| 1 | %% Image chosen via crowner in the Image Suggestion thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/ImageSuggestions125 |
| 2 | %% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700 |
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| 4 | %% |
| 5 | [[quoteright:349:[[Literature/{{Gor}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gor_propertyoflove_4.png]]]] |
| 6 | |
| 7 | ->''Nobody owns me''\ |
| 8 | ''I don't wanna be anybody's fool''\ |
| 9 | ''No one can make me do''\ |
| 10 | ''What I don't want to do''\ |
| 11 | ''No, no, nobody owns me''\ |
| 12 | ''Nobody but you'' |
| 13 | -->-- '''Music/BelindaCarlisle''', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdEkR-RlZhU "Nobody Owns Me"]] |
| 14 | |
| 15 | [[TruthInTelevision One common romantic desire is the wish to be owned by one's lover, to be their property]]. Mutual ownership only goes so far, because at the core it is a kind of power dynamic where the "owner" stands for safety and responsibility, while the owned can relax and feel small in a good way. This trope often includes FreedomFromChoice. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | A Property of Love dynamic is often justified in one of several ways: |
| 18 | |
| 19 | # Simply Romantic: No real explanation is given. The writer hopes that [[RuleOfRomantic its cuteness]] will avert any {{Hatedom}}. |
| 20 | # Supernatural: The reason Alice keeps pointing out that she belongs to Bob [[MuggleInMageCustody is that she is his HUMAN, not that she is his WOMAN]]. See also DoubleStandardRapeDivineOnMortal. |
| 21 | # UsefulNotes/{{BDSM}} between ConsentingAdults: It's not about gender or race or class or anything like that, it's about who [[CasualKink happens to be dominant and who happens to be submissive]]. [[note]]This one is most commonly used when BDSM is played for drama, comedy, or similar, or when it's some kind of instruction manual. Actual BDSM fiction usually doesn't feature BDSM at all, so if a justification is used at all it's one of the other three. Often the authors prefer a straight unjustified HappinessInSlavery or ForTheEvulz--often with some LampshadeHanging. That BDSM stories usually aren't about people doing BDSM is for the same reason as to why video games are very rarely [[http://www.theonion.com/video/warcraft-sequel-lets-gamers-play-a-character-playi,14240/ about people who play video games]].[[/note]] |
| 22 | # Cultural Relativism: The dominance is based on gender or race or similar. However, the story takes place in another time or on another world, and this is emphasized in a way that hints that the ValuesDissonance is [[DeliberateValuesDissonance intended]]--the reader may be troubled, but the characters themselves are fine with it. |
| 23 | # A variation on the standard IWillWaitForYou, where the person being waited for hasn't even ''met'' the person who's waiting, and might not even exist. (For example, Alice is keeping herself "[[NatureAdoresAVirgin pure]]" for a hypothetical future husband, or being told that she must do that, with the belief that anything less would be "cheating" on him before she's even met him.) |
| 24 | |
| 25 | Regardless of justification or lack thereof: When this trope is played straight, it is about [[ThePowerOfLove a heart freely given]], without any coercion or big deceit/manipulation. That means someone merely ''claiming'' romantic ownership over someone else doesn't imply this trope in any way. It can be an expression, or it can indicate that they're a StalkerWithACrush or a FetishizedAbuser. However, in some stories [[AbductionIsLove kidnapping]] or [[SexSlave coercion]] can go from UsefulNotes/StockholmSyndrome to genuine mutual love. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | Being a {{Love Trope|s}}, the Property of Love trope in itself has no inherent connection at all to tropes such as SexSlave or HappinessInSlavery. However, these three tropes can certainly overlap. See also EntitledToHaveYou, PowerDynamicsKink, and MaritalRapeLicense. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | The InvertedTrope is the avoidance of relationships out of fear of becoming "owned." In old works, it's mostly about men trying to avoid being captured by a woman. In contemporary works, the situation is reversed, centering on women striving to be independent from men. Both versions are largely TruthInTelevision, due to [[ValuesDissonance changing social structures]]. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | ---- |
| 32 | !!Examples |
| 33 | |
| 34 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 37 | * In ''Manga/TheAncientMagusBride'', Chise consensually puts herself up for auction in the hopes of getting a better life and is bought by Elias for the purpose of having both a student, experiment, and a bride. |
| 38 | * In ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'', Shu and Inori have a fair bit of this dynamic going on in their romance arc, but it doesn't go as far as Inori being willing to leave her Organization and its leader (who liberated her from the lab she was created in) when he asked her to. At first, it isn't clear how much of this was an act she was instructed to put up to keep Shu and his powers available to her boss, but it becomes a genuine sentiment as the show progresses. Note that for Inori, being "his" also means always staying on his side and continuing to support him--[[LivingEmotionalCrutch which he needs quite badly.]] |
| 39 | %%* ''Manga/MysteriousGirlfriendX'': Urabe labels herself as Tsubaki's 'property' in one chapter/episode. |
| 40 | * ''Literature/HighSchoolDXD'': The idea of "owning" your lovers is [[PlayingWithATrope played with]] in regards to devil Kings and their servants. |
