History Main / TheScrappy

[[caption-width-right:200:Kill it!]] \\

[[caption-width-right:200:Kill it! \\

[[caption-width-right:200:Kill it! \\ KillitwithFire

[[caption-width-right:200:Kill it! \\

Note that this is not the same as a HateSink, a character intentionally designed to be disliked for actual villainous actions, but who is not necessarily perceived to detract from the work itself -- the audience just wants him to suffer and want a character to root against for a change. Thus, such characters as [[Series/GameOfThrones Joffrey Baratheon]] and [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Dolores Umbridge]], as universally hated as they are, are ''not'' considered Scrappies.

There are popular characters have {{fandom}}s. But sometimes, there is a character who instead has a ''{{hatedom}}''. We'll call this guy [[TitleDrop The Scrappy]].

Popular characters have {{fandom}}s. But sometimes, there is a character who instead has a ''{{hatedom}}''. We'll call this guy [[TitleDrop The Scrappy]].

Popular characters have {{fandom}}s. But sometimes, there is a character who has a ''{{hatedom}}''. We'll call this guy [[TitleDrop The Scrappy]].

Note that this is not the same as a HateSink, a character intentionally designed to be disliked for actual villainous actions, but who is not necessarily perceived to detract from the work itself -- the audience just wants him to suffer. Thus, such characters as [[Series/GameOfThrones Joffrey Baratheon]] and [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Dolores Umbridge]], as universally hated as they are, are ''not'' considered Scrappies.

** ''TheScrappy/Pokemon''

Slowly and painfully!]]

This trope is named after Scrappy-Doo from the ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' cartoon. While popular in the 1970s, the character came to become the face of this trope as the Scooby-Doo franchise fell into decline in the 1980s, with fans pointing to the decline occurring as the franchise began to focus more and more upon Scrappy-Doo, who was intended to be a younger dog character for younger viewers to identify with but ended up annoying them as much as the older fans. When the franchise was later retooled in the 1990s and the character had become particularly notorious, he was entirely dropped from every iteration of the franchise in animated form and the character had become so toxic that even attempts to market older material with Scrappy in it tried to reduce mention of his role. The 2002 ''Film/ScoobyDoo'' movie (which is not considered {{canon}} with respect to any other ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' series) was the last time the character appeared in the franchise, and this appearance was entirely intended to disparage the character and his perceived role in ruining the show.

This trope is named after Scrappy-Doo from the ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' cartoon. While popular in the 1970s, the character came to become the face of this trope as the Scooby-Doo franchise fell into decline in the 1980s, with fans pointing to the decline occurring as the franchise began to focus more and more upon Scrappy-Doo. When the franchise was later retooled in the 1990s and the character had become particularly notorious, he was entirely dropped from every iteration of the franchise in animated form and the character had become so toxic that even attempts to market older material with Scrappy in it tried to reduce mention of his role. The 2002 ''Film/ScoobyDoo'' movie (which is not considered {{canon}} with respect to any other ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' series) was the last time the character appeared in the franchise, and this appearance was entirely intended to disparage the character and his perceived role in ruining the show.

* [[TheScrappy/AnimatedFilm Film - Animated]]
* [[TheScrappy/{{Film}} Film - Live Action]]

Note that this is not the same as a HateSink, a character intentionally designed to be disliked for actual villainous actions, but who is not necessarily perceived to detract from the work itself -- the audience just wants him to suffer. Thus, such characters as [[Series/GameOfThrones Joffrey Baratheon]] and [[Literautre/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Dolores Umbridge]], as universally hated as they are, are ''not'' considered Scrappies.

The opposite of the EnsembleDarkHorse, an unexpectedly popular character, and UnpopularPopularCharacter, a character hated or disliked InUniverse but loved by the fandom. If the scrappy dies or suffers in some painful way where the audience actually starts to sympathize with the character, then it becomes AlasPoorScrappy.

->''The more astute readers among you may have noticed that I haven't yet gone so far as to give anything an actual "F". That's not out of any kind-heartedness on my part, it's just that every time I got ready to give one out, I would ask myself, "Is it really that bad, compared to the verminous, soul-tainting badness of [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Scrappy-Doo]]?"''

Note that this is not the same as a HateSink, a character intentionally designed to be disliked, but who is not necessarily perceived to detract from the work itself -- the audience just wants him to suffer. Thus, such characters as [[Series/GameOfThrones Joffrey Baratheon]] and [[Literautre/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Dolores Umbridge]], as universally hated as they are, are ''not'' considered Scrappies.

Note that this is not the same as a HateSink, a character intentionally designed to be disliked, but who is not necessarily perceived to detract from the work itself -- the audience just wants him to suffer.

