History Main / FireWaterJuxtaposition

* Done subtly in ''Film/BladeRunner2049'', where Officer K's earliest memory is him hiding a beloved toy from bullies inside a massive, roaring furnace, and [[spoiler: his last act is [[HeroicSacrifice sustaining mortal injuries]] while saving Rick Deckard from the bad guys]] not only during the [[BattleInTheRain pouring rain]] but lying on the seashore, immersed in ocean waves.

* Used as a plot point in ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', where it's explained that water is a "universal conduit" that can facilitate transportation to Hell and its surrounding realms. In order to reach Hell, which is made of [[FireAndBrimstoneHell fire and brimstone]], a person has to suspend at least part of their body in water while on Earth.

%%Film/TheAdventuresOfSharkboyAndLavagirl

* Well, more like "Lava/Water Juxtaposition" in the case of ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' with experiments Yin (501) and Yang (502). The majority of the episode sets them up that they must never meet or the elemental clash would cause a deadly reaction, but it turns out OppositesAttract and their powers combined can create new landforms. Given that ''Lilo & Stitch'' takes place in Hawaii, this could very well be a reference to the legend of Pele and Na'maka in Hawaiian mythology (see "Mythology and Folklore" above).

* The temperaments of Korra and Mako in the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' are convoluted: Avatar Korra, natively a waterbender, is (initially) brash, pugnacious, and confrontational, more in-line with a hot-headed fire-type person (and possibly related: she picked up Firebending easily, breaking the mold set in the previous show). Her [[spoiler:eventually ex-]] boyfriend Mako, a Firebender, is more cool-headed, nurturing, and has a problem with [[TheDitherer dithering]] (like water's liquidic inability to assume a form), a more water-type personality.

* In ''Film/EscapeRoom'', the first of the Escape Room challenges is a rapidly heating room that eventually burns after the time runs out. The second challenge is a rapidly freezing tundra that eventually induces hypothermia after the time runs out. This is lampshaded by the contestants.

* Any and all literal instances of HailfirePeaks.

* Two of the most prominent evil factions in the ''Videogame/{{Warcraft}}'' franchise embody EvilIsDeathlyCold and EvilIsBurningHot between them; The Scourge is an ice-themed faction of undead whose main base of operations is [[GrimUpNorth the Frozen wasteland of Northrend]], while the Burning Legion is a [[TheLegionsOfHell Legions of Hell]] faction of demons and other chaotic creatures, loosely associated with {{Hellfire}}.

** [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in the Duel Terminal {{Metaplot}}. The [[PlayingWithFire La]][[ProudWarriorRace val]] and [[MakingASplash Gis]][[ReligionOfEvil hki]] monsters are both villains and working together. The best example of this trope though is [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Lavalval_Chain Lavalval Chain.]]

This trope frequently comes into play in {{Four Element Ensemble}}s, when characters' uses of fire-based and water-based [[ElementalPowers abilities]] are used to set them up as {{Foil}}s. Depending on the form that it takes, this trope can be a sub-trope of ElementalPowers (if characters are associated with fire, water or ice through their uses of elemental abilities), EmpathicEnvironment (when changes in the state of the physical world reflects changes in the emotional state of the characters that inhabit it), or even just ElementalMotifs (if the rain and fire are more metaphorical than literal). See also RedOniBlueOni. The Water tends to be a [[WaterIsWomanly woman]] while the Fire is often a man.

