#lgbt heroes in sci-fi books

[christinaengela]

Christina Engela's Monthly Newsletter: #75 March 2023

Hello, friends and fans! Welcome to my 75th monthly newsletter! Pull up a chair, let’s chat! In this month’s newsletter: updates on publishing, reviews and news. (more…) “”

[trashbucketadolescence]

Happy pride everybody! Your local trans werewolf is sharing her story again lmao! Queer superheroes for your queer month!

Hey I’m AJ. I’ve been a content creator for sometime now. This is my baby. This is my flagship. I’ve been world building this guy since I was 13. It’s been since 2005 that I’ve been working on this world. I’m making this in memory of a friend that passed away as well.

Anyway. Queer superheroes. Cyberpunk. Corrupt powered cops. Very DC heavy inspired. I hope you dig it!

[owl127]

New here and new to the rainbow community, I’ve heard of clexa, but who are the others, im looking for wlw shows and new ships. Will you help?

Welcome to the party !

There's a lot of cool wlw ships out there! Here's some of my favorites:

Korrasami is from Avatar the Legend of Korra, and it's a cartoon from Nickelodeon that aired from 20... Something something, until 2015, I think. Millennials out there remember! I totally recommend the show, though it has a teen vibe. You can find it on Netflix. It's not as explicit as it could be about the lesbian relationship because Nickelodeon was a total jerk back then.

Wayhaught is from Wynonna Earp, a show from SYFY (also on Netflix last time I checked), and it's completed! sci-fi demons meet cowboys, guns, and pew-pew! Not a kids show.

Okay, this one is wlw in fanfiction only, but it's worth mentioning: Supercorp (Supergirl on Netflix). The show is okay with LGBT representation, but Supercorp is not canon. Interesting show if you like the vibe! Amazing fandom, though 😏

Avatrice in Warrior Nun (Netflix, cancelled, but there's some hub hub going on for it to keep going somewhere else. If anyone have updates, please share). Nuns falling in love? End of the world angel/demons duels? Super-powerful-goofy-lesbian crushing on a super-skilled-ninja-nun? The tension! The jokes! The punches! the tension! (I mean sexual tension now)

CaitVi is from Arcane on Netflix. Amazing show; the direction and art is to die for. Really, it's a masterpiece. Story is good too. Slow burn though, and there's just one season out, so get ready!

Ellie x Dina in the last of us part 2 (PS4 game). I'm familiar with it, I ship it like crazy, so definitely worth the mention.

Bumbleby in RWBY (Rooster teeth - they have their own website). Are you into jock-bimbo/nerdy couples? Those girls are for you. And the fandom has a side of Whiterose, so lots of gayness around. Animation, teen focused, slow burn (literally 10 years and counting), but amazing fighting scenes.

Catradora is from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix. Also teen vibes, but a really good animation show. Hybrid-cat-girl with a dark past plus chosen-bimbo-warrior with a darker past? Yeah, sign me up.

Other shows to consider: Killing Eve (drama), DC's legends of tomorrow (Avalance, super hero pew-pew - dig in if you like Supergirl)... People, help with more recs! (Please)

And if you like books... Oh boy, that deserves a post of its own! Lots of cool lesbian fantasy out there!

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group K Round 1: #K4 vs #K5

#K4: Highschool superheroes

Hajime Ichinose's ordinary life is in for a change when a transcendent being named J.J Robinson hands her a small book called NOTE—a device which transforms her into one of the Gatchaman, the legendary protectors of Tachikawa City. Stressing that the existence of their group must remain a secret, fellow Gatchaman Sugane Tachibana takes Hajime to their base of operations, where Paiman, the panda-like alien leader of the Gatchaman, reveals their purpose: to eliminate aliens that pose a danger to humanity. These existential threats, called MESS, are becoming increasingly dangerous, destroying everything they touch. Now it's up to the Gatchaman and their new recruit to stop them before the world is engulfed in chaos.

#K5: Adopted magical girl learns to love, live, and also fight.

Vivio Takamachi, a Sankt Kaiser royalty of ancient Belka, was previously subjected to mistreatment. Fortunately, she now lives a peaceful life with family and friends while practicing martial arts with her coach, Nove Nakajima. However, Vivio soon becomes the target of the mysterious fighter Heidi E. S. Ingvalt, who demands Nove to reveal the location of the ancient Belkan royals. Refusing to disclose this information, Nove finds herself in a losing battle, but Heidi soon falls unconscious. In addition, Nove discovers Heidi’s true identity to be a middle school student named Einhald Stratos.

When she regains consciousness, Einhald clarifies that she has no animosity toward ancient Belkan royals. Having inherited the passion to defend and harboring regretful memories of her ancestor, the ancient Belkan ruler Claus Ingvalt, she simply wants to prove that her fighting ability is strong enough to protect others. Intrigued by the girl's situation, Nove arranges for Einhald to meet with Vivio. Although they get off to an unconventional start, Vivio enthusiastically trains with Einhald, assisting her in finding peace of mind while developing a vivid friendship along the way.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#K4: Gatchaman Crowds

Propaganda:

Crowds is a very ambitious anime in my opinion! It takes place in a world not too different from ours, where most problems are solved quickly due to an app that everyone uses. Technology makes it so that everyday people can save each other. In a world where everyone’s a hero, what use are heroes? What even makes one? It follows a girl named Hajime as she joins a team of superheroes with her unique perspective. If you like animes that are different and somewhat whimsical (with the occasional battle). This might be up your alley!

The visuals are also unique and colorful, with creatures and locations that can be pretty abstract. The characters are interesting, each have their own personalities, perspectives, and motivations for what they do. Crowds is short, but it manages to give everyone some kind of character arc, and give them depth. I personally find the team very endearing, and Rui has STYLE! As a fellow guy who wears dresses and heels sometimes, I love him very much.

Also, THE MUSIC. If you don’t check out the anime you should at least check out the opening and ending songs, they are absolute bangers.

Trigger Warnings:

Blood, murder, manipulation. I don’t remember there being transphobia/homophobia, but anime has a bad track record in general and there are 1 or 2 LGBT characters and I could have forgotten.

#K5: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ViVid

Propaganda:

It’s such an interesting setting, like it’s so fucking weird and I love it despite the queerbaiting. But basically these two magical girls retire ro run a dojo and adopt another magical girl who was abused. It focuses on the abused kid (previous series focused on the two magical girls) and that kid learning to be a kid and fight not for survival but like fun, and making friends and having a family they trust. All while in a sci-fi magical world with some fascinating and enjoyable world building. It has flaws, but for me the setting and characters make up for the sometimes misogynistic additions.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Gender Identity/Sexuality Discrimination

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

[a-library-cat]

A review of Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao @xiranjayzhao

Publishing info:

First Edition published in 2021 by Penguin Teen Canada. My copy is a first edition that I purchased brand new.

General info:

This book is for a young adult audience. Genres include Sci-fi, fantasy, and LGBT+. One main character and POV. A love triangle that turns into a polycule.

StoryGraph page

My overall score is 5 out of 5 stars, and I would recommend this book to sci-fi lovers, mech anime fans, Chinese history buffs, and people sick of YA love triangles. Notes under the cut (spoilers):

Wu Zetian said Fuck the patriarchy. Also gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss.

This is one of those books that probably wouldn't have been rated as high, if I hadn't burned through it in 2 hours. Not because it's an easy or short read, but because it's one of those books that you can't put down once you start it. I already had my eye on this book before publication, simply because the author went viral (for completely unrelated reasons) before the book was out. It was also one of those books that I knew I would fall in love with, so it was one of the rare instances where I bought a book brand new without reading it first, because I knew I would like it. I love this book and story so much that I have to keep myself from preordering the sequel, Heavenly Tyrant. Give coin, receive sequel?

Pros:

The worldbuilding is based off of mecha anime tropes, Chinese mythology, and the life of the real Emperor Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. It sounds like a weird combination, but it all works really well together.

I love the characters. Zhao clearly is very attached to all their characters, because they're all written very well. They're all horrible people, but they are also people that you want to see succeed, and by the end of the book you're rooting for them. Your heart is also breaking for them. I love Li Shimin so much, he deserved better.

The love triangle is so good! A lot of people joke about how love triangles are dumb and how everything would be solved if they just all fucked together. Of course, this isn't necessarily true with every love triangle, but Zhao made it work! They even made it an essential plot point, so it would tie back into the narrative and character arcs.

A! content! warning! I love this! This is a very dark book, with dark themes and explicit violence at some parts, so it was much appreciated! I wish more books would do this so I don't have to rely on Does the Dog Die.

Cons:

This books feels rushed, in a "I had a fucking word limit" way. I believe Zhao confirmed that Penguin made them cut their word limit down significantly, so I can't necessarily fault them for it, but it's still disappointing.

Zhao also said that the original script was a lot darker and more explicit, and all I can say is I want the directors cut. To be serious, I feel like this series would've had more room to breathe as an adult sci-fi rather than YA, but I'm not sure what Zhao wanted and what their literary agent thought would sell. I can only hope Penguin gave them more wiggle room for the sequel.

These characters are not... good people, to be blunt. While this isn't a con for me personally, a lot of people like reading books where the protagonist is also a hero/good person, so I feel like I should add this for those people. Tbh the real Wu Zetian was shady and Zhao does not seem like the kind of person to sugarcoat history for a wider audience.

If you made it this far go check out Zhao's YouTube for more info on Iron Widow, Wu Zetian, and Chinese mythology/history/culture!

[nicehairnerd]

okay i'm gonna do it!!

i'm new-ish to tumblr (took a break in 2018-2022) looking for mutuals + friends, so i'm gonna list of my interests (aka what i'll be reblogging) in no particular order. pls interact if ur a part of 1+ of these communities <33 tyty

my hero academia (mha / bnha)

miraculous ladybug (mlb)

mob psycho 100 (mp100)

dan and phil (dnp)

don't hug me i'm scared (dhmis)

percy jackon + riordanverse ( pjo / hoo / tkc / mc / toa)

indigenous ppls / cultures in peru + usa

lgbt topics (i'm bi / queer + nonbinary!)

books (sci-fi / fantasy, bio / autobio, etc)

language-learning content (fluent in english, spanish, portuguese! learning mandarin chinese!)

...and more that i'm prob forgetting lmao

essentially, this blog is a space for a 20 y/o queer college student to escape and have fun and keep track of personal rambles and changing interests. nice to meet u! i'll talk more tmrw when i wake up lol

[incorrectnwsl]

Have you read anything good lately?

Ummm depends on your definition of good. I’m a big sci-fi and fantasy person, not really so into mysteries or thrillers.

The last book I finished was Fourth Wing (first book of the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros) about dragon riders. Before that was a couple LGBT books called Scatter and Transistor (first and second books in a series called Heart of Heroes by Molly J Bragg) and they all are about queer superheroes.

(I read more than one book at once because I’m crazy like that) But I’m also currently rereading Warrior Heir (part of a series by Cinda Williams Chima) that I read when I was like 14 and forgot about entirely but it’s about magic and warriors and I don’t quite remember the rest of the books. But it also references Cedar Point (an amusement park in Ohio that we use to go to a lot).

Most of these books are not super popular but I hope you enjoy them.

[violetren]

Wren Reads Scatter Chapter 9

Far too much of my day has been doing mundane things like laundry, and eating, and checking emails, but now I can finally rectify that by jumping into some super-powered lesbian drama™

Long post incoming, spoilers can be avoided with 'scatter spoilers' tag.

If you wanna read Scatter for yourself the sneak peek and eBook can be found here.

Paperback copies can be found on Amazon by searching Scatter by Molly J Bragg.

[darkclaw1995]

So I wanted to try a new Xena painting, this time with probably my favorite Xena. Ive always loved the Xena/Borias days.

I wanted to chose a point where Xena was at her most powerful, and her most vulnerable. She could’ve conquered all of Greece, but she chooses to give up her son so he could have a better life. She starts her path “home”.

I worked off a crappy Apple TV screencap ( the quality kind of sucks. If you want to watch/own digitally Amazon and Vudu are much better quality) but thats no excuse. There’s plenty to work on but i see some improvements and I’m happy to share.

Whats great about Xena is that it pushes me to be better in all different ways, even in ways I never expected, like art.

[christinaengela]

Fantastic New Book Trailer Videos From Peever Publishing!

Fantastic New Book Trailer Videos From Peever Publishing!

Hello, friends and fans! I listed some new videos in last weeks’ Peek @ My Week that Nige Peever made, and I must say he’s really been prolific with the marketing! I’m really, really impressed with these new ads! Here they are again, with some new ones: Until next time. Thanks again for all your support, sharing, friendship and interaction! As always, feel free to email or follow or message me…

[theinquisitxor]

September Reading Wrap Up

September was a great reading month for me, and I found some new favorites. I read seven books this month, which is at the higher range of books per month for me. I read a mix of genres and new release and older books.

1.The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson 4.5/5 stars. High fantasy, this is the third book in the Mistborn series, and concludes the first trilogy. I enjoyed these books and I can see why the series is so popular. This book had a lot of twists and a ton of action.

2. A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows 5 stars. mlm fantasy romance. This new standalone quickly became a favorite, and I loved just about everything about this book. Great world/culture building, political intrigue, bursts of action, and a wonderful romance.

3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. 5 stars, Science Fiction. I read this entirely on audiobook and this also became a new favorite. I would recommend the audiobook version, and I laughed and cried while listening to this. Another new favorite.

4. Darling Girl by Liz Micaelski 3/5 stars, fairy tale retelling. This was a Peter Pan retelling set in our modern day following the granddaughter of Wendy. This was okay, but if you like Peter pan/retellings, you may like this.

5.Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia. 4/5 stars, gothic horror. I need to keep reading more by this author, because I greatly enjoy the two books I've read by her so far. I had a lot of fun with this story and liked the crazy ending. This was a good start to spooky season, and I enjoyed this gothic horror standalone very much.

6. The Thief by Meghan Whalen Turner. 3.5/5 stars, ya high fantasy. This is the first book in the Queen's Thief series and is beloved by many on this site. I've been wanting to start this series for years because of that. I enjoyed this first book for what it is, and I think it sets up the series nicely. I've been told that the next books get very good, so I have my fingers crossed!

7. Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Non-fiction. I am late to the party with this book, but I enjoyed it quite a lot and I can see why it was so well liked and received. Wilkerson is on my radar now.

Stats:

Average rating: 4.2/5

5 female authors, 2 male authors. 2 authors of color. 1 lgbt author. 3 high fantasy, 1 non-fiction, 1 sci-fi, 2 in world

[ryita13]

Just for the heck of it, I've decided to make a list of my personal WEBTOON recommendations. Warning: this is a long list. They aren't in a particular order.

I put ☆ next to my favorites

Ongoing

UNORDINARY: by uru-chan (Superpowers/action)☆

PURPLE HYACINTH: by Ephemerys & Sophism (Mystery/crime)☆

ELECEED: by Jeho Son & ZHENA (Superpowers/action)☆

VILLAIN TO KILL: by Fupin & Eunji (Action/superpowers)☆

CODE ADAM: by Atterozen (Action/superpowers)

HOMESICK: by Ms Freaky (Thriller)

CURSED PRINCESS CLUB: by Lambcat (Comedy/fantasy)

BOYFRIEND OF THE DEAD: by Ushio (Comedy)

66,666 YEARS: ADVENT OF THE DARK MAGE: by PASA (Fantasy)

OMNISCIENT READER: by singNsong & Sleepy-C (Action/[book])☆

SCHOOL BUS GRAVEYARD: by lilredbeany (Thriller)☆

BLUECHAIR: by Shen (Comedy/shorts)

HYPERFOCUS: by Kip Trevor (Lgb[t]+/slice of life/shorts)

CITY OF BLANK: by 66 (Sci-fi)☆

JUNGLE JUICE: by Hyeong Eun & JUDER (Action/superpower)

CLOUD WALKER: by kariyeen (Action/superpowers)

WEAK HERO: by SEOPASS & RAZEN (Action [fighting])

