Character A meets with Character B, something happens, and they are so close they could kiss (or more). The situation repeats over and over but nothing ever happens and you want to bang your head against a wall. Has this ever happened to you? Welcome to the world of shippers. While there are as many ships as there are characters in TV shows, some pairings are more well-known than others. So, let’s take a look at some of the most famous fan-made pairings in TV.
Stiles + Derek = Sterek (Teen Wolf)
I had to start this list with a personal favorite: Teen Wolf’s number-one ship, Sterek. This pairing originated in Season 1 when Stiles‘s energetic personality clashed with the brooding and calm Derek. Most of their interactions in this season depicted the two being snarky, sassy and rude to each other, but when things went awry, they tried their best to save and protect the other.
Going forward, they developed a “frenemies” relationship based on mutual respect and admiration that took the fandom by storm until Tyler Hoechlin’s (Derek) departure from the show. They are still a really popular ship on Tumblr and AO3, keeping the Sterek flame alive.
Famous fanfics of this pairing:
‘Till You Make It by standinginanicedress
Oliver + Felicity = Olicity (Arrow)
The Arrowverse have LOTS of ships that combine almost every character from that universe. The superhero Oliver Queen and the genius Felicity Smoak form one of the first and most popular pairings.
This couple became so popular that writers decided to make it canon in Seasons 3 and 4, although briefly. Yet fans reacted poorly to the toxic, self-sabotaging way it played out in those seasons, and the pair broke up.
After the Season 5 finale, a lot of speculation regarding Olicity surfaced online. Reaching its peak with the mega-crossover event Crisis on Earth X where Oliver and Felicity finally said: “I do”.
Famous fanfics of this pairing:
What happened in Vegas… by Jules_Ink
Dean + Castiel = Destiel (Supernatural)
The Supernatural fandom is one of the most active on the internet. The Destiel ship started in Season 4 when Castiel saved Dean from hell and the pair continued their friendship.
Several on-screen moments added to the collective imagination of fans, solidifying their love of the Destiel ship. In Season 6, Baltazar acknowledges that Castiel is in love with Dean, then in Season 8, Dean says to a mind-controlled Castiel that he needs him. In 2014, they were the most popular ship on Tumblr and are still the most popular on Archive of Our Own.
It’s worth noting that Supernatural has one of the most famous incest ships, called Wincest, which pairs up the Winchester brothers Sam and Dean. It’s so popular that the show’s writers decided to acknowledge it in the Season 5 episode, “Sympathy for the Devil”.
Famous Fanfics of this pairing:
Twist and Shout by gabriel and standbyme
Jon + Daenerys = Jonerys (Game of Thrones)
In the fandom world, Jon Snow is a real Casanova. Most of the Game of Thrones ships associate him with almost every female character on the show. Recently, Jonerys have been picking up popularity thanks to Season 7, and the pair has even reached the first place on Tumblr’s weekly ships lists.
Although technically Daenerys is Jon’s Snow’s aunt, that hasn’t stopped fans from shipping them. Considering they may be the last two Targaryens alive and their family was hardly strangers to incest to preserve their bloodline, this may not be so crazy after all.
Famous fanfics of this pairing:
On The Knees of My Heart by thefairfleming
the self as a mysterious circumstance by luna_plath
Archie + Veronica = Varchie / Archie + Betty = Barchie (Riverdale)
While many of us knew Archie from the comics, The CW’s adaptation of Riverdale was a departure from the brightly colored comics. Instead, it took the form of a darker and more serious plot, showing the origins of characters we all knew and loved.
Riverdale took the fandom world by pure brute force with canon pairings “Bughead” (Betty + Jughead) and “Jevin” (Joaquin + Kevin). Many shippers started to write about Archie and both of his possible lovers following the much-anticipated love triangle of Archie/Betty/Veronica.
The Riverdale fandom has Barchie fans stating that Betty and Archie have known each other for years and they will have a sweet and nostalgic relationship. However, Varchie fans exploit their totally harmonic synchronization in music and their chemistry as reasons for both to eventually become THE canon couple.
Famous fanfics of this pairing:
The Exception to the Rule by ShirlyGallagher
we were both young (when i first saw you) by singsongsung
Korra + Asami = Korrasami (The Legend of Korra)
As much as I tried, I couldn’t help but include one of the most famous ships-turned-canon on this list.
Even at the beginning when Korra and Asami‘s relationship on The Legend of Korra wasn’t easy, by the end of Book One, this ship started gaining a huge following. But even with the increase in popularity, as Books Three and Four progressed, Korrasami fans doubted it would gain canon status given it was a Nickelodeon show.
This all changed when, at the end of the series, the two smile at each other, hold hands and walk through the portal to the Spirit World, baffling Korrasami fans and detractors alike.
Their canon status was confirmed by the show creators, transforming Korrasami into the first same-sex couple featured on Nickelodeon.