Sci-Fi in Love

There are all kinds of love, but few are as intriguing as the epic, space faring, super power having, sci-fi kind of love. In honor of that trouble maker Cupid, here's a look at some of my favorite couples form another plane of existence. A list so sweet, I couldn't limit it to five.

Princess Leia Organa & Han Solo from Star Wars: Who didn't melt, just a little, when Leia said "I love you" and Han replied with "I know"? He may be a half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder, but he's also quite the smoothie. At times adversarial and cynical, they were also supportive and completely comfortable with each other. Plus? Not related!

Zoe Alleyne Washburne & Hoban "Wash" Washburne from Firefly and Serenity: They are opposites of the same coin. A "warrior woman" and a jokester pilot who has a penchant for plastic dinosaurs. In addition to being one of the few interracial couples on TV, they were also happily married, sexually active, not the core characters, they related to each other and worked together in the way I think we would all like to. Well, before the spike in the chest (Damn you, Whedon!).

Leeloo Minai Lekatariba Lamin-atchai Ekbat Desebat AKA Leeloo & Korben Dallas from The Fifth Element: The perfect being and a taxi driver seem like an unlikely pair at first. But despite an initial language barrier, they communicate remarkably well. Well enough that Korben can teach her that love is worth living for...and, thank goodness, saving the planet for. Also, hot love is worth putting the president on hold for.

Hellboy & Liz Sherman from Hellboy: 'Love is blind' is a cliche that gets tossed around quite a bit. However, in the case of Liz - who overlooks her boyfriend's fire engine red skin, horns, yellow eyes, tail and rock like hand - it's pretty accurate. Of course, Hellboy promises he'll always look that good...and will never give up on her. Who can resist that?

Captain John Sheriden & Delenn of Mir from Babylon 5: From the moment she watched him sleep for several nights in a row, in order to see his true face to the moment she came out of seclusion in her waning years and walked onto an ISN show to defend him long after his death - Delenn was never less then completely devoted to John. But for awhile, it seemed like John might be just as devoted to the station itself. At least, that seemed possible until his first death on Z'ha'dum, where Lorien tried to convince him to go into the light, so to speak, and John could let go of everything else in the world of the living, but he could not let go of Delenn. So much so, the Lorien brought him back to life.

Lindsey Brigman & Virgil "Bud" Brigman from The Abyss: Sure, through most of the movie they were teetering on the edge of an ugly divorce. But, when push came to shove, they pushed and pulled each other from across the darkest expanse because they couldn't imagine life with out the other. And if Bud's reaction to Lindsey's drowning or Lindsey's struggling with the realization that he always knew it was "a one way trip" doesn't make your eyes a little wet - you're stronger than I!

Honorable Mention:
William H. Riker & Deanna Troi From Star Trek: They may not have steamed up the sets, but they did often refer to each other as "imzadi". Calling your partner "beloved" is hot - in any language.

What couples do you think were the best of the genre? What about the worst? And what about all those unrequited loves out there in the inky black of space?

Comments

How about
John Crichton & Aeryn Sun

Don | Feb 14, 2008 9:29:04 AM | #

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I think you hit most of them. I would add Sarah Conner and John Reese into the mix though.

Sean | Feb 14, 2008 10:05:30 AM | #

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Capt. Kirk and the Enterprise.

Buzz | Feb 14, 2008 10:08:12 AM | #

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I agree with John & Aeryn. Best would be couples, for me Sam and Jack, Daniel & Vala form Stargate. Apollo & Starbuck from BSG too.
Worst for me was when they paired Worf with Deanna Troi, I seriously thought the writers had lost the plot.

denise | Feb 14, 2008 10:18:25 AM | #

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Han and Leia! Yay!

OK, this isn't an actual couple in the television/movie incarnation, but I have always been intrigued by the FanFic pairing of River and Jayne (a.k.a. Rayne) in Firefly FanFic. I know, may purist Browncoats would disagree, but I definitely like!

Andrea C | Feb 14, 2008 10:46:22 AM | #

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Mulder and Scully. Oh yeah.

Will | Feb 14, 2008 11:16:18 AM | #

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Will- I hated Mulder and Scull together. Once they hooked up, the show went into a tailspin. I hope they are broken up for the second movie.

