Couple Faction

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Synonyms: pairing name,
shipping,
pairing, relationship, 'ship
See also: Forever Knight Factions,
List of Forever Knight Factions
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Couple faction is the original term in Forever Knight fandom for what, in other fandoms, is often referred to as a pairing name. In origin, "couple faction" specifically means the group of fans who follow a relationship between two or more characters, though the use of some of the names is extended to the relationship itself.

The terms "affiliation" or "faction" were initially applied to followers of particular characters in the show. The earliest couple factions involved the protagonist, Nick Knight, with one of the three likeliest love interests: the vampire Janette (Immortal Beloveds); the mortal doctor, Natalie Lambert (Nick and NatPack); or his master, LaCroix (Unnamed Faction, usually involving slash). Another early couple faction involved Natalie and LaCroix (Valentines), based on their encounter in the episode "Be My Valentine". A popular challenge couple faction, involving LaCroix with Nick's garlic-loving partner, Don Schanke, was based on the principle of the unlikeliest pairing (the UnSuiteds).

Not all couple factions necessarily are interpreted as involving a sexual relationship. In fact, the Cousins of the Knight prefer a non-sexual interpretation of Nick's relationship with LaCroix. In this respect, "couple faction" is not quite synonymous with pairing.

Certain common features may be seen in naming factions. The suffic "-Pack" (following the model of the "NatPack" faction) is often seen. "Immortal" appears in the name of some all-vampire factions with a canonical basis; and "Unholy" in trio factions that are seen as challengingly unlikely. The prefix "Un-" is also often seen in the names of unlikely challenge-type factions.

In many cases, the term—or an adjectival version of the term—may also be applied descriptively to fan fiction about the relationship, and hence sometimes extended to the relationship itself. Thus an "UnSuited story" will somehow contrive a slash encounter between Schanke/LaCroix; and "the Immortal Beloveds" may refer equally to the characters Nick and Janette (especially in terms of the centuries-long Nick/Janette romantic relationship) as it does to the faction supporting them.

List of Couple Factions

The early couple factions are:

Trio factions include:

Other couple factions include: