Focal Character: Difference between revisions

In many genres, we expect the story to be told from a specific [[Point of View]], with a certain character role that is expected to be [[The Protagonist]]. Some writers like to mix it up, though, and tell their story from a different and unexpected point of view, and show the events from somebody else's perspective, who does ''not'' have the central role in the story. That's the '''SupportingFocal ProtagonistCharacter''': someone who would normally be a secondary character by conventions of the genre is actually the main character. This is often done to have another [[Point of View]] to a story, so we can see it from a perspective other than what's typical. When done wrong however, it could easily lead to the character becoming the [[Non-Action Guy]].

In many cases, this means choosing someone other than [[The Hero]] to be the protagonist (in which case, [[The Hero]] may be a [[Supporting Leader]]). In some cases, the '''SupportingFocal Protagonist'''Character ''is'' [[The Hero]], but ''is not'' [[The Chosen One]]. In a [[Mystery Fiction|mystery]], it means choosing someone other than the detective. In a [[Romance Novel]], it means choosing someone other than the damsel. In [[Historical Fiction]], it means choosing someone other than the important historical figure.

Common in Japanese works with a supernatural touch ([[Light Novels]], [[Fish Out of Water]] scenarios, etc.) in order to have somebody to spout exposition to. In [[Real Time Strategy]] games, this usually happens in conjunction with [[Non-Entity General]]. It may also happen in video games in general if they use a [[Silent Protagonist|Silent]] and/or [[Featureless Protagonist]].

A sister trope to [[A Day in the Limelight]] (just part of the story doesn't center around the expected protagonist) and [[TheFirst-Person IshmaelPeripheral Narrator]] (the character is not the protagonist at all, but is the narrator of the story and [[Audience Surrogate]], justifying their perspective).

== [[Anime]] &and [[Manga]] ==

* ''[[Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam]]'' pulls a bit of zigzagging with this trope. While Tobia Arronax is the POV character, it is [[The Ace|Kincaido Nau]] (alias [[Mobile Suit Gundam F91|Seabook Arno]]) who is the main pilot of the titular [[Humongous Mecha]] and is responsible for most of the victories of the [[Space Pirate|Crossbone Vanguard]]. However, during the final parts of the story, Tobia comes into his own following a string of moments of [[badass]]ery, finally gets his own [[Super Prototype|Gundam]], and winds up saving the world; while Kincaido is put into the role of the [[Supporting Leader]]. In the end, Kincaido retires, [[Passing the Torch]] to Tobia, who goes on to become a fully-fledged main character in ''all'' of the sequels.

* Two well-known [[Tsundere]] [[The Hero|heroines]] [[Pigeonholed Voice Actor|voiced by]] [[Rie Kugimiya]], namely ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]''{{'}}s Shana and ''[[ZeroThe noFamiliar Tsukaimaof Zero]]''{{'}}s Louise.

* [[Word of God|Gen Urobuchi]] has outright stated that, while the series has her name in the title, [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica|Madoka]] is actually meant to be a supporting character, and the true protagonist is Sayaka. {{spoiler|This is [[Lying Creator|a lie]]. The true heroine is Homura.}}

* Nanoha from ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' is one of these, when you think about it. All four of the seasons so far have been focused on the characters she's affecting herself - Fate in [[Nanoha Original|the first season]], the Wolkenritter/ and Hayate in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha AsA's|A's]]'', the Forwards and Vivio in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS|Striker SStrikerS]]'' and Tohma and Lili in ''[[Nanoha Force|Force]]'' - leaving her development somewhat more subdued. And ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid|Vi VidViVid]]'' has her almost exclusively in the mentor role.

* Tsukune Aono from ''[[Rosario + Vampire]]'' is the viewpoint character and male lead, but as a [[Non-Action Guy]] early on he generally relied on his friends for protection, especially [[The Ace|Inner Moka]]. Even after he [[Took a Level Inin Badass]], he remained a [[Technical Pacifist]], though he's become much more of a [[Hero Protagonist]] in recent chapters.

* Sakuragi from ''[[Slam Dunk]]''. He is definitely the main character of the story, with his development becoming more and more important to the plot. However, Rukawa and Akagi fit the hero mold better, as the Team Ace and Captain respectively. They are often the ones who carry the team.

* ''[[Spice and Wolf]]'' is a story about Holo as experienced by Lawrence. She provides the [[Deadpan Snarker|comedy]] and [[Please Don't Leave Me|drama]], and Lawrence provides the [[I Watch It for The Economics|economics]] and [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|hugs.]]

