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1->''"Rule of thumb: whenever a show does an episode focusing on a bunch of people you've never seen before and never do again, it's a pilot for a new show."''
2-->-- '''[[http://poobala.com/emptyandgolden.html Thom Holbrook's Crossover Page]]'''
3
4An episode in which the show's primary characters take a back seat to brand new characters in order to test the waters for a separate show. Whereas the traditional SpinOff involves main/recurring characters becoming [[BreakoutCharacter popular enough]] to break out on their own, the characters described here are clearly jammed in there just for the sake of the new show. Rarely do these pilots get picked up by the network, however.
5
6Another common term for this is "backdoor pilot"; however this can refer to other things as well, such as a traditional spin-off if the character(s) involved are given a send-off within the parent show, or a pilot broadcast as a special or MadeForTVMovie that will be picked up as a series only if the ratings are good enough.
7
8Much like any pilot, the version of the series that makes it to air may have actors or settings changed. For instance, the version of ''Empty Nest'' that made it to TV was much different than the Poorly Disguised Pilot on ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', and the proposed ''Aquaman'' series would have starred a different actor than the one who guest-starred on ''Series/{{Smallville}}''.
9
10As a general rule, if you're watching a show and you find yourself asking questions like "Where did everybody go?", "What are we doing here?", "Who are these people?", or, above all, "What is going on here?", then you're watching a Poorly Disguised Pilot.
11
12Other symptoms of a Poorly Disguised Pilot include:
13* A SpotlightStealingSquad debuting in an episode.
14* A character [[PutOnABus moving away or leaving a team]], sometimes with a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute introduced in their place.
15* ADayInTheLimelight episode focusing on someone other than the main and supporting characters (usually a third-tier ancillary character or a LivingProp or recurring extra).
16
17Before the concept of the SeasonFinale took off, these were often aired as the last episode of a season.
18
19The {{Opposite Trope|s}} is FullyAbsorbedFinale, when what is functionally the ''last'' episode of a show appears in another show. See also PilotMovie. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Do not confuse this trope]] with a pilot [[PaperThinDisguise wearing an ineffective disguise.]]
20
21----
22!!Example subpages:
23
24[[index]]
25* PoorlyDisguisedPilot/ComicBooks
26** PoorlyDisguisedPilot/{{Showcase}}
27* PoorlyDisguisedPilot/LiveActionTV
28* PoorlyDisguisedPilot/WesternAnimation
29[[/index]]
30
31!!Other examples:
32
33[[foldercontrol]]
34
35[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
36* This is apparently the reason for Ruri being PutOnABus in ''Literature/{{Oreimo}}''; so she could receive a spinoff.
37* One episode of ''Manga/OutlawStar'' has Gene and co encountering two characters from ''Anime/AngelLinks'', a spinoff series that debuted a year later.
38* In ''Manga/FushigiYuugiByakkoIbun'', the legend of the priestess from another world and her chosen warriors is mentioned briefly, but overall has no purpose in the chapter. The supposed protagonist Suzuno doesn't even actively appear, she only shows up as an image on the final page. The chapter barely feels like it has anything to do with Fushigi Yuugi to begin with, with the sole revelation being that [[spoiler: one of the two main characters, the IneffectualLoner Nirusha, is actually the Seiryuu warrior ''Miboshi'']]! ''Manga/FushigiYuugiByakkoSenki'', the proper story of Suzuno, wouldn't begin until 2017, two years after ''Byakko Ibun'' was released.
39* Chapter 116 of ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' features Karen and Erika from the Mass Media Club (who up until this point in the series had been nameless {{Recurring Extra}}s) interviewing various major characters in the lead up to the culture festival. It mainly served as a tie in to the SpinOff series ''We Want to Talk About Kaguya'' that premiered the same week, though it did feature some foreshadowing for [[spoiler:Shirogane's GrandRomanticGesture]].
