History TrueCompanions / Literature

** Sirius is the WhiteSheep rejected by his family, Lupin is a ReluctantMonster whose IJustWantToHaveFriends attitude is his FatalFlaw. Peter did a BloodbathVillainOrigin. When Sirius and Lupin learned the truth, both of them agree on killing Peter. That means TheBully James Potter grows up to be TheHeart of a team of three {{TokenEvilTeammate}}s

* Creator/StephenKing created his own word for this: ''ka-tet'', which in the High Speech of ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'' means a group bound together by fate. The perhaps "truest" depiction of true companions in King's world, and also the most tragic, has got to be the Losers Club from ''{{IT}}''.

* The Flock in ''Literature/MaximumRide'' is composed of [[LegoGenetics six avian-human hybrids]] who are completely unrelated (except for Angel and the Gasman, who are brother and sister) but have formed their own sort of "family" because they have been living together practically since birth. However, [[spoiler:it's revealed in book 3 who Max's mother and father are, but she leaves them behind (with promises to visit frequently) because she and her Flock have to go [[SavingtheWorld save the world]].]] However, this makes [[LikeBrotherAndSister Max and Fang's relationship]] more than a little awkward. Max also states more than once in the books that the Flock are the only five people on the planet whom she trusts implicitly, and Fang seems to have his own even higher level of trustworthiness within that circle.

* Women of ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' have the most power when they are formed into families, bands of sisters. Women of lower classes who weren't born to families, or were disowned or left, can band together and legally be considered sisters even if they are completely unrelated. They have to have a clear sense of who leads, though, and not have conflicting interests. The Whistler family started with one such band.

* the three girls in ''Uprising'' about the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. After Bella's cousin vanishes and she learns her landlords have been stealing the money she's sending to her family in Italy and Jane runs away from home after learning her father hires strikebreakers, both end up living with Yetta, and they become a family of sorts. They cement it when Bella brings up an Italian tradition where men pledge to be 'more than family', and refer to themselves as the Comari d'Triangle. [[spoiler: both Yetta and Jane give their lives to help save Bella from the fire, and Bella remembers them after as her sisters, naming her two daughters
after them.]]

* the three girls in ''Uprising'' about the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. After Bella's cousin vanishes and she learns her landlords have been stealing the money she's sending to her family in Italy and Jane runs away from home after learning her father hires strikebreakers, both end up living with Yetta, and they become a family of sorts. They cement it when Bella brings up an Italian tradition where men pledge to be 'more than family', and refer to themselves as the Comari d'Triangle. [[spoiler: both Yetta and Jane give their lives to help save Bella from the fire, and Bella remembers them after as her sisters, naming her two daughters after them.]]

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': As mentioned above, the Fellowship of the Ring, including [[TheMentor Gandalf]], [[BashBrothers Gimli]] and [[HeterosexualLifePartners Legolas]], [[SupportingLeader Aragorn]], the {{Hobbits}} and [[TheLancer Boromir]]. Their bond is such that [[ElvesVersusDwarves Legolas and Gimli]] are able to overcome their FantasticRacism, and after Boromir [[FaceHeelTurn betrays]] the Fellowship, they [[RedemptionEqualsDeath forgive him]] and give him a [[DueToTheDead warrior's funeral]]. They also find the strength to go on after [[MentorOccupationalHazard Gandalf's]] HeroicSacrifice due to ThePowerOfFriendship.
** To the point where many of them are actually ''upset'' that they don't get to follow Frodo into Mordor, because they don't want to leave their friend.
** Merry and the royals of Rohan. Théoden appears to see him as a surrogate for his dead son ("''As a father you shall be to me''"), he forms a bond with Éowyn strong enough that he takes on the Witch King of Angmar to help her ("''She should not die, so fair, so desperate. At least she should not die alone, unaided.''"), and Éomer knights him before the end.

* At the beginning of ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'', Alec, Izzy, and Jace are this. Over the course of the series, the group expands to include Clary, Simon, and Magnus. By the final book, all six would go (quite literally) to hell and back for one another and, with the former three each falling in love with one of the latter, form a sort of family.

* the three girls in ''Uprising'' about the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. After Bella's cousin vanishes and she learns her landlords have been stealing the money she's sending to her family in Italy and Jane runs away from home after learning her father hires strikebreakers, both end up living with Yetta, and they become a family of sorts. They cement it when Bella brings up an Italian tradition where men pledge to be 'more than family', and refer to themselves as the Comari d'Triangle. [[Spoiler: both Yetta and Jane give their lives to help save Bella from the fire, and Bella remembers them after as her sisters, naming her two daughters after them.]]

*** However, it's implied that the Marauders began to fall apart prior to Peter's actions. When reunited in the third book, Sirius and Lupin discuss that Sirius believed Lupin was a traitor before he was imprisoned, and that Lupin truly believed Sirius was guilty of the Potter's murders. That combined with Peter's choices suggest some serious discord between the lot of them, though what caused the relationship's deterioration is never explored. One possibility is that it goes all the way back to [[spoiler: their fifth year when Sirius tricked Snape into seeing Lupin when he was transformed, which evidently caused a good amount of tension between the two of them as seen in memory scenes.]] [[WeWereYourTeam It may also be that James Potter was the glue that held the group together]] and that the other three were never especially close, which would have made their relationships difficult to maintain once James and Lily were forced to go into hiding.

* A funny example of this in ''Literature/EndersGame'' and its sequels, specifically the "Shadow" books. Ender's "jeesh" become much closer then they are with the families they hardly remember, united under Ender's leadership. The only exception being Ender himself who is cut off from the others.

** Merry and the royals of Rohan. Théoden appears to see him as a surrogate for his dead son ("''As a father you shall be to me''"), he forms a bond with Éowyn strong enough that he takes on the Witch King of Angmar to help her ("''She should not die, so fair, so desperate. At least she should not die alone, unaided."), and Éomer knights him before the end.

* Magdalena and Gabriel in "De skandalösa" also seem to have a similar relationship with their beta couples, [[spoiler: Beata/Ossian and Venus/Nora]].

** Harry seems to think like this about most people who aren't Death Eaters, especially in the later books; although it could be argued that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are a sort of inner true-companion group within the bigger group. The end of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'' also makes very clear the difference between the relationship between true companions and romantic relationships: Hermione and Ron are allowed to join Harry in his quest for the Horcruxes, while Ginny is not, because they are Harry's true companions and she is not.

* ''The Lords of Discipline'' by Pat Conroy has an unusual (read "tenuous") example of this. It's used as a plot point when the main character [[spoiler: attempts to use it as a [semi] legal defense of his friend ]].

* Creator/LloydAlexander's ''Literature/PrydainChronicles'': [[TheHero Taran]] and his companions — [[TheWisePrince Prince Gwydion]], [[WanderingMinstrel Fflewddur]], [[BigEater Gurgi]], [[DeadpanSnarker Doli]], and [[RebelliousPrincess Princess Eilonwy]]. They are even referred to in the narrative ''as'' "the companions."

* The patrons of ''CallahansCrosstimeSaloon'' and all of it's successors would qualify, as would the artists of Lady Sally's house.

* In Child of the Hive by Jessica Meats, Will, Alex and Ben fit with this trope. It's particularly evident when Ben promises to stand by Will even before Will tells them what's going on.

* In AndreNorton's ''Literature/{{Catseye}}'', Troy's ability to communicate with the enhanced animals leads to a true companions group of which he is the only human member.

** The Order of The Phoenix

* The Bob-Whites in ''TrixieBelden''

* KurtVonnegut's word for it (in ''CatsCradle'') was ''karass'', which carries an important additional connotation that they are together for some fated purpose. A karass is the group of people whose actions shape each other's destinies or who share destiny-shapers, with no regard for whether you've met them or are even aware of their existence. So, for example, if an airline pilot becomes suicidal and decides to take his passengers down with him, the man whose rejection of his advances led to that despair is part of their karass.
* Definitely applies to the direct associates of GotrekAndFelix (as well as the title pair themselves) in the ''Slayer'' series. The pair have gained and lost more than a few members of their ever-changing crew due to the grim, dangerous nature of the Warhammer world, but their enemies pay dearly for every one. Very dearly. Both of the eponymous characters have gone into unstoppable killing rages because of a lost friend, slayer or no. Though originally brought together by a binding oath to record Gotrek's mighty doom in battle to redeem himself of a past shame(The goal of all members of the [[DeathSeeker Slayer cult]],) It becomes obvious that Felix sticks around for more than just the Oath.

