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[[quoteright:350:[[Creator/SethMacFarlane https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_cde3nivw8aak1pc.png]]]]

There is a vast universe with multiple series taking place in different places/time periods/whatever, and a Cross Through is a StoryArc that starts in one of these series and cycles through several self-contained series (alternating between them), affecting each one, usually with one recurring element or character appearing in all parts. Compare with SharedUniverse and {{Crossover}}.

The trope's name was coined by comic writer [[http://farawaypress.com/Home/tabid/58/Entry%20ID/132/Default.aspx John Jackson Miller]] for ''Franchise/StarWars: Vector'', which is an example.

Compare the CrisisCrossover and the RedSkiesCrossover.

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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Audio Plays]]
* ''Franchise/DoctorWho'':
** The AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho ''Destiny of the Doctor'' 50th anniversary year audio drama series turns the traditional multi-Doctor story into a Cross Through. Each Doctor has an adventure that involves a different [[PlotCoupon powerful technobabble gizmo]]. During the story, a mysterious message from [[Creator/MattSmith a future Doctor with a bow-tie and no attention span]] tells the Doctor he needs to save the gizmo, because that future Doctor needs them for his own plans to fight back an alien invasion.
** The Dalek Time Controller originated in the Big Finish monthly range where it met the Sixth Doctor. Then it gets hurled back in time to become the BigBad for the GrandFinale of the New Eighth Doctor Adventures and then Dark Eyes. To make things more complicated, it turns out from the Dalek Time Controller's perspective its earliest encounter with the Doctor was in the ''Literature/NewSeriesAdventures'' novels, where it met [[HaveWeMetYet the Eleventh Doctor]].
** The Excelis saga from Big Finish, in which three Doctors visit the planet Artaris at different points in its history: the Fifth (and Franchise/IrisWildthyme) in its DungAges (''Excelis Dawns''); the Sixth in a {{Steampunk}} and spiritualism period (''Excelis Rising'') and the Seventh when it's become a futuristic {{Dystopia}} (''Excelis Decays''). And then Literature/BerniceSummerfield and Iris visit AfterTheEnd (''Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Plague Herds of Excelis'').
** In Big Finish [[FogOfDoom The Eminence]] were originally created for the third series of "The Fourth Doctor Adventures". However they ended up appearing first in "The Seeds of War", a story in the monthly range featuring the Sixth Doctor. They next appeared in Dark Eyes 2 as major villains and look set to continue in Dark Eyes 3. After Dark Eyes 2 they make their appearance in the Fourth Doctor Adventures.
** The ''Worlds of Doctor Who'' storyline from Big Finish is a Cross Through between the spin-offs. starting in VictorianLondon with ''Jago & Lightfoot'', then continuing into TheSixties with ''Intrusion Countermeasures'', arriving in the PresentDay with the ''Companion Chronicles'' subseries ''Tales from the Vault'' (UNIT) and finishing with a crossover between the Sixth Doctor and the ''Gallifrey'' audios.
** Followed up by ''Worlds of Creator/BigFinish'', which does the same thing for series with less direct ''Doctor Who'' connections[[note]]''Tales from the Vault'' is the only series in ''WODW'' that doesn't star a character from the TV series (and even it co-stars Captain Yates); by contrast ''none'' of the characters in ''WOBF'' actually appeared in the series.[[/note]]: ''Literature/BerniceSummerfield'', ''Franchise/IrisWildthyme'', ''Graceless'', ''Vienna'', ''AudioPlay/TheConfessionsOfDorianGray'' and ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes''. (The latter two are loosely tied to ''Doctor Who'' via the ''Bernice Summerfield'' audio ''Shades of Gray'' and WordOfGod saying it's the same Sherlock Holmes from the ''Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures''.)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:DC Comics]]
* One of the earliest examples is ''Franchise/TheDCU'' ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} origin storyline collected in the ''Zatanna's Search'' trade paperback, told through ''ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}'' (Vol 1) #4, ''ComicBook/TheAtom'' (Vol 1) #19, ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' (Vol 2) #42 and ''ComicBook/DetectiveComics'' (Vol 1) #355.
* DC's 1990s crossovers like ''ComicBook/UnderworldUnleashed'' and ''Day of Judgement'' were {{Crisis Crossover}}s, but some of the secondary books were more Cross Throughs, with characters fighting over-powered villains/ghosts and demons without ever getting involved in the main story, or even learning what was actually going on.
* The ''ComicBook/New52'' storyline ''The Black Diamond Probability'' follows the Heart of Darkness (Eclipso's black PowerCrystal) through ''ComicBook/DemonKnights'', ''[[ComicBook/JonahHex All-Star Western]]'', ''ComicBook/{{Team 7|New52}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'' before concluding in ''[[ComicBook/AmethystPrincessOfGemworld Sword of Sorcery]]''.
* ''ComicBook/BrightestDay'' wound up being this; all the storylines came out of ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' and many were unified under "people resurrected by the White Entity for a specific task", but each series involved was pretty much self-contained with little overlap.
