I was thinking about emotional surges granting power and this phrase came to mind. We are used to anger, despair, and even sadness causing characters to find inner strength. All of the darker emotions get used for this story point. Love came give strength in a pinch too, but usually combined with anger at the one you love being in danger. So, what about friendship?
While this does fall into the same category as love, it isn’t as deep at times. It’s also mocked by many because of how it gets used. Some stories have had it that the power of friendship protects against deadly spells. It has created powerful attacks with absolutely no warning or logic. It doesn’t get as much leeway as love because one can understand that since it is a considered a deeper, more solid emotion. Friendship can be see as fluid and temporary by people, so it isn’t seen as a source of power. This makes its use laughable to many. So, people who have run into this abrupt deus ex machina trope will turn off to the concept even when done well.
Doing it well is a big thing too. Authors might think establishing characters as friends without making friendship a key theme will be enough. In reality, a reader will think that the making of friends during an adventure is common and nothing special. It happens all the time because heroes rarely battle alone to save the world. A sudden explosion of strength will fail if the friendships grant normal aide, but no previous power boost or hint of such has been seen. I’m not talking about a friend being killed and rage being the catalyst like Goku turning Super Saiyan after Krillin is killed. I mean, a character suddenly declaring that the power of friendship gives them strength and pounding the bad guy into the dirt without any foreshadowing.
I should admit that I don’t really have a problem with the power of friendship turning up to give a reasonable boost. It does get overused, but I think most people have friends and gain some type of strength from that. We depend on them when we are in trouble even if it’s simply to talk and vent. I’m talking about true friendships instead of the casual acquaintances here. Those who you’ve made bonds with and will continue interacting with through thick and thin. That is what this trope is most successful with and the author has to establish that these are the bonds. Definitely requires ‘show, don’t tell’ and people know how much I hate using that phrase. You can write an announcement of the power source, but you need to make it clear that the basis for it exists.
Perhaps another reason friendship has a harder time being believed as a power source is because people have different definitions for it. For some, they consider every connection a friend while others are pickier. The first group will find it easier to get behind the trope than the second. Those are just extremes too. I know I have a different sense of friendship than other friends or even my older self. You get burnt enough by those you have cared about, you start to become jaded. The same goes for being in love, but a person can understand that emotion between fictional characters more than friendship. After all, love is considered a more potent emotion than friendship, so even someone who doesn’t believe in it will get the picture. This makes it especially difficult for an author to use this because you’re bound to fail with some of your audience.
Is there a reason why people still use the power of friendship? Maybe it’s because many of us grew up with it in our stories. A call back to childhood in some fashion or even passing on the message to younger generations. The idea that one can get power from friends is what helps kids come out of their shells. Even one friend is considered a power source in some stories. An author may do this to help others and give them hope that they will find at least one friend. In this fashion, it’s the way the relationship begins and grows instead of the power surge. That part is only to demonstrate why it could be important to create close connections beyond love. Just a thought though.