Another one that might have been overlooked from the Star Trek universe is Data and Tasha Yar. Nothing like some good ole Android lovin'!

Sean | Feb 14, 2008 12:42:14 PM | #

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I absolutely have to agree with Han and Leia, Zoe and Wash, Sam and O'Neal, Apollo and Starbuck. But, my all time favorite would have to be Crighton and Aeryn. I've never seen on-screen chemistry like that.

Brandi | Feb 14, 2008 3:03:45 PM | #

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Han and Leia were the "original ship". They were the couple everyone can agree on.

Don't forget about Neo & Trinity from the Matrix!

Alex | Feb 14, 2008 3:44:00 PM | #

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I have to add my vote for John and Aeryn. Almost always when the two main characters give in to their atraction the show goes downhill from there. On FARSCAPE it just got better if that were possible.

ChrisG | Feb 14, 2008 3:49:08 PM | #

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I'd add Sun and Jin from Lost.

Rishi | Feb 14, 2008 6:51:45 PM | #

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New favorite 'ship: Jack and Ianto from Torchwood.

Overlooked standard pairing: John and Aeryn from Farscape.

To Andrea C: Down with Rayne! Mal/River forever!

If Buffy counts as sci-fi, then Buffy/Angel, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

Kate | Feb 14, 2008 11:57:41 PM | #

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Definitely John Crichton and Aeryn Sun, Those two melted the screen!

liz | Feb 15, 2008 7:48:26 AM | #

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It was ever so brief, but I kind of dug Spike and Buffy, especially when Spike was so dejected afterwards ... *sniffle*

Hanh (fellow Zap2it blogger) | Feb 15, 2008 11:41:39 AM | #

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I always rooted for Fry when he pined for Leela in Futurama.
Can we dip into comic books? Colossus and Kitty Pryde were/are one of my favorite couples in any genre or medium.

Billiam | Feb 15, 2008 3:31:54 PM | #

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Farscape's John and Aeryn by far. They were an amazing couple. I've never seen chemistry like that on any other show, sci-fi or otherwise.

And I don't know if it's technically sci-fi, but Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain's Lois and Clark were also a favorite of mine.

KD | Feb 16, 2008 11:10:05 AM | #

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How did John Crichton & Aeryn Sun not make this list?

Amy Lynne | Feb 16, 2008 5:18:13 PM | #

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I love Han and Leia, but nothing was as hot as Mulder and Scully for pure chemistry. Their hooking up didn't happen on screen, and that wasn't the cause of the show going into a tailspin. Years of overwork and sheer fatigue on the part of all the people involved in the show plus a poor replacement for Mulder and a weak female lead meant to replace Scully were the cause of the end of X-Files.

Bettye | Feb 17, 2008 12:37:52 AM | #

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I agree with others that John & Aeryn and Mulder & Scully ought to be included even if you didn't find them fascinating, because these relationships (professional and personal) drove FS and XF over many seasons and never bored. I was delighted to see Sheridan and Delynn included. (I'll talk about B5 anytime.)

maryignatius | Feb 17, 2008 2:35:21 PM | #

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Uh, hello? John & Aeryn. Farscape was their love story - the creator said as much in interviews.

Starbuck and Apollo would also be on my list. They're meant to be together, even if they can't ever make it work. So is life.

Angie | Feb 17, 2008 9:48:08 PM | #

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Captain Kirk & Captain Kirk

Jules | Feb 18, 2008 8:56:20 AM | #

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Ok, Worf and Deanna might have been disturbing, but Worf and Jadzia Dax were awesome.

Ryan (Khan Temujin) | Feb 18, 2008 1:34:16 PM | #

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For posterity, since I just saw this now. I'd have to say no Sci-Fi list is complete without, from Firefly, Mal and Serenity.

The episode where we see how much he loves his ship, and came to love it, was one of the best episodes of sci-fi tv I've ever watched. And it was really great alleghory for how much both Nathan Fillion and Joss Whedon loved their show and it's main charachters, the Captain and his ship.

sac | Feb 25, 2008 7:33:30 AM | #

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Oh, I don't have another couple to add. I just thought it was too funny when you wrote "Well, before the spike in the chest (Damn you, Whedon!)."... Because I totally agree! A total useless death!

| Apr 7, 2008 10:35:07 PM | #

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