| 41 | ** Many male high-class Devils use their [[ChessMotifs Evil Pieces]] to reincarnate women to become their servants as a means to form a harem. The protagonist, [[LovableSexManiac Issei Hyoudou]], is shown to aspire to create a harem by forming his own peerage and it is the initial reason why his master, [[StockLightNovelCalamityPrincess Rias Gremory]], was able to convince him to accept his reincarnation. |
| 42 | ** After falling in love with Issei, Rias is shown to be [[ClingyJealousGirl possessive of him]] and often flaunts her status as Issei's master to get other girls (especially her [[HeteroSexualLifePartner best friend]]; [[TheTease Akeno]]) to stop flirting with him, although they refuse to listen. |
| 43 | * ''Manga/HybridXHeartMagiasAcademyAtaraxia'': Applies to Yurishia and Hayuru. |
| 44 | ** Yurishia acts the part of a ProperLady while she's in public because it's what's expected of her due to [[TheOjou her upbringing]]. But her first Climax Hybrid session with Kizuna reveals she's secretly [[UsefulNotes/{{BDSM}} into S&M]] and a sexual submissive. |
| 45 | ** Hayuru is similar, albeit to a greater extent. She's part of Ataraxia's disciplinary committee and frowns upon public displays of affection between men and women because she believes it's improper. Which makes her the most difficult Heart Gear for Kizuna to bond with, because she's initially [[AllWomenArePrudes opposed to doing Climax Hybrid]] at all. When she finally relents, the Love Room shows she has a hidden fetish for cosplaying as catgirls, complete with meowing and making cat paw gestures. She grows more accustomed to it by volume 8 and competes with Yurishia to become Kizuna's pet. |
| 46 | * ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'': An anime-exclusive character called [[{{Bishonen}} Ijuuin]] [[CharmPerson Kotaro]] has the ability to magically [[CharmPerson charm]] any female. He successfully charms [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Moka]], [[SuccubiAndIncubi Kurumu]], [[CuteWitch Yukari]], and [[AnIcePerson Mizore]], and for a whole episode they become his obedient slaves, completely in love with him. Moka and Mizore even affectionately call him 'Master' while under the spell. |
| 47 | * Parodied in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' when Tohru declared herself to be Kobayashi's loyal sex slave at Comiket (to Kobayashi's exasperation). She doesn't actually qualify since Kobayashi's feelings for her are (occasional LesYay aside) platonic. |
| 48 | * Justified in ''[[Literature/ImABehemothAnSRankedMonster I'm a Behemoth, an S-Ranked Monster, but Mistaken for a Cat, I Live as an Elf Girl's Pet]]'' as the male main character was reincarnated into an infant "Behemoth", that looks and instinctively acts like a housecat, and owes his life to the female MC, the elf Aria. He's perfectly content to be her "pet," which allows him to serve and protect her, for life, without any issues. [[CovertPervert His compensation comes in the form that she happily lets him ogle her as she changes]] and '''orders him''' to share the [[BathtubBonding bath with her.]] |
| 49 | * ''Manga/MakenKi'': Almost any girl who falls for [[ThePornomancer Love Espada]] will happily submit to her [[InstantSeduction within minutes]] of the seduction and consent to join her harem of {{Sex Slave}}s. Such as the unnamed waitress in the 70.5 omake chapter and Kyouki (chapter 76), who was an intern member of Tenbi's disciplinary committee before she was seduced by Espada. |
| 50 | [[/folder]] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 53 | * Beautifully parodied in ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 #600]], where Diana and ComicBook/PowerGirl have a seemingly ''very'' uncharacteristic conversation about how Karen needs to understand and accept that "you belong to him", before TheReveal that [[spoiler:they're talking about her cat]]. |
| 54 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Karolina gives herself willingly to Xavin because she just faced a painful rejection from her longtime crush and Xavin promises to love her no matter what. She becomes less sanguine about this arrangement later on, as Xavin takes increasing liberties with their relationship (like [[BedTrick impersonating Nico to make Karolina more sexually receptive]]), and nearly breaks the whole thing off after Xavin lets slip that Skrulls consider wives to be property. |
| 55 | [[/folder]] |
| 56 | |
| 57 | [[folder:Fanfiction]] |
| 58 | * Averted in ''Hobbit'' fanfic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8838211/1/ The Toymaker and the Widow]]'', as Bofur makes it perfectly clear that his love interest is nobody's property. Also played straight with [[spoiler:Dwarven marriage custom, according to which a widow is still considered the property of her deceased husband, and thus cannot [[TearJerker remarry]]]]. |
| 59 | * ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' fics are full of this; Diaval's relationship with Maleficent is something like indentured servitude, and as both of them are the most frequently shipped pair, this trope ensues. ''Fanfic/YourServantMistress'' uses the BDSM justification. As Diaval voluntarily "gave" himself to Maleficent in the movie, the ''Maleficent'' fandom is one of the places where, more often than not, BDSM fanfic is ''actually'' about people doing consensual BDSM. Some other fics intentionally avert it by having his servitude to her end at some point during the plot of the movie [[spoiler:where he saves her life]], and then there are those where he chooses to switch his status from servant to PropertyOfLove when Maleficent offers to set him free. |
| 60 | * In ''Fanfic/NukumeDori'', [[Manga/TokyoBabylon Subaru]] now takes great pride of the inverse pentagram marks on his hands; the symbols that marks him as the Sakurazukamori's prey now are a brand that ties him to Seishirou forever. And as much as Seishirou says he owns Subaru, Subaru agrees in a way that implies he himself owns Seishirou as well. |
| 61 | * At least suggested in ''Fanfic/LostInCamelot''; as part of Bo "staking her claim" on Morgana after suggesting that Morgause may be interested in Morgana herself (at this point neither is aware that Morgause is Morgana's sister), Bo states that Morgana is hers and Morgana breathlessly agrees, submitting to a particularly passionate kiss as Bo "stakes her claim". |
| 62 | * The ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' fic "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/33823474/ Apex Predator]]" makes this a key part of Harry's relationship with the Delacour family, as Fleur swiftly realises that Harry is uncommonly fertile to the extent that he can easily impregnate Veela when such a feat normally requires extensive preparation. The Delacours swiftly take steps to "claim" Harry as their own before he can be taken by other Veela, but it's always emphasised that while Fleur, her mother and her sister consider Harry to be "theirs", unlike other Veela who would basically turn Harry into nothing but a mindless breeding stud, the Delacours care about Harry's emotional well-being beyond him being a source of physical pleasure. Hermione becomes a lesser version of this when she agrees to become a "vessel" for the Delacours as Fleur recognises that she is an important friend to Harry; while Hermione thinks of Harry as her boyfriend at least once, she fully accepts him having sex with the Delacours and other Veela, and is even shown enjoying having sexual encounters with Fleur herself (either with Harry present or just Fleur and Hermione on their own), Hermione referring to Fleur as her Mistress on various occasions. |
| 63 | * In the ''Series/Lucifer2016'' fic "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26665561/chapters/65034238 City of Sin]]", this is a particular part of Chloe's relationship with Trixie (here her [[UnrelatedInTheAdaptation childhood friend rather than her daughter]]) and Ella as they become part of Chloe's future harem as the Queen of Hell; when Trixie first learns about Lucifer's true nature and Chloe's future as queen, she assures Chloe that if Chloe thinks Trixie was eager to be claimed by her, Ella was "one word away from stripping down, putting on a collar, and giving [Chloe] the leash". |
| 64 | * In ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/4953799?view_adult=true Beautiful Disaster]]'', Rin and Haru mutually feel this way. In this case, it's less about the perceived toxicity of their relationship than the [[AbusiveParents familial]] [[StarCrossedLovers circumstances]] outside it that threaten to separate them. |
| 65 | -->"Gods, we are so fucked up," she whispered, watching him nod reluctantly with agreement, unable to find the gentle words he needed to soothe and reassure. |
| 66 | * In ''Fanfic/LuckyNumberThirteen'', Sharon finds being a 'slave' a big turn-on, which Ana is gobsmacked by. Sharon makes a point of explaining that a 'slave/master' relationship in the BDSM community isn't the same thing as actual '[[MadeASlave treating people as property]]' slavery, especially given that these 'slaves' consent to the relationship and there are [[SafeSaneAndConsensual all sorts of rules and guidelines involved]]. |
| 67 | * In the ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'' fic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/6807973 Name Quest]]'', Nightfall considers Recognition: |
| 68 | -->Then...there's Recognition...where [[IKnowYourTrueName the knowledge]] is ''taken'' from you — not taken ''away'', just ''given'' to some other person without your consent...and, at the same time, you learn — the same way — what ''his'' soul-name is.\ |
| 69 | That's...that's a little scary!...Unless...\ |
| 70 | Unless...yeah...I wouldn't mind...unless it were [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Redmark]]...I guess I wouldn't mind Redmark...finding out my soul-name...if I could know his in return.\ |
| 71 | If he can find it out. ...I won't ''tell'' him...that would ruin it...that would be just a...just a phony shadow...of the Real Thing. Recognition...yeah...Recognition wouldn't be all that scary...''if'' it's with Redmark. |
| 72 | * The ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ThePowerOfSeven'' uses this trope in particular to explore Harry's dynamic with Demelza, as she soon finds herself blatantly fantasizing about how she would let Harry do anything to her if he would make her 'his' while Harry is drawn to her absolute devotion to him. |
| 73 | * Somewhat deconstructed in ''Fanfic/SpellboundLilafly''. The fae use magic to make humans their willing and obedient servants, sometimes including brides who are basically tortured {{sex slave}}s. On the other hand, Adrien and Felix, who are half-fae, try to embrace their human sides, and when reflecting on his relationship with Marinette, Adrien contrasts their mutual claim on each other with fae ideas about ownership. On the other other hand, [[spoiler:when affected by MindControl akumas, Adrien's human side tends to basically shut down, leaving his more magic-resistant fae side in control, and it's much more inclined to treat Ladybug as property.]] |