* ''ComicBook/NightOfTheOwls'', a [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bat-family]] storyline launching just after the New 52. The idea is that a cadre of rich, influential people have been ruling Gotham ever since its creation. Batman draws their attention by stopping an assassination, finding them, beating their assassin, and escaping from their clutches. In response, they raise an army of quasi-immortal, near super-powered assassins to strike at Batman and ''everyone'' associated with him. Every single Bat-family book faces off against a different assassin during the event, and even ''[[ComicBook/JonahHex All-Star Western]]'' had Jonah Hex encounter the Court to tie-in to the event.
* Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'' was this; with seven heroes all individually fighting the same threat. This was in fact enforced by the bad guys, who targeted seven-member enemy teams; if the heroes were to succeed they ''couldn't'' meet each other.
* The threat of the Gentry is felt throughout ''ComicBook/TheMultiversity'' books, which can still be enjoyed individually.
* ''ComicBook/TheFinalDaysOfSuperman'' was told through ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' Vol 2, ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' Vol 3, ''Batman/Superman'' Vol 1 and ''Superman/Wonder Woman''. The latter two can still be enjoyed as "Superman's last adventure with these characters" stories and don't really advance the plot of the crossover aside from Superman keeping his friends apprised of the situation.
%% * ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'' followed ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'s journey as a Red Lantern through the ''ComicBook/Supergirl2011'', ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' Vol 5 and ''ComicBook/RedLanterns'' books.
%%* ''ComicBook/NewKrypton'' was another storyline which spread across all ''Superman'' books during two years.
* ''ComicBook/AMindSwitchInTime'' crosses over ''Superman (Volume 1)'' and ''Superboy (Volume 2)''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Marvel Comics]]
* ''ComicBook/TheFallOfTheMutants'' storyline in the ''ComicBook/XMen'' comics of 1987. The three titles involved don't directly cross into each other (The ComicBook/NewMutants were the only ones who even knew what the other two teams were up to). Instead, the books are a crossover in the thematic sense of loss and rebuilding: the X-Men's deaths and resurrection, Angel from ''ComicBook/XFactor'' becoming Archangel, the New Mutants losing one of their own and becoming full superheroes, and the subsequent formation of ComicBook/{{Excalibur|MarvelComics}}.
* During the period Steve Rogers rebranded as “The Captain”, he made an appearance in the Iron Man storyline ComicBook/ArmorWars, wherein he requests a new shield from Tony, and later gets into a fight with Iron Man [[NiceJobBreakingItHero that results in a prison breakout]]. The next two issues of his own book had Cap dealing with the escapees and getting into another fight with Tony, that ended with him returning the new shield.
* The following year, there was ''ComicBook/Inferno1988'', where the demons Sym and N'astirh bring HellOnEarth. While this was a X-books crossover, numerous other titles were involved in the "fighting the evil forces of Hell" bit.
* ''ComicBook/ActsOfVengeance'' in 1989-90, where ComicBook/{{Loki}}, who after all these years is still bitter for being responsible for the creation of ComicBook/TheAvengers, has the world's top bad guys band together to pit heroes against villains they haven't faced before. In almost every title published at the time, the heroes face their respective unfamiliar opponents off without any thought that a cabal had set up their confrontations, and there are no plot developments for the Cross Through except for certain members of the cabal getting dispatched or caught or just plain leaving, just to explain why they're missing or where they are in the finale. Said finale happened in just one regular-sized issue of ''[[ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers Avengers West Coast]]'' where Thor just declares out of the blue that Loki is the mastermind. The Avengers let a captured cabal member make his escape so the two teams can follow him to Loki's hideout, make their attack (making the remaining collaborators flee and go back to their own regular businesses), and [[CurbStompBattle quickly dispatch]] Loki, all of these happenings serving just as an interlude between the setup and the cliffhanger for the title's next story-arc! Cross Through to the end!
* In 2012, Marvel ran a ''ComicBook/ClanDestine'' story by Alan Davis through the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'' annuals.
* The theme of ''ComicBook/OriginalSin'' was that of {{Dark Secret}}s being revealed to every major hero, mostly ones that had been kept by the Watcher; so most tie-ins ignored the Watcher part and instead featured their heroes dealing with their secret. The ComicBook/XMen and the ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy had no ties to the Watcher, as the secrets they coincidentally discovered at the same time came from other sources.
* One issue of the ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'' storyline ''ComicBook/TheCelestialMadonnaSaga'' is given over to the original Thanos storyline from ''ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}}'', and ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica''[='=]s then-current storylines, also written by Engelhart, affect his status quo in this story.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': ''Vector'' is a Cross Through of four comic book series that take place during different time periods, featuring an ArtifactOfDoom of an ancient Sith Lord that carries a plague of [[TheVirus Rakghouls]]. The plot starts in ''ComicBook/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' (around 4,000 years before the films), then cycles through ''ComicBook/DarkTimes'' (prequel trilogy era), ''Rebellion'' (original trilogy era), and ends in ''ComicBook/{{Legacy}}'' (over a hundred years after the films). In fact, ''Vector'' was the cross-through for which the term was coined.
* ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'':
** Beginning in prog 1803, a file containing the identities of all Wally Squad Judges was at the centre of the ''Comicbook/JudgeDredd'', ''ComicBook/TheSimpingDetective'', and ''ComicBook/LowLife'' storylines. This culminated in prog 1812, which consisted of a single story featuring [[{{Crossover}} all three Judges]].
** The ''2000 AD Sci-Fi Special'' 2021 has GaiasVengeance making a simultaneous attack on multiple locations, and being fought by Dredd (with Cursed Earth Koburn) in the Cursed Earth, Chopper in Oz, Armitage (with Devlin Waugh) in Brit-Cit, Hondo City Justice in Hondo City, and ComicBook/AndersonPsiDivision in Mega-City One, before the finale brought it back to Dredd.
* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' had one interesting moment that closed out one book and started another. Near the end of the Scourge arc, Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic are part of the MeleeATrois for different reasons and, in the scuffle, disappear from the fight. The two show up in the ''ComicBook/SonicX'' universe during its final issue, leaving everyone there shocked as Shadow had been thought dead in that universe. At the end of that issue, the two blink out again and reappear in the Sol Dimension in the first issue of ''Sonic Universe'', which replaced ''Sonic X''.
* ''Magazine/DisneyAdventures'' once serialized a five-issue story called ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfTheChaosGod'' (no relation to ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''), involving an ArtifactOfDoom containing a SealedEvilInACan; the comics cycled through more or less the entire WesternAnimation/TheDisneyAfternoon lineup, starting in ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' and continuing decades down the timeline in ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'', ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', ''ComicBook/DuckTales'', and finally ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' (which, despite all being in the modern day, never directly crossed each other aside from Scrooge phoning Darkwing to warn him of the threat, and the already shared characters of Launchpad and Gizmoduck), [[spoiler: where the unsealed evil [[HoistByHisOwnPetard is blasted by his own magic bolts reflected off a satellite dish]] and is safely re-sealed; as it turns out, the legendary hero who sealed the self-proclaimed "Chaos God" away in the first place fought him with a mirrored shield]].
* Creator/IDWPublishing has loved [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover Massive Multiplayer]] Cross Throughs since 2011. The only thing they have in common is that they always involve a ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' universe (and even then, it's always a different ''Transformers'' universe each time):
** 2011: ''Infestation'', in which an attempt by IDW's own ''Covert Vampiric Operations'' to contain an interdimensional breach of {{hive mind}}ed zombies from the ''ComicBook/ZombiesVsRobots'' universe goes awry, [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies allowing the zombies to infest]] ''ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW'', the Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse (circa the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries original series]]), ''ComicBook/GIJoeIDW'', ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' and ''[[ComicBook/PocketGod Pocket God Comics]]'', attempting to bolster their strength by assimilating each world's powers. Also qualifies as a CrisisCrossover for ''some'' of the series involved, with the ''Transformers'' segment heralding the return of Galvatron to the IDW continuity following his rebirth in the ''ComicBook/TheTransformersAllHailMegatron'' codas (which is later explored OnceMoreWithClarity in the ''Heart of Darkness'' miniseries) and having a Transformer be PutOnABus ([[TheBusCameBack which would come back]] in later Crisis Crossover ''ComicBook/TheTransformersDarkCybertron''), the ''Ghostbusters'' segment serving as the launching point for [[ComicBook/{{Ghostbusters}} the ongoing comic]] and ''CVO'' seeing a major status quo change at the end. On the other hand, ''G.I. Joe'' is a BottleEpisode in a top-secret isolated setting known only by very few Cobra operatives, ''Star Trek'' is never referenced again in ''Star Trek'' comic continuity and ''Pocket God Comics'' is, being a post-event gag comic and as per the closing issue of the event, non-canon to ''the Cross Though itself''.
** 2012: ''Infestation 2'', this one starring [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos the Elder Gods]] in place of Zombies, and ''Transformers: Hearts of Steel'' (A Victorian era SteamPunk {{Elseworld}}), ''ComicBook/{{Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles|IDW}}'' and the ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' TabletopGame/{{Eberron}} campaign in place of the main IDW ''Transformers'' continuity, ''Star Trek'' and ''Ghostbusters'' (''CVO'' and ''G.I. Joe'' return for a second round).
** 2013: The ''Film/MarsAttacks'' comics had a month-long non-canon-for-everyone series of five seperate IntercontinuityCrossover one-shots where Mars Attacks ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}, Music/{{Kiss}} (really), WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters[[note]]They do specifically mean the universe of ''The Real Ghostbusters'' animated series, not any other incarnation of the ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' franchise[[/note]], The Transformers[[note]]Specifically, a one-off universe that is more or less an AffectionateParody of [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers the G1 cartoon]][[/note]] and ''Zombies vs. Robots''. Given the more (blackly) humorous nature of the ''Mars Attacks!'' IP compared to zombies or {{Eldritch Abomination}}s, there's no multiversal story involving ''CVO'' that justifies the Cross Through this time, only Martians invading without any explanation as to how they travel across the multiverse. There were also alternate covers that showed off other oddball crossovers (ranging from potentials like ComicBook/JudgeDredd and ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} to out there titles like ComicStrip/{{Opus}} and ComicBook/StrangersInParadise) and were even plans for a sixth entry involving ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''.
