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9->''"'Follow your heart.' Ha! – Sometimes the heart sends confusing messages. Contemplation, counseling, friends, and readings can help us sort our true convictions from the false ones, though we flat-out disagree with the advice sometimes. Yet even THAT may tell us a lot. We usually need help sorting it out. But there's always a lesson!"''
10-->-- '''Mary Rose''', ''Beware the False Soulmate'' (UsefulNotes/{{California}} [[FortuneTeller Psychics]] {{Blog}})
11
12A False Soulmate is a [[LoveInterest person]] who someone has a deep romantic love for, but the relationship is for some reason not meant to be, perhaps because of the love interest [[AllLoveIsUnrequited not sharing the same feelings]], incompatibility, or [[LovingAShadow misjudgment of character]]. Alternatively, the relationship ends up being a failure or catastrophe because the love interest's personality or behavior has changed in a negative way (e.g. the love interest may be unfaithful, a [[AllTakeAndNoGive user]], a criminal, mentally unstable, or a drug-addict). This may stem from PuppyLove, or personality traits that the love interest either had or had more of when they were younger. The SerialRomeo is particularly prone to encountering this.
13
14This often overlaps with RomanticFalseLead. Compare LoveCannotOvercome, LovingAShadow, StarcrossedLovers, UnluckyChildhoodFriend and WrongGuyFirst (if the character meets their false soulmate before their true soulmate). Compare and contrast with OneTrueLove. If the audience thinks a love interest ''unintentionally'' comes off this way, it's likely a case of DesignatedLoveInterest or StrangledByTheRedString.
15
16Due to the nature of this trope, there may be '''unmarked spoilers''' below.
17
18----
19!!Examples:
20
21[[foldercontrol]]
22
23[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
24* Exaggerated in ''Manga/The100GirlfriendsWhoReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyLoveYou''. The first chapter establishes that Rentarou confessed to 100 girls by the time he graduated middle school (the first time being when he was 8 months old), and every single one of them rejected him. It's only after his 100th rejection that he learns of his titular destiny.
25* ''Manga/DomesticGirlfriend'': After something serious and public happens between Natsuo and Hina, their parents wonder if they are destined to be together, and they made unnecessary trouble when they stopped them from dating because [[NotBloodSiblings they're step-siblings]]. Hina's sister, Rui, overhears and begins to get very depressed that Natsuo and Hina might be meant for each other, [[spoiler:since Rui and Natsuo are dating]]. When she tells Natsuo what she's worried about, he tells her in no uncertain terms that he doesn't feel that way about Hina any more.
26* ''{{Manga/Parasyte}}'': Kana has an unexplained power to locate people infected by parasytes, and the first person she meets with one happens to not only not be corrupted but be introduced to her by his defending someone from bullying. She believes her power to be an innate connection to Shinichi as her soulmate, her KnightInShiningArmor. Her misguided belief is furthered by her being the first person he opens up about TheMasquerade to, and his girlfriend can neither sense nor understand TheMasquerade. But he explicitly, repeatedly tells her that her power is not a connection specific to him, but to a certain type of dangerous person, and for her own sake, she should ''flee'' if she feels it. But then again, he's also a MasterOfTheMixedMessage, by at times being closer and more open to her than he is to his girlfriend, and skipping a date that she overheard him planning in order to meet her. [[spoiler: Except because of their arranging to meet, she picks up on a similar signal to his, and meets a parasyte that gives her a fatal wound just as he shows up, dying in his arms.]]
27* ''Manga/SacrificialPrincessAndTheKingOfBeasts'': Sariphi for Ilya. They met when they were children, when Ilya's master was visiting the village and Sariphi offered him an ointment for his bruises caused by his TrainingFromHell. After this, they looked forward to see each other, which happened usually once a year. When he learns that Sariphi had been taken as a sacrifice to the land of the beasts, Ilya doesn't rest until he sneaks into the palace, getting immediately arrested and discovering that Sariphi is fine and has become the king's fiancée. Thinking that the beasts had somehow brainwashed her, he escapes and kidnaps her, refusing to listen to Sariphi's protests. When Leonhart comes after the two, Ilya fights him, determined to show Sariphi how vile the king of beasts was; much for his disappointment, Leo refuses to fight dirty, going as far as allowing Ilya to hurt him, for the young man's frustration. It is only when he sees Sariphi cry and run to Leo's side that Ilya realizes that he's trying to save Sariphi to make it up for his little sister (whom looked like her), whom was devoured by beast bandits in front of him when he was a kid. Leonhart forgives him and Ilya leaves Sariphi and the land of beasts for good, embittered.
28* Most of the first chapter/episode of ''Manga/YonaOfTheDawn'' emphasizes Yona's huge childhood crush on Su-won; even [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy Hak]] comments that they're perfectly matched for each other. However, [[spoiler: Su-won ends up murdering Yona's father and chasing her and Hak from the castle.]] As such, Yona's [[LovingAShadow idealized image]] of Su-won shatters and it takes her [[TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest a while to recover from the heartbreak]]. As the manga goes on, she slowly and unconsciously falls for [[spoiler: Hak]], only realizing it until ''after'' she's already in love with him.
