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Not to be confused with TheBenchwarmer, a character in sports stories who's relegated to the bench for various reasons.
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A BenchedHero is a heroic or lead character who steps back from the limelight in an "exit" that alters the plot's development. Something takes the hero out of action (sometimes forcibly) and the team's focus is not just continuing on their way but getting him back in the game. While this sort of exit is akin to DeusExitMachina, it need not apply only to powerful (or overpowering) characters; a BenchedHero could be one who is more modestly talented (like a GuileHero or a ScienceHero) who is temporarily removed to keep things interesting, rather than to alter the dynamics of conflict. Unlike [[PutOnABus putting someone on a bus]], the absence isn't really much of an absence at all, and is usually of brief duration.
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A BenchedHero Benched Hero is a heroic or lead character who steps back from the limelight in an "exit" that alters the plot's development. Something takes the hero out of action (sometimes forcibly) and the team's focus is not just continuing on their way but getting him back in the game. While this sort of exit is akin to DeusExitMachina, it need not apply only to powerful (or overpowering) characters; a BenchedHero Benched Hero could be one who is more modestly talented (like a GuileHero or a ScienceHero) who is temporarily removed to keep things interesting, rather than to alter the dynamics of conflict. Unlike [[PutOnABus putting someone on a bus]], the absence isn't really much of an absence at all, and is usually of brief duration.
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* ProdigalHero - A protagonist living well is forced to leave his good life and is later summoned home to play the hero. If a subplot focuses on bringing the Prodigal back, and/or the POV keeps the Prodigal somewhat in the story (rather than utterly absent), it would fall under the BenchedHero trope.
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* ProdigalHero - A protagonist living well is forced to leave his good life and is later summoned home to play the hero. If a subplot focuses on bringing the Prodigal back, and/or the POV keeps the Prodigal somewhat in the story (rather than utterly absent), it would fall under the BenchedHero trope.
trope.
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Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
A BenchedHero is a heroic or lead character who steps back from the limelight in an "exit" that alters the plot's development. Something takes the hero out of action (sometimes forcibly) and the team's focus is not just continuing on their way but getting him back in the game. While this sort of exit is akin to DeusExitMachina, it need not apply only to powerful (or overpowerful) characters; a BenchedHero could be one who is more modestly talented (like a GuileHero or a ScienceHero) who is temporarily removed to keep things interesting, rather than to alter the dynamics of conflict. Unlike [[PutOnABus putting someone on a bus]], the absence isn't really much of an absence at all, and is usually of brief duration.
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A BenchedHero is a heroic or lead character who steps back from the limelight in an "exit" that alters the plot's development. Something takes the hero out of action (sometimes forcibly) and the team's focus is not just continuing on their way but getting him back in the game. While this sort of exit is akin to DeusExitMachina, it need not apply only to powerful (or overpowerful) overpowering) characters; a BenchedHero could be one who is more modestly talented (like a GuileHero or a ScienceHero) who is temporarily removed to keep things interesting, rather than to alter the dynamics of conflict. Unlike [[PutOnABus putting someone on a bus]], the absence isn't really much of an absence at all, and is usually of brief duration.
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* Hero On Hiatus - The hero is removed from the action against his will, usually through injury, illness, captivity, or death.
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* Hero On Hiatus HeroOnHiatus - The hero is removed from the action against his will, usually through injury, illness, captivity, or death.
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* TenMinuteRetirement - The hero is out because they crossed the DespairEventHorizon.
* Hero On Hiatus - The hero is removed from the action against his will, usually through injury, illness, captivity, or death.
* Hero On Hiatus - The hero is removed from the action against his will, usually through injury, illness, captivity, or death.
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* TenMinuteRetirement - The hero is out because they crossed the DespairEventHorizon.
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* ProdigalHero - A protagonist living well is forced to leave his good life and is later summoned home to play the hero. If a subplot focuses on bringing the Prodigal back, and/or the POV keeps the Prodigal somewhat in the story (rather than utterly absent), it would fall under the BenchedHero trope.
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* ProdigalHero - A protagonist living well is forced to leave his good life and is later summoned home to play the hero. If a subplot focuses on bringing the Prodigal back, and/or the POV keeps the Prodigal somewhat in the story (rather than utterly absent), it would fall under the BenchedHero trope.trope.
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A BenchedHero is a heroic or lead character who steps back from the limelight in an "exit" that alters the plot's development. Something takes the hero out of action (sometimes forcibly) and the team's focus is not just continuing on their way but getting him back in the game. While this sort of exit is akin to DeusExitMachina, it need not apply only to powerful (or overpowerful) characters; a BenchedHero could be one who is more modestly talented (like a GuileHero or a ScienceHero) who is temporarily removed to keep things interesting, rather than to alter the dynamics of conflict. Unlike [[PutOnABus putting someone on a bus]], the absence isn't really much of an absence at all, and is usually of brief duration.
Some reasons for benching a hero are more "meta" than others, and the specific situation may arise from the nature of the medium involved. In media that use recognizable human actors (such as radio serials and episodic live-action television), this may be done as a means of covering for a star performer who is actually ill or injured or otherwise briefly unavailable. On the other hand, artistic choices may prompt the writers to give other characters [[ADayInTheLimelight their moment in the sun]]; in order for that to reasonably happen, the hero will have to sit one out, and the plot must be designed to make that happen.
Subtropes to this include:
* AchillesInHisTent - The hero is out of action because of arguments with the team.
* TenMinuteRetirement - The hero is out because they crossed the DespairEventHorizon.
* Hero On Hiatus - The hero is removed from the action against his will, usually through injury, illness, captivity, or death.
Occasional subtropes (depending on how they are handled) include:
* DeusExitMachina - A high-powered or overpowered heroic character is taken out of action to make the story longer and more interesting. Could fall under the BenchedHero trope if the Deus re-enters (say for a final battle) and particularly if a subplot seeks to find or bring back the Deus character.
* ProdigalHero - A protagonist living well is forced to leave his good life and is later summoned home to play the hero. If a subplot focuses on bringing the Prodigal back, and/or the POV keeps the Prodigal somewhat in the story (rather than utterly absent), it would fall under the BenchedHero trope.
Some reasons for benching a hero are more "meta" than others, and the specific situation may arise from the nature of the medium involved. In media that use recognizable human actors (such as radio serials and episodic live-action television), this may be done as a means of covering for a star performer who is actually ill or injured or otherwise briefly unavailable. On the other hand, artistic choices may prompt the writers to give other characters [[ADayInTheLimelight their moment in the sun]]; in order for that to reasonably happen, the hero will have to sit one out, and the plot must be designed to make that happen.
Subtropes to this include:
* AchillesInHisTent - The hero is out of action because of arguments with the team.
* TenMinuteRetirement - The hero is out because they crossed the DespairEventHorizon.
* Hero On Hiatus - The hero is removed from the action against his will, usually through injury, illness, captivity, or death.
Occasional subtropes (depending on how they are handled) include:
* DeusExitMachina - A high-powered or overpowered heroic character is taken out of action to make the story longer and more interesting. Could fall under the BenchedHero trope if the Deus re-enters (say for a final battle) and particularly if a subplot seeks to find or bring back the Deus character.
* ProdigalHero - A protagonist living well is forced to leave his good life and is later summoned home to play the hero. If a subplot focuses on bringing the Prodigal back, and/or the POV keeps the Prodigal somewhat in the story (rather than utterly absent), it would fall under the BenchedHero trope.
