Line #473 Main/TheGhost


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6
7	!!For works that use the name, see {{Ghost}}.
8
9	->'''Jerry:''' You sure have a lot of friends. How come I never ''see'' any of these people?\
10	'''Kramer:''' They wanna know why they never see ''you!''
11	-->-- ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', "The Frogger"
12
13	A character who is often referred to, but never quite makes it onscreen. Sometimes just casually mentioned, but eventually played for comic effect as the camera (or lead character) just fails to catch them.
14
15	Sometimes the character is never seen because the viewer is, in essence, this character (and thus share viewpoints). In this case the viewers are probably being used as TheWatson.
16
17	If a disembodied voice says--"Yes Ma, I'm coming!"--they're TheVoice.
18
19	Not the GreatGazoo, but occurs in similar range of plot devices. Will also be an ImpersonationExclusiveCharacter if someone else uses the character's form. See also HeWhoMustNotBeSeen and NothingIsScarier (for when a character remains unseen for the RuleOfScary). For a concept, item or location, rather than a person, see CrypticBackgroundReference. If it's an event, you can check out NoodleIncident. Often overlaps with NoOneSeesTheBoss.
20
21	Compare and contrast with TheFaceless where a character's face is never visible. For a character who is frequently mentioned but never seen because they died before the story began, see PosthumousCharacter and DeathByOriginStory. If the character eventually appears, see UnseenNoMore. For a character whose existence can only be inferred see UnknownCharacter. For a character who isn't seen because he's been created out of whole cloth by the other characters, see InventedIndividual and TheRealRemingtonSteele. If a character from the source material isn't even mentioned, let alone seen, in the adaptation, then they are AdaptedOut.
22
23	Sometimes related to GreaterScopeVillain when dealing with villains; compare TheDreaded.
24
25	For actual ghosts and spirits, see OurGhostsAreDifferent. Not to be confused with TheSpook.
26
27	----
28	!!Examples:
29	[[index]]
30	* TheGhost/AnimeAndManga
31	* TheGhost/ComicBooks
32	* TheGhost/FanWorks
33	* {{TheGhost/Film}}
34	* TheGhost/{{Literature}}
35	* TheGhost/LiveActionTV
36	* {{TheGhost/Theatre}}
37	* TheGhost/VideoGames
38	* TheGhost/WebOriginal
39	* TheGhost/WesternAnimation
40	[[/index]]
41
42	[[foldercontrol]]
43
44	[[folder:Advertising]]
45	* Film/ErnestPWorrell, an advertising icon who later starred in a television show called ''Hey Vern, It's Ernest!'' and a series of films, often addressed someone named Vern who was (presumably) behind the camera and never spoke or was seen on screen. In fact, Ernest was famous for the [[CharacterCatchphrase catchphrase]] "Knowhutimean, Vern?" This would be one of the cases where TheWatson is simultaneously invoked.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Comedy]]
49	* A [[RunningGag running joke]] for the surrealist comedy group Series/{{Stella\|US}} is for one member to refer to someone named "Marcus". Another member responds, "Who the fuck is Marcus?" The original member just shakes his head in equal bewilderment, saying, "I know, I know!"
50	* Creator/VictoriaWood had a routine that started with her character telling the audience "I'm lookin' for me friend. Kimberly. Have you seen her?" After her death, a flash mob event in celebration of her life and work had the hashtag [=#WeAreKimberly=].
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
54	* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', Calvin's grandmother and grandfather are mentioned on several occasions, but are never seen. Rosalyn's boyfriend Charlie is also unseen and only indicated to exist by Rosalyn (and, in one strip, Calvin) talking to him on the phone.
55	* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'':
56	** Ellen was a woman Jon regularly phoned to get a date, and always failed. We never heard her actual answers, only his reactions to them. She eventually appeared in a storyline where she has amnesia, and therefore agreed to a date with Jon. Also, Jon's neighbor Mrs. Feeny, often the target of Garfield's pranks, was never seen in the comic.
57	** Many of Jon's dates count. Such as Ruby the violent convict who had YBUR tattooed on her forehead. However, there are some dates we do get to see in person well, such as Bertha (A large woman who loved to eat) and Kimmy (A woman raised by wolves)
58	* ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'' has several:
59	** Bob's sister (who is the mother of Croix and Hunter)
60	** B.A.'s mother (although she does become TheVoice occasionally)
61	** Crutch's 'old lady', Casey Mae
62	** Crowbar, Switch's partner-in-crime was this for years until he finally appeared on-panel in Hawg Waller's.