29[[/folder]]
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31[[folder:Comic Books]]
32* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': The series, being that it originated with a teenage hero, has a problem in that the constant running melodrama that Marvel likes spinning since their adoption of "the illusion of change" corporate mandate makes it difficult for any girl to be Spider-Man's soulmate for long, at least on the part of editors and executives if not necessarily writers and fans:
33** ComicBook/GwenStacy was Peter's first real relationship, [[FirstLove the first girl he fell in love with]], and both Lee and Romita Sr. thought initially that she and Peter would be the OfficialCouple. But readers never liked the relationship since they her as a bland character and didn't care for the fact that she liked Peter but hated Spider-Man, wrongfully blaming him for her father's death. Even Creator/StanLee admitted that he saw Gwen as uninteresting. The writer Creator/GerryConway saw Gwen as a false soulmate but felt it would be interesting to add drama for her to die in a [[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied famous storyline]] that in his view allowed him to satisfy both groups. Gwen fans could see her as Peter's {{The|LostLenore}} while those who didn't care for her could happily start rooting for Peter to get with his real soulmate, ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson.
34** ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson is a zig-zagged example. Originally, she was established as a BlindDate Peter's Aunt May had set up with her nephew, who largely avoided her because he didn't like the idea of being such a loser that he needed his aunt to be his wingman. After early hints that Peter was making a mistake skipping on her (namely that Liz and Betty run into her and their thought bubbles confirm she is incredibly pretty), many thought that she was set up as the LastGirlWins (in a time when Marvel Comics hadn't adopted ComicBookTime and early readers believed that the story would eventually have an ending) which was buoyed after her iconic appearance. Creator/GerryConway, who had read the comics since the beginning and who like all readers saw MJ as fitting, set them up as a couple, and he repeatedly stated that MJ and Peter were made for each other. But a perfect relationship had the problem of potentially leading the story to an end, so Marvel has tried to push back even if in practical terms, she is Spider-Man's most common, recurring, iconic love interest and Peter and Mary Jane are the most important relationship the pair ever had.
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37[[folder:Fan Works]]
38* ''Fanfic/ArrowRebirth'':
39** Oliver starts to suspect that Felicity might be this after realizing that he still loves Laurel. But learning that Felicity intended to secure their relationship by [[spoiler:[[MurderTheHypotenuse getting rid of]] Laurel]] convinces him that he made a ''massive'' mistake by marrying her.
40** Quentin also realizes that he and Dinah fall into this after learning that, in the previous timeline, she refused to [[spoiler:return to Starling even after Sara came back]], making him realize she'd never really wanted to reunite their family at all. This convinces him to finally move on.
41* ''Fanfic/IThoughtIWantedThis'': Adora assumed that she and Catra were meant to be together due to a vision given to her by the Heart. Over time, however, she realizes that their relationship is [[DestructiveRomance deeply destructive]] and unhealthy for both of them.
42* ''Fanfic/InsideMan'' has Buffy realize that she really doesn't know what kind of person Angel is.
43* ''Fanfic/ShatteredReflection'' combines this with {{Alternate Timeline}}s. In one timeline, Lucina convinced Chrom to marry Arianne rather than Rose, a decision that left him trapped in an ultimately loveless marriage, still pining after Rose. Another timeline's Chrom notes that while he ''does'' feel attracted to Arianne, he also feels like meeting her was ultimately a bad thing.
44* In ''Fanfic/{{Splint}}'', Ingrid ended up being this for Cadoc. They were married and had a son together, but while Cadoc loved her, he tended to [[LovedINotHonorMore put his duty to Gondor first]] and spent a lot of time away from home. Ingrid eventually got sick of this and [[AbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder her love for Cadoc faded]]; not even a year after their divorce, she remarried to Baladnor, whom she seems much happier with, while Cadoc eventually finds love again with Rukhash, who appears to understand him on a more fundamental level than Ingrid did.
45* ''Fanfic/WhatItTakes'': Felicity Smoak to Oliver Queen. At the start of the story, they're vacationing in Bali and seemingly happier than ever. However, their relationship hits a rough patch after Oliver starts getting homesick, and when he asks her about returning to Starling, she's extremely hostile to the idea, causing an argument. Their relationship gradually deteriorates from that point on with Felicity's continuous refusal to go back and visit their loved ones. [[spoiler:And then they're visited by Athena and attacked by H.I.V.E., whereupon he learns that she's been deliberately isolating him from his loved ones, who are in a major crisis and have been all but begging him to come back and help. Oliver immediately calls her out on her actions, but her refusal to accept any blame or to go back and help them with him effectively destroys their relationship and any hope of them getting back together after. Not long after, Oliver returns to Starling and eventually gets back together with Laurel Lance while they're still on the run, and is much happier.]]
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48[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
49* ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'':
50** ProtagonistTitle'd Emily is under the impression that Victor is her OneTrueLove after [[ItMakesSenseInContext he seemingly proposes to her at her gravesite]]... but he [[AccidentalMarriage never actually intended to marry her]] and is already in love with [[PerfectlyArrangedMarriage Victoria]]. The fact he's alive while she's dead doesn't help matters. Victor and Emily actually do start to bond and Victor even considers staying with her [[spoiler: but in the end, Emily decides they're BetterAsFriends and [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy gives Victor and Victoria her blessing to get together]]]].
51** Previously, Emily was also under the impression that the handsome stranger she eloped with was her true love, but he was [[{{Golddigger}} only interested in her inheritance]] and ''murdered her'' when he realised he wouldn't get it (Emily's father [[ParentalMarriageVeto didn't approve]] of the match). Subsequently, she waited in limbo for her true love to come for her, thus leading to the film's plot.
52* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', Anna is convinced Hans is her true love, as she's immediately attracted to him and they appear to have a lot in common, but she's actually rushing into the relationship because she's [[DesperatelyCravesAffection desperate to be loved by someone]] and [[LovingAShadow doesn't really know much about him]]; she agrees to marry him ''[[FourthDateMarriage the same day they met]]'' without really thinking it through. When others point out why it's a bad idea, however, she insists it's true love. By the third act, Anna seems to be having some doubts about whether Hans is really her true love, but she still goes to him for a true love's kiss when she's cursed. [[spoiler: It then turns out that he's a manipulative and calculating sociopath [[IWasOnlyPretendingToLikeYou who faked his romance]] just to gain the throne, taking advantage of her desire to be loved]].
53* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'': Derek to Susan. He is a vain weatherman who is more interested in furthering his career than in his fiancée's needs, and after Susan spends the first half trying to win her freedom and return to him, he rejects her because he isn't interested in having a wife who overshadows him, [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever in more ways]] [[ActionGirl than one]].
54* ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'': Played straight when Princess Fiona believes Shrek is her true love because he rescued her. Cue hysterical laughter from Donkey and Shrek. Shrek solely rescued her for Lord Farquaad so he could get his swamp back. Subverted when [[spoiler:Shrek really is her True Love, as evidenced when they kiss and she turns into an ogre]].
55* ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic'': Roland for Marianne. They're supposed to be getting married at the start, but it's obvious that Roland doesn't much care for Marianne as a person; he's mostly interested in her because [[MealTicket she's the crown princess]]. Marianne then catches him cheating on her before the ceremony and wants nothing more to do with him. She later admits she was taken in by his charms and good looks, and [[LovingAShadow didn't really know him]]. And then it turns out her true love is [[spoiler:the Bog King]]; this is exemplified in the ending where [[spoiler:Roland's attempt to use a love potion on Marianne fails, because her genuine love for the Bog King makes her immune]].
56[[/folder]]
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58[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
59* In ''Film/FiveHundredDaysOfSummer'', protagonist Tom convinces himself that the titular Summer is his one true love, but she just doesn't feel the same way. Of note that Summer is not made out to be a bad person for this, but it is ''Tom'' who actually has to reflect on his own DoggedNiceGuy tendencies.
60* In ''Film/BrideWars'', Emma's fiance Fletcher turns out to be her false soulmate. They've been together for at least a decade and are initially happy to be getting married after Fletcher proposes, but the stress of wedding planning, Emma's increasingly hostile rivalry with her best friend Liv, and the previously shy and unassertive Emma becoming more outspoken and impulsive all puts a lot of strain on their relationship. After things reach a head at Emma and Liv's wedding ceremonies, Emma and Fletcher get into an argument in front of the guests, culminating in Emma tearfully realising that her fiance is still in love with the girl she was ten years ago, but that she's just not the same person anymore and they're no longer compatible. They call off the wedding and the ending reveals that Emma is now HappilyMarried to and having a baby with [[spoiler:Liv's brother Nate, who has long had feelings for her]].
61* Rachel Dawes for Bruce Wayne in ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy''. Despite them being [[ChildhoodFriendRomance childhood friends with a mutual attraction]], Rachel says she wants to be with Bruce rather than Batman. She initially says [[IWillWaitForYou she will wait]] until Gotham City no longer needs Batman, but as time goes on she starts to believe Bruce will [[LoveCannotOvercome never be able to stop being Batman]] and enters a relationship with Harvey Dent. Bruce is under the impression that she will still choose to be with him, [[spoiler: but then she's murdered so it's rendered moot]]. Prior to [[spoiler: her death]], she wrote Bruce a letter saying she was in love with Harvey and intended to marry him, while still caring for Bruce more [[LetsJustBeFriends as a friend]]. Alfred initially kept this from Bruce to spare him further pain, but he eventually tells Bruce the truth when he feels Bruce's grief is consuming him. Bruce ultimately gets a happy ending [[spoiler: with [[SecondLove Selina Kyle]] (after a false start with [[LoveInterestTraitor Miranda Tate]])]].
62* ''Film/EarthGirlsAreEasy'': Ted to Valerie. Sure, they've been together a long time and are engaged to be married as the film starts, but it turns out "Doctor Love"'s been cheating on her with various nurses for quite a while too. The flashbacks that appear during "The Ground That You Walk On" make clear that her affection for him has always been greater than his for her, and in fact a ''nuisance'' to him on more than one occasion. Still, he's so vain that her leaving him for good would be wounding, so he swears up and down that he'll be faithful to her from now on. To make matters worse, even with her awareness of his flaws Valerie does still care about him enough to believe his claims; besides, she doesn't think that an actual [[OneTrueLove "Mr. Right"]] could exist...and then a [[MagicalGirlfriend periwinkle-blue alien starship pilot]] who [[SheCleansUpNicely cleans up very nicely]] into MrFanservice enters the picture...
63* ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'': Towards the end, TrueLovesKiss indicates that the couples [[spoiler: Prince Edward/Giselle and Robert/Nancy]] aren't meant to be with each other, but that [[spoiler: Prince Edward/Nancy and Robert/Giselle]] are.
