History Main / SavedByTheFans

* If he hadn't been so wildly popular, [[SonicTheHedgehog Shadow]] would still be dead by now. He showed up in SonicAdventure 2 as a CriminalDoppelganger and became a DragonWithAnAgenda to [[BigBad Dr Eggman.]] He was also a BadassAngster who pulled a HeelFaceTurn and sacrificed himself to [[HeroicSacrifice save the world.]] Then, Sega [[SonicHeroes brought him back]] and [[BrokenBase split the fanbase again.]]
* Axel from the ''KingdomHearts'' series was supposed to die at the end of ''Kingdom Hearts II's'' prologue. But he had a lot of fans (including many members of the development team) and he wound up surviving and taking a [[DemotedToExtra small role]] in the main storyline of the game.

* The Rowdyruff Boys from ''Powerpuff Girls''. Intended to only be one shot villains. But the fans loved em so the writers eventually brought em back in the fifth season.

* ''{{Misery}}'' is surely on of the best fictional examples. And surely the [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel scariest one]].

* ''GoLion'' had an odd case of this. Shirogane's death in Go Lion was {{bowdlerized}} to [[DubNameChange Sven]] being badly injured in the American version. Later on, outcry from Japanese fans of the character prompted the makers of Go Lion to bring in Shirogane's identical twin for a few episodes. In Voltron, Sven had simply finished healing up.

* According to rumors, ''PowerRangers'' have tried to off Tommy in the same fashion as his predecessor [[KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Burai]]. However, the combination of this trope and the fact that PowerRangers is LighterAndSofter most of the time, they just depowered Tommy, enabling him to come back many times. This was actually used to try and save Burai, but Toei refused, trying to instill the aesop of "Even heroes CAN die."

* Possibly the [[OlderThanRadio oldest example]] and MostTriumphantExample of this is SherlockHolmes.
* ''{{Misery}}'' is surely the fictional MostTriumphantExample. And surely the [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel scariest one]].

* Axel from the ''KingdomHearts'' series was supposed to die at the end of ''Kingdom Hearts II's'' prologue. But he had a lot of fans (including many members of the development team) and he wound up surviving and taking a [[DemotedToExtra small role]] in the main storyline of the game, and [[spoiler: had a ([[YourMileageMayVary debatable]]) WallBanger of a death.]]

* If he hadn't been so wildly popular, [[SonicTheHedgehog Shadow]] would still be dead by now. He showed up in SonicAdventure 2 as a
CriminalDoppelganger and became a DragonWithAnAgenda to [[BigBad Dr Eggman.]] He was also a BadassAngster who pulled a HeelFaceTurn and sacrificed himself to [[HeroicSacrifice save the world.]] Then, Sega [[SonicHeroes brought him back]] and [[BrokenBase split the fanbase again.]]

* If he hadn't been so wildly popular, [[SonicTheHedgehog Shadow]] would still be dead by now. He showed up in SonicAdventure 2 as a CriminialDoppleganger and became a DragonWithAnAgenda to [[BigBad Dr Eggman.]] He was also a BadassAngster who pulled a HeelFaceTurn and sacrificed himself to [[HeroicSacrifice save the world.]] Then, Sega [[SonicHeroes brought him back]] and [[BrokenBase split the fanbase again.]]

* If he hadn't been so wildly popular, [[SonicTheHedgehog Shadow]] would still be dead by now.

* ''[=~Voltron/GoLion~=]'' had an odd case of this. Sven's death in Go Lion was {{Bowdlerized}} to being badly injured in the American version. Later on, outcry from Japanese fans of the character prompted the makers of Go Lion to bring in his identical twin for one episode. In Voltron, Sven had simply finished healing up.

->'''{{Misery}}'''

* This is suspected to be the reason that Bunbee of ''YesPrecure5'' was not only allowed to survive the first season, but had a major role in the next. Being a middle-aged man and therefore unmarketable, he's the only member of any QuirkyMinibossSquad to survive a finale and not join the Cures (although [[FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar the Kiryuu twins]] did both and were cute girls, and [[IsntItSad Toei hates them]]), but he was surprisingly popular and allowed to live, [[spoiler:and his final HelpFaceTurn is what allows Milky Rose and the mascots to save the titular heroines before the final battle.]]

* Inverted in LittleShopOfHorrors, where the main characters of the movie were saved by the hatedom.

* Helo from the remade ''BattlestarGalactica'' was only supposed to appear in the pilot episode and get left behind on Caprica. Fan response to the character ensured that he began a main character in the series, to the point of being part of one of show's most important StoryArcs.

* Supposedly, Vegeta in ''DragonBallZ'' was to be killed by rampaging Gohan in the climax of his battle on Earth, but he was so popular Toriyama decided to spare him up to Namek, where Frieza killed him. That death was supposed to stick, but he was brought back and survived until he died in one of the most [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome awesome]] sacrifices in history against Majin Buu, and ''that'' was supposed to be his [[KilledOffForReal end]]. And then he was brought back again.

** According to ''Kingdom Hearts coded'', [[spoiler:he's now part of the list of people (Roxas, Xion, Terra, Ven and Aqua) that Sora needs to save in the next game.]]

* Possibly the oldest example of this is SherlockHolmes.

Compare with BreakoutCharacter. May result in an AuthorsSavingThrow.

* Abdul from ''JoJosBizarreAdventure'' is a subversion: [[spoiler:he got brought back only to be killed later]].

* Priss from ''BubblegumCrisis'' was going to die in Episode 6 and be replaced by Vision, until the fans changed Artmic's mind.
* Angel, a character from ''LiloAndStitchTheSeries'', was only intended to be a one episode character. However, once the executives realized she was one of the most popular characters, they brought her back for two more episodes.
* Mottis, the creator of ''BunnyKill'', has stated this to be one of the possible ways [[spoiler:Ruby]] can return.
* Possibly the oldest example of this is SherlockHolmes.
* Kenny from ''SouthPark'' after he was supposed to be KilledOffForReal.
* Seriously. No one mentioned Waspinator from ''BeastWars''?
* Axel from the ''KingdomHearts'' series was supposed to die at the end of ''Kingdom Hearts II's'' prologue. But he had a lot of fans (including many members of the development team) and he wound up surviving and taking a [[DemotedToExtra small role]] in the main storyline of the game, and [[spoiler: had a ([[YourMileageMayVary debatable]]) WallBanger of a death.]]
** According to ''Kingdom Hearts coded'', [[spoiler:he's now part of the list of people (Roxas, Xion, Terra, Ven and Aqua) that Sora needs to save in the next game.]]
* Subverted in ''[[EightBitTheater 8-Bit Theater]]''. Not only does Brian make it clear that [[spoiler:Black Belt]] is dead forever, he does so in a thinly veiled, particularly spiteful TakeThat against his fans demanding his return.
* Scrat was originally going to be killed off after his brief scene in the opening of the first ''IceAge'' movie, but the overwhelming response to advance footage led the filmmakers to add more scenes with him.

* During Season 5 of ''MissionImpossible'', the producers tried to write out the strongman character Willy (who had been around since Season 1 but was increasingly out of place on the cerebral show) and replace him with a doctor named Doug, played by Sam Elliott. Fan outcry resulted in Doug going away and Willy not only remaining but getting a bigger role.

* According to rumors, PowerRangers have tried to off Tommy in the same fashion as his predecessor [[KyoryuSentaiZyuranger Burai]]. However, the combination of this trope and the fact that PowerRangers is LighterAndSofter most of the time, they just depowered Tommy, enabling him to come back many times. This was actually used to try and save Burai, but Toei refused, trying to instill the aesop of "Even heroes CAN die."
* Inverted by ''{{Lost}}''. [[spoiler: Nikki and Paolo]] were loathed by fans. The writers were very much aware of this, and soon had them killed off with extreme prejudice.

* In ''BaldursGate'', Bioware originally planned for [[spoiler:Imoen to become BrainwashedAndCrazy due to Irenicus' torture in ''Shadows of Amn'', forcing CHARNAME to MercyKill her.]] When this information was leaked, fan outcry convinced them to spare [[spoiler:her]].

* In ''BaldursGate'', Bioware originally planned for [[spoiler:Imoen to become BrainwashedAndCrazy due to Irenicus' torture in ''Shadows of Amn'', forcing CHARNAME to MercyKill her.]] When this information was leaked, fan outcry convinced them to spare [[spoiler:her]]. OrSoIHeard.