History Main / LooseCanon

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'':
** ''VideoGame/HalfLifeOpposingForce'' (note that the expansions were made by a different company than original producers Creator/{{Valve}}) introduced the main character (marine Adrian Shepard) who proved quite popular among the fanbase, and the mysterious "Race X" from another, unknown world who happened to arrive at Black Mesa during the events of ''Half-Life'' and made a weak attempt to conquer Earth. Their canonicity is pretty much a gray area: it was never completely exiled from canonicity, but they did not appear in the series again. Same goes for ''[[VideoGame/HalfLifeBlueShift Blue Shift]]''; though Barney Calhoun made his way into ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', the supporting characters (Dr. Rosenberg) and the exact events are semi-canonical at best. ''[[VideoGame/HalfLifeDecay Decay]]'' is of even further dubiousness, partly due to its obscurity.
** Several of the security guards in ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'', in the opening before the resonance cascade sets off the game, offer to buy Gordon Freeman a beer sometime later. While Barney Calhoun appears in ''Blue Shift'', he comments in ''Half-Life 2'' that he still owes Gordon that beer. Calhoun never directly encounters Freeman during the course of ''Blue Shift'' (he only catches Freeman passing by in a tram at the beginning and witnessing him being dragged away by Marines after he's been captured at the end), though it is conceivable that many guards (perhaps even all guards) owe Gordon Freeman a beer for some reason or other.
** The only detail from expansions that the writer of ''Half-Life'', Marc Laidlaw, has explicitly declared canonical is Black Mesa's nuclear destruction in ''Opposing Force'''s ending.

* Before ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda4'' and subsequent creator interviews rendered all of them non-canon, this was how ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' animated spinoffs worked during a time when their canonocity (particularly regards to how the shows could be tied to each other in spite of all the Emperor retcons) was debated and in-flux: they generally don't contradict the events of the movies but they do frequently contradict ''each other'', such the Emperor (and, in one case, Empress) of China almost never sharing the same species or personality. This is despite one series occasionally referencing elements from another, such as Bunnidharma from ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaThePawsOfDestiny Paws of Destiny]]'' talking about Ke-Pa, who's a ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness Legends of Awesomeness]]'' exclusive villain; or Po being referred to as the Dragon ''Master'' (rather than Dragon Warrior) in ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaTheDragonKnight The Dragon Knight]]'' as he was in ''Paws of Destiny''.

* This is for the most part how ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' animated spinoffs work: they are officially not canon, but generally do not contradict the events of the movies. However, they do frequently contradict ''each other'', such the Emperor (and, in one case, Empress) of China almost never sharing the same species or personality. This is despite one series occasionally referencing elements from another, such as Bunnidharma from ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaThePawsOfDestiny Paws of Destiny]]'' talking about Ke-Pa, who's a ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness Legends of Awesomeness]]'' exclusive villain; or Po being referred to as the Dragon ''Master'' (rather than Dragon Warrior) in ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaTheDragonKnight The Dragon Knight]]'' as he was in ''Paws of Destiny''.

** Marvel used to write a lot of licensed comic books. Some of these licenses were even ones that didn't even have a story before Marvel came up with one, so they were free to cross them over or integrate them into their own universe as they saw fit. In later years, Marvel would [[WritingAroundTrademarks write around trademarks]] to bring these characters back, although some were easier than others. ComicBook/{{Godzilla}} and [[ComicBook/US1 U.S.1]] became the legally-distinct "Leviathan" and U.S.Ace[[note]]which, given that the character's real name was [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Ulysses Solomon]] ''[[StevenUlyssesPerhero Archer]]'', might actually make ''[[Administrivia/TropesAreTools more]]'' [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools sense]][[/note]]. ComicBook/{{Rom|SpaceKnight}} is referred to only as "the greatest of the spaceknights" in further appearances (that never show his face), whereas ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'' had already been ExiledFromContinuity even when they were being published by Marvel. There's also a coy reference to the adventures of a [[Franchise/DoctorWho certain space alien who lives in a phone booth]] in Creator/PaulCornell's ''ComicBook/CaptainBritainAndMI13''. In general, the writers like letting their readers headcanon that the stories are ''still'' canonical; it's just that they never come back up for some reason.

** Apocrypha, mostly licensed material (like the [[WesternAnimation/BattleTech animated series]] and the ''VideoGame/MechWarrior'' games) whose events are accepted as BroadStrokes canon even if their specific portrayals aren't, unless otherwise contradicted in canon sources.

* ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' has some Spin Off novels which are loose canon due to the inconsistencies it has with the game. Some of the events of the novels have been referenced in the game and one of the main characters has also shown up in the game. They officially are cannon except where contradicted by the game.