64* ''Film/ForrestGump'': Jenny to Forrest. [[SubvertedTrope Eventually subverted]] when Jenny brings herself to realize that Forrest is the only one who has always been there for her throughout her life, and they get married.
65%%* Jasper for Iris in ''Film/TheHoliday''.
66* ''Film/LaLaLand'': [[spoiler: Though the film follows the passionate romance of Mia and Sebastian throughout the film, they cannot get past their differences and permanently break up at the end of the movie, with Mia shown to be married to another man in the DistantFinale]].
67* ''Film/LegallyBlonde'': [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Elle Woods]] is sure that her college boyfriend Warner is going to propose to her, but he ends up unceremoniously dumping her because he only sees her as a pretty face. Elle spends the better part of the first half of the film working to fit in with his new life at Harvard Law School to win him back, only to realize by the climax that she [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre doesn't need Warner's approval to know that she is smart and worthy of being at a place like Harvard Law]].
68* In ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'', [[AdaptationalVillainy King Stefan]] is this to [[PromotedToLoveInterest Maleficent]]. They have a ChildhoodFriendRomance and on her 16th birthday he gives her what he calls a TrueLovesKiss. However, over time his [[AmbitionIsEvil ambition]] causes him to grow distant and stop visiting her. When he does finally come to see her again, he uses their close relationship to lower her guard, drugs her and cuts off her wings to become king. Maleficent is so devastated by Stefan's betrayal she is convinced that true love doesn't even exist. When she curses his daughter in revenge, she uses true love's kiss as the escape clause precisely for this reason.
69* ''Film/{{Solo}}'': Qi'ra proves to be one for Han Solo (which is pretty much a ForegoneConclusion, seeing as Han's LoveInterest in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy is Princess Leia). They're very much in love [[ChildhoodFriendRomance as teenagers]] on Corellia and share a dream of escaping the planet and travelling the galaxy together. Even after being separated for three years, Han never stopped loving her or trying to find ways to get back to her. By the time they meet again, however, Qi'ra has changed quite a bit and has different priorities, though Han doesn't see it (or refuses to). In the end, [[spoiler:Qi'ra abandons Han to pursue a career in the [[TheSyndicate Crimson Dawn]]; even before that their relationship was on the rocks, as Han initially assumed she was [[LoveInterestTraitor the one who betrayed him]] to the BigBad, while she was potentially [[ShootYourMate willing to kill him]] to save herself]]. Interestingly, Qi'ra actually [[{{Foil}} shares some traits]] with Leia, Han's SecondLove.
70* ''{{Film/Stardust}}'': Victoria to Tristan. She's a spoilt and geniunely stuck-up brat who is sweet to Tristan more out of pity than any strong feelings toward him, even though he wants to propose and spend the rest of his life with her. He later falls for [[spoiler: (the "star") Yvaine]] instead, who actually loves him in return, once he realizes this.
71* ''Film/TeenBeachMovie'': Mack and Brady end up trapped in movie [[TrappedInTVLand Wet Side Story]]. By coincidence, Mack is where Lela, the female lead, should be when she met her boyfriend Tanner; and vice-versa with Brady and Tanner. As a result, he and Lela believe wrongly that, respectively, Mack and Brady are their soulmates. The latter two spend the rest of the movie trying to put them back in the right path.
72* ''Film/WolfMikeNichols'': Charlotte Randall to Will Randall. He separates from her after he discovers she's been cheating on him, but before she gets killed [[spoiler: by Stewart Swinton, whom she's been having the affairs with]].
73[[/folder]]
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75[[folder:Literature]]
76* In ''Literature/BloodAndChocolate1997'', Aiden tells Vivian he believes she's his soulmate, because she understands him better than anyone else and never judges him. Vivian starts to wonder if it's true and does think she's in love with Aiden, so she decides to [[NonHumanLoverReveal reveal to him that she's a werewolf]], believing he will accept her unconditionally. It does ''not'' go well. Vivian comes to realize she and Aiden were both in love with their idea of each other [[spoiler:and she decides to be with Gabriel, a fellow werewolf who loves all of Vivian and helps her to accept herself]].
77* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': Tamlin is revealed to be this to Feyre in the second book, ''A Court of Mist and Fury''. Much of the first book is dedicated to developing their romance and by the next book they're getting married, but it soon becomes clear this isn't going to have a fairytale ending. Both of them are traumatized by their experiences Under the Mountain, with Tamlin acting like nothing happened but becoming protective of Feyre to the point of possessiveness, leaving her feeling suffocated and emotionally unsupported. The fact that as his wife she'd clearly do little but [[BabyFactory give him heirs]] and [[TrophyWife stand around looking pretty]] also gives her serious doubts about marrying Tamlin, right up to the moment she walks down the aisle. Then there's the part where Tamlin [[spoiler: locks Feyre in their house even though he knows it's a TraumaButton for her, causing her to have a severe panic attack]]. It's eventually revealed that Feyre's true love is [[spoiler: Rhysand]], whom she has a mating bond with and who comparatively treats her better. When Tamlin finds out, [[NotGoodWithRejection he doesn't take it well]]. ''At. All.''
