History Main / LoveCannotOvercome

!!Examples

* Sailor V and Kaitou Ace in ''Manga/CodenameSailorV'' are mutually attracted to and love each other, but can never be together [[spoiler:because they turn out to be on opposite sides of the conflict. Ace, or rather Danburite, is unable to reconcile his orders to defeat her with his desire to win her heart, and Sailor V knows she will ultimately choose her duty to Princess Serenity and defeating the Dark Kingdom over any personal feeling she has. She ends up killing Danburite.]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* This is why Silver St. Cloud breaks up with Bruce Wayne in a famous 1970s ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' arc; she can't handle knowing that he's risking his life against people like ComicBook/TheJoker every night, so she abandons him and Gotham. This seems to be the source for many other examples from Batman adaptations in other media.
* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris have done this to each other repeatedly over the years since his identity as GL and hers as the domineering, villainous Star Sapphire frequently complicate their underlying mutual love.
** Pointed out to Hal during ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'', when Indigo-1 points out that Hal and Carol contradict the Star Sapphire mantra that "Love conquers all". Hal actually notes that what Indigo's saying doesn't sound like a compliment, to which she retorts that ''it wasn't meant to be''.
** As of the final issue of Creator/GeoffJohns' run on the title, Hal and Carol will eventually get together and stay together, which would be an aversion of this trope.
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': Being in love with the emotionally withdrawn Bruce Banner is tough enough already, but his onetime wife Betty Ross is often driven away by his monstrous SuperpoweredAlterEgo, the Hulk. By the time of ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'', Betty refuses to look Bruce in the face (Hulks and Joe Fixit are exempt - it's ''just'' Bruce she hates).
** After being killed again and coming back as the more monstrous Red Harpy, Betty's primary thoughts was how she went from loving Bruce to their incredibly toxic relationship with each other. When they finally reunite she cuts out and eats a weakened Hulk's heart, despite Hulk begging for her aid. Only that turns out to be an attempt to help Hulk - tearing his heart out kick-starts his disabled healing factor. But she still makes it clear she's ''pissed'' at him. In fact, she later learns to control her transformation, but refuses to appear as anything other than Red Harpy to Bruce. Eventually, Bruce reaches his breaking point and demands she transform back. Betty attacks him for it.
* ''ComicBook/{{Royals}}'': Crystal and Ronan the Accuser still love one another even after their incredibly acrimonious and forced divorce, but even after Ronan stops blaming Crystal for the destruction of Hala, he's still too overcome with grief and shame to try and reconnect with her. [[spoiler:His murder a few months later doesn't help.]]
* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': As of the ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' stuff, Mary Jane breaks up with Peter, not because she can't handle being in danger for knowing Spider-Man, but because she can't handle putting other people who are close to her in danger because she knows Spider-Man.
** Ironically in ComicBook/SpiderIsland, [[spoiler:when Carlie Cooper finds out that Peter is Spider-Man, she angrily concludes that their relationship was a lie, and breaks it off with him in no uncertain terms. Meanwhile, MJ temporarily has Spider-Man's powers and realizes fully why Peter continues to fight the good fight as Spider-Man]].
** ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'' puts this through a {{Deconstruction}}. At the urging of Carlie Cooper, Mary Jane attends an outreach program for super heroes' civilian friends and loved ones called "Look-Ups". At the urging of its creator, Jarvis, MJ admits her fears and spending all her time away from Peter and she comes to realize that, despite all of this, she really does love him, that running away from his life isn't who she is and that she's happy to be with him.
* ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'': This is played around with regarding the relationship between Arsenal and Cheshire. The two fell in love while Arsenal was investigating Cheshire for the government, and left because he couldn't bring himself to turn her in. Then Cheshire got pregnant and gave birth to their daughter Lian, and things became extremely more complicated and convoluted. There's still an attraction shared between Arsenal and Cheshire even though Cheshire was (understandably) pissed off about Arsenal leaving like he did, but what's ''really'' strained whatever love there might be between the two is Cheshire's increasingly horrific actions as a mercenary. After Cheshire dropped an atomic bomb on the country of Qurac to prove she wasn't kidding around, Arsenal now struggles with the guilt of ''still'' loving her despite that and has even compared himself to Eva Braun loving Hitler. Eventually, when Cheshire tried to escape from prison and told Arsenal he could join her and take Lian with her, Arsenal refused realizing even if they did Cheshire would never truly change or ''try'' to change her behavior.
** A non-romantic example occurs in ''[[ComicBook/SecretSix Villains United]]'' when Cheshire's forced to join the Secret Six because of a bomb in Lian's head. While Cheshire's visibly horrified when told of this, her next course of action was to get her teammate Catman to help her conceive a replacement child. When Cheshire betrays the Secret Six after becoming pregnant, she tells Deadshot it's because she can't stand the idea of being controlled or enslaved by someone else (stemming from her childhood growing up in slavery). Many stories made it clear Cheshire does love Lian, but her extremely traumatic childhood has made it so whatever love she has for her child isn't enough to prevent her from doing ''anything possible'' to escape being trapped again.
* Villainous example: A few Batman stories before the 1980s showed that Harvey "ComicBook/TwoFace" Dent's fiancée, Gilda, still loved him unconditionally after his transformation, but his criminal lifestyle and tendency to end up in Arkham eventually forced her to move on. The GoldenAge story that introduced him was quite different; there, she's immediately repulsed by his disfigurement, but Harvey and Gilda ''Kent'' got to keep their happy ending after a skilled plastic surgeon rescued from [[ThoseWackyNazis Germany]] successfully reforms his face.
** Batman's own troubled romances with Catwoman and Talia probably count.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In chapter 41 of ''Fanfic/InFlight'', [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Rin]] states that this is the case in regards to her {{pride}} as a magus. It won't allow her to be part of anyone's harem or share Shirou with anyone other than Saber. Shirou himself mentions that to humans, love just isn't enough at times. To a distorted LoveFreak like Musubi, who believes in the absoluteness of ThePowerOfLove, it causes her great anger and confusion.
* The SuperFic ''Fanfic/{{Dominoes}}'' of the ''Manga/CaseClosed'' fandom acts as a [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstruction]] towards the idea of superhero secrecy. Kudo Shinichi is the son of a Batman {{Expy}} and his friends and girlfriend are his father's pupils. All deliberately [[LockedOutOfTheLoop lock him out of the loop]], ostensibly to keep him safe, but keeping him out of dangerous situations that definitely involve him is not only clearly damaging in and of itself, but the methods they use to do so are also very damaging to their relationships with him, despite them excusing this as ForTheGreaterGood. When Shinichi inevitably finds out, it isn't the actual secret that hurts Shinichi, but what it confirms about how those he loves actually see him as a person: his girlfriend Ran, for example, was perfectly content in letting TheMasquerade isolate Shinichi from any genuine, trust-reciprocating friendships and pressuring Shinichi to give up his dreams of investigating crime because it's "too dangerous" for him, up to and including shaming him for trying to achieve the same privileges and opportunities she enjoys--all for the sake of "keeping him safe." Having any faith or trust in him as a person apparently was never seen as an option, even by those who claimed to love him the most. After finding out their secret identities, Shinichi still gives each of them time and chances to mend bridges through relationship-focused promises, but after years of treating Shinichi as an object to protect rather than an equal to respect and even then not considering him a high priority, they can't break the habit and all fail miserably at upholding their promises to him. Afterwards, despite expressing deep love for Shinichi and a sincere desire to work through their relationship issues, Ran's attempt to finally openly talk things out accidentally reconfirms her condescension towards him as reality, which becomes the final straw; when she tries to explain how she ''just'' wanted to keep him safe, Shinichi dumps her.
* In ''Fanfic/NarniaAndTheNorth'', Sansa Stark and Peter Pevensie ultimately realize that no matter how much they grow to love each other, they will love their respective countries more. Also the time differential between Narnia and Westeros prevents a long-distance relationship, so they decide to break up.

[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/BatmanReturns'':
** Bruce Wayne mentions that Vicki Vale, his love interest from [[Film/Batman1989 the previous movie]], couldn't handle being Franchise/{{Batman}}'s girlfriend.
** Bruce's break-up with Selina is more of an inversion; it's not so much because Selina cares about Bruce being Batman and she even states she'd love to live happily ever after with him, but she [[ItsNotYouItsMe "just couldn't live with [herself]"]] as her own life is a mess (not to mention she seriously screwed him over before realizing he was Batman).
* Similarly, in ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'', Rachel doesn't want to deal with the issues of being Bruce's love interest until he's done being Franchise/{{Batman}}.
* ''Film/BlackPanther2018'': Okoye, the General of the paramilitary Dora Milaje, and W'Kabi, the Leader of the Border Tribe and the king's second-in-command. [[spoiler:Okoye, who is [[MyCountryRightOrWrong bound by honor]] to serve the usurping king Killmonger, turns against him once he demonstrates disregard for Wakandan laws. W'Kabi was supportive of Killmonger from the start and remains loyal to him in leading his tribe in a civil war against anyone that goes against Killmonger. When they come head-to-head in battle, the fight doesn't last long]].
-->'''W'Kabi:''' [[spoiler:Would you kill me, my love?]]\\
'''Okoye:''' [[spoiler:For Wakanda? ''(arms spear)'' ''Without question''.]]
* ''Franchise/DieHard'': John and Holly clearly care about each other, but their marriage is already strained in the first movie. While Film/DieHard ends with them back together, ultimately their relationship can't survive John's ChronicHeroSyndrome. They're officially separated by movie three and divorced by movie four, adding to John's KnightInSourArmor bitterness.
* Inverted in ''Film/TheFly1986''. When Seth reaches the final ''humanoid'' stage of his SlowTransformation into an insect-human hybrid creature, he tells his visiting lover Veronica that because of the accompanying SplitPersonalityTakeover that is replacing his morals and sanity with those of a ruthless insect, she must never see him again because "I'll hurt you if you stay." Even though her willingness to be there for him has already taken a significant psychic toll on her ''and'' she is now dealing with the possibility she's carrying his mutant offspring, she breaks down sobbing as she leaves without revealing the latter point as she intended. Sadly, he finds out anyway shortly afterward, and moreover that she doesn't intend to keep it, setting the stage for an even more tragic DownerEnding than might have otherwise been.
* ''Film/IShotJesseJames'': Despite going through the emotional wringer by killing [[UsefulNotes/JesseJames his best friend]], Robert Ford learns that his girlfriend Cynthy doesn't want to be with him anymore. The main reason is that she's scared of Bob, as well as embarrassed about his reputation as Jesse James's killer.
* Played with in ''Film/IronMan2'':
-->'''Pepper Potts:''' Oh my God, I can't take this anymore! My body literally cannot handle the stress! I never know if you're going to kill yourself or... or wreck the whole company...! That's it, I quit.
** This is a "playing with" because, up to this point, Pepper and Tony have only had UnresolvedSexualTension and are not in a relationship. In fact, this declaration by Pepper is exactly what starts their relationship at the end of the film. Also, Tony doesn't accept her resignation.
** It's then played straight in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' when [[spoiler:Tony reveals Pepper broke up with him because she couldn't handle his ChronicHeroSyndrome]]. And then it's [[spoiler:subverted in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' when they seem to be back together with Tony planning on proposing to her, which sticks this time.]]
* At the end of ''Film/{{Ophelia}}'', this is what separates Hamlet and Ophelia. [[spoiler:Although they make it clear they love each other, Hamlet insists on carrying out his vengeance against Claudius even if it ends in his death, while Ophelia is unwilling to stay and doom herself along with everyone else and so leaves to keep on living]].
* ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', the breakup between Anakin and Padmé comes down to this when the latter turns to the Dark Side:
-->'''Padmé:''' I don't believe what I'm hearing! Obi-Wan was right... you've changed! You have turned to the dark side! You're not Anakin anymore!\\
'''Anakin:''' ''[with a growing angry look and voice]'' I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me!\\
'''Padmé:''' ''[crying]'' Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I cannot follow!\\
'''Anakin:''' Because of Obi-Wan?\\
'''Padmé:''' Because of what you've done... what you plan to do! Stop! Stop now... come back... I love you!
* ''Film/SupermanII''. At the end of the movie Lois Lane can't handle being Superman's girlfriend and SecretKeeper, so he uses his Super Amnesia power to remove her knowledge of his secret identity and their relationship.
-->'''Lois:''' I didn't close my eyes all night... Do you know how vile it is to hear the first bird of the morning singing when you've been sitting up all night crying? ...It's sort of like being married to a doctor. The doctor gets wakened in the middle of the night and the wife has to cope with the fact that he's gone... I am selfish when it comes to you, and I'm jealous of the whole world... Don't you know that this is killing me? Do you know what it's like to have you come in here every morning and not be able to talk to you, not be able to show I have any feelings toward you, not be able to tell anyone that I know who you are? I don't even know what to call you!
* ''Film/{{Twister}}'': Melissa breaks up with Bill before he goes chasing after the final tornado because, in her words, "I can't compete with this."

[[folder:Literature]]
* At the end of ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'', Ana [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove confesses she's in love]] with Christian, but leaves him because she can't handle his more extreme sexual kinks. However, in the next book she [[SubvertedTrope quickly takes him back]] when he promises to work on himself.
* ''Literature/AlexDelaware'': Alex's girlfriend, Robin, eventually breaks up with him due to his work with the police and her fears that he's becoming an [[InHarmsWay adrenaline junkie]].
* ''Literature/AliceAdams:'' The titular Alice Adams pretends to be an incredibly wealthy socialite to court a wealthy suitor that she's hopelessly smitten with. She knows it's only a matter of time before he learns that her father isn't ''really'' wealthy, but she hopes that if she puts it off long enough he'll fall for her deeply enough that his love will overcome it. [[spoiler:It doesn't.]]
* The reason behind Marthona and Dalanar's break-up in ''Literature/EarthsChildren''. Although they loved each other, they amicably ended things because they couldn't reconcile their differences. Though it's never explicitly mentioned what went wrong, it's implied she found him overbearing, whilst he felt she didn't really need him around. They've since moved on with other partners they are better suited to, although some people still tell stories of their 'tragic love', which Marthona finds embarrassing.
* In ''Literature/EveryDay'', by David Levithan, love doesn't overcome... ''sorta''. The central premise is that A is a genderless being who [[BodySurf wakes up each morning in a different person's body.]] S/he falls for a girl, Rhiannon, but she ultimately can't deal with the stress and difficulty that comes along with such an existence. Then A realizes that there's a chance s/he could just pick one body and stay in it. Ultimately, though, s/he decides that would be totally unethical, and doesn't return to Rhiannon. It is, as you can imagine, a major {{tearjerker}}. In the film adaptation, at least, A convinces Rhiannon to date one of her friends, and the next day said friend compliments her.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Merope Gaunt is hopelessly in love with Tom Riddle, the local squire, and feeds him love potions so he'll love her back. Eventually she conceives a child with Tom and stops drugging him, believing her love for him and their child will keep them together. Surprise, surprise, it isn't, and she ends up suffering DeathByChildbirth in an orphanage to the future Voldemort.
* ''Literature/SheIsTheOne'': Jack and Kayla really, truly love each other, but that alone isn't enough in the face of real life. They both have to work hard to keep their relationship going, sometimes with each other. . . and sometimes against each other. Most of the story's dramatic tension comes from them just trying to juggle their relationship and the demands of high school and then college.
* Dianora has a passage about this in ''{{Literature/Tigana}}''. She loves Brandin, and she loves her homeland, which he razed. Both of these absolutely break her heart. Try as she might, she can't make herself ''not'' love Brandin. And she can't bear to turn her back on Tigana either.
-->But Tigana's ruin lay between the two of them like a chasm in the world. The lesson of her days, Dianora thought, was simply this: that love was not enough. Whatever the songs of the troubadours might say. Whatever hope it might seem to offer, love was simply not enough to bridge the chasm in ''her'' world. Which was why she was here, what the riselka's vision in the garden had offered her: an end to the terrible, bottomless divisions in her heart.
* Inverted in the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'': Ellie Quinn loves Miles and is perfectly fine with his dangerous life as a mercenary and secret agent; it's the prospect of becoming Lady Vorkosigan and being forced to move to Barryar she can't get past.
* Victor Henry's wife in ''Winds of War'' and ''War and Remembrance''.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Jamie Reagan's girlfriend in ''Series/BlueBloods'' left him because she couldn't stand loving a cop with ChronicHeroSyndrome.
* ''Series/TheBoys2019'':
** M.M.'s wife Monique quickly divorces him after finding out that he's rekindled his [[CapeBusters crusade against Supes]] behind her back when they have a daughter to consider. However, by Season 3 she's made peace with that it's who he is and becomes AmicableExes with him.
** Queen Maeve's girlfriend Elena leaves her after discovering the AwfulTruth about [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]] and Maeve's involvement in the plane incident, which leads Maeve to angrily call out her hypocrisy for [[TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife being upset about Maeve hiding things from her]] while she tearfully admits she was right to do so. [[spoiler:Elena then [[StrangledByTheRedString inexplicably goes back to Maeve]] in the season 3 finale despite watching her let a child die and cutting ties because the writers wanted to PreserveYourGays.]]
* Early in the fourth season of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Giles has a girlfriend named Olivia. At the end of the episode "Hush", after Olivia learns of the existence of demons, she says, "Scary." Giles asks, "Too scary?" and Olivia responds, "I'm not sure." Since we never see her again after that, we can presume that it was indeed too scary for her.
* Prue's first boyfriend, Andy, from ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' admits to her that he can't deal with her being a witch and probably wouldn't be able to no matter how much time he had to get used to the idea.
** Although later when he finds out ''again'', and learns they used a ResetButton to undo him learning before, he says they didn't give him enough time to accept it before pressing said reset button, though by the end of the episode, he changes his mind and decides that he wouldn't have been able to handle it no matter how much time they gave him. Though he continues to love Prue and may have been on his way to accepting it [[spoiler: when he sacrifices himself in order to save the sisters]].
* Every single loveline in ''The Confidant'' was doomed to failure.
** Concubine Wan [[spoiler:fell in love with actor Yujun and wanted to run away from the palace together with their unborn child. Unfortunately, their affair was discovered and Yujun was sentenced to death. Concubine Wan was spared but unaware of all this, believed that Yujun had run away and abandoned her. What she didn't know was that he truly did love her and had pleaded for her life to be spared even as he knew he was going to be killed]].
** [[LoveMartyr Qianrong did her best to stay by Bolun's side]] [[spoiler:through his opium addiction after he initially used it to reduce the pain in a leg injury. He treated Qianrong worse and worse, [[MoralEventHorizon selling her and even went after Lianying's family]] in order to extort money and feed his addiction. To put an end to it, Qianrong attempted to poison Bolun and then commit suicide. [[InterruptedSuicide Fortunately, she survives thanks to Lianying's intervention]]]].
** Princess Heshuo relentlessly pursues Shuangxi, but they could never have a future together as she's betrothed and he's a eunuch. [[spoiler:When Heshuo returns to the palace after her husband passes way, [[HostageSituation the bad guys seize the perfect opportunity to use her to force Shuangxi to betray his brothers-in-arm.]] [[NotGoodWithRejection Then he finds out that the Princess has long since moved on and has no intention of starting over with him again...]]]].
** West Empress Dowager loved the late Emperor, only to find out that [[spoiler:he didn't trust her and even made a secret edict to execute her in case she misuses her power]].
** East Empress Dowager is secretly in love with [[spoiler:Prince Gong but she can never act on it and had to hide it at all times]]. She also resents West Empress Dowager for being favoured by the late Emperor.
** An Dehai [[spoiler:loves Xiaochai to the point where he publicly marries her against the West Empress Dowager's advice. As he's not a 'real man', she ends up taking many lovers behind Dehai's back. To try and win her back, Dehai knowingly breaks the law and [[LoveMakesYouDumb falls for a scam that claims to make his private part grow back]]. He gets caught and punished. [[AllForNothing Xiaochai leaves him anyway]]]].
** [[YoungLoveVersusOldHate The Emperor persisted despite heavy objection from the West Empress Dowager]] and successfully got to make Baoyin his Empress. [[spoiler:Still, that love did not stop him from visiting prostitutes and neglecting her. After he's found to have contracted venereal disease, confirming his debauchery, [[TookALevelInCynic Baoyin becomes disillusioned and turns against the Emperor eventually.]]]]
* Happened to an officer in his probationary period in the background of an early 1967 ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'' episode. While the speech Sgt. Friday gives upon learning this covers most of the potential reasons that this trope would be invoked, he leaves out the "long nights of waiting" reason which was later covered in the first episode of the 1970 Season.
* Even reality TV isn't safe from this trope: In ''Series/TheFirst48'', Miami detective Kevin Ruggerio gets dumped by his fiancee--via [[DearJohnLetter "Dear John" phone message]]--saying she needed someone who put her needs first. Something he couldn't do as a homicide detective.
* In the final series of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', despite genuinely loving [[spoiler: Daenerys Targaryen, [[HeroicBastard Jon Snow]] can't bring himself to resume their [[SecondLove previous relationship]] following his discovery they are [[SurpriseIncest aunt and nephew]]. Jon's inability to give her [[IJustWantToBeLoved some desperately needed affection]], added to [[TraumaCongaLine her emotional fragility in the wake of having lost so many of her loved ones]] and having her own advisors plotting to [[HeirClubForMen undermine her in favour of Jon's claim to the Iron Throne]] is implied to be a major factor in driving Daenerys into [[ThenLetMeBeEvil violent insanity]]. After Daenerys lays waste to King's Landing and declares her intention to not [[TakeOverTheWorld only conquer the world]] but also put to the sword any who oppose her, Jon reluctantly assassinates Daenerys, despite genuinely loving her, because top of her list of enemies would be [[BigBrotherInstinct Jon's cousins/adoptive half-sisters Sansa and Arya Stark]].]]
* On ''Series/{{Haven}}'', Nathan's season one LoveInterest Jess abruptly leaves town and returns to Quebec after being attacked by a Troubled person, whom Nathan was investigating.
* ''Series/Loki2021'': They might have both fallen in love for the first and only time in their lives but ultimately Sylvie can't be talked out of her lifelong goal of revenge by someone who she's only known for like 2 days, [[spoiler:even if [[ScrewYourself he is another Variant of her]]]].

