In honor of Valentine’s Day, we decided to do a ranking of the best kisses in the history of fantasy and science-fiction. The Warp Gate editorial board deliberated long about this list. There are many amazing kisses in sci-fi and fantasy. It was difficult to narrow the list to just ten of the best. Someone floated the idea that we should make this an annual feature so we can include other best kisses in the future. For now, we present the Top 10 Kisses in Sci-fi and Fantasy for Valentine’s Day 2020.
10. Futurama // Fry and Leela
Futurama’s handling of the friendship/romance of Fry and Leela is one of the best examples of great writing in TV history. Over the majority of seven seasons, the unlikely pair remained romantically apart with only brief flashes of affection. It’s not until the end of the series that they end up happily in love. The strength of Fry and Leela’s relationship comes from their long friendship, which is, in the end, the basis for any lasting love.
9. Sword Art Online // Kirito and Asuna
Any fan of Sword Art Online knows the ongoing series is a romance first and a fantasy-adventure second. The couple at the center of the romantic thread is Kirito and Asuna, of course. Trapped in a virtual gaming world of “Sword Art Online,” Asuna and Kirito develop their sword skills independent of each other. They first respect each other as warriors, which leads to their fated romance that lasts beyond the virtual world once freed. In the episode “Crimson Killing Intent,” Asuna saves Kirito from certain death and Kirito returns the favor with their first kiss.
8. Last of Us Part 2 // Dina and Ellie
The action-adventure survival horror video game The Last of Us Part II will release on May 29, but it already made a splash with a kiss between characters. It’s rare that a kiss would be featured prominently in a video game, let alone a horror, but Last of Us Part II, went and did it. At E3 in 2018, video game studio Naughty Dog premiered a trailer that surprised and impressed attendees. In the trailer, two survivors, Dina and Ellie kiss while slow-dancing. This is not a quick peck, but a long, passionate kiss. It is probably the best kiss ever included in a video game.
7. The Expanse // Holden and Naomi
The Expanse is hands-down the best science-fiction show ever produced for television. This is not to say there aren’t equally awesome sci-fi shows on TV, such as Star Trek. But in terms of employing actual science in the fiction, The Expanse wins. In addition to the show’s adherence to the laws of physics and realistic depiction of life in space, the development and management of characters is perfect. The characters are at times the best and worst of humanity. At the center of it all is the deep, and often difficult, relationship of main characters the Earther, James Holden, and the Belter, Naomi Nagata. It is one of the most realistic love affairs on TV period. When they kiss, they kiss like they mean it.
6. Captain America: The First Avenger // Steve and Peggy
The best thing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that it takes its reality and characters seriously. That includes the relationships, both platonic and romantic. The one love affair that stands out and endures throughout the 20+ films is that of Captain Steve Rogers and Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Carter. Despite being frozen in ice for 66 years, Steve only has eyes for his girl, Peggy. In Avengers: Endgame, Captain America finally gets his reward to go back in time and live out his life with Peggy.
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows // Ron and Hermione
Despite what JK Rowling says these days, Ron and Hermione were destined to be together. Their relationship, like most great ones, starts off on the wrong foot in the very first book/film. Their respect for each other grows throughout the series even though they’re often at each other’s throats. It’s actually not until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, that we finally get the kiss we’ve been waiting for.
4. The Princess Bride // Westley and Buttercup
“Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.” The Princess Bride is one of the best movies ever. It’s so much fun to watch. Watching The Princess Bride continues to be a rite of passage for kids more than 30 years after being released in theaters. One of those rites is watching kissing in a movie. As adults we get to experience the kiss between Westley and Buttercup through Fred Savage’s eyes. The kiss between to the two lovers is gross, passionate, and pure all at the same time. It really is one of the best kisses of all time.
3. Star Trek // Uhura and Kirk
On Nov. 22, 1968, Gene Roddenberry accomplished the seemingly impossible task of having a white man and a black woman kiss in a primetime series in the United States. Despite concerns of NBC execs that the kiss would anger certain segments of the public, Roddenberry, William Shatner, and Nichelle Nichols pushed the scene through. The kissing scene in “Plato’s Stepchildren” in Star Trek: The Original Series, didn’t cause the uproar that NBC execs had expected. The kiss between Uhura and Kirk is now widely honored as one of the best kisses in TV history.
2. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back // Han and Leia
“I love you.” “I know.” The carbonite chamber kiss in The Empire Strikes Back between Leia and Han is one of the most powerful scenes in the Star Wars franchise. Unlike the problematic dialogue written for Anakin and Padmé, the simple exchange between Han and Leia makes their kiss all the more meaningful. Originally, the script called for Harrison Ford to say “I love you, too.” Harrison instead improvised and gave us one of the most iconic and realistic expressions of affection in movie history.
1. Avengers: Endgame // Tony and Pepper
I didn’t say all the kisses on this list would be happy. It would be negligent to leave off the kiss given by Pepper Potts to Tony Stark after he sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos and the Black Order. The simple kiss in Avengers: Endgame was a powerful expression of Pepper’s love for Tony and a symbolic appreciation for what he did. Originally, the script called for a bigger expression of appreciation by all the other heroes. Thankfully, they decided to go with the more simple, more powerful moment of intimacy between Tony and Pepper surrounded by death and destruction. I’m not crying. It’s just my allergies.
What do you think of the list? What kisses should we have included? Let us know and perhaps they’ll make the 2021 Valentine’s Day list of best kisses.
