How to Write a Love Triangle That Doesn't Suck

I think a big issue with love triangles nowadays is that the object of affection is so indecisive that they come across as self-absorbed, stupid, or even manipulative. Katherine Swartzchild of the Vampire Diaries (the books, not the TV series) is an excellent deconstruction of that and shows how actually that wishy washy attitude is selfish and manipulative rather than endearing. (Which makes it very interesting that TV Elena is basically Katherine Swartzchild played like a heroine, hence why a lot of fans hate her, meanwhile TV Katherine has more in common with book Elena, who is a bitchy popular girl who goes after what she wants).

It also doesn't help that, even if there is a lot of external conflict, it isn't an external conflict that makes it so love triangles happen like in Tristam et Yseult. It isn't a case of character A being married off to character B, but character C loves A, but now A had D as a paramour because C and A haven't seen each other in years.

I think she friendzoned Jacob but Jacob was the better man Edward was cold asf😐😐😐Edward and Emma the relationship was very codependent.

‘are you marrying him? why not me? pick me pick me pick me’ 😭😭😭😭

the alternative you suggested for how the twilight love triangle could have developed better was actually what happened in vampire diaries - stefan went off the rails, hurting elena to the extent that she could never really trust him again, and in her isolation she found solace and support in damon, and the transition phases they both went through changed elena enough that the person she ended up becoming was far more suited to damon than she was to stefan.

cant believe i just over-analysed a shitty vampire drama lmao, but it shows how even the most cliche teen drama stories can still do a better job at basic drama writing than stephanie meyer did.

I feel like you could blame a lot of the artificiality of Love Triangles in YA on both the Percy Jackson series and the Pendragon Series. Percy Jackson definitely angles itself as making it pretty clear that Percy and Annabeth are the official couple, and Rachel is just tension that wasn't really needed. Pendragon is even worse, since the first book literally opens up with Bobby kissing his crush in the first chapter, and the love triangle doesn't go anywhere. Pendragon isn't as popular, but Percy Jackson is a pretty big franchise.

The best love triangle I have ever read is the one between Will, Tessa, and Jem in The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. Yes, there are still some people who only root for one guy or the other, but it definitely isn't written with that in mind whatsoever. Tessa come into the picture many years after Will and Jem have formed a bond like blood brothers. So when the love triangle develops, both of them are nearly asking for the other to take her hand, as their main priority is for the other to be the happiest they can be, and Tessa makes them both happy. Both romantic love and brotherly love shown through the triangle make it that more meaningful, complex, and definitely heartbreaking. It makes it much harder to simply "pick a team" for most people, because you find yourself caring immensely for both boys.

I never thought of the relationships in the Titanic as a love triangle. The rich guy didn't seem to really love Rose. He was just possessive and wanted the "pretty woman", especially because she didn't want him. It was more about power than love.

I squealed like a lil girl when Anita Blake popped up on screen. I love that book series! 💞

I personally don't have much of a problem with love triangles... when they are done well. I think the point when a love triangle becomes annoying is when for one... It's obvious who the better choice is (for instance, when one corner of the triangle is an abusive jerk or something), and particularly when the romance feels like a misplaced priority. As mentioned, Hunger Games gets flack for Team Peeta/Team Gale because yeah we're in the middle of a revolution but wHIch BOy dO i CHOOSE?? To the credit of the Hunger Games, in the actual text that is not an issue. Next to survival and protecting her loved ones, the romance with either boy is firmly a secondary concern. That all said, I think that is one trait of a bad love triangle-- When the issue of "who do I choose" seems to overshadow much more pressing concerns within the narrative.

I'm a boy and I actually love Twilight . I find it entertaining and funny.

So it's ok to over hate parts twilight, but not twilight as a whole.

Jacob is just there in the rest of saga so they can sell team jacob shirts and mugs

The Favourite sounds fcked up. ☺

Here is a thing. If you enjoy something, whether it is twilight or anything else really and that thing is not damaging to others than no one has a right to ridicule you for it. For some people, things like joining fandoms are coping mechanisms, so let us be kind to each other, there are way more serious issues in this world than twilight.

Any take on the favourite will make me click haha

what about the vampire diaires

Team Jacob

A love triangle, or dating more than one person in your lifetime is more realistic than just meeting The One as a kid and being done dating for the rest of your life. (ex. Peeta and Katniss or Ginny and Harry.) I hope YA books are kind of moving on from that idea.

i hate this movie but this interests me lmao

I want you to watch I told the sunset about you so much its unreal

Great video! Thank you for sharing your view!

I completely loathe love triangles but adore friendship triangles

The love triangle in 2015’s ‘Brooklyn’ is another example of a very well done love triangle.

I absolutely loved the Favourite I remember watching it the first time and I was so astonished but in so much awe I loved how that slowly build up the characters and create a dilemma in the audience it was so different and I truly enjoyed every bit of that film

SHE KILLED THE BUNNY?!?!

I just hate love triangles when parties involved shown some angelic person and other parties feeling are often neglected and made them into involve ..if you want to show love triangle , then show it with real human vulnerablity , you may be in love but you are also hurting somebody in the process .you are not demon but you don't deserve to be hero/ heroin ..there is nothing great in to it ..i don't like when such kind of stories dramatised as great ...

