History DemotedToExtra / TheDCU

* While not big players in ''ComicBook/PublicEnemies'', ComicBook/LoisLane, ComicBook/{{Starfire}}, and ComicBook/{{Katana}} did have lines. In [[WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies its animated adaptation]], they do appear, but don't speak, with Lois Lane only appearing in the end. It's especially notable in Katana's case since in the comic, she was allied with Superman, Batman, and ComicBook/PowerGirl.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'': Most villains got hit with this in later seasons - some (like Killer Croc) being reduced to bit players right after their ''debut'' episodes.

** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': Summer Gleeson (who was basically Vicki Vale in everything but name) appeared in a pretty large number of episodes in the first two seasons, as well as the ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm Mask of the Phantasm]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanAndMisterFreezeSubZero SubZero]]'' movies. When the show was {{Retool}}ed as ''The New Batman Adventures'' for its final season, she made only two appearances, one of which was a non-speaking cameo.
%%Did the role's size change?*** The Riddler rarely appeared much, but what episodes he did get were quite excellent and put a refreshing spin on the character. When the sequel series ''The New Batman Adventures'' rolled over, however, ol' Eddie got the shaft, despite getting an entirely new character design more faithful to Frank Gorshin's take on the character. You know that things are bad when the new Riddler's biggest role was in a ''Superman'' episode. Creator/PaulDini admitted in the "Art of..." book that they didn't use the Riddler often because his gimmick of using riddles was pretty hard to pull off in an action cartoon such as theirs.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': The third season, ''Outsiders'', does this to the Team itself. Having been the focus and driving force of the entire series beforehand, the focus shifts to the titular Outsiders, consisting of former Team members with additional recruits. They make sporadic appearances throughout the first thirteen episodes, and only have one [[ADayInTheLimelight episode of focus to themselves]], but even then it's more focused on Miss Martian.
%%Administrivia.ZeroContextExample** The entire Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}}, since the series focuses on the sidekicks of the team. Creator/CartoonNetwork even touted the show this way in early promos, counting on the audiences familiar with the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon to cause shock when the protagonists were revealed to be the children.
%%Needs context to differentiate from ChuckCunninghamSyndrome.** Red Tornado's conspicuously absent in the second season (likely because Nightwing and the others have replaced him in the mentor role), and has only had one non-speaking appearance in "War".
%%Administrivia.ZeroContextExample** ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} and [[{{ComicBook/Icon}} Rocket]] in season 2, both of whom graduated to the Justice League. Ironically, both of them were the last to join the team in the first season.
%%Needs more context - is being part of the team a guarantee of a bigger role?** Secret, when compared to [[{{ComicBook/YoungJustice}} the comic]]. In that, she's a member of the team. In the show, she is present in only one episode and is limited to PokemonSpeak.

%%Needs context about the size of his role in the first film.* Commissioner Gordon (played by Pat Hingle) in the ''Film/BatmanFilmSeries''. He's the most competent non-costumed character in the [[Film/Batman1989 first film]] and is barely in the [[Film/BatmanReturns second film]].

%%Needs context about her previous role.* Lois Lane in ''Film/SupermanIII'' shows up in the beginning, says she's going to Bermuda and disappears for most of the movie. Then she comes back before the movie's over as if nothing happened! This was largely done in retaliation after Creator/MargotKidder criticized the producers for their decision to dismiss director Richard Donner from the franchise. It's a testament to how iconic the Superman mythos is in general, and Lois Lane in particular, that it wasn't worse.
%%Needs context about a larger previous role.* Not to the extent that she was in ''Superman III'', but Lois Lane still spends much of ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'' sidelined in favor of Lacy. However, this time round she does at least have a few important bits, most notably where she gives Superman back his cape, which had wound up at the Daily Planet after Mr. Warfield tried to use it for a cheap headline after Superman's defeat.

** The Legion was the ''cause'' of this for ComicBook/{{Superboy}}. They originally appeared as supporting characters in a 1958 Superboy story "ComicBook/TheLegionOfSuperHeroes", then starting in 1962 they appeared as the backup feature in ''ComicBook/AdventureComics'' where Superboy had been the star since 1946. Within a year they had taken over the comic, reducing Superboy to the back up in what had been ''his'' title, and not long after solo Superboy stories stopped appearing altogether (though he continued to appear as a member of the Legion.) A decade later they repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''ComicBook/Superboy1949'' as a backup feautre, which was renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' and eventually just 'ComicBook/'LegionOfSuperHeroes1980'' as they again took over the comic and Superboy got PutOnABus.

