15 Characters Who Just Up and Disappeared

In fiction, not all disappearances are the same. Normally, the incident kicks off a plot — the cops go to work, witnesses are questioned, and the investigator cracks dry jokes while trying to contact their estranged family...you know how how these things work.

The fact is, fictional characters go missing all the time too, and no one seems to notice, which is almost scarier than any human kidnapper. Other characters simply continue about their lives, oblivious to the reality that their friend, spouse, or colleague is no longer with them. We gathered several examples of this happening in the hopes of alleviating the existential anxiety that this concept brings us. We didn't succeed, but we have these to show for it.

However, now and again, fictional characters vanish into thin air, and the entire cast quickly forgets about them. These characters don't simply disappear from the show; they are somehow absorbed into a canonical black hole that consumes their soul, rendering it as if they have never existed at all. Spooky, huh?

Scroll down for some wild examples of this phenomena in your favorite shows: