Abreakout character is acharacter inserial fiction, especially a member of anensemble cast, who becomes much more prominent, popular, discussed, or imitated than expected by the creators. A breakout character may equal or overtake the other characters in popularity, including theprotagonist.[1][2] Prominent breakout characters will often makecameo appearances inexpandedfranchises or feature as main characters inspin-off installments of their own.
Character | Introduced in Animated Series | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Porky Pig | Looney Tunes (1930–present);Merrie Melodies (1931–present) | 1935 | Porky Pig (first voiced byJoe Dougherty, shortly thereafter replaced byMel Blanc) debuted as a supporting character in anensemble cast of new characters that included, among others,Beans the Cat. Only a year later, it became clear that audiences were more interested in Beans' stuttering sidekick, Porky Pig. AfterWestward Whoa, Beans and the others were phased out and Porky replaced him as the star ofLooney Tunes.Looney Tunes itself was designed to be a showcase of music from the music publishers' record companies thatWarner Bros. owned. By 1935, the show was overhauled to accommodate Porky Pig after the character increased in prominence.[3] Porky Pig's popularity was also instrumental in facilitating the success ofLooney Tunes merchandise for the next several decades.[4] |
Bugs Bunny | Looney Tunes (1930–present);Merrie Melodies (1931–present) | 1938 | Bugs Bunny (first voiced byMel Blanc) was originally envisioned as one of several potential foils for Porky Pig, alongside unsuccessful competitors includingGabby Goat andPetunia Pig. WhileDaffy Duck, who himself became a substantial star for Warner Bros., won that role, Bugs developed as a character in his own right by 1940 and became the biggest star in theLooney Tunes andMerrie Melodies shorts, developing his own cast of foils and starring in shorts for Warner Bros. until 1964.TV Guide identified Bugs as the greatest cartoon character in history in a 2002listicle.[5][6] |
Woody Woodpecker | Woody Woodpecker (1940–present) | 1940 | Woody Woodpecker began as an unnamed minor character inKnock Knock, a short film featuringAndy Panda who was then Universal's star character. Audiences liked him immediately, so he became the star of his own cartoons.[7] |
Yogi Bear | The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958–1961) | 1958 | Yogi Bear (first voiced byDaws Butler) debuted in 1958 as a supporting character in one of three segments ofThe Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear's segment of the show became extremely popular and over time, overshadowed its titular characterHuckleberry Hound in popularity.[8] The first breakout character in animated television created byHanna Barbera, Yogi Bear began starring inhis own show by 1961, withHokey Wolf taking his place onThe Huckleberry Hound Show.[9] |
Bullwinkle J. Moose | Rocky and His Friends (1959–1964) | 1959 | Bullwinkle J. Moose (voiced byBill Scott) onRocky and His Friends. Although the series was originally named forRocky the Flying Squirrel, Rocky's dim-witted sidekick Bullwinkle got most of the jokes while Rocky served as straight man. By 1961, the series had been renamedThe Bullwinkle Show, a title that appears for the last three seasons of the series.[10] |
The California Raisins | Sun-Maid commercials | 1986 | The California Raisins (lead singer voiced byBuddy Miles) were the creation ofclaymation artistWill Vinton, as a work-for-hire for an advertising agency who had theCalifornia Raisin Advisory Board as its client. In light of focus group data that showed raisins were uncool, they purposely created the California Raisins as energetic soul musicians. The Raisins unexpectedly became major pop culture icons of the late 1980s, with an appearance in the television specialsWill Vinton's Claymation Christmas Celebration andMeet the Raisins! along with a 13-episode traditionally animated Saturday morning cartoon,The California Raisin Show.[11] The success of the campaign triggered avicious cycle in which the profits from the campaign were fed back to the Board, who sent that money back to the advertising agency for more ads,[11] leading to a member revolt and the collapse of the Board in 1994.[12] |
Harley Quinn | Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) | 1992 | Harley Quinn (first voiced byArleen Sorkin). She first appeared inBatman: The Animated Series in the 1992 episode "Joker's Favor" in what was originally supposed to be the animated equivalent of awalk-on role. She eventually became popular enough to become one of the most common recurring villains in the series, start appearing in the comics, earn a starring role in the 2016 filmSuicide Squad and even receiveher own animated series in 2019.[13][14][15] |
Broly | Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996; films only) | 1993 | Broly is considered to be one of the most popular villains in theDragon Ball series with a cult following, in spite of his origin as a non-canon character exclusive to theDragon Ball animated film series as well as manga side stories. His popularity led to a rebooted canonical version of him starring inDragon Ball Super: Broly.[16][17] |
Butters Stotch | South Park (1997–present) | 1997 | Butters Stotch (Matt Stone) onSouth Park. Originally a background character in the show's pilot, the character eventually emerged as a submissive foil or victim ofEric Cartman's, and gradually became one of the show's most prominent characters,[18] sometimes as the protagonist whose schemes drive the plots of episodes, as in "Franchise Prequel",[19] or the character whose closing soliloquy provides the philosophical insight or "moment of clarity" that serves as the episode's thematic resolution, as in "Raisins",[20] "Cartman Sucks",[21] and "Butterballs".[22] |
Stewie Griffin | Family Guy (1999–2003, 2005–present) | 1999 | Stewie Griffin (voiced bySeth MacFarlane) onFamily Guy. Creator Seth MacFarlane stated that he was very surprised that Stewie turned out to be the show's breakout character, and that this required him to write stories centering on him.[23][24] |
Bender | Futurama (1999–2003, 2007–2013, 2023–present) | 1999 | Bender Bending Rodríguez (voiced byJohn DiMaggio) onFuturama. Bender is largely considered the show's breakout character with DiMaggio's vocal performance being credited with helping boostFuturama's longevity and loyal fan base.[25] |
Plankton | SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–present) | 1999 | Plankton (voiced byMr. Lawrence) onSpongeBob SquarePants. Mr. Lawrence summarized Plankton's origins in 2015, saying that he "was only supposed to be in one or two episodes, but I was a writer on the show and I really liked this character".[26] Following his first voice recording as Plankton, Lawrence drafted some of his own ideas for the character and passed them to Hillenburg. From then on, Plankton began to appear more often. Lawrence considers thethird season the first in which Plankton is a main character.[27] |
Strong Bad | Homestar Runner (2000–present) | 2000 | Strong Bad (voiced byMatt Chapman) was originally conceived as the villain ofHomestar Runner, a Web series that began mainly as experimental work by its creatorsThe Brothers Chaps to learn how to createFlash animation. The establishment of a uniform style for the series in 2001, and the launch of a spin-off viewer mail segmentStrong Bad Emails, helped round the character into a more comic persona and became a major driver of traffic to the Homestar Runner Web site.[28][29][30] |
