History Main / AdaptationalProtagonist

* ''Literature/TheSquiresTale'' usually retells Myth/ArthurianLegend this way, if the protagonist isn't an outright {{Canon Foreigner}}. For example, the story of Sir Gareth focuses on Lynet, with the dwarf ([[spoiler:who turns out to be Gaheris]]) as {{Deuteragonist}}. Likewise, the story of Ywain is told from the perspective of Luneta.

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': In ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'', the Avengers are basically there to help up the death toll and make for an exciting battle with the all-but-godlike Thanos. In particular, Iron Man has his head unceremoniously pulled off and Captain America is the last man standing before Thanos shatters his shield and snaps his neck. Instead, Adam Warlock is the one who plans and finally carries out a plan to bring Thanos down. As Warlock doesn't exist in the MCU (apart from a mid-credits cameo scene in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2''), when the story was adapted into the events of ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the Avengers take center stage, with Iron Man being the one to put Thanos down once and for all.

* ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'': The first three films (''Film/{{Transformers|2007}}'', ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' and ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'') have Sam Witwicky as the protagonist. He stumbles upon and befriends the Autobots and then gets help from the human government when they are to face the Decepticons. Sam is a version of Spike Witwicky, who in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' was the primary human ally of the Autobots and a significant supporting character (even getting a few ADayInTheLimelight episodes), while his ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'' self would become the Headmaster partner of Fortress Maximus. An offhand comment in ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' suggest that Sam [[BusCrash died or was killed in the intervening years]].

* ''Literature/CallOfTheWild'': In the book, the story is told from Buck's point of view. In every live-action adaptation since then, John Thornton becomes the protagonist, even though he doesn't even appear until halfway through the original version.

* ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'': The first three films (''Film/Transformers2007'', ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' and ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'') have Sam Witwicky as the protagonist. He stumbles upon and befriends the Autobots and then gets help from the human government when they are to face the Decepticons. Sam is a version of Spike Witwicky, who in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' was the primary human ally of the Autobots and a significant supporting character (even getting a few ADayInTheLimelight episodes), while his ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'' self would become the Headmaster partner of Fortress Maximus. An offhand comment in ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' suggest that Sam [[BusCrash died or was killed in the intervening years]].

* ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'': The first three films (''Film/{{Transformers}}'', ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' and ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'') have Sam Witwicky as the protagonist. He stumbles upon and befriends the Autobots and then gets help from the human government when they are to face the Decepticons. Sam is a version of Spike Witwicky, who in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' was the primary human ally of the Autobots and a significant supporting character (even getting a few ADayInTheLimelight episodes), while his ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'' self would become the Headmaster partner of Fortress Maximus. An offhand comment in ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' suggest that Sam [[BusCrash died or was killed in the intervening years]].

* ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'' takes Disney's ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'' and reworks its story so that the main character is none other than the original's BigBad, Maleficent- relegating Princess Aurora and the Three Fairies (who had the biggest share of the spotlight in the 1959 animation) to supporting characters.

* ''Fanfic/{{CatRa}}'': This is a RoleSwapAU exploring WhatIf it was Catra who touched the Sword of Protection. It would be she who got accosted by Light Shadow's whispers and visions, who would befriend Glimmer and Bow and join the Rebellion, and most importantly, who would become the new incarnation of She-Ra. As such, Catra is now the ChosenOne and the protagonist, while Adora becomes the {{Deuteragonist}} (with less screen time).

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': In ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'', the Avengers are basically there to help up the death toll and make for an exciting battle with the all-but-godlike Thanos. In particular, Iron Man has his head unceremoniously pulled off and Captain America is the last man standing before Thanos shatters his shield and snaps his neck. Instead, Adam Warlock is the one who plans and finally carries out a plan to bring Thanos down. As Warlock doesn't exist in the MCU (apart from a mid-credits cameo scene in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2''), when the story was adapted into the events of ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the Avengers take center stage, with Iron Man being the one to put Thanos down once and for all.

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': In ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'', the Avengers are basically there to help up the death toll and make for an exciting battle with the all-but-godlike Thanos. In particular, Iron Man has his head unceremoniously pulled off and Captain America is the last man standing before Thanos shatters his shield and snaps his neck. Instead, Adam Warlock is the one who plans and finally carries out a plan to bring Thanos down. As Warlock doesn't exist in the MCU, when the story was adapted into the events of ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the Avengers take centre stage, with Iron Man being the one to put Thanos down once and for all.

* ''VideoGame/TheSimpsonsNightOfTheLivingTreehouseOfHorror'': Several levels have the player playing as a different Simpson family member than the protagonist of the original ''Treehouse of Horror'' short.

* ''Fanfic/PokemonCrossing'': Benedict, Tank, and Kidd are only three out of hundreds of villagers in ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing''. Here, they're the main protagonists and the story follows their journey through the Hoenn region. Tom Nook, Isabelle, and K.K. Slider only sporadically appear, while the villager is removed entirely from the story.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'': In the original ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games and their remakes (''[[VideoGame/{{PokemonRedAndBlue}} Red and Blue]]'', ''[=FireRed=]'' and ''[=LeafGreen=]'') and the second generation (''[[VideoGame/{{PokemonGoldAndSilver}} Gold and Silver]]''), Brock/Takeshi and Misty/Kasumi are, respectively, the Rock-type and Water-type Gym Leaders who can be defeated by the player at the beginning of their journey and are forgotten about as soon as the player continues on the Victory Road. However, in this first Anime series, Misty is introduced right in the first episode and becomes Ash/Satoshi's companion from then on. Come episode 5, Brock is introduced as the Pewter City gym leader, and, in the final minutes, decides to accompany Ash on his journey. The trio make up the ThreeAmigos protagonists and remain as such for the first 5 seasons for Misty and the first 13 seasons for Brock. The same is then also true of Iris and Cilan in the Black and White seasons, Clement and Bonnie in the X & Y seasons, and so on.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'': Believe it or not, Quasimodo was never supposed to be the main character of the novel ''Literature/NotreDameDeParis''. The actual protagonists of Creator/VictorHugo's work are Pierre Gringoire (who functions as an AuthorAvatar), La Esmeralda, Claude Frollo (a much more complex character than later portrayals), Phoebus Chateaupers and the cathedral itself (which is elaborately described in a chapter halfway through the book). They all interact with Quasimodo, but he barely gains plot relevance until the climax ([[ItWasHisSled possibly the only part most people know of, Disney movie or not]]). This is also the reason why Victor Hugo despised the title of the first English translation: it puts emphasis on the wrong character and undermines the importance of the rest of the above-mentioned cast.

* ''{{Film/Cats}}'': In the original musical, Victoria has a minor role with no speaking lines, and her actress emotes entirely through ballet dancing. The 2019 film promotes her to the main character and expands on her backstory, explaining that she was abandoned by her human owners before being adopted by the Jellicle tribe.

* ''Film/StreetFighter'': In all ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' media, especially the videogames, it's Ryu the character who's at the very top of the billing. But in this 1994 film adaptation, it's the American Guile the main protagonist. Guile was introduced in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' as just another combatant.

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'': The first three films (''Transformers'', ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' and ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'') have Sam Witwicky as the protagonist. He stumbles upon and befriends the Autobots and then gets help from the human government when they are to face the Decepticons. Sam is a version of Spike Witwicky, who in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' was the primary human ally of the Autobots and a significant supporting character (even getting a few ADayInTheLimelight episodes), while his ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'' self would become the Headmaster partner of Fortress Maximus. An offhand comment in ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' suggest that Sam [[BusCrash died or was killed in the intervening years]].

