Tropedia

  • Before making a single edit, Tropedia EXPECTS our site policy and manual of style to be followed. Failure to do so may result in deletion of contributions and blocks of users who refuse to learn to do so. Our policies can be reviewed here.
  • All images MUST now have proper attribution, those who neglect to assign at least the "fair use" licensing to an image may have it deleted. All new pages should use the preloadable templates feature on the edit page to add the appropriate basic page markup. Pages that don't do this will be subject to deletion, with or without explanation.
  • All new trope pages will be made with the "Trope Workshop" found on the "Troper Tools" menu and worked on until they have at least three examples. The Trope workshop specific templates can then be removed and it will be regarded as a regular trope page after being moved to the Main namespace. THIS SHOULD BE WORKING NOW, REPORT ANY ISSUES TO Janna2000, SelfCloak or RRabbit42. DON'T MAKE PAGES MANUALLY UNLESS A TEMPLATE IS BROKEN, AND REPORT IT THAT IS THE CASE. PAGES WILL BE DELETED OTHERWISE IF THEY ARE MISSING BASIC MARKUP.

READ MORE

Tropedia
Register
Advertisement
WikEd fancyquotesQuotesBug-silkHeadscratchersIcons-mini-icon extensionPlaying WithUseful NotesMagnifierAnalysisPhoto linkImage LinksHaiku-wide-iconHaikuLaconic
Cquote1
"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."
Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice
Cquote2


Love is a funny thing. Sometimes, we feel the strong need to keep our love secret from the object of our affection, for various reasons. They could still be attached, they may consider us a "best friend" and we don't want to endanger it, or maybe we just haven't come to terms with our feelings. The attempts that we have already made were all suddenly interrupted. When we finally confess, it's like pulling our own teeth.

These kinds of confessions and proposals have a low success rate. When they come halfway through a work, they must usually be repeated again at the climax so that they can be accepted. Thank God there are extraneous factors that force us to shout our love to the heavens after we've been pushed around. Otherwise, how would romance work?

Anguished Declarations Of Love are gender neutral in terms of occurrence but have a different flavour whether proponent is male or female: a male proponent will often be aggressive and reproachful in his confession, especially if his target of affection doesn't react the way he expects them to, in which case he may demand to be loved back. If the answer is positive, Manly Tears of Joy are never far. A female proponent is often much more subdued in her confession and will admit her feelings sheepishly but a lash out isn't unheard of. Expect said lash out to be rather teary, even heart-wrenching if done well.


Be warned: point of death confessions of undying love all too often turn out not to be. There is a very real possibility you will live to face the consequences of your confession. This may be a Good Thing or a Bad Thing. Depending on the work in question, might be a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming or possibly Funny if done correctly.

Beware! MANY spoilers, either marked or unmarked.

Examples of Anguished Declaration of Love include:


Anime and Manga[]

Cquote1

  Nanami: (to Touga) "Because I love you! BECAUSE I LOVE YOU BIG BROTHER!"

Cquote2
  • The ending of Love Hina Again! The amount of interference (including, but not limited to, rocket-launchers, exploding buildings, Functional Magic, Latex Perfection bodysuits, mecha-turtle invaders, and the immediate threat of losing Keitaro to his adopted sister who'll go to any length, legal or not, to get him) required to make Naru fess up about her true feelings, cannot fail to amaze...
    • Then again, it's the same thing as in that manga arc in Chapter 100-105.
  • After spending approximately fifteen episodes of Mai-HiME following Yuuichi around like a hawk, Shiho finally confesses that she really loves him. Of course, he's asleep at the time...and she's still angry at Mai because she thinks he likes her better...
    • Presumably done by Mai to Yuuichi as he lies dying. I say presumably because at that point he is too far gone to actually hear what she's saying, although we can see her lips move.
  • Mazinger Z: At one of the last episodes Sayaka was holding a wound Kouji in her arms, and thinking he was dead, she cried out she loved him. Then she found out he was just prentending being dead, and she decided to kill him for real.
    • And in the second chapter of Shin Mazinger Zero she falteringly uttered she loved Kouji shortly before dying.
  • At the end of the Ranma ½ manga, Ranma cries out his love for Akane in desperation because he thinks she has died. Whether it was an internal declaration or a vocal proclamation is up to the reader, but apparently Akane heard it loud and clear.
  • There's a similar scene in Inuyasha as well, in which Inuyasha and Myouga see what they think are the departing souls of Kagome and Shippo (actually alive and well, just surrounded by protective foxfire), and Inuyasha blurts out more than he intended before he realizes that they're alive.
  • Happens frequently in Hinako Takanaga's Boys Love manga:
    • In one chapter of The Tyrant Falls in Love, Morinaga and Souichi get into an argument on whether Morinaga should continue staying at Souichi's place to keep a lookout for the stalker or move to another place for his safety. In exasperation, Souichi yells that he'd rather be hurt than have things precious to him be hurt. His declaration isn't explicit enough to completely resolve the "does he like him back or not" issue, but judging from Morinaga's stunned face and Souichi's "My God, what did I just blurt out?" expression, it's a tad more revealing than he intended.
    • In Little Butterfly, outcast Nakahara is surprised when cheerful classmate Kojima is friendly to him, but agrees to become friends. When his feelings of friendship deepen into love he makes an angsty declaration to Kojima, fearing rejection and saying that they probably shouldn't see each other any more. Kojima does accept his feelings, saying he thinks he might love him back, and says they can still be friends...but only on the grounds that Nakahara doesn't do anything "weird" until he's sure he loves him.
    • In Awkward Silence baseball ace Tamiya asks out the shy artist Toono, but becomes more and more distressed as he takes Toono's natural emotionless appearance as a sign his feelings are unrequited. This leads to Toono having to declare his love in turn to convince Tamiya that the relationship is truly wanted.
  • Domon Kasshu of G Gundam managed to turn one of these, addressed to his kidnapped and brainwashed love interest, Rain Mikamura into the lead-in to a Finishing Move. And it was BLOODY AWESOME.
    • The finishing move, as it turns around into a combination attack that defeats the Devil Gundam by putting a great big heart-shaped hole right through it.
    • Allenby herself does this, but only Rain gets to hear it during their Designated Girl Fight. And in a variation, Allenby herself is Brainwashed and Crazy during it, and mostly expressed her love for Domon when Rain mentions him during the fight while trying to calm her down.
  • In Gravitation, even though Shuichi has already made it very clear that he's madly in love with Yuki, he spectatularly tops his previous assertions by screaming at the top of his lungs, "Yuki is mine!" In the middle of a concert. While surrounded by tons of fans. And with Yuki nearby, but accompanying his fiancee Ayaka. Yuki thinks he's a moron, but can't help but smile.
  • Katou does this several times, in dramatic fashion complete with tears, in the Boys Love series Haru wo Daiteita.
  • Several examples in Naruto:
    • When Sasuke sets out to betray the village, Sakura confesses her love for him and tells him that she is willing to leave with him and betray the village just so they can stay together. His response is "you're annoying", followed by a "thank you", followed by whacking her on the back of the neck and rendering her unconscious. Even today, years after this happened, people are still not entirely sure what he meant by that; it's an Ironic Echo of a conversation that moments before he denied remembering, and he later carries her to a park bench instead of just leaving her to lie on the ground. This suggests he wasn't being completely cruel to her, but was stopping her from taking his dark path. Back then. He ultimately returns to the side of good, and he and Sakura even have a daughter, but their relationship isn't exactly stable until much later.
    • In the series' Darkest Hour Hinata Takes the Bullet for Naruto, after a fashion, and leaps into a hopeless situation just to buy him time. When he asks her why, she confesses her love for him with this grand speech that starts with "Your smile saved me!" and goes from there. Then she gets stabbed in the neck (or, in the anime, first severely beaten and THEN stabbed in the neck) before one can hear his response. He gives her a reply in The Last movie — his own Love Confession, which is just as epic, if not more. They're Happily Married later.
    • Sai gives one of these to Sakura on Naruto's behalf, explaining his feelings for her. Sakura rushes to Naruto to tell him that she loves him now. Except she doesn't really mean romantic love: she just wants him to stop suffering because of the promise he made to her about bringing Sasuke back to Konoha. Naruto realizes it and rejects her, saying that he doesn't like it when people lie that way and that he has his own reasons to keep figthing Sasuke.
    • Rin to Kakashi near the end of Kakashi Gaiden. He responds that he doesn't deserve her for abandoning her, but he will protect her as Obito, who secretly loved her, would.
  • Maison Ikkoku. You can always count on wishy-washy Godai to to wait until the last minute to make his feelings known. As with Real Life, unless there's lots of alcohol involved.
  • This is the first climax of the main romantic plot in Fruits Basket. After both characters have accepted their own feelings towards the other but both fearing rejection, Kyou confesses to Tohru that he was there when her mother was hit by the car, that he didn't grab her because he would transform into a cat and that her mother said she would never forgive him. He gives the choice to either forgive him or not and she takes the third option declaring:
Cquote1

