A
breakout character is a fictional character in different episodes, books or other media (TV, comics, literature, games, etc.) that evolves from a minor role to a major role, sometimes but not always becoming the main character of the show. In
television programA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
s, movies and other episodic media, a character that becomes the most popular, talked about, and imitated is a breakout character. Most often a breakout character in a series captures audience's imagination and popularizes it, sometimes inadvertently.
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A
breakout character is a fictional character in different episodes, books or other media (TV, comics, literature, games, etc.) that evolves from a minor role to a major role, sometimes but not always becoming the main character of the show. In
television programA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
s, movies and other episodic media, a character that becomes the most popular, talked about, and imitated is a breakout character. Most often a breakout character in a series captures audience's imagination and popularizes it, sometimes inadvertently. Breakout characters have been known to come from intended single appearances.
In some instances, particularly television, when characters have broken out from minor roles to become the center of the action, viewers have felt they received too much focus and were detrimental to the show, sometimes leading it to
jump the sharkJumping the shark is a colloquialism coined by Jon Hein and used by TV critics and fans to denote the point in a television program's history where the plot veers off into absurd story lines or out-of-the-ordinary characterizations. This usually corresponds to the point where a show with falling...
.
Television
- Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli
Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli is a fictional character played by Henry Winkler in the American sitcom Happy Days . He was originally a secondary character but became the lead. By the mid 1970s, he dwarfed the other characters in popularity...
(Henry WinklerHenry Franklin Winkler is an American actor, director, producer, and author.Winkler is best known for his role as Fonzie on the 1970s American sitcom Happy Days...
) in the AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcomA situation comedy, usually referred to as a sitcom, is a genre of comedy programs which originated in radio. Today, sitcoms are found almost exclusively on television as one of its dominant narrative forms...
Happy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984 on ABC. The show presents an idealized vision of life in mid 1950s to mid 1960s America....
. The character of Fonzie started out as a fringe character but quickly evolved into the focal point of the series. His character became best friend to the main character, Richie Cunningham, displacing Potsie Webber - the character originally intended for that relationship. Winkler's billing in the credits rose all the way to second (he refused to go before Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show , and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend,...
, the star) and then first after Howard left the show to pursue directing. At one point, network executives even hoped to call the show Fonzie's Happy Days.
- Barney Fife
Bernard "Barney" P. Oliver Fife is a fictional dramatic character in the American television program The Andy Griffith Show, portrayed by comic actor Don Knotts. Barney Fife is a deputy sheriff in the slow, sleepy southern community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
(Don KnottsJesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
) in The Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960 and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in a fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
.
- Barney Stinson
Barney Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris.- Role on How I Met Your Mother :...
(Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris is an American actor. Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother and a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold & Kumar series...
) of How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother is an Emmy Award winning American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005. The show was created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays...
. The best-known character of the series, Barney often steals the spotlight from protagonist Ted MosbyTheodore "Ted" Evelyn Mosby is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Josh Radnor...
with his sharp one-liners and comic sexual appetite. Consistently the most popular and most quoted of the five main characters.
- Blair Waldorf
Blair Cornelia Waldorf is the main character of the Gossip Girl book series, also appearing in the television adaptation of the same name. In addition to being the protagonist of the original novels, she is the most widely publicized figure from the television series, and the most critically...
(Leighton MeesterLeighton Marissa Meester is an American actress and singer-songwriter, best known for her role as Blair Waldorf in the TV show Gossip Girl.-Early life:...
) in Gossip GirlGossip Girl is an American drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007. On February 24, 2009 The CW renewed the show for a third season...
. The series' most critically acclaimed character, earning mainstream media recognition from Forbes, Rolling Stone, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, and numerous other periodicals. The character was acclaimed as having "stolen the spotlight" in the first season. Additionally, her wardrobe has garnered real-life coverage from fashion outlets, and has been cited as trend-setting outside of the show.
- Castiel
Castiel is a fictional character portrayed by Misha Collins on the CW Television Network's American television series Supernatural. An angel, he first appears in the fourth season, and is used to introduce the theme of Christian mythology to the series...
(Misha CollinsMisha Collins is an American actor and producer. He is notable for hispart as Paul Bernardo in the 2006 film, Karla, and currently as the angel Castiel, on the CW televisionseries Supernatural.
-Early Life:...
) in SupernaturalSupernatural is an American drama/horror television series starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, brothers who hunt demons and other figures of the paranormal. The series, which is filmed in Vancouver, BC, debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now...
. Castiel was originally intended for a 6 episode story arc in the beginning of the show's 4th season , but positive fan response resulted in his part being rewritten to continue for the rest of the season . Before the 4th season had even completed airing, Collins was signed as a series regular for the 5th season.
- Sandra Clark
Sandra Clark was a breakout character on the sitcom, 227. She was portrayed by Jackée Harry, who won an Emmy Award for the role in 1987 for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She has often said that her character was based upon Mae West, Lucille Ball, and a girlfriend from school,...
(Jackée HarryJackée Harry is an American actress. She is best known as a star of the TV series 227.- Early life:...
) in 227227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985 until May 6, 1990. The series starred Marla Gibbs and was produced by Embassy Television from 1985 until 1988, then ELP Communications produced the series in its final two seasons .-Origins:The series was...
. The series was originally meant as a vehicle for Marla GibbsMarla Gibbs is an African-American television and film actress.She is best known for her role as Isabel Sanford's and Sherman Hemsley's sarcastic maid, Florence Johnston, on The Jeffersons and its short-lived spinoff, Checking In...
. Harry's character proved to be a breakout success and she was upgraded from supporting status.
- Gabriel "Sylar" Gray
Gabriel Gray, more commonly known by his assumed name of Sylar, is one of the primary antagonists in the NBC drama Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a superpowered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers...
(Zachary QuintoZachary John Quinto is an American actor best known for playing Sylar on Heroes and Spock in the 2009 film Star Trek.-Early life:...
) in HeroesHeroes is an American fantasy television drama series created by Tim Kring, which premiered on NBC on September 25, 2006. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the characters' lives...
. Gray was originally supposed to be a minor villain for the first season, until increased popularity made writer Tim KringRichard Timothy "Tim" Kring is an American screenwriter and television producer, best known for his creation of the telelvision series Strange World, Crossing Jordan, and Heroes....
decide to move Quinto to the main cast for Season 2.
- J. J. Evans
James Evans, Jr. is an American breakout character on the 1970s sitcom, Good Times, he was created by Norman Lear and portrayed by Jimmie Walker. The character was known as simply "J.J.". His favorite expression was "Dyno-MITE!"...
(Jimmie WalkerJames Carter "Jimmie" Walker is an American actor and stand-up comedian known for portraying J. J. Evans on the television series Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979. While on the show, his character was known for the catch phrase "Dy-no-mite".-Early life:Walker was born in The Bronx, New York...
) in Good TimesGood Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans and produced by Norman Lear...
. With his catch phraseA catch phrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
"Dy-no-mite!", J.J. came to dominate the series. This led to friction with stars Esther RolleEsther Rolle was an American actress of stage and television. She was perhaps best known for her portrayal of Florida Evans in two 1970s television sitcoms, Maude and Good Times.- Biography:...
and John AmosJohn Amos is an American actor and former football player. He is best known for his TV roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
, who played his parents, not so much because they resented being upstaged but because they felt he was becoming too stereotypicalA stereotype is a commonly held public belief about specific social groups, or types of individuals.The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings. Stereotypes are standardized and simplified conceptions of groups, based on some prior...
and not a good role modelThe term role model first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students. Merton hypothesized that individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social role to which the individual aspires. The term has passed into general use to mean any...
for African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the terms are generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry...
youth. Ultimately, they forced a showdown with the producers which led to some changes in J. J.'s character, Amos's character being killed off and later Rolle's temporary departure from the show (she returned at the beginning of the show's final season), after which J. J. became even more the focus of the show.
- J. R. Ewing (Larry Hagman
Larry Martin Hagman is an American film and television actor, producer and director best known for playing J. R. Ewing in the 1980s primetime television soap opera Dallas and Major Anthony Nelson in the 1960s sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.-Early life:Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas...
) on DallasDallas is an American prime-time television soap opera that originally ran from 1978 to 1991. It revolved around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries...
. Originally intended simply as a nemesis for Pam and Bobby Ewing, his villainy made him so popular that by the end of the show's third season the story arcA story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
around his attempted murder put the show high atop the ratings.
- Stewie Griffin
Stewart Gilligan "Stewie" Griffin is a fictional character in the animated series Family Guy voiced by Seth MacFarlane. Previously obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin...
(voiced by Seth MacFarlaneSeth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, composer, writer, producer, actor, singer, comedian, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the characters...
) on Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television sitcom, created by Seth MacFarlane, for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family which consists of Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their pet dog Brian...