X-23 | X-Men: Evolution (2000–2003) | 2002 | X-23 first appeared in the self-titled tenth episode of the third season of the animated television seriesX-Men: Evolution,[31] and is a clone and later adoptive daughter ofWolverine.[32]X-Men: Evolution ended six episodes after X-23's second appearance, but she quickly developed a following and later made her first comic book appearance in theNYX comic series in 2004, followed bymultiple comic book andvideo game appearances. In 2015, the character succeeded the original Wolverine and adopted his name and costume in the seriesAll-New Wolverine. ActressDafne Keen portrayed X-23 in the 2017 filmLogan[33] and reprised her role inDeadpool & Wolverine. |
Character | Introduced in Book | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Sam Weller | The Pickwick Papers (1836) | 1836 | Sam Weller is considered to be the character that madeCharles Dickens famous. The serialised episodes ofThe Pickwick Papers sold modestly until Weller's first appearance in the fourth episode, at which point sales exploded. The character's popularity overshadowed that of the title characterSamuel Pickwick, inspiring merchandise and a dedicated stage play (Samuel Weller, or, The Pickwickians).The Paris Review stated, "arguably the most historic bump in English publishing is the Sam Weller Bump."[34] |
Ramona Quimby | Henry Huggins | 1950 | Ramona Quimby was introduced as a minor character, initially the two-year-old sister of elementary school studentBeezus Quimby, who in turn was a friend of the titular character ofHenry Huggins in the works of authorBeverly Cleary. Ramona quickly became the focal point ofCleary's subsequent books, particularly with 1968'sRamona the Pest. By the time of the fourteenth and final book in the Quimby/Hugginsfictional universe, 1999'sRamona's World, Ramona has aged to ten years old.[35] |
Character | Introduced in Comic(s) | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Krazy Kat | The Dingbat Family (1910–1916) | 1910 | Krazy Kat evolved from an earlier comic strip of series artistGeorge Herriman's,The Dingbat Family, which started in 1910 and was later renamedThe Family Upstairs. This comic chronicled the Dingbats' attempts to avoid the mischief of the mysterious unseen family living in the apartment above theirs and to unmask that family. Herriman would complete the cartoons about the Dingbats, and finding himself with time left over in his8-hour work day, filled the bottom of the strip with slapstick drawings of the upstairs family's mouse preying upon the Dingbats' cat.[36] This "basement strip" became a daily comic strip with a title (running vertically down the side of the page) in 1913 and a black and white full-page Sunday cartoon three years later. Due to the objections of editors, who considered it unsuitable for the comics sections,Krazy Kat originally appeared in the Hearst papers' art and drama sections.[37] Hearst himself, however, enjoyed the strip so much that he gave Herriman a lifetime contract and guaranteed the cartoonist complete creative freedom.[38] |
Popeye | Thimble Theatre (1919–present) | 1929 | Popeye first appeared 10 years into the run ofThimble Theatre, a comic strip started in 1919 byE.C. "Elzie" Segar for theKing Features Syndicate. During its first decade, the strip centered on the serialized escapades of ambitious, short-sighted entrepreneurCastor Oyl, his younger sisterOlive Oyl and her boyfriendHam Gravy. Segar introduced Popeye as a sailor hired by Castor and Ham to facilitate a single adventure. When the character disappeared from the strip afterwards, fans demanded his return, elevating him to a regular character by the end of 1929. As Popeye's prominence increased, Olive was recast as his girlfriend (facilitating Ham Gravy's disappearance in mid-1930), while Castor, initially retained as a lead character alongside Popeye, was relegated to tertiary status by the end of 1931, by which stage the strip's title was modified toThimble Theater, Starring Popeye in response to the sailor's ascendent popularity.[39][40] |
Nancy | Fritzi Ritz (1922–1968) | 1933 | Nancy was introduced in 1933 in the comic stripFritzi Ritz, which had debuted 11 years prior. Nancy soon emerged as a star in her own right, getting her own strip in 1938, whileFritzi Ritz's last strip would appear in 1968, becoming a supporting character inNancy from then onward.[41] |
Snuffy Smith | Take Barney Google, F'rinstance (1919–present; nowBarney Google and Snuffy Smith) | 1934 | Snuffy Smith was introduced as a supporting character in 1934 toTake Barney Google, F'rinstance. He became so popular that he took over the comic strip as the main character of what is now titledBarney Google and Snuffy Smith.[42] |
Nero | The Adventures of Nero (1947–2002) | 1947 | Nero fromThe Adventures of Nero byMarc Sleen was originally introduced as a side character in the seriesDe Avonturen van Detective Van Zwam, whereDetective Van Zwam was the main protagonist. From the first Van Zwam story on,Het Geheim van Matsuoka ("Matsuoka's Secret") (1947) readers reacted more enthusiastically to thedumb, lazy, vain and stubborn character Nero than the more noble and clever Van Zwam. So, from "De Hoed van Geeraard de Duivel" ("The Hat Of Gerard the Devil" (1950)) onward the series was named after Nero instead.[43] |
Scrooge McDuck | Four Color Comics (1939–1962) | 1947 | Scrooge McDuck was originally intended as a one-offantagonistic supporting character inChristmas on Bear Mountain, a 1947Donald Duck story byCarl Barks, first published inFour Color Comics #178. Scrooge McDuck's popularity grew so large that he spawned anentire mythology around the character, including new supporting characters, adventures, and life experiences as told by numerous authors.[44] In 1952 he was given his own comic book series,Uncle Scrooge, which is still ongoing today. Several stories written by Barks and published inUncle Scrooge were adapted as episodes of the popular syndicated television cartoonDuckTales in the late 1980s. |
The Smurfs | Johan and Peewit (1952–2001) | 1958 | The Smurfs were originally supporting characters inPeyo's comic seriesJohan and Peewit in 1958. The popularity of the little blue men led to them getting their own series a year later, which was subsequently followed by massive merchandising, a television series and various other productions.[45] |
Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Archie's Madhouse (1959–1982) | 1962 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch was originally introduced as a one-off character in theArchie Comics universe in 1969. Unbeknownst to the original creators,Filmation was interested in the character and created aSaturday morning cartoon featuring Sabrina, helping the character become one of the most popular in the Archie Comics universe.[46] Sabrina would get a second boost of popularity in the late 1990s with a prime time live-actionSabrina the Teenage Witch series, which starredMelissa Joan Hart in the title role. |
The Punisher | The Amazing Spider-Man (1963–present) | 1974 | The Punisher debuted as an antagonistic character inThe Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974). He was a hit with readers, and started to appear on a regular basis, teaming up with bothSpider-Man and other heroes throughout the 1970s and 1980s.[47] The Punisher's popularity took the character's creator,Gerry Conway by surprise, as he had intended him only as a second-tier character.[48] The character evolved into ananti-hero and became one of Marvel's most popular characters in the 1990s,[49] having a starring role in multiplecomic book series,television series,films, andvideo games. His name, symbol, and image have been used for merchandise or appropriated for discussion ofsocial issues. |
Wolverine | The Incredible Hulk (1962–present) | 1974 | Wolverine is frequently cited as the first breakout character from theX-Men comics series, and "arguably the breakout character of the 1980s."[50] He debuted in 1974'sThe Incredible Hulk #180 as a superhuman agent of the Canadian government who comes into conflict with theHulk. He later appeared in 1975'sGiant-Size X-Men #1, during writerChris Claremont's first run with the X-Men, as one of several new recruits of the team. Wolverine was consistently the most popular member of the team;[51] he headlined his first limited series in 1982, and later an ongoing solo series debuted in 1988, which eventually established Wolverine as one of Marvel's most important characters.[52] |
Elektra | Daredevil (1964–present) | 1981 | Elektra debuted as a supporting character inDaredevil #168 (January 1981) as a love interest of the superheroDaredevil, and quickly broke out in popularity.[53]Frank Miller, who created Elektra, secured a promise from Marvel's editors to stop using Elektra after he had concluded her storyline. Marvel abided by this agreement until the mid-1990s, when later editors and ownership groups decided to revive the character against Miller's wishes.[54] The character remains one of Marvel's most popular female characters,[55] with a starring role in two eponymous ongoing series, several mini-series, aneponymous live action film in 2005, as well as a major role in the 2003 filmDaredevil andMarvel's Netflix television series. |
Opus the Penguin | Bloom County (1980–1989, 2015–present) | 1981 | Opus the Penguin, ofBloom County,Outland, andOpus, was originally featured in a two-week narrative inBloom County in 1981. Fans requested more appearances of the penguin and series creatorBerkeley Breathed was pleased with how well the character integrated with other characters in the strip.[56] Opus was made a permanent character, displacing the original cast as the focus of the strip and its sequels.[57] Another Berkeley Breathed creation,Bill the Cat, is also cited as a throwaway character which turned into a breakout success.[58] |
Venom | The Amazing Spider-Man (1963–present) | 1984 | Venom was originally introduced as a living alien costume inThe Amazing Spider-Man #252 (May 1984). The creature made its full first appearance withEddie Brock as its host inThe Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988). Venom's popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s inspired a series ofsymbiote characters published by Marvel comics, and the character eventually transitioned from avillain to an anti-hero, appearing as a principal character ina number of comic book series. The character has also appeared innumerous other media, including aneponymous live action film series.[59] |
John Constantine | The Saga of Swamp Thing (1982–1999) | 1985 | John Constantine debuted as a supporting character who played a pivotal role in the "American Gothic"Swamp Thing storyline in 1985. Constantine was an instant breakout character, and received his own ongoing solo comic series in 1988.[60] TheHellblazer series was the longest-running and most successful title of DC'sVertigo imprint.[61][62] The character was adapted for alive-action film, atelevision show, novels, and multiplespin-offs and crossovers. |
Vegeta | Dragon Ball (1984–present) | 1988 | Vegeta debuted as a villain inDragon Ball chapter #204Sayonara, Son Goku (さようなら孫悟空,Sayōnara Son Gokū), inWeekly Shōnen Jump magazine on November 7, 1988.[63] Vegeta's popularity among fans inJapan led toDragon Ball's author,Akira Toriyama, to forgo his initial plan for Vegeta as a short lived villain. Toriyama included him more in the story, and Vegeta became one of Dragon Ball's most prominent characters.[64][65][66][67] |
Death (DC Comics) | The Sandman (1989–present) | 1989 | Death (DC Comics) debuted in 1989 as a supporting character inNeil Gaiman'sThe Sandman. She is considered the breakout character of the entireSandman series by multiple sources.[68][69] |
Deadpool | The New Mutants (1982–present) | 1991 | Deadpool debuted as a villain inThe New Mutants #98 (February 1991), and subsequently made guest appearances in issues ofX-Force.[70] The character's popularity led to the publication of his first solo comic, the four-issue limited seriesDeadpool: The Circle Chase on August 10, 1993. He is notable as one of the few breakout comic characters in the 1990s and 2000s,[71] having a starring role in multiple comic series,a 2013 video game, and two live action eponymous films in2016 and2018. |
Hit-Girl | Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years (2008-2014) | 2008 | Hit-Girl is a breakout character from theKick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years who went on to have her owncomic book series.[72][73][74] |
Spider-Gwen | Edge of Spider-Verse (2014–2015) | 2014 | An alternative universe version ofGwen Stacy, commonly referred to asSpider-Gwen, first appears inEdge of Spider-Verse #2 (September 2014) as part of the 2014–15 "Spider-Verse" comic book storyline, which features multiplealternative versions of Spider-Man that had appearedin various media. The character subsequently became one of comics' biggest breakout characters in recent years;[75] the character is the lead heroine in her own ongoing comic book series, numerous animated television and video game appearances, as well as a co-starring role in theAcademy Award-winningSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.[76] The character also inspired the creation of twenty Marvel variant covers of Gwen Stacy reimagined as a wide array of Marvel heroes in June 2015,[77] spawning popular hybrid variants such asGwenpool, a variant ofDeadpool. |
Doctor Aphra | Star Wars: Darth Vader (2015–2016, 2016; 2017–2018; 2020–present) | 2015 | Doctor Aphra debuted as a supporting character in the 2015Marvel Comics seriesStar Wars: Darth Vader,[78] her popularity as a breakout character leading to crossovers in other comics, and then her own series,Doctor Aphra.[78][79][80][81] Aphra is the first originalStar Wars character not from the films to lead a Marvel comic series.[82][83] |
Characters | Introduced in Film or Film Series | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Inspector Jacques Clouseau | The Pink Panther (1963–present) | 1963 | Inspector Jacques Clouseau,Peter Sellers' character in thePink Panther film series, was originally conceived as a supporting character toDavid Niven's gentleman burglar Sir Charles Lytton in thefilm that launched the franchise, but quickly became the protagonist.[84][85][86] |
Boba Fett | Star Wars (1977–present) | 1978 | Boba Fett was introduced in the 1978Star Wars Holiday Special, before appearing in supporting roles inThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi. Though his screen time in the originalStar Wars trilogy was minimal, and he apparently died an ignominious death in the third film, his visual design made him an iconic mainstay of the franchise. In the originalStar Wars Expanded Universe, more commonly referred to asStar Wars: Legends, his character was established to have survived in the 1991 comics seriesDark Empire. He also became a recurring character inStar Wars video games, includingBounty Hunter and theBattlefront series. His backstory would be provided in the 1999 – 2005prequel trilogy, which gave rise to other Mandalorian characters, includingDin Djarin in the television seriesThe Mandalorian. Fett himself reappeared in that series, making his survival from the events ofJedi canonical.[87] |
Slimer | Ghostbusters (1984-present) | 1984 | Slimer was introduced in the originalGhostbusters film as a one-scene character, a gluttonous ghost whom the titular Ghostbusters capture and was implied to be the ghost ofJohn Belushi. Slimer proved such a hit that he became a mascot for the franchise. The first animated series adaptation,The Real Ghostbusters, was eventually retooled to focus on Slimer,[88] who also received a long-running product-tie in fromHi-C,Ecto Cooler.[89] |
Scrat | Ice Age (2002-present) | 2002 | Scrat (voiced byChris Wedge) was conceived midway through the film's production underBlue Sky Studios, although information regarding the conception and creation process of the character has been inconsistent.[90] He was originally intended to be killed off in the introductory scene of the 2002 filmIce Age but was kept alive and added to more scenes after positive reviews from audiences for the character in a teaser trailer released by20th Century Studios.[91] Since then, he had gone on to appear in multiple otherIce Age sequels and starred in his own shorts for the franchise.[92] He is well-recognized for his popularity and was also later officially the mascot of Blue Sky Studios up until its closure.[90] |
Puss in Boots | Shrek (2001–present) | 2004 | Puss in Boots (voiced byAntonio Banderas), based on the fairy tale characterof the same name, first appeared in the 2004 filmShrek 2. The character's popularity would go on to spawn two spin-off films,Puss in Boots (2011) andThe Last Wish (2022), alongside the animated seriesThe Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015-2018).[93][94] |
Tow Mater | Cars (2006–present) | 2006 | Tow Mater (voiced byLarry the Cable Guy) debuted inCars (2006), the first animated film in theDisney/PixarCars franchise as a supporting character and best friend to series protagonistLightning McQueen. Being the breakout character of the film, he was given a prominent role in theCars franchise. His lead role inCars 2 was criticised by critics for stealing the spotlight from Lightning McQueen, while his character was likened to theStar Wars characterJar Jar Binks.[95][96] |
Aldous Snow | Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) | 2008 | Aldous Snow,Russell Brand's character inForgetting Sarah Marshall.[97] He later appears in a starring role in the 2010 spin-off sequelGet Him to the Greek. |
Phil Coulson | Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008–present) | 2008 | Phil Coulson, portrayed byClark Gregg in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, initially had a minor part inIron Man (2008). This led to further recurring appearances inIron Man 2 (2010),Thor (2011), and twoMarvel One-Shots (2011), andThe Avengers (2012) in which Coulson is murdered. The character is then revealed to be alive in the pilot episode ofAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., in which he was the main character. Other appearances included that series'digital spinoff, varioustie-in comics, animated series, andCaptain Marvel (2019).[98] |
The Minions | Despicable Me (2010–present) | 2010 | TheMinions became breakout characters in the 2010 animated filmDespicable Me.[99][100] They eventually starred in a 2015 spinoff,Minions. |
Yondu Udonta | Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008–present) | 2014 | Yondu Udonta, portrayed byMichael Rooker in theMarvel Cinematic Universe filmsGuardians of the Galaxy andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, was originally written as a supporting ally of the titular superhero team. Following the positive reception for the character in the first film, his role was upgraded significantly for the second, where he was considered by many critics to give a show-stealing performance.[101] |
Characters | Introduced on Radio Program or Series | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve | Fibber McGee & Molly (1935–1959) | 1939 | Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve (as portrayed byHarold Peary, later replaced byWillard Waterman in 1950) was an antagonist on the long-running radio comedyFibber McGee & Molly around 1939. The pompous underwear salesman proved popular enough to warrant a spin-off,The Great Gildersleeve, in 1941. Like its parent show,Gildersleeve would go on to a long run in radio, film and (briefly) television; the last episode ofGildersleeve aired in 1958.[102] |
Characters | Introduced in TV Show | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Dagmar | Broadway Open House (1950–1951) | 1950 | Dagmar (Virginia "Jennie" Lewis) was a character created forBroadway Open House, American television's firstlate-night variety show. The show had faced a challenge in that a daily television variety show had never been attempted before and would require an unprecedented amount of new material, produced quickly, which soon exhausted all of hostJerry Lester's material. The solution was to bring in Lewis, who was given no script and an instruction to improvise as adumb blonde named Dagmar, who would serve as Lester'sfoil. The character became a national sensation, briefly carrying on after Lester finally left the show after a year, appearing on a cover story forLife magazine, and recording a duet withFrank Sinatra in character, "Mama Will Bark."[103][104] |
Maynard G. Krebs | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959–1963) | 1959 | Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver) onThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, was originally created as a supporting character, thebeatnik best friend of the titular characterDobie Gillis, when the series began in 1959.[105] By 1960, Denver had graduated to co-lead and Maynard was given the bulk of the comedy material, withDwayne Hickman's Dobie as thestraight man.[106]Dobie Gillis was Denver's first professional acting job, and the breakout success of the Maynard character led to Denver starring onGilligan's Island afterDobie ended in 1963.[105] Krebs was famously parodied asShaggy Rogers (voiced byCasey Kasem) in the long-runningScooby-Doo franchise; Shaggy was largely an updatedhippie reimagining of Krebs.[107][108] |
Spock | Star Trek (1966–1969) | 1966 | Spock (Leonard Nimoy) onStar Trek was the only character to be carried over from the original pilot to the second. Series creatorGene Roddenberry was pressured byNBC to drop the character from the second pilot, then later to keep the character in the background. Spock's popularity grew, and NBC soon reversed its stance, encouraging more focus on the character. Spock appeared in every episode of the original series, the animated series and the original cast films.[109][110] |
Polkaroo | Polka Dot Door (1971-1993) | 1971 | Initially, the Polkaroo only appeared on Thursdays on Imagination Day, normally being played in costume by the male host. Over time, the character became so popular with fans, that he made additional appearances later on in the series and in the two one hour specials. After Polka Dot Door ended,TVOntario capitalized on his success by making him be the main protagonist ofPolka Dot Shorts. He also made appearances inGisèle's Big Backyard |
Super Dave Osborne | The John Byner Comedy Hour | 1972 (breakout c. 1980) | Super Dave Osborne was created, written and performed by veteran variety show writerBob Einstein as a character forJohn Byner's eponymous comedy hour, but would become a permanent feature of Byner's next variety show,Bizarre, where the show—based in Canada and syndicated to premium cable in the United States, allowing for more adult language than other variety shows of the day—made Osborne, a perpetually failing stuntman,[111][112] a household name. After Byner endedBizarre, the show's producers retained Einstein's services for four more years with the showSuper Dave, which was followed by the animated seriesSuper Dave: Daredevil for Hire, which required a severe toning-down of the character's language and ethnic stereotypes.[113][114] |
