Shipping (fandom)
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Shipping (derived from the word relationship) is the desire by followers of a fandom for two or more people, either real-life people or fictional characters (in film, literature, television series, etc.), to be in a romantic relationship. Shipping often takes the form of unofficial creative works, including fanfiction and fan art.
Shipping may take the form of same-sex, polyamorous, or love-hate relationships. Interspecies pairings and pairings with large age differences between characters can give rise to shipping discourse related to the ethics of such ships. Shipping can also create conflict within fandoms and between a work's creator(s) and its fans. Notable cases of shipping include the fandoms of Daria, Harry Potter, Xena: Warrior Princess, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Star Wars, and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Etymology
The usage of the term "ship" in its relationship sense appears to have been originated around 1995 by Internet fans of the TV show The X-Files, who believed that the two main characters, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, should be engaged in a romantic relationship.<ref name="owemag2018">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They called themselves "relationshippers" at first;<ref name="owemag2018" /><ref name="kirmad2015" /><ref name="syfywaxaly">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> then "R'shipper", and finally just "shipper".<ref name="syfywaxaly" /><ref name="etcol2018">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The oldest recorded uses of the noun ship and the noun shipper, according to the Oxford English Dictionary,<ref>Template:OED</ref><ref>Template:OED</ref><ref>Template:OED</ref><ref>Template:OED</ref> date back to 1996 postings on the Usenet group alt.tv.x-files;<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> shipping is first attested slightly later, in 1997 and the verb to ship in 1998.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Notation and terminology
"Ship" and its derivatives in this context have since come to be in widespread usage. "Shipping" refers to the phenomenon; a "ship" is the concept of a fictional couple; to "ship" a couple means to have an affinity for it in one way or another; a "shipper" or a "fangirl/boy" is somebody significantly involved with such an affinity; and a "shipping war" is when two ships contradict each other, causing fans of each ship to argue.<ref name="gonvic">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="romano2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A ship that a particular fan prefers over all others is called an OTP, which stands for one true pairing.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="romano2016" />
When discussing shipping, a ship that has been confirmed by its series is called a canon ship or sailed ship, whereas a sunk ship is a ship that has been proven unable to exist in canon, or in other words, will never be real nor confirmed.<ref name="gonvic" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Naming conventions
Various naming conventions have developed in different online communities to refer to shipped couples, likely due to the ambiguity and cumbersomeness of the "Character 1 and Character 2" format.
The first method was using a slash,<ref name="romano2016" /> first used for Kirk/Spock.<ref name="callis2016" /> This is today mainly used for same-sex ships; fanfiction with these pairings is known as slash fiction.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="callis2016">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Name blending is often used to refer to a couple,<ref name="sch2016" /> like "Reylo" for Kylo Ren and Rey in Star Wars franchise, "Destiel" for Dean Winchester and Castiel in the Supernatural TV series, "Sonamy" for Sonic the Hedgehog and Amy Rose in the Sonic the Hedgehog series and "Bubbline" referring to Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen in Adventure Time.<ref name="parker2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Portmanteaus and clipped compounds are used not only to abbreviate character pairings but also to create a name for the ship itself. For example, "Klance" forms a clipped compound, and an abbreviated form of the complete names Keith and Lance in Voltron: Legendary Defender.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Sculder" in this case Dana Scully and Fox Mulder in The X-Files, is an example of surnames being blended, although most X-Files fans use the term "MSR" (Mulder-Scully Relationship), as is "MoonBoon" to stand for Zarya Moonwolf and Kitty Boon in Mysticons.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In other cases, first names of characters are merged, like the ships for Marcy Wu and Anne Boonchuy ("Marcanne"), Sasha Waybright and Marcy Wu ("Sasharcy"), and Sasha Waybright and Anne Boonchuy (Sashanne) in Amphibia<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or between Violet "Vi" and Caitlyn "Cait" Kiramman ("Caitvi" or "CaitVi") in Arcane.<ref name = "colisa2024">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