40[[/folder]]
41
42[[folder:Audio Plays]]
43* The ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' spin-off ''AudioPlay/JagoAndLitefoot'' (who appeared on [[Series/DoctorWho the TV show]] in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E6TheTalonsOfWengChiang The Talons of Weng-Chiang]]") started out by testing the waters with a story in the Companion Chronicles range, named ''The Mahogany Murderers'', centering around the Victorian duo trying to get to the bottom of a strange mystery in London, featuring no interference or even appearance by the Doctor whatsoever. This format was well-received, and kicked off what is perhaps ''Big Finish Doctor Who''[='s=] most successful spin-off.
44[[/folder]]
45
46
47
48[[folder:Fan Works]]
49* ''Fanfic/EyesOnMe'': ''Be Wherever You Are'' was written in the hopes that it would eventually lead into a spin-off series starring Ruby and Sapphire's [[SpinOffspring granddaughter]] Hope. The author's note at the beginning of the fanfic even admits as much.
50* ''Fanfic/JakeEnglishsMysteriousTheaterOfScientificRomanceFromTheYear3000''[='s=] crossover with ''Fanfic/JusticeSocietyOfJapan'' was meant to be this, as the latter story was in the midst of being written as part of UsefulNotes/NaNoWriMo.
51* Many of the entries in the anthology series ''Fanfic/HalloweenUnspectacular'' are open-ended and can easily be expanded into full stories of their own, with the author often suggesting that he might do so one day. In the case of one story from the first edition, [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6447961/1/Eureka he actually did]].
52* ''Fanfic/TheNewAdventuresOfInvaderZim'': The [[MultipartEpisode two-part story]] in Season 2 Episodes 10 and 11 ultimately turns out to be a setup for a spinoff focused on [[LaResistance the Resisty]] fighting [[TheEmpire the Irkens]] and [[TheDragon Commander Wiyn]] hunting them. The author states that he does intend to write this at some point, but for now it's not a priority.
53[[/folder]]
54
55[[folder:Films — Animation]]
56* There were at least three Creator/{{Disney}} DirectToVideo sequels that are obviously compilation films of never-made TV shows.
57** ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaIIDreamsComeTrue'' featured three stories created for a never-made TV adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}''.
58** ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeastBellesMagicalWorld'' featured three stories for an also never-made ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' TV series.
59** ''WesternAnimation/BellesTalesOfFriendship'', which also included some footage from the TV series ''Series/SingMeAStoryWithBelle''.
60** ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisMilosReturn'' had TV quality animation and a more episodic structure that clearly hints it was meant to be a TV show (said show, ''Team Atlantis'', was planned to have a crossover with ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', as Creator/GregWeisman was behind both; per WordOfGod, the crossover is canon in BroadStrokes to the Garg-verse).
61** ''WesternAnimation/KronksNewGroove'' had lower-quality animation than [[WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove the theatrical film]] and three mostly-separated plots, giving the sense that it was from a canceled TV series.
62* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOnTheRun'', which features flashbacks of a younger [=SpongeBob=] meeting Gary and the rest of the main cast at Kamp Koral, appears to serve as this for the SpinoffBabies series ''WesternAnimation/KampKoral''.
63[[/folder]]
64
65[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
66'''Note''': Remember, films that are created with the idea of releasing an AnimatedAdaptation in mind are {{Pilot Movie}}s and should be listed there.
67* A large chunk of the plot in ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'', such as Harry Osborn's transformation into the Green Goblin and subsequent meeting with Gustav Fiers in TheStinger, was clearly meant to set up the eventually-cancelled ''Sinister Six'' movie. This was one of the film's biggest criticisms.
68* ''Film/BladeTrinity'' was partially intended as one for Hannibal King and Abigail Whistler's Nightstalker characters. It didn't work out.
69* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
70** ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' was stated to be a testing bed for films based on [[Characters/MarvelComicsGambit Gambit]] and [[Characters/MarvelComicsDeadpool Deadpool]][=/=]Wade Wilson. The fact that the two were the most common points of criticism (Gambit for being an AdvertisedExtra, Deadpool for TheyChangedItNowItSucks) would tell you that it didn't work.
