The best onscreen sapphic couples we never got to see again

From #Avatrice and #Shoni to #Calliette, here are some of the best relationships we’ve lost to the Cancel Your Gays trend

BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY NETFLIX

How would you feel if you were eating the best meal of your life and then someone took your plate away before you got to the last bite? That’s how fans across the world felt last month when Netflix announced that they were cancelling the fan-favourite show Warrior Nun. Viewers of the show were left frustrated with the biggest cliffhanger – what happens to Ava and Beatrice next? 

The #CancelYourGays hashtag has been used in protest online to bring awareness to the increasing trend within networks to cancel well-performing shows that centre around LGBTQIA relationships. Warrior Nun is just one in a graveyard of shows that never got the ending they deserved. These shows leave fans guessing what happens next to their beloved couples with no answers in sight. 

Here is our list of the best queer couples that we never got to see again.

#Avatrice (Warrior Nun)

#Avatrice was described by fans as having one of the best slow builds out of any sapphic onscreen relationship. Warrior Nun follows the journey of orphaned teen Ava Silva as she learns about her superpowers, and joins a secret sect of demon-hunting nuns. The second season saw Ava finally get together with her love interest Sister Beatrice, but Netflix abruptly put an end to fans’ hopes of seeing their relationship progress. 

Fans loved the show’s approach to exploring their romantic relationship, with it focusing on their own individual growth in season one before delving into their relationship in the second season. Ava and Beatrice were fiercely protective of each other, and the equal-sided bond they shared is something rare to see on screen. We will miss seeing them (and their badass fighting) greatly.

Anne and Ann (Gentleman Jack)

2022 also saw the cancellation of the beloved historical drama series Gentleman Jack despite fans’ uproar. Following the story of Anne Lister, Gentleman Jack provided fans with an honest, real and unapologetic depiction of queer love. We adored watching their romance blossom over the two series, and the show provided us with a detailed exploration of their love. The acting by Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle was nothing short of excellent, and we were incredibly sad to see this one leave our screens.

But don’t give up hope. The #SaveGentlemanJack campaign certainly isn’t giving up yet.

@darrenaitkenedits WE FALL IN LOVE || Gentlemen Jack #gentlemanjack #gentlemanjackedit #sophierundle #surannejones #annelister #annwalker ♬ original sound – Darren

#Calliette (First Kill)

Netflix’s First Kill was one of our favourite supernatural shows from 2022, so we were devastated to see it unable to get a second series. The show follows the growing romance between two teens but there’s one catch. One is a vampire, and the other is a hunter… and both are ready to make their first kill. The ship named #Calliette was coined by fans to describe the relationship between vampire Juliette and hunter Calliope. Following the age-old “Romeo and Juliet” trope, fans were crushed that they wouldn’t get to see what fate awaited these two enemies-to-lovers.

Sterling and April (Teenage Bounty Hunters)

Another Netflix casualty was the loss of 2020’s Teenage Bounty Hunters, and with it our favourite “besties to enemies to lovers” storyline. The show depicts the lives of twin sisters Sterling and Blair as they juggle school and their extracurricular activity – bounty hunting. But what fans really loved seeing was the progression of Sterling’s relationship with her best friend April. Cancelled after just one season, we know in our hearts that Sterling and April are #endgame.

@00slodge não te perdoo Netflix por ter cancelado a série|✧･ﾟ#fyp #fypage #caçadorasderecompensas #teenagebountyhunter #teenagebountyhunteredit #sterlingwesleyedit #aprilstevensedit #stepriledit ♬ You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

Kate and Emaline (Everything Sucks!)

When Everything Sucks! came out in 2018, viewers everywhere enjoyed watching the outcasts of Boring High School try to navigate school in the 90s. One of the especially important storylines followed Kate (Peyton Kennedy) and her coming out experience. And who does she have a crush on? None other than Sydney Sweeney who plays her love interest Emaline. Everything Sucks! gave audiences an honest portrayal of the awkwardness of teenagehood, and watching Kate navigate her feelings resonated with so many viewers. However, the show was cancelled after just one season, leaving us wondering whether Kate and Emaline ever make it together in the end.

#Shoni (The Wilds)

The Wilds was the gift that kept on giving. The two seasons revolved around a group of teenage girls who were left stranded on a desert island after a plane crash… or at least that’s what they think. This show gave us so many amazing depictions of female relationships, and fans were invested in seeing the development of each character. #Shoni – the ship name for Shelby and Toni – caught viewers’ hearts with their slow-burn story. However, despite developing somewhat of a cult following, the show was axed after its second season.

@unskinkable8 fun fact: this song was inspired by s2 shoni #thewildsedit #thewilds #thewildsseason2 #tonishalifoe #shelbygoodkind #shoni #shoniedit #wlw #taylorswift #swifttok ♬ This Love (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

Did we miss any of your favourite couples?

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