These combinations of names often follow systematic phonological principles, in which the first character in the ship's name is seen as the 'dominant' partner.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Japanese ship naming conventions often attach names together without slashing or blending by using an XY name-name format. This format is ruled by boy-girl ordering, or seme-uke (top-bottom) in yaoi. In many East Asian countries there is a distinct difference between the pairing of XY and YX. Such as the pairing names of 'MomoYuki' (where Momo is dominant) vs. "YukiMomo" (where Yuki is dominant) from the series Idolish7.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>Template:Better source needed<ref>Template:Cite journal Note: only the abstract is in English. The article is written in traditional Chinese characters.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Many fandom-specific variants exist and often use fandom-specific terminology.<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref><ref name="romano2016" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> These often employ words that describe the relationship between characters in the context of the fictional universe and simply add the word "Shipping" to the end (For example, AmourShipping, SpecialShipping, PokeShipping, RocketShipping, and ContestShipping in Pokemon).<ref name = "Alison2023">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Other terminology include using a combination of the characters' names and codes as a ship name. For instance, ship names for characters in RWBY include "Bumbleby" (Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long) and "White Rose" (Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Types of ships
Same-sex
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Within shipping, same-sex pairings are popular; they are sometimes known as "slash" and "femslash".<ref name="callis2016" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Within the anime/manga fandom, borrowed Japanese terms such as yaoi and yuri may be used.<ref>The Daring Appeal Of Yaoi And Yuri Manga The Culture Trip. Retrieved 30 December 2016.</ref><ref name="ngrusso2017">Template:Cite journal</ref> In the context of Chinese TV series, related same-sex pairings are also referred to as "Tanbi CP".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> A person who supports same-sex pairings and reads or writes slash fiction may be referred to as a "slasher",<ref name="Allington">Template:Cite journal</ref> although the Japanese term "fujoshi" for women who like same-sex stories,<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> and "fudanshi" as the male equivalent of that,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> are also commonly used within the community, especially by fans of yaoi (boy on boy) and fans of yuri (girl on girl).Template:Citation needed
The term "slash" predates the use of shipping by at least some 20 years. It was originally coined as a term to describe a pairing of Kirk and Spock of Star Trek, Kirk/Spock (or "K/S"; sometimes spoken "Kirk-slash-Spock", whence "slash") homosexual fan fiction.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Woledge>Woledge, Elizabeth (August 2005) "Decoding Desire: From Kirk and Spock to K/S1" Social Semiotics, Volume 15, Issue 2 August 2005, pages 235–250 {{#invoke:CS1 identifiers|main|_template=doi}}</ref> Other early slash pairings came from characters in Starsky & Hutch and Dirty Harry."<ref name="watzeb2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, "K/S" was used to describe such fan fiction,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> regardless of whether or not they were related to Star Trek, and eventually "slash" became a universal term to describe all homosexual-themed fan works.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It now refers to a genre of fan fiction that focuses on romantic or sexual relationships between fictional characters of the same sex,<ref name="SATW">Bacon-Smith, Camille. "Spock Among the Women." New York Times Sunday Book Review, November 16, 1986.</ref><ref name=VisCult>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Even so, the slash mark itself is a shorthand label for a romantic relationship, regardless of whether the pairing is heterosexual or homosexual, romantic, or erotic.<ref name=Tosenberger/>
The first K/S stories were not immediately accepted by all Star Trek fans.<ref name="sinclair-01">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Early slash fans in England feared that they would be arrested, because slash violated the obscenity laws there at the time.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Many early slash stories were based on a pairing of two close friends, a "hero dyad", or "One True Pairing", such as Kirk/Spock or Starsky/Hutch; conversely, a classic pairing between foils was that of Blake/Avon from Blake's 7.<ref name="Tosenberger">Template:Cite journal</ref> With the advent of the Internet, slash fiction writers created mailing lists (which gradually took the place of amateur press associations), and websites such as FanFiction.Net<ref name=CHot20thcent798>Template:Cite book</ref> (which gradually started taking the place of zines). With the Internet, the number of fandoms represented increased dramatically, especially those devoted to science fiction, fantasy, and police dramas.<ref name="Kustritz">Template:Cite journal</ref> The Internet also increased the level of reader interaction, making it easier for fans to comment on stories, give episode reviews, and discuss comment on trends in slash fandom itself. Websites and fanzines dedicated to fans of The X-Files, Stargate, Harry Potter, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer became common, with tens of thousands of slash stories available.<ref name=CHot20thcent798/>
