History Main / ThreePlusTwo

[[spoiler:That equals [[CaptainObvious 5]].]]

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'' was like this in the middle of its run, with the main power trio functioning as TheHero, TheLancer, and TheChick, going in birth order, while Leo and Cole were TheSmartGuy and TheBigGuy respectively.

* Quite common in various configurations of the JusticeLeagueOfAmerica. Franchise/{{Batman}}, Franchise/{{Superman}}, and Franchise/WonderWoman generally form a PowerTrio, often called The Trinity or The Big Three, while Franchise/TheFlash and Franchise/GreenLantern usually take on the role of ThoseTwoGuys.

** The initial release of VideoGame/SonicMania featured the series' iconic PowerTrio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles as playable characters, with [[VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel]] slated to join them in an update set to release on July 17th, 2018.

** This trope was played straight (for once) in ''HugttoPrettyCure''.

** The initial release of VideoGame/SonicMania featured the series' iconic PowerTrio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, with [[VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel]] slated to join them in an update set to release on July 17th, 2018.

** ''[[Series/UchuSentaiKyuranger Kyuranger]]'': Oddly enough, this time the team starts out with Chameleon Green, Oushii Black, and Kajiki Yellow, and gains Shishi Red and Ookami Blue[[note]]In all prior Sentai series, Red and Blue are part of the team at the beginning; in ''Kyuranger'', Lucky and Garu, the team's blue rangers, are discovered by Hami, Champ, and Spada - the team's Green, Black, and Yellow rangers - before the former 2 become Kyurangers[[/note]] by the end of the first episode. Following ''[=Go-onger=]'' and ''[=Go-Busters=]'' above, the next two to join the team are Gold and Silver (Tenbin Gold and Hebitsukai Silver), and after that, Sasori Orange and Washi Pink joined the team separately. After that, the team gains Ryu Commander and Ooguma Skyblue.

[[spoiler:That equals [[CaptainObvious 5]]]].

* The Story Mode for ''[[VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight]]'' has the Fafnir and his best friend Flavio meet up with Princess Arianna as her bodyguards to make up a party of three, and they later meet the duo of Bertrand and Chloe while exploring Ginnungagap.

* ''WesternAnimation/Lolirock'' focuses on Iris, Talia, and Auriana, but starting in season 2, they are sometimes joined by Carissa and Lyna.

* ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'': In the latter half of the game, with a case of Three Plus ''Three'', as the Defenders of Earth show up and join the party.

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' starts you out with Alistair (TheSmartGuy and TheLancer, and the Superego), [[BlackMagicianGirl Morrigan]] (TheLancer and TheChick, and the Id), and the [[PlayerCharacter Warden]] (TheHero and the Ego); then adds [[JeanneDArchetype Leliana]] (much more of TheChick) and Sten (TheBigGuy) in the first town. You get even more characters later, but Alistair, Morrigan and the Warden are always the most important party members to the story, [[spoiler:at least until you can recruit Loghain]].

!!Examples

[[folder:Film]]

* {{Dracula}}, the FrankensteinMonster and a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]] are generally the esential trio of the MonsterMash, some films add TheMummy and the Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon, one of the most well-known examples is ''Film/TheMonsterSquad''.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

** Agatha, Gil and Tarvek - a LoveTriangle, crossed with WeUsedToBeFriends for Gil and Tarvek, with all three being extremely powerful [[MadScientist Sparks]] - Zeetha and Violetta lack the mad science aspect, and lean towards being sidekicks in the more science-heavy arcs.
** Agatha, Zeetha and Violetta - BeautyBrainsAndBrawn with a twist - in Zeetha's words, ''"'''You've''' got the brains, '''I've''' got the muscle, Violetta's got the '''sneaky!'''"'' In the current story arc, they're the only three of the five to actually still be together - Gil and Tarvek are elsewhere, and occasionally [[spoiler:else''when'']].

* {{Dracula}}, the FrankensteinMonster and a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]] are generally the esential trio of the MonsterMash, some films add TheMummy and the ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon'', one of the most well-known examples is ''Film/TheMonsterSquad''.

* {{Dracula}}, the FrankensteinMonster and a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]] are generally the esential trio of the MonsterMash, some films add TheMummy and the ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon'', one of the most well-known examples is ''Film/TheMonterSquad''.