* ''[[Code Geass]]'' tends to follow this trope more often than not. Lelouch, who the show focuses on, is really more of a [[Utopia Justifies the Means|well-]][[Visionary Villain|meaning]] [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Anti]][[Anti-Hero|-Hero]] at his best and a [[Villain Protagonist]] at his absolute worst. However, the character you would have expected to be the "[[The Hero|standard hero]]" was Suzaku, the SupportingFocal ProtagonistCharacter. ''However'', this is played with thanks to the [[Grey and Gray Morality]] of the setting (Lelouch can appear either very heroic or outright villainous on occasion, while Suzaku supports the oppressive and outright villainous empire, and [[Jumping Off the Slippery Slope|takes a running leap off the slippery slope]] more than once). In the ''[[Code Geass]]'' [[Anime First|manga]], Lelouch is still the protagonist, while ''Suzaku of the Counterattack'' features Suzaku in his turn as the main character. ''[[Nightmare of Nunnally]]'', meanwhile, gives the mantle to [[Ill Girl|Nunn]][[Magical Girl|ally]], while still spending a lot of time focusing on... Lelouch and Suzaku.

** Lucy is a writer, and it's hinted a few times that the novel she's working on is about Fairy Tail. So it's likely that Fairy Tail is her story... about Natsu.

* In ''[[Digimon Adventure 02]]'', Takeru has a far greater plot-significance than [[Flat Character|Daisuke]], is far more interesting, more familiar, and is the {{spoiler|narrator}}, yet the series keeps thrusting Daisuke at the viewer.

* ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead]].'' (as well as the original play version), due to being an examination of ''[[Hamlet]]'' from the perspective of the titular [[Those Two Guys]].

** ''[[Last Action Hero]]'' has a similar case, with the would -be [[Kid Hero]] realizing he's comic relief, right as he attempts to use his [[Contractual Immortality]] against a villain.

* ''[[Road to Perdition]]'': Michael Jr.

* ''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]:'' Andy's story drives the action, but it's Red's evolution as a person that turns out to be the point of it all, making him the "main" character.

* ''[[Cars]] 2]]'' has Lightning McQueen, protagonist of [[Cars|the first film]], falling into this as his buddy Mater becomes the center of aan espionage plot and thus the focus of the movie.

* [[The Voiceless|Chief Bromden]] from [[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]].{{context}}

* ''[[The Trail of Cthulhu]]'' is a novel that is made up of 5five interlocking stories. Each story has its own protagonist, but Professor Shrewsbury is the hero of the main narrative.

* Beth from the children's book ''The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'' and its sequels.{{context}}

* Scout from ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]''. Most people agree that the true hero of the story is her father, Atticus.{{context}}

* Bryan starts out as one of these in the teen series ''[[Drama Series|DRAMA!]]'', but by the third book he's become the focus of the story. This is [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] repeatedly.

* At the end of ''[[Discworld/Monstrous Regiment|Monstrous Regiment]]'', Polly realises that {{spoiler|Joan-of-Arc-equivalent Wazzer}} is the one everyone will really remember.

** Sam Vimes is an interesting example. He ''became'' [[The Hero]] of the Watch novels, but when [[Terry Pratchett]] wrote ''[[Discworld/Guards Guards|Guards! Guards!]]'' he thought Carrot was [[The Hero]], and Vimes was a handy pair of eyes to see him through.

* While ''[[The TigersTiger's Wife]]'' is framed as a story about a doctor delivering medicine to an orphanage at the same time as she's trying to find out some facts about her grandfather's death, the grandfather is really the central figure of the novel.

* Wilfred in ''[[Ivanhoe]]''. TheWhile the book centers on him, the consensus is that the true protagonist of the book is Rebecca, as she does most of the actions that move the plot.

== [[Live-Action TV]] ==

* The finale of ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' reveals that {{spoiler|both Sam Tyler and Alex Drake are supportingFocal protagonistsCharacters for Gene Hunt}}.

* Despite being the title character of ''[[Castle]]'', Richard Castle is the SupportingFocal ProtagonistCharacter to [[Fair Cop|Kate Beckett]]. There's even the [[Sherlock Holmes]] comparison: she's a brilliant detective while he follows her about and writes stories about their adventures. Their relationship is central to the show, Castle helps mellows out the emotionally-distant Beckett, and there's oodles of [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]]. While the show may take his perspective on events and provides a lot of focus on his family life, the main overarching arc of the series surrounds Beckett's mother's murder, and he's clearly the [[Plucky Comic Relief]] [[Love Interest]] to her [[Broken Bird]] [[Hardboiled Detective]].