| 74 | * ''Fanfic/SupermanHouseOfEl'': The reason Kara is Kara Zor-El instead of Kara-El, more or less. In this version of Kryptonian society, females have their father's name as a surname until they are married, when they take their husband's name as a surname. This is an artifact from Krypton's ancient times, when women were actually property of their fathers until they became property of their husbands. The idea has been refined, and there's a code of ethics, responsibilities, and conduct on both sides. When Jor-El’s AI guides Lana to the crystal where Lara explains this, Lana decides she likes the idea of becoming "Lana Kal-El," marking her as belonging to Clark, and he to her. When Diana asks how same-sex couples fit into this custom, Kara admits "Not neatly." |
| 75 | * Downplayed in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/41323785 What's in a Dragon's Hoard]]'', part of the [[https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/twin%20dragons%20au?sort=top Twin Dragons AU]], in which [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Ingo and Emmet]] are the mortal incarnation of the Legendary Dragons Zekrom and Reshiram. Not only do the brothers have [[DragonHoard hoarding instincts]], they're embarrassed to admit that their platonic best friend Elesa is part of their hoard. They quickly clarify that they respect her autonomy and will not confine her to their den; they just love her so much that they consider her a treasure under their protection. Elesa is amused to hear this. |
| 76 | * In ''Fanfic/BlessedWithAHerosHeart'', [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Izuku Midoriya]] decides to buy two demihuman slave girls ([[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Chika]] and [[LizardFolk Liza]]) with the intention of freeing them as soon as he can find a way to make it stick and ensure no one can try to enslave them again - and, in the meantime, he makes sure to keep them well clothed and equipped with all they need to handle themselves. Both of them end up falling in love with him, and have no problem acting as if they were still his slaves even after he frees them. |
| 77 | [[/folder]] |
| 78 | |
| 79 | [[folder:Film]] |
| 80 | * Inverted in the film version of ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys'': When Paul tries to talk Holly Golightly out of going to South America because she belongs to him and he to her because they love each other, and she insists that she doesn't, and won't, belong to anyone, and that's part of the reason why she has to leave. |
| 81 | -->'''Holly:''' People don't ''belong'' to people. |
| 82 | * In ''Film/CaptainBlood'', the trope gets inverted for both genders. Blood gets sold as a slave and bought by his eventual love interest. Later she gets taken prisoner and is sold to him in a similar fashion. They both find the experience to be humiliating in a bad way, and a total turnoff to the point of stopping them from admitting their feelings for each other. It is only later, when they are both free, that their love for each other can bloom. |
| 83 | * ''Literature/ExitToEden'' ends [[HappilyEverAfter happily]] with Elliot submitting to Mistress Lisa. |
| 84 | * ''Film/ThePenalty'': When Rose decides on DefectingForLove and going through a FaceHeelTurn, she doesn't simply tell Blizzard the criminal mastermind that she loves him. Nope. She calls him "Master!" |
| 85 | * ''Film/{{Secretary}}'' is a mixture between drama and RomanticComedy, revolving around the BDSM version of this trope. The main storyline is about the main character wanting to be truly owned by her boss. |
| 86 | * In ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' film version, the recap of the song "Seventeen Going on Eighteen" has the clause, "and you belong to him." At least one stage version performed during TheNineties changes the clause to "and you belong with him." |
| 87 | * In ''Film/SoylentGreen'', Shirl (Creator/LeighTaylorYoung) has a job as part of the "furniture" in a rich guy's apartment, basically a live-in sex worker. |
| 88 | * Defied in ''Film/VanillaSky'': In her heart, Juliana truly belongs to David, and they both know it. Yet they pretend to simply be [[EthicalSlut friends who have fun together]], and it works just fine... [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Until it doesn't]]. |
| 89 | [[/folder]] |
| 90 | |
| 91 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 92 | * In ''Series/DoctorWho'', it's revealed that the TARDIS views the Doctor as this. She points out it's mutual, as she's his sentient starship/time machine (that he boosted from a Gallifreyan museum), but he hadn't thought about it in quite that way before: |
| 93 | -->'''The TARDIS''': Then you stole me. And I stole you. |
| 94 | -->'''The Doctor''': I borrowed you. |
| 95 | -->'''The TARDIS''': "Borrowing" implies the eventual intention to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ''ever'' give ''you'' back? |
| 96 | * ''Series/FellowTravelers'': Timothy Laughlin spends much of his early relationship with Hawkins Fuller as an eager supplicant to the latter. He willingly sucks Hawk's toes, requests that Hawk slap him as foreplay, and responds very enthusiastically to Hawk's desire to hurt and humiliate him in bed, declaring "I am [your boy]!" and "I belong to Hawkins Fuller." Over a year into their relationship, Hawk performs oral sex on Tim for what is implied to be the first time, even though Tim has performed oral sex on Hawk many times by that point. Tim is also delighted by a gift of cufflinks with Hawk's initials on them, which are a symbolic "branding" of Tim as Hawk's property. More than once, Tim explicitly compares his feelings about Hawk to his feelings about God. In 1986, after a great deal of maturation and character development, Tim still makes this comparison. |
| 97 | * On ''Series/GameOfThrones'', many Wildlings/Free Folk take this view. Sex without marriage is often completely unstigmatised, and casual sex is often accepted, but romantic commitment means you are that person's and that person is yours. Southerner Jon Snow didn't completely embrace this mindset, and despite having sincere feelings for Ygritte, he led her on instead of making it clear he wasn't fully hers and wouldn't truly accept her being his. On another side of things, Gilly decided she was Sam's after he rescued her and her baby, and due to him seeing her as her own person from the beginning, this caused conflict, especially after they started to fall in love with one another. Mainly, he wanted her and the baby to go somewhere safe, and she was hurt and confused, leading to frustration and anger, by his perceived tossing aside of her. |
| 98 | * ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'': Major Nelson is Jeannie's master, and thus Jeannie is happily "his" property. It's [[JustifiedTrope justified]] as she's a genie and at the start Nelson tries to free her. Although she stays as Major Nelson's genie, she very much has the freedom to do as she pleases. Many of Jeannie's actions are in pursuit of her SeriesGoal; as she is in love with Major Nelson, her goal is to be Nelson's wife. |
| 99 | * ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': There's an InvertedTrope and a same-sex variation with Louis de Pointe du Lac desperately wanting to liberate himself from being Lestat de Lioncourt's love slave. "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E2AfterThePhantomsOfYourFormerSelf ...After the Phantoms of Your Former Self]]" foreshadows that Louis will become trapped in this role with a subtle reference to ''Theatre/ADollsHouse'' [[note]]"They'll seat us late, and we'll miss Nora's entrance with the Christmas tree"[[/note]], which is about a woman named Nora who is treated like a doll rather than a person by her husband Torvald, and she yearns to be free from the stifling constraints of her marriage. Lestat views Louis as his most prized possession ("[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E5AVileHungerForYourHammeringHeart [Lestat's] love is a small box he keeps you in]]"), and he [[CrazyJealousGuy throws a jealousy-fueled tantrum]] if anyone else touches his favourite toy ("[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E3IsMyVeryNatureThatOfADevil I don't like sharing]]"). When Lestat feels that Louis doesn't love him enough in the climax of "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E5AVileHungerForYourHammeringHeart A Vile Hunger for Your Hammering Heart]]", Lestat [[DomesticAbuse smashes]] his [[PrettyBoy pretty doll]] against the walls of their home, which shatters Louis both mentally and physically (Lestat did indeed shatter a few of his vertebrae). Afterwards, Louis lives with the constant threat that Lestat will batter him again if he doesn't satisfy Lestat's need to be adored. This coercion also extends to sex, where Louis is UnfocusedDuringIntimacy in "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E6LikeAngelsPutInHellByGod Like Angels Put in Hell by God]]" because [[LieBackAndThinkOfEngland he'd rather think about anything else besides what Lestat is doing to his body]]. It's later invoked InUniverse that Louis is Lestat's slave. In "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E7TheThingLayStill The Thing Lay Still]]", Louis is resolved to break free from Lestat's GildedCage ("the dollhouse"), especially after he learns that Lestat will modify their relationship into a VampiresHarem by adding his newest fledgling Antoinette Brown as his second wife (and thus Louis becomes Lestat's "TopWife"). Louis is truly Lestat's property at this point because he gets absolutely no say in this decision, and Louis would ''never'' tolerate having to live with Antoinette, whom he abhors due to jealousy, so Louis kills them both. |
| 100 | * ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' suggests that this is how Vulcan marriages are for the wife, as shown when T'Pring invokes the ritual challenge at her wedding to Spock. |
| 101 | --> '''T'Pau:''' Thee are prepared to become the property of the victor?\ |
| 102 | '''T'Pring:''' I am prepared. |
| 103 | * ''Series/TrueBlood'' has this as one of its basic premises. Sookie has given herself to Bill out of love, without being hypnotized like so many other fangbangers. Also, being his makes her off-limits to other vampires. |
| 104 | ** The same pattern of vampire owning human is consistent in the series, and it's often a female vampire owning a male or female human. However, these relationships are rarely as happy as the one between Sookie and Bill. In the second season, one guy belonging to a female vampire is so desperate for her love and blood that he'd do anything for it... [[spoiler:including betraying her]]. |
| 105 | [[/folder]] |
| 106 | |
| 107 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 108 | * Jean-Claude from the ''Literature/AnitaBlake'' tends to form these sorts of relationships with his humans and were-creatures, including [[spoiler:Anita, later in the series]]. Even when the master/servant relationship isn't sexualised (for example, between Jean-Claude and Jason), it tends to involve high levels of devotion (and possibly also StockholmSyndrome). |
| 109 | * In ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'', men are technically the property of their birth family, and later the property of their wives. While this doesn't come up much in the narrative -- men are never ''treated'' like property -- it is played for drama, as Jerin is aware that if his sisters committed a crime and were punished for it, ''he'' would be part of the property that would be taken away from them. Also, Jerin's grandmothers abducted his grandfather, who was a prince, from a castle under siege, and were able to legally marry him and have his ancestry handwaved as he was considered war loot. The marriage, apparently, was a very happy one, so this is a straight example. |
