport), a tie between Pete Puma and Marvin the Martian, Speedy Gonzales, Big Fat Rooster (Foghorn Leghorn), Tina, and Bugs.
* ''WesternAnimation/ElenaOfAvalor'': In one episode, Armando accidentally omits the 's' on a letter inviting Elena's best ''friends'' to join her on a sailing trip, causing Gabe and Mateo to compete over the position of Elena's best friend. Naomi (who fits much better into the role of Elena's actual best friend) is too distracted by the idea of a day on the water to notice or care about the typo (or she's just secure enough in her relationship with Elena that she doesn't need a title to prove it).
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' episode, "No Substitute For Crazy", Timmy needs a plan to distract the fairy-hunting Ms. Doombringer so he can escape from school. When he paints Elmer's boil to look like a fairy, Elmer asks him if this will make him his third best friend. Timmy assures him that if the plan works, he will zip right past Sanjay on his friendship scale.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' Season 2 episode "The Breakup", this trope was [[DefiedTrope Defied]]. Ms. Grotke asks the class to write about their best friends. This causes problems for T.J., however: he can't choose a best friend. And while this strains his friendship with his friends and causes the gang to break up, he still can't choose a friend. In the end, T.J. writes a report about how all five of his friends are his best friends, and how special they all are. This ends up reconciling the group.

-->'''Fry:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Stop rubbing it in!]]

* ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'': [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim]] has to field some accusations of favoritism and deal with [[ComicBook/Superboy1994 Kon]] and [[ComicBook/{{Impulse}} Bart]] fighting over his time on occasion. Evidently that's just the deal if your two best friends are YoungerThanTheyLook failed attempts to created {{Tyke Bomb}}s one of which was raised by virtual reality and the other by implanted memories as they're still trying to sort out some social norms.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': While they’re exploring a ruin together, Akira’s friends take turns showing off their skill against monsters, Reina firing a OneHitPolykill, Kanae using martial arts, and Shiori using [[KatanasAreJustBetter her katana]]. Akira reacts to Reina with praise, complains WhyDontYouJustShootHim to Kanae, and gets excited over Shiori's sword skills. Through the rest of the mission, Kanae claims he's showing favoritism towards Shiori multiple times (that Akira's making an exception to their OpposingCombatPhilosophies for Shiori spurs it on.)

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has a complicated situation in the sequel, with Ron, Harry, and Carol. The complicated part comes in where no one is quite sure what category [[{{UST}} Harry and Carol's]] [[BestFriend relationship]] [[CourtlyLove fits under,]] meaning that it can just as easily be FriendVersusLover. Either way, he's worried about being LockedOutOfTheLoop (due to a mixture of PTSD and natural reticence, Harry is notoriously sparing with information about his stranger exploits, while Carol usually already knows, because she's often involved) - as he explains, while he doesn't necessarily ''want'' to get involved in Harry's special flavour of insanity, he'd like to have the choice. As it is, it's implied that while Harry continues to deeply value Ron's friendship (and Hermione's, though she's far less insecure about it), he prefers Ron not having quite so dynamic a role in his life, saying he needs them as anchors to normality. How much of this is [[ManipulativeBastard Harry manipulating them]] to come to terms with their new roles in his life is initially ambiguous - though he eventually admits that while it wasn't conscious, in retrospect that is exactly what he was doing. In general, he shuts them out of his adventures, which he sees as being for their own safety (he has several complexes), and they see as a kind of betrayal.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has a complicated situation in the sequel, with Ron, Harry, and Carol. The complicated part comes in where no one is quite sure what category [[{{UST}} Harry and Carol's]] [[BestFriend relationship]] [[CourtlyLove fits under,]] meaning that it can just as easily be FriendVersusLover. Either way, he's worried about being LockedOutOfTheLoop (due to a mixture of PTSD and natural reticence, Harry is notoriously sparing with information about his stranger exploits, while Carol usually already knows, because she's often involved) - as he explains, while he doesn't necessarily ''want'' to get involved in Harry's special flavour of insanity, he'd like to have the choice. As it is, it's implied that while Harry continues to deeply value Ron's friendship (and Hermione's, though she's far less insecure about it), he prefers Ron not having quite so dynamic a role in his life, saying he needs them as anchors to normality. [[ManipulativeBastard How much of this is Harry manipulating them to come to terms with their new roles in his life is left ambiguous.]]