Thelma "Mama" Harper | The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1977) | 1974 | Thelma "Mama"Harper (Vicki Lawrence) originated in a recurring sketch onThe Carol Burnett Show,The Family, as a cantankerous elderly matriarch constantly bickering with her daughterEunice (Carol Burnett, who in real life is older than Lawrence). Mama and Eunice would go on to appear in the television filmEunice, after which Lawrence starred for several years in a standalone sitcom centered around the character,Mama's Family, which became a major hit infirst-run syndication.[115] Lawrence continues to use the Mama character in live stage appearances.[116] |
J.J. Evans | Good Times (1974-1979) | 1974 | J.J. Evans (Jimmie Walker) onGood Times,[117] with hiscatchphrase "Dy-no-mite!", came to dominate the family series, leading to friction with starsEsther Rolle andJohn Amos, who played his parents. Amos and Rolle's concern was not so much that they resented being upstaged, but rather that they felt the J.J. character was toostereotypical and not a goodrole model for youngAfrican American viewers.[118][119] A showdown with the show's producers in 1976 led to modification of the character, Amos' character being killed off and a temporary departure by Rolle from the show. Rolle returned at the beginning of the show's final season in 1978–79, and J.J. became an even stronger focus of the show. |
Fonzie | Happy Days (1974–1984) | 1974 | Fonzie (Henry Winkler) on the AmericansitcomHappy Days[120] began in a supporting role, but quickly evolved into the focal point of the series. His character became the best friend to the main character,Richie Cunningham, displacingPotsie Weber. Winkler's billing in the credits rose to second (he refused to be billed aboveRon Howard) and then first after Howard left the show to pursue directing. At one point, network executives hoped to retitle the showFonzie's Happy Days.[121][122] |
K-9 | Doctor Who (1963–1989, 2005–present) | 1977 | K-9 (John Leeson andDavid Brierly) onDoctor Who, was a robotic dog who served asthe Doctor's companion from 1977 to 1980. Following the character's departure, he appeared in the pilot for the aborted spin-off seriesK-9 and Company. He later appeared in three episodes of the revived series ofDoctor Who, made appearances on the spin-off seriesThe Sarah Jane Adventures, and was the central character in the spin-off seriesK-9.[123] |
J. R. Ewing | Dallas (1978–1991, 2012–2014) | 1978 | J. R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) onDallas. The initial concept ofDallas was aRomeo and Juliet-esque tale, focusing on two star-crossed lovers whose families are sworn enemies, with the amoral brother J.R. serving as a supporting character. However, the popularity of both the character and Hagman grew, and the producers acknowledged his new status as the series' breakout character. Two highly rated 1980 episodes became pop culture zeniths. In "A House Divided" and "Who Done It?", the audience witnessed J.R. being shot by an unknown assailant. After the cliffhanger was broadcast in March 1980, the audience was forced to wait until the October premiere of the next season for the cliffhanger's resolution. The intervening hiatus gave rise to the "Who shot J.R.?" phenonmenon.[124] Riding the crest of his newfound popularity, Larry Hagman threatened to leave the series unless his contractual demands were met. CBS leaked rumors of recasting, but Hagman eventually prevailed.[125] As the series progressed, J.R. emerged as the central character until the show's cancellation in 1991, with Hagman serving as executive producer for the final few seasons. Hagman would go on to reprise the character in two television films and arevival series until his death in 2012. |
Bob and Doug McKenzie | SCTV (1976–1984) | 1980 | Bob and Doug McKenzie (portrayed byRick Moranis andDave Thomas respectively) were created asCanadian content filler forSCTV, appearing as hosts of the show-within-a-show "The Great White North" and improvising as two drunken stereotypical Canadians.[126] The duo were spun off into the filmStrange Brew, an album also titledThe Great White North, and several appearances in other films and television shows. Their success also led to Moranis and Thomas being forced out of theSCTV cast in 1982 due to the other cast members becoming resentful of the duo's success. ParticularlyJohn Candy, who accused Thomas of using his head writer position to squash other characters and sketches in favor of more Bob and Doug.[127][128] |
Reverend I. M. Jolly | Scotch and Wry (1978–1992) | 1978 | Reverend I. M. Jolly was originally one of a series of ministers who hosted the final sketch,Last Call, on episodes ofRikki Fulton'sScotch and Wry. Jolly, the perpetually dour and ironically named minister, came to be the regular host of the segment, continuing as aHogmanay feature for several years afterScotch and Wry ended.Gregor Fisher took over the role in 2019 for a one-off fortieth anniversary special but later expressed regret for doing so.[129] |
Elmo | Sesame Street (1969–present) | 1980 | Elmo (primarily voiced and operated byBrian Meehl,Kevin Clash, andRyan Dillon) onSesame Street joined the cast of the children's show in the late 1970s. Originally a supporting character, Elmo's popularity among the show's younger fans rose in the 1990s, which led to him receiving his own segment within the show, "Elmo's World", and becoming a major marketing icon.[130] |
Alex P. Keaton | Family Ties (1982–1989) | 1982 | Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) onFamily Ties.[131] |
Dr. Frasier Crane | Cheers (1982–1993) | 1984 | Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) fromCheers debuted in the third season (1984–85) as a temporary release for some of the relationship tension betweenSam and Diane, and was only meant to make guest appearances in a few episodes.[132] He would instead remain as arecurring character, providing an upper-class foil to the otherwise working-class cast. He became a series regular by the show's fifth season. By 1993, the character would go on to headlineFrasier, created as a spin-off fromCheers after its end.[133][134] |
Sandra Clark | 227 (1985-1990) | 1985 | Sandra Clark (Jackée Harry) on227. The series was originally intended as a vehicle forMarla Gibbs. Harry's character, however, proved to be a breakout success.[135] |
Sophia Petrillo | The Golden Girls (1985–1992) | 1985 | Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) onThe Golden Girls, was the mother of lead characterDorothy Zbornak (Beatrice Arthur), and was originally written as a one-off character for the pilot. However, her blunt wisecracking became a signature of the show, to the point where she became a core member of the cast,[136][137] replacing a gay chef named "Coco" who only appeared in the pilot.[138] Petrillo would go on to appear inThe Golden Palace andEmpty Nest, with the character ending its run at the end ofEmpty Nest in 1995. |
Joe Isuzu | Isuzu commercials | 1986 | Joe Isuzu (David Leisure) was introduced in an effort from Japanese automakerIsuzu to make inroads in the American markets after several years of obscurity. Joe Isuzu, who began as a salesman who absurdly exaggerated the performance of the cars he was selling, was not only the most successful campaign Isuzu would run during its decade-long run in the United States market, but served as Leisure's breakout role, with the then-struggling actor parlaying his fame into a co-starring role onEmpty Nest for several years and Leisure returning to the Joe Isuzu character several times after Isuzu discontinued it in 1991.[139] |
