History Main / PutOnABus

* Between the late 1960s and his return in the early '80s, J'onn J'onnz, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter of the Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}}, went off to find "New Mars" with the rest of the Martian people. This has since been {{retcon}}ned -- along with the existence of [[LastOfHisKind other Martians in general]].
* ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'': Most of the JL members added to the team under Creator/DwayneMcDuffie's tenure ended up being written out once Creator/JamesRobinson took over and decided he wanted to write another characters. ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} seemingly had an emotional breakdown and quit offscreen, ComicBook/{{Vixen}} took a "leave of absence" to heal from some recent injuries and then was never seen or mentioned again in that series, Franchise/GreenLantern left without an explanation, and ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}} also quit offscreen after the death of his girlfriend. Each of those characters save for Green Lantern would later return in subsequent volumes of the franchise. Ironically enough, this happened to the majority of Robinson's new characters, who quit offscreen after his first three issues.

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':
** After ''ComicBook/ManyHappyReturns'' ended, Post-crisis Linda Danvers, her supporting cast and her villains dropped out of the universe.
** After ''ComicBook/SupermanVsShazam'', the Sand Superman is not seen again.
** After the end of ''ComicBook/StarfiresRevenge'', the titular villain's minions Rodney Marlowe and Doctor Kangle disappear completely.
** Villainess Lesla-Lar is apparently killed off in ''ComicBook/TheGirlWithTheXRayMind'', and she is not seen again until ''ComicBook/StrangersAtTheHeartsCore'', published fourteen years later.
** Both ''ComicBook/{{Power Girl}}s'' Kara Zor-L and Tanya, became trapped in an interdimensional void between worlds. In ''Deathstroke Annual'' #1 (March 2018), Tanya tried to rescue Pre-Flashpoint Kara, who was already seemingly trapped since post-''ComicBook/DCRebirth'', but her plan ended in disaster.
** 1981 storyline ''ComicBook/TheStrangeRevengeOfLenaLuthor'' was Lena Luthor's last in-continuity appearance until ''ComicBook/SupermanSecretOrigin'' introduced another version of the character twenty-seven years later.
** ''ComicBook/WayOfTheWorld'' features the final appearance of ComicBook/YoungJustice member Anita Fite "Empress" and her parents.
** ''ComicBook/DeathAndTheFamily'' was the last Post-Crisis storyline to feature Silver Banshee and Insect Queen.
** ''ComicBook/SupergirlsGreatestChallenge'': Whizzy, descendant of Streaky the Supercat in the 30th century, makes his first appearance, helps ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} out, and is never seen again.
* ComicBook/KittyPryde was forgotten by most writers about for majority of the 90s where ComicBook/{{Jubilee|MarvelComics}} took her place. Kitty was relegated to ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'' until Joss Whedon made Kitty popular in the main books again with ''ComicBook/AstonishingXMen''.
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
** ''ComicBook/XWingRogueSquadron'': Two female human pilots left Rogue Squadron. Elscol, a guerrilla leader before Wedge recruited her, left because of command issues and because she believed she could do better working on the ground. Plourr, a BoisterousBruiser who turned out to be a princess, left because revolutions had torn up her homeworld and she needed to rule and bring it back under control. Oddly, it's Plourr who was written back in, and ''very'' quickly. A drop-in commando character recurred, but Elscol did not. Well, not in the comics. She did have a role in one of the novels.
** This was originally Asajj Ventress's fate in the comic series ''Obsession''. Having been betrayed by Count Dooku, Ventress decides she's had enough of the Clone Wars, hijacks a Republic medical shuttle and flies off into parts unknown never to be seen again. Well, then ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' came along and decided that [[{{Retcon}} none of that happened]].
** In the ''ComicBook/XWingRogueSquadron'' comics, [[BoisterousBruiser Plourr Illo]] had an arc which showed her to be a badass {{expy}} of Anastasia, the last princess of a line that had died in revolution. She returned to her homeworld and waded into the teeth of a new revolution that was even more violent than the last. At the end of it, she [[IChooseToStay chose to stay]] and rule her planet while the Rogues left. They left her her X-Wing and Wedge told her "You've saved your world. When you're ready, come back and save the rest of us." And she and a squadron of fighters from her homeworld did have a BigDamnHeroes moment at the end of the very next arc, and she complained about how boring politics was. But the very next issue after that had her serving full-time with the Rogues again, flying into combat and getting into [[BoisterousBruiser fistfights]]. Weird.
* Following ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'' #67, half the team is Put On A Bus, though they make guest appearances in other books.
* Karolina was put on a spaceship right after the "True Believers" arc of ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''. To make a very long story short, she had to go back to her home planet with Xavin in order to help end a war. However, they returned before the end of that volume.
** This was also done to [[GenderBender Xavin]], though whether or not [[BusCrash that bus will crash]] remains to be seen.