* DocSavage and his five aides are consistently described as being "closer than brothers".
* The Flock in ''MaximumRide'' is composed of [[LegoGenetics six avian-human hybrids]] who are completely unrelated (except for Angel and the Gasman, who are brother and sister) but have formed their own sort of "family" because they have been living together practically since birth. However, [[spoiler:it's revealed in book 3 who Max's mother and father are, but she leaves them behind (with promises to visit frequently) because she and her Flock have to go [[SavingtheWorld save the world]].]] However, this makes [[LikeBrotherAndSister Max and Fang's relationship]] more than a little awkward. Max also states more than once in the books that the Flock are the only five people on the planet whom she trusts implicitly, and Fang seems to have his own even higher level of trustworthiness within that circle.
* ''Republic Commando'': The key concept in KarenTraviss' take on the [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Mandalorians]] in her novels. This is lampshaded in the fact the Mandalorian language doesn't ''have'' separate words for "friend" and "family member," and has a proverb that translates to "Family is more than blood." At least two ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' fanfics have [[TokenEvilTeammate Canderous]] "adopting" [[spoiler: Revan]] and the rest of the crew.

* Following on from the other ''D&D''-based examples, the Heroes of the Lance in ''{{Dragonlance}}''.

* TamoraPierce's ''TortallUniverse'' series almost always feature a protagonist with some kind of super-power - broadly defined. Mostly this is magical. But Keladry of Mindelan's superpower is actually the ability to ''create'' true-companions relationships among the people around her.
* The main group of Greasers in ''TheOutsiders''.

* The members of The Raven in James Barclay's ''Chronicles of The Raven'' and ''Legends of The Raven'' novels. They never actually swear anything beyond their normal BadassCreed, but they consider the Raven to be more than family[[spoiler:, in some cases abandoning their real families]]. And, together, if they're on their game, [[spoiler:however many of them there are]], no matter the odds, they will win[[spoiler:, or make a very good attempt]].

* ''GauntsGhosts'': Gaunt and those who went on the Gereon mission with him.

* Soraya and her [[HeroicBastard half-brother Jiaan]] in the FarsalaTrilogy, eventually. They start out strongly disliking each other, but eventually put aside their differences. It helps that Soraya realizes Jiaan is the closest thing to family she has left.
* A funny example of this in ''EndersGame'' and its sequels, specifically the "Shadow" books. Ender's "jeesh" become much closer then they are with the families they hardly remember, united under Ender's leadership. The only exception being Ender himself who is cut off from the others.
* There are several the {{Shadowleague}} books by Maggie Furey, but the main one is between Elion, Kazairl, Toulac, Zavahl, and Veldan.

* The crew from ''{{Mistborn}}'' form a close group, initially around Kelisier's leadership, later around Vin and Elend's.

* ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'': There are two, tied by blood. The first is Narnie, Tate, Fitz, Webb and Jude, also known as [[spoiler: Hannah, Taylor's mom, the Hermit, Taylor's dad and the Brigadier]]. The second one is Taylor, Jonah, Raffy and Chaz.

* In the ''DavidDrake'' RCN series, Daniel Leary realizes that Adele Mundy, Hogg, and Tovera and himself have become an odd little family.
* The Heraldic Circle in the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series. While individual Heralds may have issues with other Heralds, as a whole they are all close and stick together through thick and thin.
* The [[FiveManBand five core characters]] of the ''ColSecTrilogy''. [[spoiler:By the end of the second book, [[TeamDad Bren Lathan]] is well on his way to becoming a {{sixth|Ranger}} true companion.]]

* ''InDeath'': Eve Dallas ends up getting this. It consists of her husband Roarke, her best friend Mavis, her father figure Feeney, her mother figure Dr. Mira, and her friend and partner Peabody at least. Roarke, on his part, has Summerset for a father figure, and the people listed for Eve.
* ''Sisterhood'' series by FernMichaels: At the beginning, we have Nikki Quinn, Kathryn Lucas, Julia Webster, Myra Rutledge, Charles Martin, Alexis Thorne, and Yoko Akia. Then Julia dies, and Countess Anne "Annie" Ryland de Silva takes her place. Lizzie Fox and Maggie Spritzer become part of it. Then a group consisting of Jack Emery, Harry Wong, Bert Navarro, Ted Robinson, and Joe Espinosa eventually gets formed. Yes, it gets a little complicated after awhile.

* 'The Floating Outfit' in the novels of JTEdson.
* Will, Halt, Horace, Gilan, Evanlyn, and Alyss from ''RangersApprentice''. Oh, and their horses.

* The group from Ljuder Parish in "''TheEmigrants''". In "''Unto a Good Land''" the text outright states that they have set aside their past differences and become one household and one family.
* In Nnedi Okorafor's ''Literature/AkataWitch'', the four main kids come together to form an Oha coven which is said to bear the responsibility of the world on its shoulder at a specific moment of time.

* In ''TheHeroesOfOlympus'' it takes the Seven a while to grow into this, but by the end of ''The House of Hades'' even the most reluctant of them are incredibly close and protective of each other.