78* In the ''Literature/NightWorld'' book ''{{Literature/Dark Angel|1996}}'', Angel is revealed to be this to Gillian Lennox. He starts out as the one person who understands Gillian the most and she frequently confides in him, regarding him as being as important to her as [[LoveInterest David.]] Angel later claims outright that they're soulmates. However, Gillian gradually becomes alienated from him due to his increasingly disturbing behavior, realizes she doesn't like the person she's becoming under his influence and also comes to realize she doesn't really know much about Angel as a person. It's revealed near the end that [[spoiler:[[FirstGuyWins David]] is her real soulmate]].
79* In ''Literature/DevilVenerableAlsoWantsToKnow'', Baili Qingmiao is devotedly in love with He Wenzhao, her [[ChildhoodFriendRomance childhood friend]] and the [[ReincarnationRomance reincarnation]] of the deity her past goddess incarnation became karmically connected to, but she slowly realizes over the course of the story that He Wenzhao, while he does love her back to some extent, is a selfish and small-minded person who isn't half as invested in their relationship as she is and will never stop sleeping with other women no matter how much it upsets her and it's far better for her to give up on him for good than to try to cling to their toxic relationship.
80* In the first 8 books of ''Literature/DragonlanceTheNewAdventures'', it seems like [[spoiler:Davyn and Nearra]] were on their way to becoming an OfficialCouple, but in the Trinistyr Trilogy they break up, and [[spoiler:Davyn]] starts a relationship with [[spoiler:Rina]] instead.
81* Ayla and Jondalar both have experiences with this in ''Literature/EarthsChildren'':
82** Ayla is this to Ranec in ''The Mammoth Hunters''. He falls head over heels for her in just a few months and is convinced they are meant to be, going as far as asking her to become his mate, which is equivalent to spouse in modern culture. Ayla ends up moving in with him, considers staying with the Lion Camp instead of following through with her original plan to move in with the Zelandonii and even agrees to marry him...but her heart isn't truly in it. She eventually breaks things off with Ranec and goes back to Jondalar, the man she truly loves (and it's strongly hinted that it's her destiny to be with him and become part of the Zelandonii). Ranec is pretty distraught but he eventually gets over it somewhat [[spoiler: and ends up mating his ex Tricie, whom he was intending to marry before he met Ayla]].
83** Zelandoni Who is First, formely known as Zolena, was this for Jondalar. Their relationship was [[StarcrossedLovers never ideal]] due to her being several years older and his donii-woman – her role was to introduce an adolescent Jondalar to the 'Gift of Pleasure', but nothing more. Having a serious relationship would be considered quite scandalous and could've gotten Zolena in trouble (Jondalar mentions that as the older woman, she would've received more blame). Despite this, Jondalar deeply loved her and [[SingleTargetSexuality was never interested in being with anyone else]], while Zolena herself even considered breaking the taboo and mating him. The incident with [[spoiler: Madroman, wherein Jondalar [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beat the crap out of him]] for publicly revealing their SecretRelationship]] made Zolena realise it would never work out and she broke things off. Years later, Jondalar meets his SecondLove Ayla and while they also [[OfficialCoupleOrdealSyndrome face many challenges to their relationship]], they're ultimately more compatible and end up HappilyMarried. Zelandoni herself greatly approves of Ayla and thinks it was destiny she and Jondalar didn't end up together, as otherwise, she would probably not have become [[HighPriestess Zelandoni Who is First]].
84* ''Literature/{{Edenborn}}'' has Deuce, who invokes [[RuleOfRomantic every trope in the book]] in his long-distance romance of Penny. He succeeds, but later realizes she's massively unstable and manipulative.
85* ''Literature/TheGreatGatsby'' has one of the more famous examples. Gatsby pines after Daisy for years, and is sure that if he can build a fortune and win her love, they'll live happily ever after. The fact that she's married doesn't dissuade him, and he never seems to notice how shallow, careless and self-involved she is. [[ItWasHisSled Things don't work out in the end.]]
86* Katniss is this for Gale in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' trilogy. He's in love with her and believes that they belong together, but while she loves him too in the platonic sense, she never ends up falling ''in'' love with him. Any chance of them ever being together is [[ShipSinking thoroughly destroyed]] in ''Mockingjay'', after Katniss learns that Gale [[spoiler: may have had a hand – wittingly or not – in the death of her beloved sister Prim; she ultimately ends up with [[LastGuyWins Peeta]], stating in the epilogue that she feels he is better suited for her than Gale]].
87* ''Literature/TheMemoryWars'' has Laura. Nathan spends time in the first book trying to maintain and save their relationship, but [[spoiler: it falls apart when she reveals that she is pregnant with his best friend's child]].
88* ''Literature/PieceOfMyHeart'':
89** Roseanne says she once believed she and Daniel be together for the rest of their lives, with Daniel also referring to her as "the love of his life", but their romance went horribly wrong after Daniel got into a serious accident that gave him brain damage four years into their marriage (they'd dated in college prior to marrying); the injury drastically altered Daniel's personality, making him aggressive, paranoid, short-tempered and [[DomesticAbuse violent towards Roseanne]]. She still loved the man he used to be, but she was terrified of him of now and realised he wouldn't get better anytime soon, filing for divorce and moving far away [[TakingTheKids with their daughter]]. Despite her initial guilt, Roseanne has recently started dating another man and believes he could be her second chance at love, while Daniel's worsening psychological problems make him incapable of healthy relationships.
90** Michelle Carpenter believed she and her boyfriend [[spoiler:Daniel]] were in love, despite [[spoiler:Daniel]] being around a decade older and their relationship being just a few months old. [[spoiler:Daniel]] led her on, with he being the one to pursue her and them both making plans for marriage and children when Michelle graduated. However, Michelle realised the truth when she saw [[spoiler:Daniel]] with his wife and daughter, not long after she learned [[spoiler:Daniel]] had gotten her pregnant, and broke off all contact. [[spoiler:Daniel]]'s narration confirmed he never truly loved Michelle; he only saw their affair as a fling that went too far, regretted it because it could've ruined his marriage and barely thought about Michelle again after she ended things. Things took an especially dark turn when [[spoiler:Michelle informed Daniel she'd been pregnant with his child and given the boy up for adoption, with Daniel murdering her for "stealing" his son from him]].
91* In Creator/JaneAusten's ''Literature/SenseAndSensibility'', Marianne Dashwood is sure that Mr. Willoughby is her OneTrueLove, and is devastated to find out that he [[spoiler: is actually engaged to another woman]].
92* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
93** It's indicated the [[TheLostLenore late]] Lyanna Stark is this to Robert Baratheon, who is in denial. While he undoubtedly loved her a great deal, his view of her and their relationship is very rose-tinted. Robert views Lyanna as the only woman he ever truly wanted and is convinced they would've been happy together, often unfavorably comparing her to his [[UnwantedSpouse hated wife]] Cersei. However, Eddard Stark notes that Robert [[LovingAShadow didn't know Lyanna as well as he thought he did]]. Lyanna also [[AllLoveIsUnrequited wasn't nearly as keen]] on their betrothal as Robert was and was doubtful Robert would stop [[TheAlcoholic drinking]] and [[ReallyGetsAround womanizing]] after they married. A popular fan theory is that she may even have willingly run off with Rhaegar Targaryen, rather than being kidnapped by him (in the television adaptation [[spoiler: this theory is confirmed in Season 7]], though it [[OvertookTheManga remains to be seen]] how this plays out in the books).
94** Prince Joffrey is this to Sansa Stark. Dear ''god''. Even before they're betrothed, Sansa is smitten with Joffrey and thinks they'll live happily ever after [[ThinksLikeARomanceNovel just like in the songs and stories]]. She's convinced they're in love and either makes excuses for or is blind to Joffrey's horrid behavior. She even tells Queen Cersei about her father's plan to send her and her sister home so she can stay with Joffrey, leading to Eddard being arrested for treason and his household being massacred (Sansa's only eleven and very naive, so she initially [[ChildrenAreInnocent doesn't understand the implications of her actions]]). It's only when her beloved prince [[spoiler: has Eddard beheaded in front of her after he promised to be merciful]] that Sansa finally realizes how monstrous he is and that he doesn't care about her, even [[{{Sadist}} enjoying causing her physical and emotional harm]].
95** Asha Greyjoy for Tristifer Botley. They experimented sexually as preteens and ever since Tris has been infatuated with her, convincing himself they're soulmates, and they will marry someday and have babies. He even refused to sleep with anyone else, [[IWillWaitForYou saving himself for Asha]]. When they meet again as adults, it's made abundantly clear Asha doesn't feel the same; she doesn't dislike Tris but she saw him as nothing but a childish fling, she ''definitely'' hasn't been 'saving herself' for him and if she were to marry anyone it would be [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Qarl the Maid]] (only he's too lowborn for her). When Tris finds out she's slept with other men, he's ''SHOCKED'' and even asks her if she was forced, to which she assures him that nope, she just wanted to get laid and [[YouNeedToGetLaid maybe he should too]].
96* Callista and Luke in ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends''. There's a period where it seems like they're deeply in love and Luke is doing everything he can to help her, but then she decides to leave him to figure out what's going on with her Force connection. Luke moves on, eventually marrying and having a family with Mara Jade.
97* Invoked in ''Literature/ThroneOfGlass'' in regards to [[TheLostLenore Lyria]] and Rowan. In the backstory Rowan was led to believe that Lyria was his soulmate and was left [[TheMourningAfter devastated and bitter]] for centuries after she died, believing he would never again feel that way about anyone. However, he finds himself developing strong affection for Aelin and subsequently learns that she is his true soulmate (she [[MayflyDecemberRomance wasn't even born]] when Rowan and Lyria met). It's revealed that [[spoiler:Maeve]] used magic to trick Rowan into believing Lyria was his mate and later arranged for her to be killed to break him; [[spoiler: Maeve used his grief to manipulate him into swearing loyalty to her to give him some sense of purpose again]].
98* In ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'', Bella Swan turns out to be this for Jacob Black. He falls deeply in love with her, but while Bella ''does'' admit to loving Jacob, she states she loves [[RomanticVampireBoy Edward]] [[FirstGirlWins Cullen]] more. It doesn't help that as [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent a werewolf]], Jacob's OneTrueLove is his 'imprint' – when a werewolf 'imprints' on someone, they [[LoveAtFirstSight instantly recognise that person as their soulmate]] and become devoted to them; this doesn’t seem to be the case with Bella. In fact, Jacob wishes he ''would'' imprint so that he'd stop pining for Bella. In the end, it's revealed that Jacob's imprint is in fact [[spoiler: Bella and Edward's ''daughter'', Renesmee, and the author even hints that part of the reason Jacob fell in love with Bella in the first place was because he was subconsciously 'waiting' for Renesmee]].
