Books, movies and TV shows are notorious for breaking up two characters who are perfect together, ultimately deciding that they “aren’t meant to be.” This not only leads to angry viewers but also a decrease or total loss of trust in the show’s creators. Thankfully, fans often take matters into their own hands and conjure up some more satisfying endings through ship edits, fan fiction or even social media rants.
Chrissy and Eddie (“Stranger Things”)
Chrissy and Eddie were both introduced in the fourth season of “Stranger Things.” Though they only had one interaction, it was extremely memorable, and fans immediately began to “ship” the two of them. The characters had a lot of chemistry, and fans were hopeful that they would turn into something more. Unfortunately, the writers had other plans for the characters, which they would later regret.
Unsurprisingly, fans were very displeased when Chrissy was killed off in the first episode shortly after her romantic moment with Eddie. According to Yahoo! Sports, Matt Duffer of the Duffer Brothers (the show writers) claimed: “We always have those moments of ‘What have we done?’ We shot the quote-unquote drug-deal scene in the woods pretty late, actually, into shooting.” Ross Duffer added, “We had already killed Chrissy when we shot that.” At the time, the writers didn’t know that Chrissy and Eddie would have that much chemistry, let alone that the viewers would love them together so much; when they witnessed their interaction for the first time during filming, they couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.
Joey and Phoebe (“Friends”)
Joey and Phoebe from “Friends” are the embodiment of comedy and ditziness. The pair had brilliant chemistry in every scene they shared, and both of their characters tended to be flirty. If someone were to watch a clip of the two of them without having previously seen the show, they could easily assume the two were dating; sadly, the two characters never did, although they did share multiple on-screen kisses. Not only did fans of the show want Joey and Phoebe together, but Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe) and Matt LeBlanc (Joey) both admitted to wanting the characters to get together as well.
Daisy and Billy (“Daisy Jones & The Six”)
“Daisy Jones & The Six,” a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, follows the evolution of a 1970s rock group and their lead singers as the details of the band’s break up are uncovered. The two main characters, Daisy and Billy, have a lot of chemistry, and maintain a “will-they-won’t-they” relationship throughout the entirety of the book. Though Billy is in a relationship, readers can’t help but want Daisy and Billy to end up together. One reader on Goodreads says, “Billy, meanwhile, is mystified by Daisy. It’s Just Crazy Love. Daisy isn’t really looking for somebody or some big love. She doesn’t want to say I do, no questions asked, but she also doesn’t want to say goodbye to Billy.” While it’s understandable why Jenkins made their fates separate affairs, it’s undeniable that their shared bond was so electric that it could be felt through the pages.
Sam and Freddie (“iCarly”)
Nickelodeon is home to many TV shows that played a large role in many people’s childhoods. One of the most popular shows in the early 2000s was “iCarly,” and the fan-favorite character was Sam Puckett, played by Jennette McCurdy. Sam is Carly’s best friend and the co-host of their web show, and she is known for being rude to Freddie, their cameraman. While Sam and Freddie’s relationship did start out a bit rocky, it eventually evolved into an “enemies to lovers” trope.
From the start, the series hinted that Sam and Freddie would end up dating; as they were each other’s first kiss in the show’s second season. The characters didn’t actually end up dating until the fourth and final season of the show, and to make matters worse, they eventually decided to break up, shattering the hearts of millions of viewers. When McCurdy got her own spinoff show called “Sam & Cat,” the “Seddie” shippers came out of the woodwork when Nathan Kress (Freddie) made an appearance on the show and briefly rekindled their romance.
Peter Parker and Gwen Stacey (“The Amazing Spider-Man 2”)
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have never been as heartbroken as they were when “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, was released. While it’s known that Peter Parker and Mary Jane are meant to be, Garfield’s version of the movie didn’t have an MJ, opting instead for a Gwen Stacey. Their pairing made a lot of MCU fans change their minds about who they wanted to see together, but unfortunately, Gwen and Peter’s relationship ended tragically. Fans sobbed when Gwen tragically dies after falling off a tower, and Peter is unable to save her. Gwen and Peter were so in love that they had made plans to move to London together, making her demise all the more painful. All over YouTube, fans have made ship edits of the two characters, some including Gwen’s death, bringing on the feels all over again.
