Scooby-Doo’s franchise debuted in 1969, airing Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, its first animated series, created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears for Hanna-Barbera Productions. We are introduced to Daphne and Fred, who are among two other teenagers and one dog. The entire group constitutes Shaggy Rogers, Velma Dinkley, Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, and Scooby-Doo, their talking dog. Fred acts as the group’s leader, playing a detective role, while Daphne continually attracts danger. Velma plays an intelligent analyst, while Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are the cowards of the group.

The episodes mostly follow the same basic premise; the four teenagers and their dog drive to a specific locality and encounter a supposedly supernatural being that has constantly been frightening and terrorizing the locals. They then split up to look for clues left by the “supernatural being” as they are themselves terrorized in the process. Eventually, they find evidence that the supernatural being is indeed a person wearing a mask, intending to commit a crime and hide their identity. They unmask the person, who is then arrested and jailed.

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Over the years, Scooby-Doo has been remade, rerun, and crossovered with other successful animation series. It was during these adaptations that Scooby-Doo fans started to notice a relationship brewing between Daphne and Fred. But why did it take them so long to become a couple?

Why Fred And Daphne Were Not Originally a Romantic Pair

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Generally, the idea of Daphne and Fred being in a relationship came from fans’ speculations after watching multiple episodes of the franchise’s adaptations where Daphne and Fred always team up when the group splits up to look for clues. Viewers also picked up the social cues and behaviors that indicate two people like each other; for example, how Daphne and Fred talk, stand, and behave.

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Though the franchise aired its first series in 1969, these speculations didn’t start until the late ’90s. Why is this the case?

The prominent story in the first series and its immediate sequels was a group of random teenagers who had not grown on their audience yet carrying out detective roles. Also, their character arcs had not been fully developed, meaning they were still growing. It’s not until the later adaptations in the 90s that we see the characters’ growth; Daphne, who always attracted danger, now knows to defend herself using karate, reducing her abduction rate.

By this time, the characters had grown on their audience and become relatable; viewers could see signs that Fred and Daphne were getting close. It could be that Daphne and Fred were not originally a romantic pair because their characters had not grown yet.

When Daphne And Fred Officially Became A Couple

When the multiple creators and producers of the Scooby-Doo franchise and other similar successful animated series franchises heard fans’ speculations about Daphne and Fred, they decided to run with it. Scooby-Doo fans can even pinpoint that the first time it was implied that Fred and Daphne were indeed a couple was during the Johnny Bravo crossover, Bravo Dooby-Doo, in 1997. This was episode 3b in Johnny Bravo season 1, aired on July 21, 1997.

Older viewers even started speculating that Daphe and Fred opted to pair up during the group split-ups to have their “alone time”. The most likely suggestive part is when Daphne says, “Let’s split up: Scooby, Velma, and I will check the attic.” Fred makes a sound, Daphne rolls her eyes suggestively and then corrects herself, “Oh, right. Fred and I will check the basement.” Later, Fred winks at viewers when he catches Daphne in his arms.

Henceforth, the romantic connection between Daphne and Fred became a prevalent theme, which can be seen in the first Scooby-Doo direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998), and the following sequels.

In 2002, Warner Bros. Pictures released the first live-action film Scooby-Doo, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred. After watching this live-action film, it’s clear that Fred and Daphne are an official couple, evidenced by scenes where they kiss, and fans’ speculations are proved right. The ridiculous or probably the loveliest thing about actors Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar is that they were dating in real life, perhaps why they played Daphne and Fred’s relationship perfectly. They married in 2002, meaning they were already a couple in real life by the time they were starring in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004).

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The Current State Of Daphne And Fred’s Relationship

In 2010, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated debuted, a franchise reboot that mostly re-established the characters’ relationships and personalities. The series included the characters’ different worlds, featuring their parents, school, and neighbors. Daphne wears her feelings for Fred on her sleeves, hinting and expressing that she loves him, but Fred either cleverly or cluelessly evades Daphne’s advances, clearly commenting that they are good friends.

Eventually, he realizes he loves Daphne, and during episode 24, Dead Justice, Fred proposes to her, but the engagement is short-lived. He breaks off the engagement in episode 26, All Fear the Freak, hurting Daphne. However, in season 2’s episode 45, The Devouring, Fred informs Rick Spartan to get back with his wife after unmasking the Gluten Demon, which impresses Daphne and implies that Fred and Daphne have reconciled.