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Engineer/Spy
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Engineer/Spy (Team Fortress 2) |
| Alternative name(s): | Knives 'n' Knowledge; Reverse Engineering; Engiespy |
| Gender category: | Slash |
| Fandom: | Team Fortress 2 |
| Canonical?: | No |
| Prevalence: | Popular |
| Archives: | n/a |
| Other: | n/a |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
This article or section needs expansion. |
Engineer/Spy, known mostly as Napoleon Complex or Practical Espionage, is a popular pairing within Team Fortress 2 fandom. The ship is between The Engineer and The Spy, two of the game's nine playable mercenaries and main characters.
Common Tropes
- Size Difference: Spy is taller, Engineer is shorter. Engineer's also much more stocky while Spy's shaped like a beanpole.
- Opposites Attract: Engineer is personal and likes to be hands on, tinkering with machines and generally being social, while Spy is very closed off and prides himself on keeping his distance from others. Many works emphasize that Spy's initially dismissive of Engineer and his intelligence while Engineer often believes anything Spy is up to is no good.
- Crossfaction: where the two are on opposing sides. More often than not, it's BLU Engineer/RED Spy. Them being on the same team is not unheard of but is less common.
- Enemies to Lovers is common for this reason, especially Engineer towards Spy since Spy counters sentries and dispensers in the game itself, meaning he has the favorable matchup in most circumstances.
- Similar Ships: the pairing is often compared to Applejack/Rarity from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.[1]
Engineer/Spy Fandom
TBA
Example/Notable Fanac
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fan Blogs
- engiespy-community, Archived version, a community hub blog on Tumblr. It ran Engiespy Week, Archived version, a fanweek, in 2022.
- ask-engie-n-spy, Archived version, an ask blog on Tumblr.
Fan Art
Fan Fic
- Fifty Shades of RED by MisterStalker, tiny_freakin_head (2019-20), rated Explicit. The Administrator hired the Spy because she knew the Frenchman was good. She hired the Texan for breaking the spy because she hoped he was better. He was better. Much better.
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by NoCapes (2012-21), rated Mature. When Engineer finds himself alone and heartbroken after his wife unexpectantly leaves him the enemy Spy takes it upon himself to help the man forget his problems. Whether he likes it or not.
Fan Mixes
- At Least the Vespa's Radio Works by katsa5, Archived version (2015), recursive fanmix made for "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by NoCapes.
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by emif, Archived version (2014), recursive fanmix made for "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by NoCapes.
Fan Comics
- -concernedly calls u mon cher in the same tone as a kind old lady calls u honey- by gearbroth, Archived version (2020)
Awards / Polls
- The pairing was an entry in the fourth MLM Ship Bracket Tournament in 2024.
References
- ^ They are literally the same I'm not kidding by homkamiro, Archived version (2023), fan art where Applejack and Rarity are dressed as Engineer and Spy.