They're most heated love triangles in cartoon history. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best love triangles in animated TV shows.
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00:00 "Am I the kind of guy who would try to steal someone else's girlfriend? Sure, of course!"
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best love triangles in
00:08 animated TV shows. "You two have got to be kidding me!"
00:12 Number 20. Jay, Matthew, and Lola, Big Mouth. If Big Mouth does one thing right,
00:21 it's the representation of teenage sexuality. There are a lot of different pairings,
00:26 all of them fitting in one confusing, criss-crossing shape. But our favorite
00:30 love triangle has to be that between Jay, Matthew, and Lola. "What in the why world
00:35 of shorts is happening right now?" "I like him, Lola. What can I say?" "Well, too bad!"
00:40 In Season 4, we saw Jay and Lola get together, which was a weirdly endearing relationship. But
00:46 things eventually went south, as they are prone to do in adolescent partnerships,
00:50 and Jay and Matthew struck up something unexpected. "Oh my god, am I actually gonna
00:54 fight Lola for Jay? Is that who I am now?" It all came to a head in the Season 5 finale,
00:59 when Jay was put in a place where he had to choose between his two love interests.
01:03 The way his face lit up when he saw Matthew gave us all the answer we needed.
01:07 "Hey, Zarian, Ric Flarian, Bill Zarian!" "Woo! Matthew?"
01:11 Number 19. Donatello, April O'Neil, and Casey Jones, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
01:17 "Hey guys, what's up?" "April! And Casey. Donatello."
01:24 The shipping of April and Donnie has long since been a thing in the TMNT fandom. While most
01:28 adaptations don't actually explore anything romantic between the two, April is typically
01:33 closer with Donnie than with any of the other Turtles. "Funny us both passing through this shady
01:38 back alley at the same exact time, huh? So, um, how have you been?" The 2012 series dove in head
01:44 first, giving Donatello a full-fledged crush on April that went beyond mere comedic value.
01:50 The boys butted heads a lot over her, although eventually the show wound up sticking to the
01:55 canon its predecessors had paved by having Casey and April become an official couple.
01:59 "Thanks for hanging out with us on our date, Irma. We really needed a chaperone."
02:03 "Anything I can do to help. Um, who said this was a date, Casey?"
02:07 Even if it wasn't executed super well, we applaud this series for trying something
02:12 new with its character dynamics. Number 18. Goliath, Demona, and Elisa. Gargoyles.
02:19 It's always difficult when love triangles involve an ex-partner. "You trusted me once.
02:24 You loved me once. We have found each other again after a thousand years of solitude.
02:32 Does that mean nothing to you?" In this case, it's really more one-sided as Demona tries her
02:38 very hardest to make life hell for Goliath and Elisa, and also a lot of other people.
02:43 "Demona! Freeze!"
02:44 "You've just been poisoned. In 24 hours, you'll be dead."
02:52 With the laundry list of horrible things Demona has done to Goliath,
02:55 it's clear why they didn't get back together despite the love they had for each other in the
02:59 past. Demona's persistent attacks are enough to make her the third side to a beautiful relationship
03:04 that grew and strengthened organically, one that would otherwise not be a triangle at all.
03:09 "What does it take to destroy you?" "Goliath, run! I'll handle Demona."
03:15 "We'll handle her together." Number 17. Timmy Turner, Tootie,
03:20 and Trixie Tang, the fairly odd parents. You're never too young to start your first love triangle,
03:25 and 10-year-old Timmy Turner finds himself caught in the middle of two possible love interests,
03:30 Trixie Tang and Tootie. Trixie's the most popular girl in school, so naturally,
03:35 Timmy desperately pines for her. She's a bit of a snob, but she does show Timmy that she cares
03:40 from time to time. "Hey, I like kissy kissy goobo and skull squisher." "Oh my gosh, that is so sweet.
03:48 But uh, that's what I have girlfriends for. Security?" "Huh?" "Bye, Timmy Turner."