Worf | Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) | 1987 | Worf (Michael Dorn) onStar Trek: The Next Generation was not meant to be anything but a background character.[140] However, he became so popular that he became a main character, with entire episodes focused on him.[141] He became a series regular onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine as soon as TNG went off the air. There were even plans to give him his own television show.[142] |
Steve Urkel | Family Matters (1989–1998) | 1989 | Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) onFamily Matters was originally a one-shot character during the show's first season in 1989. He became so popular that he became a regular cast member from season two forward, practically synonymous with the series.[143][144] |
Todd Manning | One Life to Live (1963–2011, 2013) | 1992 | Todd Manning (originally and currentlyRoger Howarth, was played at one time byTrevor St. John) onOne Life to Live, known for initiating the gang rape ofMarty Saybrooke in 1993, was originally supposed to have a short-lived recurrence. However, once Howarth was seen to attract positive viewer reaction, the character was given a more primary focus.[145][146] The character's popularity continued even after St. John assumed the role in 2003.[147] (Note: St. John's version of the character was eventually rewritten as Todd's twin brother, Victor. Howarth returned as Todd in 2011.) |
Tommy Oliver | Power Rangers (1993–present) | 1993 | Tommy Oliver (Jason David Frank) from the live-action television franchisePower Rangers franchise was only intended to appear for one season. He became so popular that in subsequent seasons, he was made a series regular. He eventually became the most enduring character in the franchise.[148][149][150] |
Mr Blobby | Noel's House Party (1991–1999) | 1993 | Mr Blobby (portrayed by Barry Killerby) onNoel's House Party became a British national phenomenon upon his debut in 1993; he quickly became a source of ridicule and national embarrassment as time progressed.[151][152] |
Robert Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005) | 1996 | Robert Barone (Brad Garrett) onEverybody Loves Raymond was credited with being the show's "secret weapon" and the main catalyst for most of the show's "comic high points."[153] |
Spike | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) | 1997 | Spike (James Marsters) onBuffy the Vampire Slayer[154] was originally intended to be a villain for a few episodes. However, the character became a recurring one through the end of the second season, and then a main character in the fourth season. He appeared regularly through the end of the series, then appeared as a main character during the final season ofAngel.[155] |
Chloe O'Brian | 24 (2001–2010) | 2003 | Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) on24. Rajskub's character was introduced during the third season of the series. She initially appeared as a recurring character throughout seasons three and four, before being promoted to a series regular in season five. She continued in that role until season eight, as well as reprising her role in24: Live Another Day. By season six, Rajskub had become the second-billed cast member after lead actorKiefer Sutherland and has second most appearances of any character afterJack Bauer. During her tenure on the series, Chloe becomes one of Jack's closest friends and allies and is considered a "fan-favorite". She has been included inAOL's list of the "100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters".[156][157][158][159] |
Carson Beckett | Stargate Atlantis (2004–2009) | 2004 | Carson Beckett, portrayed byPaul McGillion onStargate Atlantis, was introduced in the pilot episode, originally intended to be an occasional guest star for scenes requiring a doctor. His character was an immediate hit with the fans from inception, and Beckett earned his own episode halfway through Season 1. He was upgraded to a regular in Season 2, becoming one of the six main characters and appearing in 15 episodes of the season. Despite his popularity, however, the character was killed off at the end of Season 3. This led to outrage among his fans, who campaigned so heavily for his return that the character was written back into the series a year later. He became a recurring character once again during the show's fourth and fifth seasons.[160] |
Barney Stinson | How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014) | 2005 | Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) onHow I Met Your Mother.[161] Over time, Stinson became a scene-stealer and has been credited for much of the show's success.[162] |
London Tipton | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005–2008) | 2005 | London Tipton (Brenda Song) onThe Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-offThe Suite Life on Deck.[163][164] |
Kenneth Parcell | 30 Rock (2006–2013) | 2006 | Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) on30 Rock. Originally a peripheral character in the first season, the eternally cheerful NBC Page moved into the main cast beginning in season two, and McBrayer received an Emmy nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2009.[165][166][167] |
Andy Bernard | The Office (2005–2013) | 2006 | Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) onThe Office was originally signed to appear in 10 episodes duringthe show's third season.[168] Realizing that Helms had similarities with the character they were creating, the producers gradually merged the two. Bernard became a series regular whenthe Stamford and Scranton branches were merged in the show's storyline. In the eighth season, Andy replacedMichael Scott as the regional manager of the branch whenSteve Carell left the show.[169] |
Benjamin Linus | Lost (2004–2010) | 2006 | Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson) inLost was originally only supposed to be in three episodes of Season 2 in the fake persona of "Henry Gale",[170][171] but the producers enjoyed the actor's performance so much that they wrote him in as the leader of the Others.[172] He became a series regular in Season 3 and remained a star character for the rest of the show. During the series' run, Linus was often hailed as one of the best villains on television,[173] and Emerson was nominated for three Emmys, winning one forOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. |
Sheldon Cooper | The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019) | 2007 | Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) onThe Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) andIain Armitage onYoung Sheldon (2017–2024). In a June 2022 columnTV Guide writer Matt Roush, responding to a question regarding whether other characters fromThe Big Bang Theory would receive their own spinoffs, stated that Sheldon was given one because he was the star's "breakout character" and the main protagonist of the series, but that spinoffs for other characters were not likely.[174] |
Castiel | Supernatural (2005–2020) | 2008 | Castiel (Misha Collins) onSupernatural[175][176] is noted for originally being conceived for a short six-episode story arc at the beginning of the show's fourth season. By the time the fourth season came to a close, not only had the character quickly become a favorite amongst fans, but he was subsequently upgraded from his previous supporting status to a series star alongside the show's main protagonistsSam Winchester andDean Winchester from the show's fifth season onward.[177] |
Saul Goodman | Breaking Bad (2008–2013) | 2009 | Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) was originally conceived as a joke character for three episodes ofBreaking Bad'ssecond season, but after seeing his performance and contribution to the show's dynamic, showrunnerVince Gilligan decided to promote him to series regular for the remaining seasons. The character would later star as the lead character for the spin-off seriesBetter Call Saul.[178] |
Ron Swanson | Parks and Recreation (2009–2015) | 2009 | Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) onParks and Recreation. Originally a background character, he soon became what critics called the show's "secret weapon",[179] and a scene-stealer, noted for his frequentdeadpan comedy andmachismo. |
Daryl Dixon | The Walking Dead (2010–2022) | 2010 | Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) onThe Walking Dead. An original character created for the television series, who did not originate in the comics source material. His popularity grew to such an extent that he has been featured in two video games (The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct andThe Walking Dead: Onslaught) and it was reported in September 2020 that he would star in a spin-off show.[180] His popularity grew to the point that fans questioned whether he would be adapted into the comics series, though creatorRobert Kirkman indicated that he had no plans do so, as he preferred the idea of certain characters maintaining their unique relationship to specific mediums.[181] |
Elka Ostrovsky | Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015) | 2010 | Elka Ostrovsky was portrayed (byBetty White) onHot in Cleveland. White was originally offered a guest role in the pilot episode, but her popularity prompted the producers to give her a permanent lead role.[182] |
Elijah Mikaelson | The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017) | 2010 | Elijah Mikaelson (Daniel Gillies) onThe Vampire Diaries andThe Originals, was originally brought in as a minor threat for the main characters and as a way to introduce villain Klaus. He was then supposed to die after six episodes. However, the character became so immensely popular that the writers changed his storyline, revealing him to be Klaus' brother. He became an important ally to the main characters and continued to recur on the show. Gillies then brought the character over to the spin-offThe Originals, where Elijah has become one of the main characters.[183] |
Schmidt | New Girl (2011–2018) | 2011 | Schmidt (Max Greenfield) onNew Girl (2011–2018).[184] |
Felicity Smoak | Arrow (2012–2020) | 2012 | Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) onArrow was introduced as an IT consultant at the main character's company midway through the first season. She quickly became a fan favorite and was made a series regular for the second season, with DC comics re-imagining her character for the New 52 as a facsimile of the live-action one.[185] |
Sara Lance | Arrow (2012–2020) | 2012 | Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) inArrow andLegends of Tomorrow is an original character and the sister ofLaurel Lance. Originally thought to have died in events prior to the show's first episode, Sara showed up in Star City alive in season 2, having assumed the vigilante identityCanary. She joins Team Arrow for a while, until she is killed off in the season 3 premiere, thus paving way for Laurel to assume her identity and become theBlack Canary. By this time, Sara had proven to be very popular with fans and critics, and her death led to outrage amongst the fans, especially when her mantle as the Canary was given to Laurel. Sara was eventually brought back to life in season 4, and ultimately went on to star as one of the leads in theArrow spin-offLegends of Tomorrow.[186] |
Mellie Grant | Scandal (2012–2018) | 2012 | Mellie Grant portrayed byBellamy Young onScandal. Originally a recurring character meant to appear in only three episodes of the first season, the role of Mellie ended up appearing in every episode. She became a main cast member by the second season, and by the third season was described by many as the breakout character of the show. As of the seventh and final season, she has risen from being merely theFirst Lady, then aU.S. Senator representing Virginia, toPresident of the United States, succeeding her husband. Praised from the start as a villainous scene stealer, Mellie eventually became much more developed and eventually integral to show. Young received major acclaim for her performance, with one critic going so far as to say, "In Mellie, the show has its most fleshed-out character and in Young, its most compelling performer."[187] |
Wheeler Walker, Jr. | The Ben Show (2013) | 2013 | Wheeler Walker Jr., a comically vulgar country singer, was the creation of comedianBen Hoffman and originally debuted as a one-off fictional persona for an episode of his short-lived mockumentary seriesThe Ben Show. In 2016, Hoffman resurrected the character and recorded an independent record in character as Walker.[188] The record became an underground success, prompting subsequent Walker albums; Hoffman has appeared as Walker alongside real-lifealternative country and country rock artists[189][190][191] and has used the Walker character to defend traditional country music, including a protest against an exhibit at theCountry Music Hall of Fame profiling the groupFlorida Georgia Line in 2022.[192] |
Oswald Cobblepot | Gotham | 2014 | This adaptation of DC Comics supervillain, thePenguin, emerged as a breakout character from test screenings of the pilot.[193] |
Steve Harrington | Stranger Things (2016–present) | 2016 | Steve Harrington, initially portrayed as a rude, stereotypical high school boyfriend inStranger Things, evolved over the course of the series into a kind-hearted, empathetic, and charismatic character that has become a fan-favorite.[194][195] |
Rich DotCom | Blindspot (2015–2020) | 2016 | Rich DotCom (Ennis Esmer) first appeared in the ninth episode ofBlindspot, after creatorMartin Gero realized that theJames Bond-esque villain introduced in the original draft was not working. Although initially introduced as aDark Web confronted by the FBI, he was brought back for subsequent episodes, in which his character was further developed, and revealed to be more morally complex than initially portrayed. Gero eventually realized Rich had become an integral part of the show having come to regard him as the defining character of the series.[196] |
Christopher Pike | Star Trek (1964–present) | 1964 (breakout status in 2019) | Christopher Pike, played byJeffrey Hunter, was introduced in "The Cage," the 1964pilot ofStar Trek: The Original Series. However, Hunter declined the role when the show went to series, and the character was replaced byJames T. Kirk (William Shatner). A crippled Pike, now played bySean Kenney, would later make a guest appearance in "The Menagerie", which incorporated footage from "The Cage" featuring Hunter. The character would later play a supporting role in thefeature films of the 2000s, played byBruce Greenwood. He would subsequently be made a supporting character inStar Trek: Discovery in 2019, in which he was played byAnson Mount. Pike became a breakout character[197] whose popularity among fans was attributed by critics to Mount's portrayal. Mount was contracted for only one season, but fans began a petition for his own spin-off.[198] On May 15, 2020,CBS officially announcedStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, a new television series starring Mount as Pike. Creator and executive producerAlex Kurtzman cited overwhelming positive fan response as one of the reasons for creating the show.[199] |