| 110 | * ''Literature/{{Caliphate}}'' subverts this: When [[TheHero Hamilton]] is introduced to [[BeautifulSlaveGirl Petra]], he privately monologues how he can ''almost'' understand the Caliphate's appeal when he could claim such a beauty for himself. He quickly berates himself for having such thoughts about a poor woman that has been brought up in a violent and abusive environment and [[spoiler:at the end of the book, he proposes to her in marriage, promising to respect her and treat her like a person]]. |
| 111 | * In ''Literature/{{Gor}}'', this kind of love is based on a very violent and misogynistic culture where males are supposed to have power over females. The author relies heavily on justification D, ''constantly'' pointing out that the stories are taking place on the planet Gor and not the planet Earth. After a while, the descriptions of how [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment the sheep of Gor graze on the fields of Gor to create the wool of Gor]] gets more annoying than the actual storyline. |
| 112 | * ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': During the third book, ''Literature/ManaMutationMenace'', to mitigate the effects of a supernatural SlaveCollar while researching a permanent solution, Ataidar's Royal Ordercraft Security and Compliance team invokes this trope. [[spoiler: Annala would much rather be Eric's (her boyfriend) slave than Nulso's (a creepy older man who happens to be her mother's archenemy). Because Order's respect for free will extends to choosing whom to surrender it to, the ROSCT perform a ritual that switches her ownership from Nulso to Eric. Order allows it because Nulso forced the collar on her.]] Following this, they say that the "owner" in this couple still not does legally "own" the other and so PowerPerversionPotential is still illegal. |
| 113 | * The romance series ''Literature/LordsOfTheUnderworld'' has a mutual example in Gwen and Sabin. The former proudly describes herself as "his favorite weapon", and later implies [[note]]in the anthology's bonus material[[/note]] that he has her name tattooed on him in several places. |
| 114 | * ''Literature/ThePrincessDiaries'' mentions this trope several times, such as in the fifth book, when Mia explains why she's so excited about prom: |
| 115 | -->''I want everyone to look at us dancing and know once and for all that I am the property of Michael Moscovitz. Even though I know that's sexist and no one can ever be the property of another human being. Except... except I so want to be Michael's property!'' |
| 116 | * In ''Literature/QuoVadis'', Caous Petronius owns a beautiful slave girl who has been in love with him for a long time without him noticing. He eventually comes to reciprocate, and when he's about to commit suicide at Nero's order, he frees her and gives her a large inheritance. She decides to [[TogetherInDeath join him in death instead]]. |
| 117 | * Played with a lot in ''Literature/TheRedVixenAdventures'', Alinadar wants this kind of relationship in large part because she spent most of her life as a slave, and she developed a serious crush on her second mistress [[spoiler:The Red Vixen]], who unfortunately was [[IncompatibleOrientation straight]], but who thought she could set her up with Sallivera. However, Salli didn't like the idea and avoided getting serious with Ali until she got her head together and could handle a slightly more equal relationship. |
| 118 | * The BoysLoveGenre ''Literature/AiNoKusabi'' features [[TheBeautifulElite Elite Blondy]] [[ManipulativeBastard Iason Mink]] who [[MadeASlave forcibly makes]] defiant gangster [[TroubledButCute Riki]] his [[SexSlave Pet]] and falls in love with him. Iason wants himself and Riki to be more than Master and Pet but realizes it is the only way they could be together in their [[{{Dystopia}} Dystopian]] society. So [[IWillWaitForYou he wishes and waits for the day]] Riki, of his own volition, will become this trope and find HappinessInSlavery. |
| 119 | * In ''Literature/BeingAbleToEditSkillsInAnotherWorldIGainedOpWaifus'', all the waifus are perfectly happy to be Nagi's slaves because (a) he treats them like people, (b) he takes care of them, (c) he makes sure they live in comfort and relative luxury and (d) when they were on their own, their lives sucked. |
| 120 | * In ''Literature/HensukiAreYouWillingToFallInLoveWithAPervertAsLongAsShesACutie'', Sayuki Tokihara is a masochist who wants main character Keiki to treat her like his pet. |
| 121 | * In ''Literature/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'', Miyuki happily admits that every part of her, body and soul, belong to Tatsuya [[note]]that said, [[ClingyJealousGirl she clearly expects him to reciprocate the feeling]][[/note]]. Her family's fixation on [[TheSocialDarwinist hierarchy]] and {{Arranged Marriage}}s may have something to do with this perspective; in her world, few spouses can treat each other as equals, even if they want to. |
| 122 | * ''Literature/{{Maoyu}}'': The story kicks off when the Demon Queen proposes to TheHero that they join forces to end the war between humans and demons with as little bloodshed as possible. Their agreement amounts to, in the Demon Queen's words "I will belong to you, you will belong to me", and for all intents, this is pretty much a marriage in all but name. While the Hero [[CelibateHero is a bit reluctant at first]], the Demon Queen's love and concern for him, along with her proving that her desire for peace is genuine, eventually win him over. |
| 123 | * ''Literature/TheTestamentOfSisterNewDevil'': |
| 124 | ** According to the laws of the Demon Realm, Basara's cousin Mio is considered to be his personal property and SexSlave. While she [[{{Tsundere}} vehemently objects]] in the beginning, she gradually develops genuine feelings for him and consents by Vol.7. Mio has even offered herself to him several times, entirely of her own volition. |