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102* ''Series/ThirtyRock''
103** Liz Lemon is sure that Floyd is her OneTrueLove, but the two end up having very different life goals. Floyd wants to move back home to the smaller, cheaper city of [[FlyoverCountry Cleveland]], where he can be a big fish in a small pond. Liz wants to stay in the fast-paced lifestyle and job she has in [[BigApplesauce New York]]. Floyd eventually moves back to Cleveland and marries a girl there, which crushes Liz when she finds out.
104** Wesley Snipes (no, not that Creator/WesleySnipes) is sure that he and Liz are "settling soulmates", even though the two can't stand each other. Liz, though, is not ready to give up on the idea of true love just yet. [[spoiler: In the last season, she ends up marrying her equally dorky boyfriend Chriss Chross, a much better match for her]].
105** Jack is in several serious relationships over the course of the show, and marries twice (both prior to and during the show), but [[spoiler: he ends the series single]].
106** [[ThePollyanna Kenneth]] falls in love with Hazel, a fellow page, but the relationship doesn't work out when her AxCrazy tendencies get her [[spoiler: fired from [[ShowWithinAShow TGS]]]].
107* [[spoiler: Grant Ward]] is a false soulmate to [[spoiler: Skye/Daisy Johnson]] during the first season of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': he's [[spoiler: a HYDRA agent]] who has been faking almost his entire personality since they met. When she finds out the truth, she's completely repulsed, and events in the second season, [[spoiler:namely her shooting him]], plus WordOfGod from the actor indicate that the ship is totally sunk. Ironically, [[spoiler:Daisy]] thought [[spoiler:Lincoln Campbell]] was alive and dating her in the Framework in Season 4. [[spoiler:Turns out it was Ward]].
108%%* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Buffy and Series/{{Angel}} to a lot of fans, despite the insistence of Buffy's actress. They barely knew each other in the first two seasons, Angel lost his soul and went on to emotionally and mentally torture Buffy until she had to kill him, he came back, they danced around each other until they pointlessly got back together, Angel then broke up with her because he knew it wouldn't last, he left town, they pined after each other until they found other love interests who held their attention (Cordelia for Angel, Spike for Buffy) and even ''then'' they felt for some convoluted reason that they still belonged together, despite character development driving them apart. Their relationship should ''not'' be the definition of soulmates.
109* The premise of ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'' is that Rebecca reshapes her entire life and goals to revolve around winning back her one-time summer camp boyfriend, Josh. Josh, while a bit of a [[TheDitz himbo]] is a well-meaning guy, but he does not reciprocate Rebecca's feelings to nearly the same degree. On her part, Rebecca realizes that her LoveEpiphany for Josh is actually more just a way to distract herself from her less pretty, very real problems, [[spoiler: including undiagnosed BPD among other things]].
110* Peyton for Mac on ''{{Series/CSINY}}''. They were fairly serious in season 3 and very early in season 4, although Mac still struggled with losing his wife. But she eventually leaves him with a DearJohnLetter. When she returns for an ep in season 6, she explains that she knew that she couldn't give up her ties to her home and family in London, and didn't want to force him to choose between her and his life in New York. The original plan was to have a LoveTriangle with Mac’s friend Audrey, but that ended up an AbortedArc. Mac ultimately ends the series engaged to his SecondLove Christine Whitney, with whom he has a much more natural and compatible relationship.
111* ''Series/{{Galavant}}'':
112** Galavant and Madalena. The opening song is about how they are so in love and he will do anything to save her, but she quickly dumps him about five minutes in, choosing fame and fortune instead. But [[HeartbrokenBadass Galavant]] himself won't realize that Isabella is his true soulmate before the sixth episode.
113** Madalena was maybe this to King Richard, as well, as it turns out that she deceives him and Richard sings [[AntiLoveSong "Maybe you're not the worst thing ever"]] to her right in the episode two.[[spoiler: In season two, Richard's actual soulmate turns out to be Roberta.]]
114* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' confirms Lyanna Stark was this to Robert Baratheon. They were set to marry until she was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen and later died. Robert mourns her for the rest of his life and openly states she was "the one thing I ever wanted". No one, not his numerous lovers and not his wife Cersei, could ever replace Lyanna in his affections (which doesn't help his marriage any) and he's convinced he would've been truly happy with her. However, it's implied that Robert over-idealized Lyanna and she didn't love him the same way. It's eventually revealed that [[spoiler: Lyanna was actually in love with Rhaegar and she wasn't kidnapped; she willingly eloped with him and bore his child, dying of childbirth complications]].
115* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'': In the afterlife, soulmates are paired together. One of the first things that happens is Eleanor explains to her supposed soulmate, Chidi, that she's not supposed to be in the Good Place at all. They spend the rest of the season as platonic friends. [[spoiler:Then it turns out they were actually in the Bad Place the whole time; the soulmates were just one of the ways they were being tortured, paired up with people who would annoy them for eternity. The soulmates were switched up in many of the [[AmnesiaLoop reboots]] (including one where Eleanor was paired with [[LesYay Tahani]]), but Chidi and Eleanor did end up in romantic relationships several times. Michael eventually confirms once and for all that soulmates are not real]].