Grogu | The Mandalorian (2019–present) | 2019 | Grogu, unofficially referred to asBaby Yoda by fans and the media since its name would not be revealed until well into the second season,[200][201] made his debut in the first episode ofThe Mandalorian and subsequently received significant media attention due to the numerousinternet memes he spawned[202][203] and thehigh demand but low supply of available merchandise of the character.[204] |
Characters | Introduced in Video Game or Series | Year Introduced | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Yoshi | Mario (1981–present) | 1990 | Yoshi in theMario series.[205] Originally appearing inSuper Mario World as a rideable pet, he became one of the franchise's main characters, often appearing as one ofMario's sidekicks, and getting his own series of video games.[206][207] |
Zero | Mega Man X (1993–present) | 1993 | Zero from theMega Man X series first appeared as a supporting character in thefirst installment, eventually eclipsing the titular protagonist and becoming one of the franchise's main characters.[208][209] Zero's popularity spawned his own spin-off video game series in the 2000s,Mega Man Zero, to mostly positive reception.[210][211] |
Vincent Valentine | Final Fantasy VII (1997) | 1997 | Vincent Valentine fromFinal Fantasy VII was designed as an unlockable secret character. The option to recruit Vincent as aparty member occurs late in the game's canon, and he has little involvement with the main narrative due to time constraints faced by the game's developers.[212] The character's popularity withFinal Fantasy fandom led to Vincent being featured more prominently in the subsequentCompilation of Final Fantasy VII multimediametaseries.[213] Notably, he is the protagonist and central character in the spin-offDirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII andits mobile phone tie-in. |
Minsc | Baldur's Gate (1998–present) | 1998 | Minsc from theBaldur's Gate video game series. He was originally conceived by series developerBioware as acomic reliefsidekick and an optional party member with little relevance to the overarching plot. Ultimately emerging as the series' breakout star and most iconic character, Minsc is still acclaimed by video game enthusiasts, and has been repeatedly referenced in non-Bioware games and media.[214] Minsc and his hamster companion Boo have appeared in themassively multiplayer online role-playing gameNeverwinter, the webcomicMegatokyo, and a series ofD&D-themed comic books published byIDW Publishing. |
Miles Edgeworth | Ace Attorney (2001–present) | 2001 | Miles Edgeworth, known in Japan asReiji Mitsurugi, is a character inCapcom'sAce Attorney series. He first appears as the antagonist inPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, serving as theprosecutor againstdefense attorneyPhoenix Wright, but in later games he mellows into Wright's friendly rival.[215] The character was instantly popular with audiences and has appeared in nearly every game in the series since. He eventually starred as the protagonist in the spin-off gameAce Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and itssequel, a move that series creatorShu Takumi acknowledged was the result of Edgeworth's popularity eclipsing that of protagonist Phoenix Wright.[216] In a 2024 survey released by Capcom, Miles Edgeworth was voted as the #1 most popularAce Attorney character.[217] |
Shadow the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog (1991–present) | 2001 | Shadow the Hedgehog made his debut in the 2001 video gameSonic Adventure 2, and became an instant hit among fans of theSonic the Hedgehog franchise.[218] Despite ostensibly dying in his maiden outing, developersSega andSonic Team quickly revived the character, giving him a pivotal role in the next installment in the series,Sonic Heroes. By 2005, Shadow had become the star of his own spin-off title,Shadow the Hedgehog. In the same year, series producerYuji Naka stated that Shadow was the second-most popular character in the series, after the protagonistSonic.[219] Despite appearing only inconsistently across series titles over the following two decades, Shadow remained so highly-regarded that Sega eventually declared 2024 their 'Year of Shadow the Hedgehog'.[220] |
Alyx Vance | Half-Life (1998–present) | 2004 | Alyx Vance from theHalf-Life series. A supportingnon-player character who first appeared in 2004'sHalf-Life 2, she played a major speaking role asplayer characterGordon Freeman was asilent protagonist.[221][222][223][224] Alyx has transitioned into the role of player character for the 2020 video gameHalf-Life: Alyx.[221][222] |
Rabbids | Rabbids (2006–present) | 2006 | The Rabbids began as enemies in theRayman video game series, before their "vicious, but (...) totally stupid" antics proved to overshadow the main character. They have since been franchised to television and their own spin-off video game series.[225][226] |
Isabelle | Animal Crossing (2001–present) | 2012 | Isabelle, known in Japan asShizue, first appeared in 2012'sAnimal Crossing: New Leaf, where she serves as the player character's secretary. Isabelle's breakout popularity led to her becoming one of the most prominent characters in theAnimal Crossing franchise,[227] to a point where the character is considered by some sources to be themascot of a series which sawits first release in 2001.[228] Isabelle's popularity has also led to appearances outside of theAnimal Crossing series, including a playable role in thecrossover gamesMario Kart 8 andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. |
Dorian Pavus | Dragon Age (2009–present) | 2014 | Dorian Pavus first appears in 2014'sDragon Age: Inquisition as a supporting character and optional party member, and continues to make recurring appearances in franchise media. Dorian has been noted by some commentators as a breakout video game character who is openly gay, and that he occupies a significant role in the narrative of a majorAAA video game whichmost other LGBT characters at the time lack.[229][230][231] |
Lady Dimitrescu | Resident Evil (1996–present) | 2021 | Lady Dimitrescu appears in 2021'sResident Evil Village, where she serves as an early game antagonist. The character quickly and unexpectedly rose in popularity internationally after Capcom released a series of demos and previews forResident Evil Village in early 2021.[232][233][234] Maggie Robertson's performance as the character through voiceover and motion capture was also widely acclaimed, and won her multiple awards.[235][236][237] |
Originally, the Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli character was to be a comic relief dropout type, put there for comic contrast to the whitebread Richie and his pals. He was a tall, lanky guy, but when Henry Winkler blew everybody away at his reading, they decided to cut Fonzie down to Henry's size. Ultimately, Winkler molded the character around himself and everybody, including Ron Howard, realized this would be the show's "breakout" character.
Dorn plays the immensely popular Worf ... Worf may be the most complex and sympathetic character in the history ofStar Trek.
'There's talk of Spike movies, or a Spike movie,' Hannigan reported of efforts to bring back James Marsters' bloodsucking breakout character.
Young Sheldon has given fan service with shoutouts to some of the other The Big Bang Theory characters, but to create another entire origin story seems a stretch. Sheldon Cooper was always the show's main protagonist, the centerpiece and breakout character, which helps explain the show's staying power.
The bunnies in the game are so well-designed, animated, and voiced, that they have actually upstaged Rayman himself to become the spotlight of Ubisoft's marketing efforts for the title.
It might have Rayman in the title, but the real stars of the show are the adorably bizarre raving rabbids.