Peanuts captures the essence of unrequited love like no other, with Charlie Brown often bearing the brunt of its heartache. However, he's not the only character in the Schulz universe to experience it. Lucy, Sally, Linus, Marcie, and Peppermint Patty have all known the bitter sting of unrequited love, a hard pill to swallow for each of them.

Peanuts does more than just depict the carefree joys of childhood; it also delves into the harsh realities, with unrequited love standing as one of its most relatable themes. For readers who have experienced the sting of unreturned affection, Peanuts offers a mirror to their own pain. Yet, despite the heartache, these stories manage to bring humor and lightness, allowing readers to both commiserate and laugh through the bittersweet experience of rejection.

10 "Unrequited Love!"

Originally Published: March 13, 1978

Peppermint Patty has once again fallen asleep in class when Marcie wakes her up to share her theory on why this keeps happening. According to Marcie, Peppermint Patty’s constant drowsiness is a result of her unrequited love for Charlie Brown. In the next strip, Marcie explains how she came to this conclusion. She overheard Peppermint Patty calling out “Chuck” in her sleep while they were at their desks, and believes the emotional turmoil from her unreturned feelings is causing her to sleep through class.

As a frequent advocate for Peppermint Patty, Marcie would often try to encourage her to express her feelings to Charlie Brown, even though she herself had a crush on him. Despite Peppermint Patty’s frequent (and usually heavy-handed) hints that she cared for him, Charlie Brown never seemed to reciprocate.

9 "You Can't Think Of Nothing!"

Originally Published: May 30, 1978

Charlie Brown opens up to his best friend Linus, pouring out his feelings about how his mind is always consumed by thoughts of his crush, the Little Red-Haired Girl. However, he’s convinced she never thinks of him.

Charlie Brown attributes this to his belief that he is "nothing," and that no one can think about nothing. Linus, being the good friend that he is, tries to reassure Charlie Brown that he’s not nothing. This provides only a small comfort, as Charlie Brown then decides he’s not "nothing," but "almost nothing." Technically, he’s only .00001, and he wonders if a girl would ever think of someone so insignificant. Charlie Brown’s low self-esteem is ever-present, only deepened by the constant heartache of unrequited love for the Little Red-Haired Girl.

8 "He Loved It..."

Originally Published: February 11, 1996

For Valentine's Day, Sally makes Linus a card that she tasks Snoopy to deliver for her. When Linus reads the first line, one that addresses him as Sweet Babboo, he loses his cool. Linus shouts that he is not her Sweet Babboo and is infuriated that she keeps calling him said pet name for reasons he is still unaware of.

As Snoopy makes his way back home, Sally asks him how the card delivery went, to which Snoopy gives her a little white lie, replying that Linus loved the card. In reality, Snoopy acts on Sally's behalf and pushes the card in Linus's face, with the Valentine left hanging on his nose. Saving her from the heartache that comes with the bad reaction from the recipient of a Valentine's Day card, Snoopy defends Sally from the tantrum of her unrequited love.

7 "She Understands Me!"

Originally Published: October 6th, 1959

Lucy confronts her little brother about his infatuation with Miss Othmar, asking who she even is. Linus explains that Miss Othmar is his teacher and that she is one of the few people who understands him. On that cue, he sucks on his thumb and cuddles his beloved security blanket, prompting Lucy to remark that Miss Othmar is either a teaching genius or she is very green to the teaching profession.

Given that Linus is a pretty unique kid, it does take a really special teacher to make the sensitive and wise little kid feel understood, even if it is to the annoyance of Lucy. The other Peanuts kids also had an issue with Linus's hardcore crush on Miss Othmar, with Charlie Brown also trying to talk some sense into Linus. Linus's story of unrequited love is the one with the smallest chance of ever happening since Miss Othmar is, well, his teacher.

6 "How About Just Barely Being Able To Tolerate Her?"

Originally Published: February 13, 1977

Lucy talks to Schroeder at his piano, explaining that she believes there are many misconceptions about the etiquette and rules surrounding Valentine’s Day. She begins by correcting the myth that you have to be in love with someone to give them a Valentine. This catches Schroeder's attention, and he probes further, asking if that means the giver has to love the recipient, even just a little.