** ''ComicBook/BlazeOfGlory'' treats any western-based Marvel comic like this. Every detail that was a little too out-there is implicitly given the CanonDiscontinuity treatment. The idea is that those stories are [[DirectLineToTheAuthor in-universe fiction]] made to cash in on the main characters' fame. The miniseries itself has a tenuous place in the larger Franchise/MarvelUniverse, but all of its events are still considered part of [[TheVerse Earth-616]]. Which means that the ''Blaze of Glory'' version of the [[Characters/MarvelComicsWesternCharacters Two-Gun Kid]] must have also [[ComicBook/TheAvengers traveled to the future at some point]]; it's just not mentioned in this series so as to not break WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief. Why he never decided to bring his futuristic weapons with him to defend Wonderment [[FridgeLogic is anyone's guess]].

Related to SchrodingersCanon, where the material ''is'' meant to be canonical to some extent, but is frequently at odds with the actual canon because it's not really made by the author or some other reason.

** ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeSigmaSix'' was intended to be set in the same continuity as the [[WesternAnimation/GIJoeReelFX Reel FX]] movies, and the beginning of the series certainly ''seems'' to be picking up directly from where those films ended, with Cobra Commander in jail and General Hawk recovering in the hosptial like they were at the conclusion of ''Valor Vs Venom''. However, the connections between the two series largely end there, with ''Sigma 6'' largely doing its own thing; [[BroadStrokes it has a very different style and feel to the Reel FX movies, as well as different characterizations and appearances for most of the cast]]. Nothing is outright contradictory, leaving it to viewer discretion whether they share a canon.

** [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW The comic book spin-off of the show]] is of ambiguous continuity to both ''Friendship is Magic'' and ''Equestria Girls''. While the creative team behind the comic believes that their work is canon unless the show directly contradicts/retcons it, [=FiM=] series director Jim Miller has a much looser "[[SchrodingersCanon everything is canonical until it isn't and nothing is canonical until it is]]" stance. He would later explain in a [[https://www.equestriadaily.com/2019/09/cut-ideas-and-general-my-little-pony.html post-series interview]] that the creative teams behind the shows were never kept updated on anything regarding the comics, so he doesn't feel too strongly about their canonicity. For their part, the comics team would attempt to patch up any plot holes that developed as a result of their dubious status by explaining in the final issue that they were written in-universe by an older Spike, who admits to misremembering and embellishing details.
** ''Friendship Is Magic'' has some chapter books and picture books that are ambiguously canonical, though they began being referenced sparingly once the writer of said books (Gillian M. Berrow) joined the show's writing staff in Season 5.

* This is for the most part how ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' animated spinoffs work: they are officially not canon, but generally do not contradict the events of the movies. However, they do contradict each other, like for instance the Emperor of China almost never sharing the same species or personality. One series might also vaguely reference a character from another, such as Bunnidharma from ''Paws of Destiny'' talking about Ke-Pa, who's a ''Legends of Awesomeness'' exclusive villain, making it very unclear how much continuity they're really supposed to share. Some elements in one spinoff can also transition to another spinoff while still not being able to gel with each other continuity-wise, such as ''Paws of Destiny'' officially calling Po the Dragon ''Master''. Po being called the "Dragon Master" makes its way to ''The Dragon Knight'' while Xiao being Empress doesn't.

** ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Equestria Girls]]''. While the first few films explicitly take place after certain canonical moments[[note]][[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1 The first film]] takes place just after the third season, [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks the second]] just after season four, and [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames the third]] overlaps with the events of the season five finale[[/note]], none of the events that happen in this part of G4 continuity are ever brought up to any degree in the main series. The closest acknowledgments this parallel universe has received are two brief appearances of Flash Sentry's Equestrian counterpart in the show's fourth season, a season seven flashback depicting the villains of the second [=EqG=] film being banished from Equestria via magic portal, and a background cameo of ''[=EqG=]'' "villain-turned-hero protagonist" Sunset Shimmer in the show's DistantFinale. [[WordOfGod According to the series' directors]], both works are canonical to each other, but only ''[=FiM=]'' events will have any effect on ''EG'' and not vice versa to avoid ContinuityLockOut. The comic books do provide some more supplemental details, including mini-issues dedicated to the backstories of characters like Sunset.
** [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW The comic book spin-off of the show]] is of ambiguous continuity. While the creative team behind the comic believes that their work is canon unless the show directly contradicts/retcons it, series director Jim Miller has a much looser "[[SchrodingersCanon everything is canonical until it isn't and nothing is canonical until it is]]" stance. He would later explain in a [[https://www.equestriadaily.com/2019/09/cut-ideas-and-general-my-little-pony.html post-series interview]] that the creative teams behind the animated shows were never kept updated on anything regarding the comics, so he doesn't feel too strongly about their canonicity. For their part, the comics team would attempt to patch up any plot holes that developed as a result of their dubious status by explaining in the final issue that they were written in-universe by Spike, who admits to misremembering and embellishing details.