* In ''Series/{{Psych}}'', Shawn's ex-girlfriend, Abigail, says she can't take the stress of his job anymore after being kidnapped by Mr. Yin.
* The sixth season of ''Series/SchittsCreek'' has a heartbreaking example [[spoiler: when Ted is offered a permanent job in The Galapagos Islands just as Alexis's PR career is taking off. The couple, who overcame much to be together and still love each other deeply, realize that their futures lie apart.]]
* In ''Series/SiempreBruja'', [[spoiler:Cristóbal]] time travels to 2019 to be with Carmen, but he cannot adjust to the modern world. Despite their love for each other, they have to break up because neither can live in the other's time.
* Cyborg's girlfriend Katherine in ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' decides (between episodes) that she can't handle what he's become and so leaves him.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Dean Winchester makes a go at settling down and living a normal life with a woman named Lisa and her son Ben. He genuinely loves Lisa, keeps a normal job, and becomes a surrogate father to Ben, but when he discovers his brother is alive, he returns to the hunting life. [[spoiler: He eventually leaves Lisa and Ben for their own safety, and he has Castiel wipe their memories of him after Crowley takes them hostage to get to Dean.]]
* On ''Series/Warehouse13'', Pete was about to reveal the true nature of his work to Kelly, but having just had a small sample of that dangerous world, she breaks it up with him and leaves. Since Pete is only allowed to tell his secret to a single living person, it's very fortunate that she stops him before he does.
* Subverted in ''Series/TheXFiles.'' In the series proper, Mulder tries to get Scully to leave him because she is constantly put in danger because of his quest for the Truth. She refuses. In the reboot, it's revealed that they broke up, ''not'' because of his involvement in the supernatural, but because of [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Mulder's refusal to treat his severe depression.]] It's implied it wasn't what either of them wanted, but was needed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Music/TearsForFears: The song "Swords and Knives" features the verse "And it's sad love's not enough to make things better".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* The first act of ''Theatre/SundayInTheParkWithGeorge''. Although George Seurat loves his adoring mistress Dot very much, he is [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation too occupied]] with his masterpiece painting to pay attention to her. She eventually leaves him [[spoiler: with his baby daughter]] for a more caring partner. [[spoiler: Before she leaves, she visits him at the park and fails to tempt him to see his infant daughter. George simply explains to her that the baby will have an attentive father now.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'': All four romance options have at least one ending where they will leave [[PlayerCharacter V]] due to diverging life goals. Each has at least one ending where they do stay together though.
** [[GadgeteerGenius Judy]] will leave in the "Path of Glory" and "The Devil" ending, because she's [[spoiler:[[ScrewThisImOutOfHere desperate to leave Night City and all of the bad memories it brought her behind]]]]. She happily joins [[spoiler:V and the Aldecaldos to live her life on the road]] in "The Star" ending.
** [[BadassBiker Panam]] will also leave in the "Path of Glory" or "The Devil" ending, because [[spoiler:she's responsible for leading the Aldecaldos now and can't stay in Night City with V, because that would leave the clan vulnerable]]. Since "The Star" ending involves [[spoiler:V tagging along with the Aldecaldos]], she's more than happy to remain in a relationship with V.
** [[TheRockstar Kerry]] will break up with V in "The Star" ending, because [[spoiler:he can't leave Night City behind due to his ambition, and because, after V presses him on, because he's afraid of losing V so far from home]]. He will remain in a committed relationship with V if he stays in Night City in "Path of Glory" or "The Devil" ending.
** [[ByTheBookCop River]] will break up with V in "The Star" ending, because he [[spoiler:feels like he has a duty to Night City and can't just leave. He also feels like he has to support his sister and her kids]]. He remains with V in the "Path of Glory" and "The Devil" endings.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': A rather tragic case with your companion [[HitmanWithAHeart Zevran]] and his old partner and lover, Taliesin. Taliesin shows up near the end of the game and tries to convince Zevran to help him kill you so he can return to the [[MurderInc Antivan Crows]]. If your RelationshipValues with Zevran are high enough, [[spoiler:his lingering feelings for Taliesin aren't enough to convince him to turn on you.]] Conversely, [[spoiler:if you're romancing Zevran but your RelationshipValues are too low, then it's his feelings for ''you'' that cannot overcome his feelings for Taliesin.]]
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'': By the end of the game, [[spoiler:Anders' love for Hawke is not enough to prevent his eroding sanity, nor rising mage freedom extremism, nor prevent him using you to blow up the Chantry.]] Conversely, [[spoiler:the player may decide that their love for Anders cannot overcome his betrayal, and opt to execute him, or at least break up with him.]]
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'': Oh dear. It should be called "Love Cannot Overcome: The Game."
*** Blackwall: [[spoiler:After his true identity and past as a war criminal are revealed, the player may decide they ''can't'' look past his deception and/or horrific past actions, and opt not to forgive him or take him back. Blackwall himself doesn't expect you to forgive him, either. He comes publicly forward fully expecting you to reject and dump him, and is ''deeply'' surprised if you don't.]]
*** Cassandra: [[spoiler:If she is named Divine, her staunch morals prevent her from remaining lovers with the Inquisitor since Divines must be celibate, and she breaks up with you.]]
*** Cullen: [[spoiler:If you convince him to go back to taking lyrium (a highly addictive FantasticDrug that gives Templars their magic-negating powers at the cost of [[AddledAddict eventually eroding their sanity]]) for the sake of his duty, he decides that fraternizing with you would also constitute distracting him from his "duty," and coolly breaks things off.]]
*** Iron Bull: [[spoiler:If you convince him to sacrifice his [[MoralityChain Chargers]] to remain loyal to the Qunari, Love Cannot Overcome [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Qunari]] [[BrainWashing "re-education."]]]]
*** Sera: [[spoiler:Not if you're an elf who is "too elfy," it can't.]]
*** Solas: [[spoiler:Falling in love with a [[PlayerCharacter female Lavellan]] does not prevent him from [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim breaking up with her]] or [[ShooTheDog pushing her away]] to carry out his plan of [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong restoring the world of the ancient elves]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone (that he accidentally destroyed)]] at the cost of [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans reshaping the current world]]. Even if female Lavellan agrees with his plan, Solas doesn't want you to see what he'll become.]]
*** Considering all of the above examples, Josephine comes off as a rather delightful subversion. [[spoiler: She tries to break up with the Inquisitor because her parents have gotten her engaged to someone else (not realising that she's spoken for), and insists that they cannot be seen to be together until she's spent years formally breaking up the engagement in a diplomatic manner. You can immediately prove that love really does conquer all by fighting her fiance for her hand and making a grand, public declaration of love to her.]]
* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' is, at its core, an irreparably flawed love story [[spoiler:between a giant crab and ''the sun'']] that can only evolve into a cosmic epic by ''killing it''.
* Near the end of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPartII'', [[spoiler:Ellie settles down on a farm with her girlfriend Dina and their baby son. However, when Ellie still can't let go of her desire to get revenge for Joel's death and leaves to hunt down his killer, Dina leaves Ellie (which [[IWarnedYou she had threatened to do]] before Ellie's departure) and [[TakingTheKids takes the baby with her]]. Ellie returns to an empty house and not so much as a goodbye note from Dina]].
* In ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'', this is how Tia eventually bows out, giving her spot in the party to her [[TheRival rival]], [[ActionGirl Selan]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/Sorcery101'': Melanie enjoys [[MuggleMageRomance dating Danny]], but after she's targeted by his superpowered enemies for associating with him, she bluntly tells him he's not worth it and breaks up.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': Similar to the comics example above, Two-Face's fiancée, [[MeaningfulName Grace]], never really gives up on him, either.
** Clayface also had a lover who tried to restore him to human form... but after he crosses the line and ''murders his own daughter'', she's never seen again and it's implied she gave up on him just as thoroughly as Batman.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', during a conversation about Terry's girlfriend, an elderly Bruce Wayne admits that he had relationships with a lot of women over the years, including known superheroes like Wonder Woman all the way down to Barbra Gordan during her days as Batgirl, before she moved on to follow in her father's footsteps as a police officer. He explains that all the relationships ended because the women gave up on him after realizing he would never give up being Batman and settle down with them. He tells Terry this now that he is Batman as a warning about his own relationship.
* Maria Rivera from ''WesternAnimation/ElTigreTheAdventuresOfMannyRivera'' was unable to see her husband Rodolfo/White Pantera constantly in mortal danger... this might seem a little strange considering that [[spoiler:she herself used to be a superheroine herself, Plata Peligrosa and not exactly of the defensive style on top of that. However, Maria gave up being Plata Peligrosa because the glove she used would often put her through an uncontrollable PowerHigh. Fearing for the safety of those around her, Maria quit because the damages outweighed the benefits]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Lois Lane breaks up with Bruce Wayne for essentially the same reason Silver St. Cloud did in the comics. Though--as we see in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited''--she doesn't have the same issues in dating Clark/Superman (or has gotten over them).
[[/folder]]

