History Main / SidekickGraduationsStick

** Pictured: [[Characters/TheFlashWallyWest Wally West]] '''is''' the greatest example of this trope, even after all the attempts at a subversion. After Wally's mentor and the second Flash, [[Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen Barry Allen]], died in the ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, Wally stepped up from the role of Kid Flash to Flash, and was, for over two decades, the primary Flash, even being featured in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and was slated to be in a Live Action film. Then Barry came back, ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' happened, and in the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}},'' Wally was {{retgone}}d, along with most of his supporting cast and any other potential 'sidekick' to the Flash. Later on, they introduced him as a [[AgeLift 12 year old]] [[RaceLift troubled biracial child]] to get him back down to his Kid Flash role again. This faced a massive backlash from the fans and the overall decline in interest resulted in ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'', where the original version of the character returned in a grand fashion and was given his title and legacy back[[note]](with the other younger Wally West revealed to be the original's cousin, both named after their great grandfather, allowing both characters to remain and the younger Wally to have a chance to carve his own path)[[/note]]. After the one-shot, ''ComicBook/TheFlashRebirth'' tie-in had Barry telling Wally he ''is'' a Flash, essentially making them equals. Out of all {{Legacy Character}}s who held their mantles for short periods of time only to [[StatusQuoIsGod revert back to their previous positions]], Wally West '''earned''' to become The Flash.

* ''ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}'': Inverted, as [[Characters/MarvelComicsKateBishop Kate Bishop]] started out as the new Hawkeye in ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' before eventually partnering up with the original Hawkeye in ''ComicBook/Hawkeye2012'', [[Characters/HawkeyeClintBarton Clint Barton]]. She still retains the Hawkeye moniker though (shared with Clint) and they tend to act more as partners than the traditional sidekick/mentor dichotomy. It helps that Clint has admitted that Kate is a better archer than him.

* ''ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}'': Inverted, as [[Characters/MarvelComicsKateBishop Kate Bishop]] started out as the new Hawkeye in ''ComicBook/YoungAvenger'' before eventually partnering up with the original Hawkeye in ''ComicBook/Hawkeye2012'', [[Characters/HawkeyeClintBarton Clint Barton]]. She still retains the Hawkeye moniker though (shared with Clint) and they tend to act more as partners than the traditional sidekick/mentor dichotomy. It helps that Clint has admitted that Kate is a better archer than him.

->"''Hey, no one can be a [[Comicbook/{{Robin}} Boy Wonder]] forever.''"

* Franchise/TheFlash:
** Pictured: ComicBook/WallyWest '''is''' the greatest example of this trope, even after all the attempts at a subversion. After Wally's mentor and the second Flash, Barry Allen, died in the ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, Wally stepped up from the role of Kid Flash to Flash, and was, for over two decades, the primary Flash, even being featured in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and was slated to be in a Live Action film. Then Barry came back, ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' happened, and in the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}},'' Wally was {{retgone}}d, along with most of his supporting cast and any other potential 'sidekick' to the Flash. Later on, they introduced him as a [[AgeLift 12 year old]] [[RaceLift troubled biracial child]] to get him back down to his Kid Flash role again. This faced a massive backlash from the fans and the overall decline in interest resulted in ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'', where the original version of the character returned in a grand fashion and was given his title and legacy back[[note]](with the other younger Wally West revealed to be the original's cousin, both named after their great grandfather, allowing both characters to remain and the younger Wally to have a chance to carve his own path)[[/note]]. After the one-shot, ''ComicBook/TheFlashRebirth'' tie-in had Barry telling Wally he ''is'' a Flash, essentially making them equals. Out of all {{Legacy Character}}s who held their mantles for short periods of time only to [[StatusQuoIsGod revert back to their previous positions]], Wally West '''earned''' to become The Flash.
--->'''Barry Allen:''' "You are no longer Kid Flash. You are a ''Flash'' now."
** Bart Allen is a subversion. Originally ComicBook/{{Impulse}}, then Kid Flash, then the Flash, then dead, then back to Kid Flash. After the ComicBook/{{New 52}} kicked in, his time as Impulse and the Flash was erased and now he's a ''different'' Kid Flash. (He also had an entirely different origin where his name wasn't even really Bart Allen. These days, most fans assume that was a completely different character, [[FanonDiscontinuity and don't talk about him]].) Then, after ''Rebirth'', he's back to being Impulse, but is as much his own hero as he ever was, acting more as his own agent.
** Jesse Quick plays with this; she surpassed her father, Johnny Quick, after he died in large part because the rest of the Flash family basically took her in as one of her own, but she never surpassed Wally West due to CantCatchUp being a defining issue. He stepped down from the Titans to give her room to flourish in that team and play this role straight, but things...didn't go well, and she shortly after became so depressed that she lost her speed after loaning it to Wally to beat Zoom. She then reconnected with her mother, also a superhero by the name Liberty Belle, and after a timeskip, took over her mantle after unlocking her powers. However, she then reconnected with the Flash Family after regaining her speed and became something of a SuperiorSuccessor to ''both'' her parents.
* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s sidekick Dick Grayson became ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}, and has never returned to being Comicbook/{{Robin}}; unlike many characters with successors, he's never referred to as the "real" Robin, just the first. (Although his counterpart in the original [[AlternateUniverse Earth-2]] never gave up the Robin identity.)