* A ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' comic features a subplot where Scrappy goes to a gambling table and begins winning hotels. At the end, he declares that he has won hotels and vanishes from the Mystery Machine, where the gang discovers he was using the solid hologram device from that story. The last panel has Scooby leave the van to go back to Las Vegas to get him, but by the next comic, Scrappy isn't anywhere to be seen, so presumably the gang left him there to run his hotels.
* In the Denny O'Neil / Neal Adams run of ''Franchise/GreenLantern'', Guy Gardner was hit by a bus to make way for John Stewart. After enduring several circumstances (having Hal's Power Battery explode, trapping him in the Phantom Zone, rescued from it, and rendered catatonic), he would then play a greater role in the Green Lantern comics following the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''.

* Zap Zodiac a comic strip in ''ComicBook/TheBeano'' ended in a way so that the strip was left open to return in the future. But as of 2011 bus has not yet returned to Beanotown.

* Subverted and played straight with different characters in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersRobotsInDisguise'':
** Wheelie, Garnak, and Hardhead are not seen for several issues despite having been semi-important characters and then in issue #5 Ironhide makes [[HandWave an offhand comment]] about Wheelie having left Cybertron. With all of this it seems as if the characters have been put on the bus. Then in ''very next issue'' we leave Cybertron and pick up with the three of them and see where they went, why they left, and what kind of adventures they're getting into right now.
** Played straight with Omega Supreme- he's offlined by a bomb attack very early in the series and got occasionally mentioned as being barely alive. In the series finale, he has a psychic conversation with Bumblebee to give a hint on how to defeat Unicron, then dies.
* When Geoff Johns took over Franchise/GreenLantern, he started bringing back characters from the mythos. There was some fan interest in a giant canine GL named G'Nort. Johns insisted that G'Nort was dead. Then, during ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'', when dead people started coming back, people asked about G'Nort... and were told that G'Nort was not coming. The implication being that G'Nort was on a bus, [[DroppedABridgeOnHim under a bridge]] which was itself on fire.
** Then, at the end of ''ComicBook/WrathOfTheFirstLantern'', who shows up as part of the BigDamnHeroes moment? ''G'Nort''. Even Guy comments that it was about time.

* In ''Mélusine'', the album 22 has several characters leaving the series: [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Count Gonzague Hernyvanz]], [[OurGhostsAreDifferent his wife]] and [[FrankensteinsMonster Winston]] all disappear. Their castle was accidentally burned because of Cancrelune and we don't see them anymore [[TheBusCameBack except of an occasional moment or two]]. [[spoiler:Cancrelune also leave the series [[DrivenToSuicide after committing suicide]].]]
* ''ComicBook/Robin1993'':
** Ariana Dzerchenko, Tim's FirstLove. Although she starred in the first 50 issues of the series, she was quickly dropped in favour of the more popular Stephanie. After her breakup with Tim, she only appeared once and was never mentioned again.
** Dana Drake, Tim's stepmother. More specifically she was sent to a mental hospital in Bludhaven after Jack Drake's death and then was assumed to have [[BusCrash died together with the city when it was demolished]]. On the other hand, she didn't show up during ''ComicBook/BlackestNight''...
* When the Gang of Harleys made their debut in issue #16 of ComicBook/HarleyQuinn's ''[[ComicBook/TheNew52 New 52]]'' solo series, among the founding members were five teenage sisters known as the Quinntuplets. However, they only had one adventure as part of the team before Harley found out they're too young for her group and sent them home at the end of the 19th issue.