* ''Series/Batwoman2019'': The series initially follows the adventures of Kate Kane, as in the ''ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}'' comics. However, after the sudden departure of star Creator/RubyRose, the showrunners were told to create a new protagonist, and thus the show became focused on Ryan Wilder, the daughter of Jada Jet who finds the Batsuit in the same plane crash in which Kate disappears.
* ''Series/Dracula2013'': The series is a very loose retelling of Creator/BramStoker's novel ''Literature/{{Dracula}}''. In the original text, Dracula is the foreign antagonist to the quintessentially British protagonists, Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, and Lucy Westenra, plus her suitors. Adaptations of it turn Dracula into a VillainProtagonist and prop up a love story with Mina, and, depending on the work, may fall into the trap of excessively villainizing Abraham Van Helsing and/or Jonathan Harker, who is Mina's original LoveInterest. This one-season show features Mina Murray as an increasingly independent woman who enrolls at medical school, while Dracula poses as an American entrepreneur named Alexander Grayson. As with other adaptations, Dracula-as-Grayson makes his moves on Mina romantically, while knowing she is engaged to Jonathan.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'': The show focuses on a young Peter Parker and his roommates and friends: the mutants Firestar (Angelica Jones) --created for the show-- and Iceman (Bobby Drake). In the comics, Bobby Drake is a regular member of the X-Men and has sparingly starred in his own arcs and comic series, being the PluckyComicRelief whenever he is a team player. Unlike the comics, Iceman becomes part of the ThreeAmigos protagonists and doesn't belong to X-Men team (which pops here and there during the series).

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolverine and the X|Men2009}}-Men'': In the comics, for decades Wolverine was a pivotal character of the rotating EnsembleCast of the main X-Men books, ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' and ''ComicBook/AdjectivelessXMen''. Barring, of course, [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} his own comic book series]], sprung off the main books for his [[EnsembleDarkhorse popularity]]. Whenever there is an AnimatedAdaptation of the comics, it is almost always about the X-Men as a ''team'', with Professor Xavier, Cyclops, or Storm at the helm. However, this 2009 cartoon's premise is that the X-Men dissolve after a mysterious attack where Jean Grey and Professor Xavier disappear. Years later, it is up to Wolverine to [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether reunite the X-Men]] and step up as their de facto team leader. It's even {{lampshaded}} in the title who the (new) protagonist is supposed to be.

** "Plan 9 From Outer Springfield" combines the plots of "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E5TreehouseOfHorrorIII Dial 'Z' for Zombies]]" and "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E4TreehouseOfHorrorVIII The H?mega Man]]." In the first short, the protagonists were Bart and Lisa, while the latter one had Homer. In "Plan 9," however the protagonist is Marge.

* ''Fanfic/{{Chiaroscuro|Naruto}}'': ForWantOfANail, a hard-working Shikamaru is rookie of the year and, thus, assigned to Team 7 with Naruto and Ino. Unlike canon, he's not Naruto's {{Deuteragonist}} and [[TheRival Rival]] but the sole protagonist whose genius and ninja career we explore.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'': In the original ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games and their remakes (''[[VideoGame/{{PokemonRedAndBlue}} Red and Blue]]'', ''[=FireRed=]'' and ''[=LeafGreen=]'') and the second generation (''[[VideoGame/{{PokemonGoldAndSilver}} Gold and Silver]]''), Brock/Takeshi and Misty/Kasumi are, respectively, the Rock-type and Water-type Gym Leaders who can be defeated by the player at the beginning of their journey and are forgotten about as soon as the player continues on the Victory Road. However, in this first Anime series, Misty is introduced right in the first episode and becomes Ash/Satoshi's companion from then on. Come episode 5, Brock is introduced as the Pewter City gym leader, and, in the final minutes, decides to accompany Ash on his journey. The trio make up the ThreeAmigos protagonists and remain as such for the first 5 seasons for Misty and the first 13 seasons for Brock.
** The same is then also true of Iris and Cilan in the Black and White seasons, Clement and Bonnie in the X & Y seasons, and so on...

* ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen'': In the comics, for decades Wolverine was a pivotal character of the rotating EnsembleCast of the main X-Men books, ''ComicBook/UncannyXmen'' and ''ComicBook/AdjectivelessXMen''. Barring, of course, his own comic book series, sprung off the main books for his [[EnsembleDarkhorse popularity]]. Whenever there is an AnimatedAdaptation of the comics, it is almost always about the X-Men as a ''team'', with Professor Xavier, Cyclops, or Storm at the helm. However, this 2008 cartoon's premise is that the X-Men dissolve after a mysterious attack where Jean Grey and Professor Xavier disappear. Years later, it is up to Wolverine to [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether reunite the X-Men]] and step up as their de facto team leader. It's even {{lampshaded}} in the title who the (new) protagonist is supposed to be.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'': In the original ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games and their remakes (''[[VideoGame/{{PokemonRedAndBlue}} Red and Blue]]'', ''[=FireRed=]'' and ''[=LeafGreen=]'') and the second generation (''[[VideoGame/{{PokemonGoldAndSilver}} Gold and Silver]]''), Brock/Takeshi and Misty/Kasumi are, respectively, the Rock-type and Water-type Gym Leaders who can be defeated by the player at the beginning of their journey and are forgotten about as soon as the player continues on the Victory Road. However, in this first Anime series, Misty is introduced right in the first episode and becomes Ash/Satoshi's companion from then on. Come episode 5, Brock is introduced as the Pewter City gym leader, and, in the final minutes, decides to accompany Ash on his journey. The trio make up the ThreeAmigos protagonists and remain as such for the first 5 seasons.

* ''WebVideo/WhatIfPokemonWereSCPs'': In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' franchise, Professor Samuel Oak in the games just shows up to give the PlayerCharacter their starter Pokemon, their Pokedex, and some Poke Balls to start their journey, and in the anime series, he's a supporting character who helps Ash out with whatever he's doing at the moment. In Christian's Pokemon as SCPs series, however, (in addition to [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItBjti8LwWH6LjrRdzpgPx8VW9wQyDXA other SCP videos]]) Professor [[AdaptationNameChange Dresden Oakland]] is basically the main character, seeing as he's the narrator expositing the lore behind each entity kept in containment by the Foundation, along with detailing their struggles to prevent individuals like [[HeroAntagonist Ash]] from breaking TheMasquerade they work so hard to maintain, [[spoiler:and a later episode details how Oakland [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain ends up becoming one of the main villains]] of Christian's original ''Tales of the Multiverse'' series.]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/{{Arenas}}'': The original ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' has no clear protagonist --the DecoyProtagonist Sarge turns out to be the very first boss of the game and the protagonists of ''VideoGame/QuakeI'' and ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' --respectively Ranger and Bitterman-- are just made into regular fighters. Meanwhile, the [[VideoGame/{{Doom}} the Doom Marine]] is just another combatant. This web animation, by contrast, ''Arenas'' is entirely focused on Doom's trials and tribulations during the whole thing.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* ''WebVideo/PopCrossStudios'': In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' franchise, Professor Samuel Oak in the games just shows up to give the PlayerCharacter their starter Pokemon, their Pokedex, and some Poke Balls to start their journey, and in the anime series, he's a supporting character who helps Ash out with whatever he's doing at the moment. In Christian's [[WebVideo/WhatIfPokemonWereSCPs Pokemon as SCPs series]], however, (in addition to [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItBjti8LwWH6LjrRdzpgPx8VW9wQyDXA other SCP videos]]) Professor [[AdaptationNameChange Dresden Oakland]] is basically the main character, seeing as he's the narrator expositing the lore behind each entity kept in containment by the Foundation, along with detailing their struggles to prevent individuals like [[HeroAntagonist Ash]] from breaking TheMasquerade they work so hard to maintain, [[spoiler:and a later episode details how Oakland [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain ends up becoming one of the main villains]] of Christian's original ''Tales of the Multiverse'' series.]]
[[/folder]]