03:59 "Hey, you remembered my name!" Tootie is a geeky, lonely little girl who has a major
04:05 crush on Timmy, which wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't as over-enthusiastic,
04:10 or icky Vicky's little sister. "No! Vicky's stolen Timmy's dolls! Now he'll never come over,
04:18 and he'll never like me! Why doesn't he like me?!" There's been debate over who Timmy should be with,
04:26 but it became null when both girls became obsolete to the series. However,
04:30 if you consider the live-action movies canon, Tootie was the clear-cut winner.
04:34 "Well, it's great to see you."
04:36 "What's the matter?" "Uh, sunburn on my back. No hugs till it heals, doctor said. Gotta go!"
04:48 Number 16. Dipper Pines, Wendy Corduroy, and Robbie Valentino, Gravity Falls.
04:54 We see you tilting your head and questioning whether this is a true love triangle.
04:58 While the Dipper-Wendy side goes strictly one way, there are enough moments between the two
05:03 that had fans wondering whether maybe they would get together eventually.
05:06 "So, so, you know, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to, I mean, if you and me, whatever,
05:13 I mean, if maybe you…" Plus, Robbie obviously sees Dipper as a threat, so maybe it's not so
05:19 far-fetched. What's awesome about this one is how Wendy and Dipper actually get to talk about
05:24 his crush. "Mabel said confessing would make me feel better." "Well, how do you feel?" "Anxious,
05:30 scared, kinda itchy." "Dude, don't be itchy, man." We're sure this helped him move on,
05:38 and it's probably what also made him see through the illusion in the finale.
05:41 As for Robbie, let's just say we think Wendy made the right decision.
05:45 "What? I've totally moved on." "Wendy, I miss you so much, I'll never move on, never ever."
05:51 "That was a different Wendy." "Unrelated." "Wendy."
05:55 Number 15. Finn, Princess Bubblegum, and Marceline. Adventure Time.
06:00 True, we could have included Flame Princess somewhere in this mix, but she fits in a little
06:04 less neatly. This dynamic is a bit more satisfying, seeing as Princess Bubblegum and Marceline end up
06:10 together in the end. Meanwhile, Finn had a massive crush on the former for a few seasons.
06:15 "I feel like I'm all gummed up inside. It's like I'm all gummed up inside.
06:21 It's like I'm all gummed up inside." And it's not totally one-sided on his part,
06:26 either. In the episode "Too Young," we see an aged-down PB rather enamored with the hero.
06:32 This gives a little more strength to the triangle, though we're glad it's one that
06:35 fizzled out quickly enough. "I wish I could stay like this with you, but…" "I, I know, Princess."
06:43 Number 14. Bojack Horseman, Diane Nguyen, and Mr. Peanut Butter. Bojack Horseman.
06:50 "Do I have anything to worry about with you and Diane?" "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"
06:58 The relationships in Bojack are anything but clean cut and satisfying, which is probably why Bojack
07:03 and Diane never end up together. He has a crush on her for a long time, but whether or not it's
07:08 superficial is often a point of discussion among fans. "Admit it! You like my girlfriend!" "Oh,
07:13 come on! I mean, am I attracted to her? Sure. Do my days feel better when I'm around her? Yeah.
07:18 Does she get me in ways no woman ever has? Indubitably." There's also been speculation
07:22 about Diane's feelings, but for the most part, canon doesn't do much to suggest she harbors any
07:27 romantic feelings for her friend. On the other hand, she and Mr. Peanut Butter have a painfully
07:32 realistic relationship that ultimately culminates in divorce. "Yeah, so if it all looks good to you
07:36 and your lawyer, you can sign it too and then it'll be official! Divorce completed!" "Yay!"
07:42 "We did it!" "Take that, our marriage!" While nothing came of this love triangle,
07:48 it's one that hung in the balance for a while.
07:50 Number 13. Miss Martian, Superboy, and Lagoon Boy (Young Justice)
07:56 There are bound to be a few romances that spring up between a bunch of superheroes.
08:00 "Hi, Lagoon. I'm glad your leg's all healed." "Angelfish, you're here!"
08:06 The love triangle between Connor, McGann, and Lagoon is one of the most popular,
08:10 mainly because of Connor and McGann's beginnings. They seem to fight so hard to be together,
08:15 only to wind up having it all come crashing down. "I didn't think you'd try to tamper with my mind.
08:20 Try to make me forget I was upset with you." "Connor, I'm so sorry about that."
08:25 "Sorry you did it? Or sorry you got caught?" Luckily, McGann comes to her senses,
08:30 albeit not in the most favorable of circumstances, and realizes a few things - that she was in the
08:35 wrong, that she was using Lagann as a rebound, and that he deserved better. "You don't see it yet,
08:40 but the hard truth is, we only got together because you made me feel better about myself.
08:46 And that's not a relationship, it's selfishness." This break is what would eventually lead McGann
08:52 and Connor back together, but not without some drama to boot.
08:56 Number 12. Arnold Shortman, Helga Pataki, and Lila Sawyer. Hey Arnold. We all know that Helga
09:03 like-likes Arnold, a lot, but she hides her true feelings by constantly tormenting him while
09:08 adoring him from afar. "Those poems weren't meant to be seen until I'm dead and buried,
09:14 and worms have consumed my flesh. Arnold must never see that last page!
09:22 I'll steal inside his room somehow." "There are ways to find out who wrote those poems,
09:26 Gerald. Just have to be scientific." Unfortunately, her secret affections ended up causing a romantic
09:32 spark between Arnold and the new girl in school, Lila. At first, Lila likes Arnold, but he doesn't
09:37 return her feelings. But then the positions are switched where he like-likes her, but she doesn't
09:42 feel the same, leaving Helga feeling bitterly jealous from the sidelines. "Arnold, that stupid
09:47 football head! And coincidentally, the tortured object of my most hallowed and best affections
09:53 is glued to Lila instead of me! And the worst part is, I did this to myself!
09:59 If only I had left what I wrote on the wall!" It's been speculated that Lila keeps rejecting
10:05 Arnold because she finds out about Helga's true feelings for the football head. It wouldn't be
10:09 until 2017's Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie that Arnold finally forgot about Lila and reciprocated
10:15 Helga's feelings. "Your locket, it woke up my parents! You did it all, just to help me. And...and..."
10:25 Number 11. Beast Boy, Raven, and Terra, Teen Titans franchise. So this dynamic is a lot more
10:38 present in Teen Titans Go than it was in the original series, but shipping knows no error.
10:43 The 2003 series focused mainly on Beast Boy and Terra together, though there were some sprinkles
10:48 of feelings between him and Raven, too. "It's a little late for breakfast, Star. Maybe just some
10:53 herbal tea. Actually, breakfast sounds...nice." Unfortunately, it was canceled before any real
11:01 conclusion with Terra, let alone a relationship with Raven. The reboot, however, has had more
11:06 time to explore both pairings. Raven's feelings are also much less ambiguous than they were in
11:11 the original show. "So what's an attractive, decent-smelling girl doing with Beast Boy?
11:16 I guess I like how trusting he is." Don't get us wrong, Terra's great, but we loved seeing Raven
11:22 and Beast Boy finally become a couple. "Beast Boy, you really put a lot of thought into this."
11:27 "I put all my thoughts in it for you, Ray. Only you." Number 10. Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and
11:33 Kite Man, Harley Quinn. "So yeah, he's a kind, loving, supportive partner. And the only miracle
11:39 here is that you two ghouls somehow raised him. And another thing, he's not lucky to have me.