Due to the lack of canonical homosexual relationships in source media at the time that slash fiction began to emerge, some came to see slash fiction stories as being exclusively outside their respective canons and held that the term "slash fiction" applies only when the characters' same-sex romantic or erotic relationship about which an author writes is not part of the source's canon and that fan fiction about canonical same-sex relationships is therefore not slash.<ref name="Tosenberger"/> Femslash, a subgenre of slash fiction which focuses on romantic and/or sexual relationships between female fictional characters,<ref name = "subtext" /> on the other hand, are typically heterosexual in the canon universe, but when fictions focus on lesbian characters, the stories are often labeled as femslash for convenience.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Original slash stories are those that contain male/male content, based on perceived homoerotic subtext between fictitious characters.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> This can be sourced from a variety of media content, such as manga, TV shows, movies and books amongst others. These works are now generally published online<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and use the same forms of rating, warnings and terminology that is commonly used by slash writers.Template:Citation needed
Creek, the romantic pairing of South Park characters Tweek Tweak and Craig Tucker, two elementary-school aged boys, is an example of yaoi that was later canonized. Tweek and Craig were originally depicted as enemies in the season 3 episode "Tweek vs. Craig"; shippers drew fan-art of the two, which was used by the show when the ship was made canon in the season 19 episode "Tweek x Craig".<ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In May 2020, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power showrunner ND Stevenson said that while shipping has been a great tool for fans, he does not want films or shows with just occasional glances, or for all same-sex relationships to be portrayed as shipping.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Polyamory
Love triangles are commonly used as a plot device to cause conflict in the story. The easy way around this for shippers is to pair all three together, or one member with both potential romantic partners.<ref name = "Steele2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This is not to be confused with a harem, which is usually just a single character being sought out by many others. Situations such as that may be the one to cause a polyamorous relationship or characters may be in such a relationship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Polyamory is not always caused by love triangles,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but those that don't tend to be less accepted by the fandom.<ref name="romano2016" /> In some fan fictions, characters are given a polyamorous identity, including a warning to "poly readers that the central characters are monogamous."<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Interspecies
Interspecies shipping is usually displayed in fandoms of media consisting of animals of various species or supernatural, mechanical, extraterrestrial, and fantasy beings.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Shipping a human character with an animal or furry character can be controversial and has been accused of treading a contentious line with bestiality.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Age difference
Controversial age differences have a wide range. An elderly adult with a young adult, anyone with an immortal or slowly aging being, teenagers with young adults, or even ships involving fictional children are all part of this category.<ref name="etcol2018" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Connected to this are continued arguments about which ships are "best" and "right," with inevitable "shipping wars".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name = "Peters2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Love–hate
Romances between two characters who canonically hate each other also occur.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name = "Alison2023" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is often interpreted that the characters share sexual tension between each other, having a love–hate relationship. An example would be pairing Daniel LaRusso and his bully and rival Johnny from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This is one of the most popular types of shipping.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="bestships" />
Notable fandoms
Daria fandom
Daria was marked throughout its run by shipper debate, primarily over whether the title character should have a relationship with Trent Lane.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A common argument was that it would signal a turning away from the more subversive aspects of Daria's character, such as bitter criticism of romantic relationships.Template:Citation needed
