History Main / MythArc

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has two notable ones: Fry being the [[TheChosenOne destined savior of the universe]], and him [[RomanceArc winning Leela's heart]].

* ''Manga/FairyTail'' has the dragons' disappearance (and the number 7) which it will occasionally throw a tidbit out for. So far they've reaffirmed the date they all vanished, hinted that Dragon Slayers shouldn't actually exist, and even had a dragon sighting, but the heroes are too busy getting into all kinds of weird crap to follow up on this. [[spoiler:Even with the direct involvement of seven dragons being brought from the past and seven Dragon Slayers fighting them, this does little to advance the arc]].

* [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Doki! Doki! Pretty Cure!]] ''[[MythArc/DokiDokiPrecure has own page]]''.

* [[DokiDokiPrecure Doki! Doki! Pretty Cure]] ''[[MythArc/DokiDokiPrecure has own page]]''.

* Futurama has two notable ones: Fry being the [[TheChosenOne destined savior of the universe]], and him [[RomanceArc winning Leela's heart]].

* ''HowIMetYourMother'', unsurprisingly, all boils down to the story of how Ted met his future kid's mother.

* ''{{Transmetropolitan}}'' was once described [[hottip:* :in the "About The Author" section from the first {{Planetary}} trade]] as a "3000 page graphic novel".

** There were exceptions: Heroes II's expansion were unconnected to the rest (indeed, not even all the campaigns ''in'' the expansion appears to take place in the same world), Might and Magic IX dropped the thread that had bound ''all'' RPG Might and Magic games up to then[[hottip:*:There were plans to retroactively correct that, but 3DO's death stopped that]], and Heroes IV's expansions were more-or-less only connected via taking place on the same world as Heroes IV, away from both Heroes IV's and Might and Magic IX's settings and stories.

** Also Vegeta's [[CantCatchUp bitter]], one-sided [[TheRival rivalry]] with Goku and his gradual change from [[HeelFaceTurn villain to anti-hero]].

** Also, Vegeta's [[CantCatchUp bitter]], one-sided [[TheRival rivalry]] with Goku and his gradual change from [[HeelFaceTurn villain to anti-hero]].

* One could argue that this was the case for [[MoralEventHorizon anything]] involving [[TheManBehindTheMan Sosuke]] [[GambitRoulette Aizen]] from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. A few more arguable cases from the same series would be the BlackAndGrayMorality of the Soul Society, the [[XanatosSpeedChess chess-duels]] between the various {{Big Good}}s and {{Big Bad}}s, the conflicts against the [[TheHeartless Hollows]] (and their [[BishonenLine Arrancar]] "superiors"), and TheHero's constantly-fluctuating development as a {{Shinigami}}.
** Kubo has officially stated that every arc of the past eleven years has been in preparation for the "Thousand Year Blood War". That kind of stuff doesn't happen unless you had an intention to construct a mytharc from the very beginning.

* ''{{Manga/Bleach}}'' doesn't fully launch its MythArc until it drops the MonsterOfTheWeek format, although there are hints of gears turning behind the scenes even before that (such as Urahara's actions). The Soul Society Arc progressively widens the scope of the Myth Arc as it progresses, first suggesting a conspiracy behind Rukia's arrest, then that Aizen is up to much more than he's admitted to. The extent of the behind-the-scenes chess game between Urahara and Aizen becomes obvious in the Hueco Mundo Arc, albeit very slowly due to the many many MANY long fight scenes. Then the overarching plotline seems to disappear for the duration of the Fullbring Arc. Then it makes a huge, resounding return in the Final Arc, tying together a great many threads no one ever expected to be connected and picking up on [[ChekhovsGun seemingly random hints]] dropped throughout the series. WordOfGod says that he's some aspects of the Myth Arc set since the beginning and the rest [[ArcWelding came into focus]] during the Soul Society Arc.

**** The seventh series is mostly based around [[spoiler: who Clara Oswald is]] and about the name of the Doctor.

!!'''Examples:'''

* ''DragonBall'' had quite a few. The first were Goku's tail and unexplained powers and the Dragon Balls themselves, which were both introduced in the very first arc, but weren't resolved until Dragon Ball Z. There was another relating to the shared history of Piccolo and Kami, one involving Son Goku's gradual ascension into the mythical [[PhysicalGod Super Saiyan]], and one involving Son Gohan's hidden powers.

[[folder:Comics]]

* [[Series/BattlestarGalacticaClassic Both versions]] of ''Battlestar Galactica'' were arc-based, though elements thereof were made up on the fly; in the [[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined 2000s version]], for example, the one-shot character Sam Anders was reintroduced into the arc 15 episodes after his first appearance, and became a recurring character in Season 3, because actress KateeSackhoff (Starbuck) wanted her character to have a love interest. By season 4 it is fair to say that he has suddenly become absolutely vital to the ongoing (and soon to be ending) arc.

* Every season of ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' has a myth arc, but especially ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' which had the season begin with [[LivingMacGuffin Calumon]]'s arrival into the human world and deeper into the season we find he's [[spoiler:the catalyst for digimon evolution]] -- not that [[ForeShadowing constant clues]] weren't given throughout the season.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'' has the dragons' disappearance (and the number 7) which it will occasionally throw a tidbit out for. So far they've reaffirmed the date they all vanished, hinted that dragon slayers shouldn't actually exist, and most recently had someone spot a dragon, but the heroes are too busy getting into all kinds of weird crap to follow up on this.
** [[spoiler:Though the dragon myth arc has now returned to the main story and is implied to get some importance soon with the mention of the Dragon King Feast.]]

* The point of ''DannyPhantom'' -- according to the fans, anyway. Although it's [[ScrewedByTheNetwork hard to tell after season 2]].