Schroeder then takes it a step further, first asking if liking someone is enough to justify giving a Valentine, and then wondering if merely tolerating someone makes it acceptable. Lucy reluctantly its that it’s okay to give a card in that case. But before she can offer a rebuttal, Schroeder hands her a Valentine, making his feelings clear without her even having to open the card.

5 "Do You Love Me, Chuck?"

Originally Published: January 1, 1993

Calling her good friend Chuck to wish him a happy New Year, Peppermint Patty takes the opportunity to ask him if he loves her. Charlie Brown, very much not in love with Peppermint Patty, instead swerves the question by acting like a phone operator who reveals the call cannot go through, so she must hang up. Charlie Brown, being fully aware of what unrequited love feels like himself, tries to spare Peppermint Patty's feelings despite not having a crush on her.

Although his strategy isn't the best, with his plan to impersonate the phone operator likely not helping Peppermint Patty feel any better about the rejection she faced, especially on New Year's Day, Charlie Brown may have dodged the question for now. However, Peppermint Patty will continue to ask him how he feels about her, always hoping he feels the same way she feels about him.

4 "She Likes You"

Originally Published: July 10, 1983

Marcie comes to Charlie Brown's front door to ask him out to a show that is playing. Charlie Brown asks what show is playing, which offends Marcie greatly. The offer was about spending time with her, not about the show that's playing, something that is completely lost on Charlie Brown, causing her to spaz out on him.

After Marcie’s rant, Charlie Brown walks back into the house with a limp, which Sally notices. It turns out that Marcie kicked him in the shin. Believing the kick was a sign that Marcie likes him, especially after Sally tells him so, Charlie Brown runs after her. He soon learns that Sally was right, but Marcie must like him more than he thought, as she kicks him in the other shin. All Marcie wants is some hint that Charlie Brown likes her back, but, as this comic strip shows, she’s not going to get that anytime soon.

3 "Hope!"

Originally Published: July 18, 1959

At his piano, Schroeder suddenly yells at Lucy that he would not marry her unless she were the last girl on Earth. Lucy, seeking clarification, asks whether he used the word "if" or "unless," since the two words carry very different meanings. Schroeder begrudgingly its he used "unless," which fills Lucy with hope.

She interprets this as a sign that, one day, he might marry her (if she’s the only girl left on Earth). While this doesn’t exactly suggest that Schroeder wants to be with her in a world full of people, it lifts Lucy’s spirits, giving her a glimmer of hope. Schroeder’s use of the word "unless" represents the most progress Lucy has made in getting her feelings reciprocated, which says a lot about their dynamic.

2 "I'm Not Her Sweet Babboo!"

Originally Published: September 11, 1986

Linus and the new girl at school, Tapioca Pudding, go for a walk together, drawing immense jealousy from Sally. She confronts the pair and asks who this girl is who has the audacity to walk with her one and only Sweet Babboo. Linus insists that he is not her Sweet Babboo while Tapioca Pudding introduces herself.

When she tells Sally her name, Tapioca Pudding then goes on the usual spiel about how her dad is in licensing, so her face is going to be on all sorts of products. Sally, still not too fond of this girl, yells back the insult that her face would look much better on a dog dish rather than the usual merch like shirts and lunch boxes. Sally's envy always comes out in full force when Linus seems to have an interest in another girl or if someone else has an interest in Linus. Consequently, unrequited love brings out the worst in Sally.

1 "Nothing Takes The Taste Out Of Peanut Butter Like Unrequited Love!"

Originally Published: December 15, 1964

At lunch, Charlie Brown sits alone, pining for the Little Red-Haired Girl from afar. More than anything, he wishes he were sitting next to her, enjoying their lunches together. However, with the cold realization that he is not eating with her, his peanut butter sandwich loses its appeal. Charlie Brown reflects that nothing ruins the taste of peanut butter like unrequited love.

Since he always has a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, he's all too familiar with how unrequited love can affect his meal. Forever pining for the Little Red-Haired Girl, Charlie Brown’s struggle with unrequited love is a central theme in his storylines. Eventually, however, Charlie Brown experiences requited love with Peggy Jean, who returns his feelings, a refreshing change for the iconic Peanuts character.