History Main / LightLiegeDarkDefender

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]
* Godzilla and Mothra from ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' invert this trope--you'd expect Mothra to be the Light Liege (ethereal [[TheHighQueen high queen]] with literal [[LightEmUp light powers]]) and Godzilla to be the Dark Defender (grumpy, brooding [[GaiasVengeance earth guardian]]), but Mothra is generally the one who protects Godzilla, [[spoiler:to the point of self-sacrifice]].

* ''Literature/TheRestaurantAtTheEndOfTheUniverse'': This dynamic is present between the captain of the Golgafrinchians and his officer Number Two. Number Two is a brutish fellow who constantly gives unwanted status reports, brandishes a Kill-O-Zap gun to everyone, and takes great delight in taking Arthur and Ford as prisoners. The Captain, on the other hand, just wants to continue his years-long bath and lets Number Two do what he wants because it keeps him occupied.

-->'''Zelda:''' Raise your head.
-->'''Link:''' No... [[BloodIsTheNewBlack My face is filthy.]]
-->'''Zelda:''' As befits the fierce yet noble beast that saved me, so I'm thankful to see it.
-->--''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess2016''

A specific type of a two-character ensemble, where one is [[TheHeart bright and personable]] but not necessarily good at taking care of themselves, while the other is "dark" in some way (traumatized, {{broken|Ace}}, or just gloomy and cynical) but supremely competent and fiercely devoted to (protecting) the other. In a case of OppositesAttract, the Liege may be attracted to the Defender's suffering, and may in turn serve as the latter's LivingEmotionalCrutch or even a MoralityPet.

* [[AllLovingHero Sora]] and [[ByronicHero Riku]] eventually develop this relationship in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. Multiple characters compare them to light and dark over the course of the series, usually stating afterward that you can't have one without the other. As for protectiveness, Riku is more or less Sora's [[TheChampion champion]] at this point.

* ''Film/TheGoldenChild'': Jarrell and Kee Nang are a rare gender-flipped version. She even [[spoiler:[[TakingTheBullet takes an arrow in the chest]] for him]].

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': In the fifth book Accelerator ends up becoming the guardian of [[TokenMiniMoe Last Order]], a perky and energetic [[MacGuffinSuperPerson "living admin terminal" to the MISAKA network]], as part of his attempts at redemption. However, due to being an ex-{{Tykebomb}} with NoSocialSkills and no real idea of how to "become a good guy", he tends to [[TerrorHero fight off threats to her in brutal and nightmarish ways]].

[[caption-width-right:350:He's not [[CowerPower cowering behind her]]! She's just [[PrettyPrincessPowerhouse that badass]]. (Besides, he's just about to rush forward.)]]

If the Light Liege is not aware of how Dark their Defender is, the latter is often a PyschoSupporter. Can overlap with PredatorTurnedProtector, LightDarknessJuxtaposition, and BroodingBoyGentleGirl. Compare PsychoSidekick and LadyAndKnight (especially the hypothetical "Light Lady and Black Knight"). Compare also other "fierce protector" tropes: MamaBear, PapaWolf, ExtremelyProtectiveChild, BadassAndChildDuo, KnightTemplarParent, KnightTemplarBigBrother, and ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend. Contrast RudeHeroNiceSidekick.

If the Light Liege is not aware of how Dark their Defender is, the latter is often a PoisonousFriend. Can overlap with PredatorTurnedProtector, LightDarknessJuxtaposition, and BroodingBoyGentleGirl. Compare PsychoSidekick and LadyAndKnight (especially the hypothetical "Light Lady and Black Knight"). Compare also other "fierce protector" tropes: MamaBear, PapaWolf, ExtremelyProtectiveChild, BadassAndChildDuo, KnightTemplarParent, KnightTemplarBigBrother, and ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend. Contrast RudeHeroNiceSidekick.

If the Light Liege is not aware of how Dark their Defender is, the latter is often a PoisonousFriend. Can overlap with PredatorTurnedProtector, LightDarknessJuxtaposition, and BroodingBoyGentleGirl. Compare PsychoSidekick and LadyAndKnight (especially the hypothetical "Light Lady and Black Knight"). Compare also other "fierce protector" tropes: MamaBear, PapaWolf, ExtremelyProtectiveChild, BadassAndChildDuo, KnightTemplarParent, KnightTemplarBigBrother and ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend. Contrast RudeHeroNiceSidekick.

* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': In this ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' Franchise/MonsterVerse fanfiction, [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonMonsterX Monster X]]'s [[TwoBeingsOneBody two halves]], San and Vivienne Graham, at first have this dynamic. Vivienne is TheConscience of the duo who's struggling with PTSD and what she's been turned into; while San is more pragmatic and is truly devoted to protecting his new sister, whilst having ItsAllMyFault tendencies instilled by his abusive past (oh, and he used to be part of ''[[OmnicidalManiac Ghidorah]]''). However, as the story goes on, Vivienne become more capable and ferocious while San becomes more compassionate toward others as they learn from each-other.

* ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'': [[GemTissue The Jumi]] work in pairs between Knights and Guardians, and this dynamic is most evident in the primary plot-relevant pair of Jumi in the game: Elazul the Knight and his Guardian Pearl. The former is a SnarkKnight [[KnightInSourArmor In Sour Armor]] and the latter is a sweet and soft-spoken ShrinkingViolet. There is a twist however, in that [[spoiler:Pearl herself has a SuperpoweredEvilSide, Lady Blackpearl, who is her ''own'' Dark Defender to a Light Liege, the leader of the Jumi [[WhiteMagicianGirl Florina]].]]

** Anxiety/Virgil is also the Dark Defender to Thomas, once he developed past a oneshot character for a [[Recap/SandersSidesS1E3TakingOnAnxiety collaboration with Lilly Singh]] to a Side that both embodies and experiences a heightened fight-or-flight reflex.

** Then there's Oriko and Kirika from ''Manga/PuellaMagiOrikoMagica''. Oriko is the light liege with an overall white theme to her design, a kind and gentle {{Ojou}} that encompasses a degree of mysticalWaif in her ability to see the future. Kirika is her sole friend and hopelessly devoted to Oriko, having a dark theme to her design and even a similar time-manipulation power like Homura's, allowing her to slow down time compared to flat-out stopping it or travelling back to the past. [[spoiler:Played with, as Oriko may be the light, but she's [[LightIsNotGood nowhere near good]].]]

* Madoka and Homura from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. Madoka is a kind, clumsy everygirl with a pink color scheme. Homura is a sullen, quiet time-traveling magical girl who seems hellbent on preventing Madoka from becoming one herself, at times violently stepping in to protect her.
** This seems to be a theme to the ''Puella Magi Magica'' series, as similar setups exist in spin-off titles. ''Manga/PuellaMagiTartMagica'' has Tart and Riz. Tart is the Light, with her kind, slightly airheaded nature and commanding the French army as a magical girl. Riz is the Dark one, having been the one to find and eventually 'recruit' Tart into becoming a magical girl because [[spoiler:of her wish of finding a hero that could become the Light of the country to save the world]]. And ''Manga/PuellaMagiOrikoMagica'' has Oriko and Kirika. Oriko is the Light, with her overall magical girl design being white and light colors and basically fulfilling the MysticalWaif trope, while Kirika is the Dark as her best friend and willing to follow Oriko's orders. [[spoiler:Played with, as Oriko may be the Light, but she's [[LightIsNotGood nowhere near good]].]]

* [[AllLovingHero Sora]] and [[ByronicHero Riku]] eventually develop this relationship in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts''. Multiple characters compare them to light and dark over the course of the series, usually stating afterward that you can't have one without the other. As for protectiveness, Riku is more or less Sora's [[TheChampion champion]] at this point.

If the Light Liege is not aware of how Dark their Defender is, the latter is often a PoisonousFriend. Can overlap with PredatorTurnedProtector, LightDarknessJuxtaposition, and BroodingBoyGentleGirl. Compare PsychoSidekick and LadyAndKnight (especially the hypothetical "Light Lady and Black Knight"). Compare also other "fierce protector" tropes: MamaBear, PapaWolf, ExtremelyProtectiveChild, KnightTemplarParent, KnightTemplarBigBrother and ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend. Contrast RudeHeroNiceSidekick.

* ''Fanfic/SoulEaterTroubledSouls'': Caius and Claudia sport this dynamic. Claudia is expressive, sociable, emotional, but TheLoad as well as a patient MoralityPet to Caius. Caius is a quiet, impersonal, focused spear fighter who is nonetheless Claudia's closest friend.