In a later episode, Tom Sloane, who became Jane's boyfriend, is introduced, drawing a wedge between Jane and Daria, for instance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Daria and Tom warmed up to each other throughout the fourth season, leading up to its finale.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> With Jane and Tom's relationship in crisis, a heated argument between Daria and Tom led up to a kiss in Tom's car. In the TV movie Is it Fall Yet?, Daria decided to begin a relationship with Tom, and Daria and Jane patched up their friendship. This caused an uproar, and conversation turned to whether Tom was more appropriate than Trent had been. The debate was satirized by the show's writers in a piece on MTV's website.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In interviews done after the series' run, series co-creator Glenn Eichler revealed that "any viewer who really thought that Daria and Trent could [have] a relationship was just not watching the show we were making,"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tom came about because "going into our fourth year... I thought it was really pushing credibility for Daria to have only had one or two dates during her whole high school career," and "teaser" episodes like "Pierce Me" were "intended to provide some fun for that portion of the audience that was so invested in the romance angle. The fact that those moments were few and far between should have given some indication that the series was not about Daria's love life."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Harry Potter fandom
The Harry Potter series' most contentious ship debates came from supporters of various potential pairings:
- Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley – "Romione"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Harry Potter and Hermione Granger – "Harmione"<ref name="kirmad2015">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley – '"Hinny"'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy – "Drarry"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy – "Dramione"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="mogzar2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Lily Evans and James Potter – "Jily"
- Lily Evans and Severus Snape – "Snily"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks – "Remadora"
- Remus Lupin and Sirius Black – "Wolfstar"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom - "Nuna" <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Rowling, J. K. (24 February 2006). “Luna and Neville will hook up in HP & THBP” [Rumour]. J.K. Rowling Official Site. Archived 23 June 2011. Retrieved [date you accessed]. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20110623030508/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/rumours_view.cfm?id=24</ref>
- Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy – "Scorbus"
Author J.K. Rowling appeared to refute the first possibility before the debates got started following the release of Goblet of Fire in July 2000, when she stated in October 1999 that Harry and Hermione "are very platonic friends" after the release of Prisoner of Azkaban in July 1999.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Quote at 34:15.</ref> An interview with Rowling shortly after the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in 2005 caused significant controversy within the fandom. An interviewer stated that Harry/Hermione fans were delusional, to which Rowling responded that they were "still valued members of her readership", but that there had been "anvil-sized hints" for future Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny relationships incorporated in the book itself,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and that Harry/Hermione shippers needed to re-read the books. This caused an uproar among Harry/Hermione shippers, some of whom claimed they would return their copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and boycott future Harry Potter books.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Clare McBride of SYFY described the shipping wars between those who liked Harmione and Romione, calling them the "Harmony Wars", saying they began in 1999 and 2000, and that "tension between these two factions ran hot", with specific communities and fansites for each ship. McBride noted that Harmione also came to be known as "HMS Harmony" by fans,<ref name="sch2016">Template:Cite book</ref> but that the 2005 interview in which MuggleNet's Emerson Spartz stated that "Harry/Hermione shippers" were "delusional" led Harmione fans to "openly insult Rowling" and stated that this moment gave birth to shipping that "only values a ship for whether it not it wins, not whether or not it is enjoyable."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Rowling's attitude towards the shipping phenomenon has varied between amused and bewildered to frustrated. In that same interview, she stated that she was a "relative newcomer to the world of shipping" and that it was "extraordinary" to meet the shippers, calling it a "huge underworld" seething beneath her.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Rowling stated in an interview conducted by Emma Watson in February 2014 for Wonderland Magazine, however, that she thought that realistically Hermione and Ron had "too much fundamental incompatibility," that they were written together "as a form of wish fulfillment" to reconcile a relationship she herself was once in.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She admitted to thinking she could have paired Hermione with Harry: "in some ways Hermione and Harry are a better fit", and that "Hermione's always there for Harry." However, in the same interview, she later clarified: "Maybe she and Ron will be alright with a bit of counselling, you know. I wonder what happens at wizard marriage counselling? They'll probably be fine. He needs to work on his self-esteem issues and she needs to work on being a little less critical,".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Watson later clarified that Rowling's comments about pairing Hermione up with Harry were taken out of context and that she was actually joking.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom
Template:See also Within the brony fandom, homosexual relationships in fan fiction are colloquially termed "fillyfooling" for mare-to-mare relationships and "coltcuddling" for stallion-to-stallion relationships. As My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic mostly consists of female characters, lesbian stories constitute a significant portion of romantic fanfiction on FIMFiction; lesbian relationships equal or outnumber heterosexual pairings. Unlike traditional slash fiction which typically focuses on male-male relationships, My Little Pony slash fiction predominantly features female characters. These stories generally emphasize emotional compatibility and character development over explicit content (clopfics). According to LGBTQ magazine Autostraddle, fans cite personality dynamics and shared interests as motivations for their favorite pairings. Despite this, there is a documented "double standard" (as reported by Equestria Daily<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) where male/male homosexual stories receive less community support and are downvoted immediately by fan fiction readers without even reading the story.<ref name="Rose-2012">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Xena: Warrior Princess fandom
The 1995–2001 action/fantasy TV series Xena: Warrior Princess produced "shipping wars," with spillover from real-world debates about homosexuality and gay rights.<ref name="ngrusso2017" /> The show spawned various websites, online discussion forums, works of Xena fan fiction and several unofficial fan-made productions, with members of the fandom writing numerous fanfiction stories of the series, numbering in the thousands, and popularized the term altfic to refer to fanfiction about loving relationships between women.<ref name="xwpsubtextvs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="fics">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="subtext">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Shortly after the series' debut, fans started discussing the possibility of a relationship between Xena and her sidekick and best friend Gabrielle.<ref name="what we owe xena" /><ref name="Salon">Template:Cite news</ref> According to journalist Cathy Young, the quarrel between fans about a relationship between Xena and Gabrielle had a sociopolitical angle, in which some on the anti-relationship side were "undoubtedly driven by bona fide bigotry", while some on the pro-relationship side were lesbians who "approached the argument as a real-life gay rights struggle" in which "denying a sexual relationship between Xena and Gabrielle was tantamount to denying the reality of their own lives".<ref name="what we owe xena">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She argued that the fact that staff paid attention to fan opinions may have led to problems, with an "incentive for the rival groups to out-shout one another to make themselves heard," leading to shipping wars.
In 2000, during the airing of the fifth season, the intensity of the "shipping wars" was chronicled (from a non-subtexter's point of view) in an article titled "The Discrimination in the Xenaverse" in the online Xena fan magazine Whoosh!,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and numerous letters in response.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The wars did not abate after the 2001 series finale. With no new material from the show itself, the debates were fueled by various statements from the cast and crew. In January 2003, Xena star Lucy Lawless told Lesbian News magazine that after watching the finale, she had come to believe that Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was "definitely gay".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In March 2005, one-time Xena screenwriter Katherine Fugate, an outspoken supporter of the Xena/Gabrielle pairing, posted a statement on her website appealing for tolerance in the fandom, telling people to "allow everyone the grace to take what they need from the show and make it theirs," whether they see Xena with Gabrielle, or Xena with Ares.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Avatar: The Last Airbender fandom
When Avatar: The Last Airbender ran on Nickelodeon, from 2005 to 2008, fans supported various different ships, such as Tokka (Toph Beifong and Sokka), Ty Laang (Ty Lee and Aang), Jinko (Zuko and Jin), Tyzula (Azula and Ty Lee), Sukka (Sokka/Suki),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Maiko (Mai/Zuko), Rozin (Roku/Sozin), Zukka (Zuko/Sokka),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Yukka (Sokka/Yue), Mai Lee (Mai/Ty Lee), Taang (Toph/Aang), Zukki (Zuko/Sokka/Suki), and Azutara (Azula/Katara),<ref name="cbrnoncanon" /><ref name="polygonbest2024">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="kemner2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but the main contention was between fans of Kataang (Katara and Aang) and Zutara (Zuko and Katara).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="polygonbest2024" />
Some reviewers said that Kataang fans are "blinded by their appreciation" for the ship, stated that both ships "have validity...and textual evidence", or described Kataang as "always meant to be."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="kemner2022" /> Rincke de Bont wrote that although Kataang became the canon ship, "heavily disappointing" Zutara fans, the latter made fanart and fanfiction for the ship, arguing why they preferred this ship, and noted that the series creators, Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino even picked up on this phenomenon "within the fandom". de Bont added that on FanFiction.Net, Zutara stories became more popular because they "fulfill the wishes" not possible with the original series.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> The Zutara ship has also been described as "one of the most popular" ships within the show's fandom,<ref name="clu2021" /> and having the potential to be the "perfect execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope" by fans.<ref name="cross2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Teen Vogue noted the series had one of "the biggest" shipping wars between Zutara and Kataang, during the series original run, and stated that the shipping debate "continues to this day" among some online users.<ref name="stitch2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> TheGamer described the shipping wars between these fans as "crazy" and "quite a big deal," noting that writers toyed with making Zuko and Katara a couple originally, and added that shippers of the latter can take "some comfort that their ship almost happened."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Later, Konietzko noted his awareness of the shipping discourse, saying he "remember[s] Kataang vs. Zutara" and noted that the show's crew was wavering on how direct they could be with Kataang.<ref name="pitre2017">Template:Cite journal Originally printed here</ref> Others criticized the show's creator for going "a little overboard" in their criticism of Zutara shippers, stating that it led to be more shipping discourse.<ref name="stitch2022" /> Zach Tyler Eisen, who voiced Aang in the series, later stated that he favored the "Kataang" ship, and joked, after Dante Basco (who voiced Zuko), mentioned Zutara, "this is a Zutara-free zone. It's all in your head, buddy."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Basco and Mae Whitman (voice of Katara) were also noted as creating content for a week celebrating the Zutara ship.<ref name="cross2020" /> Other reviews said that the live-action adaptation has the possibility of canonizing the Zutara ship and noted that the shipping debate between fans of both ships, including by social media users responding to a Netflix post saying Zuko and Katara make "a good couple."<ref name="clu2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name = "Peters2020" /> However, Albert Kim, showrunner of the live-action adaptation, said he was "smart enough" to not get involved in the shipping debate because he is aware "how passionate both sets of fans are."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Legend of Korra fandom
Throughout the run of The Legend of Korra there were shipping debates between those who supported various pairings, within the show's "passionate fanbase",<ref name="ign2014" /> including between those who supported Makorra (Mako and Korra),<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="konbry2014" /> and Masami (Mako and Asami Sato)Template:Citation needed and later between fans of Makorra and Korrasami (Korra and Asami Sato) after the end of the first season.<ref name="Mak">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="vanityfair2014" /><ref name="pitre2017" /> Series creator Bryan Konietzko stated that there was a tumultuous "teenage love-hate relationship" between Mako and Korra which leads to an "ill-timed kiss", disappointing Bolin.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> English studies scholars Rukmini Pande and Swati Moitra described Korrasami as one of the "only popular nonwhite couples occupying a primary position in an English-language fandom," which is primarily based on Tumblr, and pointed to issues such as fanart which lightened Korra's skin or whitewashed Asami's "cultural specificity."<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Other popular ships among fans included Borra (Bolin and Korra), Wuko (Mako and Prince Wu), Kainora (Kai and Jinora),Template:Citation needed Kyalin (Kya and Lin), and Korpal (Korra and Opal).<ref name="cbrnoncanon">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The ship of Kai and Jinora was also described as "wholesome" along with nine other canon ships between characters in the series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Konietzko later said that the show's crew was "not easily swayed" by posts on Tumblr or Twitter even though they "changed and tweaked stuff" as the show was being developed.<ref name="kon2015">Template:Cite interview</ref>