63	** Brian's uncle (and former guardian)
64	** Dave's father and brother
65	** The Antignano Brothers, who occasionally cast visible shadows but are otherwise kept off-panel.
66	* The ''ComicStrip/MrPotatoHead'' comic strip had several strips where Mr. Potato Head's son Chip talked to his friend Mikey over the phone, asking him if he'd like to come over and do whatever. Mikey is never seen, nor is he heard speaking.
67	* Roger, Juliette's [[InformedAbility loud, boorish]] brother in ''ComicStrip/NineChickweedLane''. Mentioned infrequently at best. And it had been so long since anyone had mentioned him in the comic, that when Edna mentioned him at the end of the [[WholeEpisodeFlashback WWII flashback]], many thought Brooke [=McEldowney=] had made him up on the spot. When he eventually appears in the flesh, he's mild-mannered and soft-spoken; pretty much the opposite of his passionate, outspoken sister and niece.
68	* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'':
69	** All adults, and the cat next door who hates Snoopy. The TV specials adapt the fact that adult dialogue is never presented as speech bubbles in the comic by making the adults TheUnintelligible (Waa Waa wa Wa wa wa Waa).
70	** The Little Red-Haired Girl was this in the comic strip with the exception of a silhouette in the May 25, 1998 strip. Creator/CharlesMSchulz wanted her to be unseen in order to show Charlie Brown's hopelessness in longing for her. She was however seen in full and had the name "Heather" in both ''It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown'' and ''WesternAnimation/HappyNewYearCharlieBrown'' (which also claimed her name was Heather). However, despite the fact that Charles M. Schulz wrote the scripts for both specials, he claimed both were [[CreatorBacklash non-canonical]]. She appears again in ''WesternAnimation/ThePeanutsMovie'', although her face is never seen in detail or close-up until [[spoiler:Charlie Brown gets a chance to talk to her]].
71	** There's also the Head Beagle, the dog who rules over all dogs in the world and has the respect of humans. Other than Snoopy's brief reign, no dog who ever held the title has ever been seen.
72	** Also, the "Girl in the Red Truck", a human on whom Snoopy's desert-dwelling brother Spike had a crush. She was eventually fleshed out for a special ''It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown'' that combined animation and live action, where she was named Jenny and portrayed by Charles Schulz's daughter Jill. (Again, the special, which wasn't as well-received as most ''Peanuts'' specials, is considered non-canonical.)
73	** The trend of the not showing adults in any form is averted in the fourth movie, ''WesternAnimation/BonVoyageCharlieBrown''. Charlie Brown's grandfather is seen in a war photo; he looks exactly like Charlie Brown except taller. The Baron, Violette's and the main antagonist, is a fully voiced character but only appears as a silhouette.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
77	* Wrestling/MontelVontaviousPorter had {{the gimmick}} of being "the highest paid free agent in [[InsistentTerminology sports entertainment]]" and [[Wrestling/WWESmackdown general manager]] Theodore Long had a hard time dealing with his unseen contract negotiator.
78	* During the Wrestling/{{TNA}}-Wrestling/{{Aces And Eights\|Wrestlers}} angle, Wrestling/DLoBrown and [[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys Bully Ray]] would make frequent reference to other chapters of the group. For obvious reasons (Aces And Eights being a real motorcycle gang) these were never shown.
79	* [[Wrestling/BrayWyatt Bray Wyatt's]] beloved "Sister Abigail," whom he refers to often in his promos and has even named his FinishingMove after, but who has yet to actually appear. (Assuming that she is a person, not a disembodied entity. [[UnreliableNarrator Also assuming she even exists.]] For what it's worth, what Bray's said about her heavily implies that she is a real person, but she died some time ago.) From what he has said of her, she is responsible for making him into what he is today (so she's either evil herself or [[CreateYourOwnVillain just plain]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero messed up bad]]) and possesses the power to save the world with a touch or destroy it with a kiss.
80	* The somewhat infamous Anonymous Raw General Manager. He'd send his directives via emails to a laptop on a podium that Michael Cole would read out loud. His identity was eventually revealed as a joke long after the bit had been dropped.
81	* Mama Cornette, the mother of Wrestling/JimCornette, was often referred to and financially supported his shenanigans but was never seen on screen. The real mother of Jim Cornette was well known to Memphis Wrestling fans but stopped attending the matches around the time Jim became a manager. Cornette has stated there are two reasons she never appeared: Jim's real mother wasn't a performer, and various promos had built her up so much that any actual on screen Mama Cornette would be a letdown.
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder: Puppet Shows]]
85	* ''Series/FraggleRock'':
86	** The original North American Doc and Sprocket scenes had Doc's neighbour and friend/rival, Ned Shimmelfinney and Ms Ardath, his possible LoveInterest.
