Matchmaker
- See The Matchmaker for the Kirk/Spock story by Janet Alyx.
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Cupid, Matchmaking |
| Related tropes/genres | Secret Crush, Shipper on Deck, Match Maker Quest, Blind Dates |
| See also | "The Matchmaker" on TV Tropes |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Matchmaker/Matchmaking is a common fanfic trope, but it is also common to used trope in canon works as well.
- CharacterC ("The Matchmaker" which is sometimes considered a secondary character in the story) try and set up the CharacterA with the CharacterB which CharacterA usually has a [maybe not so] secret crush on.
The stories generally feature a lot of humor, angst, drama and/or crack. It could also feature some Hurt/Comfort as well.
In Fandom
In fandom, the matchmaker role is often given to characters who play a major role in the canon source material, but are not part of the pairing being depicted. This is especially true for fandoms with a trio of leads, where the most popular ship is between two of those leads. For example, Sam Winchester is a popular choice for the matchmaker in Destiel fanworks, as it gives one of the show's lead characters something to do in a story that might not otherwise involve him.
The matchmaker is often humorously described as "long-suffering", tired of having to put up with their friends' unresolved tension. Exasperation at this pining is a common motivation for the character becoming a matchmaker.
Fanwork Examples
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
In Harry Potter fanworks, Molly Weasley and Ginny Weasley are the most popular characters to use as the "matchmaker". Hermione Granger, Bill Weasley (prior to canon knowledge of Bill/Fleur), Charlie Weasley are often the people that Molly and/or Ginny are trying to get paired up (although not always together - so it's not always Hermione/Charlie or Hermione/Bill). Other characters are also used in matchmaking stories.
In Life With Derek fanworks, especially Casey McDonald/Derek Venturi fanworks, Casey and Derek's siblings Marti Venturi, Lizzie McDonald and Edwin Venturi are often trying to set Casey & Derek up together. Other times it's their parents or friends that get in on the action.
- A Venturi Plan of Action by juliashappyfish (Casey/Derek)
- Edwin Venturi, Matchmaker by bsloths (Casey/Derek, minor Lizzie/Edwin)
In Sherlock (BBC) fanworks, matchmaking works are often focused on the pairing Sherlock/John[1] than any others, however Mycroft Holmes has a few works dedicated to it, namely for the pairing Mycroft/Lestrade[2]. Molly Hooper is also rarely used, with the top pairing for her is Sherlock/Molly[3].
Archives & Resources
- Matchmaking tag on the Ao3
- Matchmaking works on the AO3
References
- ^ Sherlock/John + Matchmaking search on AO3 lists 29 works (Accessed 8 September 2014)
- ^ Mycroft/Lestrade + Matchmaking search on AO3 lists 6 works. (Accessed 8 September 2014)
- ^ Sherlock/Molly + Matchmaking search on AO3 lists 4 works. (Accessed 8 September 2014)