* ComicBook/GreenLantern: Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris have done this to each other repeatedly over the years since his identity as GL and hers as the domineering, villainous Star Sapphire frequently complicate their underlying mutual love.
** Pointed out to Hal during ComicBook/BlackestNight, when Indigo-1 points out that Hal and Carol contradict the Star Sapphire mantra that "Love conquers all". Hal actually notes that what Indigo's saying doesn't sound like a compliment, to which she retorts that ''it wasn't meant to be''.

* Villainous example: A few Batman stories before the 1980s showed that Harvey "ComicBook/TwoFace" Dent's fiancée, Gilda, still loved him unconditionally after his transformation, but his criminal lifestyle and tendency to end up in Arkham eventually forced her to move on. The GoldenAge story that introduced him was quite different; there, she's immediately repulsed by his disfigurement, but Harvey and Gilda ''Kent'' got to keep their happy ending after a skilled plastic surgeon rescued from [[ThoseWackyNazis Germany]] successfully reforms his face.
** Batman's own troubled romances with Catwoman and Talia probably count.

** Ironically in ComicBook/SpiderIsland, [[spoiler: when Carlie Cooper finds out that Peter is Spider-Man, she angrily concludes that their relationship was a lie, and breaks it off with him in no uncertain terms. Meanwhile, MJ temporarily has Spider-Man's powers and realizes fully why Peter continues to fight the good fight as Spider-Man]].

* This is played around with regarding the relationship between [[ComicBook/TeenTitans Arsenal and Cheshire]]. The two fell in love while Arsenal was investigating Cheshire for the government, and left because he couldn't bring himself to turn her in. Then Cheshire got pregnant and gave birth to their daughter Lian, and things became extremely more complicated and convoluted. There's still an attraction shared between Arsenal and Cheshire even though Cheshire was (understandably) pissed off about Arsenal leaving like he did, but what's ''really'' strained whatever love there might be between the two is Cheshire's increasingly horrific actions as a mercenary. After Cheshire dropped an atomic bomb on the country of Qurac to prove she wasn't kidding around, Arsenal now struggles with the guilt of ''still'' loving her despite that and has even compared himself to Eva Braun loving Hitler. Eventually, when Cheshire tried to escape from prison and told Arsenal he could join her and take Lian with her, Arsenal refused realizing even if they did Cheshire would never truly change or ''try'' to change her behavior.

* In chapter 41 of ''Fanfic/InFlight'', [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Rin]] states that this is the case in regards to her Pride as a magus. It won't allow her to be part of anyone's harem or share Shirou with anyone other than Saber. Shirou himself mentions that to humans, love just isn't enough at times. To a distorted LoveFreak like Musubi, who believes in the absoluteness of ThePowerOfLove, it causes her great anger and confusion.

* ''Film/SupermanII''. At the end of the movie Lois Lane can't handle being Superman's girlfriend and SecretKeeper, so he uses his Super Amnesia power to remove her knowledge of his secret identity and their relationship.
-->'''Lois:''' I didn't close my eyes all night... Do you know how vile it is to hear the first bird of the morning singing when you've been sitting up all night crying? ...It's sort of like being married to a doctor. The doctor gets wakened in the middle of the night and the wife has to cope with the fact that he's gone... I am selfish when it comes to you, and I'm jealous of the whole world... Don't you know that this is killing me? Do you know what it's like to have you come in here every morning and not be able to talk to you, not be able to show I have any feelings toward you, not be able to tell anyone that I know who you are? I don't even know what to call you!
* Played with in ''Film/IronMan2'':
-->'''Pepper Potts:''' Oh my God, I can't take this anymore! My body literally cannot handle the stress! I never know if you're going to kill yourself or... or wreck the whole company...! That's it, I quit.
** This is a "playing with" because, up to this point, Pepper and Tony have only had UnresolvedSexualTension and are not in a relationship. In fact, this declaration by Pepper is exactly what starts their relationship at the end of the film. Also, Tony doesn't accept her resignation.
** It's then played straight in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' when [[spoiler:Tony reveals Pepper broke up with him because she couldn't handle his ChronicHeroSyndrome]]. And then it's [[spoiler:subverted in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' when they seem to be back together with Tony planning on proposing to her, which sticks this time.]]

'''Okoye:''' [[spoiler:For Wakanda? (arms spear) ''Without question''.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', the breakup between Anakin and Padmé comes down to this when the latter turns to the Dark Side:
-->'''Padmé:''' I don't believe what I'm hearing! Obi-Wan was right... you've changed! You have turned to the dark side! You're not Anakin anymore!\\
'''Anakin:''' ''[with a growing angry look and voice]'' I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me!\\
'''Padmé:''' ''[crying]'' Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I cannot follow!\\
'''Anakin:''' Because of Obi-Wan?\\
'''Padmé:''' Because of what you've done... what you plan to do! Stop! Stop now... come back... I love you!
* ''Film/{{Twister}}'': Melissa breaks up with Bill before he goes chasing after the final tornado because, in her words, "I can't compete with this."

* Inverted in ''Film/TheFly1986''. When Seth reaches the final ''humanoid'' stage of his SlowTransformation into an insect-human hybrid creature, he tells his visiting lover Veronica that because of the accompanying SplitPersonalityTakeover that is replacing his morals and sanity with those of a ruthless insect, she must never see him again because "I'll hurt you if you stay." Even though her willingness to be there for him has already taken a significant psychic toll on her ''and'' she is now dealing with the possibility she's carrying his mutant offspring, she breaks down sobbing as she leaves without revealing the latter point as she intended. Sadly, he finds out anyway shortly afterward, and moreover that she doesn't intend to keep it, setting the stage for an even more tragic DownerEnding than might have otherwise been.
* At the end of ''Film/{{Ophelia}}'', this is what separates Hamlet and Ophelia. [[spoiler: Although they make it clear they love each other, Hamlet insists on carrying out his vengeance against Claudius even if it ends in his death, while Ophelia is unwilling to stay and doom herself along with everyone else and so leaves to keep on living]].

* Inverted in the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'': Ellie Quinn loves Miles and is perfectly fine with his dangerous life as a mercenary and secret agent; it's the prospect of becoming Lady Vorkosigan and being forced to move to Barryar she can't get past.

* ''Literature/AlexDelaware'': Alex's girlfriend, Robin, eventually breaks up with him due to his work with the police and her fears that he's becoming an [[InHarmsWay adrenaline junkie]].

* Victor Henry's wife in ''Winds of War'' and ''War and Remembrance''.