PARALLEL CITY: by Goda (Mystery/action)

MAGE & THE DEMON QUEEN: by Color_LES ([L]gbt+/comedy/fantasy)

ROOFTOPS AND ROOMMATES: by Zaanart (comedy/fantasy/shorts)

THE CROAKING: by echorise (L[g]bt+/fantasy)☆

CASTLE SWIMMER: by Wendy Lian Martin (L[g]bt+/fantasy)☆

DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR: by HYBE (Fantasy/supernatural)

URBAN ANIMAL: by Justin Jordan & John Armor (Superpowers)☆

IF: by Keon Tan (Action)

NOT EVEN BONES: by R Schaeffer (Thriller/[book])

THIRD SHIFT SOCIETY: by Meredith Moriarty (Supernatural)

LUMINE: by Emma Krogell (Fantasy)☆

BOYFRIENDS: by refrainbow (Slice of life/ lgbtq+ [polyam])

I LOVE YOO: by Quimchee (Drama/romance)

I'M THE GRIM REAPER: by GRAVEWEAVER (Supernatural)

DARK MOON: THE GREY CITY: by HYBE (fantasy/supernatural)☆

Completed

CAPE OF SPIRITS: by Kris Nguyen (Action/lgbtq+)☆

UNHOLY BLOOD: by Lina Im & Jeonghyeon Kim (Supernatural/romance)☆

SWEET HOME: (Thriller/horror/post-apoc)

MY DEEPEST SECRET: by Hanza Art (Thriller)

SIREN'S LAMENT: by instantmiso (Romance)

SMALL WORLD: by Wonsun Jin (L[g]bt+/slice of life)

FREAKING ROMANCE: by snailords (Romance)

ROT & RUIN: by Taylor Grant & Alempe (horror/post-apoc/[book])

GOURMET HOUND: by Leehama (drama)☆

A GOOD DAY TO BE A DOG: By Lee Hey

DEADLIFE: by Hooressha & Jinguk Lim (Action/post-apoc)

Canvas

ZOMCOM: by EmiMG (Comedy/shorts)

BLAZE CORE: by Xcelon Art (Fantasy)

PIXIE AND BRUTUS: by Pet Foolery (Comedy/shorts)☆

DRAGON CURSE: by halocam (Fantasy/lgbt)☆

DO YOU EVEN WITCH: by Yona Remi (Romance/l[g]bt)☆

GLACIAS: by Yaruno and Nawa (fantasy)☆

IDENTICAL STRANGER: by NEAL Elephus (Crime/mystery)☆

[magnificent-nerd]

Where are the good guys?

Image description: actors Ennis Esmer and Marwan Kenzari.

When it comes to positive Muslim rep, where are the good guys?

It would be good to focus on some positive Muslim character rep for a change.

The two examples I've picked aren't from superhero media per se, but I'd call them superhero adjacent. Sci-Fi, action genre. Safe to say if you enjoy superhero content, you'll probably enjoy these recs.

Let's dive in.

Example 1. The Old Guard (2020 movie, Netflix)

The Old Guard is a Netflix movie starring Charlize Theron in the lead role, based on the graphic novel written by Greg Rucka.

So it is a comic book movie, and you could call it a superhero movie as the main characters have a superpower and they do superhero-ing. The story is grounded more in reality, mercenaries trying to do good, if you like that kind of theme.

The characters of Joe (Marwan Kenzari, Tunisian-Dutch, Arabic speaking actor, also played Hot Jafar in Disney's live action Aladdin) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli, Italian actor) are from Byzantium times when they were Muslim and Christian soldiers respectively, on opposing sides of war.

They met during that war, and they became an out and openly loving queer couple.

The movie shows Joe and Nicky as an established couple, which makes a nice change in media to see a happy couple work together.

Onscreen we see Joe and Nicky show caring yet casual affection to each other frequently; one of the movie's highlights to me.

Yes, there is an onscreen m/m kiss. RARE in any comic book movie/superhero content, so the movie gets bonus points for that.

I suppose my one complaint is that they're not in the movie that much, they are background characters. The movie focuses more on the two women characters (Andy, and Nile).

Image description: a scene featuring ‘good guys’ in The Old Guard, extremely rare to see a Muslim character like Joe included in a ‘hero’ shot like this.

It's directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, so do check it out.

The Old Guard is a great example of how easy it is to cast a SWANA actor into the part of a SWANA and Muslim character who isn't a baddie, or a terrorist, or another tired trope, but shows Joe as a good guy and a well rounded character with important lines to say.

And he doesn't die, yay! 

Also, bonus points for a queer Muslim character. We need more of those.

~*~

Example 2: Blindspot (series, NBC/WB, The CW)

Blindspot is a TV show (2015-current) from American TV network NBC, affiliated with Warner Bros. and The CW producers

(The CW is the same network who makes a lot of the DC superhero content that fans call The Arrowverse, and so far the only superhero content from The Big Two that portrays any LGBT characters on a regular basis.)

Blindspot is a spooks/gov agents/FBI procedural show, but with a Sci-Fi twist of magical glowing tattoos that hold clues to mysteries the team has to solve to stop Bad Guys.

Like CSI meets Bond, plus it's very easy to dip in and out of and simply enjoy the banter and the action. I'm calling it superhero adjacent because it definitely lives more in the world of Sci-Fi than reality (I mentioned glowing tattoos, right?) Like a James Bond theme but with a woman lead. (Jamie Alexander, also plays Lady Sif in the MCU.)

