History Main / TheEveryman

* [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown.]] You can't help but identify with him. [[WordOfGod Charles Shultz]] relates a letter he got from a fan, who said, "My son came home from school one day with a sad frown, slammed his bookbag to the floor, and said, 'Mom, I feel just like Charlie Brown.' He didn't have to say another word. I knew exactly how he felt."

* Max Rockatansky is the closest to a 'basic' human being in the ''Film/MadMax'' series. He has no weird costumes, no deformities, no tattoos, no fancy hairstyle or color, no gimmick, even his car is pretty basic compared to the roadsters with twelve exhausts or giant flamethrowing trucks that the series is famous for. He is also a bit of a DecoyProtagonist, as he doesn't contribute much to the resolution of the plot (which the other characters often kickstart in the first place), and often has to be dragged along.

* Max Rockatansky is the closest to a 'basic' human being in the Film/MadMax series. He has no weird costumes, no deformities, no tattoos, no fancy hairstyle or color, no gimmick, even his car is pretty basic compared to the roadsters with twelve exhausts or giant flamethrowing trucks that the series is famous for. He is also a bit of a DecoyProtagonist, as he doesn't contribute much to the resolution of the plot (which the other characters often kickstart in the first place), and often has to be dragged along.

A character who is ordinary enough to be relatable to the average audience member. Everyman characters are often working or middle class and deal with everyday problems, be it school, work, family or romance. They may also be placed in extraordinary circumstances which makes them even more sympathetic as they are in over their head. Everyman characters are not necessary blank slates but are typically more grounded and less wacky then supporting characters.

* ''GreenLantern'' Hal Jordan and Barry Allen ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' are often thought of as these. Both were normal people who were great at their jobs with relatively normal lives. Until a magic super-advanced alien ring summoned Hal and Barry was struck by a lightning bolt while working in his lab. It helps that they're [[HeterosexualLifePartners best friends]].

%%* Kyle Rayner in ''GreenLantern''.

* [[SpiderMan Peter Parker/Spider-Man]] is often held up as the epitome of this within superhero comics, and possibly the key to the franchise success. Admittedly, he's not a strict example, as he's consistently portrayed as responsible, hardworking, highly intelligent, and when the going gets tough, [[YouFightLikeACow a wiseass]]. However, compare him to his contemporaries: he's the average working stiff where the others include [[Franchise/FantasticFour super-scientists]], [[ComicBook/IronMan a millionaire playboy]], [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica an idolized war hero]], and [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor a god]]. Some writers (Creator/JoeQuesada especially) tend to turn this into ThisLoserIsYou. He fills the role so perfectly, many other attempts to make an Everyman superhero wind up compared to him.

* An empty vessel for the audience's hopes, dreams and aspirations. (Not to be confused with an EscapistCharacter who already possesses what the audience craves.) These are the sort of Everyman characters where each audience member is willing to imagine ''themselves'' in the character's shoes, with no apparent contradiction. This may lead to some complication (or [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments crowning moment]]) when the author forces them to undergo [[CharacterDevelopment some course of action]] that the audience, having already invested in the character, would not (at first) imagine themselves taking.

If a leader, then they're a StandardizedLeader. The videogame version of this is a HeroicMime in terms of plot, JackOfAllStats in terms of ability, and a FeaturelessProtagonist when taken to its extreme.

* [[Comicbook/MsMarvel2014 Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms Marvel]] has been repeatedly described as the true successor to Spider-Man for the millennial age. She's dorky, connected to the internet, constantly being underestimated by her conservative family for being unruly, ultimately wants to do some good in the world, and is a fanboy of all the heroes who have come before her.

* ''GreenLantern'' Hal Jordan and Barry Allen ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' are often thought of as these. Both were normal people who were great at their jobs with relatively normal lives. Until a magic super-advanced alien ring summoned Hal and Barry was struck by a lightning bolt while working in his lab. It helps that they're [[HeterosexualLifePartners best-friends]].

