Basic Trope: Two guys compete for a girl's affections, sometimes violently.
- Straight: Marcus and Josh are both interested in Deidre and become antagonistic once both are aware of the other's intentions.
- Exaggerated:
- Murder the Hypotenuse
- Groups of men go at war over Deidre.
- Downplayed: The boys are only mildly antagonistic, and one of them soon finds a new girlfriend.
- Justified:
- Deidre is the only attractive single female of the whole cast.
- The setting is High School. Marcus, Josh and Deidre are all teenagers and lack the necessary maturity for this not to happen.
- Inverted:
- Betty and Veronica
- Marcus and Josh both try to convince each other that Deidre is the right person for them.
- Subverted:
- Deidre settles everything by saying that she isn't interested by either of them.
- Marcus and Josh end up growing attracted to one another and go for the Gay Option.
- Deidre is actually a lesbian, causing Marcus and Josh to respectfully back off.
- Double Subverted
- Not like that makes either of them stop...
- Except that they both eventually realize they were Better As Rivals and go right back to what they originally wanted.
- Either Deidre lied about being a lesbian or Marcus and Josh realize that she's actually bisexual, causing them to go back to fighting.
- Parodied:
- The Cock Fight becomes literal.
- The Cock Fight becomes metaphorically literal.
- Zig Zagged: ???
- Averted:
- Deidre isn't pined for by anyone.
- Everyone within the Love Triangle decides to be in an open relationship. So that way they can both date Deidre.
- Enforced: "Hey guys, we need to show that this girl's worth more than the others. Let's have the two most desirable dudes in the show fight over her!"
- Lampshaded: "Oh God... There they go again!"
- Invoked:Josh: "Alright Marcus, you want Deidre? Well, tough shit, I saw her first."
Marcus: "Yeah? Well she doesn't want you, she wants me. And anyway I'm better for her than you are."
Josh: "You don't deserve her and you won't have her! Over my dead body, got it!?"
Marcus: "I don't give a shit what you say. I love her more than you do and you won't stop me." - Exploited: Juan takes advantage of Marcus and Josh fighting to pitch woo to Deidre without interruptions.
- Defied: "Fighting over a girl? What are we, high school boys?"
- Discussed: "Marcus and Josh are such idiots fighting over you like that, Deidre. When are you gonna sit them down and talk to them about it?"
- Conversed: "Hey, look at those guys, fighting over a chick! I wonder who'll win..."
- Deconstructed: Deidre ends up sick of Marcus and Josh and dumps both of them, thinking that they are nothing but immature manchildren.
Compete over the Main Article and prove your manliness!