Anyway, one of the supporting cast is a queer Turkish character, Rich DotCom, who is played by a Turkish-Canadian actor, Ennis Esmer.

He is a bit part/recurring character in seasons 1 to 3, then becoming a regular from season 4 on.

My first quibble is, I'm pretty sure we have another straight actor playing a queer character, BUT at least the show managed to cast a Turkish actor to play a Turkish character. (Heavy side eye at Disney right now: see, it isn't that hard.)

While Rich Dot Com does play into the stereotype of a SWANA character as a hacker, I can say he is well rounded as a character, especially as the seasons go on.

He starts off as a criminal (a very light hearted, quippy criminal who fleeces rich white people online, so I don't really mind that aspect much) and later works for the FBI. Many of the characters including the lead (Jamie Alexander) have a good guy/bad guy grey area that's explored, so at least it's not just the Muslim character.

Showing a Turkish character onscreen as one of the good guys, being funny and likeable (he is SO likeable) with a lot of screen time (one bonus of TV shows to movies is all the screen time afford to supporting characters) is really great.

Not to mention his character is queer, and there is a recurring on/off boyfriend character (Boston) who he has interaction with.

Last time I watched the show, the pair had a tender moment when Boston found out that Rich had bought his art pieces. That was a great episode.

I really appreciate seeing a character like this onscreen on a regular basis. I do like the show, it's fun and cheesy procedural stuff. If you like spies and action, give it a watch. (Also, Bill Nye guest stars!)

I'm aware the final season (final? Really?) has been confirmed and is yet to air, but with talks about Rich and his partner-in-lab-banter, Patterson, having a spin off show, I remain hopeful that Rich won't be killed off. Don't let me down, Blindspot!

(Honestly, if you wanted to just jump into the show on any season, that's easy enough to do. That's what I did whenever it was playing on the TV channel. Procedurals allow for easy viewing, IMO.)

And just a P.S. with Ennis Esmer, he also has a recurring role on team good guy in Canadian show Private Eyes, a similar fun romp if you like mystery shows.

Now, I'm not saying the examples of Rich from Blindspot or Joe from The Old Guard are perfect, there's always room for improvement (like, can we cast queer actors to play queer roles, please?) but they're certainly a lot better than the rest of superhero media has provided.

Blindspot and The Old Guard have achieved better representation for Muslim characters onscreen in the past couple years than the MCU and DC have put together over the past decade.

And it's odd how Warner Bros(DC) has better rep all round in its affiliated TV shows but NOT its movies. Hopefully The Old Guard will prove that diverse characters AND diverse casting in superhero movies IS possible, and more studios will follow that good example.

The sad fact is, it's not that hard to write in more diverse characters and then hire a diverse cast to any media. Doing so does not impact quality either, it only enriches it.

I'd like to see more good rep on my screen. No more cardboard cut-out baddies for Muslim characters (hard side eye at Wonder Woman 1984), let's have some good characters.

~*~

Originally posted on my blog, magnificentlynerdy.blogspot.com

Have you any recs for positive Muslim and SWANA rep in superhero media? Tell me about them! Add them to this post or send me an Ask.

[my-complicated-pairs]

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in live action series

While the title of this list is “List of canon villain/heroine ships with happy endings”, it doesn’t contain only ships with male villains and female heroes:

-some of these ships consist of female villains and male heroes;

-there are some lgbt+ ships here as well;

-in some of these ships both characters are villainous (or antiheroic);

-some of these characters may be seen not as villains, but as antivillains, antiheroes, antagonists or “just” criminals - in the end these definitions are fluid and some characters may be really difficult to categorise, especially if they go through a major character development or if they appear in the slice of life media;

-I included ships involving ex-villains;

-some of these ships are the examples of the enemies to lovers trope, but they don’t involve any characters, who can be categorised as villains or antiheroes.

Other notes:

-in few examples the couple has a bittersweet ending, but I include it due to the fact that both characters are not dead and their relationship itself is happy;

-I included some pre-existing couples;

-this list was created mostly for statistical purposes (it may be used for recommendations as well, but not always) - due to it, this list includes ships that are humorous, don’t play significant role in the canon material, come from the media that are often considered to be bad or come from really obscure media;

-some ships on this list - especially if they come from media created long time ago - may be considered to be controversial due to various reasons, so if you don’t want to watch anything potentially disturbing, don’t forget about doing research first;

-I included some ships from non closed canons that have a chance to have a happy ending (they’re described as ‘hopefully’) - if they won’t get a romantic happy ending, I’ll remove them.

I’ll be updating this list from time to time, so feel free to suggest other examples :) - and correct me if I got something wrong (f.e. if the specific ship doesn’t have a happy ending, some characters are not villains and/or antiheroes etc.)

If the types of characters are not specified, the ship consists of a male villain/antihero and a heroine.

