History Main / CompositeCharacter

This is frequently done in works BasedOnATrueStory, since no medium can compete with the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in RealLife. A fictional character also gets around [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThisIsAWorkOfFiction any legal issues involving the depiction of real people]]. Whereas most of humanity's most interesting achievements have involved lots of people with different motivations, it suits the RuleOfDrama to simplify things to a handful of characters with well-defined objectives. Though there may be nameless individuals wandering around [[HeroOfAnotherStory with their own story to tell]], [[TheMainCharactersDoEverything the core plot is dictated by the people with names]]. Some might object to removing an important character and his or her contribution to the story, but on the other hand it means the story has a chance to be told.

This is frequently done in works BasedOnATrueStory, since no medium can compete with the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in RealLife. A fictional character also gets around any legal issues involving the depiction of real people. Whereas most of humanity's most interesting achievements have involved lots of people with different motivations, it suits the RuleOfDrama to simplify things to a handful of characters with well-defined objectives. Though there may be nameless individuals wandering around [[HeroOfAnotherStory with their own story to tell]], [[TheMainCharactersDoEverything the core plot is dictated by the people with names]]. Some might object to removing an important character and his or her contribution to the story, but on the other hand it means the story has a chance to be told.

This is frequently done in works BasedOnATrueStory, since no medium can compete with the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in RealLife. Whereas most of humanity's most interesting achievements have involved lots of people with different motivations, it suits the RuleOfDrama to simplify things to a handful of characters with well-defined objectives. Though there may be nameless individuals wandering around [[HeroOfAnotherStory with their own story to tell]], [[TheMainCharactersDoEverything the core plot is dictated by the people with names]]. Some might object to removing an important character and his or her contribution to the story, but on the other hand it means the story has a chance to be told.

