History Main / SavedByTheFans

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'': ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson has several times been written out, killed off, and magically divorced. Each time she has returned because, to put it simply, they are ''the'' FanPreferredCouple. It also helped that the co-creator of the web-head Creator/StanLee continued to keep them married in his own Spidey project.

* VideoGame/MegaManX was going to be the villain of the first ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' game instead of a {{c|loningBlues}}opy. This concept was scrapped during the last month before release because the developers thought X becoming a villain and being killed by Zero wouldn't sit well with the kids who played his games and thought he was a hero.

** Brock, after multiple allegations of him being a racist Asian caricature for his EyesAlwaysShut design, was planned to be phased out of the series after the events of ''Master Quest''. However, [=TPCi=] looked at how much he was adored by the fandom on both the eastern ''and'' western hemisphere, and ultimately decided to bring him back, leading to him staying as the tertiary protagonist for both ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesRubyAndSapphire Advanced Generation]]'' and ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl Diamond & Pearl]]'', and even making a comeback in ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesSunAndMoon Sun & Moon]]'' alongside Misty.

* ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'':
** Brock, after multiple allegations of him being a racist Asian caricature for his EyesAlwaysShut design, was planned to be phased out of the series after the events of ''Master Quest''. However, [=TPCi=] looked at how much he was adored by the fandom on both the eastern ''and'' western hemisphere, and ultimately decided to bring him back, leading to him staying as the tertiary protagonist for both ''Advanced Generation'' and ''Diamond & Pearl'', and even making a comeback in ''Sun & Moon'' alongside Misty.
** The famous TerribleTrio of Team Rocket (Jessie, James and Meowth) were being planned to get written out of the anime in ''Best Wishes'' according to [[WordOfGod Kunihiko Yuyama, the anime's director]], but they still had a sizable fanbase, including on the show's staff, and so they're still here.
*** To cement they were there to stay, a Japanese podcast during what was advertised as their GrandFinale[[note]]It wasn't and was never going to be, it was actually the big test to see if fans wanted Team Rocket to stay on the show beyond ''Best Wishes''[[/note]] gave fans a telephone poll asking which of the trio's earlier Pokemon they'd like to return. Wobbuffet returned in ''XY''.

* Not saved from death, but [[DeadpanSnarker Noah]], [[DoggedNiceGuy Cody]], [[HomeschooledKids Ezekiel]] and [[SmallNameBigEgo Tyler]] were all brought back for ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama World Tour'' because of their major EnsembleDarkHorse status.

* Subverted in ''[[Webcomic/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.

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic was originally [[spoiler: retired by being sent to [[WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee The Plot Hole]] to stabilize the universe]] and IRL, allow creator Doug Walker to focus on other projects that he'd wanted to do for years. However, while ''WebVideo/DemoReel's'' reception was mixed, it got good enough views (mostly from women and queer fans) to carry on... but Doug admitted in the DVDCommentary that the site needed more money so he had to do reviews again. This has led to plenty of BrokenBase, as Doug wasn't exactly thrilled with having to return to the Nostalgia Critic, and many fans feel that at times this shows.

* ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'' may be considered an exemplary example of this. During the process of developing the first DLC character, [[CuteMonsterGirl Squigly]], the ''Skullgirls'' team was laid off by their original studio, [[DevelopmentHell meaning they no longer had the budget to pay the cost for developing her]]. Hoping not to let their work go to waste, they went to the fans for assistance, starting up an Indiegogo campaign in February 2013 to raise $150,000 in donations to fund the development of Squigly. Not only had they reached the goal amount ''in a single day'', the donations kept coming in until the end of the campaign a month later, with the total amount being ''more than five times that of the intended goal''. With $829,829 raised as the final number, the ''Skullgirls'' team not only used it to fund Squigly, but also four more DLC characters (two of whom were fan-voted), story modes and stages for each of those characters, background tracks for each of those stages, and eight GagDub voice packs.

* If he hadn't been so wildly popular, VideoGame/{{S|onicTheHedgehog}}hadow would still be dead by now. He showed up in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' as a CriminalDoppelganger and became a DragonWithAnAgenda to [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]]. He was also a badass who pulled a HeelFaceTurn and sacrificed himself to [[HeroicSacrifice save the world]]. Then, Sega [[VideoGame/SonicHeroes brought him back]] and [[BrokenBase split the fanbase again]].

* Scrat was originally going to be killed off after his brief scene in the opening of the first ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' movie, but the overwhelming response to advance footage led the filmmakers to add more scenes with him, and he continued to appear throughout the franchise, becoming not only the de-facto mascot of ''Ice Age'', but of Creator/BlueSkyStudios as well.

So there's a character in a work, but they end up leaving the cast roster. Maybe they got killed, maybe they got PutOnABus, maybe the writers just lost interest in them. And maybe if they are the main character they may drop the curtains on the whole franchise along with themselves.

But wait, what's this? The fans have begun clamouring for the character's return. The writers, either because they're moved by the dedication to the character or another reason like being moved by their producers demands and/or the buyer power, decide to grant the fans' wish and [[TheBusCameBack bring back the character]]. This is how a character gets saved by the fans.

* The end of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' had Midna return to the Twilight Realm and [[spoiler:break the Mirror of Twilight so the portal can never be opened again]]. But Eiji Aonuma was surprised by the fans' love of her, and responded in an interview that if there is a sequel she may somehow come back. She eventually did came back, though only in [[VideoGame/HyruleWarriors non-canon]] [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros games]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/XMen'', Morph was the SacrificialLamb. The only X-Man on the team but not in the opening credits (and the only one who was not part of the early 1990s [[Comicbook/XMen comic book team]]), he died in the first episode to show that the series played hardball. However, during his short time in the show he became so beloved that we find out in the second season that Mr. Sinister saved him but put him under MoreThanMindControl. He became an important part of the whole year's MythArc, and made a few appearances after that.
** This popularity also impacted his comic book counterpart, a relatively obscure 1960s character named Changeling who'd died in his second appearance. While Changeling [[DeathIsCheap surprisingly]] stayed dead, AlternateUniverse versions of him played important roles in ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' and ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}''.

[[folder:Role-Playing Games]]
* ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'': If it were not for her popularity and demand for her return, Zenna would have spent the rest of her days in a coma. Instead, she managed to [[TheBusCameBack catch a bus]] and arrive back [[BackForTheFinale in time for the finale]].
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* ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'' may be considered an exemplary example of this. During the process of developing the first DLC character, [[CuteMonsterGirl Squigly]], the ''Skullgirls'' team was laid off by their original studio, [[DevelopmentHell meaning they no longer had the budget to pay the cost for developing her]]. Hoping not to let their work go to waste, they went to the fans for assistance, starting up an Indiegogo campaign in February 2013 to raise $150,000 in donations to fund the development of Squigly. Not only had they reached the goal amount ''in a single day'', the donations kept coming in until the end of the campaign a month later, with the total amount being ''[[UpToEleven more than five times that of the intended goal]]''. With $829,829 raised as the final number, the ''Skullgirls'' team not only used it to fund Squigly, but also four more DLC characters (two of whom were fan-voted), story modes and stages for each of those characters, background tracks for each of those stages, and eight GagDub voice packs.

Compare with BreakoutCharacter. May result in an AuthorsSavingThrow.

* Angel (Experiment 624), a character from ''WesternAnimation/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 the last episode and gave her a small scene of her kicking Leroy clone patookie in the GrandFinale ''WesternAnimation/LeroyAndStitch''. She even became a major character of the franchise thanks to [[Anime/{{Stitch}} the succeeding anime]]. Somewhat doubles as an AuthorsSavingThrow, as her episode put the character on a [[PutOnABusToHell bus to Hell]], which goes completely against the [[BrokenAesop core theme of]] ''[[TrueCompanions ohana]]'' [[BrokenAesop that the]] ''Franchise/LiloAndStitch'' [[BrokenAesop franchise is built on]].

* ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}''

** To cement they were there to stay, a Japanese podcast during what was advertised as their GrandFinale[[note]]It wasn't and was never going to be, it was actually the big test to see if fans wanted Team Rocket to stay on the show beyond ''Best Wishes''[[/note]] gave fans a telephone poll asking which of the trio's earlier Pokemon they'd like to return. Wobbuffet returned in ''XY''.

* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' had this with Callie, who initially only appeared during the game's FinalBoss. Beyond that, you could only see the character by using her Toys/{{amiibo}} or by refighting the boss. Upset fans of the character took to the in-game posting feature and flooded it with Callie artwork in a [=#BringCallieBack=] campaign. Evidently these voices were heard in the end, as one of the additions in the game's 3.0 update had Callie appear next to Marie at Tentakeel Outpost after beating the game, an addition specifically highlighted in the trailer. This doubles as an AuthorsSavingThrow, since a lot of what made her cousin Marie, who ''did'' get a lot of screen time, popular in the first place was the duo's BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine.