| 125 | ** In the light novels, his aunt Chisato's innermost desire is to be [[SexSlave sexually dominated]] [[ParentalIncest by him]]. Basara finally takes her virginity in Vol.7 but doesn't succeed in fully subjugating her until he completes their master/servant contract in Vol.8[[note]]which required him to spend an entire ''year'' repeatedly having sex with Chisato, within a space-time barrier[[/note]]. This results in Chisato being becoming completely submissive to him, since he conditioned her body to respond [[SingleTargetSexuality to his touch alone]]. |
| 126 | [[/folder]] |
| 127 | |
| 128 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 129 | * Belinda Carlisle's song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdEkR-RlZhU Nobody Owns Me]]". |
| 130 | * "Sweet Surrender" by Music/SarahMcLachlan. The singer has decisively left some unpleasant past behind ("the life I've left behind me is a cold room"), and is taken in by lover who will "strip away the ugliness that surrounds me." The singer is clearly submitting to her lover: "I only hope that I won't disappoint you/When I'm down here on my knees." |
| 131 | * For an example from the days when it was considered simply romantic, there's the 1930s jazz standard "Body and Soul": "I'd gladly surrender myself to you, body and soul". While the "owning" thing was unproblematic in those days, there still was a bit of trouble about the song when it first came out. Not because of the "owning" thing, but because some people thought it was a bit risque for a woman to sing about surrendering her body to a man. |
| 132 | * Romantic ownership is pervasive in pop music. The phrase "I Belong to You" is the exact title of many different songs by popular artists like Music/LennyKravitz, Music/{{Anastacia}}, Brian [=McKnight=], Toni Braxton, and Music/WhitneyHouston, most of which also mention "you belong to me." |
| 133 | ** "You Belong To Me" is a song in its own right. |
| 134 | * Music/OingoBoingo's song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVi5JQHNWjQ Not My Slave]]" plays with this trope and the meaning of the phrase 'you're mine'. |
| 135 | * "Las de Las Intuicion (Pure Intuition)" by Music/{{Shakira}}. |
| 136 | * "All For You" by Music/LittleBoots. |
| 137 | * In the sense of [[GodIsLoveSongs religious love]], the Rend Collective song "More Than Conquerors" describes Jesus as 'our conqueror'. |
| 138 | * Solarstone's "Slave" and "The Last Defeat(Part 2)". |
| 139 | * Joe Medlin's "I Kneel At Your Throne" is heavily suggestive of this, with phrasing such as "with my heart in my hand/I am at your command" and "all this love, I confess/will be yours to possess". |
| 140 | * Sinitta's "So Macho": |
| 141 | -->I'm tired of taking the lead\ |
| 142 | I want a man who will dominate me\ |
| 143 | Someone who will love and protect me\ |
| 144 | And take care of my every need |
| 145 | * The stalker in Music/{{Evanescence}}'s "[[ObsessionSong Snow White Queen]]" tells their victim, "You belong to me." |
| 146 | * Bettye Swann's "Make Me Yours": |
| 147 | -->You already captured my heart and my soul\ |
| 148 | Now I want you to take full control |
| 149 | [[/folder]] |
| 150 | |
| 151 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 152 | * In ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', Paris, Juliet's fiance, regards Juliet this way; when she cries, he says, "Thy face is mine, and thou hast slandered it." Note, however, that this kind of language was commonly considered romantic and sweet at the time, a reference to the unity of husband and wife, and doesn't necessarily justify playing Paris as a {{Jerkass}}. |
| 153 | * "All of You" from Music/ColePorter's ''Silk Stockings'': |
| 154 | -->I'd love to gain complete control of you\ |
| 155 | And handle even the heart and soul of you |
| 156 | * If you take ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'' at face value rather than trying to read subtext into it, this is where Kate ends up. She gives an earnest and unequivocal speech at the end in which she says that wives should obey their husbands and submit to their will. |
| 157 | [[/folder]] |
| 158 | |
| 159 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 160 | * Flavor D in ''[[VideoGame/{{Oddworld}} Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus.]]'' Some of the mudokon slaves working in Soulstorm Brewery are addicted to Soulstorm Brew. The [[CorruptCorporateExecutive glukkons]] deliberately got them addicted to it and feed their habit in exchange for enslaving them. |
| 161 | * The trope influences the ArcWords of ''VideoGame/RuleOfRose'': "[=Eternal/True love/I am yours=]". They're the promise that Jennifer and [[spoiler:Wendy]] made as children. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:Wendy]] took the promise literally where Jennifer did not, [[{{Yandere}} so]]... Though terrified by [[spoiler:Wendy]]'s brutality, Jennifer eventually realizes that it was not the promise that was poisonous, but [[spoiler:Wendy]]'s interpretation of it. [[spoiler:Jennifer's character arc consequently ends with her regaining faith in the concept of love.]] |
| 162 | * ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': |
| 163 | ** Darth Malgus obtained a Twi'lek slave named Eleena Daru. She had no more status in the Empire than as a SexSlave, and the favored property of Malgus, and Malgus would beat her up if he got angry (being a Sith -- he was frequently angry), [[AMatchMadeInStockholm but came to love him]] and he loved her as much as a Sith is capable of, even to the point of considering each other husband and wife, and [[BattleCouple fighting side by side during the attack on Courscant's Jedi Temple]]. However, when Eleena was injured, and another Sith pointed out that she could be used as a weakness against him, Malgus murdered his "wife" in her sickbed without much consideration. |
