Top 20 Love Triangles in Cartoons

Top 20 Love Triangles in Cartoons

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best love triangles in animated TV shows.

#20: Jay, Matthew & Lola
“Big Mouth” (2017-)

If “Big Mouth” does one thing right, it’s the representation of teenage sexuality. There are a lot of different pairings, all of them fitting in one confusing, crisscrossing shape, but our favorite love triangle has to be that between Jay, Matthew and Lola. In season 4, we saw Jay and Lola get together, which was a weirdly endearing relationship. But, things eventually went south, as they are prone to do in adolescent partnerships, and Jay and Matthew struck up something unexpected. It all came to a head in the season 5 finale when Jay was put in a place where he had to choose between his two love interests. The way his face lit up when he saw Matthew gave us all the answer we needed.

#19: Donatello, April O'Neil & Casey Jones
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (2012-17)

The shipping of April and Donnie has long-since been a thing in the “TMNT” fandom. While most adaptations don’t actually explore anything romantic between the two, April is typically closer with Donnie than with any of the other turtles. The 2012 series dove in head-first, giving Donatello a full-fledged crush on April that went beyond mere comedic value. The boys butted heads a lot over her, although eventually, the show wound up sticking to the canon its predecessors had paved by having Casey and April become an official couple. Even if it wasn’t executed super well, we applaud this series for trying something new with its character dynamics.

#18: Goliath, Demona & Elisa
“Gargoyles” (1994-97)

It’s always difficult when love triangles involve an ex-partner. In this case, it’s really more one-sided as Demona tries her very hardest to make life hell for Goliath and Elisa… and also a lot of other people. With the laundry list of horrible things Demona has done to Goliath, it’s clear why they didn’t get back together despite the love they had for each other in the past. Demona’s persistent attacks are enough to make her the third side to a beautiful relationship that grew and strengthened organically–one that would otherwise not be a triangle at all.

#17: Timmy Turner, Tootie & Trixie Tang
“The Fairly OddParents” (2001-17)

You’re never too young to start your first love triangle, and 10-year-old Timmy Turner finds himself caught in the middle of two possible love interests – Trixie Tang and Tootie. Trixie is the most popular girl in school – so naturally, Timmy desperately pines for her; she’s a bit of a snob, but she does show Timmy that she cares from time-to-time. Tootie is a geeky, lonely little girl who has a major crush on Timmy – which wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t as overenthusiastic… or Icky Vicky’s little sister. There’s been debate over who Timmy should be with, but it became null when both girls became obsolete to the series. However, if you consider the live-action movies canon, Tootie was the clear-cut winner.

#16: Dipper Pines, Wendy Corduroy & Robbie Valentino
“Gravity Falls” (2012-16)

We see you tilting your head and questioning whether this is a true love triangle. While the Dipper/Wendy side goes strictly one way, there are enough moments between the two that had fans wondering whether they maybe would get together eventually. Plus, Robbie obviously sees Dipper as a threat, so maybe it’s not so far-fetched. What’s awesome about this one is how Wendy and Dipper actually get to talk about his crush. We’re sure this helped him move on, and it’s probably what also made him see through the illusion in the finale. As for Robbie… let’s just say we think Wendy made the right decision.

#15: Finn, Princess Bubblegum, & Marceline
“Adventure Time” (2010-18)

True, we could have included Flame Princess somewhere in this mix but she fits in a little less neatly. This dynamic is a bit more satisfying seeing as Princess Bubblegum and Marceline end up together in the end, meanwhile Finn had a massive crush on the former for a few seasons. And it’s not totally one-sided on his part either. In the episode, “Too Young”, we see an aged-down PB rather enamored with the hero. This gives a little more strength to the triangle, though we’re glad it’s one that fizzled out quickly enough.

#14: BoJack Horseman, Diane Nguyen & Mr. Peanutbutter
“BoJack Horseman” (2014-20)

The relationships in “BoJack” are anything but cleancut and satisfying, which is probably why BoJack and Diane never end up together. He has a crush on her for a long time, but whether or not it’s superficial is often a point of discussion among fans. There’s also been speculation about Diane’s feelings but, for the most part, canon doesn’t do much to suggest she harbors any romantic feelings for her friend. On the other hand, she and Mr. Peanutbutter have a painfully realistic relationship that ultimately culminates in divorce. While nothing came of this love triangle it’s one that hung in the balance for awhile.