. Creator Seth MacFarlane reports being very surprised that Stewie turned out to be the show's breakout character, and that when this turned out to be the case he had to work out stories to do with the character.
- Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson is an American actor best known for his role as Benjamin Linus on Lost and his performance on The Practice.-Early life:...
) of LostLost is an American serial drama television series. It follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, United States, crashes somewhere in the South Pacific...
. Stage actor Emerson was originally intended to play a lower-level Other who would have a three episode arc and then escape. However, since both fans and producers loved his performance, show runners Damon LindelofDamon Laurence Lindelof is an American television writer and executive, most recently noted as the co-creator and executive producer for the television series Lost. He has also written and produced Crossing Jordan, and wrote for Nash Bridges, Wasteland, and the MTV anthology series Undressed...
and Carlton CuseCarlton Cuse is an executive producer and screenwriter for the American television series Lost. Although born in Mexico City, Carlton Cuse grew up in Boston and Orange County, California. He was a student at The Putney School. He then attended Harvard University, graduating with a degree in...
decided to keep Ben around for the rest of the season, and eventually make him the leader of The Others in season 3, in which he was added to the main cast. By season 4, Ben was one of the show's most central main characters. Desmond HumeDesmond David Hume is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost portrayed by Henry Ian Cusick. Desmond's name is a tribute to David Hume, the famous empiricist author and philosopher. Desmond was not a passenger of Flight 815. He had been stranded on the island three years prior to...
(Henry Ian CusickHenry Ian Cusick is a Scottish actor of stage, television, and film. For his role as Desmond Hume on the television series Lost, he has received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.-Early life:...
) was also a guest star in season 2 but was promoted to the main cast for the show's third season.
- Alex P. Keaton
Alex P. Keaton is a fictional character on the American television sitcom, Family Ties, which aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. Family Ties reflected the move in the United States away from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s...
(Michael J. FoxMichael J. Fox is a Canadian actor, author and voice-over artist. His roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
) in Family TiesFamily Ties is a television sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between Young...
.
- Todd Manning
Thomas "Todd" Manning is a fictional character from the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. The role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth. In 2003, Howarth departed from the series and the role was recast with actor Trevor St...
(originally Roger HowarthRoger Howarth is an American actor. He portrayed character Todd Manning on the daytime drama One Life to Live, which became an iconic fixture in the genre's medium, and earned Howarth a Daytime Emmy Award for the portrayal....
, currently Trevor St. JohnTrevor Marshall St. John is an American actor.With appearances in many films, and having worked with actors such as Eric Roberts and Mel Gibson, he is currently portraying character Todd Manning on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. St...
) on One Life to LiveOne Life to Live is an American soap opera which has been broadcast on the ABC television network since July 15, 1968. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
. The character, known for initiating the gang rape of Marty SaybrookeDr. Margaret "Marty" Saybrooke is a fictional character on the soap opera One Life to Live.-Casting and impact:...
in 1993, was originally supposed to be short-lived, but once Howarth was cited as having drawn in notable positive viewer reaction, the character was slated to become a main focus. The character's popularity continued even after St. John assumed the role in 2003.
- Tommy Oliver
Dr. Tommy Oliver is a fictional character from the universe of the American children's television franchise Power Rangers...
(Jason David FrankJason David Frank is an American actor and martial artist, best known for playing Tommy in Power Rangers .-Career:...
) of the Power RangersPower Rangers is an American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes. First produced by Saban Entertainment and later by BVS Entertainment, the premise for the series originated from the Japanese tokusatsu...
franchise. Tommy was brought in as the sixth ranger in the first season of Power Rangers as the Green Ranger. He was evil at first but became good. Originally, he was to be written off the show after he lost his powers in season two, but because of his huge fan following he was brought back as the White Ranger and became the leader of the Power Rangers. The Tommy Oliver character is the most iconic ranger in all of the series, being considered the very best by fans. Tommy has appeared in more Power Ranger episodes then any other character. He was in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action television series, created for the American market, based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop...
, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers Dino Thunder and both live action feature films. He was the Original Green & Whites Rangers in MMPR, two different Red Rangers in PRZ and PRT respectively and the Black Ranger in PRDT.
- Will Robinson, Dr. (Zachary) Smith, The Robot (Billy Mumy
Charles William "Bill" Mumy, Jr. , is an American actor, musician, pitchman, instrumentalist, voice-over artist and a figure in the science-fiction community...