* The original Freedom Fighters seemed to have evolved this way in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog'', likely to act as foils to Sonic and the more abrasive additions from the games. A lot of their shortcomings are rather subdued or down more to circumstance than having prominant personality defects, and while a lot have unique abilities, they are played in a [[BadassNormal more realistic manner]] than their super powered comrades. This is less prominant in earlier issues and the [[WesternAnimation/SonicSatam coinciding TV show]], where they have goofier, more prominant personality defects, but they still had visible shades of this at times.

* Franchise/TinTin was intentionally written as a blank slate that readers could project onto. His name literally means "nothing".

* While he is incredibly smart and comes from a well off family [[note]]though his father bankrupting them later puts them squarely in the middle class[[/note]] [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]] takes this position in the [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Batfamily]] by being comparatively average when compared to Bruce, the other four Bat-kids and even his own girlfriend, who is the daughter of a villain. He also dealt with a lot of regular family and school drama in his ongoing. Tim was also the everyman of ComicBook/YoungJustice, where his teammates included a [[ComicBook/{{Wondergirl}} demi-god]], a telekinetic [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} half-kryptonian]], a [[ComicBook/{{Impulse}} speedster]] from the future, a second generation hero trained by her mother, and a teleporting psychopomp with precognition.

* [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown.]] You can't help but identify with him. [[WordOfGod Charles Shultz]] relates a letter he got from a fan, who said "my son came home from school one day with a sad frown, slammed his bookbag to the floor, and said, 'Mom, I feel just like Charlie Brown.' He didn't have to say another word. I knew exactly how he felt."

* The quintessential example, from ''Film/DieHard'', is Lieutenant John [=McClane=]. He's just an average New York police officer, flown into Los Angeles to see his estranged wife Holly - then Hans and his gang attack, leaving John the only one in a position to stop them.

* ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'': Robinson himself is supposed to be an average Englishman from late 17th century stranded on inhabitated island. He got no particular set of skills nor character traits (at least for his epoche), yet is able to hold on his own for two decades. Not to mention his adventures before he got ship-wrecked.

* Shinji Kido of Series/KamenRiderRyuki is clearly the most ordinary protagonist of the entire Franchise/KamenRider franchise till a point it can be said that his most remarkable trait is his averageness. Unlike other protagonist who were either very skillful or intelligent men, had special abilities, a tragic past that define them, a (personal) connection to their enemies or some other quirks that made them abnormal. Shinji is a completely ordinary journalist who just happened to find an Advent Deck during an investigation and as a result became Kamen Rider Ryuki and fights against the Mirror Monster's threatening people's life while trying to find out the truth of the Rider War. His lack of special skills is even reflected in his rider form which is a JackOfAllStats and has little to no true advantages against other riders. This was also his only form during the first half of the series which contradicts him with every other Heisei Kamen Rider who usually have another one or several forms accessible during a fight[[note]]unless you count [[JokeCharacter blank form]][[/note]].

* ''Franchise/TheMuppets'': Kermit the Frog is a mild-mannered character who has to deal with the craziness of his supporting cast.

** The headless titular character in ''Quidam'' is ''literally'' an Everyman (the word 'Quidam' means 'nameless passerby', and the soundtrack album version of the title song has the male singer explicitly state "I'm everyman"), but the main character Zoe is ''also'' a, less literal, Everygirl. With an Everyfamily made up of an Everyman and an Everywoman. It... gets a little bit confusing.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

-->'''Penny''': Imagine you want to kill the Avengers... Who do you target first? The normal guy.
-->'''Natasha''': There is nothing normal about [[CircusBrat Cl]][[BadassNormal int]] [[ImprobableAimingSkills Bar]][[IdiotHero ton]].

* [[TheMuppets Kermit the Frog]] is a mild-mannered character who has to deal with the craziness of his supporting cast.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
%%* ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}
* Ernie from ''Piranha Club'' started as something of a loser but through reverse {{Flanderization}}, he eventually become one.
* Goat in ''ComicStrip/PearlsBeforeSwine.'' He's the only character who reacts to (or even ''notices'') the weirdness that surrounds them in the same way the audience would.
* [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown.]] You can't help but identify with him. [[WordOfGod Charles Shultz]] relates a letter he got from a fan, who said "my son came home from school one day with a sad frown, slammed his bookbag to the floor, and said, 'Mom, I feel just like Charlie Brown.' He didn't have to say another word. I knew exactly how he felt."

