Liz/Michael

Liz/Michael is a het pairing in the Roswell fandom featuring Liz Parker and Michael Guerin.
==Canon==
In the pilot episode, it's revealed that although they knew each other from school, Michael and Liz didn't really talk to each other - due to differences in friends and such. That all changes when Michael's best friend, Max Evans, heals Liz when she was shotRoswell Season 1 Episode 1 "Pilot". Michael didn't like that, afraid that with Max using his powers in public would expose them. He wants to leave town due to the Sherriff's questions, however Liz, Maria, and Max convince him otherwise. When she's worried about seeing Michael's file pulled by the new guidance counselor Liz visits Michael's home - meeting his adopted father for the first time Roswell Season 1 Episode 2 "The Morning After". Unsure whether or not that Liz could still be trusted after learning she kept a journal, he stole her journal and reads it Roswell Season 1 Episode 5 "Missing". He reveals that the journal gave him one more reason to be jealous of Max. They become friendly after that. And he later starts dating Maria DeLuca, Liz's best friend. While Michael needs to be healed by the healing stones in a circle of friends - he wasn't doing so well and it isn't until Liz joins the circle that he wakes up healed Roswell Season 1 Episode 10 "The Balance". After being kidnapped by Nasedo, Michael (with Isabel & Tess) manages to find LizRoswell Season 1 Episode 20 "Max to the Max" and they share a hug; Michael trying to comfort an upset Liz. 
When the alien doubles come to town, Michael's alien double, Rath ends up kissing Liz Roswell Season 2 Episode 8 "Meet the Dupes" much to her surprise, he calls the kiss "epic". It's briefly hinted at again when the dupes meet with Pod Squad - when Max introduces Liz to Rath, but isn't mentioned again. While investigating Alex's death, Michael joins Liz despite the fact that he didn't want to believe that it might be an alien that did it to protect her and Maria Roswell Season 2 Episode 19 "Baby, It's You" and to find out the truth behind Alex's death. 
After getting drunk at a New Years Eve party, Michael is taken to Liz's by Maria and Max where Maria revealed to be tired of their relationship and the alien stuff (which was overheard by Michael's whose powers were out of wack due to the beer), he tells her to go off with Max and have fun. Liz takes care of Michael, letting him sleep in her bed Roswell Season 3 Episode 10 "A Tale of Two Parties" - both promising to never tell Max or Maria about it.
In the series finale, it's revealed that Liz does indeed marry Max, but they leave town with Michael, Kyle, Isabel, and Maria due to it no longer safe to stay in Roswell Roswell Season 3 Episode 18 "Graduation".
==Fandom==
Liz/Michael, better known as Polar which was shortened from Polar Opposites, is a pretty common unconventional pairing in the Roswell fandom, which still remains active presently even after the show went off the air. For gen/platonic related works of the Liz & Michael variety the name Protectors is used Shipper List at Roswell Heaven. Posted March 17 2009. (Accessed Feb 9 2014). 
The pairing is sometimes in a threesome with Max Evans, Isabel Evans, Rath, Zan, Tess Harding, and Maria DeLuca.
===Common Tropes and Storylines===
* Bonds between Liz & Michael are fairly popular, usually takes place after Liz gains her powers in S3 but not always. It's pretty common for Liz and Michael to have a bond or shown to have complementing powers due to canon Liz's powers explosive reaction to Max's touch.Roswell Season 3 Episode 12 "Ch-ch-changes"
**It's usually used as indication that Liz & Michael are mates or destined to be.
**Michael helps Liz with her powers.
* Infidelity is fairly common usually done to Liz & Michael thanks to their canon partners (Max and Maria - either with each other or Max with Tess and Maria with another person - sometimes Brody), but Liz and Michael are sometimes the cheaters.
** It's usually the most common S3 finale fix-it but also used during S2 related fics.
** Mainly due to the infidelity trope (but not always), it's often is used as a way to character bash on Max for his obsessive behavior towards Liz and Maria for her on-and-off again relationship & feelings pull towards Michael (and where nothing he ever really does satisfies her). 
* Liz is a Alien clone or a reincarnated soul as well is fairly popular, with Liz's alien self having a romantic or platonic relationship with Michael's alien self Rath.
** This usually leads to a new Royal Four formation, with Liz and Michael as the King and Queen. Kyle Valenti, Ava, and/or Isabel Evans make up the last of the new Royal Four.
* AUs are quite popular, usually as a canon fix-it or rewriting the series or episodes to be Polar.
==Fanworks==
===Fanfiction===
* The Polar Novel by Whiteotter, The Polar Novel is the official recording of Michael and Liz's secret lives together in Roswell, New Mexico. The recordings begin when Liz Parker left Max Evans in the desert and then backtrack to when Michael returned Liz's journal to document how their relationship first began.
* Finding Ulysses by Peachykin, Six years after Graduation, Michael's got someone on his mind.
* Memory of Her by Peachykin, So this is the dance we do. Some nights, after her parents go to sleep, she creeps out of her window and comes to me. Some nights I come to her.
* Hunted by Ashita polar, What begins as a sensual game results in the discovery of an entirely new destiny. (PWP)
* Forbidden Dreams by Ashita polar, A series of vignettes that came together into their own little universe; based on prompts supplied on Polar Attraction. While not a full story, all are connected and spawned three short stories, plus a potential epic. Skips around in time.
* Fighting Fear by whimsicality, Post Departure, Ava returns to Roswell to help Liz harness her growing powers. Tess's betrayal has irrevocably changed the lives of the Roswell teens - relationships will end and begin, loyalties will shift, and new paths will be forged.
* After Prom by NephilimEQ, Liz needs someone to talk to about what she saw at Prom...who would be the most willing to listen and make her see the truth?
* Cry Your Name by ErraticHippie, A somewhat alternate ending to "Cry Your Name" and the revelations that come in coping with the death of Alexander Whitman.
* Healing by Queenie, Set after “Behind the Music”. 
* The Prelude by rosweldrmr, As far as Michael was concerned, aliens didn’t have soulmates (Soulmates AU)
* What Waits in Darkness by grufflepuff, It started not long after Michael returned her journal. (written for the Roswell Gift Exchange)
===Fanart===
File:Harpiebird-polar.jpg|Polar manip by Harpiebird.
* Polar AU: Liz gets shot at the Crashdown and Michael brings her back to life.
===Fanvids===
* U&Me
* Name
* Polar Fear
* Polar on Fire
* the hardest thing
* Together
* A Lonely Soul
* My Immortal
* Fear
* White Flag
* I Think She Knows
==Archives and Communities==
*Liz/Michael at AO3
*Liz/Michael at FFN
** All Polar All the Time community on FFN
* Polar Attraction 
* Polar Writer's Anonymous
* POLAR, a fanlisting for the pairing and their het fanfiction
*Polarists
==Resources==
* Liz/Michael recs at Roswell Fanatics
==References==
Category:Het Pairings
Category:Roswell Relationships