, Jonathan HarrisJonathan Harris , was an American stage and character actor. Two of his best-known roles were as the timid accountant Bradford Webster in The Third Man, and the comic villain Dr. Zachary Smith, in the 1960s sci-fi television series, Lost in Space...
, Dick TufeldDick Tufeld is an American actor, announcer, narrator, and voice actor from the 1950s onward.He is perhaps best known as the voice of the Robot in the TV series Lost in Space, a role he reprised for the feature film...
/Bob MayBob May was an American actor best remembered for playing The Robot on the television series Lost in Space, which debuted in 1965 and ran until 1968...
) on Lost In SpaceLost in Space is a science fiction television program created and produced by Irwin Allen, produced by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between 1965 and March 6, 1968. The first season was shot with black and white film, the...
. The show, as its early episodes suggest, was originally supposed to be a serious action/adventure series showcasing Guy Williams. Fan response completely changed the nature of the show and the set of focal characters.
- Spike (James Marsters
James Wesley Marsters is a Saturn Award-winning American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997...
) evolved from villain to comic relief to hero in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He becomes the lover of the show's titular character, Buffy SummersBuffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
, and comes to parallel Angel in terms of motivation. He became one of the show's primary focuses in its final season, and then moved to its spin-off AngelAngel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
. He appeared on the Angel season 5 DVD covers alongside its titular character.
- Spock
Spock is a character in the fictional Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
(Leonard NimoyLeonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. He is famous for playing the character of Spock on the original Star Trek series, and he reprised the role in various movie and television sequels.-Early life:Nimoy was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to...
) on Star TrekStar Trek is a science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that aired from September 8, 1966 to September 2, 1969. Though the original series was titled simply Star Trek, it has acquired the retronym Star Trek: The Original Series to distinguish it from the spinoffs that...
. Spock was the only character to be carried over from the original pilot to the second. Series creator Gene RoddenberryEugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American screenwriter and producer. He created the American science-fiction series Star Trek, an accomplishment for which he was sometimes referred to as the "Great Bird of the Galaxy" due to the show's influence on popular culture. He was one of the first...
was pressured by NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
to drop the character from the second pilot, and later to keep the character in the background. The character quickly became popular and NBC soon reversed its stance and encouraged more focus on the character.
- Steve Urkel
Steven Quincy Urkel , generally known as Steve Urkel, is a fictional character on the ABC/CBS comedy sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White...
(Jaleel WhiteJaleel Ahmad White is an American actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel/Stefan Urquelle on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters...
) on Family MattersFamily Matters is an Emmy Award-winning American sitcom about an African-American middle-class family living in Chicago. The series was spun-off from Perfect Strangers and revolves around the Winslow family. Midway through the first season, the show introduced the Winslow's nerdy neighbor Steve...
. Originally just a one-time only character, he was so popular he eventually became a regular and practically synonymous with the series.
Movies
- Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is a fictional detective in Blake Edwards's Pink Panther series. In most of the films, he was played by Peter Sellers, with one film in which he was played by Alan Arkin and one in which he was played by an uncredited Roger Moore. In the 2006 Pink Panther revival...
(Peter SellersRichard Henry Sellers, CBE, commonly known as Peter Sellers was a British comedian and actor best known for his roles in Dr...
) in The Pink PantherThe Pink Panther is a series of comedy films featuring the bumbling French police detective Jacques Clouseau that began in 1963 with the release of the film of the same name. The role was originated by, and is most closely associated with, Peter Sellers...
series of films. In the first film, David NivenJames David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was an English actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Litton, a.k.a. "the Phantom," in The Pink Panther.-Early life:David Niven was born in London, England...
's suave jewelA gemstone or gem is a piece of attractive mineral, which—when cut and polished—is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
thief was the main character. But audiences and critics so loved the bumbling Clouseau that later films in the series were written around him instead.
- Scrat
Scrat is a "saber-toothed squirrel" that appears in the Ice Age film series, starting with the 2002 film Ice Age and its sequels Ice Age: The Meltdown and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. He is best known for being obsessed with acorns, constantly putting his life in danger to obtain and protect them...
from the Ice AgeIce Age is the name of a series of animated films produced by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. The plot of the movies follows a group of mammals surviving the Paleolithic ice age.-Characters:...
series of films. Originally a minor role in charge of comic relief, Scrat evolved into one of the most recognizable characters from the franchise.
