History Main / RivalsTeamUp

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman967_2.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Not only are they rivals, but most of the time they're [[ArchEnemy arch-enemies]].]]

The opposite of RivalTurnedEvil. Bear in mind, however, that TheRival may not always be evil. He or she may simply be an antagonist trying to one-up TheHero in doing good things, or the rivalry may be based on other unrelated reasons, such as personal ones. A subtrope of EnemyMine, which is any case in which a protagonist and antagonist team up against a common enemy (not just rivals).

** Even wilder is the number of games featuring both [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] and VideoGame/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}}, the mascots of the two formerly rival companies, namely the ''VideoGame/MarioAndSonicAtTheOlympicGames'' series.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' has many rivals and has teamed up with them on occasions. The characters are [[VideoGame/Sonic3andKnuckles Knuckles]], [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 Shadow]], [[VideoGame/SonicRush Blaze]], [[VideoGame/SonicRiders Jet]], and [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Silver]] (who earlier in the game plays this with Shadow, who ironically fought the white hedgehog mere seconds before due to him attacking Sonic in the first place.)

* In more recent ''VideoGame/StarFox'' games, Wolf and Fox team up, though of course this is usually after a short dogfight between the two teams.

* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2'' has Travis Touchdown team up with his brother and rival Henry Cooldown to take on the final boss...until the final boss transforms into a living parade balloon and he realizes [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs just how ridiculous the game actually is,]] [[SubvertedTrope causing him to quit.]]

** Scar also does this in [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]]. Despite killing dozens of State Alchemists, he saves Ed and Al's lives more than once. But he also plans to create a Philosopher's Stone by sacrificing hundreds of State troopers.

* Webcomic/ProblemSleuth, Ace Dick, and Pickle Inspector are rival private investigators who initially don't care very much for each other. However, in order to achieve the surprisingly complex and difficult task of leaving their offices, they are forced to team up, in the process becoming FireForgedFriends.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rivals.jpg]]]]

* This is a major part of the third semester of ''[[Videogame/Persona5Royal Persona 5 Royal]]'', when the protagonist's rival Goro Akechi unexpectedly completes his HeelFaceTurn to help fight a bigger danger, getting promoted to AloofAlly in the process.

* Brian and Stewie in WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy were initially this in early episodes such as [[Recap/FamilyGuyS2E13RoadToRhodeIsland Road To Rhode Island]] before they became best friends.

* Given the nature of ''Franchise/StarTrek'', it shouldn't be surprising that this is an often-recurring plot line throughout every series. Examples include the original series episode "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS3E7DayOfTheDove}} Day of the Dove]]" where Kirk has to convince a group of Klingons who are trying to take over the ship to work together against an alien presence who is feeding off of their emotions, as well as the entire series of Voyager, when in the pilot episode the titular ship is forced to integrate the crew of the Maquis vessel they were sent to capture, and the focus shifts to joining forces in an attempt to return home.

* Much like the [[Anime/DragonBallZ Goku and Vegeta]] example above, when Optims Prime and Megatron from ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' put aside their differences to fight a common foe, there's very little that can stand against them.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros.Brawl'' in adventure mode "The Subspace Emissary" many Nintendo characters (and some more) team up against Bowser, Ganondorf and Wario, though most of the times it's a FriendlyRivarly. Later in the story it becomes EnemyMine when these three join to heroes's side to deafeat BigBad Tabuu. Mentioned in page's quote a main theme of the game reflects these two tropes.

* In ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', it is implied in the first episode that Yusuke and Kuwabara are rivals, and later are often shown as best friends, with hurting the other being each of their {{berserk button}}s.

* In more recent ''VideoGame/StarFox'' games, Wolf and Fox team up, though of course this is usually after a short dogfight between the two teams.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros.Brawl'' in adventure mode "The Subspace Emissary" many Nintendo characters (and some more) team up against Bowser, Ganondorf and Wario, though most of the times it's a FriendlyRivarly Later in the story it becomes EnemyMine when these three join to heroes's side to deafeat BigBad Tabuu. Mentioned in page's quote a main theme of the game reflects these two tropes.

* ''VideoGame/SoaringMachinariae'': The second segment of the Tower of Desire requires two handler-automaton pairs to go through parallel paths, where they have to activate paths for each other. Maria/Iris and Mel/Orchis end up cooperating on the opposing paths, despite their longstanding rivalry. [[spoiler:The trial then throws in a twist where each combatant has to face a copy of the one who helped them.]]

* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2'' has Travis Touchdown team up with his brother and rival Henry Cooldown to take on the final boss...until the final boss transforms into a living parade balloon and he realizes [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs just how ridiculous the game actually is,]] [[SubvertedTrope causing him to quit.]]
-->"I can't be associated with that travesty. I mean, [[EveryoneHasStandards I've got standards,]] for fuck's sake!"
* The rival scientists Piero Joplin and Anton Sokolov spend most of ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' throwing jabs at each other, but after [[spoiler:the Loyalists betray and abandon them (well, mostly Piero, as Sokolov was technically their captive) to their deaths]], the two quickly put their minds together and jury-rig a new arc pylon model capable of incinerating ''or'' knocking out all hostiles in the area (while sparing them and Corvo), and, in the Low Chaos ending, continue their collaboration to invent a cure for the rat plague, too.
* Most of ''VideoGame/NocturneRebirth'' hypes up the conflict between the main character, Reviel, and his sworn enemy, Ristill. However, the two temporarily team up when [[spoiler:Khaos]] turns out to have plans to destroy the world, to the point where Ristill joins as a GuestStarPartyMember in the FinalBoss fight.
* In ''Franchise/DragonAge'', the first time the Orlesian Empire and the Tevinter Imperium joined forces, they stopped the Third Blight in just 15 years. The second time, they beat back the Qunari from the mainland. Too bad their cooperation never lasts.

* In ''Series/TheBoys2019'', in the Season 3 finale, Billy Butcher and Homelander initially are pitted against each other with Butcher bringing Soldier Boy as his ally to take Homelander down. However, when Soldier Boy proves to be a threat to Ryan, the son of Butcher's deceased wife and Homelander (by rape, hence his enmity), they temporarily join forces to take Soldier Boy down to ensure Ryan's safety.

* The Spanish national soccer team of 2008-2011 (and as of 2011 still going strong) is a successful combination of the best Spanish players from the rival teams of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, two teams with a long history of hating each other. For much of the Spanish national soccer team's history, a major flaw was often an inability for Real Madrid and FC Barcelona players to work well together. In 2008, coach Aragones worked to unite the two traditional foes, and they cruised their way to a dominant win of the Euro Cup 2008 and the World Cup 2010.

** The team up barely lasts an entire episode because of the animosity towards each other’s style.
In the season 3 finale episode it sticks longer than the one in episode 2. [[spoiler: [[PapaWolf Daniel and Johnny]] both go after Kreese for going after their kids (Sam and Miguel).]]

The team up barely lasts an entire episode because of the animosity towards each other’s style.

* Much like the [[Anime/DragonBallZ Goku and Vegeta]] example above, when Optims Prime and Megatron from ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' put aside their differences to fight a common foe. There's very little that can stand against them.

* ''VideoGame/SoaringMachinariae'': The second segment of the Tower of Desire requires two handler-automaton pairs to go through parallel paths, where they have to activate paths for each other. Maria/Iris and Mel/Orchis end up cooperating on the opposing paths. [[spoiler:The trial then throws in a twist where each combatant has to face a copy of the one who helped them.]]