* It also happens a lot to the ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'', given the sheer number of characters, frequent {{RetCon}}s and all-out [[MultipleChoicePast continuity reboots]], generally [[ContinuitySnarl convoluted continuity]], and the fact that the team has been in existence since 1958, giving fans plenty of opportunity to start RunningTheAsylum. The most notable victim is probably Dyrk Magz aka Magno, who spent all of ten issues as a member of the Legion before getting summarily depowered, was given just enough development to be interesting, and then mostly got relegated to the background before the ''Legion Worlds'' miniseries finally managed to abandon the character in a way that gave him no resolution but also left him in a position from which it would be hard to bring him back into play. And then the Legion's continuity was rebooted entirely a few years later anyhow. Also notable were Wildfire and Dawnstar, who were amongst the most popular characters of the original Legion.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** The Legion was also the ''cause'' of this for ComicBook/{{Superboy}}. They originally appeared as supporting characters in a 1958 Superboy story, then starting in 1962 they appeared as the backup feature in ''ComicBook/AdventureComics'' where Superboy had been the star since 1946. Within a year they had taken over the comic, reducing Superboy to the back up in what had been ''his'' title, and not long after solo Superboy stories stopped appearing altogether (though he continued to appear as a member of the Legion.) A decade later they repeated the feat when they started appearing in ''Superboy'' as a backup feautre, which was renamed ''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes'' and eventually just ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' as they again took over the comic and Superboy got PutOnABus.

** Similarly, Krypto was gradually phased out during the Bronze Age until disappearing altogether and getting killed off in ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheManOfTomorrow''. Leaving aside random cameos, Superman's trusty dog wouldn't be seen again until 2000 story arc "Return to Krypton", 14 years later.

** In the 60's, Kara Zor-El was treated as a prominent member of Superman's core cast, had her own backup strip, her own supporting cast and made frequent appearances across all books of the line. Then she was gradually pushed to the background during UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks and [[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths eventually killed off]]. She wouldn't be brought back until 18 years later in ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton2004'', after half dozen of failed attempts to replace her with non-Kryptonian ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}s.

* Lots of [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] characters in Franchise/TheDCU have been relegated to the team's reserves. It's hard to imagine that the Red Bee once had his own backup series. Lampshaded in James Robinson's ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'', where the Red Bee is seriously off during a Thanksgiving with dead superheroes.

** Catherine Grant was a very prominent Daily Planet staff member from 1987 to 1993. Following her son's murder, she was put in a bus from which she didn't return until 2008 storyline ''ComicBook/SupermanBrainiac''.

%%Needs context about her previous role.* Lois Lane in ''Film/SupermanIII'' shows up in the beginning, says she's going to Bermuda and disappears for most of the movie. Then she comes back before the movie's over as if nothing happened! This was largely done in retaliation after Creator/MargotKidder criticized the producers for their decision to dismiss director Richard Donner from the franchise. It's a testament to how iconic the Superman mythos is in general, and Lois Lane in particular, that it [[McLeaned wasn't worse]].

* While not big players in the opening arc of ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'' ''Public Enemies'', ComicBook/LoisLane, ComicBook/{{Starfire}}, and ComicBook/{{Katana}} did have lines. In [[WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanPublicEnemies its animated adaptation]], they do appear, but don't speak, with Lois Lane only appearing in the end. It's especially notable in Katana's case since in the comic, she was allied with Superman, Batman, and ComicBook/PowerGirl.

* ''Franchise/TheFlash'': Wally West was hit with this pretty hard. He started out as the original Kid Flash, before replacing Barry Allen as the Flash (And becoming the TropeCodifier for SidekickGraduationsStick) following ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''. After that, Wally remained the main character in the Flash series until ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', when Bart Allen briefly took over the role for a year before Wally returned, at which point Wally took the series over again. Then ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' brought Barry Allen BackFromTheDead and he took the book back from Wally. And although they both remained active as the Flash, Wally only made ''two'' appearances in the Flash series after that point and was effectively reduced to appearing in crowd shots, until DC launched [[ComicBook/New52 their line wide reboot]] and Wally was "taken off the table" with his tenure as the Flash and Kid Flash ''completely retconned away'', with Bart becoming the first Kid Flash. It took years before Wally was reintroduced, and the new version was so InNameOnly that ComicBook/DCRebirth eventually [[DecompositeCharacter revealed]] him to be a cousin with the same first name; now the old Wally is back in ''ComicBook/{{Titans}},'' but Barry is still headlining ''Flash.''

** In the 60's, Kara Zor-El was treated as a prominent member of Superman's core cast, had her own backup strip, her own supporting cast and made frequent appearances across all books of the line. Then she was gradually pushed to the background during UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks and [[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths eventually killed off]]. She wouldn't be brought back until 18 years later, after half dozen of failed attempts to replace her with non-Kryptonian Supergirls.

** Characters like the second ComicBook/WonderGirl suffered this in the change from ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' to the third volume of Teen Titans, as Creator/GeoffJohns decided to pay more attention to ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}} and ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, effectively making the rest of the cast into wallpaper. After OYL, the focus then became Robin and Wonder Girl, which continued somewhat into Sean [=McKeever=]'s run but Wonder Girl's long stint as set dressing had turned the character flat and removed almost all of her previous characterization.

* It also happens a lot to the ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'', given the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters]], frequent {{RetCon}}s and all-out [[MultipleChoicePast continuity reboots]], generally [[ContinuitySnarl convoluted continuity]], and the fact that the team has been in existence since 1958, giving fans plenty of opportunity to start RunningTheAsylum. The most notable victim is probably Dyrk Magz aka Magno, who spent all of ten issues as a member of the Legion before getting summarily depowered, was given just enough development to be interesting, and then mostly got relegated to the background before the ''Legion Worlds'' miniseries finally managed to abandon the character in a way that gave him no resolution but also left him in a position from which it would be hard to bring him back into play. And then the Legion's continuity was rebooted entirely a few years later anyhow. Also notable were Wildfire and Dawnstar, who were amongst the most popular characters of the original Legion.

%%Needs context about his previous role.*** ComicBook/TheFlash had no lines in the first season because of voice actor Michael Rosenbaum's commitments on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' (though you may not notice simply on the basis that the cast is ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters frickin' huge]])''. He came roaring back for the second and third seasons though (in particular the SeasonFinale of the second season), and even [[LampshadeHanging complained to a fellow Leaguer about not getting any respect despite being one of the original seven]].

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'': The third season, ''Outsiders'', does this to the Team itself. Having been the focus and driving force of the entire series beforehand, the focus shifts to the titular Outsiders, consisting of former Team members with additional recruits. They make sporadic appearances throughout the first thirteen episodes, and only have one [[ADayInTheLimelight episode of focus to themselves]], but even then it's more focused on Miss Martian.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''
** The entire Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}}, since the series focuses on the sidekicks of the team. Creator/CartoonNetwork even touted the show this way in early promos, counting on the audiences familiar with the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon to cause shock when the protagonists were revealed to be the children.
** Red Tornado's conspicuously absent in the second season (likely because Nightwing and the others have replaced him in the mentor role), and has only had one non-speaking appearance in "War".
** ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} and [[{{ComicBook/Icon}} Rocket]] in season 2, both of whom graduated to the Justice League. Ironically, both of them were the last to join the team in the first season.
** Secret, when compared to [[{{ComicBook/YoungJustice}} the comic]]. In that, she's a member of the team. In the show, she is present in only one episode and is limited to PokemonSpeak.
** The third season, ''Outsiders'', does this to the Team itself. Having been the focus and driving force of the entire series beforehand, the focus shifts to the titular Outsiders, consisting of former Team members with additional recruits. They make sporadic appearances throughout the first thirteen episodes, and only have one [[ADayInTheLimelight episode of focus to themselves]], but even then it's more focused on Miss Martian.

*** ComicBook/TheFlash had no lines in the first season because of voice actor Michael Rosenbaum's commitments on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' (though you may not notice simply on the basis that the cast is ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters frickin' huge]])''. He came roaring back for the second and third seasons though (in particular the SeasonFinale of the second season), and even [[LampshadeHanging complained to a fellow Leaguer about not getting any respect despite being one of the original seven]].

** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''
*** The Riddler rarely appeared much, but what episodes he did get were quite excellent and put a refreshing spin on the character. When the sequel series ''The New Batman Adventures'' rolled over, however, ol' Eddie got the shaft, despite getting an entirely new character design more faithful to Frank Gorshin's take on the character. You know that things are bad when the new Riddler's biggest role was in a ''Superman'' episode. Creator/PaulDini admitted in the "Art of..." book that they didn't use the Riddler often because his gimmick of using riddles was pretty hard to pull off in an action cartoon such as theirs. On the other hand, he had some truly spectacular moments in ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'', set in the same universe.
*** Summer Gleeson (who was basically Vicki Vale in everything but name) appeared in a pretty large number of episodes in the first two seasons, as well as the ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm Mask of the Phantasm]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanAndMisterFreezeSubZero SubZero]]'' movies. When the show was {{Retool}}ed as ''The New Batman Adventures'' for its final season, she made only two appearances, one of which was a non-speaking cameo.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman''
** Most villains got hit with this in later seasons - some (like Killer Croc) being reduced to bit players right after their ''debut'' episodes. Arguably reached its nadir in "Rumors", where the new VillainOfTheWeek captures ''the entire rogues gallery'' without much trouble, and when they later escape and attack Batman and Robin ''en masse'', all of them get taken out in a matter of minutes.

** Virtually every villain (except for Joker, Penguin, and arguably [[spoiler:Hugo Strange]]) got hit with this in later seasons - some (like Killer Croc) being reduced to bit players right after their ''debut'' episodes. Arguably reached its nadir in "Rumors", where the new VillainOfTheWeek captures ''the entire rogues gallery'' without much trouble, and when they later escape and attack Batman and Robin ''en masse'', all of them get taken out in a matter of minutes.

* ''Series/{{Wonder Woman|1975}}'': Steve Trevor (Jr.) during the last leg of the CBS era, where he was made Diana's boss instead of field partner; the never-materialized fourth season probably would've written him out entirely.

* Lois Lane in ''Film/SupermanIII'' shows up in the beginning, says she's going to Bermuda and disappears for most of the movie. Then she comes back before the movie's over as if nothing happened! This was largely done in retaliation after Creator/MargotKidder criticized the producers for their decision to dismiss director Richard Donner from the franchise. It's a testament to how iconic the Superman mythos is in general, and Lois Lane in particular, that it [[McLeaned wasn't worse]].
* Not to the extent that she was in ''Superman III'', but Lois Lane still spends much of ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'' sidelined in favor of Lacy. However, this time round she does at least have a few important bits, most notably where she gives Superman back his cape, which had wound up at the Daily Planet after Mr. Warfield tried to use it for a cheap headline after Superman's defeat.

* Commissioner Gordon (played by Pat Hingle) in the ''Film/BatmanFilmSeries''. He's the most competent non-costumed character in the [[Film/Batman1989 first film]] and is barely in the [[Film/BatmanReturns second film]]).

* Commissioner Gordon (played by Pat Hingle) in the ''Film/BatmanFilmSeries''. He's the most competent non-costumed character in the [[Film/Batman1989 first film]], is barely in the [[Film/BatmanReturns second film]], shows up in his pajamas in the [[Film/BatmanForever third]], and then is [[ButtMonkey completely humiliated]] in the [[Film/BatmanAndRobin fourth]] (and yes, it was part of a major plot thread, but that's still no excuse).

* Lots of [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] characters in Franchise/TheDCU have been relegated to the team's reserves. It's hard to imagine that the Red Bee once had his own backup series.
** Lampshaded in James Robinson's ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'', where the Red Bee is seriously off during a Thanksgiving with dead superheroes.

* Franchise/WonderWoman hasn't been able to keep a stable supporting cast together in decades. Even ComicBook/SteveTrevor got PutOnABus in the late 80's, though ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth brought him back.

* Practically every [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] character in Franchise/TheDCU save for the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica's core team has either been killed off as CListFodder or relegated to the team's reserves. It's hard to imagine that the Red Bee once had his own backup series.

** Queen Clea in the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 Post-Crisis world]], where she faced Wonder Woman only twice, once as the leader of a new Villainy Incorporated, and once as part of Circe's massive supervillain collective.
** Osira, post-Crisis, was essentially used to introduce a new version of the invisible plane rather than a major threat.

* Also tends to happen to the ComicBook/DoomPatrol. Often lampshaded at the end of their newest guest appearance in some other hero team's series.

!!Franchise/TheDCU

** Lampshaded in James Robinson's ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'', where the Red Bee is seriously off during a Thanksgiving with dead superheroes.