* One of the openings of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' featured Bastion Misawa with Water Dragon and a similar fire dragon. However, Water Dragon was the only one of the two to have ever been used in the anime (and the only one of the two to be {{defictionaliz|ation}}ed).
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'' is seen with two of the Admirals: the lazy but righteous [[AnIcePerson Aokiji]] and the ruthless GeneralRipper [[MagmaMan Akainu]].
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', we have [[MakingASplash Kisame]] and Itachi (who can use [[PlayingWithFire Fire techniques]].)
* In ''Manga/{{Gamaran}}'', the BoisterousBruiser Zenmaru specialize in the "Kagutsuchi Kata" (Fire God Form) style, while the much calmer Shinnojo is an expert of the "Mizuchi Kata" (Water Dragon Form).
* In ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'': Kenshin and the Kyoto arc BigBad Shishio Makoto can be considered rivals (both were highly skilled ''hitokiri'' during the Bakumatsu period (1853-1868), and now they're enemies. In their final battle, Kenshin's revamp and secret attack summons forth a fierce squall, while Makoto's special attack and power up are announced by roaring flames.
* Rin Natsuki/Cure Rouge and Karen Minazuki/Cure Aqua from ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5''. The former uses fire elemental magic and is designated as the Cure of Passion. The latter uses water elemental magic and is designated as the Cure of Intelligence. These two characters early on are depicted as rivals that couldn't get along most of the time and hate being one-upped by the other. However, over the first season, they came to an understanding, and the rivalry became less severe.

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', the character Homura (whose name means both 'fire' and 'dawn') experiences her [[MyGreatestFailure greatest failure]] while kneeling in water spilled by a broken pipe. [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht had recently attacked Mitakihara, killing Homura's only friend and leaving the town in ruins.]]
* In ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'', Suzaku (a phoenix) is associated with fire, and has a large fire pit in his shrine. Seiryuu, a dragon, is associated with water, and has a shrine full of waterfalls.

* From ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'', we have Tohru (fire-breathing dragon), and her rival Elma (aquatic dragon).

* The climactic fight scene in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' has a lightning strike starting a brush fire in the Pridelands as Simba returns to Pride Rock and challenges Scar for leadership of the pride. After Scar's defeat, [[FisherKing a rainstorm quenches the fire and symbolically washes away the traces of Scar's destructive regime]].

* Played extremely straight in ''Film/{{The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl}}'', through the obvious differences between Sharkboy (a bitey, angry water-guy) and Lavagirl (the feisty, but caring fire-girl). Although the characters themselves seem like they wouldn't be able to get along (and indeed, [[ElementalRockPaperScissors they are often hurt by each other]]), together they make up for the other's weaknesses.

** The red splotch with the small gold paint blobs on the "[[https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGVjNGFmZTctYzJhMC00YmM3LTllZjAtMGJhYzMzYTU0ZTdmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_.jpg Woman in Chains]]" artwork signify [[FireIsMasculine fire, which is a masculine element]] in western astrology, while the blue swirls signify [[WaterIsWomanly water, a feminine element]]. The song is about the oppression of women in a patriarchal world.

** Orzabal released "Fish Out of Water" as TheDissTrack to Smith after the latter departed from the band. The water imagery in the lyrics alludes to Smith being a Cancer. Smith's AnswerSong is "Sun King", which refers to Orzabal being a Leo (the sun could essentially be described as a giant ball of "fire" fueled by nuclear fusion).

To a fire on the [[UsefulNotes/GuyFawkes 5th of November]]\\

** The red splotch with the small gold paint blobs on the "[[https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGVjNGFmZTctYzJhMC00YmM3LTllZjAtMGJhYzMzYTU0ZTdmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_.jpg Woman in Chains]]" artwork signify fire, which is a masculine element in western astrology, while the blue swirls signify water, a feminine element. The song is about the oppression of women in a patriarchal world.

** Orzabal released "Fish Out of Water" as TheDissTrack to Smith after the latter departed from the band. The water imagery in the lyrics alludes to Smith being a Cancer. Smith's AnswerSong is "Sun King", which refers to Orzabal being a Leo.

* Music/TearsForFears:

** Orzabal released "Fish Out of Water" as TheDissTrack to Smith after the latter departed from the band. Orzabal is passionate about astrology, so the water imagery in the lyrics alludes to Smith being a Cancer, a water element zodiac sign. Smith's AnswerSong is "Sun King", which refers to Orzabal being a Leo, a fire element zodiac sign ruled by the sun (which could essentially be described as a giant ball of "fire" fueled by nuclear fusion).
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwpqNJYp-fw I Love You But I'm Lost]]", a song co-written by Orzabal and Smith, contains both fire and water metaphors.

Where we swam, when I watched you shiver''

** Orzabal released "Fish Out of Water" as a TakeThat song to Smith after the latter departed from the band. Orzabal is passionate about astrology, so the water imagery in the lyrics alludes to Smith being a Cancer, a water element zodiac sign. Smith's AnswerSong is "Sun King", which refers to Orzabal being a Leo, a fire element zodiac sign ruled by the sun (which could essentially be described as a giant ball of "fire" fueled by nuclear fusion).

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

** On ''The Seeds of Love'' album cover, Roland Orzabal's blue suit & umbrella with a fish ornament attached and Curt Smith's gold suit & staff with a sun ornament at the top symbolize the water and fire elements associated with Cancer (Smith's zodiac sign) and Leo (Orzabal's zodiac sign), respectively.
** Roland Orzabal released "Fish Out of Water" as a TakeThat song to Curt Smith after the latter departed from the band. Orzabal is passionate about astrology, so the water imagery in the lyrics alludes to Smith being a Cancer, a water element zodiac sign. Smith's AnswerSong is "Sun King", which refers to Orzabal being a Leo, a fire element zodiac sign ruled by the sun (which could essentially be described as a giant ball of "fire" fueled by nuclear fusion).

** On ''The Seeds of Love'' album cover, Roland Orzabal's blue suit & umbrella with a fish ornament attached and Curt Smith's gold suit & staff with a sun ornament at the top symbolize the water and fire elements associated with Cancer (Smith's zodiac sign) and Leo (Orzabal's zodiac sign).

* Music/TearsForFears' Roland Orzabal released "Fish Out of Water" as a TakeThat song to Curt Smith after the latter departed from the band. Orzabal is passionate about astrology, so the water imagery in the lyrics alludes to Smith being a Cancer, a water element zodiac sign. Smith's AnswerSong is "Sun King", which refers to Orzabal being a Leo, a fire element zodiac sign ruled by the sun (which could essentially be described as a giant ball of "fire" fueled by nuclear fusion).

* One of the openings of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' featured Bastion Misawa with Water Dragon and a similar fire dragon. However, Water Dragon was the only one of the two to have ever been used in the anime (and the only one of the two to be {{Defictionalized}}).

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', the character Homura (whose name means both 'fire' and 'dawn') experiences her [[MyGreatestFailure greatest failure]] while kneeling in water spilled by a broken pipe. [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht had recently attacked Mitakihara, killing Homura's only friend and leaving the town in ruins]].

* This was the basis of [[TropeMaker the first superhero crossover in the history of comics]] back in 1940, when ''Marvel Mystery Comics #9'' had [[ComicBook/SubMariner the Sub-Mariner]] (the Prince of Atlantis) facing off against [[WreathedInFlames the original Human Torch]] in a showdown that was billed as "the ultimate battle of Fire against Water".

* The climactic fight scene in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' has a lightning strike starting a brush fire in the Pridelands as Simba returns to Pride Rock and challenges Scar for leadership of the pride. After Scar's defeat, a rainstorm quenches the fire and symbolically washes away the traces of Scar's destructive regime.

* ''Film/Godzilla2014'': In keeping with Creator/GarethEdwards' stated [[GaiasVengeance "Man vs. Nature"]] theme, and to emphasize just how small and helpless the humans are, one scene shows soldiers firing off tiny-looking flares in front of the massive Franchise/{{Godzilla}}, who is still dripping with many gallons of sea water.
** The tie-in prequel graphic novel ''Godzilla Awakening'' also uses this trope with [[Characters/MonsterVerseGodzilla Godzilla]] and the antagonist [[Characters/MonsterVerseKaiju Shinomura]], lampshaded during the exposition about their backstories. After the Permian-Triassic extinction event caused radiation levels on the Earth's surface to subside, Godzilla retreated to the ocean to feed on underwater geothermal vents, while Shinomura fell through a volcanic vent seemingly into the Earth's mantle to feed there.
* In ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', the two most dramatic murders carried out by [[BigBad Lord Blackwood]] (both of which occur at the midpoint at the movie, just as Blackwood's plan is coming together) employ this trope. First he drowns [[spoiler:Sir Thomas Rotheram]] in his bathtub, then we see him burn [[spoiler:Ambassador Standish]] alive about 15 minutes later.
** It's interesting to note that fire and water here were used as part of the FourElementEnsemble rather instead of direct foils to each other: Blackwood's first murder after his resurrection was burying his accomplice alive and later he planned to gas the entire parliament in the film climax.

* Used for the Triwizard Tournament in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', where the first challenge requires the competitors to face off against four fire-breathing dragons, and the second challenge requires them to swim to the bottom of the Black Lake while battling Merpeople.

* The ''Creator/RobertFrost'' poem "Fire and Ice", published in collection ''Literature/NewHampshire'', in which the speaker contemplates which would be better for the end of the world.

** In ''Bluestar's Prophecy'', the eponymous message she receives from [=StarClan=] compares Bluestar to fire, but warns that even the greatest flames can be extinguished by water. [[spoiler:Bluestar eventually dies from drowning, but survives just long enough to say goodbye to Fireheart (her apprentice) and her [=RiverClan=] children]].
** The character Flametail [[spoiler:dies when he falls through ice and drowns in a lake.]]

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', the mage protagonist is [[DestructiveSavior infamous]] for his fire spells, and it's a sign of his greatly increased power ([[spoiler:and changed worldview as the Winter Knight]]) when he can master ice, the opposite element.
* A minor plot point in ''Literature/GoingPostal''. Golems can survive extreme heat (such as lava) and extreme cold (such as the bottom of the ocean). It turns out that dumping a water tower on a golem in the middle of a burning building is enough to kill it. [[IDieFree Not that it minds.]]

* The first two major villains introduced in ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'' were warring brothers Moltor (fire) and Flurrious (ice).
** Just prior to that, ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'' and its counterpart ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'' had a more complementary version, as the team's mentor was an ice sorceress, and it was eventually revealed that her husband was a fire mage. It can also apply to the water-themed Blue Ranger and her love interests in both versions: in ''Magiranger'' she eventually married the SixthRanger who had ThePowerOfTheSun, while the ''Mystic Force'' version of the character was {{Ship Tease}}d with the Red Ranger, another fire wielder.

* ''Series/SupermanAndLois'': [[spoiler: While Clark's fortress is located in the Arctic, Morgan's is in the desert. Morgan himself acknowledges the contrasts as one of many ways he and Clark are different.]]

* The song "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple is about how the Montreux Casino and the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio burned down on the shores of Lake Geneva.

* In Zoroastrianism, fire and water are both considered agents of divine purification and fundamental to the preservation of life. The duality of the two is so intertwined, fire is considered a manifestation of or derivation from water.

** PlayedWith in the Duel Terminal {{Metaplot}}. The [[PlayingWithFire La]][[ProudWarriorRace val]] and [[MakingASplash Gis]][[ReligionOfEvil hki]] monsters are both villains and working together. The best example of this trope though is [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Lavalval_Chain Lavalval Chain.]]

* In ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'', Hamilton recalls his past in "Hurricane",[[spoiler: using it as his reason for publishing the Reynold's Pamphlet, hurting and humiliating his wife in the process.]] Eliza reacts to this in "Burn".

* [[BadAssPreacher Joshua Graham]] from ''Videogame/FalloutNewVegas'' DLC ''Honest Hearts'' provides the page quote. A Mormon missionary, he inadvertently became the right-hand man of a warlord named Caesar and his Legion. When the Legion failed to win the battle for Hoover Dam, which would have been a critical victory, Caesar decided to [[MakeAnExampleOfThem make an example of Joshua]] to his men, and had him covered in pitch and set on fire, then thrown into the Grand Canyon ([[MadeOfIron he lived]]). The incident re-awakened Joshua's love of God and prompted him to go home and attempt to reconnect with his people. Joshua reflects of his life that he has been baptized twice; once in water (his traditional Mormon baptism) and once in flame (his attempted execution and the spiritual rediscovery it prompted).
** The same juxtaposition is used to contrast Joshua with Daniel, as the two leaders of the Zion tribes. Joshua, who wants to militarize the tribals and drive out their enemies, is met in a torchlit cave; Daniel, who wants to flee the valley instead of fighting, is met outside reading by a waterfall.
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'', the final two members of the Cobras are set up using this trope. First, Snake battles "The Fury", who's perpetually angry, and battles his enemies by burning them with flamethrowers and jet engines. The very next boss battle takes place in a river in the middle of a raging rainstorm, where Snake is pitted against "The Sorrow", who's [[DissonantSerenity eerily calm]], and never even throws a punch at him.

* There is also some sort of rivalry in VideoGame/ManaKhemia2FallOfAlchemy between Whim and Yun, being a [[MakingASplash Water Mana]] and [[PlayingWithFire Fire Mana]] respectively.

* ''[[VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies Plants Vs Zombies 2: It's About Time]]'' introduces the Frostbite Caves, which pits fire-based warming plants and powerups against ice-themed caveman zombies and freezing cold winds.

* Two of the most prominent evil factions in the ''Videogame/{{Warcraft}}'' franchise embody EvilIsDeathlyCold and EvilIsBurningHot between them; The Scourge is an ice-themed faction of undead whose main base of operations is [[GrimUpNorth the Frozen wasteland of Northrend]], while the Burning Legion is a LegionsOfHell faction of demons and other chaotic creatures, loosely associated with {{Hellfire}}.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' gives us [[OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness Organization XIII]], a shadowy cabal of super-powered Nobodies who all draw their powers from different [[ElementalPowers elemental "attributes"]] ([[PlayingWithFire Fire]], [[MakingASplash Water]], [[DishingOutDirt Earth]], [[BlowYouAway Wind]], [[AnIcePerson Ice]], [[ShockAndAwe Lightning]], [[GreenThumb Flower]], [[GravityMaster Moon]], [[TimeMaster Time]], [[SpaceMaster Space]], [[MasterOfIllusion Illusion]], [[BlindedByTheLight Light]] and [[CastingAShadow Nothingness]]). Appropriately, the resident Fire-user Axel and the resident Ice-user Vexen have polar opposite personalities, with Axel being friendly, carefree, down-to-Earth, irreverent, and BrilliantButLazy, and Vexen being cold, arrogant, hardworking and scholarly; and while Axel ultimately does a HeelFaceTurn and joins the heroes, Vexen is one of Xemnas' most loyal servants. Oddly subverted with Axel and the resident Water-user Demyx, who are--if anything--the ''most'' similar in personality.

* In the WebVideo/SandersSides series, [[SmallNameBigEgo Roman]] is associated with Fire and [[EmoTeen Virgil]] is associated with Water. It is obvious the two do not get along, especially since Roman represents Thomas' creativity, courage, ego and bravado, and Virgil actually represents ''the inverse'' of that, which is anxiety, fear, fight-or-flight instinct and sarcasm.

-->'''Jeong Jeong:''' Water brings healing and life. But fire brings only destruction and pain.

** The grande finale also features a rather striking battle between Azula (fire-based powers, destructive, uncontrollable) and Katara (water-based powers, compassionate, in control).

* The tempraments of Korra and Mako in the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' are convoluted: Avatar Korra, natively a waterbender, is (initially) brash, pugnacious, and confrontational, more in-line with a hot-headed fire-type person (and possibly related: she picked up Firebending easily, breaking the mold set in the previous show). Her [[spoiler:eventually ex-]] boyfriend Mako, a Firebender, is more cool-headed, nurturing, and has a problem with [[TheDitherer dithering]] (like water's liquidic inability to assume a form), a more water-type personality.

** There's also the episode "Hitman", which has [[AnIcePerson the Ice King]]--a goofy, fun-loving IneffectualSympatheticVillain--trying to defend Finn and Jake from the overzealous assassin [[PlayingWithFire Scorcher]]--an eerily silent, ruthlessly efficient killer--when he almost accidentally has them murdered becuase he thought a "Hitman" was ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin (ie somebody to come hit them each and nothing more after they beat him up). Notably, this is one of the first episodes of the show in which the Ice King is completely on Finn and Jake's side, and signals the beginning of his CharacterDevelopment into a more sympathetic AntiVillain.