* At the end of ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'', Ana [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove confesses she's in love]] with Christian, but leaves him because she can't handle his more extreme sexual kinks. However, in the next book she [[SubvertedTrope quickly takes him back]] when he promises to work on himself.
* The reason behind Marthona and Dalanar's break-up in ''Literature/EarthsChildren''. Although they loved each other, they amicably ended things because they couldn't reconcile their differences. Though it's never explicitly mentioned what went wrong, it's implied she found him overbearing, whilst he felt she didn't really need him around. They've since moved on with other partners they are better suited to, although some people still tell stories of their 'tragic love', which Marthona finds embarrassing.
* ''Literature/SheIsTheOne'': Jack and Kayla really, truly love each other, but that alone isn't enough in the face of real life. They both have to work hard to keep their relationship going, sometimes with each other. . . and sometimes against each other. Most of the story's dramatic tension comes from them just trying to juggle their relationship and the demands of high school and then college.

* In the final series of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', despite genuinely loving [[spoiler: Daenerys Targaryen, [[HeroicBastard Jon Snow]] can't bring himself to resume their [[SecondLove previous relationship]] following his discovery they are [[SurpriseIncest aunt and nephew]]. Jon's inability to give her [[IJustWantToBeLoved some desperately needed affection]], added to [[TraumaCongaLine her emotional fragility in the wake of having lost so many of her loved ones]] and having her own advisors plotting to [[HeirClubForMen undermine her in favour of Jon's claim to the Iron Throne]] is implied to be a major factor in driving Daenerys into [[ThenLetMeBeEvil violent insanity]]. After Daenerys lays waste to King's Landing and declares her intention to not [[TakeOverTheWorld only conquer the world]] but also put to the sword any who oppose her, Jon reluctantly assassinates Daenerys, despite genuinely loving her, because top of her list of enemies would be [[BigBrotherInstinct Jon's cousins/adoptive half-sisters Sansa and Arya Stark]].]]

* In ''Series/{{Psych}}'', Shawn's ex-girlfriend, Abigail, says she can't take the stress of his job anymore after being kidnapped by Mr. Yin.
* On ''Series/Warehouse13'', Pete was about to reveal the true nature of his work to Kelly, but having just had a small sample of that dangerous world, she breaks it up with him and leaves. Since Pete is only allowed to tell his secret to a single living person, it's very fortunate that she stops him before he does.
* Cyborg's girlfriend Katherine in ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' decides (between episodes) that she can't handle what he's become and so leaves him.
* Happened to an officer in his probationary period in the background of an early 1967 ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'' episode. While the speech Sgt. Friday gives upon learning this covers most of the potential reasons that this trope would be invoked, he leaves out the "long nights of waiting" reason which was later covered in the first episode of the 1970 Season.
* Even reality TV isn't safe from this trope: In ''Series/TheFirst48'', Miami detective Kevin Ruggerio gets dumped by his fiancee--via [[DearJohnLetter "Dear John" phone message]]--saying she needed someone who put her needs first. Something he couldn't do as a homicide detective.
* ''Series/Loki2021'': They might have both fallen in love for the first and only time in their lives but ultimately Sylvie can't be talked out of her lifelong goal of revenge by someone who she's only known for like 2 days, [[spoiler: even if [[ScrewYourself he is another Variant of her]].]]
* The sixth season of ''Series/SchittsCreek'' has a heartbreaking example [[spoiler: when Ted is offered a permanent job in The Galapagos Islands just as Alexis's PR career is taking off. The couple, who overcame much to be together and still love each other deeply, realize that their futures lie apart.]]
* In ''Series/SiempreBruja'', [[spoiler:Cristóbal]] time travels to 2019 to be with Carmen, but he cannot adjust to the modern world. Despite their love for each other, they have to break up because neither can live in the other's time.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Dean Winchester makes a go at settling down and living a normal life with a woman named Lisa and her son Ben. He genuinely loves Lisa, keeps a normal job, and becomes a surrogate father to Ben, but when he discovers his brother is alive, he returns to the hunting life. [[spoiler: He eventually leaves Lisa and Ben for their own safety, and he has Castiel wipe their memories of him after Crowley takes them hostage to get to Dean.]]
* Subverted in ''Series/TheXFiles.'' In the series proper, Mulder tries to get Scully to leave him because she is constantly put in danger because of his quest for the Truth. She refuses. In the reboot, it's revealed that they broke up, ''not'' because of his involvement in the supernatural, but because of [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Mulder's refusal to treat his severe depression.]] It's implied it wasn't what either of them wanted, but was needed.
* On Series/{{Haven}}, Nathan's season one LoveInterest Jess abruptly leaves town and returns to Quebec after being attacked by a Troubled person, whom Nathan was investigating.

** Concubine Wan [[spoiler: fell in love with actor Yujun and wanted to run away from the palace together with their unborn child. Unfortunately, their affair was discovered and Yujun was sentenced to death. Concubine Wan was spared but unaware of all this, believed that Yujun had run away and abandoned her. What she didn't know was that he truly did love her and had pleaded for her life to be spared even as he knew he was going to be killed.]]
** [[LoveMartyr Qianrong did her best to stay by Bolun's side]] [[spoiler: through his opium addiction after he initially used it to reduce the pain in a leg injury. He treated Qianrong worse and worse, [[MoralEventHorizon selling her and even went after Lianying's family]] in order to extort money and feed his addiction. To put an end to it, Qianrong attempted to poison Bolun and then commit suicide. [[InterruptedSuicide Fortunately, she survives thanks to Lianying's intervention.]] ]]
** Princess Heshuo relentlessly pursues Shuangxi, but they could never have a future together as she's betrothed and he's a eunuch. [[spoiler: When Heshuo returns to the palace after her husband passes way, [[HostageSituation the bad guys seize the perfect opportunity to use her to force Shuangxi to betray his brothers-in-arm.]] [[NotGoodWithRejection Then he finds out that the Princess has long since moved on and has no intention of starting over with him again...]] ]]
** West Empress Dowager loved the late Emperor, only to find out that [[spoiler: he didn't trust her and even made a secret edict to execute her in case she misuses her power.]]
** East Empress Dowager is secretly in love with [[spoiler: Prince Gong but she can never act on it and had to hide it at all times.]] She also resents West Empress Dowager for being favoured by the late Emperor.
** An Dehai [[spoiler: loves Xiaochai to the point where he publicly marries her against the West Empress Dowager's advice. As he's not a 'real man', she ends up taking many lovers behind Dehai's back. To try and win her back, Dehai knowingly breaks the law and [[LoveMakesYouDumb falls for a scam that claims to make his private part grow back.]] He gets caught and punished. [[AllForNothing Xiaochai leaves him anyway.]] ]]
** [[YoungLoveVersusOldHate The Emperor persisted despite heavy objection from the West Empress Dowager]] and successfully got to make Baoyin his Empress. [[spoiler: Still, that love did not stop him from visiting prostitutes and neglecting her. After he's found to have contracted venereal disease, confirming his debauchery, [[TookALevelInCynic Baoyin becomes disillusioned and turns against the Emperor eventually.]] ]]

** [[GadgeteerGenius Judy]] will leave in the "Path of Glory" and "The Devil" ending, because she's [[spoiler: [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere desperate to leave Night City and all of the bad memories it brought her behind]]]]. She happily joins [[spoiler:V and the Aldecaldos to live her life on the road]] in "The Star" ending.

