Superheroes serve as one of the great beacons of hope and optimism in popular culture. As heroes, they save the day, and save the world from itself in the process.
Such stories are undeniably hopeful, idealistic, and, in their own way, romantic. So it’s not really a surprise that superhero stories often contain love stories of all kinds embedded within them.
In the case of superhero TV shows, these love stories happen far more frequently than in most other media, likely owing to the fact of the need for plot twists and the length of serialized television seasons.
From a business standpoint, introducing couple after couple in a currently airing series also offers a good marketing opportunity, as viewers will engage and promote the series based on their own preferences for certain relationships.
However, the problem that comes with thinking of the addition of new couples from either of these perspectives is quite simple: not all couples are created equal, and frankly, more often than not, romantic relationships shoehorned into superhero series are difficult to endure.
However, there are a few diamonds among the vast and endless rough, as certain relationships have proven themselves to be the high points of their respective series.
Here are 8 Couples That Hurt Superhero Shows (And 7 That Saved Them).
Hurt: Skye and Ward (Agents of S.h.i.e.l.d.)
Apparently, according to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., nothing says romantic like being gaslit by an extremely dangerous, backstabbing member of Marvel’s Nazi organization, HYDRA.
For much of the struggling series’ first few seasons, viewers were forced to endure the dreadful back and forth flirtation and conflict between Chloe Bennet’s Skye/Daisy Johnson and Brett Dalton’s near robotic Grant Ward.
It didn’t help that the duo lacked chemistry in any possible understanding of the word.
However, making matters worse was the sheer despicable nature of the foundation for their relationship.
Thankfully, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. did away with the drag of a storyline by removing Ward from the equation entirely, allowing Daisy to come into her own without having to worry about the manipulative traitor Ward trying to win her over to his side yet again.
Saved: Nyssa and Sara (Arrow)
In addition to spreading messages of positivity and inspiration, superhero stories are known for their inclusive, diverse representation, especially as of late.
In the case of the Arrowverse, one of the first truly inclusive storylines it introduced also presented one of the franchise’s best couples to date: the star-crossed love story between League of Assassins member Nyssa Al Ghul and Black/White Canary Sara Lance.
Their relationship was emotionally driven from the start, with Nyssa taking care of Sara and nursing her back to proper health before the two became partners in the League of Assassins.
However, by the nature of being caught up in opposing worlds of heroes and vigilantes, it was only a matter of time before the daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul and the woman known as Ta-er al-Sahfer went their separate ways.
Hurt: Clark and Lana (Smallville)
To put it simply, no relationship Clark Kent shared with any woman on Smallville was ever going to be worth rooting for if that woman wasn’t Lois Lane.
Unfortunately for viewers, the series decided to delay that relationship for as long as it could, particularly by belaboring the permanent dissolution of the on-and-off-and-on-again relationship between Clark and his childhood crush, Lana Lang.
Seeing the wide-eyed naivete of Clark in a relationship so young was, at some points, heartwarming, but the couple never clicked in any meaningful way, often clashing and disagreeing due to the lies Clark would have to tell to conceal the truth about his powers.
Further cementing this relationship as one of the worst decisions Smallville ever made: Clark’s decision to bring Lana back to life in the series’ 100th episode cost the show one of its strongest characters in Jonathan Kent, who was sacrificed in place of Lana instead.
Saved: Bruce and Selina (Gotham)
Batman and Catwoman are arguably one of the greatest love-hate relationships in all of comics canon, regardless of which franchise you consider.
Gotham’s spin on the future rivals, therefore, is instantly compelling and refreshing, purely because we get to see their relationship develop from the ground up – from virtual strangers, to childhood friends, to the very beginning of something more.
Thanks to the pitch perfect casting of young talents David Mazouz and Camren Bicondova as young master Bruce Wayne and future cat Selina Kyle, Gotham sells their relationship with utmost sincerity and conviction.
Over the years, in a show that has been difficult to endure on its best of days, Bruce and Selina’s relationship has always been one of the series’ strongest selling points.
Hurt: Barry and anyone (The Flash)
There’s no other way to put it: Barry Allen, the world’s fastest man, may very well also be the world’s worst boyfriend.
He has had a number of romantic relationships over the course of The CW series, ranging from brief ones with the likes of Felicity Smoak and Linda Park, to more serious relationships with Patty Spivot and now wife Iris West.