11:44 I'm lucky to have him." There's absolutely nothing wrong with Kite Man. He's great, if a little
11:50 dorky, and he's a good fit for Ivy. But that's the beauty of this ordeal. It often happens in real
11:55 life that someone is great and a good match for you, but the real, deep feelings aren't there or
11:59 you want different things out of life. "Wow, that was a very specific picture that you painted of
12:04 our future that I had not, I had not totally considered." Unfortunately, in this case, it's
12:09 pretty messy given that Ivy and Kite Man are literally about to get married when everything
12:14 falls apart. Harley's feelings are brought to the forefront, and we see that Ivy is clearly
12:18 suppressing some of her own. "Wait, why can't we do this?" "Because you're my best friend,
12:23 and I can't stand the idea of losing you, you know, I, I…" "Don't have to. We'd be closer
12:28 than we've ever been before." The day of your wedding is probably the worst day to break up,
12:33 but at least it helped Ivy sort out her feelings and gave her some kind of happy ending after all.
12:38 "Don't you want to marry me?" "Of course I do, but you don't. I saw your face during the vows,
12:44 and I knew your heart wasn't in it." Number nine. Tom Sloan, Jane Lane,
12:49 and Daria Morgendorfer. Daria. You'd never expect someone like Daria to fall into the stereotypical
12:54 love triangle drama, until she gets involved with her best friend Jane's boyfriend, Tom.
12:59 At first, Daria didn't care for Tom once he and Jane started dating. Jane leaving her in the dust
13:05 didn't help things either. However, throughout the course of season four, Jane and Tom's
13:09 relationship starts to slowly crumble while he and Daria start growing closer, and tension begins to
13:14 grow between the snarky chums. "Sorry I asked." "Hey, did you know Stalin had Trotsky killed with
13:19 an ice pick to the skull?" "Good thing they didn't put him in a glass coffin." "Anyway,
13:26 Tom, I'll be down the hall whenever you guys are finished with Morg Chat." Fortunately,
13:30 both girls manage to reconcile, and Daria and Tom decide to keep dating, at least until graduation.
13:35 "I really look up to you, and your opinion's important to me." "You look up to me? Huh." "Do
13:40 you think next year I could call you from school, and we can compare notes on our lives in a
13:44 completely non-romantic fashion? You know, like friends?" "Um, yeah. Yeah. That's a good idea.
13:50 Call me. That'll be nice." Not the most compelling boy drama arc, but it did showcase how strong
13:55 Daria and Jane's friendship can be, while also giving Daria a somewhat healthy romance.
14:00 8. Danny Fenton, Sam Manson, and Valerie Gray - Danny Phantom
14:06 Sam has been Danny's best friend for years, and while they can deny their feelings,
14:10 we all knew there was something between them. "Danny, that was awesome!"
14:14 "I guess Ember's spell hasn't quite worn off." "You were never under Ember's spell." Valerie is
14:23 a former popular girl-turned-ghost hunter who hates Danny Phantom, but develops feelings for
14:28 Danny Fenton. Don't you just love irony? "He doesn't have a girlfriend, Valerie." "Mm-hmm,
14:34 right." "What are you talking about?" "You like him." "Uh, hello? He's my best friend." "I'm sure
14:41 he is. But if you like him, I mean, like him, like him, make a move. Because if you don't,
14:48 somebody will." Sam and Valerie end up rivaling over Danny's affections, but Valerie's the one
14:54 to make the first move. She and Danny briefly date for a bit, but she decides that her ghost
14:58 hunting should take priority over getting into a serious relationship. If only she knew she was
15:03 fighting her ex's ghostly half. Naturally, Sam wins the love tug-of-war, and she and Danny get
15:08 together in the end. Who didn't see that coming? "And no matter how this thing ends, this whole
15:13 ride we've been on together, I wouldn't change it for the world. Not one bit." "Me neither. I..."
15:19 Number 7. Duncan, Courtney, and Gwen. Total drama. Despite being polar opposites, Courtney and
15:32 Duncan hit it off in season one and were going strong until near the end of season two, when
15:37 people started pointing out a possible thing between Duncan and Gwen, even though they were
15:41 just friends. "But I'm in the fish cabin with you, aren't I?" During season three, Courtney's
15:48 controlling attitude ended up pushing Duncan away, and he ended up kissing Gwen behind Courtney's
15:52 back. "What happened to your paw?" "This is so stupid, but I have no idea, and I'm so glad you're
15:59 here to mock me about it." "Me too." "Ow. Hey." Lousy timing, considering the two girls had just
16:07 started bonding. Neither side was innocent in this whole mess. Duncan and Gwen betrayed Courtney's
16:12 trust, and Courtney let her paranoia and bossiness drive away those who genuinely cared for her,
16:17 making this little fiasco a perfect example of the hazards of romance on reality TV.
