History Main / ChangingOfTheGuard

* Annoyingly, the [[AndTheAdventureContinues ending]] of NeverwinterNights was set up for another adventure, but they move on to entirely new groups of heroes in the expansions and the sequel.

* The first series of the ''WarriorCats'' books started off with Firestar as the [[TheHero main character]]. He was then replaced by Brambleclaw in the New Prophecy. In the Power Of Three, he turns into a background character like Firestar, and is replaced by Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. The Omen of the Stars has Ivypool and Dovewing as its main focus.

* The first series of the WarriorCats books started off with Firestar as the [[TheHero main character]]. He was then replaced by Brambleclaw in the New Prophecy. In the Power Of Three, he turns into a background character like Firestar, and is replaced by Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. The Omen of the Stars has Ivypaw and Dovepaw as its main focus.

* EdgarRiceBurroughs generally took this path with his Mars books. The third book dealt not so much with John Carter as with his son; the fourth with his daughter; etc.

Any story is possible; the ChangingOfTheGuard may be invisible to the characters, behind the fourth wall. However, ChangingOfTheGuard often has the new main character move in the old character's role, and this can be noticed - from as subtle as a character twitting someone in love, because earlier in the series, when heart-whole and fancy-free, he had mocked lovers, to as formal and overt as a character [[PassingTheTorch formally handing on the responsibility]] - which may be a HappyEnding if he is glad to leave, a BitterSweetEnding if the character has at least some [[InHarmsWay longing to go on]], or a DownerEnding if TheHero died, and another character must TakeUpMySword.

* ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha [[SpinOffspring ViVid]]'' has Nanoha actually [[HeroicRROD listening to her doctors' advice for once]] and [[RetiredBadass temporarily resting her wings]], letting her daughter Vivio, whose training she's personally overseeing and who she had proclaimed to be skilled enough to have her own [[TransformationTrinket Intelligent Device]], take over as main character.

* The last few AnneOfGreenGables books are mostly about her kids.

* The ''RecordOfLodossWar'' OVA switches halfway through from Parn to Spark as the main character. Of course, [[spoiler:he's actually just being BadAss offscreen, and returns just in time for the BattleRoyaleWithCheese.]]

* In ''{{Pokemon}} Red and [[MarketBasedTitle Blue/Green]]'' (Or [[VideoGameRemake FireRed and LeafGreen]]), the game ends with the hero defeating the mighty Team Rocket and becoming a [[ToBeAMaster Pokémon Master]]. Of course, since the series [[CashCowFranchise seems to print money]], {{Pokemon}} Gold and Silver (Or [[VideoGameRemake HeartGold and SoulSilver]]) were sequels set three years afterward, where a new young trainer must go up against Team Rocket, who has returned [[AvengingTheVillain under new leadership]], and [[ToBeAMaster become a Pokémon Master]]. The first half of the game is set in [[ExpansionPackWorld the brand new Johto region]], but you do get to return to Kanto and see all the characters from the original games, including the [[FinalBoss previous hero]]. The later games in the series don't really count as much due to the lack of revisiting old areas.

* Akira Toriyama wanted to do this in ''{{Dragonball}}'', switching the focus from Goku to his son Gohan, but the audience and the publisher kept demanding more Goku.

** After PowerRangersInSpace they started [[ChangingOfTheGuard changing the guard]] every season, by making SequelSeries in the vain of SuperSentai.

** After PowerRangersInSpace they started [[ChangingOfTheGuard changing the guard]] every season, by making SquealSeries in the vain of SuperSenti.

* ''TheLionKing 2'' is about [[TheHero Simba]]'s daughter, Kiara, rather than about Simba.
* Disney's ''TheLittleMermaid II: Return to the Sea'' is about Ariel's daughter more than Ariel herself.
* ''LadyAndTheTramp II: Scamp's Adventure'' is, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin as the title indicates]], about Lady and Tramp's son Scamp, not them.

