History Main / LastEpisodeNewCharacter

!!As this is an EndingTrope, beware of unmarked spoilers.

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]

[[folder:Film]]

* Professor Moriarty, supposed to be THE nemesis for SherlockHolmes is introduced only in ''The Final Problem'', originally written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as the definitive series ending. Holmes got better, though.

* ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen'' suffered a similar fate, which is why the series ends with the appearance of [[spoiler: Apocalypse]].

* ''VideoGame/Fate/Extra'':
Most of the game is spent focusing on the Holy Grail War, in which [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Leo]] and his Servant [[KnightInShiningArmor Gawain]] are built up as the most powerful enemies the player has to face. It’s not until the end of the game that the audience is introduced to the hidden mastermind of the tournament, though [[FridgeBrilliance sharp-eyed players will remember seeing his name mentioned multiple times before]]: [[spoiler: [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Twice]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist H.]] [[FinalBoss Pieceman]], and his Servant, [[UsefulNotes/SiddhārthaGa tama Saver]]]].

Most of the game is spent focusing on the Holy Grail War, in which [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Leo]] and his Servant [[KnightInShiningArmor Gawain]] are built up as the most powerful enemies the player has to face. It’s not until the end of the game that the audience is introduced to the hidden mastermind of the tournament, though [[FridgeBrilliance sharp-eyed players will remember seeing his name mentioned multiple times before]]: [[spoiler: [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Twice]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist H.]] [[FinalBoss Pieceman]], and his Servant, [[UsefulNotes/TheBuddha Saver]]]].

* The GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' features Shermy and Beth, who have been speculated to be Finn and Jake's reincarnations in fan theories.

* ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' did this as well introducing Zim's new sidekick Minimoose in the final episode "The Most Horrible X-mas Ever". In a unique spin on this trope, this wasn't actually supposed to be the final episode of the show nor Minimoose's first appearance. An episode called "Nubs of Doom", which would've introduced Minimoose being made by Zim to replace Gir as a sidekick, was in development. Unfortunately, due to the fact that the show was canceled before it could even finish its second season, Minimoose's debut episode ended up having to remain unfinished with the Christmas special airing as the finale. Though due to the fact that the series has a habit of introducing characters at the most random moment, seeing Zim with Minimoose still doesn't feel too out of place.

* In the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'', after eight seasons of flip-flopping, during the [[spoiler:TimeCompressionMontage of the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue, Mordecai meets an unnamed bat woman[[note]]named Stef according to an AMA reddit page[[/note]] at an art gallery and immediately hits it off, then marries her and has children]].

* The GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' introduces Luster Dawn, the student of Twilight Sparkle. Luster is used as the FramingDevice for this episode as Twilight and Spike explain to Luster through a WholeEpisodeFlashback what happened at Twilight's coronation, as well as [[DistantFinale what happened to each of the show's main characters]].

* ''VideoGame/CopyKitty'': In the 12th and final world of Boki's Hard Mode (a continuation of the Normal campaign), during the 3rd stage, the game abruptly [[spoiler:cuts to static with two unseen characters tracking her progress and spying on the simulation.]] The next stage barely has time to load before [[spoiler:a character named Isotope suddenly breaks into the simulation to challenge Boki to the most serious encounter in the game and Boki's TrueFinalBoss]].]] The dialogue strongly suggests [[WeWillMeetAgain a future encounter]] between the two will take place.

** The original series got in on it first with Piccolo Jr., the vengeful son ''and'' reincarnation of BigBad King Piccolo. And AsYouKnow, Piccolo Jr. would go on to be a major character in ''Z'' and undergo a HeelFaceTurn.

* Hikaru Sakuraba only appeared in the last episode of the ''Manga/LuckyStar'' she featured more prominently in the manga though.

* The GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' introduces twin sisters June and May, only that April is not with them.

* The GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' will introduce Daisy Duck's nieces June and May, only that April is not with them.