** ''[[CompositeCharacter/TheWalkingDeadTVShow The Walking Dead]]''

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Done in ''TabletopGame/VictoryInThePacific'' with locales instead of people. To keep the game manageable, a lot of island bases of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII are combined. E.g. Lae represents multiple bases on the northern half of New Guinea, Saipan also represents Guam & Tinian, Pearl Harbor & Yokosuka Naval Yard stand-in for all of Hawaii & Japan respectively, etc.
* In the ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' TCG, the "Kozmo" archetype is a [[JustForFun/XMeetsY Mash-up]] of ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' and each card depicted is based on a combination characters/object/settings from each source. This trope applies when a card draws inspiration from multiple things from the same source.
** Kozmo Goodwitch is a composite of the good witches from ''Oz'' and Obi-Wan from ''Star Wars'', with elements of Qui-Gon Jinn from the latter (her lightsword is green like Qui-Gon's, and her robes take some inspiration from his).
** Similarly, Kozmoll Wickedwitch combines elements of the wicked witches with Darth Maul (using his distinctive dual-bladed lightsaber) and Darth Vader (she appears at least partially cybernetic).
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' had a couple of Composite ''Species'':
** Second edition had the Greyhawk dragon, which was unique to the ''TabletopGame/{{Greyhawk}}'' setting, and the steel dragon (sometimes the Waterdeep dragon) from ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''. Both were metallic-grey dragons with a fondness for human society and the ability to take humanoid form to join it. When the Greyhawk dragon was updated to 3.5 edition in ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' magazine, there was a note that some members of the race had ventured beyond Oerth, where they were known as steel dragons.
** Harpies in the game combine the mythological harpy with the siren. They resemble the mythical harpies in appearance (ugly hag-like women with the legs and wings of a vulture) but they had powers and an MO similar to sirens, using entrancing song to lure victims to them.
* In the ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' canon, Moloch replaced Lilith as the ruler of the Sixth Circle, and later was himself replaced by Malagard, the Hag Countess, an adviser who recommended that he defy Asmodeus to his face. ''TabletopGame/TheGatesOfHell'' fan supplement instead has Lilith as triune so that she can serve the role of the Hag Countess.
* According to the 1985 ''Series/DoctorWho'' RPG, the Meddling Monk was a previous [[TheNthDoctor incarnation]] of the Master. This does not appear to be the case in any other version of the Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse.
* In the ''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'' fan expansion "Davies' World of Freedom 3.5", when introducing the characters from ''The ALGERNON Files'', Davies completely dumps Isaac Steele's canonical heroic identity as Technomancer in favour of making him Dr [=McQuark=] from the ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' supplement ''The Blood and Dr [=McQuark=]''.
* In-universe, believed to be the case for the ''Timber Wolf'' upon its first appearance in the Inner Sphere in ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' lore. It combines the excellent energy-based direct fire capability of the ''Marauder'' (whose serial codes start with 'MAD') and the withering missile-based indirect fire of the ''Catapult'' (serial code 'CAT'). Ergo, Inner Sphere analysts originally believed it to be a fusion of the two 'Mechs, and called it ''Mad Cat'' as a result. Out-of-universe, it's quite possible that FASA literally ''did'' attach ''Marauder'' arms to a ''Catapult'' chassis to create this design, as the popular and iconic ''Marauder'' was [[ScrewedByTheLawyers stuck in copyright litigation hell thanks to Harmony Gold]] and they had to make use of the design rights somehow.
** A number of early Clan 'Mechs are possible composites of preexisting 'Mechs, especially the various "Unseens" affeted by the Harmony Gold case. The ''Hellbringer'' is a ''Warhammer'' body with ''Marauder'' arms, while the ''Summoner'' is the body of a ''Thunderbolt'' (with its distinctive off-center circular missile launcher) mated to ''Warhammer'' legs and a ''Marauder'' arm. The ''Gargoyle'' seems to be part ''Atlas'' and part ''Warhammer'', while the ''Executioner'' is substantially ''more Atlas'' fused with a ''Victor''.
* In the ''TabletopGame/DiscworldRoleplayingGame'' Port Duck setting, Brick's Cafe Ankh-Morporkian is a pastiche of Rick's Cafe Americain in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''; however Brick is just the troll doorman. As revealed in [[http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=4303 "A Little Job for the Patrician,"]] the actual owner is Dooli the Arranger, so named not just because he runs deals but because he also leads the house band. He's a combination of Rick Blaine and Sam (played by Dooley Wilson.)
* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': The Greek-inspired world of Theros features Heliod, the Sun God, who is a blend of Zeus and Helios: He gets his position as (nominal) TopGod, and having a spear as his WeaponOfChoice, while his name and sun-connection come from Helios. He also combines the absolute ''worst'' personality traits of either, making him into one of the biggest JerkassGods in any ''Magic'' setting.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' promotion for Walls' Sky Ray ice lollies meant you got printed cards featuring stories about the Doctor on them. The company didn't have the rights to use the likenesses of either of the actors who had played the character at that point, and so the artwork featured a Doctor based on a fusion between William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton.
* Ekimu from ''Toys/{{Bionicle 2015}}'' is a composite of at least three characters from the [[Toys/{{Bionicle}} original run]]:
** Mata Nui: ancient BigGood praised by his people, enticing jealousy from his (metaphorical) brother Makuta, which leads to the latter becoming the BigBad. Falls into a coma from which six legendary Toa heroes have to awaken him.
** Artakha: hammer-wielding mask maker who wears the Mask of Creation. Like Ekimu, Artakha also had a feud with a less talented "brother", with the latter getting banished to a place of darkness -- in essence this makes the new Makuta a composite of the original Makuta and Artakha's aforementioned rival, Karzahni.
** Takua/Takanuva: an islander with a short stature who eventually becomes [[SixthRanger the Seventh Toa]], the Toa of Light, although Ekimu adopts this form only briefly and modestly rejects the title.
** Ekimu being an exposition-delivering but suspiciously secretive mentor also makes him similar to Turaga Vakama (who was likewise a mask maker), though Ekimu shares this role with Narmoto, the Protector of Fire.
** Also from the Generation 2 line, Umarak the Hunter combines some traits of G1's Dark Hunters, Nidhiki and Krekka. Umarak was also hired by Makuta to help him acquire a more powerful form, and upon donning the Mask of Control, becomes a hulking (and somewhat slower-minded) brute like Krekka. Even the name Umarak was said to mean Shadow Hunter, a nod to the Dark Hunters. He also shares their fate: [[spoiler:[[DevourTheDragon Makuta betraying and absorbing him]] to attain his full might.]]
** Toy-wise, the 2015 Tahu melds design cues from the original 2001 Tahu Mata (mask, basic colors, arms controlled by gears, flame pattern on the swords), the 2002 Tahu Nuva (bulkiness, layered armor, dual-purpose weapons that work as a surf board) and the 2004 Toa Lhikan (gold accents, enormous combining swords). The other five 2015 Toa also share similarities to their '01 Mata and '02 Nuva counterparts, but also add novel elements.
* The Crimson Dynamo figure featured in Creator/{{Hasbro}}'s ''Film/IronMan2'' line is the original Anton Vanko version, but sports the armor of Dmitri Bukharin, the fifth user of the name in the comics.
* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
** ''Generations'' Blitzwing, while based on the original G1 character, features a face-swapping gimmick with a "cold" and "crazy" face alongside his default one, just like Blitzwing in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''.
*** In a similar take, one of the figures of the incarnation of Blitzwing from the ''Film/{{Bumblebee}}'' movie also gives him a face swapping gimmick, but this time the "crazy" face is the only other option.
** As a curious EasterEgg, removing the faceplate on ''Masterpiece'' Wheeljack (based off his G1 incarnation) [[https://static.seibertron.com/images/toys/files/43/r_mp-20-wheeljack-211.jpg reveals a fully sculpted face]] that resembles Wheeljack's ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' incarnation.
** When the ''Classics'' line introduced a revamped version of CombiningMecha Devastator, since it was a recolor of a figure from an earlier line that had five members instead of Devastator's traditional six. Because of this, Hook and Mixmaster were omitted... and in their place was a new character named Hightower, who seemed to be written as a combination of the two (Mixmaster's chemistry skills, Hook's snobbish attitude and crane altmode). Due to the somewhat vague canon of ''Classics'', it's very possible that Hightower could be a future version of either of the two, or even a literal merging of the two.