71** However, Creator/RyanReynolds' performance as Wade Wilson from ''before'' his disfigurement was very well received, to the point where he really was the only choice to play the lead role in the actual ''Film/Deadpool2016'' movie. But although TheStinger of ''Origins'' did leave its version of Deadpool salvageable (re-opening his mouth and apparently undoing his brainwashing), the ''Deadpool'' film opted for a TruerToTheText ContinuityReboot (restoring Deadpool's [[BreakingtheFourthWall fourth-wall breaking powers]] and ComedicSociopathy, while shedding the EyeBeams, [[BladeBelowTheShoulder Blades Below the Shoulders]], and {{Teleportation}}[[note]]though he's frequently had access to artificial teleporters in the comics, it's nothing like what's depicted in ''Origins''[[/note]]). These differences were (naturally) lampshaded in the film itself, where a scene begins with a close-up of an action figure of Deadpool's original appearance and Wade saying "this is my most prized possession" before it's revealed he's talking about a ''[[Music/GeorgeMichael Wham!]]'' album underneath the action figure.
72** Years later, there were plans to have a new version of Gambit (played by Creator/ChanningTatum) appear in ''Film/XMenApocalypse'' to set him up for his own spin-off. The solo ''Gambit'' movie was greenlit, but the planned appearance in ''Apocalypse'' was nixed.
73** Subverted with X-Force's appearance in ''Film/Deadpool2'', because it's not "disguised" in the slightest. One of Deadpool's motives for forming the team is to gather a bunch of young people who can carry a franchise for a decade or so. [[spoiler:Further subverted when every member of the team except for Deadpool and Domino end up dying ''minutes'' into their first mission.]]
74* Creator/MarvelStudios seems to like this a lot, because the first five films of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse were meant to collectively lead into an ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' [[Film/TheAvengers2012 film]].
75** ''Film/IronMan2'' in particular received a ''lot'' of ExecutiveMeddling to make it set up ''Avengers'', with ComicBook/NickFury and ComicBook/BlackWidow's roles in the plot being a good example of this. Creator/JonFavreau was so frustrated by this that he refused to direct ''Film/IronMan3''.
76** A big criticism of ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' is that significant chunks of the movie rather blatantly exist to set up ''Film/BlackPanther2018'', ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''.
77** With Phase 3, they introduced ComicBook/BlackPanther and Spider-Man in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' before spinning them off into their own movies. Overall, this was better-received than the previous examples, with the characters themselves proving quite popular.
78** Phase 4's ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' introduces [[Characters/{{Ironheart}} Riri Williams]] in a manner that rather blatantly sets her up for the ''Series/{{Ironheart}}'' spin-off series on Creator/DisneyPlus.
79* ''Film/Daredevil2003'' was basically [[ExecutiveMeddling hacked to pieces by Fox executives]] to serve as a pilot for the ''Film/{{Elektra}}'' spin-off. When given the opportunity to put out the movie as it was originally conceived, the director cut Elektra's screentime substantially, restored a half dozen missing subplots, and turned it into a movie that was actually worthwhile. The ''Elektra'' spinoff was even more poorly-received than ''Daredevil'' was.
80* Before the ''Film/JamesBond'' movie ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' came out, producers announced that they were planning a spinoff movie series featuring Creator/MichelleYeoh's character Wai Lin. That never happened, but similarly, there was much talk of a spinoff featuring Creator/HalleBerry's Jinx character from ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. The extent to which they were truly serious about either notion is unclear. Some suspect the talk in each case was simply pre-release hype ("The heroine in our next picture is such a great character, we're giving her a movie series of her own!"), although they did seem to at least make effort for the Jinx movie, for which they hired Stephen Daldry as director, got two months into writing the screenplay and had the series' production and costume designers create some early concept art before the poor performances of ''Film/CharliesAngelsFullThrottle'', ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaiderTheCradleOfLife'' and especially ''Film/{{Catwoman|2004}}'' led to it being canned.
81* There was talk of a Catwoman movie as a follow-up to ''Film/BatmanReturns''. Creator/MichellePfeiffer wasn't very excited about the project and it never came to fruition until long after the Batman movie franchise had died in [[Film/BatmanAndRobin 1997]]. Eventually, the project was revived as a vehicle for Creator/HalleBerry, resulting in the notorious 2004 [[BoxOfficeBomb flop]] ''Film/Catwoman2004''.
