History Main / DyingToBeReplaced

*** Rodimus "Prime" was a sarcastic, irresponsible, cynical little retard with the confidence of five year old who ran the Autobot war-effor ''so'' badly into the ground that the Decepticons began to WIN the Great War. Thankfully, every little kid across the world knew who the TRUE warrior was, and through a diligent letter writing campaign brough Optimus Prime triumphantly back to life to his ''rightful'' place as the leader of the Autobots. "Rodimus", or rather ''Hot Rod'', returns to being an insignificant foot-soldier like the little shit that he is.

* The [[EnsembleDarkhorse original]] [[MagnificentBastard Hobgoblin]] was recently reintroduced after ten years of being PutOnABus, only to be easily killed off by a Z-list ex-superhero-turned-villain named Phil Urich who took up his mantle. [[{{Understatement}} The fans were not pleased]], not just Hobgoblin fans, but Urich fans as well. Urich was popular because he was an over-his-head, Z-list hero who really, really did not want to be hero (going so far as trying to call the Fantastic Four to deal with a villain). Turning him into yet ''another'' insane Goblin villain robbed him of his uniqueness and was vastly out-of-character. Many fans consider what happened to be [[FanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] and are eagerly awaiting a retcon.

* The [[DarkhorseEnsemble original]] [[MagnificentBastard Hobgoblin]] was recently reintroduced after ten years of being PutOnABus, only to be easily killed off by a Z-list ex-superhero-turned-villain named Phil Urich who took up his mantle. [[{{Understatement}} The fans were not pleased]], not just Hobgoblin fans, but Urich fans as well. Urich was popular because he was an over-his-head, Z-list hero who really, really did not want to be hero (going so far as trying to call the Fantastic Four to deal with a villain). Turning him into yet ''another'' insane Goblin villain robbed him of his uniqueness and was vastly out-of-character. Many fans consider what happened to be [[FanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] and are eagerly awaiting a retcon.

* [[UltimateSpiderMan Peter Parker]] of the UltimateMarvel Universe died from his injuries suffered in a fight with the Sinister Six & taking a bullet meant for Captain America, all in the space of a night. This was done parlty to boost sales, but mostly so Marvel could introduced a half-black, half-hispanic teenager as the new Spider-Man, with the half baked explanation that they couldn't introduce a new Spider-themed hero without killing Peter.

* [[TheLegendOfKorra Korra]] is a sort of LegacyCharacter for [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Aang]]. '''Completely''' justified since every new Avatar is the [[{{Reincarnation}} reincarnation]] of the previous Avatar, so ''every'' Avatar after the first is essentially this.

* Tempest, the original Aqualad, was recently killed mere months before DC introduced the new Aqualad from ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' into their continuity.

* ''{{Smallville}}'' saw [[MagnificentBastard Lionel]] [[HeelFaceTurn Luthor]], the man who could easily be considered the BigBad of the first five or six seasons, get [[DisneyVillainDeath shoved out a window]] by his own son, [[FaceHeelTurn Lex Luthor]], who would remain the series villain until his [[NeverFoundTheBody death by exploding truck]] in season 8.

* Tempest, the original Aqualad, was recently killed mere months before DC introduced the new Aqualad from ''[[Series/YoungJustice Young Justice]]'' into their continuity.

* [[TheLastAirbenderTheLegendOfKorra Korra]] is a sort of LegacyCharacter for [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Aang]]. '''Completely''' justified since every new Avatar is the [[{{Reincarnation}} reincarnation]] of the previous Avatar, so ''every'' Avatar after the first is essentially this.

* [[TheLastAirbenderLegendOfKorra Korra]] is a sort of LegacyCharacter for [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Aang]]. '''Completely''' justified since every new Avatar is the reincarnation of the previous Avatar, so ''every'' Avatar after the first is essentially this.

Compare NotAsYouKnowThem, which, instead of killing them, just does a [[CharacterDerailment character assassination]].

* In the [[SeasonalRot third season]] of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' new [[BigBad villain mastermind]] Arthur Petrelli supplants the villain of the second series, Adam Monroe [[spoiler:by stealing his ability which inexplicably ages him four hundred years in a few seconds]]. The difference is, while Adam was a human character with sympathetic motivations if not sympathetic objectives, Arthur had no apparent plan or motivation other than [[ForTheEvulz being evil]] due to the BadWriting that plagued season 3. Adam's [[DroppedABridgeOnHim anticlimactic death]] can arguably be called the event that begins the derailment of the entire third season.

** Though according to WordOfGod, the third Blue Beetle was created AFTER Ted's fate had been decided. So despite popular belief, Ted was not killed in order to introduced Blue Beetle III.

* Tempest, the original Aqualad, was recently killed mere months before DC decided to bring the new Aqualad from ''[[Series/YoungJustice Young Justice]]'' into their continuity.

* Holly Granger, the second Hawk (of the Hawk and Dove duo), was killed during ''BlackestNight'' so that her predecessor, Hank Hall could return to life and join the BirdsOfPrey.

* Firestorm the Nuclear Man was impaled on a magic sword and exploded, directly becoming the [[FreakLabAccident Freak Accident]] that turned Jason Rusch into the next Firestorm.

* The ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' Terra 2 was killed off in battle, seemingly abruptly, without knowing her [[DeathIsCheap true origins]]. She was later replaced with a Terra 3, due to the fact the writers wanted a new Terra.

*** It was a real WallBanger too, with a lightning bolt shooting out of the Flash's insignia and transforming Wally.

** Granted, nothing had been done with Sabbac in years (his tongue had been removed so he couldn't speak and become Sabbac), CMJ [[strike:is]] was a relatively minor hero (he's since been upgraded to full Captain status), and really, the new Sabbac was pretty BadAss.

[[AC:Manga/Anime]]

* The ''ComicBook/TeenTitans Terra 2 was killed off in battle, seemingly abruptly, without knowing her [[DeathIsCheap true origins]]. She was later replaced with a Terra 3, due to the fact the writers wanted a new Terra.

* In the [[SeasonalRot third season]] of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' new [[BigBad villain mastermind]] Arthur Petrelli supplants the villain of the second series, Adam Monroe [[spoiler:by stealing his ability which inexplicably ages him four hundred years in a few seconds]]. The difference is, while Adam was a human character with sympathetic motivations if not sympathetic objectives, Arthur had no apparant plan or motivation other than [[ForTheEvulz being evil]] due to the BadWriting that plagued season 3. Adam's [[DroppedABridgeOnHim anticlimatic death]] can arguably be called the event that begins the derailment of the entire third season.

* ''DragonBall'': Goku was killed by Cell because the author wanted to replace him with Gohan, but his popularity made him return.

* [[DragonBall Goku]] was killed by Cell because the author wanted to replace him with Gohan, but his popularity made him return.

* [[DragonBall Goku]] was killed by Cell because the author wanted to replace him with Gohan, too bad his popularity made him return.

* The original (CharltonComics) BlueBeetle was mortally wounded in the line of duty, and had to hastily pass the mantle (though not the AppliedPhlebotinum behind his powers) off to Ted Kord. More recently, Jaime Reyes found said AppliedPhlebotinum and became Blue Beetle after Ted Kord was murdered, though the two were unrelated; Kord's murder was a ham-fisted ShockingSwerve to show Max Lord had really turned evil.
* The original Question was given lung cancer before the identity was adopted by Renee Montoya.

* The ''ComicBook/TeenTitan Terra 2 was killed off in battle, seemingly abruptly, without knowing her [[DeathIsCheap true origins]]. She was later replaced with a Terra 3, due to the fact the writers wanted a new Terra.