* Near the end of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPartII'', [[spoiler: Ellie settles down on a farm with her girlfriend Dina and their baby son. However, when Ellie still can't let go of her desire to get revenge for Joel's death and leaves to hunt down his killer, Dina leaves Ellie (which [[IWarnedYou she had threatened to do]] before Ellie's departure) and [[TakingTheKids takes the baby with her]]. Ellie returns to an empty house and not so much as a goodbye note from Dina]].
* In ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'', this is how Tia eventually bows out, giving her spot in the party to her [[TheRival rival]], [[ActionGirl Selan]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', during a conversation about Terry's girlfriend, an elderly Bruce Wayne admits that he had relationships with a lot of women over the years, including known superheroes like Wonder Woman all the way down to Barbra Gordan during her days as Batgirl, before she moved on to follow in her father's footsteps as a police officer. He explains that all the relationships ended because the women gave up on him after realizing he would never give up being Batman and settle down with them. He tells Terry this now that he is Batman as a warning about his own relationship.

* Queen Maeve's girlfriend Elena in ''Series/TheBoys2019'' leaves her after discovering the AwfulTruth about [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]] and Maeve's involvement in the plane incident, which leads Maeve to angrily call out her hypocrisy for [[TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife being upset about Maeve hiding things from her]] while she tearfully admits she was right to do so. [[spoiler:Elena then [[StrangledByTheRedString inexplicably goes back to Maeve]] in the season 3 finale despite watching her let a child die and cutting ties because the writers wanted to PreserveYourGays.]]

** [[BikerBabe Panam]] will also leave in the "Path of Glory" or "The Devil" ending, because [[spoiler:she's responsible for leading the Aldecaldos now and can't stay in Night City with V, because that would leave the clan vulnerable]]. Since "The Star" ending involves [[spoiler:V tagging along with the Aldecaldos]], she's more than happy to remain in a relationship with V.

** An Dehai [[spoiler: loves Xiaochai to the point where he publicly marries her against the West Empress Dowager's advice. As he's not a 'real man', [[YourCheatingHeart she ends up taking many lovers behind Dehai's back.]] To try and win her back, Dehai knowingly breaks the law and [[LoveMakesYouDumb falls for a scam that claims to make his private part grow back.]] He gets caught and punished. [[AllForNothing Xiaochai leaves him anyway.]] ]]

* On ''Series/{{Haven}}, Nathan's season one LoveInterest Jess abruptly leaves town and returns to Quebec after being attacked by a Troubled person, whom Nathan was investigating.

* Being in love with the emotionally withdrawn Bruce Banner is tough enough already, but his onetime wife ComicBook/BettyRoss is often driven away by his monstrous SuperpoweredAlterEgo, the Comicbook/IncredibleHulk. By the time of ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'', Betty refuses to look Bruce in the face (Hulks and Joe Fixit are exempt - it's ''just'' Bruce she hates).

* Queen Maeve's girlfriend Elena in ''Series/TheBoys2019'' leaves her after discovering the AwfulTruth about [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]] and Maeve's involvement in the plane incident, which leads Maeve to angrily call out her hypocrisy for [[TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife being upset about Maeve hiding things from her]] while she tearfully admits she was right to do so. [[spoiler:Elena then inexplicably goes back to Maeve in the season 3 finale despite watching her let a child die and cutting ties because the writers wanted to PreserveYourGays.]]

* Queen Maeve's girlfriend in ''Series/TheBoys2019'' leaves her after discovering the AwfulTruth about [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]] and Maeve's involvement in the plane incident, which leads Maeve to angrily call out her hypocrisy for [[TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife being upset about Maeve hiding things from her]] while she tearfully admits she was right to do so.

* In the final series of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', despite genuinely loving [[spoiler: Daenerys Targaryen, [[HeroicBastard Jon Snow]] can't bring himself to resume their [[SecondLove previous relationship]] following his discovery they are [[SurpriseIncest aunt and nephew]]. Jon's inability to give her [[IJustWantToBeLoved some desperately needed affection, added to [[TraumaCongaLine her emotional fragility in the wake of having lost so many of her loved ones]] and having her own advisors plotting to [[HeirClubForMen undermine her in favour of Jon's claim to the Iron Throne]] is implied to be a major factor in driving Daenerys into [[ThenLetMeBeEvil violent insanity]]. After Daenerys lays waste to King's Landing and declares her intention to not [[TakeOverTheWorld only conquer the world]] but also put to the sword any who oppose her, Jon reluctantly assassinates Daenerys, despite genuinely loving her, because top of her list of enemies would be [[BigBrotherInstinct Jon's cousins/adoptive half-sisters Sansa and Arya Stark]].]]

** ''ComicBook/NickSpencersSpiderMan'' puts this through a {{Deconstruction}}. At the urging of Carlie Cooper, Mary Jane attends an outreach program for super heroes' civilian friends and loved ones called "Look-Ups". At the urging of its creator, Jarvis, MJ admits her fears and spending all her time away from Peter and she comes to realize that, despite all of this, she really does love him, that running away from his life isn't who she is and that she's happy to be with him.

* On ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'', Pete was about to reveal the true nature of his work to Kelly, but having just had a small sample of that dangerous world, she breaks it up with him and leaves. Since Pete is only allowed to tell his secret to a single living person, it's very fortunate that she stops him before he does.

*** Iron Bull: [[spoiler:If you convince him to sacrifice his [[MoralityChain Chargers]] to remain loyal to the Qunari, Love Cannot Overcome [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Qunari]] [[{{BrainWashing}} "re-education."]]]]

This is not necessarily a very "romantic" trope, but in some situations it can add a tremendous note of TruthInTelevision. Can overlap with IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy if the hero graciously sends her off to another life (and another love) rather than beg her to stay in a situation she's not suited for.

* ComicBook/GreenLantern: Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris have done this to each other repeatedly over the years, since his identity as GL and hers as the domineering, villainous Star Sapphire frequently complicate their underlying mutual love.

** Ironically in ComicBook/SpiderIsland, [[spoiler: when Carlie Cooper finds out that Peter is Spider-Man, she angrily concludes that their relationship was a lie, and breaks it off with him in no uncertain terms. Meanwhile, MJ temporarily has Spider-Man's powers, and realizes fully why Peter continues to fight the good fight as Spider-Man]].

* ''Film/IShotJesseJames'': Despite going through the emotional wringer by killing [[UsefulNotes/JesseJames his best friend]], Robert Ford learns that his girlfriend Cynthy doesn't want to be with him anymore. The main reason is that she's scared of Bob, as well as embarrassed of his reputation as Jesse James's killer.

* The reason behind Marthona and Dalanar's break-up in ''Literature/EarthsChildren''. Although they loved each other, they amicably ended things because they couldn't reconcile their differences. Though it's never explictly mentioned what went wrong, it's implied she found him overbearing, whilst he felt she didn't really need him around. They've since moved on with other partners they are better suited to, although some people still tell stories of their 'tragic love', which Marthona finds embarrassing.

* ''Series/Loki2021'': They might have both fallen in love for the first and only time in their lives but ultimately Sylvie can't be talked out of her life long goal of revenge by someone who she's only known for like 2 days, [[spoiler: even if [[ScrewYourself he is another Variant of her]].]]

* On ''Series/{{Haven}}, Nathan's season one LoveInterest, Jess, abruptly leaves town and returns to Quebec after being attacked by a Troubled person, whom Nathan was investigating.

* The first act of ''Theatre/SundayInTheParkWithGeorge''. Although George Seruat loves his adoring mistress Dot very much, he is [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation too occupied]] with his masterpiece paiting to pay attention to her. She eventually leaves him [[spoiler: with his baby daughter]] for a more caring partner. [[spoiler: Before she leaves, she visits him at the park and fails to tempt him to see his infant daughter. George simply explains to her that the baby will have an attentive father now.]]

** [[BikerBabe Panam]] will also leave in the "Path of Glory" or "The Devil" ending, because [[spoiler:she's reponsible for leading the Aldecaldos now and can't stay in Night City with V, because that would leave the clan vulnerable]]. Since "The Star" ending involves [[spoiler:V tagging along with the Aldecaldos]], she's more than happy to remain in a relationship with V.
** [[TheRockstar Kerry]] will break up with V in "The Star" ending, because [[spoiler:he can't leave Night City behind due to his ambition, and because, after V presses him on, because he's afraid of losing V so far from home]]. He will remain in a commited relationship with V if he stays in Night City in "Path of Glory" or "The Devil" ending.
** [[ByTheBookCop River]] will break up with V in "The Star" ending, because he [[spoiler:feels like he has a duty to Night City and can't just leave. He also feels like he has to support his sister and her kids]]. He remains with V in the "Path of Glory" and "The Devil" endings.
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': A rather tragic case with your companion [[HitmanWithAHeart Zevran]] and his old partner and lover, Taliesin. Taliesin shows up near the end of the game and tries to convince Zevran to help him kill you so he can return to the [[MurderInc Antivan Crows]]. If your RelationshipValues with Zevran are high enough, [[spoiler:his lingering feelings for Taliesin aren't enough to convince him to turn on you.]] Conversely, [[spoiler:if you're romancing Zevran but your RelationshipValues are too low, then it's his feelings for ''you'' that cannot overcome his feelings for Taliesin.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'': By the end of the game, [[spoiler:Anders' love for Hawke is not enough to prevent his eroding sanity, nor rising mage freedom extremism, nor prevent him using you to blow up the Chantry.]] Conversely, [[spoiler:the player may decide that their love for Anders cannot overcome his betrayal, and opt to execute him, or at least break up with him.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'': Oh dear. It should be called "Love Cannot Overcome: The Game."
** Blackwall: [[spoiler:After his true identity and past as a war criminal are revealed, the player may decide they ''can't'' look past his deception and/or horrific past actions, and opt not to forgive him or take him back. Blackwall himself doesn't expect you to forgive him, either. He comes publicly forward fully expecting you to reject and dump him, and is ''deeply'' surprised if you don't.]]
** Cassandra: [[spoiler:If she is named Divine, her staunch morals prevent her from remaining lovers with the Inquisitor since Divines must be celibate, and she breaks up with you.]]
** Cullen: [[spoiler:If you convince him to go back to taking lyrium (a highly addictive FantasticDrug that gives Templars their magic-negating powers at the cost of [[AddledAddict eventually eroding their sanity]]) for the sake of his duty, he decides that fraternizing with you would also constitute distracting him from his "duty," and coolly breaks things off.]]
** Iron Bull: [[spoiler:If you convince him to sacrifice his [[MoralityChain Chargers]] to remain loyal to the Qunari, Love Cannot Overcome [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Qunari]] [[{{BrainWashing}} "re-education."]]]]
** Sera: [[spoiler:Not if you're an elf who is "too elfy," it can't.]]
** Solas: [[spoiler:Falling in love with a [[PlayerCharacter female Lavellan]] does not prevent him from [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim breaking up with her]] or [[ShooTheDog pushing her away]] to carry out his plan of [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong restoring the world of the ancient elves]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone (that he accidentally destroyed)]] at the cost of [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans reshaping the current world]]. Even if female Lavellan agrees with his plan, Solas doesn't want you to see what he'll become.]]
** Considering all of the above examples, Josephine comes off as a rather delightful subversion. [[spoiler: She tries to break up with the Inquisitor because her parents have gotten her engaged to someone else (not realising that she's spoken for), and insists that they cannot be seen to be together until she's spent years formally breaking up the engagement in a diplomatic manner. You can immediately prove that love really does conquer all by fighting her fiance for her hand and making a grand, public declaration of love to her.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', during a conversation about Terry's girlfriend, an elderly Bruce Wayne admits that he had relationships with a lot of women over the years, including known superheroes like Wonder Woman all the way down to Barbra Gordan during her days as Batgirl, before she moved on to follow in her fathers footsteps as a police officer. He explains that all the relationships ended because the women gave up on him after realizing he would never give up being Batman and settle down with them. He tells Terry this now that he is Batman as a warning about his own relationship.

* The SuperFic ''Fanfic/{{Dominoes}}'' of the ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' fandom acts as a [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstruction]] towards the idea of superhero secrecy. Kudo Shinichi is the son of a Batman {{Expy}} and his friends and girlfriend are his father's pupils. All deliberately [[LockedOutOfTheLoop lock him out of the loop]], ostensibly to keep him safe, but keeping him out of dangerous situations that definitely involve him is not only clearly damaging in and of itself, but the methods they use to do so are also very damaging to their relationships with him, despite them excusing this as ForTheGreaterGood. When Shinichi inevitably finds out, it isn't the actual secret that hurts Shinichi, but what it confirms about how those he loves actually see him as a person: his girlfriend Ran, for example, was perfectly content in letting TheMasquerade isolate Shinichi from any genuine, trust-reciprocating friendships and pressuring Shinichi to give up his dreams of investigating crime because it's "too dangerous" for him, up to and including shaming him for trying to achieve the same privileges and opportunities she enjoys--all for the sake of "keeping him safe." Having any faith or trust in him as a person apparently was never seen as an option, even by those who claimed to love him the most. After finding out their secret identities, Shinichi still gives each of them time and chances to mend bridges through relationship-focused promises, but after years of treating Shinichi as an object to protect rather than an equal to respect and even then not considering him a high priority, they can't break the habit and all fail miserably at upholding their promises to him. Afterwards, despite expressing deep love for Shinichi and a sincere desire to work through their relationship issues, Ran's attempt to finally openly talk things out accidentally reconfirms her condescension towards him as reality, which becomes the final straw; when she tries to explain how she ''just'' wanted to keep him safe, Shinichi dumps her.

* Music/TearsForFears: The song "Swords and Knives" features the verse "And its sad love's not enough to make things better".

* ''Series/Loki'': They might have both fallen in love for the first and only time in their lives but ultimately Sylvie can't be talked out of her life long goal of revenge by someone who she's only known for like 2 days, [[spoiler: even if [[ScrewYourself he is another Variant of her]].]]

* ''Series/Loki'': They might have both fallen in love for the first and only time in their lives but ultimately Sylvie can't be talked out of her life long goal of revenge by someone who she's only known for like 2 days, [[spoiler: even if he is another version of himself.]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]

-->But Tigana’s ruin lay between the two of them like a chasm in the world. The lesson of her days, Dianora thought, was simply this: that love was not enough. Whatever the songs of the troubadours might say. Whatever hope it might seem to offer, love was simply not enough to bridge the chasm in ''her'' world. Which was why she was here, what the riselka’s vision in the garden had offered her: an end to the terrible, bottomless divisions in her heart.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Maria Suarez from ''WesternAnimation/ElTigreTheAdventuresOfMannyRivera'' was unable to see her husband Rodolfo/White Pantera constantly in mortal danger... this might seem a little strange considering that [[spoiler:she herself used to be a superheroine herself, Plata Peligrosa and not exactly of the defensive style on top of that. However, Maria gave up being Plata Peligrosa because the glove she used would often put her through an uncontrollable PowerHigh. Fearing for the safety of those around her, Maria quit because the damages outweighed the benefits]].

* Subverted in ''Series/TheXFiles.'' In the series proper, Mulder tries to get Scully to leave him because she is constantly put in danger because of his quest for the Truth. She refuses. In the reboot, it's revealed that they broke up, ''not'' because of his involvement in the supernatural, but because of [[RealityEnsues Mulder's refusal to treat his severe depression.]] It's implied it wasn't what either of them wanted, but was needed.