History Main / StaticCharacter

Change isn't always a [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools good thing]], nor necessary. Likewise some characters, be they {{round|Character}} or {{flat|Character}}, will end a story with pretty much the same personality and traits they began with. These Static Characters can go entire seasons or books without changing or experiencing the CharacterDevelopment that a more DynamicCharacter does. If they ever learn [[AnAesop a lesson]] that might make them change noticeably, they will always [[AesopAmnesia immediately forget all about it by the next episode]]. Learned nothing and forgotten nothing, if you will.

This is NOT necessarily a [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools bad thing]], as some characters don't ''need'' CharacterDevelopment. A badass does not have to [[BadassDecay decay into]] TheWoobie to stay an interesting character -- while some consumers may embrace the evolution, others will cry out, "WeWantOurJerkBack!" Such characters are useful in secondary roles, serving as yardsticks against which your central (and Dynamic) character's growth can be a {{foil}}. If you want your Static Character ''in'' the central role, just enforce it internally, using a PygmalionSnapback or a painful collision with StatusQuoIsGod. Some comedies are built around characters whose personalities are set in stone and will never change, whatever happens. For that matter, every {{tragedy}} is built around characters whose personalities are set in stone and [[FatalFlaw will not change, whatever happens]].

Static Characters are not to be confused with the Character ComicBook/{{Static}}.

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1652145681087904800 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.]]]]]]

!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Lina Inverse from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' changes in subtle ways, going from an AntiHero to more a conventional hero, from loner into someone with a team, but in terms of her actual behavior, she can pretty much be expected to do certain things, such as put restaurants out of business with her appetite, and blowing up cities with her magical powers.
* This is Griffith from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' in a nutshell, and his lack of development is PlayedForDrama. Ever since he was a child, Griffith wanted to obtain a kingdom for himself—so in pursuit of this goal, he decided to become a mercenary and work his way up the social ladder until he would reach his goal. At the cost of this, he abstained from any kind of emotional attachment to his troops to prevent himself from wavering. This got to the point where he eventually felt somewhat ''obligated'' to achieve his dream—for the sake of those who were willing enough to die for it. So Griffith grew more distant from his comrades and cultivated an extreme sense of tunnel-vision to ensure the Hawks' success—but even this fell apart when he became subconsciously dependent on Guts, whom he saw as a trusted confidant and ally. So when Guts left, Griffith's despair was such that he undid literally everything he had ever fought for in a moment of emotional dissociation. Now, after having thrown away his humanity in favor of his selfish desires, Griffith as Femto pretty much ''embodies'' this trope: an EmotionlessBoy [[AmbitionIsEvil driven solely by his ambition]] and [[LackOfEmpathy feeling literally]] ''[[LackOfEmpathy nothing]]'' for those who stand in his way. No humanity or Character Development or emotional attachment to get in the way of his goals now. [[spoiler:That is, unless you count the mild protective instinct he has towards Casca due to having used the body of her and Guts' child as his new physical vessel]].
* Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' do not change a bit in the series. While nearly every major character in Konohagakure has the Will of Fire, the two are more militant and only concern themselves with protecting the actual village itself, and often lean in favor of Danzo's view points. Their static status is possibly due to their little interaction with other characters (aside from Hiruzen, Danzo, Tsunade, Shizune, and Itachi) and the fact that Naruto has yet to influence them like everyone else he has come in contact yet.
** Jiraiya is accused of being this [[spoiler: posthumously]] by Orochimaru, who claims he [[spoiler: died]] without changing anything about himself.
* Shu from ''Anime/NowAndThenHereAndThere'' is a rare example of a static protagonist. He faces torture, the deaths of several beloved characters at the hands of his friends, and somehow manages to [[TheFettered stick to his principles.]] That he managed to both survive and avoid compromising his core self shows just how badass he is. Oh, and surviving ''oodles'' of torture.
* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' is adamant about not giving any of its characters any CharacterDevelopment whatsoever beyond their one "unique" trait.
** Sort of. Nozomu underwent a sort of reverse {{Flanderization}} as he tries to commit suicide less as time went by and has his [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold heart of gold]] emphasized more. In contrast, Chiri retained her OCD, but had it dialed past eleven and straight into AxCrazy levels.
* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' has Ed and Ein, contrasting the more dynamic main trio. Jet is also arguably rather static as he goes through several instances of cleaning up his own past without it affecting his current outlook and lifestyle.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has a tendency to do this to anyone who isn't important, making them into this, [[FlatCharacter Flat Characters]], or monsters. However, it's subverted with some of the Arrancar [[spoiler: except the fact that they never get to do ''[[HeelFaceDoorSlam anything]]'' with their character development.]]
* Suzy Mizuno from ''Manga/ZatchBell'' is a prime example, seeing as how she remains a [[CloudCuckoolander ditz]] throughout the whole series, while receiving no character development or any involvement in the Mamodo battles.
* Elmer C. Albatross of ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'' is a case that's both {{lampshaded}} and [[spoiler:[[InvokedTrope deliberately maintained]]]] - Over the 300 or so years that they've known him, all of the surviving Advena Avis [[{{Immortality}} immortals]] have noticed that Elmer hasn't changed in character ''at all'', and this is one of the many reasons he unsettles most of them. [[spoiler:It turns out he's doing it at Huey's request, though it wasn't actually very difficult for him.]]
* Erika Kurumi/Cure Marine from ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' is the only member of her team to not undergo significant CharacterDevelopment. As explained [[http://precure.livejournal.com/2472836.html here]], she has no problem accepting herself, and her character arc revolves around her struggle with having others accept her.
* In ''Manga/KotouraSan'', Yoshihisa Manabe is this in contrast to everyone else, notably [[DynamicCharacter Haruka]]. He's okay with [[ChivalrousPervert who he is]] and [[IdiotHero how people see him]], [[HilarityEnsues especially from]] [[{{Telepathy}} Haruka]]'s [[DirtyMindReading point of view]].
* Nagisa Hazuki in the first season of ''Anime/{{Free}}''...but in ''Eternal Summer'' this changes. His optimism is broken when [[spoiler:faced with the threat of being forced to quit swimming due to his falling grades in school]].
* Outside of deciding to officially join the TSAB (which she was probably already considering), Nanoha from ''Franchise/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' doesn't change in the slightest over the course of ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs A's]]''. She went through all her CharacterDevelopment fairly early on in the first series, and even then it amounted to deciding to gather the Jewel Seeds because she wanted to the right thing, rather than because she was helping Yuuno. This actually makes a lot of sense, since she doesn't have any emotional baggage or a DarkAndTroubledPast that would require her to change ([[DysfunctionJunction unlike everyone else]]). She's more about helping others go through their character arc's rather than going through one of her own.
* Goku from ''Franchise/{{DragonBall}}'' changes very little from childhood through adulthood. He is a simple man who loves fighting, loves his friends and family, and is constantly training to become better than he was the day before. This was only reinforced by some CharacterRerailment after Goku had veered a little too far into active heroism rather than passive heroism while looking for a good fight.
* In ''Manga/BloomIntoYou'', Seiji Maki is this, since he largely stays true to his belief that [[ShipperOnDeck he'd rather be a spectator than a participant in the "play" of romance]]. He doesn't experience anything that would challenge this belief- in fact, he wasn't pleased to hear that one of his middle school classmates had developed a MatchmakerCrush on him. That said, he does realize that he and Yuu are NotSoSimilar, since Yuu wants to feel love, and when he tells her this, it helps further Yuu's CharacterDevelopment.
* Despite a constant presence over the course of the series, Hisoka of ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' hasn't changed at all and we've gotten scarce background information about the guy. He's still the same enigmatic BloodKnight he was during the Hunter's Exam.
* Kaede Nagase of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' receives next to no character development compared to basically the entire main cast. This is because she's already content with her life and doesn't need any prominent changes. She remains one of the more stable characters of the series.
* Being a sports manga, ''Manga/CaptainTsubasa'' has this for most of its characters (barring the occassional JerkJock who undergoes BreakTheHaughty and[=/=]or DefeatMeansFriendship). The protagonist himself is the biggest example: he started out as a cheerful boy who loves soccer and dreams of becoming the world's best player, and those aspects have remained all the way through his entire life even after he gets married.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Most of the characters from most comics tend to revert to their usual look, behaviour, personality, and powers, sooner or later, aside from a gradual shift of power level at most. At least, that is true of the big name comic companies (DC, or Marvel, for instance). Smaller comic publishers have less to risk by committing to any permanent changes to their status quo.
* Rorschach from ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''. We ''do'' see him change into what he is at the time of the story via FlashBack but within the main plot itself he's probably the only character that doesn't change in some way. [[spoiler: He's definitely a tragic example of this trope. He's totally unable to give in or alter his moral code based on the situation which leads to his unavoidable death.]]
* Franchise/{{Batman}} usually suffers from little CharacterDevelopment except in some AlternativeContinuity stories like ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''.
* Most comic book villains, at least after their tragic backstories. And that's part of what makes them villains; they don't change. ComicBook/TheJoker will always be a psychotic murdering clown, and he shouldn't be anything else. Any changes that ''do'' occur are due to AlternativeCharacterInterpretation DependingOnTheWriter as opposed to character development ''per se''.
* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} from the ''ComicBook/XMen'' is a great character when he has little character development.
* This is the trope driving Dream from ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' to [[spoiler:his choice to commit suicide]]. Kind of. He did change a bit. That was the whole point of the conversation with Destruction. He only didn't change according to himself, but others (especially those who haven't seen him in a long time, like Destruction) are probably better judges in that regard.
* In ComicBook/AllFallDown, we have [[spoiler:Paradigm]]. Of everyone who's suffered a loss, he is essentially the same person afterwards as before.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}''. Then again, part of his appeal is the fact that he very rarely gets into any dark and edgy personality traits. While he's oft-derided as a "boy scout", the fact that he still holds a moral code stronger than almost anyone else after all the crap he and the entire DCU have gone through, including [[DeathIsCheap dying and coming back to life in various ways]], keeps him as ''the'' shining beacon for Metropolis and in fact most of the world. Attempts to alter him (besides [[GodzillaThreshold serious threats]] that let him [[IAmNotLeftHanded let his full strength out]] once in a while) are usually downcried far more strongly than any complaints about his "old fashioned" truth, justice and the American way outlook.
* [[ComicBook/TheAdventuresOfTintin Tintin]] has always been the same character in all of his adventures. He has no backstory, no family, not even a last name. He is intentionally designed to be as bland and generic of a character as possible.
* Throughout the entirety of ComicBook/JudgeDredd's career, his sole defining character trait has been JUSTICE.
* According to Garth Ennis, Wee Hughie from ''Comicbook/TheBoys'' ultimately won because he refused to let all of the crap the series put him through change him. At the end of the series Hughie's more or less the same person he was at the very beginning.
* This was {{enforced|Trope}} towards the end of the original run of ''ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977''. Post-''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', the characters were not allowed to move forward, as Creator/GeorgeLucas had no idea on where to take the franchise at the time. This resulted in [[http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/12/29/i-love-ya-but-youre-strange-boba-fetts-sad-day-out-of-the-sarlacc-pit/ this odd story]] where EnsembleDarkhorse Boba Fett was discovered to be spat out of the Sarlacc, only to ultimately end up back in it.
* Galvatron in [[ComicBook/TheTransformersRobotsInDisguise John Barber's Transformers run]]. A major theme of the comic is people growing and changing into something better over time; Optimus becomes more pragmatic, Soundwave and Arcee more empathetic, Cosmos finds friends, etc.. Galvatron's the exception; from debut to exit he's a sociopathic asshole who cares only for himself and is stuck in outdated ways of thinking. Deconstructed, as it leads not only to him losing all his allies but also to [[spoiler: Optimus realizing that Galvatron will ''never'' change and thus executing him for his crimes on the spot.]]
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'': Olympians are resistant to change by their very natures, though some like Ares and Aphrodite have learned to adapt. Zeus on the other hand had entire arcs in [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 Volume 2]] and [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2006 Volume 3]] dedicated to showing no lesson he ever learns will ever stick, nor will he really learn any lesson to become less scummy in the first place with anything he does learn being twisted to fit his self-centered outlook in the process.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* Most comic strip feature static characters, especially if they intend to be funny. The set up gets easier if people can already recognise character traits that are now well established.
* The cast of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' haven't changed much throughout their extremely long run. Frankly, it would be fairly disturbing if they did.
* Garfield always hates mondays and loves lasagne. He always loves Jon and Odie, deep down, but still teases Odie and takes Jon for granted.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' has [[ThePrankster Socr]][[CloudCuckoolander ates]]. This is especially notable, as he's the only main character to not undergo ''any'' changes during the series' run.
* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBoilingPoint'' [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructs]] this trope with the idea of Static Passengers; a type of Passenger who's issues leave them unable to change, which can be identified by the OminousVisualGlitch present in their numbers. Given the Train is all about CharacterDevelopment, this presents quite the conundrum: Passengers enter the Train to deal with their inner demons, but Static Passengers can't work on themselves ''because of'' said issues, [[TrappedInAnotherWorld effectively leaving them stranded on the Train]] until they deal with their stagnation.
* ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony''
** "Now With a Sound Effect" lampshades this. After talking at some length about her shyness, Fluttershy declares "I hope all my episodes revolve around me being shy!" This is immediately followed by an image of Fluttershy shrugging, over the caption "Character development?"
** It happens again in "So Random!"
-->'''Twilight:''' Well, have you tried having some character development?\\
'''Pinkie:''' Well, I ''was'' going to, but apparently only Rarity's allowed to do that.\\
'''Twilight:''' Hey! I had character development!\\
'''Pinkie:''' Bro, that was like, one time at the start of the very first season. You haven't changed since then at all.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Helen Parr/Elastigirl from ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', particularly when compared to the rest of her family. During the entirety of the film's main events, she's the most well-adjusted to living a normal life and experiences very little if any character growth over the course of the running time. Even while being the central focus of ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'', the plot is specifically about her going out to discover the identity of the Screenslaver and legalise superheroes again, and because of that she doesn't really develop as a character there, either. To be fair, though, it's likely that her gradual adjustment to a standard family life would have happened offscreen, so this could potentially work as a [[JustifiedTrope justification]] for her being a static character.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* A [[DoubleSubversion zigzagging]] is played beautifully by Michelle Pfeiffer in ''Film/{{Stardust}}''. By the end, when the heroes have killed her two sisters, she breaks down and laments that the only people in the world who she loved are dead, and immortality without them (by stealing Yvaine's heart) would be intolerable, and so she says she'll let the heroes go. Then she telekinetically locks the doors, cackles, and starts exploding glass all around the heroes, ''thanking them'' for killing her sisters so that she doesn't have to ''share'' immortality. Of course, given that all her sisters did throughout the film was nag her and act like {{Jerkass}}es, one can see why she wouldn't be inclined to mourn them.
* Film/JamesBond. Although 007 is portrayed differently by each actor (Connery and Brosnan are more suave, Lazenby is subdued, Moore is comical, Dalton and Craig are brutish), its always essentially the same guy, and these minor changes in personality are rarely portrayed as being the result of CharacterDevelopment. Somewhat averted by the Craig films which provide a bit of the back story to how Bond became 007.
* Film/DollarsTrilogy:
** The Man with No Name is quite possibly the ''ultimate'' static character, in that [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin he doesn't even have a name]]. We are told nothing about his backstory (save for a little snippet in ''A Fistful of Dollars'' when he reunites a husband and wife), and the only change he ever goes through in his films is the size of his wallet.
** Tuco Ramirez and Angel Eyes, the other two members of the eponymous trio in ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'', don't change either. In Tuco's case, however, we learn more about him and why he became the way he was.
* Franchise/IndianaJones Indy is exposed to proof of the supernatural in each of his adventures, but it doesn't cause him to admit the existence of any such things at the start of the next adventure. The most jarring example is how he gains a respect for the power of the Shankara Stones in ''[[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom The Temple of Doom]]'' but denies the existence of God in ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. (Although, that might possibly be ''because'' of what he saw in India, "proving" a nonchristian religion to be "the right one".)
* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''
** ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'': Averting this with Wolverine was one of its major criticisms.
--->[[http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_template.php?identifier=1616 Although it can take credit for clearing up some of the mysteries surround the title character's identity, those revelations serve to make Wolverine less compelling.]]
** Although Dr. Hank [=McCoy=] is ostensibly one of the main characters of the trilogy started by ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', his personality and outlook don't change all that much over a time span of 21 years.
* ''Film/Scarface1983'': Tony Montana starts off as a Cuban immigrant washing dishes at a greasy spoon cafe. He climbs all the way to being a crime lord kingpin, all the while being no more happy or fulfilled than when he was a street hustler.
* ''Film/TheBigLebowski'': The Dude doesn't change much in his world, and isn't in the least bit changed by it either. Yea, verily, "the Dude abides."
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' and its sequel, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', revolve around this trope. The last words said to Cap by his mentor are "No matter what happens, stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man." Steve fulfills this request, remaining roughly the same good-natured, if brash, person he always was (with maybe a little more savvy and seasoning as time goes on). In the second film, this becomes a ''MAJOR'' plot point, as [[BadPresent the world around him has changed in a darker direction]], which he doesn't accept and slowly forces others to wake up and realize as well.
* ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}'': Sanjuro, being the inspiration for the aforementioned Man With No Name, is naturally also an example of this trope. Over the course of the film, we see a softer side to him that isn't obvious at the beginning, but he himself doesn't change.
* ''Film/{{The Maltese Falcon|1941}}'': Sam Spade is exactly the same cold, hard, no-nonsense private investigator at the end of the film as he was at the start. There are suggestions of his softening at points, but they are quickly repressed.
* Compared to [[TheHerosJourney Luke]] and [[JerkToNiceGuyPlot Han]], Leia doesn't really change much as a character over the course of the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' trilogy (she does develop a romantic relationship with Han and finds out the truth about her family, but it doesn't drastically alter her personality). However, she's still a well-rounded and proactive heroine, and is one of the saga's most well-known and popular characters. She starts out as a feisty, confident rebel leader and remains this way right to the end, no matter what life throws at her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'':
** Lydia is, from beginning to end, a spoiled brat who cares for nothing except flirting and officers. Interestingly, her mother, Mrs. Bennet, is also a Static Character. While she does change opinion rapidly about a suitor based on how likely they are to want to marry one of her daughters, this never varies through the whole novel.
** Mr. Collins is a static character too. Frankly, he wouldn't be nearly as entertaining if he wasn't.
* Literature/SherlockHolmes is basically the same in ''every single book''.
** He does get some minor developments, though not enough to move him out of this territory. In A Study In Scarlet, he doesn't know that the earth revolves around the sun, deeming it unimportant to detective work, but later his knowledge of things unrelated to detective work is seen to increase substantially. [[Series/{{Sherlock}} The most recent TV adaptation]], being a bit of a CompressedAdaptation, is an aversion only because Sherlock's relatively modest CharacterDevelopment took place over a matter of months rather than a couple of decades.
* Creator/JRRTolkien [[WordOfGod claimed]] that in heroic sagas like those of the Vikings or the Ancient Greeks, characters do not develop; instead, different aspects of their fixed, essential nature are revealed by new circumstances.
** He put this theory into practice in ''Literature/TheHobbit'' and ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': the modern, [[ClassicalAntihero anti-heroic]] characters (the hobbits) are [[DynamicCharacter dynamic]] and get CharacterDevelopment, while the archaic, heroic characters like Thorin and Aragorn are static.
** For example, at the end of ''The Lord of the Rings'' we know a lot more about Aragorn (and he knows more about himself) than when we met him in Bree, but who he is hasn't changed. Ditto for Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf. Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, on the other hand, have changed a lot. Note that Creator/PeterJackson changed this in [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings his films]], making Aragorn a dynamic character, and even Legolas and Gimli have a few shades of further development now.
*** Gandalf is actually a mixed case. He did undergo development of a sort, one that Merry and Pippin observed, but that change came with his death and rebirth, so it may have been development reached on his own, or development from an outside force.
*** It also isn't clear if he really changed at all, or just became/revealed [[HiddenDepths more who]] [[OurAngelsAreDifferent and what he is.]]
*** This is potentially one reason why The Scouring of the Shire was excluded from the film, beyond the obvious potential for EndingFatigue. In the books, the Hobbits are more obviously the explicit protagonists, and the other members of the Fellowship larger than life heroes who help them on their way. The Scouring of the Shire is thus the closure of the story where the four main characters get to demonstrate the full extent of their character development. In the film, the other members of the Fellowship are given less aloof and static personalities, and thus are full protagonists as well, which would muddle the point of the book's penultimate chapter.
* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'': The vampires. WordOfGod is that a vampire is forever frozen at the level of emotional maturity they had when they died: hence how Edward can be an EmoTeen at over a hundred years old.
** A similar setup exists in Angela Sommer-Bodenburg's Literature/LittleVampire series, where one of the characters was unfortunate enough to become a vampire while in the middle of puberty.
** On a different level, the only real difference in Bella Swan's character from the beginning of ''Twilight'' to the end is the fact that at the end, she has everything she's ever wanted. Her character and personality are never particularly changed.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has a few major characters who don’t change too much over the course of the series. They’re mostly the adults because their role in the story is to help Harry grow and learn along the way:
** Albus Dumbledore is an example of the static-character-as-yardstick device. He is a CoolOldGuy and former trope namer for the EccentricMentor, but he’s there to guide Harry into his inevitable fate, not grow as a person. Also, as we find out belatedly, he's [[DarkAndTroubledPast already had a ton]] while also being a HeroOfAnotherStory that’s told [[Film/FantasticBeasts elsewhere]].
** Snape stays the same mean-spirited, sarcastic asshole until the bitter end. Although Harry grows to appreciate his bravery and sacrifices after learning the whole story, he goes to his grave hating Harry, an innocent bystander, for being a living reminder of [[MyGreatestFailure the worst mistake he made in his life]]. Dumbledore even asks him at one point if he’s grown to care for Harry, which he denies.
** [=McGonagall=] grows to be more openly affectionate to Harry but she never really deviates from her hardass but loving self. Harry also never learns anything about her family or youth like he does for Dumbledore and Snape.
** Hermione’s role in the story is to be Harry and Ron’s rock so she changes the least of the trio. She mostly stays her bossy but well-meaning self. She does go through some changes, particularly in the first book where her initially rocky relationship with the two starts to soften, but what she experiences is still quite minor when compared to a majority of the other characters. She mostly just learns to be more open-minded.
* The Main Character Palinor in ''Literature/KnowledgeOfAngels'' is a Static Character, though this may be excused by the book being something of an AuthorTract, with Palinor being the AuthorAvatar.
* Lampshaded in ''Literature/PrinceCaspian'' by Trufflehunter the badger. According to him, all of [[Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia Narnia]]'s Talking Beasts have this as their [[PlanetOfHats Hat]].
-->'''Trufflehunter''': I'm a beast, I am, and a Badger what's more. We don't change. We hold on.
* Alice from ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'' mainly just wanders aimlessly through Wonderland and reacts to things that happen along the way. Given the fact that Wonderland is a place where weird and impossible things happen, this makes sense, and she could be seen as an AudienceSurrogate due to this.
* ''Literature/TheCuriousIncidentOfTheDogInTheNightTime'': As Christopher's entire character is based on his autism, which he can't change, he remains exactly the same person at the end as he was at the beginning. The only thing that changes is his relationship with his father, but that's entirely a consequence of his learning new information, not a change in his personality.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** Rincewind is largely the same LovableCoward at the end of ''Literature/TheLastHero'' as he was at the start of ''Literature/TheColourOfMagic''. If he has any character development, it's that he becomes more GenreSavvy about it, until he ends up a sort of meta-coward. ("I'll go on the dangerous adventure because I ''always'' end up on them anyway, and it'll probably be less painful if I let it happen".)
** It's always hard to tell what Carrot Ironfoundersson is thinking, but he certainly doesn't ''seem'' to change much in personality over the books, even as he goes from Lance-Constable to Captain of the Watch.
** Part of being a witch is knowing exactly who you really are, meaning that Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have already had all the character development they were going to before we meet them. (Magrat ''does'' get some, since in her first appearance she's still figuring out what kind of witch she is. And the same goes even more for Tiffany, who we see grow up.)
* ''Literature/TheseWordsAreTrueAndFaithful'': While several characters grow in response to stimuli in their environments, Danny Parsons and Cassilda Saunders make a point of not doing so, instead explaining away those stimuli. However, [[spoiler:in Ernie's life, Danny ''is'' the stimulus]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* The titular character of ''Series/{{Monk}}'' went through almost the entire show without much of a change, despite a dizzying array of both traumatic and hopeful events. It was only at the end that he overcame many of his difficulties.
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': From his first episode to his last, Major Frank Burns was a whiny, self-absorbed, power-mongering hypocrite who could barely perform surgery.
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Ensign Harry Kim starts off as [[EnsignNewbie an ensign]] and '''seven years''' later is still the same rookie doing the same things, apparently because Rick Berman believes that every iteration of Trek needs a Wesley -- which is actually a disservice to Wesley, who formed relationships, found new interests (abandoning his science studies to train as a pilot, and later becoming a sympathizer to the Maquis rebellion), and was unrecognizable seven years later. Despite being one of the main characters and thus subject to all the traumatic events that befall a Franchise/StarTrek character (in fact, he died enough times to become a [[{{Narm}} fan joke]]) Harry ended his series as the exact same, thinly-sketched person from the pilot. The most notable thing to happen to him was a "promotion" to -- the night shift, with [[LimitedAdvancementOpportunities no advancement in rank or any other commendations.]] Hence why "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E6Timeless Timeless]]", the BadFuture episode featuring a bitter, cynical Harry suffering from post-traumatic stress is widely considered the only time Harry came close to an intriguing character.
-->'''[[http://docohobigfinish.blogspot.com/2012/03/voyager-seasn-two.html Joe Ford]]''': A fascinating peek into the life of Harry Kim on Earth is ruined by the fact that it is Harry Kim that we are examining. He’s so completely bland that rather than greet his girlfriend with a kiss and a smile he becomes stiffer than ever and starts treating her like an alien abductor! [[DumbassHasAPoint I realise she is an alien abductor]] but that’s not the point…you would think he would at least show some gratitude to be home considering he is the one who yearns for it the most. Imagine how interesting this episode could have been if it had been the same premise but focused on Janeway and Mark instead. You just knew Harry would have model spaceships and all the certificates of his achievements in his house, didn’t you?
* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', Ensign Travis Mayweather was mixture of this and a FlatCharacter. Despite being [[SpacePeople born in deep space]] and having more field experience than even the ''Captain'', he was nonetheless relegated to being a low-ranking Ensign to fill the Wesley void. He had very few plotlines (that didn't involve being injured, killed, or otherwise incapicitated), let alone a mandatory line in most episodes. He was there, consuming oxygen, but got about as much development as the chair he was sitting on. According to rumor Brannon Braga was solely tempted to kill him off, but was hamstrung by syndication concerns.
* Sam from ''Series/{{iCarly}}'' started off as a mean, bullying jerk, and ended the show as a mean, bullying jerk. There was no development, no self-awareness, and only the out of universe realisation from the writers that she was going into a SpinOff and couldn't be the lead and behave like she did meant there was even a little toning down towards the end of the show.
* Joey from ''Series/{{Friends}}'' is a prime example of this. When he was one out of six characters in an ensemble, and had little (to no) development, he was great. And when he received a SpinOff, ''Series/{{Joey}}'', it didn't work at all.
* All the main (and most of the supporting) characters from ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', being the SadistShow that it is. While the status quo does change, it mostly has to do with how much the characters could get away with rather than any actual CharacterDevelopment. Kramer, being TheFool, usually manages to [[KarmaHoudini avoid the consequences of his actions]] and, therefore, develop the least.
* Pretty much all the members of ''Series/TheATeam'' are fairly rounded, but they never really develop, except for Face, possibly, who starts out as a fairly generic ConMan and ends up a HandsomeLech who is in touch with his [[HiddenDepths inner math/finance geek]] (and revels in that).
* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
** Aisha Campbell is this during her stint in ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. She is also considered the least-developed Ranger in the entire franchise!
** Furio from ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy'' is just a standard [[TheDragon Dragon]] to the BigBad Scorpius. Especially compared to his replacements, Treacheron and Villamax, who are both [[NobleDemon Noble Demons]]. And Deviot, who is a DragonWithAnAgenda.
** One of the biggest criticisms towards Troy from ''Series/PowerRangersMegaforce'' is that he's this. Not helping is that due to ''Megaforce'' adapting two [[Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger separate]] [[Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger Sentai]][[note]]his two sentai counterparts are [[{{Foil}} complete opposites]]; Alata/Gosei Red is a rather timid and sensitive; Captain Marvelous/Gokai Red, on the other hand, is an AntiHero who's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold[[/note]], Troy's character doesn't change when he's unmorphed[[note]]barring an inexplicable [[TookALevelInJerkass stint of jerkassery]] in one episode[[/note]], his body language while morphed is vastly different in the second season when compared to the first.
* Sheldon Cooper in ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''. He suffers from some episodic out of character behavior, but he always reverts to his "normal" self.
** Well, it is worth noting that he did somewhat evolve over time. From being a very stiff [[TheSpock spock]] with NoSenseOfHumor, to being slightly more prone to joking (even though he still fails at the sarcasm department sometimes). By season 5 he's even [[spoiler:upgraded his SheIsNotMyGirlfriend status with Amy!]]
* Many of the mains on ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' remained unchanged from beginning to end; Starbuck, for instance, [[CharacterDevelopment gets new traits]] but doesn't really overcome her original flaws. (This ''was'' a show that lived on the gloomy end of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism.)
* Creator/TomBaker often says in interviews that the Doctor in ''Series/DoctorWho'' is "not an acting role" as the Doctor's character never changes that much - "he'll never turn towards evil, he'll never become interested in romance[[note]]Tom was speaking in the 1970s about this and time would go on to prove him wrong about it.[[/note]]...". Of course, this isn't quite true - the Doctor certainly changes a lot over time, [[TheNthDoctor in as literal a manner as possible]] - but within those incarnations, some Doctors develop, some remain relatively static, some remain static for as long as possible before [[MoralEventHorizon slowly developing into someone contemptible just in time for a regeneration]], and some [[DependingOnTheWriter change inorganically between several mostly-static archetypes as soon as a new producer is brought in]]. Tom Baker's Doctor was something of the last one.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' has many due to its large cast, but Onua and Pohatu stand out in particular, as they're the two main characters who've been around for the line's entirety yet still haven't changed much. Onua's the wise and solemn but incredibly badass kind of guy, and Pohatu's a perpetually optimistic friend-to-everyone, so their only roles are complementing their other four teammates and soothing the tension between them if need be, with Onua at times doing tasks that the others can't bring themselves to do.
** There was even a scene acknowledging this when Pohatu's evil clone accuses him of being TheGenericGuy of his team to weaken his will. Pohatu takes it in stride and claims he is glad to be the team's everyman that anyone can rely on. Unfortunately, the scene was never officially published in media, showing up only in Franchise/{{LEGO}}'s internal style guide document.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has Edgar Figaro, whose contribution to the story is notable, but doesn't include much in the way of a personal arc. Why does he never change? Because he already has his act together by the time we first meet him.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'':
** The game has Raphael. He's a simple guy, and the event that caused him to mature as a person (the death of his parents, effectively putting him in charge of his family) happened years ago. By the time he appears in the game, he's more or less got his entire life figured out, and thus grows very little over the course of the story, instead acting as a cheerful emotional anchor for his more conflicted friends.
** The Blue Lions have Mercedes, who is introduced as the kind, motherly, [[TheHeart emotional centre]] of the house and she pretty much stays that way during the entirety of the game, [[SkewedPriorities even talking about mundane things like having tea parties after the timeskip with a war going on.]] Like Raphael, she often serves as a nurturing guidance towards her considerably angstier classmates, particularly [[DarkAndTroubledPast Dimitri]], [[SoleSurvivor Dedue]] and [[TheCynic Sylvain.]] She herself admits that once she left Adrestia during her childhood, she and her mother pretty much drifted from one place to the next because she was waiting for the Goddess's will to guide her before finally getting accepted into the Officer's Academy, so she doesn't have much drive to change herself in the first place.
* Asch in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. This is in sharp contrast to Luke (significant because [[spoiler:Luke is a clone of Asch]]), who goes through many stages of CharacterDevelopment.
* [[KnightInSourArmor Jacob]] [[OnlySaneMan Taylor]] fits this in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''. [[DysfunctionJunction Unlike his teammates]], Jacob doesn't carry any emotional baggage, so most of his dialog tends to be focused on the present mission. It's even lampshaded in his Shadow Broker file, which notes that he was put on Shepard's team as much for the stabilising elements of his personality as his combat skills. However, since he rarely has anything interesting to say and almost never interacts with other characters he instead comes closer to TheGenericGuy than anything else.
** [[PsychoForHire Jack]] is this to any Shepard that doesn't romance her. Despite having a tremendous amount of tragedy in her past, nothing you do, including her LoyaltyMission, [[IgnoredEpiphany provides her with any closure and she remains violent and angry from beginning to end.]] Subverted with a male Shepard who romances her, and subverted for anyone else when she undergoes serious CharacterDevelopment between ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''.
** [[AssInAmbassador Ambassador]] Udina. His character changes very little throughout the series, except for being a massive {{Jerkass}} to Shepard in all three games, even if [[UngratefulBastard you nominated him]] as Councillor instead of [[BigGood Anderson]]. His only real plotline comes in the third game, [[spoiler: where he [[TheQuisling sells out]] the Council to Cerberus]], but even then, it's [[TheUnreveal left ambiguous]] whether [[spoiler: he was Indoctrinated, desperate, or just plain greedy]].
* [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Iori Yagami]]. Not only he actually was one of the many characters to keep the same outfit till XII came out, but his vendetta with Kyo became a literal ''running line'' for the entire series.
** Members of Ikari and Art of Fighting teams are '''also''' these, except you couldn't expect Robert and Leona changing outfits all of a sudden.
* Although Mao from ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 3|AbsenceOfJustice}}'' goes through several character revelations, by the following scene he returns to acting to his old stuck-up friendship-hating violent ill-tempered rude demon self.
* While most character in ''VideoGame/TalesOfRebirth'' end up developing their characters in one way or another, [[PantheraAwesome Eugene Gallardo]] remains the sensible TeamDad and CoolOldGuy. This is even lampshaded in a skit.
* An odd case in ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', in the 2nd game Ezio goes through a character arc from naive young man, to badass assassin. Then by the time the next game roles around, we're still playing as the badass, tough as nails Ezio and there isn't much more development to even do.
* The ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series features quite a bit of CharacterDevelopment, especially in the [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast]] [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames era]], but the title character himself isn't the subject of any of it. This is because the development of other characters usually plays off of him, such as Tails learning to be less dependent on Sonic, or Blaze learning about friendship from him. Even in ''VideoGame/SonicAndTheBlackKnight'', which is renowned by the fandom for giving Sonic some of the deepest characterization in the series, the events of the game simply reaffirm his philosophy of living life to the fullest rather than change him in any significant way.
** The same rule applies to Sonic's archnemesis, Doctor Eggman. Doctor Eggman motivations may change between the games (ranging from wanting to build a amusement park or a better world in his image), he may team-up with Sonic to stop a menace he himself unleashed, but at his core he is always the same character: an amusing MadScientist who wishes to reign over everyone.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'', protagonist Joel doesn’t change much. It’s {{Deuteragonist}} Ellie who gets all the CharacterDevelopment. Ellie just brings out who Joel is deep down but hid under a gruff exterior after his daughter died.
* In ''Videogame/FinalFantasyX'', Auron is the only guardian who does not undergo significant CharacterDevelopment. He already went through it long before the game started. His story is already over.
* John Marston, the main character of ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', stays pretty much the same throughout the whole game -- a former outlaw who left that life behind him years ago and is now trying to live an honest life with his family, who are taken hostage by the proto-[=FBI=] to get Marston to hunt down his former gang. However, the off-screen CharacterDevelopment he went through before the first game happened is put to good use in the [[VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2 prequel]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Franziska Von Karma from ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll'' is pretty much the same through the series as of ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'', the most development she gets are the revelations of some HiddenDepths regarding her rivalry with Edgeworth.
* Pretty much the entire cast of ''VisualNovel/DiesIrae'' end the story as the same people they where as when it started. While there is some character development sprinkled in, it is not a focus. Instead, the story works backwards, slowly showing the viewer what kind of people it's cast is and how they got to where they are now.
* In ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'', out of the surviving students, Sonia Nevermind and Akane Owari both stay pretty much the exact same person they were in the Killing Game, despite the tragedies they've endured and losing close friends along the way.
* Contrasting the entirety of the rest of the cast, Mion in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' reminds the same from the start of the story to the end [[spoiler:though the story tricks the player into thinking she has a breakdown just like everyone else.]] A flashback shows why: She already ''had'' the character development everyone else already went through.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'''s main character, Ruby Rose, is notable in that she never really undergoes the same kind of character arc of growth and change that all her teammates and friends have. She starts out the series as an optimistic young girl who wants to become a Huntress just for the sake of helping people, and believes that as bad as [[DeathWorld Remnant]] can be, she and her friends can make it better, none of which significantly changes with events of the series. Instead, her character arc is about ''maintaining'' those beliefs in a world that seems to be doing everything in its power to push her over the DespairEventHorizon. This has received a lot of criticisms from the show's detractors, who claim it makes her a VanillaProtagonist, and that TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter; YMMV on that, obviously.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* The cast of ''Webcomic/{{Sheldon}}'' is fairly static. As one webcomic critic pointed out, this is [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools not a bad thing]], as they're [[RoundCharacter well-rounded]], interesting, and funny, which is pretty much all a simple gag-a-day strip of this sort needs.
