History Main / NotSoSmallRole

* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'': A seemingly ordinary guy who works on the train (played by Creator/MasakazuMorita) gets killed [[SacrificialLamb fairly early on]] in episode 2 when the train gets hijacked. Then came episode 9 and it was revealed that [[spoiler: he faked his death and is actually the infamous assassin known as [[TheButcher Vino]] ''[[TwoAliasesOneCharacter and]]'' the urban legend known as [[MookHorrorShow The Rail Tracer]], and he gets to [[PlayingAgainstType play against]] the seiyuu's [[Manga/{{Bleach}} known]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX roles]].]]

* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'': A seemingly ordinary guy who works on the train (played by Creator/MasakazuMorita) gets killed [[SacrificialLamb fairly early on]] in episode 2 when the train gets hijacked. Then came episode 9 and it was revealed that [[spoiler: he faked his death and is actually the assassin known as [[TheButcher Vino]] ''[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TwoAliasesOneCharacter and]]'' the urban legend known as [[MookHorrorShow The Rail Tracer]], and he gets to [[PlayingAgainstType play against]] the seiyuu's [[Manga/{{Bleach}} known]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX roles]].]]

* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'': A seemingly ordinary guy who works on the train (played by Creator/MasakazuMorita) gets killed fairly early on in episode 2. Then came episode 9 and it was revealed that [[spoiler: he is actually The Rail Tracer and he gets to [[PlayingAgainstType play against]] the seiyuu's [[Manga/{{Bleach}} known]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX roles]].]]

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'': A seemingly ordinary guy who works on the train (played by Creator/MasakazuMorita) gets killed fairly early on in episode 2. Then came episode 9 and it was revealed that [[spoiler: he is actually The Rail Tracer and he gets to [[PlayingAgainstType play against]] the seiyuu's [[Manga/{{Bleach}} known]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX roles]].]]

[[AC:{{Music}}]]

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' features a supporting character called Miranda Tate who has no connection to the comics and whose only function seems to be to provide Bruce with a rich ally and love interest. Also, Nolan worked with her before in ''Inception'', and he likes to reuse actors. But since she's played by Oscar winner Creator/MarionCotillard she's actually [[spoiler: the daughter of the first film's villain and the true mastermind behind the evil plan]].

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' features a supporting character called Miranda Tate who has no connection to the comics and whose only function seems to be to provide Bruce with a rich ally. But since she's played by Oscar winner Creator/MarionCotillard she's actually [[spoiler: the daughter of the first film's villain and the true mastermind behind the evil plan]].

** When lab tech Dale Stuckey shows up in an episode, he seems to be nothing more than a momentary source of inappropriate GallowsHumor, a common enough role for law and order bit parts, one that [[HateSink is poorly received by the audience]]. A couple of episodes later he shows up again, and again, and starts affecting the plots by screwing things up for the detectives. Then after another one of these screwups [[spoiler:he goes off the deep end and becomes the BigBad of an episode, going on a killing spree to cover his screwups and get revenge on the people who treated him like a screwup.]]

* In ''Series/LawAndOrderSVU'', when lab tech Dale Stuckey shows up in an episode, he seems to be nothing more than a momentary source of inappropriate humor, one that [[HateSink is poorly received by the audience]]. A couple of episodes later he shows up again, and again, and starts affecting the plots by screwing things up for the detectives. Then after another one of these screwups [[spoiler:he goes off the deep end and becomes the BigBad of an episode, going on a killing spree to cover his screwups and get revenge on the people who treated him like a screwup.]]

** Also in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E5TheGirlWhoDied "The Girl Who Died"]], Creator/MaisieWilliams plays the seemingly minor character of a Viking villager called Ashildr, who, as the episode's title suggests, dies in the episode, apparently confirming the one-shot nature of her character. But then the Doctor revives her, indeed he makes her immortal, and Ashildr makes several more appearances throughout series 9, where she is integral to the plot arc.

** Also in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E5TheGirlWhoDied "The Girl Who Died"]], Creator/MaisieWilliams plays the seemingly minor character of a Viking villager called Ashildr, who, as the episode's title suggests, dies in the episode, apparently confirming the one-shot nature of her character. But then the Doctor revives her, indeed gives her FunctionalImmortality, and Ashildr makes several more appearances throughout series 9, where she is integral to the plot arc.

* In ''Film/{{RED}}'', Creator/MorganFreeman gets one scene as an old friend of the protagonist's, before being "killed off" offscreen. [[NeverFoundTheBody Yeah, right]].

This is especially prevalent in dubbed anime series with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters. A seemingly insignificant character will later end up having a large role. Even if AnyoneCanDie, a character voiced by Creator/SteveBlum will rarely be KilledOffForReal (until the finale).

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'': Creator/ToruFuruya (aka, the guy that voiced Amuro Ray, the primary hero of the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam very first Gundam]] series, among other major anime roles) voiced what appeared to be a bit character, Ribbons Almark, who was barely even an extra who appeared maybe twice in the first season, acting as a random assistant to a scheming spy-type character. Then, in the season finale, he usurps the plot out of nowhere and becomes the BigBad of the show for the second season, having apparently been manipulating his assumed boss from the start. Oh, and it's also later revealed that [[spoiler:he's the one who made Setsuna a Gundam Meister in the first place, and the reason Setsuna's so obsessed with the concept of "Gundam" at all]].

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E11Utopia "Utopia"]], Sir Creator/DerekJacobi appears in a one-off guest role as the kindly scientist Professor Yana... who's revealed to be [[spoiler:the Doctor's nemesis the Master, one of the most iconic villains in the show's history]].

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' had a lot of iconic genre actors make one-off guest appearences, but when a minor-seeming angel named Ezekiel shows up in the body of Creator/TahmohPenikett, fans knew he wasn't as minor as he seemed.

* The first few episodes of ''WesternAnimation/StretchArmstrongAndTheFlexFighters'' feature a non-descript male background character that usually rides the train in Charter City. Later in the first season, the show focuses on him and he becomes a MonsterOfTheWeek due to Rook's Flexarium experiments. He has a distinct voice actor in Creator/AndrewKishino, but is still only credited as "Man", is easily defeated and presumably dies. Come season two, [[spoiler: we find out from flashbacks that he was close to Rook as he knows about his true identity as Stretch Monster. In the final scene of the season, he is revealed to have kidnapped one of the Flex Fighters' new allies and is posing as him]].

* ''WesternAnimation/Avatar TheLastAirbender'' has Creator/MarkHamill voice Fire Lord Ozai, who scarred Zuko in his initial appearance. He becomes the BigBad after Book 2.

* The annoying reporter Debbie Salt in ''{{Film/Scream 2}}'' is actually none other than [[spoiler: the mother of the first movie's killer looking to take revenge]].

* Frequently subverted in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', who often have famous guest stars voice acting bit parts; in one case, a turkey. Which gets no lines except to make gobbling noises.
** WordOfGod says Trey & Matt received a call from the agent of Creator/JerrySeinfeld, telling them Jerry was a fan of the show and was interested in lending his voice to a bit part. Said Trey: "Okay, we want him to be Turkey #3." "You don't understand," the agent returned, "this is ''Jerry Seinfeld''." "All right then, how 'bout Turkey #5?" Seinfeld ended up not doing a guest spot.

* ''Film/SleepyHollow'' casts Miranda Richardson in the seemingly insignificant background role of Lady Van Tassel. [[spoiler: She's the one who's been summoning the Headless Horseman]].

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* ''Series/TruCalling'': Jack Harper (played by Jason Priestly) started off a paramedic who would come in, drop off a dead body, and provided the series with what seemed to be some minor flirtation. Then by the beginning of season 2, he's the anti-Tru villain who is the antagonist of nearly every episode.

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': For their first appearance, Creator/MarkPellegrino and Creator/TitusWelliver were credited as playing "Man #1" and "Man #2". Turned out, they were in fact cast as Jacob and his nemesis, aka "The Smoke Monster" - two cornerstone mythology figures in the show.
* [[spoiler:DJ Sagara]] in ''Series/KamenRiderGaim''.
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Utopia", Sir Creator/DerekJacobi appears in a one-off guest role as the kindly scientist Professor Yana...who's revealed to be [[spoiler: the Doctor's nemesis the Master, one of the most iconic villains in the show's history]].
* ''{{Series/Charmed|1998}}'':
** The third season had a featured extra called Abby who worked behind the bar in P3. Then comes the episode "Sight Unseen" where Abby turns out to be Prue's stalker.
** The Season 3 finale also had a minor character called Alice, who seemed to be a token background believer in the sisters' powers. She ends up shooting Piper fatally because she believes the sisters are evil.