- Steve Stifler
Steve Stifler is a fictional character in the American Pie movies. He is portrayed by actor Seann William Scott.-Background:Steve Stifler, also known as "Stifler" or "The Stifmeister",...
from the American Pie seriesThe American Pie film series is a teen comedy film franchise. Produced by Universal Pictures, the series started with the 1999 film American Pie, which led to two film sequels and four more direct-to-video spin-offs.The original film series:...
. A foul-mouthed blowhard who was a supporting character, some would say villain, in the first film, Stifler proved so popular that he became a more integral part of the central gang in American Pie 2American Pie 2 is the sequel to the comedy film American Pie, making it the second in the American Pie franchise. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by James B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
. American WeddingAmerican Wedding, also known as American Pie 3 or American Pie: The Wedding outside of America, is a sequel to the comedy films American Pie and American Pie 2; it is the third film in the American Pie series. It was written by Adam Herz and directed by Jesse Dylan...
was written largely around his character, who was the catalyst for many of the things that went wrong. Most of the subsequent direct-to-DVD sequels have focused on some Stifler relative.
Literature
- According to Stephanie Meyer herself, Jacob Black
Jacob Black is a fictional character in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. He is described as a Native American of the Quileute tribe in La Push, near Forks, Washington. In the second book of the series, he undergoes a transformation that allows him to morph into a wolf. For the majority of...
is the breakout character of the Twilight Saga.http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/nm_thestory.html. According to her, what was merely a device to get Bella to know the truth about the Cullen Clan grew into a full-rounded character of its own.
Comics
- Snoopy
Snoopy is a fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly ordinary dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character — and among the most recognizable...
in PeanutsPeanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000 , continuing in reruns afterward...
became, in the strip's later years, the focus of the strip, displacing Charlie BrownCharles "Charlie" Brown is the main protagonist in the comic strip, Peanuts.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie Brown is an...
, as his character began to do more and more fantastic things, got his own sidekick, WoodstockWoodstock is a fictional character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. He is Snoopy's closest friend and, after Snoopy, the most recognized non-human in the strip.-Introduction to the Strip:...
, and proved to be a huge seller in the strip's merchandisingMerchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity.- Promotional merchandising :...
. In the 1970s he was practically synonymous with the strip. Charlie BrownCharles "Charlie" Brown is the main protagonist in the comic strip, Peanuts.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie Brown is an...
himself was also a breakout character, for the first year he was just one of the four kids in the strip. In fact it wasn't even established he was Snoopy's owner.
- Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing/Batman
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 on April 1940....
was introduced as the first kid sidekick superheroA superhero is "a fictional character of unprecedented powers dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest"...
in comic book history in 1940. After forty-four years as RobinRobin is the name of fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman. The team of Batman and Robin is commonly referred to as the Dynamic Duo or the Caped...
, his popularity in the Teen Titans series and his increasing popularity in the BatmanThe Batman, originally referred to as the Bat-Man, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , appearing in publications by DC Comics...
monthly books caused him to extend beyond his sidekick role and become the solo hero Nightwing. He would later take up the mantle of Batman when his mentor fell in battle.
- Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often is shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatisations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and, in some continuities, wife of Peter Parker, the alter...
was introduced in The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the superhero Spider-Man.-Publication history:Spider-Man first appeared in the comic book Amazing Fantasy #15...
as a flighty rival of Gwen StacyGwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 ....
for the affections of Peter ParkerSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer and editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. However, Mary Jane's energetic and confident personality drew considerably more reader interest than expected and she evolved into one of the central supporting characters of Spider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer and editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
.
- Wolverine
Wolverine is a fictional Canadian superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Incredible Hulk #180 and was created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita Sr., who designed the character, and was first drawn for publication by...
began as an enemy of the Incredible Hulk. He shortly after joined the X-MenX-Men is a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1 . Under a cloud of increasing anti-mutant sentiment, Professor Xavier creates a haven at his Westchester mansion to train young mutants to use their powers for the...
but editors decided that he and ThunderbirdThunderbird is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who was briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1 ....
were too similar in abilities and temperament and almost killed off Wolverine instead of Thunderbird. Even after, he was a minor character, but he grew in popularity to become one of Marvel ComicsMarvel Publishing, Inc., a company doing business as Marvel Comics, produces American comic books and related media. It forms a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc....
' most popular and marketable characters. He features prominently in the X-Men moviesThe X-Men film series is a series of superhero films based on the fictional Marvel Comics team of the same name. The films star an ensemble cast, focusing on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, as he is drawn into the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto, who have opposing views on humanity's...
and eventually gained his own movie about his originsX-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics' fictional character Wolverine. It was released worldwide on May 1, 2009. The film is directed by Gavin Hood and stars Hugh Jackman as the title character, along with Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, will.i.am, Lynn...
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- Opus the Penguin
Opus the Penguin is a character in the comic strips and children's books of Berkeley Breathed, most notably the popular 1980s strip Bloom County. Breathed has described him as an "existentialist penguin" and the favorite of his many characters...
, of Bloom CountyBloom County was an American comic strip by Berkeley Breathed which ran from December 8, 1980 until August 6, 1989. It examined events in politics and culture through the viewpoint of a fanciful small town in Middle America, where children often have adult personalities and vocabularies and where...
, Outland, and the strip of the same nameOpus was a Sunday strip drawn by Berkeley Breathed for a period of circa five years from 2003 to 2008. It was Breathed's fourth comic strip, following The Academia Waltz, Bloom County and Outland....
was originally intended to last for only his initial two-week run upon his introduction in Bloom County. After receiving a large amount of fan mail supporting the character (along with being personally pleased at how well the character seemed to mesh with the strip) Berkeley Breathed decided to keep him on as a permanent character, eventually supplanting the original cast as the focus of the strip and its subsequent sequels.
- Death (DC Comics)
Death is a fictional character from the DC comic book series, The Sandman . The character first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #8 , and was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg....
started out as a supporting character in Neil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman is an English author of science fiction and fantasy short stories and novels, graphic novels, comics, audio theatre, and films. His notable works include The Sandman comic series, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's Sandman but with her perky smile and upbeat personality became more popular than the gloomy Sandman himself and gained a couple of mini-series devoted just to her.
- Ray (Achewood) first appeared as part of a trio of roughly identical cats three months after the comic began; their role was limited to competitive swearing. Both Ray and Roast Beef quickly developed beyond their initial roles; the comic's second sustained story arc revolves around the two characters starting up a business and is the basis of most of the strips for the rest of that month; indeed, several arcs have focused almost totally on Ray, with Roast Beef acting as comedic foil in most of his appearances.
Games
- The Rabbids originally appeared in the game Rayman Raving Rabbids(2006)
Rayman Raving Rabbids is a spinoff in the Rayman series released by the French company Ubisoft as a Wii launch title. The game consists of more than 70 minigames...
as antagonists but became more popular than the main character, RaymanRayman is a video game designed and published by Ubisoft. It was originally released in September 1995 for the Atari Jaguar and MS-DOS, and in November 1995 for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn. A port of this game was to be released for the Sega 32X, but the port was canceled when the system...
. After appearing in two more Rayman games, they received the chance to star in their own game, Rabbids Go Home (2009)Rabbids Go Home is an upcoming action-adventure platform video game under development by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. It's the latest installment in the Rabbids-spinoff series which started off with Rayman Raving Rabbids, however this installment doesn't feature Rayman and will be...
.
- Wario
is a fictional Nintendo video game character originally designed by Hiroji Kiyotake. Wario was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
started out as the villain in Super Mario Land 2 for the Game BoyThe is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America on , and in Europe on . In Southern Asia, it is known as the "Tata Game Boy" It is the first handheld console in the Game Boy line...
, but proved popular enough to be launched as the protagonist in the Wario Land series of games.
- Yoshi
is a fictional dinosaur. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario's accomplice, and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island...
started out as a sidekick to Mario in Super Mario Worldis a platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It has gone on to become a critical and commercial success, becoming the best seller for the platform, with 20 million copies sold worldwide...
for the Super Nintendo, then later was upgraded to the protagonist for the "prequel", Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's IslandSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, originally released as in Japan, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System console. It was released on August 5, 1995 in Japan, October 4, 1995 in North America and October 6, 1995 in Europe. A port...
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Other
- Strong Bad
Strong Bad is one of the major characters of the Homestar Runner series of animated Flash web cartoons. He is portrayed by Matt Chapman, the principal voice actor and co-founder of the series. Strong Bad enjoys pranking the other characters of the series, along with his ever-diligent lackey pet...
from the Homestar RunnerHomestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to 1970s, '80s, and '90s pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music...
flash series started out playing a minor antagonistic role, often attempting to cheat his way to the top, but ultimately being overcome by Homestar. However, Strong Bad soon began to gradually become more and more of the website's focus, particularly after the start of his 'Strong Bad Email' segment, which now has over 200 episodes, and is widely considered the most popular series on the website.