History Main / EnsembleDarkHorse

When the dark horse ''becomes'' an important character, they're a BreakoutCharacter. If they have a fanbase despite only appearing in one or two scenes in the entire work, they're also a OneSceneWonder. See also AdaptationalBadass, AscendedExtra, MemeticBystander, LowerDeckEpisode, ADayInTheLimelight, and UnpopularPopularCharacter. Contrast TheScrappy, a minor character who gains an unexpected ''hatedom'', and the CreatorsPet (the writers like the character, but the viewers do not). Can lead to the DracoInLeatherPants version of MisaimedFandom, where the minor character's fanbase is doubly unexpected because the author wrote them to be unlikeable. The natural extension of this is the SpotlightStealingSquad. ''Major'' characters who end up overshadowing their castmates often fall under FaceOfTheBand, whether they're the true lead character or a supporting member who ends up overshadowing the lead, à la [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] or [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie Griffin]].

By extension, an Ensemble Dark Horse is a [[EnsembleCast member of the cast]] (anything from a non-lead secondary character to a single-appearance FlatCharacter), who becomes [[PopularityPower unexpectedly popular]] with the {{fandom}}. Contributing factors include [[PeripheryDemographic who]] and [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff where]] the work's fanbase is, as well as what the other characters are like in comparison. For example, a quirky one-shot can shine when the protagonist is TheEveryman, while TheTeamNormal is more relatable when everyone else can fly and shoot lasers from their hands. At times, relative character flatness actually ''helps'' win the base: fans can more easily project themselves into the work through that person if they have no strong characterization to get in the way.

''Although this applies to individual characters, as a YMMV item, it should not be listed on character pages. This seems counter-intuitive, but character pages are meant to list tropes audience members can see in the work in question, not fan opinion expressed outside of the work.''

Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease The real world isn’t a story with characters that could potentially make it better.

''Although this applies to individual characters, as a YMMV item, it should not be listed on character pages. This seems counterintuitive, but character pages are meant to list tropes audience members can see in the work in question, not fan opinion expressed outside of the work.''

->'''Character creator''': If we play our cards right, we could have a whole fandom on their knees producing a mountain of content for a character that has less than five lines of dialogue!\\
'''Intern''': Maybe even less?\\
'''Character creator''': Oh! I like you!

When the dark horse ''becomes'' an important character, they're a BreakoutCharacter. If they have a fanbase despite only appearing in one or two scenes in the entire work, they're also a OneSceneWonder. See also AdaptationalBadass, AscendedExtra, MemeticBystander, LowerDeckEpisode, ADayInTheLimelight, and UnpopularPopularCharacter. Contract TheScrappy, a minor character who gains an unexpected ''hatedom'', and the CreatorsPet (the writers like the character, but the viewers do not). Can lead to the DracoInLeatherPants version of MisaimedFandom, where the minor character's fanbase is doubly unexpected because the author wrote them to be unlikeable. The natural extension of this is the SpotlightStealingSquad. ''Major'' characters who end up overshadowing their castmates often fall under FaceOfTheBand, whether they're the true lead character or a supporting member who ends up overshadowing the lead, à la [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] or [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie Griffin]].

If the dark horse ''becomes'' an important character, they're now a BreakoutCharacter. If they have a fanbase despite only appearing in one or two scenes in the entire work, they're also a OneSceneWonder. See also AdaptationalBadass, AscendedExtra, MemeticBystander, LowerDeckEpisode, ADayInTheLimelight, and UnpopularPopularCharacter. Contract TheScrappy, a minor character who gains an unexpected ''hatedom'', and the CreatorsPet (the work's writers like the character, but the viewers do not). An antagonist who becomes popular despite the author's intentions is DracoInLeatherPants, which is an example of MisaimedFandom. The natural extension of this is the SpotlightStealingSquad. ''Major'' characters who end up overshadowing their castmates often fall under FaceOfTheBand, whether they're the true lead character or a supporting member who ends up overshadowing the lead, à la [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] or [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie Griffin]].

If the dark horse ''becomes'' an important character, they're now a BreakoutCharacter. If they're so minor that they only show up for one or two scenes through the entire work, then they're also a OneSceneWonder. See also AdaptationalBadass, AscendedExtra, MemeticBystander, LowerDeckEpisode, ADayInTheLimelight, and UnpopularPopularCharacter. TheScrappy is the polar opposite, an unexpectedly hated character, as is CreatorsPet, a character who the writer grows fond of, but the fans do not. An antagonist who becomes popular despite the author's intentions is DracoInLeatherPants, which is an example of MisaimedFandom. The natural extension of this is the SpotlightStealingSquad. ''Major'' characters who end up overshadowing their castmates often fall under FaceOfTheBand, whether they're the true lead character or a supporting member who ends up overshadowing the lead, à la [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] or [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie Griffin]].

Compare CultClassic, for ''works'' which gain a fandom out of proportion to the work's quality, budget, or influence, and compare and contrast BaseBreakingCharacter, where one part of the fandom thinks a character is a dark horse but another thinks they're a Scrappy.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun In this case, she is literally the ensemble's ]][[ColorCodedForYourConvenience dark horse.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun In this case, she is literally the ensemble's dark horse.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun In this case, she is literally the ensemble's dark horses.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350.]] [[VisualPun In this case, she is literally the ensemble's dark horses.]]