* ''IronManArmoredAdventures'' is a rare superhero cartoon example of where there's a set goal form the very first episode the heroes are trying to obtain, and all the following episodes develop towards that goal in one form or another.
* ''SpartacusAndTheSunBeneathTheSea'' centered around the protagonists' search for a way to keep the titular Sun from dying and destroying the underground civilization of Arcadia. The show lasted only two seasons, and was ended when the heroes eventually discovered the truth behind the Sun and what was needed to save the people of Arcadia.
* ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' had the Cadmus arc, which involved quite a bit of ArcWelding from the second season episode "A Better World," as well as two episodes from ''SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', which had originally aired ''eight years prior''. The writers hadn't originally planned for it, but were able to make it work spectacularly well.

* GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries has one despite having only 1 season. Namely, it's about [[EnsembleDarkhorse Razer]] learning to be a better hero.
* ''{{Sym-Bionic Titan}}'' appeared to be this, having little bits of information revealed at a time in non-chronological order, which makes it rather irritating that the complicated plot they got going is being wrapped up hastily in four episodes, due to cancellation.
* ''PiratesOfDarkWater'' did this all the way back in the 80s, with the entire series focused on obtaining [[MineralMacGuffin the Thirteen Treasures of Rue]] to stop the titular dark water. Sadly, it was before it's time and was canceled before even half the treasures were found.
* ''The Secret Saturdays'' develops a Myth Arc concerning the hunt for [[LivingMacguffin Kur]] and the battle against Argost. The first few seasons alternate between episodic adventures and episodes that furthered the main storyline but the final season largely abandoned this approach and almost all episodes in that season are used to [[WrapItUp tie up all the loose ends]] and set up the GrandFinale.
* The mysteries and conspiracies surrounding the original Mystery Crew and the curse of Crystal Cove drives the entirety of ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated. It follows an episodic structure but each episode drives the main storyline forward in some way. Pretty impressive considering that this is only the second time any ''Scooby Doo'' story has had an actual StoryArc (the first being WesternAnimation/The13GhostsOfScoobyDoo).
* ''KimPossible'': Ron's development with Mystical Monkey Power.
* Franz Hopper and the history behind Lyoko, X.A.N.A. and the supercomputer is the Myth Arc of Season 2 of "CodeLyoko".

* ''CodenameKidsNextDoor'' has the ongoing conflict between adults and kids.
* ''AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers'' was one of the first Western animated series to attempt this back in 1986, with an arching MythArc about the League's war with the Crown Empire, and several Story Arcs that tied into it, like the kidnapping of Zachary's wife, the botched Supertrooper project (with resulting fallout), and the League's attempt to get the aid of Tarkon.

* ''HarryPotter''. Every book is about Harry's struggle against Voldemort, in one form or another. The [[HarryPotter/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets second book]] ''seemed'' like an oddball, MonsterOfTheWeek episode, until book six [[InnocuouslyImportantEpisode revealed just how well it fit into the overall story]].

* ''{{Sym-Bionic Titan}}'' appeared to be this, having little bits of information revealed at a time in non-chronological order, which makes it rather irritating that the complicated plot they got going is being wrapped up hastily in four episodes, [[TooGoodToLast due to cancellation]].

* ''{{Saiyuki}}'' is a Myth Arc inside a Myth Arc. For the entire first series, the only visible arc is the four heroes' quest to reach India, crush the baddies' nefarious scheme, and restore peace and harmony to Tougenkyo. It's not until midway thru the second series that the real Arc--which finally takes main stage in the third series--begins to reveal itself (why are these particular four on the mission? who is the only human in Houtou Castle? and [[spoiler:just how did Sanzo's master really die, and why?]])

** More successful were ''{{The 4400}}'' and ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', although the former actually predated ''Series/{{Lost}}'' by a good few months.
* In ''{{Castle}}'' finding who killed Beckett's mother, and the organization behind him

* ''{{Saiyuki}}'' is a Myth Arc inside a Myth Arc. For the entire first series, the only visible arc is the four heroes' quest to reach India, crush the baddies' nefarious scheme, and restore peace and harmony to Tougenkyo. It's not until midway thru the second series that the real Arc--which finally takes main stage in the third series--begins to reveal itself (why are these particular four on the mission? who is the only human in Houtou Castle? and[[spoiler:just how did Sanzo's master really die, and why?]])

* One could argue that this was the case for [[MoralEventHorizon anything]] [[NightmareFuel involving]] [[TheManBehindTheMan Sosuke]] [[GambitRoulette Aizen]] from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. A few more arguable cases from the same series would be the BlackAndGrayMorality of the Soul Society, the [[XanatosSpeedChess chess-duels]] between the various {{Big Good}}s and {{Big Bad}}s, the conflicts against the [[TheHeartless Hollows]] (and their [[BishonenLine Arrancar]] "superiors"), and TheHero's constantly-fluctuating development as a {{Shinigami}}.

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' has the war on the Angels, which is later revealed to be a small part of [[spoiler:SEELE's ''Human {{Instrumentality}} Project''.]]

* ''TheDarkTower'' is, of course, about Roland's journey to The Dark Tower.

* The mysteries and conspiracies surronding the original Mystery Crew and the curse of Crystal Cove drives the entirety of ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated. It follows an episodic structure but each episode drives the main storyline forward in some way. Pretty impressive considering that this is only the second time any ''Scooby Doo'' story has had an actual StoryArc (the first being WesternAnimation/The13GhostsOfScoobyDoo).

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' has a running plot thread involving the Light in the first season. This leads into the second season, ''Invasion'', which as the title implies is a season-long story revolving around an alien plot to conquer the Earth.