87	** In the UK version, the Captain and his successors would refer to Mr Bertwhistle the lighthouse owner, and Mrs Wiggit, who served a similar role to Ms Ardath.
88	** In the French version, the Chef was always trying to impress the unseen Madame Pontaven.
89	** ''Series/FraggleRockBackToTheRock'' has Doc's landlady, Mrs [[MythologyGag Shimmelfinney]].
90	* ''Franchise/TheMuppets'': Swedish Chef wears a wedding ring, and his wife has been mentioned by other characters, but she is never seen in person. The most we know about her is that Chef is unable to answer the question of if he could live without her should she ever leave him.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Radio]]
94	* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': Mrs. Davis' sister Angela and her brother Victor. Mrs. Davis talks about them for years, until Angela made several appearances when the show moved to television and was ''finally'' heard on a couple radio episodes. Victor remained a ghost until he made his sole appearance, on the television episode "The Egg".
95	* Sabrina Thwaite (and husband Richard) in ''Radio/TheArchers'' are often "just missed" on-air, pulling out of Christmas pantos at the last moment and so forth, usually explained by tutting disapproval from the regular characters.
96	** A long-standing trope in ''The Archers''. Mr Pullen, whose troublesome prostate has been a RunningGag for many years, is never heard. Freda the Middle White sow used to be heard sometime but not Freda Fry, cook at The Bull and long-suffering wife of Bert Fry. Most notoriously, the late Pru Forrest went unheard for years only to be {{lampshaded}} in a special anniversary episode by being voiced by Creator/JudiDench.
97	* Duffy, the owner of the eponymous eatery in the the 1940s radio show ''Duffy's Tavern''. Every episode opened with the manager Archie answering the phone with the words "Hello, Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meet to eat. Archie the manager speakin'. Duffy ain't here -- oh, hello, Duffy."
98	* Samantha, the scorekeeper for the panel game ''[[Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]''. Since ThePointsMeanNothing, the game doesn't need a scorekeeper; she only exists as the focus of elaborate {{double entendre}}s.
99	** Colin Sell, the pianist, has sometimes been assumed by listeners to be fictional too (if you decided they were just playing prerecorded piano music, then Colin would be in a similar position of only existing [[ButtMonkey to be abused]] in elaborate wordplay). Humphrey Lyttelton once claimed that someone had come up to him to ask whether Samantha and Colin were real and he told them that Samantha was but Colin wasn't.
100	** And let's not forget Sven, Samantha's male counterpart. Somehow, they never appear in the same episode...
101	* Mrs. Bradby, Mr. Lamb's landlady in ''Radio/TheMenFromTheMinistry'' is often mentioned in great detail, but never actually appears in the show.
102	** There's also Mr. Rudge and Fatty Scott, two civil servants who are often subjects of various [[NoodleIncident Noodle Incidents]].
103	** The hall-porter Mathews is also this in most episodes, though he actually appears in the flesh in a couple of them.
104	* Sir Harold Dixon in season one of ''Radio/AbsolutePowerBBC'', who has employed Prentice [=McCabe=] for unspecified reasons which Martin has studiously avoided doing anything about, and who he therefore refuses to take phone calls from. In the last episode of the season, Sandy briefly works for Sir Harold, but he still never actually appears.
105	* Frequently mentioned on ''Radio/TheRickyGervaisShow'' was Creator/KarlPilkington's longtime partner Suzanne and [[CloudcuckoolandersMinder her reactions]] to Karl's [[CloudCuckoolander eccentricities]]. When the audio was adapted for the animated version, Suzanne would appear in cutaways as TheFaceless (in keeping with the real Suzanne's desire for privacy).
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
109	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'':
110	** Despite being fairly important in the lore of the Blood Angels and appearing in several major events, the daemon Ka'bandha had no official model until 2022 and only has rules for the ''Horus Heresy'' sub-game.
111	** [[{{Precursors}} The Old Ones]] are mentioned often, and their effects on the galaxy -- ranging from their surviving created races to remnant artifacts and super weapons -- turn up with some regularity, but the Old Ones themselves have never been seen or described in any detail.
112	* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'':
113	** The daemon N'kari is a very important character in the background lore for Ulthuan, the Elves and the coming of Chaos, but never received a model or tabletop rules.
114	** The corrupted treeman Coeddil is a very important character in Wood Elf lore, but never received a model, stats or official artwork.