[[caption-width-right:350. [[VisualPun In this case, she is literally the ensemble's dark horses.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun In this case, she is literally the ensemble's dark horses.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun In this case, she is]] ''[[VisualPun literally]]'' [[VisualPun the ensemble's dark horse.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun The one on the left.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun The]] [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience one on]] [[Sandbox/LiteralTrope the left.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun The one on the left.]]]]

However, it's still good business for a work to feature its popular characters, even if they weren't intended to stick around. Thus episodes which do not specifically require a certain character will be more likely to use them.

When the dark horse is an antagonist, the writers may decide to have them perform a HeelFaceTurn in situations where the only other option is being killed by the protagonists. However, if the series doesn't have an end planned, it's more likely that they'll just [[ExitVillainStageLeft escape]].

Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease The real world isn’t a story with characters that could potentially make it better. [[Administrivia/NoRecentExamplesPlease We also ask that you wait 6 months]] after a character is introduced or becomes popular before adding a character as an entry, to cut down on kneejerk reactions.

Compare CultClassic, for ''works'' which gain a fandom out of proportion to the work's quality, budget, or influence.

If the dark horse ''becomes'' an important character, they're now a BreakoutCharacter. If they're so minor that they only show up for one or two scenes through the entire work, then they're also a OneSceneWonder. See also AdaptationalBadass, AscendedExtra, MemeticBystander, LowerDeckEpisode, ADayInTheLimelight, and UnpopularPopularCharacter. CreatorsPet is the polar opposite, a character who the writer grows fond of, but the fans do not. An antagonist who becomes popular despite the author's intentions is DracoInLeatherPants, which is an example of MisaimedFandom. The natural extension of this is the SpotlightStealingSquad. ''Major'' characters who end up overshadowing their castmates often fall under FaceOfTheBand, whether they're the true lead character or a supporting member who ends up overshadowing the lead, à la [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] or [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie Griffin]].

-->'''Character creator''': If we play our cards right, we could have a whole fandom on their knees producing a mountain of content for a character that has less than five lines of dialogue!\\

[[caption-width-right:350:[[ColourCodedForYourConvenience The one on the left.]]]]

In horse racing, a "dark horse" is one with little or no racing history, i.e. an unknown quantity. Because gamblers would be "in the dark", they would be less likely to bet on the dark horse, even though it might still go on to win. The phrase "DarkHorseVictory" entered mainstream culture largely though politics, where it describes a lesser known candidate who does better than expected in an election.

In tropey terms, an Ensemble Dark Horse is a [[EnsembleCast member of the cast]] (anything from a non-lead secondary character to a single-appearance FlatCharacter), who becomes [[PopularityPower unexpectedly popular]] with the {{fandom}}, sometimes even more than the lead characters, depending on [[PeripheryDemographic who]] and [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff where]] the fandom is, as well as what the other characters are like in comparison. For example, a quirky one-shot might stand out when the hero is TheEveryman, while TheTeamNormal might steal the show in a work where everyone can fly and shoot lasers from their hands. At times, relative character flatness actually ''helps'' win the base: fans can more easily project themselves into the work through the character.

The writers or producers may be tempted to {{Retool}} the work's premise to [[BreakoutCharacter put them]] [[SpotlightStealingSquad in the spotlight]]. Sometimes this works, but usually it's a bad idea because moving a supporting character into TheProtagonist's position is hard to do well. If the writers "adjust" the character to fit into a conventionally heroic role, this often [[BadassDecay removes the unconventional traits]] that gained the character a following in the first place. However, if they ''don't'' do this, the traits that were appealing in a secondary character become grating and unpleasant when showcased by the protagonist.

In tropey terms, an Ensemble Dark Horse is a [[EnsembleCast member of the cast]] (anything from a non-lead secondary character to a single-appearance FlatCharacter), who becomes [[PopularityPower unexpectedly popular]] with the {{fandom}}, sometimes even more than the lead characters, depending on [[PeripheryDemographic who]] and [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff where]] the fandom is, as well as what the other characters are like in comparison. For example, a quirky one-shot might stand out when the hero is TheEveryman, while TheTeamNormal might steal the show in a work where everyone can fly and shoot lasers from their hands. At times, relative character flatness actually ''help'' win the base: fans can easily project themselves into the work through the character.

The writers or producers may be tempted to {{Retool}} the work's premise to [[BreakoutCharacter put them]] [[SpotlightStealingSquad in the spotlight]]. Sometimes this works, but usually it's a bad idea for two reasons, both relating to what happens when you take a supporting character and move them into TheProtagonist's position. The first is that writers often "adjust" the character so that they can fit into a conventionally heroic role. In the process, [[BadassDecay this can destroy the unconventional traits]] that made the character a dark horse in the first place. The second is that if the writers don't do this, traits that were entertaining in a secondary character may become grating and unpleasant in the protagonist.

However, it's still good business to bring dark horse characters back, even if they were originally meant to be featured for only a short time. Thus, episodes which do not specifically require a certain character will be more likely to use them.

Occasionally, if an antagonist becomes a dark horse, the writer may decide to have them perform a HeelFaceTurn in situations where the only other option is being killed by the protagonists. However, if the series doesn't have an end planned, it's more likely that they'll just [[ExitVillainStageLeft escape]].