** 2014: ''Series/TheXFiles: Conspiracy'', where, after receiving a cryptic file from the future, Series/TheLoneGunmen must seek out (''X-Files'' universe incarnations of) the Ghostbusters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Transformers [[note]]a present day continuation of the ''Hearts of Steel'' universe [[/note]] and Franchise/TheCrow for clues that could help Mulder and Scully stop a virus that threatens to wipe out a large chunk of mankind.
** 2016: ''Deviations: Alpha'', in which five of IDW's licensed properties are given WhatIf stories. Specfically, [[Film/Ghostbusters1984 what if the Ghostbusters never crossed the streams when they fought Zuul]], [[Series/TheXFiles what if the aliens who abducted Samantha Mulder took Fox Mulder instead]], [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIDW what if the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were trained by the Shredder]], [[Franchise/GIJoe what if Cobra defeated G.I. Joe]], and [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie what if Optimus Prime didn't die in the Battle of Autobot City.]]
** 2017: ''Deviations: Beta'' continues the formula from last year's event, this time showcasing alternate worlds where [[Franchise/StarTrek the Romulans discovered Earth before the Vulcans]], [[Series/OrphanBlack Sarah Manning stopped Beth Childs from committing suicide]], [[ComicBook/JudgeDredd Judge Dredd didn't get cured when he turned into a werewolf]] and [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Prince Blueblood became Princess Celestia's star pupil as opposed to Twilight Sparkle.]] Meanwhile, ''The X-Files''[='=]s entry continues the adventures of FBI agents Dana Scully and Samantha Mulder. Notably, this is IDW's first event to not feature a ''Transformers'' story.
* The "Dawn of X" storyline in ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics'', which involves the ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' characters dealing with the same threat in two different time periods (for the unaware, X is the future of Classic). Interaction between the two casts only happen in the Short Circuits segments.
* In the ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine'' comic strip, the Threshold were first introduced during the mid-90s run of past Doctor strips, with Peri, Susan and Sarah Jane having run-ins with them, before they finally faced off against the Seventh Doctor in "Ground Zero".
* A subtle version of this trope is employed by the ''WesternAnimation/WoodyWoodpecker'' comics and "Gnuff" comics by Freddy Milton. Since the Gnuff stories (in America known primarily from the ''Critters'' anthology mag) were originally printed as backup comics for the Scandinavian ''Woody Woodpecker'' magazine, Milton would occasionally slip in hints that Woody and the Gnuffs [[SharedUniverse lived in the same city]], and though the main characters never met, plot threads would occasionally carry over from one comic to the other, hinting that the separate adventures took place at roughly the same time. The most obvious example, though, is the character J. P. Phrogg, an AffablyEvil opportunist who debuted in Milton's ''Woody'' stories and would go on to appear in the ''Gnuff'' stories.
* ''ComicBook/StarTrekIDW'':
** "The Q Gambit" has its prologue set in the aftermath of ''Star Trek Countdown'' (in the Prime Universe), then transitions to follow Q as he makes his way to the Kelvin timeline and interacts with the alternate-universe Kirk and company.
** The ''Flesh and Stone'' one-shot has all of the doctors from the various series (including [=McCoy=], Christine Chapel, [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Beverly Crusher, Katherine Pulaski]], [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Julian Bashir]], [[Series/StarTrekVoyager The Emergency Medical Hologram]] and [[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Dr. Phlox]]) working together in various time periods to investigate a strange disease.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* ''Fanfic/ShatteredSkiesTheMorningLights'' starts as a cross-through for the main characters of the [[Franchise/SailorMoon five]] [[Manga/CardcaptorSakura primary]] [[Anime/PrettyCure magical]] [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha girl]] [[Franchise/MadokaMagica universes]], all under attack by different forces of the same group of enemies. In later chapters, it becomes a more conventional CrossOver via the characters meeting at an InnBetweenTheWorlds.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film ― Live Action]]
* S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson seems to be working his way through the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse one film at a time as the HeroOfAnotherStory.
** This culminated for him in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', [[spoiler:which saw him die at Loki's hands]]. He's still proven to be a pretty popular character, given that he seems to have been invented solely for the films and has since become a CanonImmigrant to the rest of the Marvel Universe, as well as the main character in ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD''
** The events of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' cross through very prominently into ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD''. ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' also tied into ''Agents''; the last episode before it came out involved an infiltration of a Hydra remnant, where they found out that their last base is in Sokovia, and ended with Coulson picking up the phone to call the Avengers. ''Age of Ultron'' starts with the Avengers attacking said base. Also, throughout that season Coulson was working on a secret project, which in the episode after the movie came out revealed that it was the Helicarrier used in the movie.