 Tohru: I don't think my mother said such things to you. But if she did, I have to go against her! Because this is just me. Don't you understand? I love you, Kyou!

Cquote2
    • Then straight after that she gets to make Akito pull a Heel-Face Turn and falls off a cliff afterwards, tells the anguished Kyo to go on without her... and he gives her his own ADOL through a kiss (she's unconscious by then). Things get better later, fortunately.
  • In Gantz, Kei Kishimoto confesses her love for Kato right at the moment when she takes a lethal blow for him, dying right after. Anzu does this for Kato as well, also right before she dies. Yeesh, Kato isn't very lucky when it comes to love confessions, is he?
    • Is there anyone in Gantz who does have luck with this sort of thing? Kurono had Sakuraoka die on him, and had to unsuccessfully try to defend against half the Gantz team to save Tae. Even Reika went the Yandere route by cloning him and admiting to some desperate love.
  • Genkaku from Deadman Wonderland confesses to Nagi during his If I Can't Have You moment where he kills him that he "loved him." Love confession gone very wrong.
  • In Given, Akihiko suddenly and angrily confesses that he changed to become worthy of Haruki's love, leaving the latter shocked
  • Gauron from Full Metal Panic, five seconds before trying to get his Humongous Mecha to self destruct and have a double suicide with Sousuke, yells out, "I LOVE YOU KASHIM!" Sousuke is not amused.
    • Tessa also directly confesses her love for Sousuke in The Second Raid OVA. He misunderstands it brilliantly, in typical Sousuke fashion.
    • Later on in the novels, Sousuke and Kaname finally get their chance to declare their love for each other as well—while on an open radio frequency. Pretty much everybody that counts in both Mithril and Amalgam hears them—including Leonard and Tessa. While (in the original Japanese) Kaname uses a slightly more temperate expression of love, Sousuke goes straight for the "aishiteru" formula—the very same that Gauron had thrown at him during the above-mentioned suicide attempt, and actually the most serious one in Japanese language. Sousuke gets mercilessly teased by Kurz and Mao afterwards—Kaname is still a prisoner of Leonard so she has it worse, as Leonard actually beats her up. Leonard is a very sore loser, unfortunately...
    • Spoofed in Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu. One of Kaname's classmate's is hit by Sousuke's booby trap and makes an anguished declaration of love to Kaname over his cell phone as he's "dying" (he was plastered to a tree with some kind of adhesive). As Kaname starts crying and begging him to live, the boy asks if she'd still consider going out with him, whereupon Kaname snaps, "Not on your life!" and hangs up. "Argh! You're so mean!"
  • Nanako to Rei/Saint-Juste in Oniisama e.... ("I... I love you! * sob* ")
    • Also subverted by Fukiko, who gives one to Nanako... but it's a fake. And Rei interrupts it, too.
  • In Code Geass, Shirley Fenette had a "knack" for this. Earlier, after a long series of Moment Killers, she finally kissed him during a dramatic downpour — spurred to action upon learning that her father had died. Most of her "declaration" was silent, but it was definitely "anguished," and she finally made her feelings perfectly clear to the Celibate Hero Lelouch. Too bad It Got Worse... and the other time she got to tell him that she loved him, it happened as she lay dying in his arms.
    • It doesn't get much more anguished than Nunnally's "aishiteru" at the very end of the series, while Lelouch lies dying next to her. She makes this confession to the most hated man in the world in public, in front of many live-broadcasting cameras. Good thing she was probably drowned out by all the people cheering and chanting the name of Lelouch's murderer.
  • A classic example would be Harima from School Rumble. Too bad he confessed to the wrong girl.
    • Listing all the examples would take someone with way too much time on their hands. Let's just say there's a fair number of them. Hilarity Ensues when Harima accidentally confesses to their male teacher, who is completely nonplussed. Then, in the next episode, he does it AGAIN.
  • Fushigi Yuugi. Because it was raining, Tamahome just kicked a few asses, Miaka was starting to get sick, and because everyone was on an emotional roller coaster at the time.
  • In Fate Stay Night, Shirou manages one, after Gilgamesh beats down Saber and practically cuts Shirou in half. Shirou gets up and prepares for another pathetic attempt while Saber pleads for him to save himself.
Cquote1

 Saber: What are you doing?! It is impossible! Please stop! I do not need you to save me! Why... Why do you not understand that? No, if you die because of something like this, I-
Shirou: SHUT UP! ....Just... be quiet for a second... You can rely on others... rely on...
Saber: You're wrong. You're more important than me, your life is more important, so you should take care-"
Shirou: I want you more than anything else! There's not one thing that can replace you. Sorry, I... I like you the most out of everything. So I'm not going to let a guy like him take you!

