Thanks to
Applied Phlebotinum, two characters are in a situation where they have to have sex in order to save their lives. Frequently used in
Fan Fic, especially
Slash Fic.
A variety of
Deus Sex Machina. Compare with
Aliens Made Them Do It.
Examples:
- In the Harry Potter fandom, the Snape/Lupin ship saw a great number of fanfics using this trope, where Snape and Lupin were imprisoned together right before a full moon. This would mean Snape's death as soon as Lupin took upon his werewolf form, but if Lupin considered Snape as his "mate", the werewolf would spare them. Therefore...
- A particularly horrible fanfic featured a once-in-1000-years event where Hogwarts ghosts would compulsively kill anyone who was innocent (i.e. a virgin). Hermione didn't quite get out, so Snape had to go in to rescue her...yes, that way.
- It was also a particular favorite of Harry/Draco writers, who invented the Male Veela fic, where poor Draco had to bond (sexually, of course) with his Soul Mate, or perish. Naturally, his worst enemy was his destined Soul Mate.
- In Star Trek fandom, Vulcans go through something similar called "Pon Farr." The very origin of Slash Fics comes from corny situations where Spock had to mate with someone (Kirk) "or else." The various shows themselves found loopholes to get out of the implications.
- In the (very early) Jim Carrey comedy Once Bitten, the ancient vampire played by Lauren Hutton has to feed on the blood of teenage male virgins to renew her youth. Carrey's girlfriend saves him before the third (final) bite. No, not by killing the vampire, smart guy.
- Literary example: The book The Mote In God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle invokes this without the Applied Phlebotinum. The plot of the novel involves First Contact with a species of aliens who, if they don't mate and get pregnant, will literally die. This hasn't been very good for their long-term prospects as a civilization.
- In a rather... controversial flashback of Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Stonewater rescues young Melna from execution by declaring her to be his wife. Melna's tribe holds to the tradition that claiming a wife requires physical consummation. Also, Melna is emotionally hysterical and unable to give effective consent...
- One of the most common examples is, of course, the "we're trapped somewhere really cold" situation, where there's only one logical way to get warm . . . This is partially Truth In Television, because the most effective way to warm up a hypothermia patient in the wilderness is to share a sleeping bag with them, but both the warmer and warmee can keep their underwear on.