** Similarly, there's a storyline about Infinity Stones starting in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', crossing through ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'', ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', ''Film/{{Doctor Strange|2016}}'', and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', before culminating in ''Film/AvengersEndgame''.
* This is basically the plot of ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'', where Kirk falls into the Nexus and Picard meets him there, with a 78-year long mystery about Kirk's fate in between.
* This is usually the formula of the ''Movie Wars'' film series in ''Franchise/KamenRider''. The two headlining Riders get a segment of the movie to themselves, before finally crossing over properly in a third segment that ties the two stories together. Later Movie Wars events starting from the one between ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'' and ''Series/KamenRiderGhost'' seem to indicate that they are perhaps discarding the format entirely.
%%* ''Film/CloudAtlas'': Basically ''Cross Through: TheMovie''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Both the book and movie versions of ''Literature/CloudAtlas'' use this as a primary narrative mechanic, slipping between six stories spanning at least four centuries (if not more!). It's especially interesting because each story is a different genre and, while all the protagonists ''might'' be connected, it's never made completely clear.
* Creator/KimNewman's Literature/DiogenesClub universe has several separate sub-series, following different teams of {{occult detective}}s in the 1890s, 1920s, 1970s, and 1990s. ''Literature/SevenStars'' is a series of short stories in which they each in turn encounter the same ArtifactOfDoom, capped with a story set 20 years in the future and starring the son of the 1990s heroine, Sally Rhodes.
* The concept is also used in the Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse.
** ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoNewAdventuresBloodHarvest Blood Harvest]]'', a Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures novel in which the Seventh Doctor fights vampires in 1930s Chicago and on Gallifrey, led into the very first of the Literature/DoctorWhoMissingAdventures, ''Goth Opera'' by Creator/PaulCornell, which had the Fifth Doctor fighting vampires in 1990s Manchester, as a fairly obvious ploy to get new readers interested in the Missing Adventures books. (A short comic in a ''Doctor Who Annual'' by Creator/PaulCornell also led into ''Goth Opera''.)
** The later Missing Adventure ''Cold Fusion'' by Lance Parkin is a Fifth Doctor novel that also features the Seventh Doctor, and fit into an ongoing New Adventures StoryArc which had, in real world terms, actually concluded some time ago. However in terms of the Seventh Doctor's timeline it fit into between two of the books in that StoryArc.
** BBC Books' Literature/PastDoctorAdventures had a StoryArc in which the companions of various Doctors were seemingly killed in TimeyWimeyBall situations. This tied into the "Sabbath" arc in the Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures. One of these [=PDAs=], ''Wolfsbane'', also featured the Eighth Doctor during the [=EDAs=]' "amnesia" arc.
* There were several series of ''Franchise/StarTrek'' books that did the same thing, with the crews of the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries original series]], [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]], [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]] and [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]] all facing the same villains.
** ''Invasion'' was the first, with the Furies making their first strike in 2267 (''Original Series''), returning in 2369 (''Next Generation''), the enemy that originally drove them out of the Alpha Quadrant returning in 2371 (''Deep Space Nine''), and their final defeat occurring in the Delta Quadrant the same year (''Voyager'').
** ''Day Of Honor'', which culminated in the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode of the same name.
** ''The Captain's Table'', a bar from another dimension that [[GoodGuyBar only admits captains]]. Originally six novels, featuring Kirk and Sulu, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, [[Literature/StarTrekNewFrontier Calhoun]], and Pike; a later book, ''Tales from the Captain's Table'', turned this into short story format with more captains (including Riker of the ''[[Literature/StarTrekTitan Titan]]'', Picard in his ''[[Literature/StarTrekStargazer Stargazer]]'' years, Chakotay of the ''[[Literature/StarTrekVoyagerRelaunch Voyager]]'' post-ending, Klag of the ''[[Literature/StarTrekKlingonEmpire Gorkon]]'' (a decade after the exchange program with Riker), Colonel Kira of ''Deep Space Nine'' (whose Bajoran military rank is a captain equivalent), Captain Archer of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', Demora Sulu forty years after ''[[Film/StarTrekGenerations Generations]]'', Captain David Gold of the ''Literature/StarfleetCorpsOfEngineers'' e-Book series, and Shelby a decade after "Best of Both Worlds" (and from the ''New Frontier'' timeline)).
** ''Double Helix'', in which the "villain" was a virulent disease, featured a mix 'n' match approach, with characters not necessarily appearing in the time period most associated with them: 2364 (''Next Gen'' Season 1); 2366 (''Next Gen'' Season 3/''Deep Space Nine'' during the Occupation); 2369 (very old Spock and [=McCoy=]); 2371 (the Maquis: Tom Riker prior to ''Deep Space Nine'' Season 3/future ''Voyager'' characters); 2375 (Movie-era ''Next Gen''/''[[Literature/StarTrekNewFrontier New Frontier]]''); and 2350 ({{Prequel}}: ''[[Literature/StarTrekStargazer Stargazer]]''/Ensign Tuvok).