Cquote2
    • Saber refuses to admit to having any romantic feelings for Shirou, even after their intimate scene; however, her final words to him were: "Shirou... anata wo aishiteru." She uses the stronger and less ambiguous "aishiteru" (one of the most Serious Business version of "I love you") instead of the more common "suki" (the more informal version, and the one most likely to be used).
  • Midori Days. Twice in the same chapter. Ayase, after spending the entire series to lure Seiji into an "appropriate" moment, after nearly a year of perfect chances being missed because of insecurities, she confesses her love (and her attempts) to Seiji. Seiji, however, then tells her that he does have a girlfriend (which is Midori, after spending the series not liking her). Ayase smiles, runs off, and says "It's alright! I confessed! It's alright!" and cries under the street lights.
  • In Macross, Misa finds out that Minmei was with Hikaru in his apartment after hearing her talking to him. Believing that she lost to her, and also learning that she was to captain the SDF-2 and leaving Earth for more than a while (and maybe forever), she meets up with Hikaru and gives one of these to him before leaving, since she wanted to let him know her true feelings for him. He actually ends up declaring his love for her instead.
  • Rue confesses her love for Mytho this way in Princess Tutu. As the object of her affection is sending himself to certain doom because she tainted his heart with Raven's blood, the poor girl chases after him screaming and wailing in anguish at the top of her lungs: "I've loved you ever since I was a little girl! AND I'LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU FOREVER!" This sets Mytho's heart free from the Raven's blood, but marks poor Rue as a target to the Raven. Mytho spends most of the rest of the finale trying to save her.
  • Sasame from Prétear (anime version) confesses his love for Takako, the Princess of Disaster this way—first indirectly as a "story" about a girl he "once knew", then as an anguished plea to her which ends with him forsaking his role as a Leafe Knight and offering himself up to her side. Her response is to laugh and say "this is my answer!" as she shatters the windows in the area.
  • Seen in episode 19 of RahXephon, when Hiroko's Dying Declaration of Love comes right as Ayato unknowlingly kills her via killing the Dolem that she's linked to. He only can see it when she's dead, and understandably doesn't react well.
  • Simon, a childhood friend of Erza from Fairy Tail, finds the courage to confess his feelings to her... because he's afraid she likes their other friend Jellal. The only problem is, he's on a battle field in the middle of a rebelion she's leading to save Jellal. His lack of attention to his suroundings while trying to tell her lands him with a busted jaw and missing eye. He almost confesses to her years later, but dies before he can.
  • Ai Kora features this when Maeda confesses his love for Sakurako at a school assembly as part of a desperate attempt to win her back from her ex-boyfriend. Sakurako doesn't admit she loves him back until the final chapter, when Maeda returns from disappearing for four months after accidentally taking a plane to England. In fact, she's so relieved to see him again all she can initially say is "I love you!"
  • In the end of both the novel and anime versions of Welcome to The NHK!, Sato tries to convince Misaki not to kill herself with a speech that becomes increasingly impassioned, until he blurts out "I like you! I love you! Please, don't die!" Misaki dismisses it as being hollow words to convince her not to jump, and even Sato himself doesn't realize the full weight and meaning to what he said until he's ready to jump off the cliff himself in a desperate attempt to convince her of the worth of her own life.
  • Ergo Proxy: Vincent gives Re-l one in Episode 12:
Cquote1

 Re-l: What if it's true? No, it's impossible. FP bullets are harmless to humans. Maybe I should shoot his leg. Vincent Law. I think there is some connection between you and the Proxy. That's why I chased you here. You could probably say that i'm drawn to you. Somehow, I found myself thinking about you during our journey. Are you really a proxy? Even so, I need to -
[Vincent grabs Re-l on the arm and throws her down on the bed]
Vincent: I love you. I love you, Re-l. But for an immigrant... No, that's wrong. I mean, for a monster to love you... I thought that I wouldn't see you again. No matter how hard I tried to stop... No matter what, I still love you.

Cquote2
  • In Yaiba, Yaiba says a "I Like You, seriously." to an aged Sayaka before confronting Kaguya. After the battle however he jokes about it, so we don't know if it was serious or not.
  • One of the most heart-wrenching examples occurs in series finale of Sonic X, of all places. After about a season of building up a relationship with her, Tails finally admits in the series finale he loves Cosmo just before he is forced to kill her.
  • This happens in Magic Users Club when Nanaka confesses to Aburatsubo, who's in love with Takeo. He rejects her feelings in the kindest, sweetest way he can pull, doing what he can to not break her heart further. It shall be noted also that the frame doesn't change from a closeup on Nanaka's face while he gives her his reply; one can watch her emotional state shift from nervousness to surprise to sad realization to resignation.
  • All of Wolf Guy Wolfen Crest's chapter 97 is Inugami (of all people)'s Anguished Declaration of Love towards Aoshika-sensei.
  • Happens in Vandread when a Not What It Looks Like moment between Hibiki and Misty causes Dita to get supremely depressed. The crew decides to resolve the issue by locking Hibiki and Dita together until they make up. Hibiki eventually starts an Anguished Declaration of Love but gets interrupted by the scramble alarm. Dita returns the favor in the final battle when Hibiki attempts a Heroic Sacrifice.
Cquote1

 Dita: I won't let that happen! (charges into the fray)'"
Hibiki: Idiot, don't come!
Dita: I finally understand... Dita's stupid so I can't understand the world... but I understand Mr. Alien very well! Right now Mr. Alien is trying to protect the lives of everyone so Dita will protect Mr. Alien instead! Because Dita loves Mr. Alien! That's why... that's why Dita's going to protect Hibiki!

Cquote2
  • Angel Beats created a really heartrending scene between Yuzuru Otonashi and Kanade Tachibana in the last episode.
  • In a late episode of Tokyo Mew Mew, Zakuro appears to be leaving the other Mews. Minto takes this badly and actually ends up outright fighting her, growing increasingly impassioned and upset until she screams "I loved you! I loved you!" It's never confirmed what kind of love she was talking about, and the whole thing is never mentioned again.
  • In the Chobits manga both Chitose and Freya force one out of Hideki for Chii. Even after he confesses his love for her, Freya taunts him to make certain he's serious by telling him that Chii's actions and thoughts are only programming and she will never love him back. His response? "Her feelings live in me!"
    • In the anime version it's changed to a straight declaration of love because it's suggested that her advanced programming DOES give her emotions.
  • In Toradora! Ryuji gets hurt in the pool and nearly drowns. When Ami tries to take him to the nurse's office Taiga (who actually was the one who put him in danger, though in her defense she never intended for that to happen) cries and screams "Ryuji is mine!" in tears. Although she later recants that it was a love confession, everyone around them takes it as one.Things would have been easier for everyone and *especially* for her if she'd simply let it stand as a confession.
  • In Claudine, the main character gives one to the local Hot Librarian Cecilia. He's rejected.
  • Yakuza Girl: Many times.
  • In the USA-made last season of Voltron, as Princess Romelle and her brother Prince Bandor are in the claws of a Robeast, Romelle's bodyguard and Love Interest Sven hesitates to attack the beast out of fear of hurting them. Romelle says that she knows about his love and then says that she feel the same for him - before begging him and the Voltron Team to attack the Robeast anyway, so they can save her planet. They manage to rescue the siblings and destroy the beast, and at the end the lovers are seen happily together.
  • In the Sorcerer Hunters manga, Chocolat delivers two of these to Carrot: one when they're stranded together and she remembers what made her love him in the first place, and the second when she and Tira confront him about his new girlfriend Mousse.

Comic Books[]

Cquote1

 MJ: Here is what I think... And if I pass out before I finish the sentence it's only because this is the hardest thing I've ever had to say out loud. I don't think he hit on me to hit on me. I don't think that was his master plan. I think he felt how much I love you... And he went for it.

Peter: Oh.

MJ: We didn't do anything. He tried, but I backed off. I knew-- I knew something was off. I knew it was ... too good to be true. Now, I would like to go away from you as I am out of embarrassing things to say.

Peter: Mary...

MJ: Peter, go find your girlfriend.

Cquote2
  • In Elf Quest, Zhantee very emotionally declares his love for Leetah to Leetah's lifemate Cutter. In the elf culture, love is very free and sex is often shared between friends, and Cutter fails to understand why Zhantee never told them about his feelings. He explains to Zhantee that he'd have been welcome in their relationship all along. Through telepathy, Cutter connects himself and Zhantee to the faraway Leetah, and the three share a powerful romantic and sexual bonding for a few brief moments... until Zhantee dies in Cutter's arms.

Fan Fiction[]

  • Asuka does this to Shinji in Evangelion R, though he remains unaware due to her speaking in German.
  • When arguing with your love interest about how you knew someone else was faking his affections for her, it's very easy to lose your cool.
Cquote1

 "Because I love you! You think I can't tell the difference?"

Cquote2
Cquote1

  Ron: I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want anyone to get hurt, but you least of all...

Cquote2
  • In the Labyrinth fanfic, It's Not Fair!, Sarah gives one to Jareth after he has transformed into an Unseelie and about to be sentenced to death, in the hopes he will hear her and change back. It works.
  • The Tamers Forever Series has an unusual example. Unusual in that Takato doesn't actually say it to the object of his affection:
Cquote1

 Takato (to Renamon): You can help me protect Rika, and that's the only thing I want…

Renamon: Why?

Takato: What?

Renamon: Why do you want to protect Rika so badly?

Takato: Well, that's…err…well…that's because…ahh…umm…

Renamon: Why do you insist so much in taking care of her, when she only insulted you and humiliated you in the past? Why do you want to be her friend so badly? Why do you smile every time her name is mentioned? Why, Tamer? I don't understand…

Takato: Dammit, Renamon, because I love her!

Cquote2
  • Inner Demons: The narration reveals that Rarity does return Spike's feelings for her, but hasn't told him yet because she wants to take things slowly. Then, she ends up having to pull a You Shall Not Pass on Trixie to give him and Apple Bloom time to escape, and chokes out one of these once he's gone.
Cquote1

 "I love you so much... Spikey... Wikey..." (note that she was crying during this)

Cquote2
    • Rainbow Dash confesses her love to a near-catatonic Pinkie Pie as they're trapped in the burning CMC clubhouse. They survive.
  • Ace Combat: The Equestrian War: Overdrive confesses her feelings toward Tornado Swirl in chapter 17 during the liberation of Canterlot, when he fears they might die in the battle.
Cquote1

 Overdrive: Tornado... we have to make it through. So, please... stay strong, like you always did. Don’t change. That’s the kind of pegasus I always knew, admired... and liked so much.

Tornado Swirl: Overdrive... what are you...?

Overdrive: Tornado... I... I love you.

Cquote2
  • The Fire Emblem Fates fic "Checkmate" has Takumi giving one of these to Leo during an argument. Leo ends up crying because he felt the same way but didn't think his feelings were requited. (Mainly due to how he used to pick on Takumi when they were younger.)

Film[]

Cquote1

 Ronnie: Loretta, I love you. Not, not like they told you love is and I didn't know this either. But love don't make things nice, it ruins everything! It breaks your heart, it makes things a mess. We aren't here to make things perfect. Snowflakes are perfect, stars are perfect. Not us! Not US! We are here to ruin ourselves and... and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and... and DIE... I mean, I mean the storybooks are BULLSHIT. Now I want you to come upstairs with me and... and GET in my bed. Come on, come on, come on...

Cquote2
  • The best thing Ben Affleck will ever do - the Love Speech In The Rain in the middle of Chasing Amy.
    • Speaking of Ben Affleck, he and his friend Matt Damon wrote the award-winning Good Will Hunting, which featured an emotional scene in which Will admits to being an abused kid of many foster homes to his girlfriend, Skylar. They get into a fierce row over him "not needing to be saved", and desperately, she sobs, "I love you." ...To which Will responds "I don't love you." Then he leaves. Ouch.
    • Of course this is just Will being a jerk for the moment, and the ending implies heavily how he really feels.
  • Bullshot (1983). Celibate Hero Hugh 'Bullshot' Crummond and The Ingenue Rosemary Fenton fall in Love At First Sight, but don't admit it until they're facing imminent death via being drowned whilst imprisoned in giant concrete eggcups.
  • Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow. Ace Pilot Joe Sullivan and Hot Scoop Polly Perkins are former lovers who split up when Joe accused Polly of sabotaging his airplane while Going for the Big Scoop. After becoming trapped in a cave full of dynamite that's about to explode, Joe looks her in the eyes and asks...if she really did cut his fuel line. Polly is understandably annoyed that he's going to spend their last moments on Earth discussing this point.
    • She did!
  • The titular character, Seibei, in The Twilight Samurai. Just before going off to his fateful duel with Yogo Zen'emon, Seibei finally proposes to Tomoe, whom he has loved since childhood. But he's delayed too long: just days before, she's accepted another proposal. They're both anguished, and so is the audience. All the worse for their incredible stoicism.
    • Then they do get married, that is good, but he dies three years after that sucks.
  • Star Wars! I mean, come on ...
Cquote1

 Leia (blurts out): I love you!

Han: I know.

Cquote2
Cquote1

 Andrews: I asked you a simple question! Do you love her?

Peter: YES! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself!

Cquote2
  • In Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, as their plane is falling out of the sky, Melman blurts out, "I love you, Gloria! I always have!" Unfortunately, when he looks at her, she's asleep. And the looks he gets from Alex and Marty are priceless.
  • A very understated, very British, but nonetheless extremely moving moment from Four Weddings and a Funeral: Sad an unhappy to see Carrie, the girl he is hopelessly in love with, marry rich Scotsman Hamish at the third of the titular weddings, Charles (Hugh Grant) turns to his pal Fiona (Kristin Scott Thomas) for comfort. After talking about his feelings for Carrie, the conversation takes an unexpected, shocking turn for him and the unsuspecting audience:
Cquote1

 Charles: How about you, Fifi - you identified a future partner in life yet?