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* The traditional Creator/CirqueDuSoleil protagonist (if the show has one) is usually a version of this: see ''Quidam'', ''Theatre/{{O}}'', ''Theatre/LaNouba'', ''Theatre/{{Corteo}}'', ''KOOZA'', even the ''Theatre/{{Delirium}}'' concert tour. Often they are pulled into the plot by a {{Trickster}}. In ''"O"'', it's set up that he [[FromBeyondTheFourthWall appears to be an audience member]].

** Goofy became this in the Fifties, starring as George Geef, with a son, a wife, and increased intelligence (though not much). He's mostly went back to his more famous personality since.

%%* Two words: Godai Yuusuke of Series/KamenRiderKuuga.

** In the "Three Bears" series, Papa Bear will often try to come across as an Every Bear, mixing it with OnlySaneMan. Averted, of course, through his ill temperament and Junyer's bumbling.
** Several latter-day Elmer Fudd cartoons place the hunter into "everyman" roles, in satirical cartoons on such things as dog-master relationships.
** Sylvester the Cat has also been cast as Every Cat, particularly when paired with Sylvester Jr.

* Most of the perspective characters from Series/StrangerThings are Everymen. What is interesting is that many of them are based on the Everymen from other famous genre films, books, or TV series.
** Mike Wheeler is based on protagonists like [[{{Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial}} Elliot]], [[{{Film/Gremlins}} Billy Peltzer]], and [[{{Film/TheGoonies}} Mikey Walsh]].
** His sister Nancy is based on Nancy Thompson from Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet.
** Jim Hopper the police chief is based on [[{{Film/Jaws}} Chief Brody]]
** Joyce Byers is based on the likes of [[{{Film/Poltergeist}} Diane Freeling]], [[{{Literature/TheShining}} Wendy Torrance]], and [[{{Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind}} Roy Neary]].

** Joyce Byers is based on the likes of [[{{Film/Poltergeist}} Diane Freeling]] and [[{{Literature/TheShining}} Wendy Torrance]].

* Literature/RobinsonCrusoe. An average Englishman from late 17th century stranded on inhabitated island. He got no particular set of skills nor character traits (at least for his epoche), yet is able to hold on his own for two decades. Not to mention his adventures before he got ship-wrecked.

* Charlie Collins from the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Joker's Favor" fits the description to a T, and that was the whole point. The fact that the Joker would spend two years keeping track of this poor guy only to find him and sadistically hold him up to a promise later, even though it [[ForTheEvulz didn't benefit him in the least]], only serves to show what a monster he is.

* While he's still incredibly smart and comes from a well off family [[note]]though his father bankrupting them later puts them squarely in the middle class[[/note]] LonelyRichKid [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]] who eventually has to drop out of school in order to help hold Gotham together takes this position in the [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Batfamily]] by being comparatively average when compared to Bruce, the other four Bat-kids and even his own girlfriend, who was the daughter of a villain. He also dealt with a lot of regular family and school drama in his ongoing. Tim also held this position on ComicBook/YoungJustice, where his teammates included a demi-god, a telekinetic half-kryptonian, a speedster from the future, a second generation hero trained by her mother, and a teleporting psychopomp with precognition.

* Minako from ''Anime/SailorMoon'' in the first series, prior to [[TookALevelInDumbass taking a level in dumbass]]. She was more of "the everygirl" compared to [[TheDitz Usagi]], [[TheSmartGuy Ami]], [[HotBlooded Rei]], and [[HugeSchoolGirl Makato]]. She had a few odd character quirks like messing up her proverbs but it wasn't until Sailor Moon S when she was [[{{Flanderization}} flanderized]] into being a dumb blonde and The CloudCuckooLander.