#13: Miss Martian, Superboy & Lagoon Boy
“Young Justice” (2010-22)

There are bound to be a few romances that spring up between a bunch of superheroes. The triangle between Conner, M’gann, and La’gaan is one of the most popular, mainly because of Conner and M’gann’s beginnings. They seemed to fight so hard to be together, only to wind up having it all come crashing down. Luckily, M’gann comes to her senses–albeit not in the most favorable of circumstances–and realizes a few things: that she was in the wrong, that she was using La’gaan as a rebound, and that he deserved better. This break is what would eventually lead M’gann and Conner back together, but not without some drama to boot.

#12: Arnold Shortman, Helga Pataki & Lila Sawyer
“Hey Arnold!” (1996-2004)

We all know that Helga like-likes Arnold… a LOT, but she hides her true feelings by constantly tormenting him while adoring him from afar. Unfortunately, her secret affections end up causing a romantic spark between Arnold and the new girl in school, Lila. At first, Lila likes Arnold but he doesn’t return her feelings, but then the positions are switched where he like-likes her, but she doesn’t feel the same – leaving Helga feeling bitterly jealous from the sideline. It’s been speculated that Lila keeps rejecting Arnold because she finds out about Helga’s true feelings for the football head. It wouldn’t be until 2017’s “Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie” that Arnold finally forgot about Lila and reciprocated Helga’s feelings.

#11: Beast Boy, Raven & Terra
“Teen Titans” franchise (2003-)

So, this dynamic is a lot more present in “Teen Titans Go!” than it was in the original series, but shipping knows no era. The 2003 series focused mainly on Beast Boy and Terra together, though there were some sprinkles of feelings between him and Raven too. Unfortunately, it was canceled before any real conclusion with Terra, let alone a relationship with Raven. The reboot, however, has had more time to explore both pairings. Raven’s feelings are also much less ambiguous than they were in the original show. Don’t get us wrong, Terra is great, but we loved seeing Raven and Beast Boy finally become a couple.

#10: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy & Kite Man
“Harley Quinn” (2019-)

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Kite Man. He’s great, if a little dorky, and he’s a good fit for Ivy. But that’s the beauty of this ordeal. It often happens in real life that someone is great and a good match for you, but the real deep feelings aren’t there or you want different things out of life. Unfortunately, in this case, it’s pretty messy given that Ivy and Kite Man are literally about to get married when everything falls apart. Harley’s feelings are brought to the forefront and we see that Ivy is clearly suppressing some of her own. The day of your wedding is probably the worst day to break up, but at least it helped Ivy sort out her feelings and gave her some kind of happy ending after all.

#9: Tom Sloane, Jane Lane & Daria Morgendorffer
“Daria” (1997-2002)

You’d never expect someone like Daria to fall into the stereotypical love triangle drama… until she gets involved with her best friend Jane’s boyfriend, Tom. At first, Daria didn’t care for Tom once he and Jane started dating – Jane leaving her in the dust didn’t help things either. However, throughout the course of Season 4, Jane and Tom’s relationship starts to slowly crumble while he and Daria start growing closer – and tension begins to grow between the snarky chums. Fortunately, both girls manage to reconcile, and Daria and Tom decide to keep dating at least until graduation. Not the most compelling boy-drama arc, but it did showcase how strong Daria and Jane’s friendship can be while also giving Daria a somewhat healthy romance.

#8: Danny Fenton, Sam Manson & Valerie Gray
“Danny Phantom” (2004-07)

Sam has been Danny’s best friend for years, and while they can deny their feelings… we all knew there was something between them. Valerie is a former popular girl-turned-ghost hunter who HATES Danny PHANTOM, but develops feelings for Danny FENTON… don’t you just love irony? Sam and Valerie end up rivaling over Danny’s affection, but Valerie’s the one to make the first move. She and Danny briefly date for a bit, but she decides that her ghost hunting should take priority over getting into a serious relationship… If only she knew she was fighting her ex’s ghostly half. Naturally, Sam wins the love tug-of-war and she and Danny get together in the end – who didn’t see that coming?