115	* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'': The title character himself, ironically; Sigmar is the defacto BigGood and is thus spoken of quite frequently, but he has no official in-game model (unlike several other Order-aligned gods like Allarielle and Teclis) and only very rarely appears in Black Library novels. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] largely ''because'' he's the BigGood; he used to lead his armies from the frontlines, but after losing the war to Chaos, he believes he's better served acting as the general and monarch directing wars from Azyr, rather than leading them personally. Official lore has it that he makes frequent public appearances, and regularly meets with military and civilian leaders, as well as the other gods, but the setting is called ''War''hammer; since Azyr is the ''one'' place in the Mortal Realms that's unlikely to have any conflict going on, there's rarely a reason to set stories there, leaving Sigmar as TheGhost in a setting named after him.
116	[[/folder]]
117
118	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
119	* ''Ride/TheIncredibleHulkCoaster'' at [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal's Islands of Adventure]]: Thunderbolt Ross makes no actual appearance in the ride, only being alluded to. This is an especially bizarre instance of this trope, as Ross is the character that the storyline centers around.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
123	* Akira's unnamed boyfriend in ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'' is occasionally mentioned but never actually shown. [[spoiler:She's forced to break up with him when her parents insist that she and her sister Lily come to Scotland, but Akira mentions that she's back together with her boyfriend in the post-credits scene.]]
124	* Dante, a guy whom Sophia from ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'' dates briefly, is mentioned but never seen on-screen.
125	* Kako in ''VisualNovel/AProfile'' never makes it onscreen, though she does have a line or two. Maybe. She sounds exactly the same as her sister, you see. Apparently, by the end, even Masayuki has never met her.
126	* In ''VisualNovel/SayaNoUta'', Doctor Masahiko Ogai, Saya's "father", never appears in the story because [[spoiler:he's DeadAllAlong]].
127	* There are multiple cases in ''VisualNovel/ShikkokuNoSharnoth''. The most obvious being that Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Queen Victoria and Moriarty. [[spoiler:Except that in the end it's revealed that Moriarty was the old professor that everyone has been meeting and who may or may not be the BigBad, depending on how you look at it.]]
128	* In ''VisualNovel/ShinraiBrokenBeyondDespair'', Kenji and Misaki are two schoolmates of the main characters who are never seen in the game, since Misaki held a party of her own on the same night as Rie's party. As a result of Kenji and several others attending Misaki's party, fewer people came to Rie's party than she anticipated.
129	* Unlike all the other victims in ''VisualNovel/TyrionCuthbertAttorneyOfTheArcane'', we never meet or get a picture of Justin Waye.
130	* [[VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry Asumu Ushiromiya]], Battler's [[spoiler:[[SwitchedAtBirth not quite]]]] mother, is often talked about but she is never shown, not even in flashbacks.
131	[[/folder]]
132
133	[[folder:Web Animation]]
134	* The 2015 version of ''WebAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'' has a few characters who are mentioned, but never seen.
135	** Superman is occasionally brought up as [[FamedInStory an esteemed graduate of Super Hero High]], but is never shown aside from having his own statue at the academy.
136	** Batman is indirectly mentioned by Robin in "Kid Napped" when he complains about Batgirl babysitting him, with the closest thing the Dark Knight makes to a physical appearance being a plushie of him appearing in the tie-in graphic novel ''Finals Crisis''.
137	** One of the show's characters is Mrs. Clayface, wife of the villain Clayface, whose husband is never physically seen even when she tries to break him out of Arkham Asylum in "Techless Tuesday".
138	* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': Only a portion of Slima, as Jell-O of all things, has been shown in the series proper.
139	* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'':
140	** Strong Badman is created when Strong Bad gets an e-mail from one "Stiny". Within the email, and in several future Strong Badman appearances, Strong Bad imagines Stiny being Strong Badman's sidekick, who he constantly shouts orders or insults toward, but he never appears.
141	** The Strong brothers' parents have been mentioned a few times, including an old birthday card that their mother made Strong Bad write for Strong Sad (the only physical evidence). We never see either, and in fact the Brothers Chaps themselves stated point-blank that they had '''no''' interest in resolving the mystery. ("Nice try, dodongo!")
142	* ''WebAnimation/IsabelleRuinsEverything'': Reese, Cyrus, and Booker are mentioned by Isabelle, but not seen.
143	[[/folder]]
144
145	[[folder:Webcomics]]
146	* ''Webcomic/AbeKroenen'' has this happen a lot, often with female characters like Ilsa or Liz (until recently). This is not so much because of gender bias in the comic as it is the fact that it's a Toy Comic and the Hellboy merchandising brigade is less than helpful.
147	* Invoked by WordOfGod in ''Webcomic/AliceAndTheNightmare'' when it comes to President Spade.
148	-->''President Spade is usually cooped up in his office and only makes brief appearances as formalities, but otherwise he's a rarely-seen dude.''
149	* ''Webcomic/AnecdoteOfError'': Luntsha’s boyfriend Ikal has been mentioned a couple times, but has not appeared in person yet.
150	* ''Webcomic/CrimsonKnights'': King Friduheim, ruler of Crales, never physically appears despite his actions affecting the story quite heavily.
151	* All of the characters from ''Webcomic/DinosaurComics'' that aren't the main characters, bar maybe the flea that lives on the end of T-Rex's nose, but he's so small you can't see him.
152	* In the fan comic ''Webcomic/DokiDokiLiteratureGirls'', the player is absent, having previously deleted Monika after her HostileShowTakeover. As such, the player is mentioned in passing, but plays no important role in the comic.
153	* ''Webcomic/FarOutThere'' had Tabitha's Mother in [[http://faroutthere.smackjeeves.com/comics/1090127/page-297-as-far-as-she-knows-we-just-came-home-early/ this]] [[http://faroutthere.smackjeeves.com/comics/1090325/happy-non-fatal-thanksgiving/ role]] before eventually upgrading her to TheVoice.
154	* ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' has Bob's neighbors [[Radio/BobAndRay Ray]] and Mr. Fluffinougat; the Spitoonellis, named Film/HaroldAndMaude; and Voluptua's dad the Nemesite Emperor.
155	* ''Webcomic/MrBoop'': Alec's first wife [[spoiler: [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]]] is mentioned but not depicted.
156	* ''Webcomic/NicoleAndDerek'': Despite his connection to several major characters[[note]]Principal Telford's husband, JJ's father, Daisy's maternal uncle[[/note]], Issac Telford has yet to appear in the flesh.
157	* Webcomic/{{Precocious}} has Ursula's parents. We know more about what their car looks like and that hasn't been shown either.
158	* ''Webcomic/{{Rain\|2010}}'':
159	** Rain's abusive father Marcus never makes a physical appearance. His deplorable actions are mainly described by other characters and the only times we really get to see him are in Rain's dreams and flashbacks.
160	** Emily's neglectful mother is only seen in silhouettes, and is mainly described through Emily only. Still, the impact she has on her daughter's life is clear as day.
161	** Blair Carver started as this, only mentioned in Chapter 28 and is brought up here and there by Emily when discussing her past relationships. That is, until he finally appeared in Chapter 35 and since then made more frequent appearances. Most likely due to [[spoiler:Maria moving to his school]].
162	** Chiaki Koizumi, the author of ''[[ShowWithinAShow "Black Wings: Kaminari"]]'', never makes an onscreen appearance in the comic and is only mentioned by other characters. Rain was about to meet her at a convention until she ditched the line to talk to Emily. Chiaki makes her first appearance in the prequel comic, ''Webcomic/MyImpossibleSoulmate''.
163	* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': Ensi Hotakainen, the grandmother to main characters Onni, Tuuri and Lalli. She's mentioned to have been the magic teacher to Lalli in his younger years. She's also mentioned to have made a mistake that apparently had dire consequences, that included Onni getting a PromotionToParent at sixteen, and all three of them leaving their hometown to go live in a military base when Tuuri was ten and Lalli eight. Ensi also stands out as being TheConstant, as the only character to make an appearance of sorts in both the DistantPrologue (as a pronounced baby bump) and the main story (via being mentioned by her grandchildren). The comment on a blog post illustration of her mentions that she was drawn in her forties rather than as a ninety year old (which is the exact number of years separating the main story form the DistantPrologue), which implies that she is still alive. She's finally shown via flash-back in Chapter 15.
164	* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'': King Jahad, the ruler of the Tower. Furthermore the [[TheDreaded Irregulars]] Phantaminum, and Enryu. And finally the Director of the 2nd Floor, Evankhell.
165	** By the end of Part II, [[spoiler: you can remove [[{{BigDamnHeroes}} Evankhell]] and [[{{MassOhCrap}} Jahad]] from that list.]]
166	* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'':
167	** Moss Sonorie, the queen's choice for heir after Rilursa's assassination and who was already second in line for the throne at the start of the tale has been mentioned numerous times but never seen.
168	** Grandma Frummagem is brought up often by many Frummagem allied characters as a source of reliable life lessons and good advice, but has never been seen (outside a single sketch exclusive to a print volume) despite multiple characters long dead who are important to backstories like Grandma being shown in flashbacks, dreams and hallucinations.
169	[[/folder]]
170

Context Main / TheGhost