http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Deuteragonist

Deuteragonist. The second guy. No, not the Sidekick, who follows the main character around. Not the Supporting Protagonist, who is a main character but not the focus of the story. Not the Decoy Protagonist either. This is the second person the show revolves around, a character whose actions drive the plot just as much as those of the protagonist.

The deuteragonist (from Greek: second actor) is the second important character in the story; the first is, of course, The Protagonist. This person can be either with, or against the protagonist—thus sometimes pulling double duty as a major antagonist or rival to the protagonist; though they are rarely the main "villain" in this sort of scenario, they may be a high ranking minion. If on the same side as the protagonist they can be a sidekick, lancer, or love interest as long as they are given enough screen time independent of the main protagonist. In case of a Geodesic Cast, the Deuteragonist will be the one who corresponds to the first protagonist. If there's another example of this trope in play following the previous one, then that character is the "Tritagonist".note Anything after that and you're in Ensemble Cast territory.

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An important aspect is that we see quite a bit of the story from this character's point of view, and that they get a good amount of screen time.

Subtropes include Supporting Leader. The Sidekick or The Lancer can become a deuteragonist if given enough focus on their own. In a romance story, the Official Couple will usually be the protagonist and deuteragonist. If a character seems like a deuteragonist but doesn't get as much screentime, they're likely the Hero of Another Story. Compare Two Lines, No Waiting, where the plots don't actually intersect.

Dramatica calls this character the Impact Character, while The Hollywood Formula refers to this as the Relationship character.

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Examples:

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Anime & Manga

Comic Books

Comic Strips

The title character of Blondie now fills this role, the role of protagonist being held by Dagwood.

In Nancy, Sluggo is the Deuteragonist, with Aunt Fritzi the tritagonist. Or vice-versa, Depending on the Writer. Ironically, Fritzi used to be the star until Nancy took over that role.

Calvin and Hobbes: Hobbes the tiger fills this role, given how many strips and even story arcs either only include him in a minimal role or don't include him at all.

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Fan Works

Films — Animation

Films — Live-Action

Literature

Live-Action TV

Theater

Aaron Burr is the deuteragonist and foil to the main character in Hamilton.

Jesus Christ Superstar functions this way, shifting its focus pretty evenly between the title character and Judas Iscariot, while giving equal weight and sympathy to the actions of both of them.

Othello: Despite being the Character Title, Othello is actually the deuteragonist, with Iago being the main character.

Video Games

Visual Novels

Web Animation

Red vs. Blue has several characters who play the role of Deuteragonist to Protagonist Leonard Church depending on the season: The Recollection Trilogy (Seasons 6-8) has Agent Washington. Revelation (Season 8) has Agent Texas , with Agent Washington serving as a villainous Tritagonist for most of it . Seasons 9 and 10 have Agent Carolina, with Agent Texas serving as the Tritagonist.

In RWBY, team JNPR is the deuteragonist to team RWBY's protagonist, particularly in regards to the teams' respective leaders, with Jaune playing deuteragonist to Ruby. Word of Monty is that originally, they were supposed to be the B-team, "but somewhere along the lines, they became a second A-team."

Web Comics

Web Original

Noob has the eponymous low-level guild as the protagonist ensemble. The only other full team from their faction ever seen is the main roster from the high-level Justice guild, that is used to depict the elite's gaming life and have enough importance in the story to have their own rivals be semi-regular characters.

Western Animation