** ''[[TheScrappy/StarWars Star Wars]]''

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLioW-nKADX_wE6pvjMBpmg

%%
%% Admin notice: Do not even think about changing this image unless it for one of the same character with better resolution.
%% This is the trope namer. The name works.
%%
[[quoteright:201:[[Franchise/ScoobyDoo http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/scrappy-doo_124281a_2237.gif]]]]
[[caption-width-right:200:Kill it! \\
Slowly and painfully!]]
%%
%% Admin notice: Do not even think about changing this image unless it for one of the same character with better resolution.
%% This is the trope namer. The name works.
%%

->''The more astute readers among you may have noticed that I haven't yet gone so far as to give anything an actual "F". That's not out of any kind-heartedness on my part, it's just that every time I got ready to give one out, I would ask myself, "Is it really that bad, compared to the verminous, soul-tainting badness of [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Scrappy-Doo]]?"''
-->-- '''Lore Fitzgerald Sjoberg''', ''[[http://web.archive.org/web/20100822101040/http://www.bookofratings.com/scooby.html The Book of Ratings]]''

Popular characters have {{fandom}}s. But sometimes, there is a character who has a ''{{hatedom}}''. We'll call this guy [[TitleDrop The Scrappy]].

Scrappies come in many different forms. Some of the most commonly hated characters are those that are viewed as very flat, are {{Karma Houdini}}s, [[TheLoad are unhelpful to the protagonists]], {{Invincible Hero}}es, or are seen as overly annoying, arrogant, or abrasive. Characters who change a liked status quo will also often fall under this, as can characters who are seen as getting too much screen time.

Note that this is not the same as a HateSink, a character intentionally designed to be disliked, but who is not necessarily perceived to detract from the work itself -- the audience just wants him to suffer.

Not all Scrappies are doomed to their status. If the writers notice what's happening, they may [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap change the character in order to make sure they are no longer hated]], give them a [[AlasPoorScrappy tragic death scene]], simply [[ShooOutTheNewGuy send them away]], [[AdaptationalVillainy turn them into a villain in a reboot or adaptation and have the more popular characters beat them up]], or at the very least [[TakeThatScrappy show that the other characters are as annoyed by them as the fans are]].

On the other hand, if the writers take a shine to The Scrappy and [[CommonMarySueTraits add some elements]] of MarySue, or otherwise put more focus on them over more popular/liked characters, this will add gasoline to the flames--they've just turned The Scrappy into the dreaded CreatorsPet.

Of course, writers may also [[IntendedAudienceReaction make a Scrappy character intentionally]] in order to spoof the concept. When this is taken to the point where the goal is to ''make'' you hate this character with every fibre of your being, such a character would be called a HateSink. A TemporaryScrappy exists to get on the viewers' nerves and then get thrown out at the end of the episode.

This trope is named after Scrappy-Doo from the ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' cartoon. While popular in the 1970s, the character came to become the face of this trope as the Scooby-Doo franchise fell into decline in the 1980s, with fans pointing to the decline occurring as the franchise began to focus more and more upon Scrappy-Doo. When the franchise was later retooled in the 1990s and the character had become particularly notorious, he was entirely dropped from every iteration of the franchise in animated form and the character had become so toxic that even attempts to market older material with Scrappy in it tried to reduce mention of his role. The 2002 ''Film/ScoobyDoo'' movie (which is not considered {{canon}} with respect to any other ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' series) was the last time the character appeared in the franchise, and this appearance was entirely intended to disparage the character and his perceived role in ruining the show.

This is an AudienceReaction, more based on the fandom than the character itself. The visceral response to The Scrappy can baffle other fans who don't take the character as {{serious|Business}}ly, or even sympathize with him or her. Please only post examples of the fandom hating a character; posting Personal Scrappies could get messy, especially if the Scrappy is in at the center of a FandomRivalry. DieForOurShip entries should also be placed on that trope page only, though someone could be a Scrappy because of that reason.

The opposite of the EnsembleDarkHorse, an unexpectedly popular character, and UnpopularPopularCharacter, a character hated or disliked InUniverse but loved by the fandom. If the scrappy dies or suffers in some painful way where the audience actually starts to sympathize with the character, then it becomes AlasPoorScrappy.

[[noreallife]]
----

!!Examples:

[[index]]
* TheScrappy/{{Advertising}}
* [[TheScrappy/{{AnimeAndManga}} Anime And Manga]]
* [[TheScrappy/ComicBooks Comics]]
* [[TheScrappy/AnimatedFilm Film - Animated]]
* [[TheScrappy/{{Film}} Film - Live Action]]
** ''[[TheScrappy/StarWars Star Wars]]''
* TheScrappy/{{Literature}}
* TheScrappy/LiveActionTV
* TheScrappy/VideoGames
* TheScrappy/VisualNovels
* TheScrappy/WebComics
* TheScrappy/WebOriginal
* TheScrappy/WesternAnimation
* TheScrappy/OtherMedia
[[/index]]

----