History Main / CanonCharacterAllAlong

* In TheStinger of ''Film/YoungSherlockHolmes'', the BigBad Rathe is revealed not to have died in his fight with Holmes. He checks into an inn by signing his name as "Moriarty", showing that he will become Holmes's nemesis in the years ahead. Literature/SherlockHolmes media seems to love this trope; see more examples below.

* ''WebVideo/TheDomReviews'': Terrence the Douchebag from Ravenclaw looked like an original character for The Dom's ''Harry Potter'' reviews, but he's heavily implied to be the obscure character Terry Boot.

** In the first game's second case, Grimesby Roylott, a canonical character from ''The Adventure of the Speckled Band'', turns out to be a disguise for 15 year old Russian ballerina Nikolina Pavlova, an original character. She's still the culprit though.

* The [[Film/AttackOnTitan2015 film adaptation]] of ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' has Kubal and Shikishima, who seem to be stand-ins for the military brass and Levi Ackerman, respectively. They're eventually revealed to be the film continuity's versions of the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan.

'''Jack:''' Garland. My name's Jack Garland.

** ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars'' has Monster X, who late in the movie transforms into what was until then, the only {{Kaiju}} missing from the movie: [[HijackedByGanon Ghidorah]]. Although ironically enough, Creator/{{Toho}} considers this version to be a separate character, naming him [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Kaiser/Keizer Ghidorah]], rather than King. Reportedly, Toho even went so far as to keep said kaiju's existence a secret from Japanese audiences until the movie's release in theaters, so as to make his surprise appearance at the end all the more satisfying.

** ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': ComicBook/{{Miles|Morales}}' class watches a video where a female scientist explains the concept of {{Alternate Universe}}s. She's later shown working for Kingpin, and Peter [[CasanovaWannabe tries to charm her]] for information. A ''[[ForScience creepier]]'' comment she makes prompts him to ask for her name: Olivia Octavius, a.k.a. a {{Gender Flip}}ped ComicBook/DoctorOctopus.

** One of the new Task Force X members introduced in the opening scene of ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'' is a mysterious character known only as T.D.K., who refuses to explain what the acronym stands for. Once the Squad is engaged in a firefight, it's revealed his codename is "The Detachable Kid," making him the film's version of the obscure ''Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' member Arm-Fall-Off-Boy.

** In ''Film/IronMan2'', Tony saves a young boy wearing a replica of his mask from one of Vanko's drones. WordOfGod has retroactively revealed that the boy was a young [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': ComicBook/{{Miles|Morales}}' class watches a video where a female scientist explains the concept of {{Alternate Universe}}s. She's later shown working for Kingpin, and Peter [[CasanovaWannabe tries to charm her]] for information. A ''[[ForScience creepier]]'' comment she makes prompts him to ask for her name: Olivia Octavius, a.k.a. a {{Gender Flip}}ped ComicBook/DoctorOctopus.

This trick may also be used in adaptations. One of the main characters is properly introduced, looking like a CanonForeigner, absent in the original work. Later in the work (or even [[TheEndingChangesEverything in the end]]) this character reveals that he ''is'' a character from the original canon, usually pointing that that's an alternate, old, or secret name of them. Alternatively, he undergoes the character's OriginEpisode ''during'' the series, rather than in the first episode or in a distant flashback, and then turns into the character from the original canon.

This trick may also be used in adaptations. One of the main characters is properly introduced, looking like a CanonForeigner, absent in the original work. Later in the work (or even [[TheEndingChangesEverything in the end]]) this character reveals that he ''is'' a character from the original canon, usually pointing that that's an alternate, old, or secret name of them. Alternatively, he undergoes the character's OriginStory ''during'' the series, rather than in the first episode or in a distant flashback, and then turns into the character from the original canon.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'': The Koopa General initially appears to be a simple EliteMook; however, careful viewers will notice that he is a Koopa Paratroopa with a spiky blue shell. During the Rainbow Road sequence, after his vehicle is totaled, he throws off his helmet and [[CallingYourAttacks yells]] "Blue Shell!", retreating into his shell and flying right at Mario and Donkey Kong, before [[SuicideAttack exploding and blasting the two off the road]]. That's right - he's the film's adaptation of the [[ThatOneAttack infamous Spiny Shell]] that has bedeviled many a ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' player.

* ''WebAnimation/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicCinematicUniverse'': In ''Knights and the Darkness Pt. I'', [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Meetra Surik]] is approached on Nar Shaddaa by a mysterious man and his female companion who eventually decide to help in the fight against the Exchange. After they've helped storm Visquis' secret base with their lightsaber skills, they reveal themselves to be [[ComicBook/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Zayne Carrick and Jarael]].

* The king and queen of Far, Far Away (and {{Deuteragonist}} Fiona's parents) from ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' are revealed at the end of the second film to also have come from a fairy tale: ''Literature/TheFrogPrince'', with King Harold being the frog in question.

One solution that writers have utilized is to write a story that features those established characters...albeit in the guise of someone completely different. Sometimes, they have the name of another character, but act nothing like them. More often, they neither look like any famous character from the main work's canon nor even have that recognizable name. If done well, fans will speculate who that "mysterious character" is. Maybe they don't believe that the "new" character would be anyone special. Maybe they will think that the "new" character is a BadassNormal with a MysteriousPast. Or maybe they'll think that the "new" character will be a groundbreaking addition to a work's mythos. But, if done successfully, [[TemptingFate fans will certainly not think that]] [[OverlyLongGag "new" character]] is someone already established in a work's canon.

Until one day...[[WhamEpisode Wham!]] It turns out they were a canonical character after all!

This trick may also be used in adaptations. One of the main characters is properly introduced, looking like a CanonForeigner, absent in the original work. Later in the work (or even [[TheEndingChangesEverything in the end]]) this character reveals that he ''is'' a character from the original canon, usually pointing that that's an alternate, old or secret name of them. Alternatively, he undergoes the character's OriginStory ''during'' the series, rather than in the first episode or in a distant flashback, and then turns into the character from the original canon.

* ''Film/EnolaHolmes2'' introduces a slew of original characters that don't have anything to do with either [[Literature/EnolaHolmes the books the film was based on]] or the greater ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' mythos...except for [[spoiler:Mira Troy, who is revealed to be Moriarty reimagined into a black woman near the end of the film.]]

** Also, in ''Wonder Woman'', one of the members of TheSquad is a Native American tracker, simply referred to as The Chief. In one scene, he hints to Diana that he has some knowledge of her supernatural origins, and may be a [[MagicalNativeAmerican supernatural being]] himself. Although it's unclear whether future films from DC will elaborate on this, the general agreement is that he's this universe's version of Apache Chief from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'', with the uncomfortable CaptainEthnic aspects toned down.
*** WordOfGod reveals he's actually Napi, a trickster hero of Blackfoot legend and a demi-god like Diana; though this doesn't exactly discount the "Apache Chief" theory.