*** And then he became Batman an a more permanent basis with Bruce Wayne's 'inconveniencing' in the event ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''. Fans guessed this would be reverted as soon as Bruce got back, but it actually stuck around for a little while with ''both'' men operating as Batman - in fact, Bruce started ''franchising'' and appointing even more Batmen worldwide. Dick's promotion was eventually reversed by the ComicBook/{{New 52}} relaunch, where he went back to being Nightwing.
** The second Robin, [[ComicBook/RedHood Jason Todd]], graduated once he came back from the dead. Except instead of becoming his own hero he became a ''villain''. Or a [[NinetiesAntiHero really dark]] AntiHero or something; it's complicated. He's tried to hijack the Batman and Nightwing names a couple times, but for the most part he's taken over the pre-existing name the Red Hood.

** [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]], the third Robin, altered his identity into ''Red'' Robin. And yes, this counts as a full graduation, as [[ComicBook/RobinSonOfBatman Damian Wayne]] has taken over being original-style Robin. He later went back to sharing the Robin identity with Damien, after a mercifully brief period where his heroic identity was somehow [[RealNameAsAnAlias Drake]].
* The original Speedy has long since moved on from being ComicBook/GreenArrow's sidekick, becoming first Arsenal, then Red Arrow, then Arsenal again.
* Donna Troy stopped being ComicBook/WonderGirl, and started being... [[ContinuitySnarl/DonnaTroy well, we won't get into that]]. Almost nothing's stuck without having [[ContinuitySnarl new layers of convoluted continuity]] added on, but she's still not Wonder Girl again. She's a really unique case. Both the confusion and Donna's subsequent promotion stem partially from the fact that Wonder Girl was originally supposed to be ComicBook/WonderWoman as a young girl who occasionally interacted with her adult self via TimeTravel. A writer saw the cover for one of these stories and got confused when he was writing the Teen Titans.
* Stephanie Brown, the Spoiler, "graduated" to replace [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]] as Robin. It lasted only a few issues, and she then returned to being the Spoiler... but only for the BatFamilyCrossover that ended with her death. Later played straight when Stephanie reappeared (she had been [[HesJustHiding Just Hiding]]) and graduated again, this time to [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2009}} Batgirl]]... At least until the ComicBook/{{New 52}} relaunch, where Barbara took the mantle of [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2011}} Batgirl]] back. It wasn't until Rebirth that she turned up again as The Spoiler. Barbara Gordon showed no signs of wanting to abandon her role and power as ComicBook/{{Oracle}} as she was more confident and a much more influential hero than she'd ever been as ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}. Outside of the comics there was substantial -- though far from universal -- desire to see her scaled back to a street level hero once more. However, there was significant fanbase support for Babs as Oracle, as she was a rare example of a handicapped hero whose concept doesn't rely on a DisabilitySuperpower or on being InspirationallyDisadvantaged. In the end Flashpoint erased the other Batgirls from continuity and put Babs back in the cowl and younger than she's ever been in comics before. As for the other major [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Batgirl]], Cassandra Cain, she stepped away and gave the role to Stephanie. She was eventually appointed as the "Batman" of Hong Kong, using the code name "Blackbat". Then changed again in Rebirth to become "Orphan".
* An unusual example: ComicBook/MoonKnight reluctantly took on Midnight--the son of one of his enemies--as a sidekick. Eventually Midnight was [[FaceHeelTurn "promoted" to villain status]], after [[WeCanRebuildHim becoming an evil cyborg]]. This graduation stuck until Moon Knight recently [[KillHimAlready euthanized his old charge]].
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' and his friends have gone through this multiple times:
** At one point, Steve Rogers was forced out of the role by the US government and replaced by John Walker. When Steve came back, John continued as a hero called the U.S.Agent.
** After ''ComicBook/{{Civil War|2006}}'' Steve was killed and was replaced as Captain America by ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, his WWII sidekick. You thought Bucky was a DeadSidekick? It's a long story... Anyway, when Steve came back, they decided that Bucky should be the one to continue on as Cap, as it helped his CharacterDevelopment. Steve instead operated sans codename as a super-agent not unlike ComicBook/NickFury. Like other examples here, his was eventually reversed: after [[NotQuiteDead supposedly dying]] during ''ComicBook/FearItself'', Bucky decided to go back to his prior identity of the Winter Solder to pursue black-ops missions, [[FakingTheDead using his "death" as a cover]].

* {{Comicbook/Miracleman}} saw his sidekick, Kid Miracleman, grow up and become...a homicidal lunatic who horribly tortured and killed millions of people. Sometimes these things don't work out like you'd hoped.
* Subverted in ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk''. With Bruce Banner safely locked away in a military base and unable to turn into the Hulk, a new, ComicBook/RedHulk (called "Rulk" by fans) shows up from out of nowhere. Who is he? All signs pointed to Rick Jones, the original Hulk's old sidekick, having graduated into the role...which just made it all the more shocking when we learn that Rick has graduated, but NOT into the Red Hulk...instead, he's become a creature called A-Bomb, strong enough to fight Rulk on his own level. [[spoiler:Rulk was eventually revealed to be General "Thunderbolt" Ross, having teamed up with the Leader to take down the Hulk, making this an example of HeWhoFightsMonsters.]]
* The DC [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] had Captain Marvel Jr. become the Big Red Cheese himself during a brief AudienceAlienatingEra.
* [[Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} Aqualad]] was the last of the original Comicbook/TeenTitans to get a new name. When it happened, though, he got an entire miniseries in which, as well as the name Tempest, he got new [[MakingASplash water-shaping powers]].
* The current Knight (the "Batman of Britain") is the original Squire. Admittedly, the Knight and Squire hadn't appeared anywhere for about fifty years until this version showed up, so it was less a change in the status quo and more the introduction of a might-as-well-be-new character...

* Similarly, DC brought back [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Scarlet Mr. Scarlet]], an old Golden Age hero, except now the role is taken by the original's sidekick, who was called Pinky, the Whiz Kid. (Yeah...the Golden Age was a sillier time, wasn't it?)
* A ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' mini-series staring Tails showed how Tails went from TagalongKid to a full-fledged member of the Freedom Fighters. The ''[[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM Saturday Morning cartoon]]'' would do the same thing for him, but with different events. Amy Rose would get a few stories showcasing her own rise to Freedom Fighter status.
* Though more of a DistaffCounterpart than a proper sidekick, Carol Danvers finally left behind the ComicBook/MsMarvel identity and became ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}} proper in the wake of ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen''. The Ms. Marvel identity has since passed to a [[AffirmativeActionLegacy Muslim teenager named Kamala Khan]].
* ''ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}'': Inverted, as [[Characters/HawkeyeKateBishop Kate Bishop]] started out as the new Hawkeye in ''ComicBook/YoungAvenger'' before eventually partnering up with the original Hawkeye in ''ComicBook/Hawkeye2012'', [[Characters/HawkeyeClintBarton Clint Barton]]. She still retains the Hawkeye moniker though (shared with Clint) and they tend to act more as partners than the traditional sidekick/mentor dichotomy. It helps that Clint has admitted that Kate is a better archer than him.
* After ''ComicBook/DeathOfWolverine'', his clone daughter ComicBook/{{X 23}} assumed the mantle of Wolverine, starring in ''ComicBook/AllNewWolverine''. Since Logan's return, Laura's shared the Wolverine name with him, with his blessing.
* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': Kitty Pryde goes from the X-Men's TagalongKid to independent superheroine to underground vigilante and eventually the actual leader of mutantkind by the end of Ultimate Marvel.

There is, however, one category of change that's an interesting exception: the "graduation" of {{Sidekick}}s to become independent heroes in their own right, or [[LegacyCharacter assume their mentor's mantle]] (which can overlap with PassingTheTorch). Perhaps it is only because this tends to be accompanied by [[ComicBookTime finally aging the character from a teen to an adult]], and even in the RetCon-happy world of comics, reversing that without breaking the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief is hard (with the possible exception being large-scale Reboots, since everything for the most part is turned back to square 1).