* Portrayed on [[http://www.cracked.com/article_18741_the-evolution-fictional-characters-by-medium-5Bcomic5D.html the second example of this comic strip]].
* An interesting variation with ''{{Webcomic/Roommates}}'' ' [[Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera Erik]]. He does get somewhat better over the course of the story, but whether it's [[FountainOfYouth spontaneous deaging]] or a the dreaded RuleSixtyThree (his roommate's [[Film/{{Labyrinth}} Jareth]]) he's still a [[MurderIsTheBestSolution murderous]] [[AxCrazy psycho]] [[note]] '''Jareth''': "[[LampshadeHanging Oh, come on! The irony!]] Our [[InspectorJavert fine, upstanding officer of law and order]] was a [[FormerTeenRebel little punk with a bad attitude and a worse haircut]]; brave, unflappable (former) Commodore Norrington, bane of the [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Caribbean Pirates]] and the undead was a little crybaby -- er, sorry, Jamie -- and Eric, Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera was . . . [[http://asherhyder.deviantart.com/art/Roommates-32-Shorter-79582043 shorter]]." [[/note]]. Though Kid!Erik strangling Jareth ''is'' [[RuleOfFunny pretty funny]] . . .
* Bun-bun from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' hasn't changed over the run of the comic. Lampshaded by the Ocean's Unmoving [[spoiler: plotline, in which the reader can't tell the present character from the one from before the strip started.]] That wouldn't work with any other major character in the strip.
* {{Justified|Trope}} with Caliborn in ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'': because of how [[BizarreAlienBiology his species works]], the act of [[spoiler:taking a shortcut to predominating over his sister by murdering her dreamself]] freezes his mentality. He is literally incapable of developing new personality traits or ditching old ones, and he will [[PsychopathicManchild never mentally mature to adulthood.]]
** Also how death is punished. While dead characters continue to exist in the dream bubbles as ghosts, they cannot go through any CharacterDevelopment or change, or if they do, it becomes their whole character.
* ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' is great at BlackComedy, but there's only a fairly limited CharacterDevelopment budget and none of it was spent on any of the major characters. Most of them [[{{Flanderization}} go from "moderately [negative trait]" to "severely [negative trait]"]] and then stay that way for hundreds of strips. Black Mage is particularly notable, since a) his Teflon-coated soul is a net producer of [[IgnoredEpiphany ignored epiphanies]], and b) after a certain point he actually starts planning ways to actively avoid any chances of redemption that present themselves.
* A recurring theme of ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' is that certain beings end up becoming this, particularly [[OurLichesAreDifferent undead]] or [[WhoWantsToLiveForever beings with unnaturally extended lives.]] Their inability to age or reconsider their lives lead to them becoming unable to grow as people, leading to many [[IgnoredEpiphany moments of them refusing to see why they need to change]]. If anything, they end up backsliding.
** Xykon lived a full life as a human and seemed to have chilled out long enough to devise a personal philosophy by his twilight years, but when he became a lich, he lost that and his sole motivation became [[ForTheEvulz to murder people for fun]], and stayed that way for the following decades.
** Redcloak is noted by WordOfGod to have had serious issues with personal growth because the enchanted cloak he wears has made him TheAgeless as a teenager and prevented him from having a chance to mature out of that mentality. It's eventually averted in the Azure City arc, when he finally receives some character development and leaves this trope mostly behind.
** [[spoiler:The High Priest of Hel is unable to understand Durkon's thought process and development while going through his memories. This is best emphasized when he comes across two of his memories: One where a young Durkon is taught not to help people unless they specifically ask for help, and one where an adult Durkon lets Roy almost get eaten by a monster because he was waiting for Roy to ask for help. While Durkon is able to see the obvious connection the two memories have, the High Priest fails to see any sort of connection whatsoever. The High Priest is who Durkon was on his worst day personified, and thus is unable to grow out of that position.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick argues that [[Franchise/DisneyPrincess Ariel]] of ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'' is this trope, which is why the movie fails as a ComingOfAgeStory. She actually prefers to think of [[OverprotectiveDad Triton]] as the protagonist, since he has to change over the course of the movie.
* [[WebVideo/RedLetterMedia Mr. Plinkett]] argues in his review of ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'' that Indy works best as one of these, as he's meant to be [[EscapistCharacter someone the audience can project themselves onto]], and the movie made a mistake in trying to force too much character development on him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* While it's subverted in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' due to a major point of the series being that anyone can change, the Diamond Authority as a whole seems to enforce this on all of its citizens, to the point the FusionDance every member of their species can do (which can create new gem types and powers not found normally) is an illegal act punishable by death, and every gem who "emerges" as an [[FantasticSlur Off Color]] is murdered on the spot if they're caught. Even the Crystal Gems, defectors from Homeworld, spent over 5000 years [[ImmortalImmaturity never changing or growing as people]], despite the ''many'' issues they had from the war and living among humanity for all of that time.
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''
** Almost every episode after the first season has Stan act controlling or bigoted, ending with him learning his lesson, [[AesopAmnesia only to forget said lesson by the very next episode]]. The GayAesop is the only lesson he's never had to learn again after the first time he learned it. Aside from that, the only changes he's gone through are non-positive ones such as BadassDecay from the first season, where he was a macho Badass agent, only to later be depicted as just as out of shape and {{Flanderization}} of having his stupidity played up more to the point where by the time [[ChannelHop the show moved to TBS]] it would be hard to pin-point what separates him from [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Peter Griffin]] intelligence wise.
** Steve's personality is wildly inconsistent, with him sometimes being a pervert CasanovaWannabe, a CoolLoser, a whiny MamasBoy who [[WellDoneSonGuy actively seeks his parents' approval]] or just a straight-up brat. In some episodes, he takes Stan's word like gospel and acts much younger than he is, and in others he doesn't listen to his dad at all and is much more assertive. Sometimes he switches personalities in the same episode, but there's one thing that never changes, he goes through very little CharacterDevelopment.
** Thanks to being the show's resident HateSink and the fact that members of his species will die if they don't let out their bitchiness (meaning that he ''needs'' his current characterisation in order to live), Roger has never once been allowed to receive even the slightest ounce of positive development to his character.
