Markup View

Author: Psi001

Aug 5th 2012 at 7:20:36 AM

Your new revision sounds more plausible, if still rather subjective. Basically the process where a characters defining personality traits or quirks are diluted or even disappear altogether. May be a poor attempt at rounding of the character or making them a more dignified figure. Often this is due to the common theory that [[DarkerAndEdgier more serious dignified characters]] are more likely to acheive proper depth than goofy more exagerrative ones, who are often restricted to comic relief roles.

Alternatively this is to create an AudienceSurrogate or TheEveryman for the audience, which may have varied success depending both on whether the audience relate to the character, or whether they prefered their original more vibrant persona.

Other times it is simply because they become OutOfFocus or are ousted by other more vibrant characters.

Compare and contrast Flanderization and CharacterExaggeration, where the character's defining traits actually become overblown and more vivid as time passes.

* A frequent complaint issued to MickeyMouse. In early shorts, he was a loveable but somewhat abrasive and mischevious character, not against using trickery or ambition against foes. When more abrasive characters like DonaldDuck appeared, Mickey became more toned down and evolved into TheEveryman. His lack of star appeal led to his own series of shorts slowly fading, though modern features seem to be gradually trying to revive his old personality.
* Most of the heroes in ''TheDreamstone'' within the first few first season episodes, as a result of becoming restructured as {{Hero Antagonist}}s to [[VillainProtagonist the Urpneys]]. Rufus in particular started off as the main protagonist and a CloudCuckooLander BadassAdorable before devolving into a generic unexceptional kid akin to the Mickey Mouse example.
* Some of the original Freedom Fighters of ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog'' have had a lot of their defining quirks diluted, likely to abide by the comic's CerebusSyndrome and to foil their goofier allies taken from the games series. This is particularly noticable with Antoine, who started as a pompous Klutz. While he gained more competence and commendable strengths, it mostly came at the cost of his personality, and soon he devolved into a generic fighter in the background. Sally similarly lost most of her comedic aspects such as her stuffiness and neuroses to become the comics' key strong female lead.