* The ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series has a few cases of this, some played straight, some subverted. In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', of all the original surviving party members, only Tali and Garrus rejoin Shepard, as Wrex has become the leader of the Krogans, Ashley/Kaidan works for the Alliance and is unable to accept the hero joining up with a terrorist group, and Liara is preoccupied with work against the Shadow Broker. However, Liara and Ashley/Kaidan return as party members for ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''. Wrex plays this trope straight, though, as do the other party members from Mass Effect 2 besides Garrus and Tali, as they're all focusing their efforts on other responsibilities.

** After ''Comicbook/CivilWar'' Steve was killed and was replaced as Captain America by ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, his WWII sidekick. You thought Bucky was a DeadSidekick? It's a long story... Anyway, when Steve came back, they decided that Bucky should be the one to continue on as Cap, as it helped his CharacterDevelopment. Steve instead operated sans codename as a super-agent not unlike ComicBook/NickFury. Like other examples here, his was eventually reversed: after [[NotQuiteDead supposedly dying]] during ''ComicBook/FearItself'', Bucky decided to go back to his prior identity of the Winter Solder to pursue black-ops missions, [[FakingTheDead using his "death" as a cover]].

** [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]], the third Robin, altered his identity into ''Red'' Robin. And yes, this counts as a full graduation, as [[ComicBook/RobinSonOfBatman Damian Wayne]] has taken over being original-style Robin. He later went back to sharing the Robin identity with Damien, after a mercifully brief period where his heroic identity was somehow [[RealNameAsCodename Drake]].

** [[ComicBook/Robin1993 Tim Drake]], the third Robin, altered his identity into ''Red'' Robin. And yes, this counts as a full graduation, as [[ComicBook/RobinSonOfBatman Damian Wayne]] has taken over being original-style Robin.

** Bart Allen is a subversion. Originally ComicBook/{{Impulse}}, then Kid Flash, then the Flash, then dead, then back to Kid Flash. After the ComicBook/{{New 52}} kicked in, his time as Impulse and the Flash was erased and now he's a ''different'' Kid Flash. Then, after ''Rebirth'', he's back to being Impulse, but is as much his own hero as he ever was, acting more as his own agent.

* Inverted in ''ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}''. Kate Bishop started out as the new Hawkeye before eventually partnering up with the original Hawkeye, Clint Barton. She still retains the Hawkeye moniker though (shared with Clint) and they tend to act more as partners than the traditional sidekick/mentor dichotomy. It helps that Clint has admitted that Kate is a better archer than him.

** The second Robin, Jason Todd, graduated once he came back from the dead. Except instead of becoming his own hero he became a ''villain''. Or a [[NinetiesAntiHero really dark]] AntiHero or something; it's complicated. He's tried to hijack the Batman and Nightwing names a couple times, but for the most part he's taken over the pre-existing name the Red Hood.

** [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]], the third Robin, altered his identity into ''Red'' Robin. And yes, this counts as a full graduation, as Damian Wayne has taken over being original-style Robin.

* Stephanie Brown, the Spoiler, "graduated" to replace [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]] as Robin. It lasted only a few issues, and she then returned to being the Spoiler... but only for the BatFamilyCrossover that ended with her death. Later played straight when Stephanie reappeared (she had been [[HesJustHiding Just Hiding]]) and graduated again, this time to [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2009}} Batgirl]]... At least until the ComicBook/{{New 52}} relaunch, where Barbara took the mantle of [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2011}} Batgirl]] back. It wasn't until Rebirth that she turned up again as The Spoiler. Barbara Gordon showed no signs of wanting to abandon her role and power as ComicBook/{{Oracle}} as she was more confident and a much more influential hero than she'd ever been as ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}. Outside of the comics there was substantial -- though far from universal -- desire to see her scaled back to a street level hero once more. However, there was significant fanbase support for Babs as Oracle, as she was a rare example of a handicapped hero whose concept doesn't rely on a DisabilitySuperpower or on being InspirationallyDisadvantaged. In the end Flashpoint erased the other Batgirls from continuity and put Babs back in the cowl and younger than she's ever been in comics before. As for the other major [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Batgirl]], Cassandra Cain, she stepped away and gave the role to Stephanie. She was eventually appointed as the "Batman" of Hong Kong, using the code name "Blackbat". Then changed again in Rebirth to become "Orphan".