I was thinking of going to watch The Favorite, but just because of the bunny crushing scene I know I can't, it'll distress me too much

It is serious tho. All the relationships romanticized in it are toxic and the messaging harmful. And given how popular it is many young girls model their behavior and relationships after the franchise. It's dangerous in real life.

having read the books, seeing the promotional posters of the last two hunger games movies where they tried to make it about the boys turned me off so hard,
i still have not watched either of them - despite loving the books, and having watched the first two movies a dozen times already.

I loved the video. But Talk about Love Triangle and not mention The Vampire Diaries is pretty much a sin. TVD explored the whole love triangle crap to exaustion. I became sick of trope because of The Vampire Diaries.

I didn't felt the love triangle in Hunger Games forced, because it was well developed. You could see why Katniss would have a dilemma choosing between Gale and Peeta. Gale was there for her when they were starving, they knew each other really well and they had good chemistry. If Katniss wouldn't end up in the Hunger Games, they probably would have ended up together as a happy (although struggling) couple. With Peeta the whole thing starts forced as heck. Katniss has no significant connection to him (especially compared to Gale), they don't really know each other and the brainwashing thing evaporates any kind of affection. However the trauma binds them together. Gale may know Katniss better, but Peeta knows how she can heal from those horrible wounds and can put her healing process before his desires. There is a really good reason why Katniss ends up with Peeta even though at first Gale seems (or at least seemed to me) to be the better choice.

I was gonna actually watch the favorite but I refuse to watch dead rabbit scene

the reason for why i hate the love triangle is that it's the peak of "there's only romance". healthy friendships, same sex as well as hetero, are barely allowed it seems, to a point where when you have a female protag and "that guy" shows up, or vice verca, you already groan because "and here's the love interest". it's just so predictable and often forced just because the formula says it needs to happen. love can be so much more than just romance.

God this was so great,it makes me wish that Challengers (2023) be at least on the level of The favorite instead of the other so I'm🤞🏾🤞🏾

Concerning Twilight, I wouldn't be surprised that a polyamorous fanfic exists somewhere 🤭





(If so, where could I find it, please ? It's for a friend)

You description of Twilight and editing choices are topnotch.

Pple see 2 much.

Mb

Mb she dosent waa 1 to love sp much

do any of you think you could write a good love triangle?

i don't think the love triangle trope is inherently bad as long as it's an actual hard choice with both suitors having an equal chance at being chosen and as long as the characters don't start acting out of character because of the love triangle.

My favourite love triangle of all time is the Infernal devices series. It spans 3 books and everyone in the triangle is a fully and wonderfully fleshed out character, and you can truly understand both sides. There is only love shared between everyone, as the men are akin to brothers to each other and wish nothing but happiness for the other, they just happen to love the same girl. It has none of that "well it's obviously this guy and the other is just for drama" feel. Our main character truly loves them both and the internal wrestling she has to do with her thoughts and feelings is really riveting to read.

I think an important thing to distinguish between them is that though it seems like Sarah is power-hungry, she is this way because she effectively helps run the nation in Queen Anne's stead (something that only benefits Anne as it seems like she is rarely in a state to do something that stressful). And while Sarah acts extremely patriotically (which sometimes annoys Anne because she is the queen), this distinction between state and person is what allows Anne to be seen as an individual by her. Albeit, she is a flawed one, but Sarah clearly loves her all the same. This is not a notion Abigail even entertains because she only sees people as rungs on a ladder to hoist herself up. Her husband doesn't matter, her familial ties to Sarah don't matter, and even her "love" for the queen is fabricated all in service of having a more comfortable life.

I don’t mind if the love triangle is as dark as the void I just want some good romance bro ☹️

What about the King Arthur story: "Lancelot & Guinevere"? there have been many films based on that and the better known version of the story is "Camelot" starring Richard Harris as King Arthur Pendragon.
I guess the reason why this story was not included was because most people born or living in the 2000s have forgotten about that story or did not realize the story's existence or no one ever really thought about it.

The Favourite is such a brilliant film.

Amongst many things, I love the way the trope of opposites is used Abigail and Sarah. Such a great example of using a well worn trope, but using it well.

Abigail is fun, yummy and superficial. Anne enjoys her time with her, but Abigail is only after the Queen to secure her own security. Abigail gives no effs about anyone else or Ann’s civic duty as Queen. She tells Anne anything she wants to hear, gives her food that makes her ill, indulges any impulse. So while Anne has fun today, tomorrow she will be ill, sad and facing the mess she made yesterday.

Sarah is hard work. She will not indulge Anne, and refuses to coddle her. She also never lies to her, and tries to use her power to better the country. Sarah fucking cares. She cares about Anne, about Anne’s health, about the country, about the war, about the treasury, everything. She’s not nice about it, but she cares deeply, and works hard to better it all.

I see the battle of Sarah and Abigail as a battle I am constantly having within myself; to lean into my hedonist impulses and have an easy lazy life, or work hard to build something real, meaningful and ultimately much more satisfying.

Such a brilliant examination of human nature.

The love triangle I love the most is Twelfth Night. Girl disguised as guy in love with the local lord, who is in love with the local lady, who is in love with the guy... who happens to be girl 1 in disguise. Brilliant actual triangulation.