Following the series finale, some accused the series creators Konietzko and DiMartino of "fan service" for making Korrasami canon,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but others noted that the Korrasami ship was seeded throughout the series run, and said that it was greeted by queer fans enthusiastically, and argued that many of the show's fans were pushing for the pairing.<ref name="colisa2024" /><ref name="vanityfair2014">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> IGN editors said that this conclusion felt "earned" and "stunningly rendered."<ref name="ign2014">Template:Cite news</ref> DiMartino would say that the final scene in the episode made it clear that "Korra and Asami have romantic feelings for each other".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Konietzko said he had "bragging rights as the first Korrasami shipper", noting that Makorra was only the “endgame” when Book 1 closed, and added that once the series entered Book 2 they "knew we were going to have them [Korra and Mako] break up".<ref name="konbry2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In an interview in April 2015, DiMartino and Konietzko refuted charges that Korrasami was not built up through the series run.<ref name="kon2015" /> Konietzko would later draw artwork of Korra and Asami embracing as an exclusive print for The Legend of Korra / Avatar: The Last Airbender Tribute Exhibition at Gallery Nucleus, in March 2015, with proceeds donated to an LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and a rainbow version of the artwork posed in June 2015.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The relationship between Korra and Asami would also be developed in the canonical graphic novel series, The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, with DiMartino telling Entertainment Weekly about the ship's impact and that he had heard personal stories about how the relationship between Korra and Asami "inspired young adults to come out" to their friends or family and Koh saying they wanted Korra and Asami to be resilient heroes in the series.<ref name=autostraddlereview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=ewinterview>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The ship would later be compared to other ships between female characters in Arcane<ref name="colisa2024" /> and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.<ref name="pat2024">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> E.B. Hutchins, for Comics Beat, would later say that Korrsami, like Bubbline, had kept the fandom going, and was an example of having a headcanon which made it "to the screen," and called the canonization of both ships a "landmark in queer representation on television."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Star Wars fandom
There have been shipping debates within the Star Wars fandom since the first film released in 1977. At one point, some fans made unverified claims that George Lucas attempted to "restrict Star Wars fan work" after reading erotic slash fiction.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Within the fandom, some fans have review bombed and doxxed those who have shared critical thoughts about a certain aspect or shipping culture of the fandom itself.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> One of the first slash pairings that some fans gravitated toward was Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, also known as Luke/Leia or L/L, rather than male slash pairings.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Romantic subtext between Leia and Luke was hinted in Splinter of the Mind's Eye in 1978, by Alan Dean Foster. This pairing was shown to be incestual in Return of the Jedi, when it was revealed that Leia and Luke were siblings.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, later said on social media, that he found it "weird" and "disturbing" that Leia "passionately" kissed Luke in Empire Strikes Back, after it was revealed that Luke and Leia were twins.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> An early draft of Empire Strikes Back, written by Leigh Brackett, included "a lot more romance between the pair". There was also a deleted scene has Luke trying to confess his feelings for Leia and early Star Wars comics have Luke and Leia kissing one another. The love triangle between Luke, Leia, and Han was abandoned in Return of the Jedi, which retconed the relationship between Luke and Leia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Some fans speculated that Leia had sex with Luke and Han Solo "after the battle of Yavin" in A New Hope,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> called the kiss between Luke and Leia "a bit awkward"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and said that the sibling relationship between Luke and Leia was "much more comfortable" than a Han-Leia-Luke love triangle.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Later the ship between Han and Leia, known as "Scoundress",Template:Citation needed would be canonized in Return of the Jedi.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Some fans of the original trilogy shipped Han and Lando Calrissian ("HanLando" or "Han/Lando"),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Han and Chewbacca,<ref name="mart2018">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or Han and Luke ("Skysolo").<ref name="bestships" />
The prequel trilogy of Star Wars spawned additional ships, including between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, known as "Anidala",Template:Citation needed and Obi-Wan/Anakin, known as "Obikin."<ref name="scott2021" /> Although the relationship between Anakin and Padme was canonized in Attack of the Clones, their relationship remained controversial due to an age difference, with some calling it "doomed" from the beginning.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Others noted the relationship between Padme and Anakin had a "bigger purpose" in the franchise, or defended the romance from criticism.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Some fans described the pairing of Obi-Wan and Anakin as a "star-crossed bromance,"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a "love story",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or a "deeply broken relationship" between a master and padawan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In a GQ interview, Ewan McGregor who plays Obi-Wan in the prequel trilogy, and in the stand-alone Obi-Wan series, said that a "lot of homoerotic" Obikin art was sent to him, calling it "a bit of an eye-opener" and expressed surprise at how it is sent his way.<ref>Template:Cite interview</ref> Others paired Obi-Wan and his clone commander, Cody, as "Codywan," becoming more relevant with the franchise focus on "The Clone Wars",<ref name="scott2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Obi-Wan and Padme ("Obidala"),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn ("Qui-Gonbi").<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="bestships">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Star Wars sequel trilogy, consisting of three films, The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), released between 2015 and 2019, sparked renewed fan discourse. This centered around three ships: Reylo (Rey and Kylo Ren), Finnrey (Finn and Rey), and Stormpilot (Finn and Poe Dameron).<ref name="warsbegun">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Of these ships, Reylo became a subject of shipping wars, with some forming an anti-Reylo grouping, calling the ship "toxic", "manipulative", or "polarizing," while others were committed to the pairing, creating "tight-knight and outspoken" fan communities on Tumblr, Twitter, Reddit, and Archive of Our Own.<ref name="parker2020" /><ref name="polygon2019">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These fans read certain details from official media, actors playing characters in the trilogy, and related media, to "prove" their ship as valid.<ref name="polygon2019" /><ref name="warsbegun" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Some observers were surprised that the ship became very popular considering the "number of parallel pairings".<ref name="scott2021" /> Others, like Alan Dean Foster said that in the sequel trilogy, the FinnRey pairing was supposed to be canonized, but that this was invalidated in Rise of Skywalker.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Stormpilot ship, also known as "FinnPoe", "Star Husbands," "General Husbands", or "Pinn",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> also remained popular, especially among fans "eager for queer representation" in the franchise and others who saw them as a good pair. There was disappointment among these fans that the ship did not become canon.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Shippers were fueled by "article summaries," fanfictions, fanart, and other postings, on sites such as Tumblr, Archive of Our Own, and elsewhere, with the subtext between the characters becoming a "widely accepted interpretation" of The Force Awakens.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In interviews, the ship was embraced by John Boyega and Oscar Isaac, who play Finn and Poe in the films.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The sequel trilogy spurned other ships, including Kylux,<ref name="scott2021" /> the ship name of Kylo Ren and Armitage Hux,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="warsbegun" /> Rey and Rose Tico ("ReyRose"), Amilyn Holdo and Leia ("Amileia"), Kylo Ren and Rose Tico ("Darkrose"), or Din Djarin and Luke Skywalker ("Dinluke").<ref name="scott2021" /><ref name="bestships" /> Some fans shipped Sabine Wren's character with Shin Hati, after the Ahsoka series season 1 premiere,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or with Ezra Bridger,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> named "Sabezra" by fans, which was popular among Star Wars Rebels fans,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or with Ahsoka Tano ("Sokabine").Template:Citation needed The cast members of Ahsoka, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Ivanna Sakhno, who play Shin and Sabine in the series, offered their support to the ship between their characters,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with fans dubbing the ship "Wolfwren" or "Shabine".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Other fans shipped Qi'ra, from the Solo film, and Han,<ref name="mart2018" /> Vel and Cinta in Andor ("Valcinta") which became canon,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Ahsoka and Barriss Offee,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> among other ships.
See also
- Larries, fans of shipping between Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction
- Stucky, shipping between Marvel characters Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes
- Tweek x Craig, South Park episode that satirizes shipping culture
- Shipping discourse
- Hanahaki disease, a fictional disease commonly used in slashfic