Note: This is an index, not a trope. See the list of specific types below, and choose one of those to list your example as. And check its page first to see whether it belongs on the main or the YMMV page.
When an established character becomes largely different, exhibiting behavior contrary to what has been previously shown. This is not a matter of
organic growth. Rather than gradually changing in response to events and experiences, a derailed character will exhibit shockingly unusual behavior that implies
malfeasance or
incompetence on the part of the writers.
Note that organic growth does not necessarily mean 'benign growth', and it is perfectly possible for a previously good-natured character to end up embittered or depressed without falling victim to this trope. This is
rare however, and often unpopular.
In published fiction, derailment is usually caused by an author having a certain story idea and needing to stretch the characters' personality to fit. In the worst cases, the author
may end up speaking for the character. In works with multiple authors, a new author may have a
wildly different interpretation of a character, causing him to write his version of the character instead of the one established by canon.
Fans motivated by
Die for Our Ship will use
Character Derailment in their
fanfics to remove the character from the
Official Couple which is in the way of their
OTP (or just because they dislike them).
Superdickery uses this trope as an advertising technique. The actual amount of decay may be anywhere from an aversion to full on character derailment in a different direction.
It only counts as this trope if it happens in canon. Trope Decay is when this occurs for trope examples.
In the rarest of cases, this can be an example of how
Tropes Are Not Bad. Previously boring or irritating characters may actually be
improved if they're drastically changed. A classic example is Kelly Bundy from
Married... with Children, whose transformation into
The Brainless Beauty also coincided with the show's
Growing the Beard.
NOTE: while this page has/should have
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Specific types:
If in
Fan Fics, it can involve
Canon Defilement,
Draco in Leather Pants,
Ron the Death Eater. When the derailed character's characterization is fixed, it is
Character Rerailment. Contrast
Characterization Marches On, in which a character changes because their previous characterization was only a "work in progress".
Examples