#7: Duncan, Courtney & Gwen
“Total Drama” (2007-14)

Despite being polar opposites, Courtney and Duncan hit it off in Season One and were going strong until near the end of Season Two when people started pointing out a possible thing between Duncan and Gwen – even though they were JUST FRIENDS. During Season Three, Courtney’s controlling attitude ended up pushing Duncan away and he ended up kissing Gwen behind Courtney’s back – lousy timing considering the two girls had JUST started bonding. Neither side was innocent in this whole mess – Duncan and Gwen betrayed Courtney’s trust, and Courtney let her paranoia and bossiness drive away those who genuinely cared for her –making this little fiasco a perfect example of the hazards of romance on reality TV.

#6: Mordecai, Margaret Smith & Cloudy Jay
“Regular Show” (2010-17)

After years of crushing on Margaret, Mordecai finally starts dating her around season 4. Unfortunately, they have to cut their relationship short when Margaret leaves for college. After a while, Mordecai starts dating Cloudy Jay –a girl he met previously, and things seem better for him… until Margaret re-enters the picture and things get awkward in the worst possible sense. While “Regular Show” tends to rely on bizarre humor, its more mature themes really hit close to home – including how messy love can actually be. In the end, even though both CJ and Margaret played an important part in his life, Mordecai ends up with neither of them… but it doesn’t mean he never finds love.

#5: Popeye the Sailor, Bluto & Olive Oyl
“Popeye” franchise (1960-)

Unquestionably the oldest romance tug-of-war on this list is the legendary struggle between Popeye the Sailor and Bluto – or Brutus in some media – for the hand of the lovely Olive Oyl. While Olive is Popeye’s gal, the brutish Bluto will try anything to woo her and steal her away from him – even resorting to kidnapping. Luckily, Popeye almost always remembers a can of his trusty spinach so that he can bop some sense into Bluto and save his fair damsel. These two have gone at it for decades, though to be honest… Olive can be a little fickle when she’s not being a damsel-in-distress, so both sailors might do well to find someone who likes them for them.

#4: Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste & Luka Couffaine
“Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir” (2015-)

Skipping over the love square that is our protagonists and their superhero identities, there are two other prominent love triangles in this show. Maybe it’s really like a love hexagon when you put it all together, but we digress. While Kagami’s relationship with Adrien has been shepherded by their parents’ influence. There were clearly real feelings on Kagami’s part, but Adrien never quite seemed to reciprocate. On the other hand, Marinette seemed to develop real feelings for Luka, which is why we’ve picked them as the focus of the entry. There’s a whole arc where she’s very much torn between the two boys–and let’s not even get started on when she falls for Cat Noir.

#3: Korra, Mako & Asami Sato
“The Legend of Korra” (2012-14)

During the first season, Korra originally set her sights on Mako, but he was already dating Asami at the time – which didn’t sit right with the newest Avatar. Mako ends up developing feelings for Korra, and he and Asami break things off on good terms… The same can’t be said for when Korra and Mako break up later. It only gets more awkward from there when Korra loses her memory of her and Mako’s breakup and they go through that all over again… but this time they leave on peaceful terms. Meanwhile, Korra and Asami grow closer as the series progresses, and THEY end up together in the end – it’s amazing what kind of twists a love story can take.

#2: Marco Diaz, Star Butterfly & Jackie Lynn Thomas
“Star vs. the Forces of Evil” (2015-19)

When Marco first met Star, he just saw her as a crazy best friend who turned his life upside down – mostly because he was crushing on cool girl Jackie at the time. However, once he finally starts dating Jackie, he comes to realize that his feelings lie elsewhere… with a certain princess who secretly likes him back. Jackie becomes fully aware of Marco’s feelings, and actually encourages him to pursue them. While Star and Marco being from other worlds complicate things, it all works out in the end and the two can finally be together – partly thanks to Jackie in one of the healthiest love triangles in animation history.

#1: Rose Quartz, Greg Universe & Pearl
“Steven Universe” (2013-19)

Way back before Steven was born, Pearl and Greg Universe found themselves competing for the love of Rose Quartz – Pearl seeing her as an idol while Greg wanted to know Rose as a person. Unfortunately, neither side really won in the end – Pearl is left heartbroken and embittered when Rose chooses Greg over her, and both are left alone when Rose gives up her life to give birth to Steven. Greg and Pearl may have lost the gem they loved, but they also learned one of the most important rules about a love triangle – being able to forgive and let go –especially when they have a common ground over how much they love both Rose and Steven.

Which love triangle frustrated you the most? Let us know in the comments.