History Main / TheRival

* Being a love letter to [[RealRobotGenre mecha anime]], ''Beam Saber'' (a ''[[UsefulNotes/ForgedInTheDark Forged in the Dark]]'' game) allows each player character to have a Rival, a recurring enemy NPC controlled by the GameMaster who operates on special rules that bend the story around them whenever they appear and make them a particularly challenging opponent to defeat, let alone defeat ''permanently''. The rulebook encourages Rivals to be portrayed as morally complex {{foil}}s to the player character who don't necessarily need to be killed to be removed as a threat, up to pulling a HeelFaceTurn if that seems narratively appropriate.

* Randall Boggs from ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' is not only the rival to James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, but is also [[spoiler: TheDragon]] as well.

[[quoteright:340:[[Anime/PokemonTheSeries https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Ash-and-Gary-ash-ketchum-10888934-985-615_8589.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:340:Ash and Gary clashing like [[StealthPun red and blue]].]]

** Dr. Hinxman is to Dr. Hare in ''Film/DoctorInLove'', ordering him to be confined to complete bedrest so he can have Sally all to himself

* Captain Beamish is to Captain Hogg in ''Film/DoctorAtSea'', to the point where Captain Hogg throws a ship's dance just to prove how much better the SS ''Lotus'' is to his ship.

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 (and may [[IWasJustPassingThrough even save them]]) going from [[{{Jerkass}} intolerable ass]] to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold tolerable ass]]. Frequently a {{Foil}} for the hero, who's ultimately a MirrorCharacter. Often they show what the [[ForWantOfANail hero could have become]] if fate was just a little bit different.

* ''Creator/TeamFourStar'': Played around with in their ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse'' and ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse2'' streams. While Xeno 1 clearly is trying to portray [[TheDragon Mira]] as this to the player character, they headcanon that their character Dumplin just doesn't really regard him as one. In Xeno 2, while Mira is still portrayed as a rival to the player character, and it actually works much better, particularly since Mira and the player character Puddin are headcanoned as siblings, Puddin ''still'' regards both Future Trunks and Goku as more her rivals, Trunks for making her job as a Time Patroller harder, and Goku for his need to KillSteal.

* WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd and WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic had a rivalry, that finally got resolved in the ''Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses'' video ''WebVideo/TGWTGYearOneBrawl''.

* Beginning in the Roger Moore years, [[Film/JamesBond James Bond]] and [=MI6=] develop a friendly form of this relationship with the KGB in general and its director General Gogol in particular. The two sides are rarely actual enemies. They often work together to stop greater threats, having a shared interest in preventing spoilers on either side of the Iron Curtain (be it Western mad capitalists like Stromberg and Drax, or Soviet rogue generals like Orlov or Koskov) from overturning the world order for their own purposes. On the other hand, the two sides still compete for information and seek to gain advantage over each other, with [[ForYourEyesOnly one movie]] revolving around Gogol's attempts to obtain a lost device that would give the possessor access to Britain's nuclear submarine fleet. It's best summarized by KGB star agent Anya Amasova, who observes that she and Bond are "in the same business, but with rival companies."

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]]) going from [[{{Jerkass}} intolerable ass]] to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold tolerable ass]]. Frequently a {{Foil}} for the hero, who's ultimately a MirrorCharacter. Often they show what the [[ForWantOfANail hero could have become]] if fate was just a little bit different.

If fate is unkind, they might [[RivalTurnedEvil turn evil]]. On the other hand, the rival might develop a [[FriendlyRivalry genuine friendship]] with the hero and perform a HeelFaceTurn somewhere down the line. If he is forced to [[EnemyMine team up]] with the hero over a common threat expect [[RivalsTeamUp much awesomeness to ensue]].

They may begin the series [[PrivilegedRival with a leg up]] on TheHero which is often the catalyst for the hero's character development as their desire to best the rival inspires them to improve themselves, which may in turn inspire the rival to do the same once he finally meets someone who [[DefeatMeansRespect gives him a challenge]] or worse subject him to an EmbarrassingRescue after surpassing him.

Compare with the ArchEnemy and SitcomArchNemesis, which may or may not overlap. TheLancer, is similar in personality but on the same side as TheHero, the rival may turn into TheLancer and vice versa through character development. Could be one of the OpposedMentors. See also FandomRivalry. For a specific rival in anime, see StockShonenRival.

Contrasts with FriendlyRivalry. For generation-gap rivals, see IntergenerationalRivalry.

A frequent opponent of the protagonist who - with varying degrees of antagonism - motivates and inspires the protagonist to improve themselves; and in return, the growth of the protagonist motivates the rival to improve as well.

