History Main / TokenRomance

* "Film/SonicTheHedghog22022", as one of the complaints was that the movie featured a wedding subplot that was mostly irrelevant between side characters Rachel and Randall as the latter revealed to be an agent by G.U.N. that was sent to capture Sonic and because of this there was a moment in the movie that feels out of place as Rachel questions if their relationship is real which Randall revealed it was, yet nothing of this has anything to do with the main narrative and is considered padding.

* The romance between Maverick and Charlie in ''Film/TopGun'' could have been completely removed from the film without affecting the plot one whit, and in fact was only added so audiences wouldn't think he was gay. Notably, in the sequel ''Film/TopGunMaverick'', while Maverick and Penny's rekindled romance still has little effect on the main action plot, it ''is'' crucial to Maverick's {{character development}}, and one notable ActionFilmQuietDramaScene in which Penny gives him the will to "get back in the saddle" does ultimately prove crucial to the final mission.

* The romance between Sam and Mikaela/Carly in the ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' movies is one of the main attractions of the movies that doesn't involve Giant Robots and Explosions. When Mikaela is PutOnABus in the third movie, it has little impact on Sam as a character or the plot.

Unfortunately, the romance subplot itself tends to be shallow and underdeveloped, existing only because the audience expects the hero to have a healthy love life. In fact, if the romance was removed entirely, it would barely leave a ripple in the overall plot quality, or even ''improve'' it if the romance was particularly ham-fisted. The love interest is nothing more than a bland, forgettable SatelliteCharacter, and may even be [[DisposableLoveInterest ignored or replaced by another love interest in a sequel]].

* ''Manhua/CyberWeaponZ'' feature a quite blatant example between Park Iro and Anling, since their rather contrived feelings and budding relationship don't really have any use for the plot other than demonstrating Iro's attractiveness or just to...er... give Anling more bearing to the story??

Meanwhile, more cynical voices will claim that the romance is merely there to make absolutely sure that audience knows what canon sexuality the given character has. Homo-, bi-, and asexuality still remain somewhat controversial subjects in this day and age, so establishing that a character is in a relationship with someone of the opposite or same sex through a throwaway line or brief interaction with that special someone, is sometimes used as a relatively quick way to said sexuality, even if the effect is often that it just comes across as a more roundabout way of enforcing HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (or more rarely HaveIMentionedIAmGay), and thereby avoid alienating (or in some cases directly appeal to) certain demographics.

Meanwhile, more cynical voices will claim that the romance is merely there to make absolutely sure that audience knows what canon sexuality the given character has. Homo-, bi-, and asexuality still remain somewhat controversial subjects in this day and age, so establishing that a character is in a relationship with someone of the opposite or same sex through a throwaway line or brief interaction with that special someone, is sometimes used as a relatively quick way to establish their canon sexuality, even if the effect is often that it just comes across as a more roundabout way of enforcing HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (or more rarely HaveIMentionedIAmGay), and thereby avoid alienating (or in some cases directly appeal to) certain demographics.

Meanwhile, more cynical voices will claim that the romance is merely there to make absolutely sure that audience knows what canon sexuality the given character has. Homo-, bi-, and asexuality still remain somewhat controversial subjects in this day and age, so quickly establishing that a character is in a relationship with someone of the opposite or same sex is sometimes used as a method of establishing their canon sexuality, even if it the effect is often that it just comes across as a more roundabout way of enforcing HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (or more rarely HaveIMentionedIAmGay), and thereby avoid alienating (or in some cases directly appeal to) certain demographics.

Meanwhile, more cynical voices will claim that the romance is merely there to make absolutely sure that audience knows what canon sexuality the given character has. Homo-, bi-, and asexuality still remain somewhat controversial subjects in this day and age, so establishing that a character is in a relationship with the opposite or same sex is sometimes used as a more roundabout way of enforcing HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (or more rarely HaveIMentionedIAmGay) and thereby avoid alienating (or in some cases directly appeal to) certain demographics.

** The Original Trilogy (IV - VI) plays it straight with Han and Leia's relationship (although it's generally considered an uncommon example of this done well). They're both main characters, but their romance never has much affect on the main plot about fighting against the empire. When Leia helps [[DistressedDude save Han]] from Jabba in ''Return of the Jedi'' there is a "saving your love interest" background, but if they had just been friends or at least allies this wouldn't have changed anything. Even later when there is implied that Han is [[TwoGuysAndAGirl jealous of Luke]] because of his bond with Leia, this doesn't cause any real conflict between the three and the love triangle is [[LongLostRelative easily resolved]] later on anyway. The classic ExpandedUniverse went on to devote a lot more screentime to their relationship and its ups and downs, including having it very nearly fall apart a couple of times. ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' [[OffScreenBreakup avoids the question completely]], although at the same time it [[SubvertedTrope makes their romance important to the plot]], as their son is revealed to be [[spoiler: Kylo Ren, one of the main villains]].

Meanwhile, more cynical voices will claim that the romance is merely there to make absolutely sure that audience knows what canon sexuality the given character has. Homo-, bi-, amd asexuality still remain somewhat controversial subjects in this day and age, so establishing that a character is in a relationship with the opposite or same sex is sometimes used as a more roundabout way of enforcing HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday (or more rarely HaveIMentionedIAmGay) and thereby avoid alienating (or in some cases directly appeal to) certain demographics.

* The most contrived BackStory in ''ComicBook/XMen'' history[[note]]The majority of Storm's blood family in Africa didn't let her know they existed because they were afraid of the patriarch -- a dictator Storm could've gotten rid of in all of two seconds without even calling in the rest of the X-Men[[/note]] was created so that Storm could leave the X-Men, go to Wakanda, and marry the Black Panther. This was a case of ExecutiveMeddling, as the ComicBook/BlackPanther title was written by the owner of BET, and it was his opinion that the two most powerful and high profile black characters in Franchise/MarvelComics should become [[TokenMinorityCouple the Flagship Pairing for black characters]]. The fans did not receive it terribly well, so Marvel had their marriage annulled during ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen''.

%%** ''War of the Worlds'' (1953)

%%** ''Film/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'' (1959)
%%** ''The Lost World'' (more than one version)