* The ''ComicBook/MickeyMouseComicUniverse'' had a villain named Von Weasel who debuted in 1943 as a partner of Pete and actual ''Nazi'', identified as a "best buddy of Hitler." Needless to say, this is a justified example of this trope; Not only would it be incredibly insensitive to have a "best buddy of Hitler" as a minor antagonist, but Pete has gone through several decades of character development and most modern audiences would never imagine him voluntarily working with actual-nazis.
* BoxedCrook Hoss Cosgrove was sent back to prison in the first issue of ''ComicBook/CombatKellyAndHisDeadlyDozen''. He was never heard from again.

* ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'': Jason's original teacher was an elderly woman by the name of Miss Grinchley. [[ScrewedByTheLawyers Likely due to legal issues surrounding]] [[Creator/DrSeuss her name]], she retired three years into the strip and was replaced by Miss O'Malley.

Opposite of DroppedABridgeOnHim. Compare with SequelNonEntity (a character disappearing from the show with little-to-no explanation), ChuckCunninghamSyndrome (a character disappearing from the ''franchise'' with little-to-no explanation), WhatHappenedToTheMouse (where the story continues with a character's final fate left unknown), and WrittenInAbsence, for when a character disappears for only an episode or two.

** Played straight with Omega Supreme- he's offlined by a bomb attack very early in the series and gets occasionally mentioned as being barely alive. It's pretty obvious why this happened; he's got StoryBreakerPower.

* The character of Trillian got a one-sentence send-off at the start of the second series of ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''. Thanks to a ResetButton, she was brought back for the three much-belated series made after Douglas Adams' death.
* One regular team member of BBC Radio 1's ''ScottMillsShow'', Mark Chapman, went to the toilet on Christmas Eve 2009 and hasn't been heard from since.

* In the ''Franchise/StarWars''[=/=]''VideoGame/MassEffect'' crossover universe created in ''Fanfic/{{Fractured}}'' this ends up happening due to the large casts--the sequel, ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', suffers from it even more (combined with OutOfFocus) as 200+ named characters crop up. [[AnyoneCanDie Some don't last]].

** Similarly ComicBook/TwoFace, Batman's second most iconic nemesis was absent for two decades during the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] likely because Comic Code Authority would've beeen reluctant to let a [[FacialHorror disfigured]] serial killer run around in the campy lighthearted era. Like the Joker, O'Neil and Adams brought Harvey back and cemented his place in the RoguesGallery.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** After ''ComicBook/ManyHappyReturns'' ended, Post-crisis ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Linda Danvers and her cast of supporting characters and rogues pretty much dropped out of the universe.

* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'': Watterson introduced Uncle Max into the strip but quickly realized he hadn't put enough thought into the character, and wasn't quite sure what to do with him. After visiting once, Max goes back home and is never seen or mentioned again.[[/note]]WordOfGod says that another problem with Max was that his dialog was really hard to write: Watterson had a policy that Calvin's parents never be given names beyond "mom" and "dad," but this made their conversations with Max incredibly awkward. Thanks to Max, Watterson developed a personal rule that none of the supporting characters should be given outside friends or interests.[[/note]]

* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'':
** Watterson introduced Uncle Max into the strip but quickly realized he hadn't put enough thought into the character, and wasn't quite sure what to do with him. After visiting once, Max goes back home and is never seen or mentioned again.
*** WordOfGod says that another problem with Max was that his dialog was really hard to write: Watterson had a policy that Calvin's parents never be given names beyond "mom" and "dad," but this made their conversations with Max incredibly awkward. Thanks to Max, Watterson developed a personal rule that none of the supporting characters should be given outside friends or interests.
** Calvin's beleaguered babysitter, Rosalyn, disappeared in 1990 but [[TheBusCameBack returned]] for a final arc in September 1995, [[BackForTheFinale three months before the strip's finale]].

** Karl Mordo was last seen in TheStinger for ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'' embarking on a quest to kill Earth's sorcerers, but had yet to be mentioned since then. Mordo technically returns in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseofMadness'' [[spoiler: but it's an AlternateUniverse version of him]].

*** This got worse starting with Phase 3 and during Phase 4, when her father Thaddeus Ross managed to get off the bus in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' a whole nine years later, followed by Emil Blonksy/Abomination returning in both ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' and ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'', making William Hurt and Tim Roth the only returning actors from ''The Incredible Hulk''. And if you count Bruce Banner himself (albeit [[TheOtherDarrin recast]] from Creator/EdwardNorton to Creator/MarkRuffalo), this makes Betty the only central character from ''TIH'' that has yet to make a reappearance. Even Mr. Blue/Samuel Sterns, despite becoming a SequelHook that ultimately became an AbortedArc thanks to the rights issues with Universal, got some closure in ''ComicBook/TheAvengersPreludeFurysBigWeek'' and is confirmed to be coming back for ''Armour Wars''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'', Orville is written out as being retired with his flight service being managed by his brother [[PunnyName Wilbur]]. Jim Jordan, who voiced Orville in the first ''Rescuers'' movie, passed away before he could record any lines for the sequel.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'', Orville is written out is being retired with his flight service being managed by his brother [[PunnyName Wilbur]]. Jim Jordan, who voiced Orville in the first ''Rescuers'' movie, passed away before he could record any lines for the sequel.

* iN ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'', Orville is written out is being retired with his flight service being managed by his brother [[PunnyName Wilbur]]. Jim Jordan, who voiced Orville in the first ''Rescuers'' movie, passed away before he could record any lines for the sequel.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'', Orville is written out is being retired with his flight service being managed by his brother [[PunnyName Wilbur]]. Jim Jordan, who voiced Orville in the first ''Rescuers'' movie, passed away before he could record any lines for the sequel.

* ''Fanfic/TheUltimateEvil'': Nothing's heard of [[Characters/TheUltimateEvil Valmont]] after Shendu's exorcised from his body in the first story. In the second story, the Enforcers are incarcerated at the end of the Noble Animals arc like in canon, but the ForWantOfANail caused by [[spoiler:Daolon Wong's death]] means they're still in prison and are unavailable as Drago or Tarakudo's henchmen.

*** This got worse starting with Phase 3, when her father Thaddeus Ross managed to get off the bus in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' a whole nine years later, followed by Emil Blonksy/Abomination returning for the upcoming ''She-Hulk'' series, making William Hurt and Tim Roth the only returning actors from ''The Incredible Hulk''. And if you count Bruce Banner himself (albeit recast from Creator/EdwardNorton to Creator/MarkRuffalo), this makes Betty the only central character from ''TIH'' that has yet to make a reappearance. Even Mr. Blue/Samuel Sterns, despite becoming a SequelHook that ultimately became an AbortedArc thanks to the rights issues with Universal, got some closure in ''ComicBook/TheAvengersPreludeFurysBigWeek''.
*** Later subverted when she finally returned after 13 years... but in the third episode of the animated AlternateTimeline anthology series ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'', where in an alternate version of ''TIH'', she ends up [[spoiler: tragically witnessing her lover explode thanks to a vengeance-seeking Hank Pym.]] She still has yet to make a return in live-action form.
** Apart from an offhand [[Film/ThorRagnarok reference to her breakup with Thor]] Jane Foster (and her supporting cast of Darcy and Dr. Selvig) has likewise disappeared. Sif is also absent due Creator/JaimieAlexander having scheduling conflicts, [[spoiler: however Kevin Feige [[WordOfGod reveals]] Sif was not on Asgard when Hela arrived so she survived the genocide of Asgardains at least]]. Eventually averted when Jane and Sif returned for ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' [[spoiler:albeit the former eventually died at the end of the movie due her cancer]], while Darcy appears in ''Series/WandaVision''.
*** Subverted in ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' [[spoiler: Sif makes a surprise cameo in Loki’s PsychologicalTormentZone where he gets a GroinAttack from her, over and over again. Although it’s technically not actually Sif, just a memory of her, the real Sif will return in ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder''.]]