However, all throughout each of these relationships, Barry has found new ways to prove himself totally incapable of taking part in a healthy relationship.
Whether by lying, hiding secrets, or flat out resetting the timeline through his tinkering in other times and worlds, Barry is scarcely ever capable of thinking about anyone besides himself in relationships.
Therefore the idea that he is able to act in the best interest of himself, and someone else, is one that the show has struggled to portray convincingly.
Saved: Luke and Jessica (Jessica Jones)
In Marvel comics history, the relationship between Jessica Jones and Luke Cage is by far one of the most important romantic relationships.
In addition to being a healthy depiction of an interracial relationship, the two go on to give birth to a child who becomes one of many adaptations of Captain America.
It goes without saying, then, that expectations were high for their relationship and its portrayal in the Netflix adaptation of Jessica Jones.
While the series has undeniably taken more than a few liberties in its depiction of their story, and so far come up short on delivering on their potential, it goes without saying that what the couple shared in the first season, as well as in The Defenders, represents some of the most brilliantly acted and well-written moments in the entire Netflix Marvel universe.
Perfectly cast and acted with Mike Colter as Power Man in the bulletproof flesh, and Krysten Ritter in the role of a lifetime as Jessica Jones, the duo spark off one another with livewire chemistry and never fail to meet the lofty expectations of a damaged love story between two incredibly powerful people.
Hurt: Matt and Elektra (Daredevil/The Defenders)
While the Netflix Marvel universe has done a good job adapting certain iconic comic pairings, there are others that they have failed dismally in portraying on screen.
Perhaps the worst offender in this case is the outright toxic, infuriating relationship depicted between Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and Elodie Yung’s polarizing Elektra Natchios.
When the two are together, Matt is always, always at his absolute worst– he is selfish, reckless, and out of control.
Out of all the offending couples on this list, these two may have the most chemistry, but it’s still nowhere near enough to mask how abusive their dynamic is. Elektra has ruined Matt’s life on numerous occasions, and is unapologetic about her violent ways.
For Matt Murdock, a beacon of justice in the form of a vigilante, to be swayed by someone so motivated by self-interest and rage sours so much of what the Netflix series has done right.
Saved: Batman and Catwoman (Batman)
The 1960s Batman series starring television icons Adam West and Burt Ward as the Caped Crusader and his Boy Wonder was unabashedly campy and cheesy fun, perfectly capturing the lighthearted side of comics at its finest.
The series also boasted considerable guest talent, particularly in the casting of its many, many archrivals for the Bat.
However, above all other villains, the series maintained the wonderfully fraught and charged connection between Batman and Catwoman.
This was especially the case when Julie Newmar recurred as the feline foe in the series’ first two seasons.
Although the chemistry between West and Newmar was pitch perfect and represented the best of what a BatCat dynamic should be, the tension only continued when Newmar was unable to continue the role and Eartha Kitt took her place for the series’ third season.
Hurt: Chloe and Oliver (Smallville)
Sometimes, surprising romantic relationships are introduced as a result of a connection and chemistry that the writers hadn’t originally anticipated being there.
However, in other cases, relationships feel as though they were created purely because of the need to pair off all the main characters in a romantic relationship before the series is over.
One of the worst offenders in this category would have to be the bland, irritating relationship shoehorned into the final season and a half of Smallville, between Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow/Oliver Queen and the now infamous Allison Mack’s Chloe Sullivan.
Chloe was always clearly a poor man’s version of Lois Lane. Her character may have served a purpose at one point, prior to Lois’s introduction, but from season 4 onward, the show never seemed to know what to do with her.
So, five and a half years later, they somehow decided to pair her with Oliver Queen– because why not.
Saved: Peggy and Daniel (Agent Carter)
The short-lived but beloved series Agent Carter had a difficult task on its hands from day one: how can you write a love story for Peggy Carter that won’t be completely ignored in favor of further idealizing her short-lived dalliance with Steve Rogers?
Amazingly enough, the series succeeded in the seemingly unthinkable, crafting a love interest for Peggy who may have been even better a man than the golden boy Captain America was.
Daniel Sousa was Peggy’s foil and perfect match in every way.
He was compassionate and kind but damaged and strong with a secret history of his own that he shared with her piece by piece.
Furthering the value of their already wonderfully healthy relationship, the romantic pairing of the two characters offered a rare depiction of a romance featuring a character with a physical disability.
For a show as progressive as Agent Carter, given its unabashedly feminist message, that really does say a great deal about what superhero stories can do.
Hurt: Every single couple (Supergirl)
Sometimes, a series just never really figures out what to do with any of its characters in the romance department. Unfortunately for Supergirl, regardless of whether it was airing on CBS or The CW, not a single one of its relationships has landed.
Kara’s love interest prospects have all been terribly flawed: a lack of interesting story with Winn, a lack of chemistry with James, and a lack of compelling external story with Mon-El (though season 3 has sought to rectify that, at least).
For James, it’s also failed in finding him a suitable non-Kara partner.
James’ relationship with Lucy Lane felt terribly uneven and his new relationship with Lena Luthor was totally out of nowhere and devoid of chemistry.
No matter how wonderfully handled and acted Alex Danvers’ coming out story may have been, the relationship between Alex and Maggie was doomed from the start, primarily because of how not great a person Maggie revealed herself to be time and again from the start.
Saved: Fitz and Simmons (Agents of S.h.i.e.l.d.)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been a very hit or miss series from the very beginning. It’s had creative resurgences and dry spells in equal measure, and to date, its viewership is only getting smaller and smaller with time.
However, for all its failures, one relationship has been handled perfectly from the very beginning.
That relationship, of course, is the partnership turned friendship turned romance shared between the newly married couple of Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz.
As the adorably geeky heart of the team, both Fitz and Simmons have endured their fair share of hardships, perhaps more than any other members of the team, and certainly more than any other unit within the team.
However, through it all, FitzSimmons persevered, through their connection to and trust in one another, and through their unyielding compassion and love.
Played perfectly with utmost sweetness and sincerity by Elizabeth Henstridge and Iain De Castecker, the FitzSimmons love story will undeniably be considered one of the most important parts of the series to remember in years to come.
Hurt: Jim and Barbara (Gotham)
The relationship between Jim Gordon and his former flame Barbara Kean on Gotham is perhaps the strongest example of what can happen if the wrong person is cast for a role.
In the comics, the relationship between Jim and Barbara is often fraught, either having ended in tragedy or bitter separation.
However, there was love there at one point, and no hint of hysteria, either, signifying a marked change from what Gotham has been forced to do following the tremendous backlash against Erin Richards’ portrayal of Barbara.
Upon realizing that this version of Jim and Barbara did not work together in any remote way, Gotham was driven to create a true villain and rival in Barbara.
Yet, when all fans wanted was for her to receive less and less screentime, by turning her into this psychotic threat who still has her sights set on Jim in certain ways, viewers have been forced again and again to endure more of Richards’ performances, further reminding them of how miscast she was in the role.
Saved: Clark and Lois (Smallville)
Smallville was a good show in its early seasons, although at times, it was difficult to conceptualize how it would become a series about Superman in training and not just a high school drama.
All of that changed, however, with the introduction of Erica Durance as Lois Lane in the fourth season.
Durance was originally only hired for a short guest starring appearance in the series. However, given her immense success with the audience and her pitch perfect performance as the whip smart Lois, Durance was brought on full time, soon claiming her rightful position as the leading lady opposite Tom Welling’s Clark.
Smallville took its time developing the relationship between Lois and Clark, and it was worth it.
The show let it happen organically as they evolved from strangers who put up with one another when they had to, to true friends, to coworkers, to life partners and partners in crime fighting.
The chemistry between Durance and Welling was effortless from day one, nearly palpable through the screen, and has, without question, earned the title of most convincingly portrayed and written superhero couple on this list.
Hurt: Oliver and Felicity (Arrow)
Sometimes, fan response can lead to truly great things, particularly in terms of raising awareness for important issues and campaigning for underrated series to be given a second chance.
However, occasionally fans are given far too much power, particularly on shows on The CW that are so heavily driven by social media response and younger target demographics.
Arrow made one of the biggest mistakes a superhero show has ever made, catering to the small but vocal group of fans on the internet who thought that Oliver should be in a relationship with the perennially stereotypical nerd Felicity.
As yet another series to break the tradition of pairing the Green Arrow with the Black Canary, the creation of Olicity added insult to injury by demoting and senselessly cutting off Laurel.
Since then, Oliver and Felicity have become all the more unbearable, forcing their so-called friends into a joint wedding and monopolizing much of the so-called superhero series with their relationship drama.
What do you think have been the best and worst romantic relationships in superhero shows? Let us know in the comments!