** The ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Equestria Girls]]'' SpinOff material in relation with the main series. While the first few films explicitly take place after certain canonical moments[[note]][[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1 The first film]] takes place just after the third season, [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks the second]] after season four, and [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames the third]] explicitly overlaps with the events of the season five finale[[/note]], none of the events that happen in this part of G4 continuity are ever brought up to any degree in the main series. The closest acknowledgments this parallel universe has received are two brief appearances of Flash Sentry's Equestrian counterpart in the show's fourth season, a season seven flashback depicting the villains of the second [=EqG=] film being banished from Equestria via magic portal, and a background cameo of ''[=EqG=]'' "villain-turned-hero protagonist" Sunset Shimmer in the show's DistantFinale. [[WordOfGod According to the series' directors]], both works are canonical to each other, but only ''[=FiM=]'' events will have any effect on ''EG'' and not vice versa to avoid ContinuityLockOut. The comic books do provide some more supplemental details, including mini-issues dedicated to the backstories of characters like Sunset.
** Speaking of the comics, [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comic book spin-off of the show]] is also of ambiguous continuity. Very little of what happens in the comics is referenced in the show, leaving it ambiguous whether the events of the comics are considered to have happened. The comics team stated that the comic is considered canonical until the cartoon says otherwise. Meanwhile, series director Jim Miller took a much more ambiguous "[[SchrodingersCanon everything is canonical until it isn't and nothing is canonical until it is]]" stance, later explaining in a [[https://www.equestriadaily.com/2019/09/cut-ideas-and-general-my-little-pony.html post-series interview]] that they were never kept updated on anything regarding the comics.
** ''Friendship Is Magic'' also has some chapter books and picture books aimed at younger readers than the comic that are ambiguously canonical, though they began being referenced sparingly once the writer of said books joined the show's writing staff in Season 5.
* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'':
** ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' ends leading into ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'', turning out to be a [[StealthSequel Stealth Prequel]]. The [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooDirectToVideoFilmSeries direct-to-video movies released in 2010 and beyond]] may or may not take place after ''Mystery Incorporated'', as ''Mystery Incorporated'' never confirms or denies that Velma has any siblings that don't live in Crystal Cove with her, Velma's mother is said to be doting not unlike her ''Mystery Incorporated'' counterpart, and the Mystery Machine is the same model used from the show as well as having a license plate from Crystal Cove. On the other hand, in one of the movies, Daphne makes a big deal out of her realizing her feelings for Fred, despite their romance being a major part of their story in ''Mystery Incorporated''.
** ''Frankencreepy'' makes a TakeThat to viewers concerned with continuity, where a character gets arrested for complaining about the {{Series Continuity Error}}s that would arise if you were to put these movies and ''Mystery Incorporated'' in the same canon. [[RuleOfFun Just have fun with it, folks.]]

* ''Franchise/OnePiece'': [[Anime/OnePieceStrongWorld Shiki]] and [[Anime/OnePieceFilmRed Uta]] are unique among movie-only characters in that while their films are non-canon, the characters themselves are, having been mentioned or introduced in the manga. Their whereabouts in the current story, however, is completely unknown, which is the most interesting for Uta, as [[spoiler:she dies at the end of ''Film: Red'']].

* ''Franchise/OnePiece'': [[Film/OnePieceStrongWorld Shiki]] and [[Film/OnePieceFilmRed Uta]] are unique among movie-only characters in that while their films are non-canon, the characters themselves are, having been mentioned or introduced in the manga. Their whereabouts in the current story, however, is completely unknown, which is the most interesting for Uta, as [[spoiler:she dies at the end of ''Film: Red'']].

* The whole ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' series is essentially [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/03/25/kirby-forgotten-land-features/ treated this way]]; there are ongoing character arcs and plot threads, but the specifics of what happened in each game aren't entirely concrete so as to avoid constraining the potential for future stories. [[https://miketendo64.com/2016/08/26/kirby-planet-robobot-ask-a-thon-round-2/ This especially applies]] to the extra modes like ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot''[='s=] Meta Knightmare Returns; said mode is a ForWantOfANail scenario where Kirby never wakes up from his nap at the beginning of the game and Meta Knight fights the Haltmann Works Company instead. Modes like this may not be the "canon" telling of their stories, but can be considered canon elements that ''could'' have happened if things played out differently, and affect later installments accordingly.

* The fifth case of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'', "Rise From the Ashes", generally stays on the outside of the overall continuity of the original trilogy of games. This is because it was produced for the DS version of the first game -- a release after the [[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations then-final game]] originally released in 2004, concluding the original trilogy. It's definitely canon because Ema Skye, the sidekick character from that case, later appears as an adult following the TimeSkip leading into ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'' but this is generally the only element of the case that ever extended to anything beyond its own events.

* The ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles: Saturday Morning Adventures'' comic is made entirely of episodic standalone adventures that can more or less take place at some random points of the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 '87 cartoon]], given that its continuity is pretty loose anyway. Issue #1 is the easiest one to determine when, [[ContinuityCavalcade since villains from all the pre-Red Sky seasons are referenced there]], but that's the extent of it.