* Once fans of ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' heard that Kazuya had been killed in the third game's backstory (the game hadn't really come out yet at this point, mind you), clamors for his restoration apparently began very quickly, very strongly. Ultimately, Namco acceded to this demand by revealing Kazuya's continued existence in Eddy's ending for the [=PlayStation=] version. Then he returns full blown in ''Tekken 4'' and has been a mainstay again.

So there's a character in a work, but they end up leaving the cast roster. Maybe they got killed, maybe they got PutOnABus, maybe the writers just lost interest in him/her. And maybe if they are the main character they may drop the curtains on the whole franchise along with themselves.

So there's a character in a work, but he or she ends up leaving the cast roster. Maybe he/she got killed, maybe he/she got PutOnABus, maybe the writers just lost interest in him/her. And maybe if they are the main character they may drop the curtains on the whole franchise along with themselves.

** Fans were called on to decide the fate of a key character and voted via 1-900 number. [[spoiler: They voted 5,343-5,271 to kill off Jason Todd's ComicBook/{{Robin}}. Jason would later be resurrected by DC, meaning he was [[InvertedTrope saved by the Editor]]]].

* Once fans of ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' heard that Kazuya had been killed in the third game's backstory (the game hadn't really come out yet at this point, mind you), clamors for his restoration apparently began very quickly, very strongly. Ultimately, Namco acceded to this demand by revealing Kazuya's continued existence in Eddy's ending for the [=PlayStation=] version. Then he returns full blown in ''[=Tekken=] 4'' and has been a mainstay again.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' was going to be the villain of the first ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' game instead of a {{c|loningBlues}}opy. This concept was scrapped during the last month before release because the developers thought X becoming a villain and being killed by Zero wouldn't sit well with the kids who played his games and thought he was a hero.

* Possibly the [[OlderThanRadio oldest example]] of this is Pinocchio from ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio'', alongside ExecutiveMeddling. He was going to die hanged, but a lot of children sent letters to the newspaper to revive Pinocchio, and the editor of Giornale per il bambini made Collodi add more chapters and thus Pinocchio has its famous happy ending.
* This is why Literature/SherlockHolmes was brought back, although [[MoneyDearBoy it wasn't the only reason]].
* ''{{Literature/Misery}}'' is one of the most known fictional examples. And surely the [[NightmareFuel scariest one]]. Paul Sheldon has been writing a series of romance novels based on the exploits of the Victorian airhead Misery Chastain for years, and loathes the character, so he wrote a final book which ended with Misery dying of childbirth. Unfortunately, he's badly injured in a car crash and left crippled and in the not-so-capable hands of the [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] BattleaxeNurse[=/=]LoonyFan Annie Wilkes, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrRSo3a1ZYU when she finds out about Misery's character death]], Annie threatens his life unless he writes a brand new novel which brings Misery back to life.

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

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic was originally [[spoiler: retired by being sent to [[WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee The Plot Hole]] to stabilize the universe]] and IRL, allow creator Doug Walker to focus on other projects that he'd wanted to do for years. However, while WebVideo/DemoReel's reception was mixed, it got good enough views (mostly from women and queer fans) to carry on but Doug admitted in the DVDCommentary that the site needed more money so he had to do reviews again. This has lead to plenty of BrokenBase, as Doug wasn't exactly thrilled with having to return to the Nostalgia Critic, and many fans feel that at times this shows.

** As was Trixie, the one-off antagonist of ''Boast Busters'', who rose to downright absurd popularity with the fans due to her drama-queen MilesGloriosus attitude and fans [[UnintentionallySympathetic sympathizing with her]] rather than seeing her as the villain she was intended to be. So much so that she's the favorite character of the owners of the two largest franchise fan sites on the web, Equestria Daily and Derpibooru, with even the color scheme of the latter being lifted directly from her (and note that these sites are completely unaffiliated with each other). After becoming a mainstay in fandom and frequently being cited as many viewer's favorite she would go on to be the first My Little Pony antagonist ever to get a toy, and eventually be brought back in later episodes and eventually even join the main cast and help save the world as something of a sixth ranger.

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