** The ''Titans Return'' line revolves around the Titan Masters; small Cybertronians that function like the Headmasters in the original toyline. However, while they're complely robotic (as in ''Anime/TransformersHeadmasters''), they bond with sentient Transformers like the original [[HumanAliens Nebulans]] did, as opposed to controlling lifeless bodies. In addition, they bestow powers onto their partners and are fought over by both sides for these, much like the Mini-Cons in ''Anime/TransformersArmada''. Finally, they came with tiny vehicles and are meant to be used with playset characters, reminiscent of Micromasters, and many of those vehicles have weapon modes, evoking Targetmasters.
*** The [=TakaraTomy=] ''Legends'' line (that features repainted and often improved releases of western molds from the ''Generations'' lines starting from midway through the ''Thrilling 30'' line until ''Titans Return'') retconned all the Titan Master figures into Headmasters, with the comics (both online and inside the packages) explaining how many characters got turned into Headmasters and forced to use Transtectors based on their old forms. Also, in the later waves Targetmasters (which are not found in the Hasbro releases) are introduced: while the ones that were in the ''Headmasters'' anime are still robots, the ones that were seen only in ''The Rebirth'' (Firebolt, Recoil and Haywire, respectively found with Hot Rod, Kup and Doublecross[[note]]Haywire is supposed to be Blurr's Targetmaster, but it was given to Doublecross because Blurr was already released long ago[[/note]]) are made into human characters transformed with [[Anime/TransformersSuperGodMasterforce Masterbraces]]: Firebolt is Shaoshao Li from ''Kiss Players'', Recoil is Sue[[note]]Marissa Faireborne and Dirk Manus's daughter, introduced in the comics included with the ''Unite Warriors'' combiner giftsets[[/note]] and Haywire is original character White Lune (who is supposed to be the younger sister of Beastformer White Leo, AKA Pirate Lion from the ''Battle Beasts'' toyline)
** The ''Power of the Primes'' line features the Prime Masters, small sized incarnations of the Original Thirteen who give powers to their partners Mini-Con style, and go around wearing "Decoy Suits" to disguise themselves as the Pretenders from the original line (Vector Prime goes as Metalhawk, Liege Maximo as Skullgrin, The Fallen as Bomb-Burst and so on), and the suits also transform into weapons for larger Transformers, akin to Targetmasters.
** As mentioned in the Comic Books section, the G1 Jetfire figure was just a licensed repaint of a VF-1 Valkyrie from ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''. Due to Takara not wanting the TV show to promote a toy made by a rival company (Takatoku Toys, whose rights to the Valkyrie toy later passed to [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai]]), the cartoon replaced Jetfire with an {{Expy}} named Skyfire, who had a radically different appearance ([[ShowAccuracyToyAccuracy even by the standards of the show]]). As a compromise, most modern toys depicting G1 Jetfire combine elements of both Jetfire and Skyfire, usually with a vehicle mode based on the former and a robot mode based on the latter. The Jetfire figures from the ''Classics'' and ''Thrilling 30'' lines took this a step further by having his standard robot face be Skyfire's, while also including an attachable "battle mask" based on the original Jetfire/Valkyrie toy's face. The ''War for Cybertron'' Jetfire, meanwhile, is a very faithful recreation of Skyfire in both its vehicle and robot modes, but still includes an attachable mask and armor based on the original Valkyrie design.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Being an adaptation of TTA ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}'' has a bunch of these.
** Nylocke seems to be a mash-up of Nailock and Kirbopher15 from the original. [[spoiler: Justified, because Kirbopher and Zetto are the same character in this new incarnation, any conflict between Kirbopher15 and Zetto from the original would no longer work. As a result, Nylcoke is the one who imprisions the Forbidden Power into the drain edge/sword instead of Kirbopher and also tried to convince him to not take the game so seriously during the Gemini Tournament. ]]
** And then there's Kizuna, who combines Ruri and [[spoiler: Voltarius]] from the original. She's still Zetto's partner, but in this version, [[spoiler:Kizuna is the leader of the hackers while Zetto (who kind of acts like a second-in-command here) doubles as Kirbopher instead.]]
** And don't even get started on Swordicon, who might've inspired the idea that [[spoiler: Kirbopher and Zetto]] are the same person.
* A variation occurred in ''Webvideo/ThereWillBeBrawl'': While fans were still awaiting [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Young Link]] and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Toon Link]] to finally show up or be mentioned, like every other character in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', it's eventually revealed that [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Link]] also ''is'' Young Link and Toon Link. They were compressed into one character. Link looks at a photo of his younger self. This photo includes both, Young Link/Toon Link, implying that they are both the same guy during the same period of time. Link is just their grown-up version.
* Roleplay/{{Crinoverse}}: The Crinoverse, existing as it does as a combination of multiple superhero universes, has a few of these. There's the Justice Avengers, a combination of the JLA and the Avengers, and a few others-Psimon is a combination of the Champions character and the DC character of the same name.
* ''WebVideo/TheLizzieBennetDiaries'', a present-day adaptation of ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'', has several changes:
** The Bennet family has three daughters instead of five: Jane, Lizzie and Lydia. Lydia has shades of Kitty (she's not as insufferable as Lydia in the books and, in a sense, has a happier ending). Mary Bennet is present as the girls' cousin.
** Bing Lee, the adaptation's version of Mr. Bingley, only has one sister instead of two, Caroline Lee. She also fulfills the role of Anne de Bourgh as a girl who Catherine de Bourgh sees as Darcy's girlfriend and at the end, Caroline's part corresponds to Lady Catherine as someone who unintentionally brings the main couple together when she tries to separate them.
* ''WebVideo/EmmaApproved'' takes place in the same [[TheVerse verse]] as ''The Lizzie Bennet Diaries''. The latter's Caroline Lee is a verse-spanning Composite Character by taking the place of ''Literature/{{Emma}}'s'' Augusta Elton.
* ''WebVideo/UniversityEverAfter'' combines several characters:
** [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan "The Captain," aka "Hook,"]] has a real name -- [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Eric.]]
** [[spoiler:Literature/SnowWhite]] is one of [[Literature/{{Cinderella}} Ella's]] step-sisters.
** There's a reason [[Literature/TheLittleMermaid the swimmer who dreams of leaving the water]] is called "Ari" instead of [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 "Ariel"]]. It's actually short for [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Ari]]''[[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 anna]]'', and she's the beloved cousin of [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsie, a talented chemist whose gift can sometimes also be a dangerous curse.]]
* In general, if a fighter tends to have multiple sources of canon, ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' will often take information from most, if not all of them (as long as they don't directly contradict with the original or most accepted source material) in order to give that fighter a good round-out of abilities. Examples of this include Franchise/{{Batman}} using [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins shock gloves]] against ComicBook/CaptainAmerica and Franchise/RoboCop not only employing the weapons he used in the films, but also the tactical discs and rambot devices he used in ''[[Series/RoboCopTheSeries The Series]]'' against [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} The Terminator]]. [[spoiler: Even hallucinations seem to be fair game as even though ComicBook/TheJoker has used a Jokermobile before, the Joker vs. [[VideoGame/TwistedMetal Sweet Tooth]] episode features the Joker employing the vandalized Batmobile version of the Jokermobile in the last Scarecrow hallucination in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight''.]]
** This is comically defied in [[Franchise/KingdomHearts Sora]] vs. [[VideoGame/KidIcarus Pit]] and the Franchise/MegaMan Battle Royale as Wiz refused to utilize the incarnations of Pit and classic Mega Man from ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster''.
** Equally, they refused to use ComicBook/TheNew52 version of ComicBook/{{Lobo}} in his fight with ComicBook/GhostRider as that version was the antithesis of everything Lobo stood for.
** The second match between Franchise/SuperMario and Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog had an interesting aspect to it. When the original match happened, they used elements of Sonic from [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics the Archie comic]]. When they did the second match, they opted to not use it as their ruleset had been refined in the years since. [[spoiler:The change lead to Mario defeating Sonic the second time around. In the podcast afterwards, they said that had they included it, Sonic's abilities from there would have made his fight a CurbStompBattle in Sonic's favor.]]
** Averted with both Darkseid and Thanos in their episode. Thanos's backstory was wholly based on his comic counterpart, including his obsession with Death and the coloring of the Infinity Stones matching the original ones from the comics, while the episode keeps the idea that the body Darkseid usually fighting heroes in is just an avatar and he is unaffected by Darkseid's {{Crisis Crossover}}s.
** Subverted and later averted with [[Franchise/MortalKombat Shao Kahn]]. The only time his dragon form from ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' and AdaptationalWeaponSwap (replacing the Wrath Hammer with a sword) from ''Series/MortalKombatConquest'' were mentioned were doing the rundown in his battle with [[Franchise/StreetFighter M. Bison]] -- and even those were accompanied with a jab at ''Conquest'' and them outright stating they were ignoring ''Annihilation'', and the battle was based wholly on his game incarnation. These didn't even come up at all when Shao returned to fight Bison's fellow ''SF'' villain, Akuma.
* The titular protagonist of ''Machinima/LogansTale'' is a composite of both the [[VideoGame/Fallout3 Lone Wanderer]] and [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas the Courier]], who were otherwise separate characters in ''Fallout'' canon, barring the ''Tale of Two Wastelands'' mod.
* In ''WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment'', Spoony and Dr. Insano are [[MultipleChoicePast either]] alternate versions of each other, or entirely different people. In ''WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}'', Dr. Insano is Spoony's SuperPoweredEvilSide. [[JustifiedTrope Insano]], after showing up in ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'', atributtes this to the plot hole.
* The alternate future history ''Literature/PiecingTogetherTheAshesReconstructingTheOldWorldOrder'' has several historical characters conflated with each other due to the future humans' limited knowledge of the past, such as John Lennon being a mix of himself and Vladimir Lenin.
* ''Literature/CanYouSpareAQuarter'': The story is VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory and the characters are composite characters of RealLife people.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'' does this with its LifeEmbellished cast, featuring at least a few people who are based off of various people the author has met, merged into one person.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' merged a background character unofficially called Shy Girl with a minor character named Rhoda who then became more of a supporting character.
* ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace''
** The final strip of the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''-pastiche arc had the revelation that Arthur (who up til then had been Xander) was a werewolf, and Guenevere realising this was also a ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' pastiche. So..
*** Guenevere = Buffy Summers/Bella Swan
*** Lancelot = Angel/Edward Cullen
*** Arthur = Xander Harris/Jacob Black/Probably "Oz" Osbourne
** Come to that, ''all'' the pastiche arcs make the characters into composites of the AKOTAS characters and the characters from the work being pastiched.
** In the strip's take on the hunt where Arthur's horse dies under him and he then meets King Pellinore, the yeoman who brings Arthur a fresh horse is the same as the prophetic young boy who appears after Pellinore takes the horse and [[spoiler: turns out to be Merlin]].
** In the ''Series/{{MASH}}'' arc, Lancelot takes the role of Frank Burns but, being [[TheAce Lancelot]], he lacks Frank's incompetence, making him more like Charles Winchester (he also has the fondness for classical music). Following [[spoiler: Merlin-as-Henry getting shot down]], he also becomes the counterpart to [[spoiler: Colonel Potter]].
* In ''WebComic/DarthsAndDroids'', in the equivalent campaign to ''Episode I'', Chancellor Valorum is reimagined as a CloudCuckoolander who, in tribute to an actor they felt was wasted for such an unmemorable character, goes on strange tangents and publicly freewheels about turning everyone into cyborgs when it strikes him as a worthwhile pursuit ("Cyborgs under my command! ''[[ActorAllusion Kneel before Valorum!]]''") [[spoiler:...which pays off when General Grievous surfaces in ''Revelation of the Sith'' and says SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay.]]
* In the ''Webcomic/{{Polandball}}'' comics, Israelcube doesn't just represents the state of Israel but also Jewish people throughout history prior to its foundation. Curiously, its also used to represent Jesus Christ individually whenever he is referenced either as an statue or the Nativity, rather than use a Christianityball since he was Jewish.
* ''[[http://trek-wars.thecomicseries.com/ Trek Wars]]'' is a comoposite parady of ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Franchise/StarTrek'' and a bit of ''Film/SpaceBalls'' with a bit of DecompositeCharacter
** Lirk Jaywalker resembles a female alien Han Solo complete with personality, with some Luke Skyawalker thrown in and having the captain role of James T. Kirk [[spoiler:she later gains more resemblance to Darth Vader after becoming an Impure Lord]]
** Lux Krayzar is a composite to Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin, [[spoiler: and is shown to take some aspects of Count Dooku with his outfit]], but at the same time [[spoiler:he is revealed as a seperate character to the Anakin based character]].
** Princess Lespa is a composite to Princess Leia and Princess Vespa [[spoiler: she is also one with Ray and her father, as a the daughter of Valvatine, similar to the role of Palpatine's son and being the family member Valvatine atempted to turn to his side, like Ray]]
** [[TheEmperor Emperor Ghan]] has Palpatine's original trilogy role and a name similar to Khan with some of Khan's role given to Elda, [[spoiler:until it is revealed that Elda is Ghan and is revealed to be Lirk's sister, which is Leia's role and is the redeemed family member, which is Anakin's role]].
* ''[[https://www.deviantart.com/tyrranux/gallery/72269792/underhell/ Underhell]]'' has [[WebAnimation/HazbinHotel Charlie Magne]] take [[VideoGame/{{Undertale}} Toriel's]] role as Frisk's kindly mother figure and the one who tries to make Frisk stay with her by fighting them. [[spoiler: Later its revealed she's also this with [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Malebolgia]] as the one who created the Hellspawn and made a deal with Al Simmons to come back to life in return for his services. Unlike the comic it's implied that the Hellspawn were created in an attempt to protect Hell from the Exorcists (after the failure of the Happy Hotel) and Charlie fully intended to honor her deal with Al but when it all ended in tragedy Lucifer forced her to abandon Al, thus subjecting Spawn to a miserable existence.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/TenSixtySixAndAllThat''
** "The memorable Dutch King Williamanmary."
** There's also a more convoluted example where the book starts off being clear that Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbuck (two men who claimed to be [[RightfulKingReturns the rightful heir]] during the reign of Henry VII) both existed, but becomes utterly confused as to which of them was which, calling them both by a variety of composite names, and finally suggesting that maybe there was only one of them after all.
* ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfStrongVanya'': The main character combines traits of the folk hero [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Muromets Ilya Muromets]], who gained super-strength after spending several years lying on a stove, and several different fairy tale heroes named Ivan (see: "Literature/TsarevitchIvanTheFireBirdAndTheGrayWolf" who married Princess Vasilissa, or "Literature/TheDeathOfKoscheiTheDeathless", who got a horse out of Literature/BabaYaga)
* In most modern adaptations of ''Literature/AladdinOrTheWonderfulLamp'', the BigBad, usually named [[UsefulNotes/GrandVizierJafar Jaf(f)ar]] as in ''Film/TheThiefOfBagdad1940'', is a composite of the original tale's unnamed Vizier, his son whom the princess is betrothed to, and the EvilSorcerer. Disney's adaptation also combines the Genies of the Ring and Lamp.
* Many adaptations of ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' conflate the Queen of Hearts with the Red Queen. The first is from "Adventures in Wonderland" and is a playing card; the second is from "Through the looking glass" and is a chess piece.
* ''Literature/AnnoDracula'':
** In the short story "Castles in the Air", the vampire hippy guru Khorda from the 1973 film ''Deathmaster'' turns out to be one of Dracula's hangers-on from the earlier books, General Iorga. This is a gag on the fact that Robert Quarry, who played Khorda, had previously played the title character in ''Film/CountYorga, Vampire'' and ''The Return of Count Yorga'', and many people consider ''Deathmaster'' to be a SpiritualSuccessor.
** "Flattop" in the ''Film/JamesBond'' pastiche sections of ''Dracula Cha-Cha-Cha'' is a composite of the ''ComicStrip/DickTracy'' villain of the same name, FrankensteinsMonster, and Bond [[TheDragon Dragons]] [[Film/{{Goldfinger}} Oddjob]] and [[Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe Jaws]].
** Dracula himself, constantly reinventing himself and shapeshifting to match, is a composite of every portrayal of the Count.
** Kit and Holly in "You'll Never Drink Blood in This Town Again" are the main characters of the film ''Film/{{Badlands}}'', but have a string of aliases suggesting they're every OutlawCouple in 20th century fiction.
** Similarly to Dracula, Hamish Bond in ''Cha-Cha-Cha'' is a composite of Creator/IanFleming's Literature/JamesBond and Creator/SeanConnery's Film/JamesBond, before [[spoiler: Mother Roma's influence turns him into Creator/RogerMoore's Bond]].
** In ''One Thousand Monsters'', Albert "Smiler" Watson, the ShellShockedVeteran with a Victoria Cross, is based on the title character in the 1966 ''Sergeant Cork'' episode "The Case of Albert Watson V.C.", but his nickname comes from "Smiler" Washington in the 1962 play ''Chips With Everything''. Both parts were played by Ronald Lacey.
** Also in ''One Thousand Monsters'', the Satanist Portuguese missionary who fathered (and, in the ''Anno Dracula'' version, also sired) [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemuri_Ky%C5%8Dshir%C5%8D Nemuri Kyōshirō]] is, [[AdaptationalVillainy incongruously enough]], the very devout Sebastião Rodrigues from ''Film/{{Silence}}''.
** O-Ren "Cottonmouth" Blake in ''Dakaiju'' is mostly [[Film/KillBill O-Ren "Cottonmouth" Ishii]], but her surname and vampirism nod to another Creator/LucyLiu character, [[Film/RiseBloodHunter Sadie Blake]]. (In a further gag, when discussing her codename, she says that if she had to have a snake name, at least it wasn't "[[Franchise/KungFuPanda Viper]]".[[note]]Which in the ''Anno Dracula'' universe is a nasty FantasticSlur for vampires.[[/note]])
** In the same book, the Haitian [[FantasticDrug drac]] dealer Georgia Rae Drumgo is named after two drug dealers played by Hazelle Goodman: [[Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet Georgia Rae Mahoney]] and [[Film/{{Hannibal}} Evelda Drumgo]].
* The title character in ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' was based on two different girls whom Creator/StephenKing went to school with growing up, both of whom had difficult lives and died young.