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' has done this several times in their later seasons, most notably after the time skip between Blood Gulch Chronicles and Reconstruction, where Tucker and Donut are put on a bus for the entirety of Reconstruction, coming back for Recreation. Tex also tends to come and go throughout the story.
* [[GiantSpider Greg the Spider]] from ''Machinima/ArbyNTheChief'', TWICE. The first time was towards Season 5's finale after overhearing some hurtful comments about him from Arbiter. This late paid off [[TheBusCameBack when he returns during Season 6's finale]], [[Heartwarming/ArbyNTheChief bringing Cortana with him to help Arbiter feel better]]. Halfway into Season 7, [[spoiler:after Chief murders Cortana]], Greg leaves again, this time for good after feeling unfairly resented by Arbiter for a lie he was forced to tell.

* Han Solo is frozen in carbonite at the end of ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' because Harrison Ford had not yet committed to a third film.

* Yoda, a wise sage who guided the main characters throughout the first three episodes of ''Franchise/StarWars'', is absent from Episode IV, ''Film/ANewHope''. The Watsonian reason is due to his humiliating defeat and exile at the end of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' by the evil Emperor Palpatine. The Doylist reason is due to his character not having been created yet when ''Film/ANewHope'' was written and filmed.

** ComicBook/BettyRoss from ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk|2008}}'' is the poster girl for this trope as unlike every other hero’s LoveInterest who have been at least mentioned if they're unseen, Betty completely dropped off the face of [=MCU=] after her only movie appearance. Bruce Banner also sees ComicBook/BlackWidow as his only LoveInterest despite Betty still existing, the only mention of her again was a WordOfGod [[spoiler: saying that she turned to ash along with half of the universe in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'']]. Fans hoping for [[ComicBook/BettyRoss Red She-Hulk]] are gonna be disappointed.

** In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' [[spoiler: it seems [[ComicBook/Agent13 Sharon Carter]] has gone the way of Betty Ross and Jane Foster as, despite '''everyone''' else returning, Sharon's absence is notable. Fans weren't fussed since Sharon's relationship with Steve Rogers in ''Civil War'' was pretty {{Squick}}y considering she's the niece of Peggy Carter (Steve's OneTrueLove)]]. Despite her absence from the films, Sharon returned for ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'', where, ironically enough, [[spoiler: The Avengers failing to check in on her after she became a fugitive following the events of ''Civil War'' led to her becoming [[GreaterScopeVillain the Power Broker.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun Bye-bye!]] See you again someday... [[LongBusTrip maybe]]. [[BusCrash We hope]].]]

* Yoda, a wise sage who guided the main characters throughout the first three episodes of ''Franchise/StarWars'', is absent from Episode IV, ''Film/ANewHope'', due to his humiliating defeat and exile at the end of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' by the evil Emperor Palpatine.
** And due to his character not having been created yet when ''Film/ANewHope'' was written and filmed.

** Apart from an offhand [[Film/ThorRagnarok reference to her breakup with Thor]] Jane Foster (and her supporting cast of Darcy and Dr. Selvig) has likewise disappeared. Sif is also absent due Creator/JaimieAlexander having scheduling conflicts, [[spoiler: however Kevin Feige [[WordOfGod reveals]] Sif was not on Asgard when Hela arrived so she survived the genocide of Asgardains at least]]. Eventually averted when it was confirmed that Jane and Sif would return for ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'', while Darcy appears in ''Series/WandaVision''.

* The writers of ''TabletopGame/Vampire:theMasquerade'' 5th Edition put most of the Elders on a bus - they've been called off by a mysterious phenomena called "The Beckoning" that sounds a lot like an upscaled Summoning power out of the Presence discipline tree, and the Sabbat - a bunch of them got wiped out by the new Super-Hunters of the 2nd Inquisition, others got on the bus and went to the Middle East to fight the Gehenna Crusade, others linger as clandestine terrorists, or they walked for less rapacious factions of the Jyhad like the Church of Caine. Gehenna is at hand, but it's happening... over there. You know, off-screen.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Apparently, that's the rationale behind [[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/dec/20/bussed-out-america-moves-homeless-people-country-study free bus tickets being offered to homeless people]] in some American cities. You'd think it to be the work of [[Characters/BuffyverseBuffyTheVampireSlayerBigBads Richard Wilkins III (or II, or I)]], but no, it's... real.
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