History Main / FriendlyEnemy

* [[LovableTraitor Axel]] has shades of this towards [[KingdomHearts Sora]] in [[KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]], but [[spoiler:[[ManipulativeBastard it's mostly to manipulate him]].]]

* Axel has shades of this towards [[KingdomHearts Sora]] in [[KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]], but [[spoiler:[[ManipulativeBastard it's mostly to manipulate him]].]]

* [[SympatheticIneffectualVillain Dr. Doofenschmirtz]] and [[AnimalSuperhero Perry the Platypus]] from ''{{Phineas and Ferb}}'' take this unusually far; in one episode Doofenshmirtz even refers to Perry as his best friend (right before Perry punches him in the face). Perry has also [[SaveTheVillain saved Doofenshmirtz's life]] several times and helped him set up [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter his daughter's]] birthday party. It's such a friendly arrangement that Doofenschmirtz has even given Perry keys to his lair, so he doesn't kick the down down on his way in.

* By season 3 of ''StationeryVoyagers'', Lord Abberwadd comes to believe in the Voyagers' cause enough that he barely can find it in him to reclaim Melanie from them, much less attack them or show them any sort of malice. In fact, his forces outright rebel when they learn Bluque has hijacked Markerterion's leadership from Alhox, and that results in him [[HeelFaceTurn becoming one of the Voyagers' most powerful Markerterion allies]].

->"''A frenemy is someone who is both your friend and your enemy at the same time. China is our enemy because they are a totalitarian regime that despises our values of freedom and democracy. They're our friend because - look at these tube socks! 12 for $1.99!''"
-->-- '''StephenColbert''', ''TheColbertReport''

->"''Just because we're archenemies, doesn't mean we can't be friends''"
-->-- '''[[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Dude-bot]]''', ''XiaolinShowdown''

* David Xanatos and the {{Gargoyles}} had a pretty rocky, ally-again/enemy-again relationship until the former finally performed a final HeelFaceTurn after the latter helped save his baby from evil faeries. Because you just can't stay mad at anyone who helps save your baby from evil faeries.

*** He did save their lives in the series finale. ([[{{Discontinuity}} What third season?]])

* Vlad of ''DannyPhantom'' implied in one episode that his relationship with Danny is like this, stating "I'm sorry, but funny, joke-around Vlad isn't here today." before attacking him. This is a relationship Vlad often saw with Danny during most of the series' run on account of the villain's desire to have Danny as his surrogate son, his role as an UnwittingPawn notwithstanding.

* Dr. Doofenschmirtz and Perry the Platypus from ''{{Phineas and Ferb}}'' take this unusually far; in one episode Doofenshmirtz even refers to Perry as his best friend (right before Perry punches him in the face). Perry has also [[SaveTheVillain saved Doofenshmirtz's life]] several times and helped him set up [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter his daughter's]] birthday party. It's such a friendly arrangement that Doofenschmirtz has even given Perry keys to his lair, so he doesn't kick the down down on his way in.
** From the same show, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Buford]] and [[BollywoodNerd Baljeet]]. Officially, they're [[DesignatedVillain a bully]] and [[DesignatedHero a nerd]], but like Doof and Perry, they act more like a weird pair of friends than what you would normally expect.

* Skipper and Julien from ''Penguins of Madagascar''. They spend most of their shared screentime arguing and generally being annoyed by the other, but Skipper will go out of his way to help Julien, and Julien has gone to Skipper to have his problems fixed. It was to the point that they were actually mistaken as 'BFF's by Skipper's ArchNemesis Dr. Blowhole...and the other penguins agreed with him.

* Rikash Moonsword is this for Daine in the {{[[TortallUniverse Wild Magic]]}} books.

** Sparhawk and Martel also has overtones of NotSoDifferent, as both were originally best friends, who were trained by the same people, until the point when Martel makes his FaceHeelTurn. Thoughout the series, Martel has made it somewhat clear that he still likes Sparhawk and his former teachers, in spite of his willingness to kill them if necessary to accomplish his ends. A number of things he says are clearly wistful (in a "I wish things could have been different" sort of way), and he clearly likes and respects Sparhawk and company far more than he does his own allies.

** Ultros in ''FinalFantasyVI'' is much the same way. He even opens up a fighting arena in the second half of the game and has no issues letting your party use it.
*** Actually, he just owes a lot of money to the owner and has to work there. He can no longer afford to follow the party.
*** Friendly? No! Ultros may act as the comic relief for the occasionally depressing FF6, but he never acts friendly towards the party. He simply decides to follow the party around and harass them at random points in the game.

* In the "War!" comic for ''TeamFortressTwo'', it is shown that for some time the RED Demoman and BLU Soldier were friends.

** And before that, Sonic and Knuckles.

* IsaacAsimov and ArthurCClarke as evidenced by the Asimov-Clarke Treaty wherein each was required to say the other was the "Greatest Science Fiction Writer In The World" reserving the second-place slot for themselves. One wonders where [[KurtVonnegut Vonnegut]], [[RayBradbury Bradbury]] and [[RobertHeinlein Heinlein]] were at the time.
*** Writing quality science fiction probably kept them too busy for self-aggrandizement.

*** Yeah, but that's as much about the poshness and arrogance of the Assassin's Guild as it is about the... you know... [[strike:murder]] inhuming.
** He does seem on friendly terms with Mr Boggis, the head of the Thieves Guild, though. Boggis even serves in the citizens militia the City Watch organizes. Although licensed thievery is not an area that Vimes, as Commander of the Watch, is charged with stopping, the friendly and willing interaction of a policeman and thief still probably fits.
*** The Thieves Guild appear to spend much of their time combating unlicensed thefts, so in that sense Boggis is as much a crime-fighter as Vimes.

*** Until they appoint a head wizard whom nobody wants to try to kill. Because they cannot. That failing has led to this trope in a more relaxed state, as the entire faculty becomes more permanent and almost friendly despite retaining elements of the old relationship.

*** It's been said several times throughout the series that the more contempt a wizard (or witch) has for another, the more Dangerously Polite he will become.
** Another example is the relationship between the old Count Magpyr and the villagers of Escrow in [[{{Discworld}} Carpe Jugulum]]. When the new Count was faced with the angry mob and tried to point at the old Count as an example of a CompleteMonster, all that happened was the villagers and the old Count having a jolly trip down memory lane about how this family's grandmother had such a striking figure in a nightie and how that family's ancestor was a damn good shot for killing him (the old Count) with a stake at twenty paces seventy-five years ago with generally a lot of the villagers beaming with family pride as they respectfully referred to the old Count as "yer honour" and other similar titles.

* CaptainAmerica has Batroc the Leaper. They both actually enjoy their squaring of and are generally on good terms. He has even teamed up with Cap to defeat another villain on a number of occasions.

*** Actually, he just owes a lot of money to the owner and has to work there. He can no longer afford to follow the party

* Professional wrestlers routinely feud in [[{{Kayfabe}} storyline]] while getting along well outside it, maybe even traveling together between cities.