Fiona: No need really. The deed is done. I've been in love with the same bloke for ages.

Charles: Have you? Who's that?

Fiona: (very casually) You, Charlie.

Fiona: Doesn't matter. Nothing either of us can do on this one. Such is life. (awkward pause) "Friends" isn't bad, you know. "Friends" is quite something.

Cquote2
  • A funny hilarious example: near the end of the climactic chase scene from The Blues Brothers, the head of the Illinois Nazis and his number 2 have run their car off an unfeasibly high drop and are plummeting to their doom. As they sit paralyzed by their rapidly-approaching fates, the number 2 manages to turn to his leader and say "I've always loved you."
  • In Bent, While Horst is nearing a complete mental break down from their rock duties, he confesses to Max that he loves him. Much to Max's frustration, as Max refuses to risk giving the guards any reason to make their lives more hellish.
  • Bruno's rooftop confession to Pablo in Plan B, especially when compared to his almost cavalier "I love you, man" declaration from back when he was still telling himself that he wasn't really gay for Pablo and how he so visibly struggles to find the right words to say to Pablo this time around:
Cquote1

 Bruno: What I really want to tell you is...that...that I'm in love with you. I'm completely sick. I don't know how it happened. It happened to me. I couldn't control it.

Cquote2


Literature[]

  • In Erika Griffin's novel, The One Who Waited, has a good example of this trope. Upon being repeatedly assailed by the Boogeyman character, Alice finds out that the only reason he has been terrorizing her was because she abandoned him when she was still a child and he needed her to remember him in order to maintain his existence. These emotions manifested themselves gradually into an obsessive, parasitic kind of love.
  • Sydney Carton gets one of these in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Darnay gets a much more subdued (read:dull) one later on.
  • From C. Dickens' Great Expectations by an olderPip, to Estella.:
Cquote1

  "`Out of my thoughts! You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then. [...] You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with. The stones of which the strongest London buildings are made, are not more real, or more impossible to be displaced by your hands, than your presence and influence have been to me, there and everywhere, and will be. Estella, to the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, pad of the little good in me, part of the evil. But, in this separation I associate you only with the good, and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you must have done me far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may. O God bless you, God forgive you!'

Cquote2
  • Dickens seems fond of these - but when David Copperfield tries it on Dora, it rather backfires, what with his paramour breaking down into sobs, David trying to calm her down, and her yippy dog barking his head off the entire time.
  • Mr. Darcy delivers a speech like this to Elizabeth Bennet halfway through Pride and Prejudice. This one might be trope-defining. Of course, Darcy's anguish over his distaste for Elizabeth's family injures her pride, so she rejects him. Consequently, his reaffirmation of his feelings at the end is a bit more humble.
  • Laurie's proposal to Jo in Little Women—he doesn't fare any better than Mr. Darcy, and later gets over it and falls for Jo's younger sister Amy
    • However, Jo herself does have a better return rate when she sobs out her confession to Fritz, who agrees wholeheartedly.
  • Captain Wentworth's declaration of love to Anne Elliot in Persuasion. "You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago." Don't worry, Captain Wentworth. You've nothing to fear.
  • Gilbert Blythe's proposal to Anne in Anne of Green Gables—she likes him more than anyone, but as a friend.
    • Well, the combination of an overactive imagination and reading too many romance novels could color one's view of love, so this one might be Justified.
  • Edward in Twilight makes one of these in the meadow scene. He confesses his love for Bella at the same time as he tells her how hard it is for him not to kill her.
  • The narrator of The Invention of Morel, after pursuing an obviously disinterested Faustine for days, finally throws himself at her feet and proclaims his love for her. Too bad she doesn't know he exists. Literally.
    • And then there's the ending. He makes it looks like they were in love and kills himself by doing so. It's complicated and and bit tragic.
  • Warrior Cats: Crowfeather to Leafpool, after saving her from falling off a cliff.
Cquote1

 Crowfeather: Is that what you think? Don't you know how I feel about you? And how much I hate myself for feeling that way about another cat so soon after Feathertail's death? I loved her, I really did! How can I love you too?

Cquote2
  • The Princess Bride starts out like this. Beautifully done due to William Goldman's trademark writing style: he makes two pages of buildup seem like half a book's worth.
  • Taran delivers an elegantly subtle one of these to amnesiac Princess Eilonwy in the third book of the Prydain Chronicles in an attempt to restore her memory.
  • In the Outlander series, Depraved Bisexual Captain John Randall, during his Villainous Breakdown, repeatedly confesses to Jamie that he loves him, all while sobbing uncontrollably and kissing him. Unfortunately for poor Jamie, he incurrs Randall's psychotic wrath when he refuses Randall's order to tell him that he loves him too.
  • Professor Radcliff Emerson realizing that he might very well die that night gives Amelia Peabody a long, passionate kiss - even at the risk of living to face the consequences, which turn out to be a long and happy marriage.
  • In Chronicles of Chaos, Victor, the resident Stoic makes a calm but still very anguished (they're surrounded by enemies and most everybody's wounded) declaration to Amelia that he does love her and wants to marry her, if they survive.
  • Played for Drama in a short story in Orson Scott Card's The Worthing Chronicle, when a movie star does it to a fellow actress. While the camera is rolling. After she wraps the shoot with some brilliant improv and gets her Human Popsicle vacation, she wakes up years later and finds out that he was dead serious.
  • In Lies, the third book of the Gone series, when Diana finally admits that she loves Caine (while, at the same time, calling him a "sick twisted creep".), just as he's about to kill Sanjit and the other island kids.
  • Jane Eyre delivers an epic one when she thinks she's to be separated from Rochester - but it's also calling him out on how he's been using her mercilessly, acting as if she has no feelings just because she is not a gentlewoman.
  • There are several occasions of this in the X Wing Series. Kell Tainer makes one to Tyria Sarkin early in Wraith Squadron. She rebuffs him, because she thinks he's Loving a Shadow. Later in the book, after getting to know her rather than judging by appearances and how good they would look together, he tries again, saying that he wants to win her heart - and she tackles him. She'd been attracted since the beginning, but had wanted him to see her for herself before making a move.
  • At the end of Piers Anthony's OutOfPhaze, Mach combines this with The Power of Love to save Fleta from her suicide attempt.
  • Catherine Earnshaw gets one of the best in literature in Wuthering Heights. Unfortunately she doesn't make it to Heathcliff.
Cquote1

 It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.

Cquote2
    • An eavesdropping Heathcliff of course overhears only the part where it would degrade her to marry him; cue a Roaring Rampage of Revenge and decades of misery for everyone in the book.
  • In Checkmate, last book of the Lymond Chronicles:
Cquote1

 She said, "Then tell me that what you feel for me is an infatuation. That you object to being tied. That, like poor Jane Shore's lover, you find yourself more amorous of my body than curious of my soul? Then I should agree with you. That I should want to be spared."

A trickle of wax, occasioned by the draught of her movement, ran like an escaping spirit down the stem of a candle and there stiffened, extinguished as an unwanted emotion. Lymond drew an uneven breath. "What is temptation, if not that?"

"Then tell me," Philippa said. "And make me believe it."

It was a moment before he replied. Then the shut mouth curled, in something not quite a smile. "Gould bydeth ever bright... It would be a pity to cloud it," he said. "That is one blasphemy I cannot bring myself to commit. I love you, Philippa, in every way known to man."

Cquote2
  • In Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet novel Invicible, Geary has to read a letter between two Star-Crossed Lovers. As he expects, it contains this: he declares that his feelings are incapable of changing and therefore they must not meet again. She on receiving it declares that she must not respond to i.


Live Action TV[]

  • In As Time Goes By rugby enthusiast sputters out his confession of love for Sandy just before he is going to emigrate to Canada. Something he's been too tongue-tied to do up to that point. She accepts and the rest of the episode involves her rushing to pack so she can go with him that afternoon.
  • In The Mighty Boosh, episode Tundra, Howard unexpectedly admits his feelings for Vince after they are left for dead:
Cquote1

 Howard: This is difficult for me, but I feel as though I should say it... I love you Vince.

(Vince laughs)

Howard: What are you doing?

Vince: Nothing.

Howard: Are you laughing?

Vince: No.

Howard: You better not be laughing. I'm telling you I love you, how dare you laugh at me?

Vince: You're making me laugh.

Howard: That is so humiliating.

Vince: You just caught me off guard, it was out of the blue.

Howard (distraught) I'm telling you I love you, and you're laughing!

Vince: Well, I love you.

Howard: No you don't. You're just saying it because I said it to you. It doesn't work that way, it doesn't mean anything.

Vince: (sincere) No. I love you.

Cquote2
  • In Community Troy does this to Abed in Epidemiology. When Abed decides to sacrifice himself to save Troy, Troy says "I love you," to which Abed responds, "I know," referencing star wars.
  • Coupling, "The Girl With One Heart." A series of misunderstandings leads Patrick's current girlfriend (who's bi) to flirt with Sally, who's in love with Patrick... only Sally doesn't know she's being flirted with. When everything comes out, Sally ends up shouting in frustration that she's not in love with the girlfriend, she's in love with Patrick.
    • This happens rather frequently to the characters on Coupling. See also Steve, in the middle of a truly impressive rant about how natural it is for men to want to watch porn, accidentally letting it slip out that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Susan.
  • In the episode "Heart of Stone" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Kira extracts one of these from Odo. Or rather...a Changeling disguised as Kira does so, allowing the real Kira to remain oblivious of his feelings for another two and a half seasons.
  • Star Trek: Voyager. Only their imminent death through oxygen deprivation gives B'Elanna Torres the courage to tell Tom Paris she loves him (next moment they're beamed to safety). Likewise the EMH blurts out his feelings for Seven of Nine (in front of half the senior officers) when he thinks his program is going to shut down forever. Unfortunately he's repaired a few seconds later, much to his embarrassment. Unfortunately for both him and the fans Seven ends up with Chakotay for no apparent reason.
    • Also, when the 37s are discovered, Fred Noonan (Amelia Earhart's navigator) gets shot in the chest and taken to sickbay. Thinking he will die, he confesses his love to Earhart. However, he is then healed by the Doctor and takes back his confession.
  • Frasier has two (and several near-misses) of Niles declaring his unending love for Daphne. The first occurred during an impressive tango dance at his country club where he blurted out how much he adored her and she reciprocated. Unfortunately his joy ended when he realized she had assumed they were putting on a show for his condescending friends. The second occurred on the night before her wedding to another man. Niles suddenly assured her he would divorce his wife and run away with Daphne if there was even the slightest chance Daphne had feelings for him.
  • Subverted on My So-Called Life, where Brian is portrayed as more of a stalker of Angela than a friend, and when he finally Spits it Out, she turns him down. She chooses Jordan in the end, but she was more tender with Brian in that moment then she was with near anyone else in the whole series.
  • In "Benefits", a season 4 episode of How I Met Your Mother, Robin and Ted start having casual sex again to take the friction out of rooming together. Barney, who has been in love with Robin since the end of the third season (and not dealing with it too well), is heartbroken by this and accidentally blurts out his secret three times, first to Ted and Marshall and twice to Robin... only the first two times, he covers awkwardly and is believed, and the third time, Robin is completely oblivious to the idea he could mean it like that. Robin explains why she and Ted stopped sleeping together:
Cquote1

 Robin: You know what a romantic he is. He can't separate the physical from the emotional. He's all like--

Barney (totally sincere): I love you!

Robin: Exactly! He's not like you. You know? And besides, we're friends, and I don't wanna screw that up by getting involved. Dating friends never works out. So, uh, you want to get a taco?

Barney: ... A taco?

Robin: You love them, remember?

Cquote2
  • In The Nanny: "Well you're a...you walk like a...marry me!"
  • Get Smart. Max and 99 finally admit they love each other while trapped in a corridor with two KAOS agents trying to break down the doors. 99 then thinks up a Door Judo idea to get them out of the situation. Afterwards Max asks why she waited till after his declaration of love before suggesting this brilliant idea. 99 just smiles, and the two walk off arm in arm.
  • On The Office, after 2 seasons of not being brave enough to tell Pam how he feels, Jim finally comes clean with a supremely anguished declaration in "Casino Night". She doesn't take it well, setting up another full season of dancing around the subject. Eventually it all gets figured out.
  • In Torchwood's Children of Earth miniseries Ianto, knowing he has minutes to live, breaks down in tears and tells Jack he loves him. Right before he begs Jack not to forget about him.
    • When Owen is revived using the Resurrection Glove after being shot in the episode "Reset", Toshiko confesses her love to him, thinking it is their last goodbye. When a fluke with the Glove makes him permanently undead, she tries to explain and he says he knows she didn't mean it, ("You're losing something, and suddenly you desperately desire it.") even though she does. In "Exit Wounds", after both Tosh and Owen are both Killed Off for Real, Gwen, Jack and Ianto find a time-locked video from Tosh that again declares love to Owen. Obviously, when she recorded it, she didn't know Owen would be dead too.
  • In Babylon 5, Lennier declares his love for Delenn while they are aboard a crippled White Star that is apparently about to be attacked and destroyed. The attack is aborted at the last moment, and they are rescued.
  • Skins: Emily and Naomi have just spent their first night together. Emily is quite a bit more okay with being gay than Naomi, which is why Naomi tries to sneak away the morning after. It doesn't work.
Cquote1

 Emily: Naomi? No! You fucking... No! Stop right now. Don't you dare leave me in your bed again!

Naomi: I-I got to go...

Emily: I know you, Naomi! I know that you are lonely! I think that you need someone to want you! Well, I do want you! So... please be brave... and want me back!

Cquote2
  • After spending half a season fighting over who should be the first to say those three words, eight letters, Gossip Girls Blair Waldorf finally says them to Chuck Bass but it doesn't go so well:
Cquote1

 Blair: The worst thing you've ever done, the darkest thought you've ever had, I will stand by you through anything.

Chuck: And why would you do that?

Blair: Because I love you.

Chuck: Well that's too bad.

Cquote2
    • After Chuck later mocks her declaration of love Blair pretty much gives up on him for the next half of the season... Only to give him a second anguised declaration of love in the season finale. He doesn't say it back this time either (but does come around by the end of the episode).
  • The Mentalist's Rigsby makes one of these. it takes a while to get through to Van Pelt. Also, Bosco and Lisbon.
  • This is how Rose finally confesses to the Doctor in Doctor Who. And the Doctor is cut off right before he gets to reciprocate with one himself.
  • Jack does this in SG-1 talking about Sam. "I care about her...a lot more than I'm supposed to."
  • Soaps opera have this, all the time. Love in the afternoon? More like heartbreak in the afternoon, with some grief sex.
  • ICarly: Carly does one of these as Freddie starts to believe that she only likes him because he saved her life. It doesn't work, and Freddie breaks up with her, despite Freddie having loved Carly since the day he met her.
  • In The Sarah Connor Chronicles after being reset to original programming Cameron makes one of these to John while trying to convince him not to remove her chip. This is a bit complicated, as while she's a Robot Girl saying it to manipulate him, the simulated emotion appears very real, and he's aware that she's more advanced than other Terminators, but not to what degree. And the second part of her claim "and you love me" probably hit a bit close.
  • In the episode "Lancelot and Guinevere" from Merlin, Merlin finally manages to get one out of Arthur on Gwen's behalf:
Cquote1

 Merlin: Why can't you just admit your feelings for Gwen? It's so obvious. A blind man could see it. Is it really that hard to admit you like her? Just say it.

Arthur: I can't! How can I admit that I think about her all the time. Or that...I care about her more than anyone. How can I admit that...I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?

Merlin: Why can't you?

Arthur: Because nothing can ever happen between us! To admit my feelings knowing that...hurts too much.

Cquote2
    • And just to rub salt in the wound, when Arthur finally finds Gwen, it turns out that Lancelot got there first...
  • Santana tearily confesses her love for her best friend Brittany on Glee. Doubly anguished since it also counts as the beginning of her Coming Out Story.
Cquote1

 Santana: I wanted to thank you for performing that song with me in Glee-club. Because it made me do alot of thinking. And what I realized... is why I am such a bitch all the time. I'm a bitch because I am angry. I'm angry because I have all these feelings. Feelings for you... that I am afraid of dealing with. Because I am afraid of dealing with the consequences. I... I can't even go to a Indigo Girls concert, I just can't.
Brittany: I understand that.
Santana: ...Do you understand what I am trying to say here?
Brittany: ...No, not really.
Santana: I want to be with you. But... I am afraid of the talks, and the looks. I mean, you know what happened to Kurt at this school.
Brittany: But honey, if anyone was to ever make fun of you, you would either kick their ass or slash them with your vicious, vicious words.
Santana: [Starts to cry] I know... I'm just so afraid of what everyone would say behind my back. Still I have to accept... that I love you. I love you, and I don't want to be with Sam, or Finn or any of those other guys. I just want you. Please say you love me back! ... Please...

Cquote2
  • It took 100 episodes for Bones (the show, not the character) to get around to breaking the will they/won't they pattern, but not in they way we hoped.
  • In Community episode "Epidemiology" Troy does this to Abed right before Abed becomes infected, although whether to take it seriously is another matter.
  • In the Season 3 finale of Castle, Castle finally says "I love you" to Beckett just before she loses consciousness after being shot by a hit man. It is as yet unknown whether or not she will remember it.
    • In the first episode of Season 4, Beckett tells Castle that she can't remember the shooting. However, at the very end we learn that she lied. She remembers everything.
    • In the finale of Season 4, there are two. Castle first tells Beckett that he loves her (adding that he knows she knows about it) and confesses that he kept secrets from her to protect her. After resigning from the police force, Beckett goes to Castle's loft to tell him that she nearly died, and the only thing she could think about is him. And that she loves him, too.
  • In the special The Muppets Go to the Movies, during the Japanese Monster Movie segment, the male lead gives one of these to the female lead when it looks like the giant rats invading the Earth are unstoppable, while the subtitles scroll by so fast the woman has trouble keeping up with them. It's also sappy enough that the rats give up on the schemes of conquering the Earth and go home.
  • At the end of season 4 of Doc Martin, Martin finally breaks down and admits how much Louisa really means to him. Because he's such an emotionally repressed, stuffed shirt normally this becomes both a crowning moment of awesome and a crowning moment of funny as he struggles to put aside his Stiff Upper Lip tendencies and speak from his heart.
  • Downton Abbey: Anna to Mr Bates. Which is then promptly interrupted - O HAI THAR HAYCART!!!
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Spike is on the point of blurting this out in the Season 5 episode "Crush", when a shocked and disgusted Buffy stops him, well aware of what he's about to say despite being clueless as to his odd behaviour up to then—Dawn had tipped Buffy off earlier that Spike was smitten, but Buffy refused to believe it. Buffy violently denies that Spike feels true love—or that she has romantic feelings in return until the Season 7 Grand Finale when she tells Spike as he's making a Heroic Sacrifice that she loves him too. In a subversion of the trope Spike replies, "No you don't, but it was nice of you to say so."

Music[]

Video Games[]

Cquote1

 Valen: It's because I LOVE YOU, DAMMMIIIITTTT!!!!

Cquote2
  • In Fire Emblem Awakening, if the player hooks up Laurent and Lucina, he will confess first and be pretty anguished while at it.
  • In Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, Klein and Thea's A support has her blurting out that she loves him, and doesn't like the feeling that he's trying to get rid of her (earlier, he'd said he felt like he was holding her back and she could leave if she wanted to). He's taken aback...and then he calls her out on how she always seems to be keeping her distance, calling him "general" and always acting so stiff with him.
  • In one of the many parts cut due to Executive Meddling, Atton Rand in Knights of the Old Republic II was supposed to face Sion in the end in a player-controlled fight. If he lost, he would die in the Jedi Exile's arms, and if female he'd make one of these.
  • Romancing Josephine in Dragon Age: Inquisition leads to one whether it's with a male or a female Inquisitor. While dueling Lord Otranto for Josephine's approval, Josephine interrupts the match and demands to know why the Inquisitor is risking his/her life like this for her. This is the result if the player decide to cement the relationship with her:
Cquote1

The Inquisitor: "Because I love you!"
*beat*
Josephine (shocked): You... you do???
Otranto (equally surprised): "S/He DOES?!?"
The Inquisitor: (drops the fencing sword) "... Yes, Josephine... I love you so much."
Josephine: "(smiles) "... I love you, too."
(They run towards each other and hug, then share a kiss.)