** ''Gateways'', wherein the Iconian gateways spring to life again, with disastrous results. Gives the interesting hook of an opening real-time holoconference between many of the principles.
** ''Literature/StarTrekTheBraveAndTheBold'' was a series of novels in which all four crews had to deal with one of four legendary artifacts - with a framing story in which [[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Jonathan Archer]] (whose first season was still in production) was the first human to hear the legend! Also, much like the Creator/{{DC Comic|s}} of the same name (which also gave rise to ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''), each crew was paired with a lesser-known crew from their timeline (Kirk with Commodore Decker and the ''Constellation'' from "The Doomsday Machine", [=DS9=] with the ''Odyssey'' crew from "The Jem'Hadar"; Voyager with Captain [=DeSoto=] and the ''Hood'', Riker's post prior to the ''Enterprise'' (and Chakotay's Maquis cell teaming up with Cal Hudson's Maquis cell), and the Next Gen crew teaming with Captain Klag from the ''Gorkon'', a decade after the exchange program with Riker).
* The ''Star Wars'' books ''Legacy of the Jedi'' and ''Secrets of the Jedi'' are apparently this according to their descriptions.
** The book ''Rogue Planet'' takes place in the prequel era prior to the Clone Wars, but it directly ties into the ''Literature/NewJediOrder'' series, concurrently-published but set generations later.
** ''Millennium Falcon'' is one of these, following the ''Falcon''[='=]s history through the Clone Wars up to Han's ownership of it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheDefenders2017'' has its own interconnected storylines.
** The most prominent being [[Creator/RosarioDawson Claire Temple]], who has gone between all the involved shows.
** The main villains of ''The Defenders'' are The Hand, which started as background villains in season 1 of ''Series/Daredevil2015'', then become more fleshed out in season 2 of ''Daredevil'' and season 1 of ''Series/IronFist2017''.
** [[Creator/DeborahAnnWoll Karen Page]] is an up and coming case, having started out in ''Daredevil'' and also having a recurring role in ''The Defenders'' and a recurring role in ''Series/ThePunisher2017'' in between the second and third seasons of ''Daredevil''.
** [[Creator/CarrieAnneMoss Jeri Hogarth]] is a main cast member in season 1 of ''Series/JessicaJones2015'', which is followed by a cameo in the season 2 finale of ''Daredevil'' and then a small role in season 1 of ''Iron Fist''.
** [[AmoralAttorney Benjamin Donovan]] crosses back and forth between ''Daredevil'' and ''Series/LukeCage2016'', functioning in the former as a consigliere to Wilson Fisk, and in the latter show is doing the same for Mariah Dillard.
** Rosalie Carbone makes her debut in ''Luke Cage'' season 2, and then crosses over to ''Daredevil'' season 3.
* Salem of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' had eaten a [[TimeyWimeyBall time ball]] and traveled through the other three shows airing on TGIF at the time: ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'', ''Series/TeenAngel'', and ''You Wish''.
* Creator/DisneyChannel did one of this in regards to their {{sitcom}}s: the main characters of ''Series/CoryInTheHouse'', ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'', and ''Series/HannahMontana'' saw a wishing star on the sky and made a wish (which came true and the episodes are BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor plots).
* NBC did this with ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', ''Series/EmptyNest'', and ''Series/Nurses1991'' ''twice'' in the same year.
** First and most famously, was "Hurricane Saturday", wherein all three shows were affected by the same hurricane. Actually, it was more like two hurricanes. Hurricane Gil was the first one, and it only affected The Golden Girls. At the beginning of the Empty Nest episode, it was mentioned on the [[CoincidentalBroadcast news]] that Hurricane Gil had passed, only to be instantly replaced by Hurricane Heidi, which took over for the rest of the cross through.
** A mere eleven episodes later that same year, all three shows came together for yet another cross through. This time, it was "Moon Over Miami", wherein all three shows were affected by a full moon, which was reported to have caused [[{{Lunacy}} weird strange phenomena and weird behavior in people]], such as werewolves, rising ocean tides, and people acting out of character.
* On November 3, 1994, NBC did another one entitled "Blackout Thursday", this time incorporating ''Series/MadAboutYou'', ''Series/{{Friends}}'', and ''Madman of the People''[[note]]''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' was supposed to be part of the cross-through as well, but Jerry Seinfeld refused to take part[[/note]]. It started with ''Mad About You''[='=]s Jamie Buchanan accidentally causing a blackout affecting the whole of New York, with the subsequent ''Friends'' and ''Madman of the People'' episodes taking place during that same blackout.
* CBS did a four-episode story arc on February 26, 1996, crossing over between their four sitcoms airing that night - ''Series/TheNanny'' (episode: "Where's the Pearls?"), ''Can't Hurry Love'' (episode: "The Elizabeth Taylor Episode" / "Liz Taylor Show"), ''Series/MurphyBrown'' (episode: "Trick or Retreat") and ''High Society'' (episode: "The Family Jewels"), all revolving around Creator/ElizabethTaylor as she was promoting her new "Black Pearls" perfume while wearing a $300,000 string of actual black pearls, which Fran Fine accidentally lost in the first episode. The search lasted the rest of the night, ending when they were found in the fourth episode.