82* The ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' series has done this more than once:
83** ''Film/GodzillaVsMegalon'' was intended in part to launch a new Giant Hero, the robotic Jet Jaguar, for Toho Studios. In some ways this is the opposite; it was originally planned as a Jet Jaguar movie and Godzilla was added to attract an audience.
84** ''Film/GodzillaAndMothraTheBattleForEarth'' seemed to focus more on Mothra and her EvilCounterpart Battra as opposed to Godzilla, as it was meant to serve as a launching pad of sorts for Creator/{{Toho}}'s ''[[Film/RebirthOfMothra Rebirth]] [[Film/RebirthOfMothra2 of]] [[Film/RebirthOfMothra Mothra]]'' film trilogy.
85* ''Franchise/IndianaJones'':
86** ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade''. The first 15 minutes, featuring River Phoenix as a young Indy in search of a historical MacGuffin, are this for ''Series/TheYoungIndianaJonesChronicles''. Though Phoenix declined to reprise the role for TV, and was replaced by Sean Patrick Flanery in the series itself.
87** Subverted at the end of ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'', where it looks for a moment like Indy's hat is being passed (both figuratively and literally) to his son... until Indy picks it up and puts it back on.
88* ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer'' is one for Characters/SilverSurfer. Many things in the movie don't happen (like the appearance of the BigBad) in order to allow for the ''Silver Surfer'' spinoff, which never happened.
89* Characters/{{Wonder Woman|TheCharacter}} makes her cinematic debut in ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' in order to set up a solo ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' movie starring the same actress. The other members of the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica all appear in cameos to set up the ''Film/{{Justice|League 2017}} [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague League]]'' movie, with some critics likening the cameo sequence to a trailer within the movie.
90* ''Film/{{The Mummy|2017}}'' (2017) has [[Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde Dr. Jekyll]], a character typically ''not'' associated with mummies, show up to explain plot points and make references to a secret society of monster hunters to set up future "Film/DarkUniverse" films about classic Universal monsters like the Bride of Frankenstein, the Invisible Man, and Frankenstein's monster.
91* The first short for Creator/ColumbiaPictures featuring Film/TheThreeStooges, "Woman Haters", was originally a part of another Columbia short subject series, ''[[https://columbiashortsdept.weebly.com/the-musical-novelties.html Musical Novelties]]''. The resulting EarlyInstallmentWeirdness stems largely from this, including all the dialogue being delivered in rhyme. (Later reissues added the classic "Three Stooges" title card, but kept the "Musical Novelty" title card as well.)
92[[/folder]]
93
94[[folder:Literature]]
95* {{Averted|Trope}} in ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}''. [[spoiler: A large cast of new characters, aptly named the Auxiliary Animorphs, are introduced into the series near the climax. One would think this would mean shoehorning them into getting a spinoff, right? Nope, they're all unceremoniously killed off.]]
96* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': The short story "[[Literature/BriefCases A Fistful of Warlocks]]" features a younger [[SupportingLeader Anastasia Luccio]] at the start of her Warden career, fighting a group of warlocks led by [[PredecessorVillain Heinrich Kemmler]] in the Wild West. According to author Jim Butcher, this is meant to set up an entire prequel series he has in mind, but probably is never going to actually write.
97* You wouldn't think this could happen in book form, but it has. ''Literature/NancyDrew Files'' #39: ''The Suspect Next Door'' focuses heavily on Nancy's neighbor, a girl named Nikki Masters. Not too long after, Nikki got her own spin-off, a romance series called ''River Heights''. It lasted about 16 issues before getting run off the face of the Earth and is largely forgotten now.
98* It may not have been intentional, but the ''Literature/PastDoctorAdventures'' novel ''Corpse Marker'' by Creator/ChrisBoucher ends up feeling like a poorly-disguised pilot for his ''Kaldor City'' audio dramas, with the Kaldorian characters (and ''Series/BlakesSeven'' crossover characters) getting more page time than the Doctor and Leela.
99* ''Literature/RinkitinkInOz'' is a book in the [[Literature/LandOfOz Oz series of books]] that was originally written as a standalone fantasy novel in the land of Pingaree. It didn't get published in that form, but eventually, Creator/LFrankBaum changed it into an Oz book just by putting in what amounts to a gratuitous {{Crossover}} with some Oz characters, who show up at the end to solve the plot with DeusExMachina. Mind you, at this point in his career, Baum was finding that [[FranchiseZombie whether he liked it or not, his books could only be commercially successful if they were Oz books]].
100[[/folder]]
101
102[[folder:Music]]
103* In 2002, Creator/DisneyChannel commissioned the Canadian virtual pop duo Music/{{Prozzak}} to write and perform the title song for their TV movie ''Film/GetAClue'', albeit with some drastic changes: the band was rechristened Simon and Milo after the two animated characters who comprised the act (presumably because they're named after a drug) and had Milo redesigned to be much more conventionally attractive. The channel aired a music video for the song during commercials, which was only unusual because it looked nothing like anything else they were airing at the time and the act had nothing else to their name. As it turns out, Disney Channel was testing the waters for a Simon and Milo animated series, but before that could come about, the network and Prozzäk co-founder Jason Levine clashed over what they each considered "child-friendly" content, resulting only in the music video and a compilation album titled ''Ready Ready Set Go'', released for the sole purpose of putting "Get A Clue" onto a CD.
104* The ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee'' music video that formally introduces LIP×LIP is "Romeo", an ''in-universe'' music video showcasing their careers watched by the other ''Love Series'' characters. One of the members themselves, Yujiro, was previously given importance at the tail end of "Blooming Into the Color of Love" with a then newly introduced girl about his age, who turns up again in "Romeo" coupled with lyrics implying she'd be the group's love interest. Sure enough, "Romeo" would later serve as the starting point for the ''Idol Series'', a set of videos centered around the universe's entertainment industry, and the girl, Hiyori, would feature as LIP×LIP's manager.
105[[/folder]]
106
107[[folder:Podcasts]]
108* The first episode of ''Podcast/TheAdventureZone'' was aired as part of ''Podcast/MyBrotherMyBrotherAndMe''.
109* The first episode of ''Podcast/{{Serial}}'' was aired as Episode 537 of ''Radio/ThisAmericanLife'', in a transparent attempt to get listeners. It worked beyond the creators' wildest dreams.
110[[/folder]]
111
112[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
113* Wrestling/{{WCW}} took a swing at this in late 1997 when the Wrestling/NewWorldOrder "took over" ''[[Wrestling/WCWMondayNitro Monday Nitro]]'' on Dec. 22, running it as "''[=nWo=] Monday Nitro''", complete with set changes and a modified ''Nitro'' logo with the [=nWo=] logo in place of WCW's. While on the surface this looked like just another typical [=nWo=] angle, it was actually meant to be a test to see if they could maintain a solid audience with an [=nWo=]-focused show, as WCW was planning to roll out ''Thunder'' as a secondary program the following year, and had originally hoped to run ''Thunder'' as the WCW program and turn ''Nitro'' into a standalone [=nWo=] show. However. there wasn't enough audience interest and the time they took to restructure the show around the [=nWo=] wasn't seen as worthwhile, so the idea didn't go any further than this one episode.
114* In 2000 All Pro Wrestling held [[TournamentArc a tournament]] called King Of Indies, which eventually became its own separate event, though the letters KOI remain associated with APW. [[DistaffCounterpart The same thing happened in 2004]] with [=ChickFight=], although [=ChickFight=] did "return" to work with APW.
115* Wrestling/{{WWE}} did something like this shortly after acquiring Wrestling/{{WCW}} in 2001, trying to test the waters for a separate WWE-run WCW show during a ''[[Wrestling/WWERaw Monday Night Raw]]'' episode emanating from Tacoma, WA. They covered the ring in WCW logos, replaced their own commentators with Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Scott Hudson, and had Wrestling/BuffBagwell and Wrestling/BookerT wrestle a match on July 2. [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks Unfortunately the crowd hated this]], so the whole thing was thrown under the bus quickly ([[Wrestling/TheInvasionAngle the infamous "Invasion" angle]] is what was spawned from the failure of using WCW as an entirely separate entity).