116* In ''Series/TheHauntingOfBlyManor'', it's revealed that Dani and her fiance Edmund were this to each other. They were {{childhood friend}}s who got engaged as adults, but while Dani did love Edmund as her {{best friend}}, she couldn't return his romantic love because [[spoiler: she's a [[IncompatibleOrientation lesbian]]]]. She went along with the engagement anyway as she didn't want to hurt Edmund and his family, and thought that eventually she'd start 'feeling the way she was supposed to', but the guilt finally got to her and she confessed everything. Edmund was devastated she'd lied to him, [[spoiler: and then he was killed in a traffic accident before they could make amends]]. It takes Dani half the series to overcome the trauma and get into a relationship with [[spoiler:Jamie, who she is happy with for the rest of her life]].
117* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': The main character Ted's season 3 love interest and fiance Stella. In Robin's own words, Ted was "disappearing into someone else's life". Stella would later apologize to Ted for leaving him on the day of their wedding and explained that while she did love and care for Ted because he helped her believe in romance again, she was always in love with Tony.
118* ''Series/TheMiddle'':
119** In Season 8, Axl Heck's refusal to give up on his ill-advised relationship with April kept him from being with his real love Lexie Brooks for months.
120** In Season 9, Sue Heck dated the dumb and clumsy Aiden while she and Sean Donahue were too afraid to tell each other how the other felt.
121* ''Series/ShadowAndBone'': Mal and Alina discuss this near the end of the second season. They've shared a strong connection [[ChildhoodFriendRomance since childhood]], with Mal repeatedly stating throughout the series he believes Alina is his "true north" and that he'll always be able to find his way back to her. All of this seems to point to them being each other's true love. However, Mal eventually tells Alina that while he definitely cares for her, he's no longer certain if their connection is based on real feelings or if it was more because [[spoiler:he's one of Morozova's legendary amplifiers while Alina is a powerful Grisha, and thus they were supernaturally drawn to each other]]. Mal decides he needs time apart from Alina to figure out his identity and feelings, telling her that if they do still feel they belong together, it will be by choice rather than BecauseDestinySaysSo.
122* Stefan and Elena from ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' were originally the certain endgame of the show in the first two seasons. There has been a dramatic shift to from Stefan and Elena to Damon and Elena becoming the series's endgame ever since the season 2 finale. Damon and Elena are certainly the fan-preferred ship.
123* Yennefer for Geralt in ''Series/TheWitcher2019''. They fall in love and he's one of the first people in years she feels she can lower her guard around (and vice versa). But then she learns that Geralt's final wish to the djinn in Rinde linked her to him, leaving her visibly disappointed and angry, as she believes her feelings for him are not real and are only caused by magic. Even when Geralt insists that their love is real, Yennefer has doubts and abandons Geralt.
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127* Penelope is revealed to be one of the GoldDigger and EvilAllAlong variety in ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime''. Bentley is convinced that she's a NiceGirl who helped him get over his developing resentment towards Sly. [[BeneathTheMask In reality]], Penelope is a [[GreenEyedMonster jealous]] [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who only pretended to love Bentley for his skills so she could make a fortune in weapon designs. Bentley does ''not'' take the reveal well, and his attempts to reason with her almost gets him and Sly murdered.
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131* In ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'', this is [[spoiler:the premise for the "bad" epilogues, and also the "neutral" epilogue with Lily]].
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135* The ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'' episode "Spacemates" has Nina become convinced that [[SingleMindedTwins Chip and Skip]] are her soulmates thanks to a Ouija board. When she tries to go on a date with them, she struggles to go through with it, but eventually starts to believe they're soulmates after [[ItMakesSenseInContext they build her a rocket ship made from dirt.]] Chip and Skip are oblivious about the "soulmate" thing, don't seem to be attracted to Nina, [[StatusQuoIsGod and it never comes up again after this episode.]]
136* This is ''weaponized'' in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossibleMovieSoTheDrama''. Drakken had modified one of his synthodrones to resemble a hot 17-year-old boy, and sent him to the school to start an relationship with Kim to keep her distracted during his grand scheme. When Kim finds out the truth, she's heartbroken, and Rufus destroys the synthodrone in retaliation.
137* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'':
138** During Season 1 it seemed like [[spoiler:Mako]] and [[spoiler:Korra]] are meant to be each other's OneTrueLove like Aang and Katara were in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. PoorCommunicationKills however, and [[spoiler:Mako]] and [[spoiler:Korra]] prove to be incompatible and break up for good at the end of Season 2.
139** In Season 4, [[UnholyMatrimony Baatar is engaged to Kuvira]] and because of this [[FoolForLove turns a blind eye]], and even [[MoralEventHorizon actively participates in Kuvira's slow descent into dictatorship]]. This changes quickly in the series finale when [[spoiler: Kuvira reveals she is not above [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness sacrificing Baatar to accomplish her goals]]]].
140** [[spoiler:Tenzin and Lin]] are alluded to have been in a very serious relationship, but WordOfGod stated that [[spoiler: Lin's aversion to motherhood and Tenzin's need to have kids after Aang dies and leaves him the LastOfHisKind]] doomed their romance.
141* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'': From the moment Scorpia meets Catra, she is convinced that they were meant to be together, in spite of the cat's insults and mistreatments. That makes her grow a strong resentment towards Adora, because of Catra's obsession towards the latter, with Scorpia recognizing she can't compete with the bond the two had in the past. Still, she decides to keep supporting Catra until Season 4, when she finally realizes (with Emily's help) that the cat went too far and is beyond her help. Eventually, Scorpia joins the Rebellion and starts a relationship with Perfuma.
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