Cquote2
  • Though the scene occurs before the declaration of love, Bastila's apology for being such a preachy jerk does sound (according to the player character) like she is "pulling teeth".
    • Juhani confessing her love of a female player character has more than an edge of desperation to it.
Cquote1

 This may be the last time I will have a chance to talk to you. I just want you to know that I... that I... I... I care for you. I do not know why. I do not know if anything will be possible, or if you even return what I feel, but I do know it is there.

I am sorry if this upsets you. I am so sorry if I am wrong, but I cannot deny what it is that I feel.

Cquote2
  • In order to romance Naoto in Persona 4, the Protagonist has to perform this.
  • Quoted above: In her Happy Ending, Hikari Hinomoto of Tokimeki Memorial 2 delivers such a declaration on Graduation Day to the Protagonist, her beloved childhood friend she got suddenly separated from when they were 8, and got chance reunited seven years later as the Protagonist moved back to Hibikino for his High School time.
    • In Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 1, Shiki Mihara's confession is like this, especially if the heroine tries to say she's not good enough for him.
  • In the Spyro the Dragon game Dawn Of the Dragon, as the world is litterally ending around them and the only chance to save it might very well require a Heroic Sacrifice, Cynder chooses to stay with Spyro and admits her love for him as the last words she says in the series. Thankfully, they live to enjoy their happily ever after.
  • Played with in Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World. Marta's love for Emil is well known, even as it changes from infatuation with an idea of him to truly falling for the real Emil. Even so, Marta tearfully shouting while asking if she ever meant anything to Emil in chapter 8, then burying her head into his chest and telling him she want to be with him might be considered one, even if it's not exactly a confession of love. Emil nervously tells Marta that he loves her, though she cuts him off at the end with a kiss. His confession is not all that anguised, but it does come out during a pretty heartwrenching moment, as it may be the last time the two of them will get a chance to make their feelings for each other known.
  • In season 3 episode 5 of The Walking Dead, if Clem goes with Jane at the end of season 2 and Javi and Clem both help Kate seal the Richmond breach. Afterwards, they go to chase down David and Gabe, but without anyone to help them when their car crashes, David is dead and Gabe gets bitten on the wrist. Clem admits her feelings for him by kissing him on the lips before Gabe shoots himself in the head to prevent reanimation.

Webcomics / Web Original[]

  • In Order of the Stick, Haley, who's suffering from aphasia, can only gibber meaninglessly as Nale tries to convince Elan that Haley's fallen for Nale, gone evil and is trying to sell out the party. Haley finally breaks through her aphasia to scream, "I THOUGHT HE WAS YOU! I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, AND I THOUGHT I WAS KISSING YOU!"
    • Somewhat of a subversion, as this one was understood and stuck. Elan groks drama tropes.
    • Also in that Haley is the one who tries to backpedal afterwards. Elan stops her with a "Shut Up" Kiss.
  • Gilgamesh Wulfenbach, of Girl Genius, hasn't gotten to make one of these to Agatha yet but has twice declared his love for her to her best friend. First he was anguished because there was strong evidence that she was in fact the Big Bad, but the second time he was only anguished because the best friend kept hitting him whenever he asked her to relay a message she considered stupid, like "I am anxious to speak to her so that we can overcome our mutual obstacles."
Cquote1

 Gil: Ow! Why are you hitting me?! I love her and I want to help her!

Zeetha: Now that, I'll pass along.

Cquote2
  • Dept Heaven Apocrypha has this happen while Milanor is trying to talk a distraught and slightly-less-than-sane Nessiah down from losing it completely; Nessiah winds up confessing while trying to figure out what to say. This is mirrored later on when Milanor has to try to convince Nessiah that his feelings are genuine, under rather unfavorable circumstances.
  • There is one of these in Fragile. When Severin (who is already in a relationship with Page) temporarily regains a stable mental state after having gone insane, he tells Page he loves him. At first Page thinks that Severin is merely telling him something he already knows, but then it turns out that Severin's lack of control over his mind has caused him to entirely forget about their relationship.
  • Mayonaka Densha: Hatsune, while trapped inside a bank that's being held up by a group of American bank robbers, notices Tom in the crowd outside and screams out the window that she loves him. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear her over the crowd.
  • Lucy in Bittersweet Candy Bowl finally admits to her feelings for Mike. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned.
  • Parodied in A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever.
Cquote1

  Passionate plea! Whisper of repetition...

Cquote2
Cquote1

 Sally: Um, Joey... I love you.

Joey: Thanks, friend, I love you too.

Sally: No, no, no... Joey, when I say "I love you", I wanna say something more. What I'm trying to say is... I like you!

Cquote2

Western Animation[]

  • Leela's sudden admittance of love for Fry in the face of danger and possible death in the final scene of Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder, after ten years of not returning his feelings and at the worst possible time. They got better.
  • Camp Lazlo: Late into the series, Jane gets engaged to Pothole McPucker and throws a party. Lumpus sneaks in, dressed as a woman, and finally confesses his feelings. Since he's in a dress, everyone thinks it's a woman confessing her love to Pothole. Pothole's response? "Sorry, Jane, she's hot." It's all set up for a later episode where Jane's wedding falls apart, and Lumpus finally tells her then. They marry.
  • Space Boyfriend: The Cliff Hanger has Ben finally confess his love to Veronica. We'll never know the answer.
  • Helga gives one to Arnold in Hey Arnold!: The Movie complete with a kiss.
Cquote1

 Helga: I LOVE YOU! Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day? Building shrines to you in a closet; filling volumes of books with poems about you? I love you, Arnold! I've always loved you ever since I've laid eyes on your STUPID football head, and from that moment, and every moment sense I've lived and dreamed for you and dreamed of the moment where I can tell you my sacred feelings, I could grab you and kiss you and... OH COME HERE YA BIG LUG! [kisses Arnold]

Cquote2
Cquote1

 Stewie: I like you lot. I guess you could say I... really like you. I would... even dare to go a little further, perhaps. I... care a great deal about you. Very great deal. Maybe even... deeper than that. I... I... I love you. I mean, you know, not in like a, "Hey, let's, you know, let's have an underpants party," or whatever grownups do when they're in love, but I mean, I mean, I love you as one loves another person whom one simply cannot do without.

Cquote2
  • Cindy gets one in Jimmy Neutron when she believes they're going to die... only that she never actually says it.
Cquote1

 Cindy: "Jimmy, I just wanted to tell you that... that I lo... lo..."

Jimmy: "LOVE POTION! That's it! Thanks, Cindy!" *kisses her cheek and runs off*

Cindy: "...I wasn't gonna say LOVE!"

Cquote2
  • Spike the dragon from My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic carried a silient crush for Rarity the unicorn during 36 episodes. But at the climax of the episode "Secret of my Excess" both of them are plummeting from a mountain to their deaths, so Spike decides to finally break his silence:
Cquote1

 Spike: "Rarity? I need to tell you something! Just in case we don't make it! I-I've always sort of had a crush-"

Cquote2


Real Life[]

Advertisement