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Playing With / Contempt Crossfire

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Basic Trope: A character is antagonized by two characters of different sides, especially the side they're closest with.

  • Straight: Alice and Bob each lead a group who strongly oppose each other. Charlie, who is on Alice's group, is treated with hostility from both groups.
  • Exaggerated: Alice and Bob's groups spend a lot of time hating Charlie more than each other.
  • Downplayed: Alice and Bob have an argument, while shooting glances at Charlie when he tries to interject.
  • Justified:
    • Alice and her allies thinks that Charlie isn't highly devoted enough to be a part of their group while Bob and his allies antagonize Charlie just for being associated with Alice.
    • Charlie is The Load to Alice. Bob makes fun of him for being blatantly useless while Alice is angry he won't shape up.
    • Charlie is the Token Evil Teammate for Alice. Both Alice and Bob recognize that he's a terrible person, though Alice finds him useful enough to keep around.
    • Charlie betrayed Bob after Alice bribed him. Both Alice and Bob believe Treachery Is a Special Kind of Evil and Alice plans on getting rid of him whenever he outlives his usefulness.
    • Charlie is an Abhorrent Admirer to Alice. Alice wants him to leave her alone, and Bob is disgusted that he's in love with his rival.
  • Inverted: Charlie hates both Alice and Bob, despite the fact he's associated with Alice's group.
  • Subverted: Alice constantly insults Charlie. But when Bob tries to insult him, Alice is furious and rushes to his defense.
  • Double Subverted: But then Alice eventually admits that Bob has a point about Charlie, much to Charlie's annoyance.
  • Parodied: ???
  • Zig Zagged: ???
  • Averted:
    • Charlie gets no hostility from Alice and Bob.
    • Alice and Bob are united with each other in there hatred of Charlie.
  • Enforced: "Charlie is my series' Butt-Monkey, so why not we have Alice and Bob mistreat him no matter what side he's on."
  • Lampshaded: "The only thing those two can agree on is hating Charlie."
  • Invoked: Bob manipulates Charlie into swearing a loyalty oath to Alice, knowing that she dislikes him, in order to spread dissent among their group.
  • Exploited: Dave, a ignored third player in the conflict, recruits Charlie as a double agent, noting that Charlie has no reason to support either Alice or Bob.
  • Defied:
    • Charlie kills (or severely brutalizes) both Alice and Bob, making clear that both of them hating him was a very bad idea.
    • Alice decides to kick out or kill Charlie as soon as she realizes she just doesn't like him.
  • Discussed: ???
  • Conversed: ???
  • Implied:
    • Alice's opinion of Charlie isn't known, but she seems to single him out for particularly unpleasant tasks.
    • Alice clearly hates Charlie and doesn't appreciate his support, but he seems to find the idea of defecting to Bob to be unfathomable.

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