116* The World Wrestling League was founded in 2012 with the stated purpose of getting wrestlers/luchadors from all over the Americans and Caribbean to work together. It was initially known mainly for its ''[[WhoWouldWin Dream Matches]]'' tours through Mexico and the Dominican Republic, an "[[EvilForeigner invasion]]" series of New Xtreme Order and a couple other Bolivian enterprises or facilitating smaller [[{{Crossover}} cross promotional]] matches and shows such as between Pro Wrestling Revolution and Wrestling/{{CMLL}}, or the Florida based Coastal Championship Wrestling and Ecuadoran WAR. WWL promoted title belts even at this time and booked their holders to go over champions of participating promotions, particularly Wrestling/{{AAA}}'s, but wrestlers from all over, including AAA, contended for and won WWL belts, and WWL arranged for its champions and other talents to appear on shows they normally would not, such as AAA's ''Triplemanía XXI'', so it wasn't that different from other governing bodies like the Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA. Two years in however and the Puerto Rican World Wrestling Council pulled out on account of WWL running [[MeaningfulName an]] ''Insurrection'' event in Puerto Rico that relied not on international or WWC talent but mainly wrestlers from Puerto Rico's independent circuit, particularly those that used to work for WWC's defunct competitor IWA PR. WWL also began running angles similar to IWA's, to the point fans began calling it [[SpiritualSuccessor a resurrection]]. WWL continued to officially bill itself as a coordination facilitator and governing body for awhile but by 2016 it had given up all pretenses of being anything but a promotion intent on running shows exclusive to its own brand and all WWL affiliates besides [[Wrestling/TotalNonstopActionWrestling TNA]] and The Crash [[OptOut dropped out]].
117* The World Wrestling League's use of IWA Puerto Rico talent in turn led to this when Savio Vega launched a "[[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs hostile takeover]]" of WWL and started running IWA's old flagship show ''Impacto Total'' [[HostileShowTakeover in place]] of WWL's ''High Voltage''. While the IWA usurpers were defeated, Vega was able to successful {{reviv|al}}e IWA PR in 2018.
118[[/folder]]
119
120[[folder:Video Games]]
121* One of the major plots you spend time investigating in ''VideoGame/AnotherCode R'' is the mystery of Matt's father and what drove his business into the ground. While the bulk of the mysteries surrounding it are solved and tie in well to the main story, the final fate of his father is unresolved. It was supposed to lead into a separate game where Matt would resolve this plot, but Cing (the developers) went under before such a game could be produced.
122* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'':
123** ''Eye of the North'' was this for the sequel, ''VideoGame/GuildWars2''. The main storyline had three separate arcs which focused on the Asura, Charr, or Norn, each of which became a playable race in the sequel. The Sylvari was also present in the form of a sapling White Tree. While the primary antagonist was the Great Destroyer, the presence of the Elder Dragons was also foreshadowed, including Kralkatorrik appearing as part of the landscape.
124** The ''Beyond'' storylines were introduced to renew interest in the franchise after it had laid dormant and increase awareness of the sequel. ''War in Kryta'' reintroduced the Krytan royal family and Shining Blade while also introducing the all new Seraph, the main human army in the sequel. ''Winds of Change'' similarly sets up the shift of Cantha into a monolithic, xenophobic human state. An additional storyline was planned to show how Elona would begin moving towards its defeat by Palawa Joko but was not completed.
125* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', as well as its DLC, was intended to be this for Verum Rex - an intended SpiritualSuccessor to the original ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVersusXIII''. Nomura decided to scrap it and incorporate these element(s) into ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIV'' after fear that this would cause confusion and worry fans that ''Kingdom Hearts'' would once again enter DevelopmentHell.
126* The nightmare minigame in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' is a tech demo for an original game that was being developed by the ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'' team titled ''Guy Savage''. However, ''Guy Savage'' was canceled and the minigame was removed in the ''HD Edition'' version of ''[=MGS3=]'' along with the cutscene and codec conversation referencing it.
127* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
128** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland'' (''Super Mario: Yoshi Island'' in Japanese) still has Mario present, but he's mostly just being [[EscortMission escorted]] by Yoshi, and the game, while still considered a main line game, ended up launching the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' franchise.
129** ''VideoGame/WarioLandSuperMarioLand3'', on the other hand, is a ''Mario Land'' game InNameOnly, which is likely why the name of the series it starts comes first with the series it spun off from comes second.
130* ''VideoGame/TwilightSyndrome'''s bonus chapter, "Prank", served as a preview of sorts for Creator/Suda51's planned sequel ''VideoGame/MoonlightSyndrome'', consisting of a series of surreal NonSequitur scenes which Suda himself described as "vulgar" and experimental in a developer interview and shifting the main focus to Mika and a new PinballProtagonist named Ryo Kazan. This chapter's tremendous contrast with the main game's storytelling style and tone carried over into the sequel, which was summarily declared CanonDiscontinuity when the time came for additional sequels to be made.
131* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII: The Frozen Throne's'' bonus campaign "The Founding of Durotar", with its shift from RTS to RPG gameplay, is this for ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. The quest-driven nature was rare for {{M|assivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame}}MORPGs at the time, but was planned as a major feature of ''World of Warcraft'', and the campaign even features the Resurrection Stones that were originally going to be in ''World of Warcraft'' before the death system was revamped (the stones would ultimately become Meeting Stones).
132[[/folder]]
133
134[[folder:Web Comics]]
135* ''Not Invented Here'' was launched in ''Webcomic/{{Unshelved}}'' in fall 2009. Though it's not even '''poorly''' disguised, since they brought in the NIH artist as a guest artist.
136* Prior to receiving her own series and eventually becoming the Website/PlatypusComix mascot, [[Webcomic/{{Mulberry}} Mulberry Sharona]] made some guest appearances in ''Marin Meadow'', a series Peter Paltridge decided to discontinue around the time he came up with Mulberry.
137* Although Creator/TCampbell has never said so outright, the ''Webcomic/PennyAndAggie'' arc "The New Reality" appears to have been in part a trial run for a spin-off set in Hollywood and focusing on Sara (like the arc itself). In late 2010, Campbell held an [=eBay=] auction for the privilege of having a character named after the highest bidder, in a new webcomic to be launched the following year. The listing stated that names which appeared in the ''Penny and Aggie'' cast page would be ineligible, as would the names "Lucy, Hilary or Martin," three of the characters from "The New Reality" arc. In the end, Campbell followed ''P&A'' with an entirely different spin-off, ''Webcomic/{{QUILTBAG}}'', which stars Sara and Lisa as college roommates.
138[[/folder]]
139
140[[folder:Web Videos]]
141* "El de [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons los Simpsons]]" is a short film about Grasse thinking he is El Burto. It inspired the three main characters from WebVideo/{{DaSuisa}}: Da Homa, La Morgan and Bort. The voices and costumes come from this video too.
142* The third episode of the [[Website/ChannelAwesome That Guy With the Glasses]] 2013 anniversary special ''WebVideo/TheUncannyValley'', titled "The Reviewers", is actually the pilot episode of a [[WebVideo/TheReviewers potential new series]], which was picked up a year later.
143* Ethan originally intended ''Webvideo/TheDoubleAgent'' to be about reviewing other reviewers and also about random topics (as his first episode is about the worse types of Halloween candy) after he left his first show Webvideo/WorstMusicOfTheYear behind, but he slowly warmed up to talking about music again.
144* ''WebVideo/SchaffrillasProductions''' 2022 AprilFoolsDay video starts out as a review of ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'' until it turns into a sketch that he claims is the show's attempt at a backdoor pilot for a show where [[Franchise/StarWars General Grievous]] and [[WesternAnimation/IceAge Sid the Sloth]] have misadventures working at Arby's. It also acts as one out-of-universe as he asks the audience if they want more episodes of ''Grievous and Sid'' at the end.
145[[/folder]]

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