* ''Fanfic/AnEncoreFromMyCryingHeart'': It's a fanfic based on VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony that averts the FirstEpisodeTwist of DecoyProtagonist Kaede Akamatsu being killed as the first culprit. This is due to Shuichi Saihara, the canonical true protagonist, taking advantage of the First Blood rule which allows the first culprit to leave without consequences. He claims to have killed Rantaro, wanting to save Kaede from being executed. This action causes Shuichi to leave the DeadlyGame alive while allowing Kaede to remain as the protagonist for the entire story.

* ''Fanfic/{{Intercom}}'': ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' is the tale of Joy and Sadness, a dysfunctional duo of emotions that live in a girl's brain (Riley), with the girl serving more as a setting and a way to showcase the consequence of Joy and Sadness' actions. ''Intercom'', on the other hand, puts all of the emotions as the supporting cast and brings Riley to the forefront. Once she learns she has five little voices in her head, it's no longer her emotions piloting her but she exploring her own mindscape, befriending her emotions, and struggling to get more agency in her life.

* ''Film/FirstKnight'': The titular "first knight" is Lancelot (played by Richard Gere). The film does away with the magical elements of the [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Arthurian mythos]] (e.g., Morgan Le Fay, Merlin, Lady of the Lake), and establishes Camelot as a medieval kingdom ruled by a fair King Arthur. The story, however, focus on the infamous Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot love triangle, by placing ''Lancelot'' on the spotlight. The film is ''his'' journey, and, at the ending, [[spoiler:a dying Arthur passes on the crown and the kingdom to him, and allows Guinevere to be with him.]] In the original Arthuriana, Lancelot is a character inserted into the Arthurian mythos by the French wing of medieval authors.

* ''Literature/TheMistsOfAvalon'': Morgaine or Morgan Le Fay is almost always depicted as King Arthur's diabolical and sorcerous elder half-sister who sires Mordred after an incestuous encounter with him, and is almost always the default antagonist whenever Merlin or King Arthur is involved. However, in the mini-series, Morgaine is catapulted to the spotlight: she becomes an apprentice to the druids and witches of Avalon, follows pagan traditions, and becomes a sorceress in her own right. She still antagonizes Arthur, Merlin and Camelot, but out of need to preserve Britain's religious traditions against what she perceives to be a foreign invader: Christianity.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'': The show focuses on a young Peter Parker and his roommates and friends: the mutants Firestar (Angelica Jones) --created for the show-- and Iceman (Bobby Drake). In the comics, Bobby Drake is a regular member of the X-Men, and has sparingly starred in his own arcs and comic series, being the PluckyComicRelief whenever he is a team player. Unlike the comics, Iceman becomes part of the ThreeAmigos protagonists and doesn't belong to X-Men team (which pops here and there during the series).

* ''Film/FirstKnight'': The titular "first knight" is Lancelot (played by Richard Gere). The film does away with the magical elements of the [[Myth/{{ArthurianMythology}} Arthurian mythos]] (e.g., Morgan Le Fay, Merlin, Lady of the Lake), and establishes Camelot as a medieval kingdom ruled by a fair King Arthur. The story, however, focus on the infamous Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot love triangle, by placing ''Lancelot'' on the spotlight. The film is ''his'' journey, and, at the ending, [[spoiler:a dying Arthur passes on the crown and the kingdom to him, and allows Guinevere to be with him.]] In the original Arthuriana, Lancelot is a character inserted into the Arthurian mythos by the French wing of medieval authors.

'''Indexes:''' CharactersAndCasting, MainCharacters, MediaAdaptationTropes, ProtagonistTropes, and RealLifeWritesThePlot.