| 164 | ** The Male Sith Warrior can directly parallel this with their companion Vette, who is his female Twi'lek slave. In the beginning, you could keep Vette's shock collar attached and still "romance" her, but critics pointed out the luggage rack of problems involved in ''raping a slave'' that breaks the game's Teen rating. A patch was pushed to make it so you have to remove her slave collar before playing the romance arc, but it still does not change the fact Vette has no legal standing in the empire other than being the Male Sith Warrior's prized property. |
| 165 | [[/folder]] |
| 166 | |
| 167 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 168 | * This trope, played for romance, is basically the point behind ''VisualNovel/KissedByTheBaddestBidder'', which begins with the protagonist finding herself auctioned off to the highest bidder at a secret BlackMarket auction. Exactly how the result plays out depends on which of the guys ends up taking charge of her, but it's always ultimately depicted as romantic when she decides that she's okay with the man she's in love with calling her his property. |
| 169 | * ''VisualNovel/UnderTheMoon'': The {{good ending}}s of the love/hate paths see the heroine accept the controlling behavior of her FetishizedAbuser (whoever he may be) and find HappinessInSlavery. The bad endings in the love/hate paths often involve somebody dying. |
| 170 | [[/folder]] |
| 171 | |
| 172 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 173 | * ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate''. Zerlocke spends [[NightmareFuel a human lifetime]] locked into an ''extremely'' abusive relationship because of this. |
| 174 | * In the BDSM-themed webcomic ''{{Webcomic/Sunstone}}'' there are aspects of this to Lisa and Ally's relationship. Lisa gets a tattoo reading "Property of Allison" and her wedding ring has the inscription "Forever Mine" on its interior. Lisa also likes to wear her collar in public under a scarf to remind her that the previous night she "was hers". |
| 175 | ** Marion, on the other hand, serves as a {{Deconstruction}}; After her first serious taste of "The Game", she was keen to enter a situation where she was submissive to Alan 24/7, always wore her collar, and referred to Alan as "Master" at all times. Alan had not agreed to ''any'' of this and was visibly disturbed by the very notion. The obsession with being "owned" started causing Marion problems with other aspects of her life; She loses her job, and after attempting a big, showy display to "prove her obedience", [[spoiler:[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome she nearly loses her hands and her life to poor ropework and the resulting blood clots, while the police consider Alan a suspect of attempted kidnapping]]]]. |
| 176 | * ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'': In chapter 16, [[PastLifeMemories Ace has a dream of a past]], in which he finds a past incarnation of Brooke along with [[spoiler: Queen Lamia]]. When he asks what she's doing there, [[spoiler: Lamia]] tells him [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/need_your_love_to_survive it's because Brooke belongs to her, just as he does]]; implying a deeper connection between the three of them. |
| 177 | [[/folder]] |
| 178 | |
| 179 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 180 | * Mackenzie, the protagonist of ''Literature/TalesOfMU'', is DEEPLY submissive, and gives herself to Amaranth (a nymph) in this way as a Type A. The ogres in said work also have a strict chain of people-ownership, romantic and otherwise, which leads to Mackenzie being treated like a simple object because she's too far down the chain of sexual dominance. |
| 181 | * This [[http://hinokurumars.blog104.fc2.com/blog-entry-1355.html short manhwa]] plays around with this trope. A presumably goblin-like mafia boss buys an elf slave girl and treats her with kindness. She eventually feels very comfortable living with him. |
| 182 | %%* In WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's "Princess Diaries II", when Hyper has him as a CaptiveDate, she swaps out her usual orange shirt with a "HE'S MINE" (with arrow underneath) blue one. |
| 183 | [[/folder]] |
| 184 | |
| 185 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 186 | * Pearl of ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' was BornIntoSlavery with the rest of her FantasticCasteSystem, who are all made to be personal servants to elite Gems. While she largely appreciates her freedom post-rebellion, it's implied she had a lot of trouble breaking the mindset around Rose Quartz specifically, and for some time was very self-sacrificial and reverent to the Crystal Gem leader while simultaneously head-over-heels in love with her. The narrative presents this as unhealthy, and it's suggested that Rose found it awkward as well. [[spoiler:But it also makes sense that it would be a hard habit to break, since Rose ''did'' own Pearl before the rebellion back when she was under her true identity: Pink Diamond.]] |
| 187 | * In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', the suit that Miraculous wielders wear after transforming reflect their subconscious. [[WordOfGod This is why]] Chat Noir, who grew up more or less unloved, has a suit with a bell on it. On some level, he wishes he were a collared kitten with a loving home. |
| 188 | -->'''[[LoveInterest Ladybug]]:''' ''(affectionately)'' My kitty. |
| 189 | [[/folder]] |
| 190 |
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