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in live action movies

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in anime and manga

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in animation and comics (excluding anime and manga)

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in book series

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in standalone pieces of literature

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in visual novels and video games

List of canon villain x heroine ships with happy endings in music

[note: the links lead to the respective IMDB pages] 

Live-action series - fantasy, sci-fi & horror

Wolf x Virginia (male antagonist x female hero) - The 10th Kingdom (a 2000 American fantasy series; suggested by @nerfherderbinniegirl and @monsters-and-villains) - the werewolf is sent by the evil queen from the fairytale land to modern New York City in order to kidnap the runaway prince turned into a dog; he quickly fails in his mission after falling in love with the daughter of a man who finds the said prince

(my opinion: it’s a very enjoyable series and while I have issues with the rushed ending, I highly recommend it; Wolf stops being antagonist pretty quickly, but he doesn’t stop acting over the top and ofcourse he doesn’t stop being a werewolf ;P; Virginia is a very well written heroine and watching her journey is really satysfying)

[note: in the last scene Virginia says from the off that later it turned out that they didn’t get a happy ending at that moment - that monologue was a preview to the sequel series, which never came to fruition]

Tate x Violet - American Horror Story (an ongoing American horror series; suggested by monsters-and-villains) [note: an erased timeline] 

Shahryar x Scheherazade - Arabian Nights, a 2000 American-British fantasy series 

the Phantom x Christine - Phantom of Hillhurst, the 35th episode of Big Bad Beetleborgs, a 1996-1998 American action/adventure comedy horror series (you may watch it here) - the protagonists’ ghost friend, Flabber, is visited by the Phantom, who still isn’t over losing contect with his childhood friend/love Christine; after seeing Jo, he thinks she’s Christine, decides to become her music master and separate her from her friends and family, until Flabber finds the real Christine and reunites her with the Phantom

(my opinion: from one point of view, it’s good to know that poor Erik - although he’s never referred by that name in the show - has a happy ending with Christine at least in an episode of one of the 90s Saban tokusatsu rip offs, and it’s really cute to see them as childhood friends... but from another point of view, Phantom’s “crush” on Jo is too creepy for me - unlike Christine in the original and the other Saban tokusatsu rip off heroines, Jo is 10-11 years old instead of being a teenager, which together with the fact that the creators have intentionally shown Jo’s possession as a creepy/scary thing is a bit too much for me; luckily they haven’t shown the Phantom making any explicitly romantic/sexual advances towards Jo and he immediately forgets about her existence after seeing real Christine)

Spike x Buffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (a 1997-2003 American horror series... if we count the canon 2007-2018 post-series comics in) [suggested by @fluffycakesistainted] [warning: the TV series ends with Spike’s death] 

Carmilla x Laura (female villain x female hero) - Carmilla web series (a 2014-2016 Canadian comedy-drama/horror series)

possibly Eunice x Charles (the pre-existing couple; female villain x male hero) - No Brain, No Pain, the 15th episode of Eerie, Indiana, a 1991-1992 American horror sci-fi series (you may watch it here)

Walker x Olivia (the pre-existing couple) - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, a 2021 American superhero series (suggested by @neoma2) 

Tarabas x Angelica - Fantaghirò, a 1991-1996 Italian fantasy series (suggested by monsters-and-villains) 

Richard x Roberta - Galavant (a 2015-2016 American musical fantasy comedy series; suggested by @a-cynical-dreamer-world) 

Madalena x Gareth (female antagonist x male hero) - Galavant (suggested by a-cynical-dreamer-world)

Adalind x Nick (female villain x male hero) - Grimm (a 2011-2017 American fantasy crime drama; suggested by @iheartdramas)

possibly Tomas x Karina (the pre-existing couple) - Hawkeye (a 2021 American superhero series)

Grifforzer x Lamie (the pre-existing couple; male villain x female villain) - Kyôryû Sentai Zyuranger (a 1992 Japanese tokusatsu series) aka the series adapted into the first season of Power Rangers

Lucifer x Chloe - Lucifer (a 2016-2021 American fantasy series; suggested by monsters-and-villains)

Cheoljong x So-yong - Mr. Queen (kor. Cheorinwanghu), a 2020 South Korean historical/fantasy/romantic series (suggested by @ainomica)

Rumplestiltskin x Belle - Once Upon a Time (a 2011-2018 American fantasy series; suggested by @vilheroinefairytale)

Killian x Emma - Once Upon a Time

Katherine x Tommy (female villain x male ex-villain) - the Power Rangers franchise (an ongoing American action/adventure franchise)

Rita x Zedd (female villain x male villain) - the Power Rangers franchise

Nadira x Lucas (female villain x male hero) - Power Rangers Time Force (a 2001 American action/adventure series)

Jindrax x Toxica (male villain x female villain) - Power Rangers Wild Force (a 2002 American action/adventure series)

Blake x Tori (male antivillain x female hero) - Power Rangers Ninja Storm (a 2003 American action/adventure series; suggested by an anon)

Trent x Kira - Power Rangers DinoThunder (a 2004 American action/adventure series; suggested by an anon)

Jarrod x Camille (male villain x female villain) - Power Rangers Jungle Fury (a 2008 American action/adventure series)

Angelica x Bulbo (female villain x male hero) - The Rose and the Ring, a 1986-1988 Polish musical fantasy TV series based on the 1854 British satirical fantasy novel (suggested by neoma2)

the Mirror Universe!Hoshi Sato x the Mirror Universe!Travis Mayweather (female villain x male villain) - In a Mirror, Darkly parts I and II, episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, a 2001-2005 American sci-fi series

Damon x Elena - The Vampire Diaries (a 2009-2017 American supernatural teen drama)

Live-action series - crime & thriller

Michael x Nikita (male antihero x female antihero) - Nikita (a 2010-2013 American thriller drama series)

A ship that used to be featured here as ‘hopefully getting a HEA’:

- Villanelle x Eve (female villain x female hero) - Killing Eve, a 2018-2022 American-British-Italian thriller series, based on the 2018- 2020 British book series: Villanelle and Eve confess their romantic feelings towards each other, they share a kiss and a short time of happiness, but Villanelle is violently killed after that; they have a happy ending in the book series  

Live-action series - historical

Leon x Bella - Beauty and the Beast, a 2014 Italian-Spanish romance series (suggested by neoma2)

Sue x Maud (female antivillain x female hero) - Fingersmith, a 2005 British adaptation of the 2002 British historical crime novel

Chu Beijie x Bai Pingting - General and I (a 2017 Chinese historical romance; suggested by a-cynical-dreamer-world)

Marcus Vinitius x Ligia - the 1985 Italian and the 2002 Polish adaptations of Quo vadis, a 1895-1896 Polish historical novel (suggested by neoma2)

Live-action series - slice of life and drama

Leon x Sol (the pre-existing couple; male villain x female antihero) - Amantes de Luna Llena, a 2000–2002 Venezuelan telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Omar x Caro - La fea más bella, a 2006-2007 Mexican telenovela, an adaptation of the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea (Ugly Betty); suggested by neoma2

Alicia x Tomás (female villain x male hero) -  La fea más bella (suggested by neoma2)

Sebastian x Viola (male villain x female villain) - BrzydUla, a 2008-2009 Polish adaptation of Yo soy Betty, la fea (Ugly Betty); suggested by neoma2 [warning: at the beginning of the ongoing sequel series Viola is married to someone else, but supposedly she still has feelings for Sebastian, so hopefully they’ll get a happy ending in the new series as well]

Carolina x Mimi (female villain x female hero) - Cazando a un millonario, a 2001 Peruvian telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Aneta x Józef (the pre-existing couple; female villain x male hero) - a 1978 adaptation of Children of the Soil (pl. Rodzina Połanieckich), a 1894 Polish slice of life novel (suggested by neoma2)

Bárbara x Luis (female villain x male hero) - Como en el cine, a 2001 Mexican telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Juan x Monica - any adaption of Corazón Salvaje, a 1957 Mexican novel series, f.e. the 1993 series (suggested by a-cynical-dreamer-world)

Rafael x Clemecia (the pre-existing couple) - El derecho de nacer, a 1981 Mexican telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Katy x Miguel Angel (female villain x male hero) - Estrellita mía, a 1987 Argentine telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Katy x José Julián (female villain x male hero) - Luz María, a 1998-1999 Peruvian version of Estrellita mía (suggested by neoma2)

Jonas x Sashenka (male villain x female antihero) - Gitanas, a 2004-2005 Mexican telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Chuck x Blair - Gossip Girl (a 2007-2012 American teen drama; suggested by @catalina-infanta)

Rochester x Jane - various adaptations of Jane Eyre, a 1847 British novel, f.e. the 1983 British one and the 2006 British-French one (suggested by vilheroinefairytale)

Cruz de Jesús x Mireya - Ka Ina (a 1995 Venezuelan telenovela; suggested by neoma2)

hopefully Piotr x Beata - Klan, an ongoing Polish soap opera (suggested by neoma2)

Jesús x Heucaris - Llovizna (a 1997-1998 Venezuelan telenovela; suggested by neoma2)

Orestes x Nubis - Más que amor, frenesí (a 2001 Venezuelan telenovela; suggested by neoma2)

Rogelio x Ana Paula - The One Who Couldn't Love (es. La que no podía amar), a 2011-2012 Mexican telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Osa x Joanna - Plebania (en. The Vicarage; a 2000-2012 Polish soap opera)

Fermina x her unnamed fiancee (female villain x male hero) - Preciosa (a 1998 Mexican telenovela)

Barbara x Marek (the pre-existing couple; female villain x male hero) - Radio Romans (en. Radio Romance), a 1994-1995 Polish soap opera (suggested by neoma2)

Annie x Jude (female villain x male hero) - Sunset Beach, a 1997-1999 American soap opera (suggested by neoma2)

Teresa x Arturo (female villain x male hero) - the 2010-2011 Teresa remake, a Mexican telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

probably Félix x Ángelito (male villain x male hero) - Trail of Lies (es. Amor à Vida), a 2013–2014 Brazilian telenovela

Lucrecia x Alejandro (the pre-existing couple; female villain x male hero) - Travesuras del corazón, a 1998 Peruvian family telenovela (suggested by neoma2)

Becky x Jos (female villain x male hero) - the 1998 American-British adaptation of Vanity Fair (suggested by neoma2) [warning: Becky doesn’t get a happy ending in the book and in the vast majority of its adaptations]

Damián x Rosi (male villain x female villain) -  Wild Angel (es. Muñeca brava; a 1998-1999 Argentine telenovela)

Martha x Bernardo (female villain x male hero) - Wild Angel  

Luisa x Federico (the pre-existing couple; female villain/antihero x male villain/antihero) - Wild Angel

Live-action series - comedies

Salceson x Ewa (the pre-existing couple; male villain x female villain) - the 11th and 12th episode of 13 Posterunek II (a 2000 Polish sitcom)

Brady x Marisa - K.C. Undercover (a 2015-2018 American teen spy comedy series)

C.C. x Niles (female villain x male hero) - The Nanny (a 1993-1999 American sitcom; suggested by neoma2)

Karolina x Konrad (female villain x male hero) - Niania (a 2005-2009 Polish adaptation of The Nanny; suggested by neoma2)

possibly Tutencham x Rozalia - Klątwa Tutenchama (en. The Curse of Tutencham), the 26th episode of Świat według Kiepskich (en. The World According to the Kiepskis), a 1999-2021 Polish sitcom [note: this subplot is not continued in the later episodes and it should be trated as a standalone]

[ambsthom]

(photo credit: Ken Baehr)

―about

My name’s Amber! I’m 23 years old, a lesbian, and a big fan of fiction, whether it be books, videos games, or shows! I’ve been writing since roughly 2011, though it was only around 2016 that I started writing seriously. I post a lot about my ocs, who can be found here! I lean towards the fantasy genre in my own writing, though I occasionally branch out to other genres. Most, if not all, of my writing focuses on lgbt+ characters. My writing can be found here.

―wips

The Iridessia Chronicles

Heroic fantasy, friendship, lgbt+, romance, adventure, found family. Inspired by The Dragon Prince, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Dragon Age.

When a well-known hero goes missing, Safi Ryee and Kadan Fray eagerly go looking for her, certain they’ll claim a big reward. Only things aren’t that simple…​

The hero is dead. When her spirit attaches itself to Safi, they find themselves forced to pick up her mantle. One thing is for sure; they’re no heroes. But whatever killed the hero is still around, whether they’re ready or not.

Technicolour

Sci-fi, found family, lgbt+, romance.

Jazmine Thorne lost both her brothers to space. When she finds two aliens stranded on Earth, it gives her the opportunity to track them down. Unfortunately, she’s stuck with a crew of people she doesn’t even know, and she’s not exactly a people person at the best of times.

Embrace of the Dawn

Romance, lgbt+, modern fantasy.

Rowan is the daughter of a vampire-hunting guild’s leader. Annette is a vampire in a coven plotting the downfall of humanity. When Rowan is attacked by vampires, Annette saves her, intending to benefit herself. But the two have more in common than they realise, and they’ll learn more about each other’s worlds than either of them would've ever thought.

―other

Besides my own characters, I have several ocs from some of my favourite video games, such as Dragon Age, Fallout, Mass Effect, and Skyrim. Occasionally I write and post about them too! A selection of my fics can be found here.

[gimmeromance]

Hi! I’m interested in sci-fi romances with either (or both!) lgbt or disability representation!

This is a tough one and it’s exactly what we’re here for. For disabled romance, we will be including mental and physical disabilities on this list. They will be stated.

LBGTQIA+ Sci-Fi Romance

The Shifting Ice by Alyce Caswell - M/M - Open Door - Interracial Romance

The Whispering Grass by Alyce Caswell - M/F - No Sex - Asexual Romance, Black Romance

The Creeping Moss by Alyce Caswell - FtM/F - Open Door - Transgender Romance

Evolved by N.R. Walker - M/M - Open Door - Android

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz - F/F - Closed Door - Robot, Asexual Romance

That Alien Feeling by Alessandra Hazard - M/M - Open Door - Alien Romance

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell - M/M - Unknown - Alien Romance

In the Wreckage by Hailey Turner - M/M - Open Door - Metahuman Romance, Military Romance.

Omega Revealed by Alexis B. Osbourne - M/M/F - Open Door - Omegaverse

Ecstasy from the Deep by Octavia Kore - M/M/F - Open Door - Alien Romance

Paid to Kneel by Romilly King - M/F - Open Door - Futuristic - BDSM, series It has come to our attention that Romilly King has been credibly accused of plagiarism and therefore we are immediately removing this book from our list.

---

Disabled Sci-Fi Romance

The Hunger Games - M/F - Closed Door - Interracial Romance, Dystopia, YA Romance, Series - Peeta is an Amputee, Katniss has hearing loss, EVERYONE has PTSD.

The Grandfather Paradox by J.T. Bock - M/F - Unknown - Time Travel Romance (Sci-Fi based) - Hero is Hard of Hearing and uses a hearing aid - Series

Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh - M/F - Open Door - Urban Fantasy - Shifter Romance. (Note: This series features heroes and heroines with Mental Illnesses and Physical Disabilities. I will try to list which books have the rep in it - As a note, after book 5 the books stop standing on their own... and the Psy-Changeling Trinity series is a pure continuation and cannot stand on its own.)

Visions of Heat (Book 2) - Mental Break, PTSD

Caressed by Ice (Book 3) - PTSD

Hostage to Pleasure (Book 5) - Claustrophobia

Blaze of Memory (Book 7) - PTSD

Heart of Obsidian (Book 12) - Mental Break/PTSD like OMG

Shield of Winter (Book 13) - Malfunctioning Tech on Arm

Ocean Light (PST Book 2) - Implant Malfunction, Mechanical Heart, PTSD

Wolf Rain (PST Book 3) - PSTD (TW: Pet Death)

Alpha Night (PST Book 4) - PSTD

Last Guard (PST Book 5) - Spinal Injury (In Pre-release)

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Both!

The Flickering Flame by Alyce Caswell - F/F - Open Door -  Interracial Romance, Amputee Heroine (who stays disabled)

Surrender Love by Kayelle Allen - M/M - Open Door - Alien Romance, Musician Romance, Nearly Blind Hero (This has the Magical Healing Cock Trope FYI)

---

So you might have noticed 4 books by Alyce Caswell on this... Well, you can get all four in one compilation. And there are 3 other books in the Galactic Pantheon Series.

*These suggestions are not endorsements. Please read the description and the reviews to decide whether you want to read the books!