* In Arthur Miller's ''Theatre/TheCrucible'', the utterly vile Danforth stands for several different judges who presided over the witch trials. Miller initially worried that he had made Danforth too one-dimensional ... only to find that the real judges were even worse.
* Creator/JosephConrad's ''Literature/UnderWesternEyes'' begins with the assassination of a Tsarist official, [[SpellMyNameWithABlank de P___]], who is a composite of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstantin_Pobedonostsev Konstantin Pobedonstev]] and another P-named official who really was assassinated. The implication was that Conrad hoped that the fate of the latter would happen to the former.
** Also by Conrad, Kurtz of ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness'' is a combination of a number of sadistic EvilColonialist types in the Belgian Congo, although his name in particular references Georges Antoine Klein (Kurtz is German for short and Klein is German for small) who had just died when Conrad was in the Congo.
* Sultan Mehmed of ''Literature/CountAndCountess'' is a mix of the real-life Sultan Mehmed and his father.
* ''Literature/DarknessAtNoon'':
-->"The life of the man N. S. Rubashov is a synthesis of the lives of a number of men who were victims of the so-called Moscow Trials. Several of them were personally known to this author. This book is dedicated to their memory."
* ''Franchise/DoctorWho'' [[Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]]
** The [[Literature/DoctorWhoNovelisations novelisation]] of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial ''The Invasion of Time'' combines the characters of Jasko and Ablif into a single character. The character in the book is named, appropriately enough, "Jablif".
** The ''New Series Adventures'' novel ''The Ressurection Casket'' is ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' RecycledInSpace. The character of Kevin is Ben Gunn, and the parrot, and [[spoiler: the Black Spot -- ItMakesSenseInContext]].
* Dame Alice from ''The Gallows in the Greenwood" by Phyllis Ann Karr is a composite of three different characters from the RobinHood stories and ballads. She starts off as the Sheriff's Wife (a minor character in some ballads), takes her husband's place when Robin and his outlaws murder him (becoming the Sheriff for the events of several famous stories) and finally [[spoiler: retires to a convent, becoming the Prioress who ultimately kills Robin Hood in some versions.]]
* ''Literature/KingArthurAndHisKnightsOfTheRoundTable'': Percivale's sister combines traits of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival%27s_sister two different characters known as that]] -- she has the role of the Grail heroine, but the name of Dindrane.
* In the Dramatic Audio version of the Literature/LeftBehind book ''Armageddon'', GC officer Anita Sanchez is one for two female officers (a Hispanic and an African-American) working in the San Diego headquarters where Chloe Williams was incarcerated.
* Nellie Oleson in the ''Literature/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'' books was a composite of three different girls Laura Ingalls Wilder knew growing up: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters and Stella Gilbert. There is some speculation that Mr. Edwards was a composite, as well, since pinning down his historical personage has proved confusing.
* DI Jack Spratt in the ''Literature/NurseryCrime'' books by Creator/JasperFforde is every fairy tale Jack. Although he insists he [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten didn't kill many giants]].
* From the preface to ''Literature/TomSawyer'':
-->''"Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but not from an individual—he is a combination of the characteristics of three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of architecture."''
* Elenn in Creator/JoWalton's Literature/{{Sulien}} series is a composite of Guinevere from the Myth/KingArthur mythos and Fionnbharr from the ''Literature/TheCattleRaidOfCooley''.
* In Creator/PhilipJoseFarmer's Wold Newton family, he sometimes does this to tie characters together. Most notably, the Duke of Holdernesse and his illigitimate son James Wilder, from the Literature/SherlockHolmes story "The Adventure of the Priory Road School", are combined with John Clayton, Earl of Greystoke and Clark Savage Sr, to make Franchise/{{Tarzan}} and Franchise/DocSavage cousins. It is also a standard part of Wold Newton lore than [=MacReady=] from ''Literature/WhoGoesThere'' is Savage and Professor William Dyer from ''Literature/AtTheMountainsOfMadness'' is his associate William "Johnny" Littlejohn. The composition of [[Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea Captain Nemo]] with [[Literature/SherlockHolmes Professor Moriarty]] has proved more controversial among Woldian scholars, despite it being a key point in Farmer's ''Other Log of Phineas Fogg''.
* ''Literature/FiveNightsAtFreddysTheFourthCloset'', the third novel of the ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' book trilogy, combined [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddysSisterLocation Funtime Foxy]] and [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 Mangle]], both white and pink colored versions of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Foxy]] with an AmbiguousGender, into one animatronic. The result is a Funtime Foxy that resembles the Sister Location character, but can change form into the more broken-looking Mangle from the second game.
* In A.C. Gaughen's retelling of Robin Hood ''Scarlet'', the titular character is a combination of Will Scarlet and [[spoiler: Maid Marian]]
* The protagonist of Dorothy Dunnett's ''King Hereafter'' is a combination of the historical [=Macbeth=] with a contemporary ruler, Thorfinn Sigurdsson.
** Similarly, his wife, Groa, is both Thorfinn's wife Ingibjorg and [=Macbeth=]'s wife Gruoch.
* InUniverse examples: in the kid's book ''I Funny TV,'' the protagonist, Jamie, is making a sitcom pilot based on his own life. The writers decide to simplify things by fusing his best friends, TeenGenius Pierce and cool-guy Gaylor, into one character named Bob. [[spoiler:{{Subverted}} when stage fright keeps Bob's actor from going on, so his real friends are PushedInFrontOfTheAudience]]. Likewise, in his real life Jamie deals with two bullies, his cousin Stevie and another boy named Lars; the writers like Lars better, so they [[RelatedInTheAdaptation make him Jamie's cousin]] in the show.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** ''Literature/WyrdSisters'' parodies ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' and ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' simultaneously. Duke Felmet is Macbeth and Claudius; King Verence is Hamlet's father, King Duncan and Banquo; and Tomjon is Hamlet and Malcom. (And then [[spoiler: the Fool turns out to be Fortinbras and ''actually'' Malcom]].)
** Blind Io, the TopGod, is mostly Zeus with a bit of Odin (he used to have two ravens who would go forth and bring him news of the word. However, as his eyes are floating around him all the time, and ravens are famous for getting at the juiciest parts of corpses...)
** Hoki the Jokester, the Disc's main TricksterGod, looks like Pan, but his name and the fact he was banished from Dunmanifestin for "the old exploding mistletoe trick" suggest Loki.
** ''Literature/SoulMusic'': Imp y Celin, whose name translates to Music/BuddyHolly, while he's repeatedly stated to look a little like ElvishPresley. In addition, the Band With Rocks In has similarities to Music/TheBeatles with Imp as Music/JohnLennon (especially in the AnimatedAdaptation where he says they're [[BiggerThanJesus bigger than cheeses]]). The animated series also ran with the idea the Band were ''every'' major rock group in composing the songs. And ''Discworld'' comics artist Graham Higgins draws Imp as looking kind of like a cross between Music/MickJagger and Music/JimiHendrix.
* In-universe in ''Literature/WolfHall'', when Henry VIII tells Thomas Cromwell and the Archbishop of Canturbury, Dr. [[PlanetOfSteves Thomas]] Cranmer, that the French have taken to referring to them as the single entity "Dr. Cranmuel." Then the ''narration'' shortly thereafter says "Dr. Cranmuel left the room."
* ''Literature/{{Sandokan}}'': Lord Guillonk's character is often fused into James Brooke's in retellings.
* ''Literature/QuantumDevilSagaAvatarTuner'': Downplayed with the protagonist Serph, who got "recomposed" from being a DecompositeCharacter in the game. He takes name, appearance and Atma powers from the game Serph, however, since the game Serph was a HeroicMime, he got most of the dialogue that was spoken by Gale in the game. Justified: in the original story draft, Yu Godai had conceived Serph to be a speaking character with a role in the plot, however Atlus made him a HeroicMime to be more in line with the rest of the games, thus Gale was created to have his personality. Serph's personality in the books, however, has been rewritten to be in stark contrast with Gale's one (being less cold and calculative and more idealistic and compassionate), and Gale was included in the book without making Serph HeroicMime, AdaptedOut or DemotedToExtra.
* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/Opus100'': On page 222, [[WordOfGod Dr Asimov tells readers]] that Cleon II and General Bel Riose of "Literature/TheDeadHand" are mostly based on Justinian and Belisarius from sixth century Rome, but also had bits of Tiberius and Sejanus from first century Rome. These characters were chosen based on his interest in history, covered in "Part 8".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
* This is done often in mythology and its various adaptations as a result of both time constraints and general mixing of the stories.
* Myth/KingArthur:
** In Arthurian Literature, the role of the mother of Mordred (who may or may not be [[BrotherSisterIncest Arthur's son]]) is frequently given to Morgan Le Fay; the original mother (Morgause) is either absent or given a different role.
** Morgan is also often mixed with [[MerlinAndNimue Nimue]]. Also Elaine of Carbonek ([[BedTrick lover of Lancelot]] who was [[StalkerWithATestTube the mother]] of [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Galahad]]) can be combined with Elaine of Astolat ([[UnrequitedTragicMaiden unrequited]] lover of Lancelot who [[DeathByDespair pined away]]).
** Even inanimate objects can get this treatment: see ExcaliburInTheStone.
* In the Myth/RobinHood legends and ballads, there's about a half dozen Merry Men all named "Will;" most adaptations boil them down to one.
* The American SantaClaus is a composite of several European myths and folk lore. Examples include the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra, the Norse god Odin, and the Roman Titan Saturn (AKA Cronus).
* ''Literature/TheBible'':
** In Christian traditions going back at least to the Middle Ages, Mary Magdelene was identified both with the nameless prostitute who anointed Jesus' feet in Luke 6, as well as Mary of Bethany, who also anoints Jesus' feet at one point. There are various reasons for the former connection: the story of the prostitute is followed by a discussion of Mary, and she is described as having "devils" exorcised from her. She was the traditional symbol of a repentant sinner, but the Catholic Church has dropped this association in recent years.
** Combined with AdaptedOut, almost every film version of ''Literature/BookOfExodus'' removes [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron Aaron]] completely and gives all his meetings with Pharaoh and the miracles performed by him to Moses.
** The popular conception of TheAntichrist is a merger of three prophetic figures in Literature/TheBible, none of whom are referred to by that name. The three are the "Little Horn" in the Literature/BookOfDaniel, the "Man of Sin" in the Epistle to the Thessalonians, who proclaims himself as God and defiles the Temple of Jerusalem, and "The Beast" in the Literature/BookOfRevelation. While many Christians, especially Evangelicals, believe all of these figures refer to the same person or being, a demonically-backed dictator who will appear at the end of the world, some scholars believe they each referred to a different historical ruler: the Little Horn was Antiochus IV, a Greek king known for his brutal persecutions of Jews around the time Daniel was written; the Man of Sin was Emperor Caligula, who attempted to erect a statue of himself in the Temple; and the Beast was Emperor Nero, as the Beast's [[NumberOfTheBeast famous number, 666]] corresponds in Jewish numerology to "Neron Kaisar," the Greek form of his name.
* In the ''Literature/SongOfSongs'', the Shulamite is believed by certain Bible students to be the amalgamation of all the women King Solomon had loved and married to be part of his harem. This seems to fit well with the idea that the book itself is a religious metaphor for God's love for Israel (in Judaism) and/or Jesus Christ's love for the church (in Christianity).
* Medieval legends about saints occasionally mixed up saints bearing the same name, e. g. Dionysius (Dénis), martyred bishop of Paris (3rd century), with the Dionyisius the Areopagite (converted by St. Paul).
* In Myth/NorseMythology the trickster god Loki and the fire giant Logi are often thought of as the same character, such as in the Wagner's Ring Cycle where they are merged into Loge.
* In Literature/TheQuran's story about the Virgin Mary, named "Maryam" in Arabic, she has a brother named Harun ("Aaron") and a father named Imram ("Amram")...just like the Old Testament's Miriam, who would also be called "Maryam" in Arabic. Of course, a Muslim would argue that this is a coincidence or the case of purposefully naming one's kids after revered historical figures, while non-Muslims generally argue that Muhammad heard the stories of both "Maryams," mistakenly thought they were the same person and then re-separated the stories later when he realized his error.
* In folklore and demonology, Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, and such are all originally separate demons. They are however often combined into the same being with the various different names becoming simply [[IHaveManyNames aliases]].
* Old Man Winter, the personification of Winter, could be seen as a Composite Character of JackFrost/Literature/{{Morozko}} and [[TheOldNorthWind the North Wind's anthropomorphic depictions]] in that he's a personification of ice and snow like the former while also usually being portrayed as a [[AmbiguouslyEvil sometimes-malicious]] bearded elder who blows cold gusts of wind out his mouth like the latter.
* To what extent people of different religions understand others to be worshipping the same god can vary. Inclusive forms of monotheism tend to understand there to be only one "God", who all monotheists worship under different monikers and with different sets of (mis)conceptions. Especially inclusive forms may understand polytheistic gods as aspects or emanations of that God. Less inclusive forms might restrict this to deities where there is good reason to equate them (Jehovah/Yahweh in the Bible and Allah in the Quran are both identified as the God of prophets such as Abraham/Ibrahim, for instance). Uninclusive views might only consider shared scripture, such as the Hebrew Bible, and/or a shared statement of doctrine, such as the Nicene Creed, as defining the same God. At the far end of the spectrum, any two different religions might be called "different Gods" (even if they are, say, Catholicism versus Protestantism) by those who believe in gods as egregores of their followers rather than metaphysical entities.
* Myth/ClassicalMythology:
** Roman and Greek gods are often considered to be the same group of deities, just known by [[AdaptationNameChange different names]]. This is symptomatic of Romans seeing the similarities between their Indo-European gods, and beginning to ascribe Greek legends to their own gods. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpretatio_graeca ''Interpretatio romana'']] refers to the deliberate practice of identifying foreign deities with classical gods and often assimilating their distinct characteristics into mainstream practice.
*** Some of the Roman gods finished up being best known by epithets transferred from their Greek counterparts, for example Pluto/Plouton (Roman Dis or Greek Hades) or Bacchus/Bakkhos (Roman Liber or Greek Dionysus).
*** Occasionally subverted in that a few never weren't the same god ("Jupiter" is cognate with "Zeus Pater", from the original proto-Indo-European Dyḗus Pħtḗr).
*** Some of the equivalences result in gods with very different characterisation being merged (Mars might sometimes be worthy of admiration, Ares [[{{Jerkass}} less so]]).
*** This applied to non-Greco-Roman panthea as well. For example, Sulis, the goddess of the hot springs in the town of Bath (Aquae Sulis), was equated with Minerva. Days of the week in Germanic versus Romance languages preserve a few attempted correspondances between the Roman and Germanic panthea (e.g. Mars with Tiw/Tue/Tyr, Jupiter with Thor).
*** Hermes/Mercury is a particularly complex one. Mercury was added to the Roman pantheon during the assimilation of the Greek pantheon, so never had an "original" Roman form distinct from Hermes, but just got given another name. Hermes/Mercury was, however, equated both with the Egyptian Thoth (in the form of Hermes Trismegistus) and ([[MindScrew perhaps surprisingly]]) the Germanic Woden/Odin. Hermes Trismegistus is also sometimes equated with with the Abrahamic Enoch, since Enoch and Thoth are both traditionally considered the inventor of writing (in legend, although this has no basis in the canonical Bible); Enoch is in turn sometimes called Idris, a name used in some vague passages in the Quran which are traditionally thought to refer to Enoch, or Metatron, an angel which Enoch is sometimes considered to have been transfigured into.
*** Aphrodite in particular is considered to be the product of smashing together [[Myth/MesopotamianMythology variants of Inanna and Ishtar, particularly Astoreth, who are in turn possibly syncreticisms between unrelated deities.]] Ironically, she's also somewhat of a DecompositeCharacter, losing veneration as a war god except in very particular cults, like that in Sparta-- before regaining it again (at least as a common epithet) in Gallo-Roman veneration as Venus. This also affected her lover Adonis, who was drawn from methods of venerating the god Dumuzid, Adonis's own name drawn from a common Canaanite title for deities, ''adon'', usually translated as "lord." This title, more famously, became applied to the Biblical Yahweh.
[[/folder]]

!!Example Subpages:

** CompositeCharacter/{{Arrowverse}}
** CompositeCharacter/GameOfThrones
** CompositeCharacter/PowerRangers

** CompositeCharacter/YoungJustice2010

!!Other Examples:

[[folder:Myths & Religion]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Billy Flynn, "the silver-tongued prince of the courtroom" of ''Theatre/{{Chicago}}'', was a composite of William Scott Stewart and W. W. O'Brien, the real life attorneys of Belva Gaertner and Beulah Annan (the real life Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart).
* Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's Japan-only tour ''Theatre/{{Fascination}}'' combined acts from ''Theatre/LeCirqueReinvente'' and ''Theatre/NouvelleExperience''; appropriately, the Ringmaster here was a composite of the ''Reinvente'' Ringmaster and the Great Chamberlain of ''Nouvelle'', who served similar emcee functions. This Ringmaster had the ''Reinvente'' costume and backstory of a transformed "Ordinary Person", but was played by ''Nouvelle'''s actor (Brian Dewhurst) and from there participated in the latter show's slackwire act.
* Anthony Burgess combines Cyrano's best friend Le Bret with his Captain Carbon de Jaloux in his adaptation of ''Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac''.
* In ''Theatre/DerRingDesNibelungen'' Hagen is a merging of several versions of the same character. Like in Literature/Nibelungenlied he is a grim figure, like ''Nibelungenlied'' and ''Thidreks Saga'' he kills Siegfried, like ''Thidreks Saga'' his father is an elf and like ''Literature/SagaOfTheVolsungs'' he is Gunther's brother (though the ''Nibelungenlied'' calls him a kinsman the relation is not clear). He also seems to have some merging with [[BastardBastard Bastard Bastards]] like Edmund from Theatre/KingLear.
** Wagner also conflated Loki, Norse god of mischief, with Logi, a god of fire. He may have done this mistakenly, or based his characterisation on a previous scholar who made the mistake.
* In ''{{Theatre/Dreamgirls}}'', Effie White is not only patterned primarily after "third Supreme" Florence Ballard, but also after Etta James and Aretha Franklin.
* In Bernard Pomerance's ''Film/TheElephantMan'', Ross is a composite of Tom Norman (Merrick's manager when Treves met him, and a fairly decent guy as far as P.T. Barnum types go) and the Belgian showman who abandoned him and robbed him of his life's savings.
* Pseudolus from ''Theatre/AFunnyThingHappenedOnTheWayToTheForum'', an amalgam of various [[TheTrickster trickster servant]] characters from the works of Roman playwright Creator/{{Plautus}}.
* Inverted in ''Theatre/JosephAndTheAmazingTechnicolorDreamcoat''. In early recordings of the show, it's an anonymous "lively lad" who tells Pharaoh about Joseph; in later ones, it's the butler Joseph's already met, which makes a lot more narrative sense. Were the two characters combined when the musical was revised? On the contrary—somebody must have gone back to the Book of Genesis and noticed that in the book, the lad in question ''is'' Pharaoh's butler.
* Mimi and Rodolfo in ''Theatre/LaBoheme'' merge the original novel ''Scenes de la Vie de Boheme'''s characters of Mimi and Rodolphe with another couple from the novel, Francine and Jacques, [[spoiler:whose romance also ends with [[IllGirl the girl dying]] [[IncurableCoughOfDeath of tuberculosis.]]]] Details the opera borrows from the latter couple include the way they meet, the operatic Mimi's sweeter personality, and [[spoiler:her romantic death scene, as opposed to the original Mimi's {{Dying Alone}}.]]
* Joanne in ''Theatre/LaBoheme'''s SettingUpdate, ''Theatre/{{Rent}}'', is a [[GenderFlip female version]] of Alcindoro, but also inherits some traits from Marcello (the Mark character).
* In ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', Thenardier's henchman Brujon takes his name from a minor criminal who only associated with Thenardier. His status as TheBrute comes from the novel's Gueulemer. The musical also does away with the Thenardiers' second daughter, Azelma, giving her plot points to Madame Thenardier (which is not difficult, since the point of the character was that she was growing up just like her mother).
* In most productions of the opera ''Theatre/TheMagicFlute'', the role of the Speaker, a dialogue-only character who guides Tamino and Papageno through their second act trials, is merged with that of the old priest Tamino encounters in the first act finale. This has been standard practice for so long that few people know that they originally may not have been the same character.
* The stage version of ''Theatre/{{Newsies}}'' replaces reporter Brian Denton and Jack's love interest Sarah with Katharine Plumber, a reporter who becomes Jack's love interest.
* Almost every adaptation of ''Franchise/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' transplants most aspects of the Daroga's character into Madame Giry.
** In the original novel, Raoul is a bit of an UpperClassTwit who relies on the Daroga's know-how to survive Erik's machinations. In the musical, the Daroga is omitted, and Raoul becomes much more competent as a result.
* In ''Theatre/PokemonLive'', [=MechaMew2=] is primarily based on Mewtwo, but also has Mew's unique feature of knowing every Pokemon move.
* In the musical version of ''Film/ReeferMadness'', Jimmy Harper is a composite of the original film's protagonist Bill Harper and his girlfriend Mary's kid brother Jimmy.
* In Frank Wildhorn's musical of ''Theatre/TheScarletPimpernel'', Percy's eighteen strong League of The Scarlet Pimpernel (aside from Percy himself and brother-in-law Armand), was folded up into nine men: Dewhurst [[note]]Who also inherits the novel's Ffoulkes position as TheLancer[[/note]], Elton, Farleigh, Ben, Hal, Ozzy, Hastings, Neville, and Leggett. Later revisions cut the later three men out and give their lines to the first six.
* In ''Theatre/SeventeenSeventySix'', John Adams is somewhat combined with his cousin Sam Adams, who doesn't appear in the play. Many people now associate the quote about how there would be trouble "[[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar a hundred years hence]]" if slavery was allowed to continue to John when it was really Sam who said it. (Incidentally, they had to take out the "hundred years" bit because they thought the [[RealityIsUnrealistic audience would never believe it]].)
* Happens too often to count in Shakespeare's history plays, and not just characters, but also with battles and other events.
* ''{{Shadowlands}}'' combines Joy Gresham's two sons into one. This is also done for the film version; the original teleplay kept both sons.
* The musical ''Theatre/ShowBoat'' combined two characters from Edna Ferber's novel, the heavy Frank and the juvenile lead and Elly's husband Schultzy, into Frank Schultz. Ike Keener, the sheriff of Lemonye, and Vallon, the police chief of New Orleans, were similarly combined into Ike Vallon. The 1929 film version of ''Theatre/ShowBoat'' made Hetty Chilson, a character from Ferber's novel that was eliminated from the musical, an alternate identity of Julie.
* In the unofficial stage adaptation of ''Film/Showgirls'', the characters Gaye and Marty were combined to make one flamboyant character simply called 'Gay.'
* Part of the reason that ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' is DarkerAndEdgier than the original ''Beggars Opera'' is because of this trope. In the original, Macheath is a fairly sympathetic (if lecherous) example of TheHighwayman, and Peachum is a corrupt thief-taker (he works both sides of the law- he conspires with criminals, but also turns those criminals in for a reward when they're outlived their usefulness to him). In Brecht's version, Peachum, while still corrupt, is the head of a beggar's guild, and Macheath is a much more unpleasant gangster. This version of Macheath is a "grass" and he gets the lines of the original Peachum when he treacherously plots to turn the loyal members of his gang to save his own skin.
* Some productions of ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'' cut Fabian and give his role in Act II, Scene V to Feste. In fairness, it's almost ''too'' easy to do this, since Maria earlier tells Toby, Andrew ''and'' Feste to show up for the said scene, and Fabian never appears until that moment, when he's introduced as a whole new character who has inexplicably been invited to join the fun, [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse while Feste is nowhere to be found]]. Some analysts have speculated that Fabian was invented for [[RealLifeWritesThePlot some practical reason or other]], and that Feste was originally supposed to appear in the scene.
* In ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'', Fiyero and Boq, via spells by Elphaba and Nessarose, are transformed into the Scarecrow and the Tinman. In the original novel, they were all separate characters.
** Fiyero's musical counterpart is also a composite of the original Fiyero (Elphaba's love interest and a prince) and minor character from the book named Avaric (most of his personality traits). Meanwhile the name "Avaric" was given to a retainer of Fiyero who is only seen onstage breifly.
* In the Opera of ''Literature/AllTheKingsMen'', entitled Willie Stark, Stark's aide Jack Burden supplants his love interest Anne's brother, Adam, in ultimately [[spoiler: killing Stark.]]
* ''[[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown]]'' has Patty, whose lines and scenes come not only from the original comic strip's Patty (not to be confused with the later Peppermint Patty), but also Violet, Frieda, and Sally (enough of Sally, in fact, that the Broadway revival went ahead and re-identified the character).
* ''Theatre/MerrilyWeRollAlong'': Joe Josephson, Gussie Carnegie's producer and husband whom she divorces for Frank in the musical, is a composite of two characters from the original play, a producer named P. J. Morton and an actor husband named Harry Nixon (who is SparedByTheAdaptation).
* In ''[[Film/{{Elf}} Elf: The Musical]]'', Walter's boss Mr. Greenway is a combination of Mr. Greenway and Miles Finch from the movie.
* In the Creator/ReducedShakespeareCompany's ''Shakespeare's Long-Lost First Play (abridged)'', the conceit is that this massive tome (a "quarto-pounder") contains elements and characters from all Shakespeare's later plays. In addition to characters gaining elements of another character because of who they're playing off (such as Lady Macbeth encouraging her fiance Hamlet to be more Macbethy) there are a few explicit composites: Dromeo is Launce from ''Two Gentlemen of Verona'' with Romeo elements; Richard III turns into Richard II when his hunchback is removed; and Lear's daughters are the three witches.
* In ''Para Handy - A Voyage Round The Stories of Neil Munro'', Sunny Jim, who was introduced in the second ''Para Handy'' book, takes The Tar's place in scenes based on stories from the first book. (Except the bit based on "The Valentine Card That Missed Fire", in which Sunny Jim stands in for Dougie, and Dougie stands in for The Tar.)
* In the [[Theatre/{{Heathers}} musical version]] of ''Heathers'', Martha gains the friendship with Veronica and upbeat personality of Betty from the [[Film/{{Heathers}} film version]].
* In ''Film/{{Flashdance}}: TheMusical'', Jeanie and Tina Tech from the film are combined into Gloria.
* The post-Broadway stage productions of ''Theatre/TheLittleMermaid'', excluding the Junior version, [[AdaptedOut adapt out]] Carlotta and give her lines to Grimsby.
* ''Stupid F^%!ing Bird'', a modern deconstruction of ''Theatre/TheSeagull'', composites Sorin and his physician Dr. Dorn as Dr. Sorn.
* The character of Thuy in ''Theatre/MissSaigon'' is a composite of two characters in ''Theatre/MadameButterfly'': Cio-Cio-San's uncle the Bonze, who disrupts her wedding to denounce her for [[ConvertingForLove converting to Christianity]], and Yamadori, a rich man whose marriage proposal she rejects in Act II. He also gains {{Adaptational Villainy}} and [[spoiler: {{Death By Adaptation}}]].
* In the play ''El Burlador de Sevilla,'' thought to be the origin of the Don Juan myth, Don Juan seduces a lady named Doña Isabela [[BedTrick while masquerading as her lover]], Duke Octavio. He later tries a similar trick with one Doña Ana, whose father duels him, is killed, and ultimately comes back as [[OurGhostsAreDifferent the Stone Guest.]] Mozart's ''Theatre/DonGiovanni'', like other retellings of the legend before it, conflates the two incidents and the two women, making Donna Anna the fiancée of Don Ottavio.
* ''Theatre/WesterosAnAmericanMusical'':
** The Sand Snakes get an AdaptationalEarlyAppearance via tagging along with Oberyn to King's Landing. This results in them taking on the role of Oberyn's long-term paramour Ellaria, who doesn't appear in the play but was the one to come with him to King's Landing in the source material.
** Olenna Tyrell is the one to become a member of the Small Council and later one of the judges in a murder trial instead of her son Mace, who is mentioned but doesn't appear onstage.
* ''Theatre/HeadOverHeels'', The Musical of Philip Sidney's ''[[Literature/OldArcadia Arcadia]]'', merges Pyrocles, the source story's DisguisedInDrag character, with his cousin Musidorus.
* In most adaptations of ''Literature/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas'', the Narrator is a separate being disconnected from the rest of the cast. In the stage musical, the Narrator is an elderly Max, essentially turning the story into a flashback from his perspective.
* In ''Theatre/{{Eurydice}}'', Eurydice acts as both herself, the wife of Orpheus, and as Persephone, Hades' wife who he kidnapped to make his bride.
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[[folder:Web Comics]]