16:22 "Boyfriend, kiss her. I thought she was my friend, but now it's time to diss her. Sure, we had some
16:28 fun times, but I'm not gonna miss her now. Boyfriend, kiss her. You're gonna get what's
16:34 coming to you if it's the last thing I ever do." Number six. Mordecai, Margaret Smith, and Cloudy
16:41 J. Regular show. After years of crushing on Margaret, Mordecai finally starts dating her
16:46 around season four. Unfortunately, they have to cut their relationship short when Margaret leaves
16:51 for college. "I really like your shoes. What would you call those? Dress shoes?" "You look really nice."
16:59 After a while, Mordecai starts dating Cloudy J., a girl he met previously, and things seem better
17:04 for him. "I love it." "I thought that you would." "I guess the thing I had for you must have exploded."
17:11 "That's okay. I got my wish." "What? That you can run faster than me?" "No, for a cute girlfriend that likes me."
17:17 Until Margaret re-enters the picture and things get awkward in the worst possible sense.
17:22 "CJ, I need to tell you-" "Mordecai, just stop. I already know what you're gonna say, so save it."
17:27 "I-" "You don't know who your soulmate is?" "Here. You didn't even point in my direction."
17:37 While Regular Show tends to rely on bizarre humor, its more mature themes really hit close to home,
17:43 including how messy love can actually be. In the end, even though both CJ and Margaret played an
17:49 important part in his life, Mordecai ends up with neither of them. But it doesn't mean he never finds love.
17:55 Number 5. Popeye the Sailor, Bluto, and Olive Oil. Popeye franchise. Unquestionably the oldest romance
18:02 stuck a war on this list is the legendary struggle between Popeye the Sailor and Bluto, or Brutus in
18:07 some media, for the hand of the lovely Olive Oil. While Olive is Popeye's gal, the brutish Bluto will
18:13 try anything to woo her and steal her away from him, even resorting to kidnapping.
18:18 Luckily Popeye almost always remembers a can of his trusty spinach, so that he can
18:28 bop some sense into Bluto and save his fair damsel. "Mercie la lime, you have the date with me."
18:34 "Ooooh, I'm just like butter in your hands." These two have gone at it for decades, though to be honest,
18:53 Olive can be a little fickle when she's not being a damsel in distress, so both sailors might do
18:57 well to find someone who likes them for them. "Popeye dear, I love you best, when will we get married?"
19:04 Number 4. Marinette du Pinchang, Adrienne Agreste, and Luca Cuffin. Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug,
19:21 and Cat Noir. Skipping over the love square that is our protagonists and their superhero identities,
19:27 there are two other prominent love triangles in this show.
19:30 "Are you really in love with Marinette?" "It's complicated."
19:34 "But it's clear you no longer have feelings for me."
19:37 "It's not quite true, my lady. Let's just say my feelings have changed."
19:42 Maybe it's really like a love hexagon when you put it all together, but we digress.
19:46 While Kagami's relationship with Adrienne has been shepherded by their parents' influence,
19:50 there were clearly real feelings on Kagami's part, but Adrienne never quite seemed to reciprocate.
19:55 "You're right Marinette, Adrienne is perfect. He's perfect for you."
20:00 On the other hand, Marinette seemed to develop real feelings for Luca,
20:03 which is why we've picked them as the focus of the entry.
20:06 "What do you think?" "Wow, it's incredible."
20:15 There's a whole arc where she's very much torn between the two boys,
20:19 and let's not even get started on when she falls for Cat Noir.
20:22 Number 3. Korra, Mako, and Asami Sato - The Legend of Korra
20:27 During the first season, Korra originally sets her sights on Mako,
20:30 but he was already dating Asami at the time, which didn't sit right with the newest avatar.
20:35 "Asami, did you know Korra likes Mako?"
20:37 "Oh, uh, no, I wasn't completely aware of that."
20:46 Mako ends up developing feelings for Korra, and he and Asami break things off on good terms.
20:51 The same can't be said for when Korra and Mako break up later.
20:54 "Enough! Look, I have a job to do. I can't constantly be worrying about keeping you
20:59 from making another huge mistake."
21:00 "Well, I have a job to do too, only it seems like you're always standing in the way of me
21:05 getting it done."
21:06 "Well, I guess if we're both putting our jobs first, then I guess I'll have to do it."
21:10 "I'm not sure I'm in the right place for that."
21:12 "Well, I guess if we're both putting our jobs first, maybe there's no room for our relationship."
21:17 It only gets more awkward from there when Korra loses her memory of her and Mako's breakup,
21:22 and they go through that all over again, but this time they leave on peaceful terms.
21:26 Meanwhile, Korra and Asami grow closer as the series progresses,
21:30 and they end up together in the end. It's amazing what kind of twists a love story can take.
21:34 "I could use a vacation."
21:35 "Let's do it. Let's go on a vacation, just the two of us. Anywhere you want."
21:42 "Really? Okay. I've always wanted to see what the spirit world's like."
21:48 "Sounds perfect."
21:50 Number 2. Marco Diaz, Star Butterfly, and Jackie Lynn Thomas.
21:55 Star vs. the Forces of Evil.
21:57 When Marco first met Star, he just saw her as a crazy best friend who turned his life upside down,
22:03 mostly because he was crushing on cool girl Jackie at the time.
22:06 "You alright?"
22:07 "I'm sorry about the... the uh... it just kinda happened."
22:13 "Ah, don't be silly! I just wanted to be down here by the stage so I could feel
22:17 their sweat spraying on my face!"
22:19 However, once he finally starts dating Jackie, he comes to realize that his feelings lie elsewhere,
22:24 with a certain princess who secretly likes him back.
22:27 "The way I feel has just gotten more intense since we first met,
22:30 and it was intense at the start, and I know it's in the way."
22:33 "In the way?"
22:35 Jackie becomes fully aware of Marco's feelings,
22:37 and actually encourages him to pursue them. While Star and Marco being from
22:41 other worlds complicates things, it all works out in the end and the two can finally be together,
22:46 partly thanks to Jackie and one of the healthiest love triangles in animation history.
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23:07 Number 1. Rose Quartz, Greg Universe, and Pearl
23:11 Steven Universe. Way back before Steven was born, Pearl and Greg Universe found themselves
23:16 competing for the love of Rose Quartz, Pearl seeing her as an idol while Greg wanted to
23:20 know Rose as a person. "You don't know anything about Rose." "I know she's super into me."
23:25 "Listen, Mr. Universe, Rose may find you charming, but that's only because you're human.
23:33 You're a novelty, at best."
23:35 Unfortunately, neither side really won in the end. Pearl is left heartbroken and embittered
23:40 when Rose chooses Greg over her, and both are left alone when Rose gives up her life
23:44 to give birth to Steven. "Rose, this is wonderful! I'm just having so much fun
23:50 spending time with you, Rose. Forget about Greg, let's go travel the galaxy!"
23:56 "Pearl, thank you so much for fixing my van!"
24:01 Greg and Pearl may have lost the gem they loved, but they also learned one of the most important
24:05 rules about a love triangle, being able to forgive and let go, especially when they have
24:10 common ground over how much they love both Rose and Steven. "Look, if I were you, I'd hate me too."
24:16 "I don't hate you." "But I knew how you felt about Rose, and I stayed anyway."
24:21 "That wasn't the problem." "Then what was?"
24:23 "She fell in love with you." "Well, you know Rose."
24:28 "She always did what she wanted!"
24:30 Which love triangle frustrated you the most? Let us know in the comments.
24:34 "I'm in tremendous pain!" Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms.
24:41 Mojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
24:47 [Music]