* A year after the CBS example, ABC did the same with a "Viva Las Vegas" in February 1997, with characters from ''Series/{{Coach}}'', ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'', ''Series/{{Ellen}}'', and ''Series/GraceUnderFire'' all going to Las Vegas at the same time and meeting up with each other in a series of cameos.
* During ''Series/PortCharles'' run (1997-2003), the Nurses Ball would start on ''PC'', then pick up on ''Series/GeneralHospital'' (''PC''[='=]s parent show) and vice versa. Although this was a problem for markets that aired ''PC'' after ''GH'' or didn't air it at all.
* From 2020 to 2022, the {{Series/Arrowverse}} has [[Series/{{Arrow}} John Diggle]] popping up in episodes of ''Series/{{The Flash|2014}}'', ''Series/{{Supergirl|2015}}'', and ''Series/{{Batwoman|2019}}'' as he tries to decide what to do with the [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Mysterious Glowing Box]] he received in the ''Arrow'' finale.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mixed Media]]
* On November 2, 2012, The Walt Disney Company and its assets responded to Hurricane Sandy by coordinating what may be the biggest Cross Through in TV history. They called November 5 a "Day of Giving". ''Good Morning America'' started it by dedicating the entire 8:00 a.m. hour to raising money for Sandy Relief efforts. ABC News anchors, reporters and employees all banded together to encourage people to donate to [[UsefulNotes/TheRedCross the American Red Cross]]. ''LIVE with Kelly and Michael'' then integrated "Day of Giving" messaging into their highly anticipated Halloween episode (which was delayed due to the impact of the storm). ''Series/TheView'', ''The Chew'', and ''Katie'' (the latter of which had dedicated its entire hour on Wednesday, October 31 to Hurricane Sandy) also discussed the Day of Giving, and encouraged donations. Creator/{{ABC}}-owned TV stations and local ABC affiliates integrated "Day of Giving" messaging into their local news throughout the day, calling on their local communities to help those impacted by the storm, as well as ''World News with Diane Sawyer'' and ''Nightline''. ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' personalized sections of the live show that night by integrating stories of how Hurricane Sandy has impacted several of the dancers on the show, and ''Series/JimmyKimmelLive'', which had been airing from Brooklyn throughout week, encouraging viewers to give to UsefulNotes/TheRedCross to help rebuild impacted areas, included special messaging and calls to action for Kimmel's viewers. Meanwhile, Creator/{{ESPN}} ran {{public service announcement}}s to engage viewers in Hurricane Sandy relief efforts throughout its programming, including coverage of The New York City Marathon [[note]]which would eventually be cancelled [[/note]] and Monday Night Football, and Creator/DisneyChannel aired what were called "age-appropriate" messages of the same.
** ABC tried something similar after hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, but it was less extensive. The branding didn't touch Disney Channel or ESPN, and some of the network's more popular shows were on summer hiatus.
** Creator/{{NBC}} did a similar gimmick, though to a lesser extent than the Day of Giving, to raise money for the newly-resurrected Creator/ComicRelief USA's "Red Nose Day" telethon.
* On one Friday, ''The View'', ''The Chew'', and ''The Revolution'' had episodes focusing on dogs.
* ABC had a more proper example on November 9, 2017 with the "Day of ''Grey's''", an event promoting [[MilestoneCelebration the 300th episode of]] ''Series/GreysAnatomy''. Throughout the day, Dr. Grey herself, Ellen Pompeo, appeared on ''Good Morning America'', then went over to ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', then ''The View'' and ''The Chew''. After the episode itself aired, ''Nightline'' ran an extensive feature on ''Grey's''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* "The Hooded Ones From The Streets" angle in 2007, where multi promotional PowerStable La Rabia [[HostileShowTakeover invaded]] both WWC and IWA Puerto Rico at the same time. It was prevented from being an outright crossover when IWA vacated one of their title belts to keep them from taking it to a WWC event.
* Wrestling/SamiCallihan's stalking of Wrestling/DaizeeHaze in the International Wrestling Cartel ending up crossing through into Wrestling/RingOfHonor when Callihan planted a camera in the promotion's dojo where Haze and [[Wrestling/HunterJohnston Delirious]] were working. This had no direct effect on ROH's shows but helped enhance Delirious and Haze's connection in the cartel.
* Outside of the occasional columns on its website, Wrestling/{{WWE}} prefers not to acknowledge the existence of any promotion they don't own the rights to, so when they used the facilities of say, 5th Avenue Entertainment and American Combat Wrestling in Florida for the purpose of their FCW {{revival}}, it's essentially this trope in play. ACW also has friendlier relations with Florida Underground Wrestling, Ring Warriors, the Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA and the WWN Live four (FIP, [[Wrestling/DragonGate DG USA]], EVOLVE, SHINE), though after the end of DG USA, WWN presence became more pronounced.
* River City Wrestling and The American Pro Wrestling Alliance technically housed members of Wrestling/{{TNA}} {{power stable}} Wrestling/{{Aces And Eights|Wrestlers}} but as the group's primary goal was "[[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs takeover TNA]]", this was mostly incidental rather than some important development. There were some murmurings of visiting other chapters for recruitment on Impact but this had no noticeable effect on anyone else. Ring Warriors actually did mention Wes Brisco's Aces & Eights involvement, [[SomebodyElsesProblem but didn't actually care beyond "hey look, he's on another TV show!".]]
[[/folder]]

%% [[folder:Video Games]]
%% * One of the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' games, ''VideoGame/StarTrekLegacy'', does this.
%% [[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Video]]
* Several of the TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons shows produced by Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast -- specifically ''WebVideo/AcquisitionsIncorporated'' (both the main series and the ''"C" Team'' spinoff), ''WebVideo/DiceCameraAction'' and ''WebVideo/ForceGrey'' -- share a continuity and impact one another.
** Season 10 of ''Acquisitions Incorporated'' and ''Force Grey: Giant Hunters'' are both set during the ''Storm King's Thunder'' storyline, and cumulatively deal the teams trying to prevent Auspicia Dran of Dran Enterprises from assembling the Rod of Seven Parts. The climax of both shows take place in Count Stratovan's cloud castle, albeit at different times.[[note]]This was initially planned as a CrossOver, with both teams attacking the castle together in a live game at PAX West 2016, but Force Grey's cast had scheduling problems[[/note]]
** [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt Drizzt Do'urden]], and Chris Perkins' [[BrooklynRage rather unique characterisation of him]], appears in both ''Acquisitions Incorporated'' and ''Dice, Camera, Action!''. In the latter appearance, he still hasn't forgiven Acq Inc for losing his animal companion.
** Strix, one of the main characters in ''Dice, Camera, Action!'', has become a recurring party member in ''Acquisitions Incorporated''. However, as of yet neither series' storylines are related to one another.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Creator/CartoonNetwork ran an event called "Cartoon Network Invaded" in May 2007, which involved cheese-craving aliens from the moon that turn into werewolves. The shows involved were ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'', ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'', ''WesternAnimation/MyGymPartnersAMonkey'', ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', with a few cameos from uninvolved Cartoon Network shows thrown in for good measure. The crossover ended with the aliens concluding that the Earthlings were smarter than they thought and proceeding to suck out the intelligence of their five abducted characters. Unfortunately for them, they turn out to be [[TheDitz five of the dumbest characters from each of the shows]] (Cheese, Ed, Slips Python, Skip the dung beetle, and Fred Fredburger). All five of these shows have alternate endings that sever their connections to the event; for example, instead of the brain-sucking scene described above, the ''Billy and Mandy'' episode ends with a CrossoverPunchline involving ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor''.
* When the Creator/USANetwork was carrying Saturday morning cartoons, they had one day devoted to a storyline centered around the [[OriginalGeneration original character]] the Warrior King (voiced by Creator/MichaelDorn), wandering around each show's universe in search of a powerful MacGuffin. The specific episodes he appears in are, in chronological order, "The Warrior King" (''WesternAnimation/StreetFighter''), "Endgame" (''ComicBook/TheSavageDragon''), "Resurrection" (''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm'', focusing solely on the [=MacGuffin=]; the Warrior King makes only a cameo as a shadow at the end, leaving many ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' fans unaware of the Cross Through confused) and "Recreation" (''WesternAnimation/WingCommanderAcademy'').
* In 2011, a hurricane storyline ran across Creator/SethMacFarlane's three shows: ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' and ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''. Each episode of the night featured its main cast trapped in their homes due to a violent hurricane. And ''American Dad'' (the last show to air on the block) ended with the homes of all three casts having been ripped free by the hurricane and resulting flooding and dumped in the same place.
* On April 1st, 2022, Creator/AdultSwim ran edited versions of ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', ''WesternAnimation/SmilingFriends'', ''Series/TheEricAndreShow'', ''[[WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Aqua TV Show Show]]'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Birdgirl}}'', and ''Series/JoePeraTalksWithYou'' with cameo appearances by WesternAnimation/{{Pibby}} as she and [=BunBun=] are chased by the corrupting entity. They even show up in the bumpers between shows.
* January 13, 2023 saw an hour-long ''Franchise/SpongeBobSquarePants'' event called "The Tidal Zone", which brings back the eponymous FramingDevice from "No Pictures Please" and "The Night Patty". This time, the event affects not just [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants the original show]], but ''WesternAnimation/KampKoral'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'' as well. During the first of these episodes, "Shrinking Stars", [=GrandPat=] engages in some RoadRunnerVsCoyote antics against his shrunken family until he falls through Patrick's time door, setting up his cameo appearances in "Welcome to Binary Bottom" and "The Switch Glitch". The night closed out with the double feature of "You're Going to Pay...Phone" and "A Skin Wrinkle in Time", the latter serving as an epilogue to [=GrandPat=]'s adventure.
[[/folder]]

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