History Main / AudienceSurrogate

VideoGames usually use a variant of this, the FeaturelessProtagonist. ThisLoserIsYou is an Audience Surrogate by definition. SuperTrope for AscendedFanboy, TheEveryman, GreekChorus, NaiveNewcomer and UnfazedEveryman (See CanonicalListOfSubtleTropeDistinctions for an explanation of the difference), and related to EscapistCharacter and OtakuSurrogate. Parent of LeadYouCanRelateTo (see parent/child relationships page). Examples below should not cover these.

* In the mid-credits scene of ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'', when Billy is asked by [[Film/TheSuicideSquad Emilia Harcourt]] and [[Series/{{Peacemaker}} John Economos]] to join the [[Film/BlackAdam Justice Society of America]], Billy lampshades the confusion between the [[Film/JusticeLeague2017 Justice]] [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica ''League'']] and the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice ''Society'']].

* The Talking Flowers from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'' tend to react to the surreal Wonder Effects by giving surprised reactions that the audience likely would.
-->'''Talking Flower:''' ''[after a bunch of Piranha Plants start singing out of nowhere]'' Are they... singing? ''[{{Beat}}]'' ''They're singing.''

Compare [[ViewersAreIndexed Sliding Scale of Viewer Intelligence]].

** Kekera and Beroba both double as a TakeThatAudience example. Kerkera embodies the series fanbase watching for the ideals of heroism, and is also an InUniverse example of expecting specific plots or characters to [[PanderingToTheBase cater to them]]. He wants Keiwa to become an IdealHero, but the unethical methods he uses to ensure his ward becomes "[[ATrueHero real Kamen Rider]]" are increasing hypocritial as he becomes an EvilMentor. Beroba represents the fanbase invested in the show's violence, being an apatheic {{Sadist}} RootingForTheEmpire so she can enjoy others' suffering. But she gets a VillainousBreakdown when she ends up being on the recieving end of a CurbstompBattle.

* In the mid-credits scene of ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'', when Billy is asked by [[Film/TheSuicideSquad Emilia Harcourt]] and [[Series/Peacemaker John Economos]] to join the [[Film/BlackAdam Justice Society of America]], Billy lampshades the confusion between the [[Film/JusticeLeague2017 Justice]] [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica ''League'']] and the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice ''Society'']].

* In the mid-credits scene of ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'', when Billy is asked by [[Film/TheSuicideSquad Emilia Harcourt]] and [[Series/Peacemaker John Economos]] to join the [[Film/BlackAdam Justice Society of America]], Billy lampshades the confusion between the [[Film/JusticeLeague2017 Justice]] [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica''League'']] and the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice ''Society'']].

* In the mid-credits scene of ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'', when Billy is asked by Emilia Harcourt and John Economos to join the Justice Society of America, Billy lampshades the confusion between the Justice ''League'' and the Justice ''Society''.

* [[Characters/XMen90sMembers Jubilee]] is this in the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries''. It's through her eyes that we're introduced to the REAL main characters and the mutant world at large.

** Probably the most well known audience surrogate in comics is also one of the most popular characters, which is largely cited to be ''because'' of how much he qualifies: [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Peter Parker, The Amazing Spider-Man]]. His status as this is part of the reason he was created and why he sold so well.

* ''VisualNovel/SlayThePrincess'' has the Hero and the Contratrian, two voices in the Player's head that influence your choices. The two are foils of each other, the Hero being a fence sitter who follows the rules with caution while the Contratrian initially acting against the game's script in a reckless manner that he eventually regrets.

* ''Series/KamenRiderGeats'': The show actually has four such characters in the form of the Supporters, people from the future watching the ImmoralRealityShow the series centers around and each sponsoring one of the four main contestants. Ziin represents the audience watching ''Kamen Rider'' because they care about the storylines and drama, which can lead him to be a LoonyFan. Kekera represents the audience watching for the ideals of heroism and justice that the franchise stands for, making him supportive but also hardheaded. Kyuun represents the analytical part of the fanbase, with reviews that often come out as blunt criticism in short-form communication like speaking in person, but come through more clearly in writing where he has time to compose his thoughts. Beroba represents the audience there for the violence and spectacle inherent to superheroes, with the result that she's a sadist RootingForTheEmpire so she can enjoy watching more bloodshed.

** ComicBook/{{Robin}} was introduced to the comic in order to appeal to the young audience who bought it. Even among the various Robins, [[Characters/RobinTimDrake Tim Drake (Robin III)]] is often cited as the easiest to relate to and identify with as he ''wasn't'' an orphan, acrobat, or street rat [[spoiler: although he became the first one in ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'']]. Just a regular kid who knew Batman needed a Robin.

** This trope is pretty much the reason why House Tyrell were so popular with viewers. They're cunning enough to play [[DeadlyDecadentCourt the Game]], but benevolent enough not to resort to unnecessary bloodshed, while also being relatively progressive regarding gender and sexuality. As such, they were easy to identify with and root for.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Gendry has the same reaction to Arya's WastefulWishing as many viewers.