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Conveniently an Orphan: Difference between revisions
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Handily prevents the sadistic [[Game Master]] from exploiting [[The Load|'weak links']] that can get [[Distressed Damsel|kidnapped]] or [[Player Punch|killed off]]. If the fates of the missing parents are left nebulous, it also opens the door for that infamous twist where one of them turns out to be a villain. [[Luke, I Am Your Father|You know the one]].
Oddly enough, family outside of parents is never mentioned. Apparently [[World of No Grandparents|no one ever has grandparents]] or cousins, although having an uncle (and sometimes aunt) as surrogate parents is a common mythological motif. Siblings seem to only show up for plot-based reasons -- and not [[Promotion to Parent]], which would give them responsibilities. One wonders how the world manages to get populated when every couple only has one child. Surrogate parents show up more regularly in the form of [[Raised by Natives]], they [[Death
The hero's orphaning is also a nice triggering point for the hero's journey. This part of the Hero's backstory is often covered in a [[Flash Back]]. If the orphaning happens at the very beginning of the story, instead of in the background, it's usually covered by [[Doomed Hometown]].
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* At one point in ''[[Hellsing]]'', during the [[Action Film Quiet Drama Scene|Quiet Drama Scene]], while discussing Seras' progress Alucard asks Walter how they covered up her death and how her family is taking it. When Walter replies that she has none and is an orphan, Alucard sardonically replies "Of ''course'' she is". However, since Seras was already an adult by the time she died, the circumstances and consequences of her parents' deaths turns out to be a major part of her character and the series veering into [[Crapsack World]] territory and running on [[Black and Grey Morality]], it's a justified trope.
* Son Goku of ''[[Dragon Ball]]''. Some time before the series began, he accidentally killed his adoptive grandfather after transforming into a giant were-ape. As for blood relatives, ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' reveals {{spoiler|that pretty much his entire ''race'' were wiped out along with their home planet}}.
* ''[[Kimba the White Lion]]'': Played straight with [[Love Interest|Lyra]] who is able to play and go on adventures with Kimba, but the trope is [[Deconstructed Trope|deconstructed]] with Kimba due to his [["Well Done, Son" Guy]] relationship he has with his father who [[Death
* In ''[[Pokémon Special]]'', Red is the only Dex Holder to have no family even alluded to, leaving him free to travel the world where ever and whenever he wants.
* ''[[Gunslinger Girl]]''. Done plausibly as the Social Welfare Agency only selects girls for its secret killer cyborg program who don't have extended families who'll be concerned about them. As a victim of child sex trafficking, Triela's background is unknown even to the Agency. Henrietta's entire family was murdered and Angelica's parents are in prison. Petra's family are too poor to travel from Russian to see their daughter -- which is just as well as her appearance has been altered completely. Presumably the occasional forged letter is sent back. As Rico is one of the few cyborgs who retains memories of her previous life, the occasional visit from her estranged parents is no doubt enough to reassure them that their [[Ill Girl]] is receiving the best of care; the Agency would have no trouble getting Rico to play along.
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* [[Iron Man]]
* [[Batman]]
* [[Spider-Man]]. He has his beloved aunt, and his uncle [[Death
** Also more than a few members of the supporting cast have lost one (Mary Jane, Harry Osborn, John Jameson) or both (Betty Brant, Gwen Stacy) parents.
* The debut issue of ''[[Incredible Hulk|The Incredible Hulk]]'' makes it clear up front that Rick Jones (Bruce Banner's newly-acquired teenaged sidekick) is an orphan.
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* [[Bones]] - Dr. Brennan's emotional interface may be glitchy, but any one she deals with who comments on her inability to sympathize gets slammed when they find out she lost her parents at a young age, conveniently explaining why she might come off disturbed but assuring everyone that she understands.
* [[Doctor Who]] companions in the classic series are often orphans - sometimes with [[Death
** Now the Doctor himself is basically orphaned after the [[Death
** Amy Pond has an aunt, but is essentially a orphan. {{spoiler|At least up until "The Big Bang", when it turns out her parents got [[Ret-Gone|erased from time]], and the Doctor uses the [[Reset Button]] to bring them back.}}
* [[Revenge (TV series)|Revenge]] is centered around this trope. Amanda/Emily's whole purpose is to avenge her father, who was framed for aiding terrorists and later died; her mother passed away when she was a small child.
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* [[Metroid|Samus Aran]] was orphaned and raised by Chozo, who have since [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence|withdrawn from the universe]], leaving Samus with no familial ties.
* ''[[Disgaea]]'': Larharl and Etna are orphans. {{spoiler|At least, Laharl ''thinks'' he's one.}}
* As is Cornet, the main character of ''[[
* ''[[La Pucelle]]'': Prier, Aloutte and Coulette are orphans.
* ''[[Phantom Brave]]'': Marona and Ash become orphans in the introduction.
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** Mia would be a straight example, having simply no mentioned family at all... but she is the one character who is sad to leave (she says farewell to her two young apprentices) and it's more a case of "conveniently rid of her town-healer duties".
** And Garet is a complete aversion: he's the only cast member who has a large, living and functional family, but they all encourage him to save the world and fatherless Isaac gets more angst; then in the ''epilogue cutscene'' of the second game {{spoiler|Garet comes home, finds the town destroyed, and thinks for a moment that they all died}}.
** The first four heroes of ''[[Golden Sun: Dark Dawn]]'' all have at least one parent still alive and caring for them-- the previous games' heroes ([[Generation Xerox|whom the kids strongly resemble]]). However, the second set of heroes include two straight examples (Sveta, whose parents died in Morgal's revolutionary war, and {{spoiler|Eoleo when [[Sacrificial Lion|his father dies onscreen]]}}), a subversion (Amiti, who doesn't have parents but lives with his affectionate and overprotective uncle, who tries to forbid him from heroics), and an aversion (Himi's parents aren't happy to see her going into danger, but they have to let her because she's the only one who knows what needs to be done any more).
* In the ''[[Metal Gear]] Solid'' games, the circumstances which led to Otacon being an orphan are a significant aspect of his [[The Woobie|woobie status]].
* Averted to a certain degree for some of the Origins in ''[[Dragon Age]]: Origins''. The character does have relatives, and not all of them die in the prologue. For practical purposes, it still amounts to the same, though.
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** In the Alpha universe, {{spoiler|Roxy and Dirk}}. It's hinted that {{spoiler|Betty Crocker}} had their parents killed in order to get them interested in playing Sburb.
* Most of the cast in [[Dubious Company]]. Sal is the only character firmly established as having living relatives.
** The Sues were adopted by [[The Dragon|Izor]] after their family was [[Death
** [[Hypercompetent Sidekick|Gary Stu]] appears to have taken the [[Promotion to Parent|parental role]] for his brother.
** Walter, Tiren, and Elly have fond childhood memories, but appear to no longer have ties to their families. [[Homeless Hero|They]] were visibly distraught when Sal asked if they had a home.
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