** Season 1 ends with BoJack doing a screen test for the Secretariat biopic with director Kelsey Jannings present. Season 2 involves the making of that biopic.

If a sequel is not planned, the new character may act as closure via PassingTheTorch, or more broadly showing the influence the main character(s) had over the course of their adventures.

** Albus Dumbledore's younger brother Aberforth is referred to here and there throughout the series, but doesn't officially appear until the latter half of ''Deathly Hallows''.
** Their sister Ariana is introduced as a PosthumousCharacter without ever having been mentioned before.

* The UsefulNotes/IOSGames port of ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' adds [[TheStinger an extra image after the credits]] showing a completely new character. Given that part of the game's staff worked on the aforementioned ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', many think the new character will pop up in a sequel.

* In ''Anime/MaiHiME'' Arika is literally the [[ContinuityCameo very last character visible on screen in the final episode]], although she never says anything and plays no part in the action. She then appears in ''Anime/MaiOtome'' as its lead. (Sunrise also created a fake "movie trailer" for ''Anime/MaiHime'' that had her being a villain and taking over the school.)

* In the ending [[{{Montages}} montage]] to ''Manga/RozenMaiden: Träumend'', a new character appears who may or may not be the resurrected version of another character; likely, it's actually [[spoiler:the as yet [[TheGhost unseen]] one that she had been impersonating]].

* Subversion: Before airing, it was highly expected that ''[[{{LightNovel/Slayers}} Slayers Try]]'' would make use of Lina Inverse's [[TheGhost mysterious sister]], Luna. Once it aired, she merely made an appearance in the opening, [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kerai/1116708631036.jpg with an accompanying humorous apology note to the fans.]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

* ''{{Series/Smallville}}'': With its constant rumours of being cancelled, it has a lot of these. ''Covenant'', last episode of season three, had Kara Zor-El [[spoiler:who turned out to be a fake]]. ''Commencement'' (season 4) had [[spoiler:Brainiac]] in the form of a black ship. ''Vessel'' (season 5) had [[spoiler:General Zod]]. ''Phantom'' (season 6) had [[spoiler:Bizarro]]. ''Doomsday'' (season 8) had [[spoiler:Major Zod]] (long story). ''Prophecy'' (second to last episode of entire series) had several evil extras who do absolutely nothing just like ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace'': Solomon Grundy, Captain Cold, Black Manta.

** At the end of ''[[Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm Ninja Storm]]'', [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of the Wind Rangers as they were at the beginning of the season appeared to help out. They don't appear again, but the [[Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder next season]]'s Red Ranger is basically the goofiest member of this trio given a new hair color. He's eventually [[HandWave handwaved]] as being his twin brother, [[PlayingTheirOwnTwin as they were played by the same actor]].

* Wrestling/{{The Estonian Thunderfrog}}, [[Wrestling/ArchibaldPeck The Latvian Proud Oak]] and Lithuanian Snow Troll: [[PowerTrio The Baltic Seige]], who originally only had one match in Wrestling/{{Chikara}} before it died. However, they played an important role in helping Icarus revive the promotion during the Ashes angle running through Wrestling Is and returned two years later for some more fights.[[/folder]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Chowder}}'', there is his apprentice, Scraps.

* In ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'', [[spoiler:Eddy's brother]] shows up in the [[WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddysBigPictureShow climax]] of TheMovie. Up until then, he was only mentioned by other characters. This is even more notable considering he's the only new character introduced ''in the entire show'' after the principle cast was established.

* ''WebAnimation/NekoSugarGirls'' has a MinimalistCast of three major characters with two re-occuring ones. The finale randomly introduces Raku's old friends from college for no real reason.

* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'':
** The final two episodes of Season 9 introduced two new characters that were possibly intended to become regulars, with the hopes the show would have been renewed for a 10th season. Alas, that wasn't the case, and aside from appearances in the three follow-up movies (which comprised the unofficial "10th season"), there was virtually no time to flesh out and truly develop their characters. Those characters, by the way, were: