Demoted to Extra/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: An important character loses said importance in adaptations and/or sequels.

  • Straight: Mina, an important supporting character in the comic, makes only a few appearances in the cartoon
  • Exaggerated:
    • Mina is only a background extra in the cartoon.
    • Several supporting characters along with Mina, previously important, make only brief appearances in the cartoon.
  • Justified: The adaptation covers a portion where Mina had a minor role to begin with.
  • Inverted: Ascended Extra. Alternatively, Ensemble Darkhorse
  • Subverted:
  • Double Subverted: ...but it turns out to be only A Day in the Limelight
  • Parodied: Mina struggles in each episode to get more screentime.
  • Deconstructed: Mina pulls a Face Heel Turn because she was suddenly ignored by everyone.
  • Reconstructed:
    • Mina then does a Heel Face Turn and is promptly ignored again.
    • Or Mina was a bit of a Scrappy beforehand when she had a bigger role but in this adaptation/new installment while she gets a lot less screentime most/all of her negative attributes get downplayed/removed making her a more likable character. So to make a long story short she gets less screentime but is Rescued from the Scrappy Heap as a result.
  • Zig Zagged: Commuting on a Bus
  • Averted: Mina has the exact same role in the comic and the cartoon adaption.
  • Enforced:
  • Lampshaded: "I remember Mina used to be around more often. I wonder what happened?"
  • Invoked: Reassigned to Antarctica.
  • Exploited: Mina is able to spy on the Big Bad precisely because she has been ignored.
  • Defied: Mina does a Hostile Show Takeover.
  • Discussed: "Mina if you hang around over there so much, we'll stop noticing you!"
  • Conversed: "All the fans miss Mina and wish she came back."
  • Played for Laughs: Mina humorously complains to the writers about her sudden insignificance. Repeatedly.
  • Played for Drama: Mina's fewer appearances are caused by depression or anxiety. The characters talk about trying to help her.
  • Plotted A Good Waste: Mina's decreased importance was done entirely to ensure the fans would be as excited as possible when that importance returns.

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