The success of the Fast & Furious series has lasted for over two decades and will continue after F9 as well. However, no matter how many similar franchises to Fast & Furious are spawned, the chemistry between Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner is impossible to duplicate. Although Brian’s original mission was to infiltrate Dom’s crew to implicate him, the two went on to have a true bond that continues far past Brian’s last appearance in the seventh movie.
Many fans have taken to considering them as a couple, owing to how their dynamic can be interpreted as romantic if seen from a different lens. Since shipping these characters is so popular, it’s worth taking a look into the aspects that make the Brian and Dom pair worth following.
Brian Is Around Dom More Than With Mia
Despite Mia being his designated love interest, the majority of Brian’s scenes in the movies are actually with Dom. Moreover, these show them in close proximity to one another and heart-to-heart confessions are par for the course.
In fact, the only reason Brian met Mia was that he was chasing after Dom, meaning his relationship with her is a result of his original pursuit of Dom. With much of their screentime dedicated to each other, it’s easy to see why fans have taken a shine to this pairing.
They're Prepared To Die For One Another
It doesn’t even cross Dom or Brian’s minds that they could lose their lives when either man is in trouble, as they’re prepared to die for the other. Even times where one could escape, they choose to stay back for the possibility to perish together.
This kind of loyalty and attachment is easy material for those who ship the pair to continue doing so, as they’ve come close to the starcrossed lovers' trope. No matter how many times a close call might occur, it’s always heartwarming to see Dom and Brian lay everything on the line to save the other.
Brian Broke The Law Every Time For Dom
There doesn’t seem to be any limit to the lengths Brian will take to keep Dom away from harm. As it is, he’s broken and defied the law multiple times whenever Dom is under threat. Brian forwent his job as a cop in the first movie to allow Dom his escape, along with becoming a fugitive after breaking Dom out of prison despite being an FBI agent at the time.
It’s no wonder why Dom is so taken with Brian as a person, as he’s not only owed his life to him but has respected Brian’s tenacity toward him out of loyalty. This kind of unflinching devotion puts most other canonical relationships to shame.
They're Like A Battle Couple
Dom and Brian check all the required boxes to be considered as a battle couple, seeing as they’ve got each other’s fight synchronicity down pat. As seen in Fast Five’s train scene the two can think on the fly and come up with exit strategies in tandem.
Perhaps their best moment was during the sequence of driving the car through skyscrapers in Furious 7, as the two fought Mose Jakande and Deckard Shaw’s forces while completing death-defying stunts. They easily gel together much better than Letty or Mia do with them, as Dom and Brian’s fight styles mix and match beautifully.
The Two Are Very Open To Revealing Their Love For One Another
Dom could be incorrect with his judgments as he was proven wrong in F9 over Jakob being a villain. However, Dom was always right to trust Brian, with the two being very much at ease to let each other know how much they value their bond.
This is shown in pretty much all the Fast & Furious movie endings, where Dom and Brian are shown appreciating each other, and Dom outright voicing out his love for Brian in Furious 7. As shown in the eighth movie, Dom loved Brian enough to name his son after him.
They're Responsible For Each Other's Character Development
Another major reason why fans love to consider this duo as a tight ship to follow is due to the fact that they’ve impacted each other so much. All of Dom’s character development in Fast & Furious has been due to Brian’s influence, as the latter giving Dom the chance to escape in the first movie led to Dom turning over a new leaf.
Similarly, it was after he saw a criminal like Dom could be a good man that Brian realized that he was working for corrupted authority figures and stopped seeing the law as black and white. It was also through Dom’s words of encouragement in Fast Five that Brian was encouraged to be a good father.
Their Embraces And Interactions Have The Most Passion
This may seem like a minor detail but is one that the shippers in the fandom has taken notice of. Each time Brian and Dom have been reunited, the duo has interacted with the most enthusiasm. In general, Both of them notably become more animated when the other shows up.
Although their embraces haven’t been shown too much onscreen, the few times they have hugged have been quite passionate, owing to a mixture of happiness and relief to see one another safely before them. This is in striking difference to other characters who generally avoid contact when interacting.
They've Always Got The Other In Mind
While talking about family is easily Dom’s most popular Fast & Furious quote, it’s a safe bet for anyone to make that he will mention Brian at some point within each movie. The same goes for Brian as well, who mentioned Dom in the second movie where the latter wasn’t present.
This has even become part of the duo’s intuition, as they’ve got the knack to know where the other will be. This was shown in the ending of Furious 7, where Brian tracked Dom down just to say goodbye, and in F9 where Dom knew Dom was coming for dinner before the sounds of his car had even reached him.
They Have The "Will They/Won't They" Dynamic
Prior to the ending of Fast Five, Dom and Brian’s relationship had shades of this trope as there were always circumstances preventing them from fully addressing what they meant to each other. This was reminiscent of how couples’ endgames are kept unclear until much later.
It started with Dom keeping Brian a bit at arm’s length after learning Brian had been spying on him as a cop, while Brian had a chip on his shoulder for Dom beating him at their race. This kind of dynamic made for several moments of banter that fans saw as the way for the men to display their friendship. This then transitioned to full-on trust starting from the sixth movie, however.
The Series Was Established Based On Their Relationship
All in all, the Fast & Furious franchise is built on the connection between Dom and Brian, as the first movie was all about the latter wrestling with the weight of their friendship and his duties as a cop. Following this, the series took a turn toward the duo forming their crew to take on global threats.
For this reason, fans can be validated in their belief that Dom and Brian are meant to be shipped together, seeing as none of the franchise’s events would’ve come to pass without their relationship. Add to that, the movies tended to have moments dedicated to their bond, such as the ending of Furious 7, which none of the other pairings got.