The rival most often begins as a grim, volatile, or arrogant foe [[PrivilegedRival with a headstart on the protagonist]]. They frequently act as an {{Foil}} or MirrorCharacter for the hero, showing [[ForWantOfANail what they could have become]] if fate was just a little bit different. Through a series of inexplicable events - from friendly competition to attempted murder - they gain some kind of respect for the protagonist and may develop from [[{{Jerkass}} intolerable ass]] to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold tolerable ass]]. If fate is unkind, they might [[RivalTurnedEvil turn evil]]. On the other hand, their grudging respect may turn into [[FriendlyRivalry genuine friendship]], leading to a HeelFaceTurn somewhere down the line. If the rival is forced to [[EnemyMine team up]] with the hero over a common threat, expect [[RivalsTeamUp much awesomeness to ensue]].

Even if they [[ReformedButNotTamed never]] perform a full HeelFaceTurn, they may develop into an AloofAlly whose entire personality is orientated around being stronger than the hero. Since they see themselves as TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou, they will often [[EnemyMine team up against third-party antagonists attempting to kill the hero first]].

The most important part of this relationship - distinguishing this from ArchEnemy and SitcomArchNemesis - is the feedback loop of one-upmanship that ultimately ''benefits'' the growth and character development of both sides: a rivalry where only one side changes for the better, or a rivalry that drags both sides down, is closer to being [[ArchEnemy Arch Enemies]]. If the rivalry is not ''reciprocated'' by one side, the other is the UnknownRival. TheLancer is similar in personality but on the same side as TheHero; the rival may turn into TheLancer and vice versa through character development. Could be one of the OpposedMentors. See also FandomRivalry. For a specific rival in anime, see StockShonenRival.

* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'': Since they met Asuka always regarded Shinji as her rival, a challenge to beat, the one who could best her. After getting together their rivalry becomes more friendly but she still encourages him to push himself so that she keeps feeling challenged and driven to improve her piloting and fighting skills.
* ''Fanfic/AlexMovieVillain'': Alex to ''[[WesternAnimation/AdventureTime Marceline]]''.
* ''Manga/Evangelion303'':
** Shinji to Asuka. Several characters comment on it.
** Later Mari becomes Asuka's rival. WordOfGod states that Asuka ''needs'' a rival because she is fiercely competitive.

* Hefty is this toward [[Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf Empath]].
* Sakura and Ino in ''Fanfic/KitsuneNoKenFistOfTheFox'', naturally; they're rivals in everything from academics to school sports to street fighting to Sasuke.

* ''Fanfic/{{crawlersout}}'': Even though they haven't interacted in ''decades'', Gellert Grindelwald still views his former best friend Albus Dumbledore as a rival, to such an extent that thought of Dumbledore beating him in ''anything'' angers him. It's decidedly a one-sided rivalry though, as after the death of his sister Dumbledore wanted absolutely nothing to do with Grindelwald. Then there's the fact that prior to that event, Dumbledore was madly in love with him.
* In ''Fanfic/KaraOfRokyn'', the titular character and Jasmine to each other during the former's wrestling career. Jasmine wants to prove she's stronger and pay Kara back for her rejection. [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] wants to beat Jasmine so she can get on with her life and try a new job.
* ''Fanfic/BlackenedSkies'' gives Kaede two rivals: Celeste and Korekiyo. Of the pair, Celeste is far more ''overt'' in challenging Kaede's attempts to unite the students under her banner and collectively stand against Monokuma, treating her as a naïve, WideEyedIdealist who also refuses to acknowledge her hypocrisies. Korekiyo, meanwhile, was involved in the [[VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony same mutual killing game]] as Kaede, and is thus more ''aware'' of her complexities and contradictions than Celeste is, undermining her efforts in relatively more subtle ways.

* ''Fanfic/{{Alex}}'': Alex to ''[[WesternAnimation/AdventureTime Marceline]]''.

[[caption-width-right:340:Satoshi/Ash and Shigeru/Gary clashing like [[StealthPun red and blue]].]]

The rival most often begins as a grim, volatile, or arrogant foe who [[PrivilegedRival has a headstart on the protagonist]]. They frequently act as an {{Foil}} or MirrorCharacter for the hero, showing [[ForWantOfANail what they could have become]] if fate was just a little bit different. Through a series of inexplicable events - from friendly competition to attempted murder - they gain some kind of respect for the protagonist and may develop from [[{{Jerkass}} intolerable ass]] to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold tolerable ass]]. If fate is unkind, they might [[RivalTurnedEvil turn evil]]. On the other hand, their grudging respect may turn into [[FriendlyRivalry genuine friendship]], leading to a HeelFaceTurn somewhere down the line. If the rival is forced to [[EnemyMine team up]] with the hero over a common threat, expect [[RivalsTeamUp much awesomeness to ensue]].

The most important part of this relationship - distinguishing this from ArchEnemy and SitcomArchNemesis - is the feedback loop of one-upmanship that ultimately ''benefits'' the growth and character development of both sides: a rivalry where only one side changes for the better, or a rivalry that drags both sides down, is likely more between [[ArchEnemy Arch Enemies]]. If the rivalry is not ''reciprocated'' by one side, the other is the UnknownRival. TheLancer is similar in personality but on the same side as TheHero; the rival may turn into TheLancer and vice versa through character development. Could be one of the OpposedMentors. See also FandomRivalry. For a specific rival in anime, see StockShonenRival.