Why, promote the {{Sidekick}} of course. Or an ally. Or a brother or [[SpinOffspring child]]. They haven't married and settled down yet. TheHero and his LoveInterest can serve as supporting characters (and prove that they are HappilyMarried as a sidenote). Or the HeroicBystander, or the HeroicWannabe - any character that wasn't the lead can fit, if only they are promoted to lead. A SequelHook about their story helps, but is not required. Even new characters who have plausible relationships to the old story, such as the children TheHero and LoveInterest could have - or [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy the child]] the LoveInterest is about to have, even if she wants to make sure he doesn't TurnOutLikeHisFather.

* {{Redwall}}, anyone? There's a new set of characers is almost every book. The only constant is the the abbey itself.

Story's over. TheHero and the LoveInterest have [[TheyDo married]], settled down, have no further interest in adventures -- and, besides, who would look after the kids while they saved the world? Or perhaps -- gasp -- he [[DeaderThanDead died]] and ''stayed dead''.

Why, promote the {{Sidekick}} of course. Or an ally. Or a brother or [[SpinOffspring child]]. They haven't married and settled down yet. TheHero and his LoveInterest can serve as supporting characters (and prove that they are HappilyMarried as a sidenote). Or the HeroicBystander, or the HeroicWannabe -- any character that wasn't the lead can fit, if only they are promoted to lead. A SequelHook about their story helps, but is not required. Even new characters who have plausible relationships to the old story, such as the children TheHero and LoveInterest could have -- or [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy the child]] the LoveInterest is about to have, even if she wants to make sure he doesn't TurnOutLikeHisFather.

Any story is possible; the ChangingOfTheGuard may be invisible to the characters, behind the fourth wall. However, ChangingOfTheGuard often has the new main character move in the old character's role, and this can be noticed -- from as subtle as a character twitting someone in love, because earlier in the series, when heart-whole and fancy-free, he had mocked lovers, to as formal and overt as a character [[PassingTheTorch formally handing on the responsibility]] -- which may be a HappyEnding if he is glad to leave, a BitterSweetEnding if the character has at least some [[InHarmsWay longing to go on]], or a DownerEnding if TheHero died, and another character must TakeUpMySword.

* ChronoTrigger and ChronoCross. The main characters from the former are all out of the picture somehow (dead, in another time, or busy elsewhere), but before they left they set up an unimaginably complex XanatosRoulette to produce the main characters of the latter and get them to be in the right places at the right times.

* The son of the main characters from the previous game is implied to the new hero in FinalFantasyIVTheAfterYears and the game also focuses a good deal on the other children of the previous heroes as well, but the old heroes are quite active in the story themselves as well.
* In {{Pokemon}} Red and [[MarketBasedTitle Blue/Green]] (Or [[VideoGameRemake FireRed and LeafGreen]]), the game ends with the hero defeating the mighty Team Rocket and becoming a [[ToBeAMaster Pokémon Master]]. Of course, since the series [[CashCowFranchise seems to print money]], {{Pokemon}} Gold and Silver (Or [[VideoGameRemake HeartGold and SoulSilver]]) were sequels set three years afterward, where a new young trainer must go up against Team Rocket, who has returned [[AvengingTheVillain under new leadership]], and [[ToBeAMaster become a Pokémon Master]]. The first half of the game is set in [[ExpansionPackWorld the brand new Johto region]], but you do get to return to Kanto and see all the characters from the original games, including the [[FinalBoss previous hero]]. The later games in the series don't really count as much due to the lack of revisiting old areas.

* LoisMcMasterBujold went from ''Shards of Honor'' to a book about the child of its main characters.

**** But he still hasn't done anything quite as awesome as the going shopping incident

Why, promote the {{Sidekick}} of course. Or an ally. Or a brother or [[SpinOffspring child]]. They haven't married and settled down yet. TheHero and his LoveInterest can serve as supporting characters (and prove that they are HappilyMarried as a sidenote). Or the HeroicBystander, or the HeroicWannabe -- any character that wasn't the lead can fit, if only they are promoted to lead. A SequelHook about their story helps, but is not required. Even logical new characters, such as the children TheHero and LoveInterest could have -- or [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy the child]] the LoveInterest is about to have, even if she wants to make sure he doesn't TurnOutLikeHisFather.