* The American SantaClaus is a composite of several European myths and folk lore.

* To what extent people of different religions understand others to be worshipping the same god can vary. Inclusive forms of monotheism tend to understand there to be only one "God", who all monotheists worship under different monikers and with different sets of (mis)conceptions. Especially inclusive forms may understand polytheistic gods as aspects or emanations of that God. Less inclusive forms might restrict this to deities where there is good reason to equate them (Jehovah/Yahweh in the Bible and Allah in the Quran are both identified as the God of prophets such as Abraham/Ibrahim, for instance). At the other far end of the spectrum, any two different religions might be called "different Gods" (even if they are, say, Catholicism versus Protestantism) by those who believe in gods as egregores of their followers rather than metaphysical entities.

* To what extent monotheists under people of other religions to be worshipping the same god can vary. Inclusive forms of monotheism tend to understand there to be only one "God", who all monotheists worship under different monikers and with different sets of (mis)conceptions. Especially inclusive forms may understand polytheistic gods as aspects or emanations of that God. Less inclusive forms might restrict this to deities where there is good reason to equate them (Jehovah/Yahweh in the Bible and Allah in the Quran are both identified as the God of prophets such as Abraham/Ibrahim, for instance). At the other far end of the spectrum, any two different religions might be called "different Gods" (even if they are, say, Catholicism versus Protestantism) by those who believe in gods as egregores of their followers rather than metaphysical entities.

* Some consider the Judeo-Christian God "Jehovah" or "Yahweh" and the Islamic god Allah to be the same entity.

*** Hermes/Mercury is a particularly complex one. Mercury was added to the Roman pantheon during the assimilation of the Greek pantheon, so never had an "original" Roman form distinct from Hermes, but just got given another name. Hermes/Mercury was, however, equated both with the Egyptian Thoth (in the form of Hermes Trismegistus) and ([[MindScrew perhaps surprisingly]]) the Germanic Woden/Odin. Hermes Trismegistus is also sometimes equated with with the Abrahamic Enoch, since Enoch and Thoth are both traditionally considered the inventor of writing (in legend, although this has no basis in the canonical Bible); Enoch is in turn sometimes called Idris, a name used in some vague passages in the Quran which are traditionally thought to refer to Enoch.

*** Some of the Roman gods finished up being best known by epithets transferred from their Greek counterparts, for example Pluto/Plouton (Dis or Hades) or Bacchus/Bakkhos (Liber orDionysus).

*** Some result in gods with very different characterisation being merged (Mars might sometimes be worthy of admiration, Ares less so).

** Aphrodite in particular is considered to be the product of smashing together [[Myth/MesopotamianMythology variants of Inanna and Ishtar, particularly Astoreth, who are in turn possibly syncreticisms between unrelated deities.]] Ironically, she's also somewhat of a DecompositeCharacter, losing veneration as a war god except in very particular cults, like that in Sparta-- before regaining it again (at least as a common epithet) in Gallo-Roman veneration as Venus. This also affected her lover Adonis, who was drawn from methods of venerating the god Dumuzid, Adonis's own name drawn from a common Canaanite title for deities, ''adon'', usually translated as "lord." This title, more famously, became applied to the Biblical Yahweh.

* In ''Film/TheMuppetsWizardOfOz'', the Munchkins also serve the role of the Field Mice in ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'', rescuing Dorothy and friends from Poppyfields and explaining to Dorothy how the Witch's magic cap works. Which makes sense, since they're played by the rats (with Rizzo as a composite of the Mayor of Munchkinland from [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the MGM film]] and a {{Gender Flip}}ped Queen of the Field Mice).

* ''[[https://www.deviantart.com/tyrranux/gallery/72269792/underhell/ Underhell]]'' has [[WebAnimation/HazbinHotel Charlie Magne]] take [[VideoGame/{{Undertale}} Toriel's]] role as Frisk's kindly mother figure and the one who tries to make Frisk stay with her by fighting them. [[spoiler: Later its revealed she's also this with [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Malebolgia]] as the one who created the Hellspawn and made a deal with Al Simmons to come back to life in return for his services. Unlike the comic it's implied that the Hellspawn were created in an attempt to protect Hell from the Exorcists (after the failure of the Happy Hotel) and fully intended to honor her deal with Al but when it all ended in tragedy Lucifer forced her to abandon Al, thus subjecting Spawn to a miserable existence.

* [[http://trek-wars.thecomicseries.com/ Trek Wars]], is a comoposite parady of ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Franchise/StarTrek'' and a bit of ''Film/SpaceBalls'' with a bit of DecompositeCharacter

* A variation occurred in ''Webvideo/ThereWillBeBrawl'': While fans were still awaiting [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Young Link]] and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Toon Link]] to finally show up or be mentioned, like every other character in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', it's eventually revealed that [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Link]] also ''is'' Young Link and Toon Link. They were compressed into one character. Link looks at a photo of his younger self. This photo includes both, Young Link[=/=]Toon Link, implying that they are both the same guy during the same period of time. Link is just their grown-up version.
* Roleplay/{{Crinoverse}} The Crinoverse, existing as it does as a combination of multiple superhero universes, has a few of these. There's the Justice Avengers, a combination of the JLA and the Avengers, and a few others-Psimon is a combination of the Champions character and the DC character of the same name.

* In the ''TabletopGame/DiscworldRoleplayingGame'' Port Duck setting, Brick's Cafe Ankh-Morporkian is a pastiche of Rick's Cafe Americain in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''; however Brick is just the troll doorman. As revealed in "[[http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=4303 A Little Job for the Patrician]]", the actual owner is Dooli the Arranger, so named not just because he runs deals but because he also leads the house band. He's a combination of Rick Blaine and Sam (played by Dooley Wilson.)

* In the TabletopGame/YuGiOh TCG, the "Kozmo" archetype is a [[JustForFun/XMeetsY Mash-up]] of ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' and each card depected is based on a combination characters/object/settings from each source. This trope applies when a card draws inspiration from multiple things from the same source.