* ''[[Ultraman Nexus]]'' focuses on the life of Komon Kazuki, a member of the Night Raider team. However, he does not transform into the eponymous hero, making him this trope. {{spoiler|But he ''does'' become Ultraman in the series' finale and thus, ditches this role.}}

== Theater[[Theatre]] ==

== [[Video Games]] ==

* In ''[[Dragon Quest V]] V, unlike in IV and VI,'' the protagonist cannot equip the Zenithian Equipment; itlike he can in 's'[[Dragon actuallyQuest IV|IV]]'' and ''[[Dragon Quest VI|VI]]''; the one who can is actually {{spoiler|his son}}.

* Monkey in ''[[Enslaved: Odyssey to the West]]''. The''Enslaved'' is loosely based on the Chinese novel ''[[Journey to the West]]'', and the narrative actually revolves around Trip as Monkey supports Trip on her journey home and her quest for revenge of the one responsible for the annihilation of her village. {{spoiler|It's Trip that kills the main antagonist, Pyramid.}}.

* ''[[StarcraftStarCraft]]'' is basically about Arcturus Mengsk, Jim Raynor, Sarah Kerrigan, Tassadar, and Zeratul, whereas the PC is just some [[Non-Entity General|generic, nameless "magistrate", "cerebrate", or Protoss "executor"]]. [[Word of God]] has retconned that the Executor of Episode III was Artanis, and presumably the Executor of Ep IV was him or his student Selendis (who is Executor in ''[[StarcraftStarCraft II]]''). The other player characters get fleeting references in the expanded universe to confirm that in the current canon they still exist, but their roles are downplayed because, well, they were always little more than viewpoints for the player to see the characters.

* The plot of the ''[[Myst]]'' series revolves around Atrus and his family - you, being ana [[AFGNCAAPFeatureless Protagonist]], are pretty much only there to help Atrus get around by solving all the puzzles.

** In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'', the game is really about Bowser forced to become a hero and saving the Mushroom Kingdom while Mario and Luigi secretly help him on the (in)side and saving him due to Bowser being both [[The Chew Toy]] and [[Too Dumb to Live]].

** Also, in [[Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice]]'', Almaz may play this role for the actual protagonist, Mao. Although, unlike ''Disgaea 2'', where it's obvious, Almaz and Mao's roles may largely depend on interpretation.

* Lars in ''[[Tekken]]'' 6''. He may command an entire army, fight waves of soldiers bare-handed and [[Cutscene Power to the Max|deflect missiles with his wrists]], but the Mishima family are the ones doing all the important stuff while Lars runs around punching folks.

* The [[FacelessFeatureless Protagonist]] of ''[[The PK Girl]]'' is a SupportingFocal ProtagonistCharacter to Laurie in the main plot. Laurie is the focal character, as the [[Living MacGuffin]] and the target of the antagonist, and her attempts to get free of ROSA's clutches drive the plot; the PC's just the guy who does the fighting, heavy lifting and rescue work, and otherwise he's along for the ride. If he's chasing any girl besides Laurie (who is romanced through the main plot), he becomes the protagonist of his own [[Romance Sidequest]], but only one [[Romance Sidequest]] ties back into the main story in any way after it starts off {{spoiler|(Katryn's)}}.

* One can get this impression from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks]]''. While other titles in the series focus on Link—whoLink —who, of course, plays the hero—Spirithero— ''Spirit Tracks'' seems to focus more on the character development of Princess Zelda. Appropriate since, [[Canon Discontinuity|barring that]] [[The Unholy Triforce|that one time]], this is the first time that {{spoiler|she's playable.}}.

* The various [[AFGNCAAPFeatureless Protagonist]] player characters of ''[[Ace Combat]]'' have been this ever since the series steered away from [[Excuse Plot]]s (around the time of ''[[Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere]]''). Nowhere is this more obvious than in ''[[Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War]]'', where the entire game is told from the perspective of the enemy aces you shot down and your ex-[[Wing Man]] {{spoiler|whom you also shoot down}}. [[The Narrator]] even admits in the end that despite telling the whole story, he still has no idea just what kind of person the Demon Lord of the Round Table was.

** The only exception to the above thus far is ''[[Ace Combat: Assault Horizon]]'', which at least attempts to give the player character (who actually has a personality this time) some [[Character Development]].