* While WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat's personality is [[AdaptationPersonalityChange inconsistent throughout his various series]], one thing that does stay consistent is that Felix never undergoes character development in any of them.
* The overwhelming majority of over-the-top comedic characters, from WesternAnimation/BugsBunny to WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, to [[WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}} Yakko/Wakko/Dot]] to WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo to WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents. Most likely, because of the RuleOfFunny. [[note]]With some, the only variations you'll find are DependingOnTheWriter; Bugs Bunny, for instance, could be an impish pixie as he was in Creator/BobMcKimson's cartoons; a manic trickster, as he was in Creator/TexAvery and Creator/BobClampett's; or a sly, cunning sophisticate like we see in Chuck Jones' latter works. It all depends.[[/note]]
* Many of the secondary characters from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' -- Suki, King Bumi, and Uncle Iroh for instance -- precisely ''because'' they're secondary characters. However, Toph doesn't particularly evolve either, able to get through the entire series on her existing personality except for becoming a bit softer and more willing to work with others (of course, she never got to go on a life-changing field trip with Zuko like the other three did).
** Iroh had already gone through a life-changing experience before the series started. His job was to help others, primarily his nephew Zuko, develop, but we do come to understand the character development he has already been through as we find out more about him.
* ''Avatar's'' sequel ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' has a similar issue with it's secondary characters, and a bigger problem with it's main characters Asami Sato and Bolin. Asami was originally going to have a character arc of being TheMole but the creators liked her so much they relented and just left her with her initial traits of being a beautiful, compassionate, rich, sensible, brilliant inventor. Bolin though never evolved beyond being comic relief and just went from job to job depending on what the writers needed of him.
** Though, it can be argued that Asami has shown growth in the fact that she transitioned into taking her father's mantle as the leader of Future Industries. And, she didn't need much growth since most of her issues are external.
** It appears Bolin has some development (though, its pretty much nonexistent) given the fact that while he's still slow to catch up to details, he actually does start having somewhat better judgement in later seasons compared to his dumbass season one self.
* Skeletor, from pretty much any incarnation of ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'' and related series. Despite his undeniable iconic status, he's one of the most one-dimensional characters in the entire franchise. He wants to conquer Eternia. [[GenericDoomsdayVillain Why does he want to conquer Eternia? Because he's evil.]] (According to Creator/PaulDini, writers on the {{Creator/Filmation}} series were actually told by Mattel to ''not'' do anything interesting with Skeletor. He was to be the boss of the bad guys. Period.)
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' is a show that thrives on the [[ResetButton status quo, with all sorts of drastic changes and events occurring and eventually reverting to normal]], so most characters fall under this. However, there are a few exceptions, such as Phineas going through a bit of CharacterizationMarchesOn from his first appearance, and Vanessa, who becomes less cynical and more caring about her dad.
* Gizmo from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. He didn't really get any CharacterDevelopment. He just stayed Gizmo.
* Soundwave of ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' fame, since his defining trait is unswerving loyalty to Megatron to make him the foil to [[TheStarscream that other guy]], especially in the show ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', where his status as TheVoiceless (not to mention TheFaceless) and well nigh [[TheStoic emotionless]] listener adds a lot to his creepy factor. He's broken his vow of silence for a single sentence only to gloat, but that's the deepest his character has gone.
* While most characters in ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' get a ''little'' development, Odd doesn't really change at all. He [[BigEater eats a lot]], he dates a lot, and he [[SoUnfunnyItsFunny makes bad jokes]]. And that never changes.
* [[TheStoic Sergeant Cosgrove]] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'' fits this trope.
* Lynn Loud Jr. from ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' was considered the least developed of the ''ten'' Loud sisters. Whereas the other Loud sisters became more rounded as the series progressed, Lynn stayed a JerkJock during the first two seasons while her sisters got spotlight episodes and character development.
* {{Deconstructed}} in ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain''. Given that the train's very purpose is to inspire CharacterDevelopment, all the protagonists mature, learn lessons, and grow as people over the course of their journeys... except one. [[spoiler:Simon is a clinical {{narcissist}}, which means he is ''fundamentally incapable'' of admitting he's wrong, or even realizing he's wrong in the first place. He has a complete LackOfEmpathy and a bad case of MoralMyopia, so whenever he's confronted with evidence that he did something bad, he does whatever mental gymnastics are necessary to justify his actions, even sliding into full-on IRejectYourReality mode. The fact that Simon is quite literally unable to change is unambiguously a tragedy; since admitting your mistakes is a huge part of growing as a person, he never grows, and only gets worse and worse.]]
* Sam Manson from ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''. She receives no CharacterDevelopment throughout the series. Her personality remained the same from the first episode to the last.
[[/folder]]

* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' has many due to its LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, but Onua and Pohatu stand out in particular, as they're the two main characters who've been around for the line's entirety yet still haven't changed much. Onua's the wise and solemn but incredibly badass kind of guy, and Pohatu's a perpetually optimistic friend-to-everyone, so their only roles are complementing their other four teammates and soothing the tension between them if need be, with Onua at times doing tasks that the others can't bring themselves to do.

* Many of the secondary characters from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' — Suki, King Bumi, and Uncle Iroh for instance — precisely ''because'' they're secondary characters. However, Toph doesn't particularly evolve either, able to get through the entire series on her existing personality except for becoming a bit softer and more willing to work with others (of course, she never got to go on a life-changing field trip with Zuko like the other three did).

** Though, it can be argued that Asami has shown growth in the fact that she transitioned into taking her father's mantle as the leader of future industries. And, she didn't need much growth since most of her issues are external.

* Sam Manson from ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''. Her personality remained the same from the beginning to the end of the series.

* Sam Manson from WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom. Her personality remained the same from the beginning to the end of the series.

** [[spoiler:The High Priest of Hel is unable to understand Durkon's thought process and development while going through his memories. This is best emphasized when he comes across two of his memories: One where a young Durkon is taught not to help people unless they specifically ask for help, and one where an adult Durkon lets Roy almost get eaten by a monster because he was waiting for Roy to ask for help. While Durkon is able to see the obvious connection the two memories have, the High Priest fails to see any sort of connection whatsoever.]]

* Soundwave of ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' fame, especially in the show ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', where his status as TheVoiceless (not to mention TheFaceless) and well nigh [[TheStoic emotionless]] listener adds a lot to his creepy factor. He's broken his vow of silence for a single sentence only to gloat, but that's the deepest his character has gone.