* The Eeveelutions from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', not counting Eevee itself from Gen II to Gen III. Interestingly enough they had Sentai like colors attached to them also. The Trio of Flareon (Red) Vaporeon (Blue) Jolteon (Yellow) plus the duo of Espeon (Pinkish Purple) and Umbreon (Black). Now they're more of a 3 + 2 + 2 with Leafeon (Green) and Glaceon (Whitish Blue). Fans anticipate that number continuing to grow until it reaches 17 in total. In Gen VI you get another addition with Sylveon (Pink).

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' uses this trope, especially in WholeEpisodeFlashback that discusses how they met. You have two (Mal and Zoe, old friends) plus three (Wash, Jayne, and Kaylee, who join the crew). But later, they add four more (Inara, Simon, River, and Book) who aren't really part of the crew.

* ''Series/Firefly'' uses this trope, especially in WholeEpisodeFlashback that discusses how they met. You have two (Mal and Zoe, old friends) plus three (Wash, Jayne, and Kaylee, who join the crew). But later, they add four more (Inara, Simon, River, and Book) who aren't really part of the crew.

* In ''Literature/Worm'', the Undersiders fit this mold once [[spoiler:Taylor]] joins. She, Grue, and Tattletale not only handle most of the planning, but interact more frequently with one another in their everyday lives than Bitch or Regent do with the others or one another. This dynamic gets more complicated over time, due to [[spoiler:Taylor]] and Bitch becoming friends, and due to [[spoiler:Imp (Grue's little sister and later a romantic interest for Regent) joining the team]].

[[spoiler:That equals [[CaptainObvious 5]].]]

** ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'' was previously a Three Plus One show, and for a while, fan theories have spread like wildfire as to whether there would be a fifth. [[spoiler:It becomes Four Plus Two, because of Westar and Soular's HeelFaceTurn.]]

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] and [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-Zagged]] in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' which starts off with Madoka, Sayaka, and Mami as the trio, and there is one DarkMagicalGirl named Homura around. They remained like that until [[spoiler:Mami dies]] and a new MagicalGirl named Kyoko shows up. Sayaka and Kyoko hate each other the minute they meet making any chances they have at teaming up slim and then nothing after [[spoiler:they both die.]] All hopes seems lost for this trope until we learned that [[spoiler:Homura has been resetting the timeline. The original trio has been different with each new timeline, though there is at least one timeline where this trope was played straight but was quickly ended after Mami had a FreakOut over the AwfulTruth and killed Kyoko before she herself was killed.]] By the end of the series the trope is ultimately [[spoiler:averted because Madoka would AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and Sayaka is the only one who stayed dead making any chance for this trope to happen impossible.]]

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', the '70s trio of Charles, Logan, and Hank are joined by Peter, then Erik. [[spoiler: Subverted in that Peter is PutOnABus almost immediately after rescuing Erik, and then Erik reassumes his BigBad position.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' 3 has new cast members [[TheSmartGuy Alph]], [[TheChick Brittany]], and [[TheBigGuy Charlie]] joined by returning characters [[spoiler:[[TheHero Olimar]] and [[TheLancer Louie]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' jumps back and forth. It starts off with Ulrich, Yumi, and Odd as the only action heroes ([[DamselInDistress Aelita]] has no attacks and Jérémie is MissionControl). Then in season 3, Aelita [[TookALevelInBadass Takes a Level in Badass]], and later on the team picks up [[SixthRanger William]]. [[spoiler:For about half of an episode anyway, before he gets semi-permanently possessed by XANA.]]

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': The series started with the 'Original Team Arrow' of [[{{TheHero}} Oliver]], [[{{TheLancer}} Diggle]] and [[{{TheSmartGuy}} Feliciy]]. From the second half of Season 2 several others characters join the team, starting with [[{{TheBigGuy}} Roy]] and [[{{TheChick}} Sa]][[{{ActionGirl}} ra]] joining the team and by the end of Season 3 they've left and been replaced by [[{{TookALevelInBadass}} Thea]] and [[{{TheTeamWannabe}} Laurel]], respectively. However the central trio are still much closer.