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They were gone but definitely not forgotten! Join us as we count down the most jaw-dropping character comebacks in pop culture history. From shocking resurrections to mind-blowing plot twists, these returns left fans stunned. Whether it was Jon Snow's revival, Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man stepping through a portal, or GLaDOS returning as a potato battery, these comebacks changed their franchises forever!
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00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at characters who made the most surprising
00:11comebacks to their franchises.
00:13Characters returning from the dead are a common theme throughout this list, so be wary of
00:18the spoilers ahead.
00:23Fox Motor The X-Files For many, this sci-fi show was nothing
00:28without its dynamic duel.
00:29When one of them got abducted by aliens and was out for nearly a whole season, it became
00:33clear that that was probably the case.
00:36The replacements Doggett and Reyes were nowhere near as good as the original pair.
00:51For a while, it seemed that Motor was gone for good.
00:54It became widely accepted that The X-Files would never reach the heights it once did.
00:58True or not, David Duchovny eventually reprised his role to everyone's surprise.
01:13No one really cared that Motor's absence was supposed to be permanent.
01:17Most were just happy to see him breathe some life into the show again.
01:21Batman Arkham Knight In the game Arkham Asylum, we see the villain
01:25survive Killer Croc's attack.
01:27We then get hints of his return in Arkham City.
01:29If you decode a hidden message and find a certain boat off the coast, you'll see that he's planning
01:34his revenge on Batman.
01:49It wasn't until a few years later that we finally got to see Scarecrow in the flesh once
01:55again.
01:55Not only was he back in the final game of the trilogy, but he was also the story's main
02:00villain.
02:01After fighting Joker in the previous games, getting a new big bad with a ghoulish redesign
02:05was a welcome surprise.
02:07How many lives will you destroy in pursuit of what you call justice?
02:13You are the product of everything you fear.
02:18Violence.
02:19Darkness.
02:21Helplessness.
02:22Han Luke F9 After seemingly being killed by Shaw in Tokyo
02:26Drift, Han's death became a huge wound for the Fast and Furious crew.
02:30That tragedy was flipped on its head in F9, which revealed that Han never actually died.
02:35Nice clubhouse.
02:42The car explosion was all a ruse to send him deep undercover.
02:46Government agent Mr. Nobody was behind the plot and tasked Han with a new mission.
02:51This led to him protecting his newly adopted daughter Elle.
02:54The reactions ranged from hype to outright disbelief.
02:57It was clear that the franchise was not averse to making huge retcons to its films.
03:01So we find them, stop them and then we get Elle back.
03:03Our odds are zero here, huh?
03:05Satellite equipment is easy enough to track, but we're not going to beat Jacob too alone.
03:09Bobby Ewing, Dallas.
03:10How much better?
03:16Field twists rivaled the jaw-dropping return of Bobby Ewing.
03:20After Patrick Duffy's character was killed in a car accident in Season 8, the show explored
03:24the fallout for the Ewing family.
03:25Then came the Season 9 finale, Blast from the Past.
03:29Pam wakes up, goes to the bathroom and finds her husband Bobby alive and casually showering.
03:34Morning.
03:35The reveal not only retconned his death, but also the entire previous season.
03:39It turns out that pretty much every episode of Season 9 was just Pam's dream.
03:44Pam?
03:47Honey, what's the matter?
03:49You look like you just saw a ghost.
03:52For a minute I thought I did.
03:55What are you talking about?
03:57The moment has gone down as one of TV's most infamous and unforgettable character revivals.
04:05Luke Skywalker, The Mandalorian.
04:07The lead-up to the Season 2 finale was full of cameos and live-action debuts.
04:11One of the many highlights was the long-awaited return of Boba Fett, played by Temeru Morrison.
04:16Power up those shields, princess.
04:18I'll put on a good show.
04:20Watch out for those deck cannons.
04:22Don't worry about me.
04:24Just be careful in there.
04:25After all that, we were still caught off guard by this bit of fan service.
04:29Just when Dan and Grogu seem to be cornered by dark troopers, an X-Wing pilot comes to their rescue.
04:34Of course, it's not just any pilot.
04:37The cloaked lightsaber-wielding figure makes his way to our heroes and is shown to be Luke Skywalker himself.
04:52Are you a Jedi?
04:55I am.
05:03Come, little one.
05:04He's brought to life by face replacement VFX and actors Max Lloyd-Jones and Mark Hamill.
05:09It's safe to say that no one expected Luke to come back like this.
05:13He doesn't want to go with you.
05:16He wants your permission.
05:20He is strong with the Force, but talent without training is nothing.
05:25Harry Galahad Hart, Kingsman, The Golden Circle.
05:28Let's see what happens when we change things up.
05:38The last time we saw Harry, he was lying dead from a gunshot to the head.
05:42Even with the silliness of the Kingsman universe, viewers assumed that he'd stay dead, which is why
05:47his survival was incredibly alarming.
05:49In The Golden Circle, we see that Harry was revived by the American intelligence service,
05:53Statesman.
05:54He suffered temporary amnesia, but eventually became an agent once again.
05:58Harry.
05:59Hello.
05:59Hello.
06:00Harry.
06:07How do you do?
06:09We met before.
06:11Harry, it's okay.
06:13It's fine.
06:13They know that we know you.
06:15I think there must be some mistake.
06:17Colin Firth was so good in the first Kingsman that we can see why he was brought back.
06:21Whether his revival jumped the shark or not is up to you, but it successfully shocked audiences
06:26nonetheless.
06:27Listen to me.
06:29This is not about my mental health.
06:31If there's a chance there's a double agent in our midst, or worse,
06:35if Statesman itself has a dark agenda, we have to safeguard this mission.
06:39Phil Coulson, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
06:41Welcome to level seven.
06:45Sorry, that corner was really dark and I couldn't help myself.
06:48The beloved spy first appeared in Iron Man and proved to be a fan favorite.
06:52Despite being an MCU original, he was crucial in assembling the first Avengers team.
06:57His death became the catalyst that brought together Earth's mightiest heroes.
07:01But that wasn't the end of his story.
07:03In 2013, he returned in the pilot of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a series that ran
07:07for seven seasons.
07:08Along the way, he uncovered the secret behind his resurrection.
07:11That revelation led to wild new adventures involving time travel,
07:15robot doubles, the Inhumans, and even Ghost Rider.
07:18Another little present from the rising tide.
07:20How are they getting this stuff before us?
07:22Same way they cracked our RSA implementation.
07:24Turns out that his sudden death was only the first of many surprises he had in store.
07:29Have you thought about the offer?
07:31Pinching a ride like a crazy plane?
07:33Not exactly a team player.
07:35We're not exactly a team, but we're in a position to do some good.
07:39GLaDOS, Portal 2
07:40It appears that GLaDOS' story ended with her destruction during Portal's climax.
07:45The sequel immediately follows with a wrecked science facility
07:48and a familiar computer voice gaining back control.
07:51Hello!
07:51Oh, it's you.
07:54You know her?
07:55It's been a long time.
07:57How have you been?
07:59I've been really busy being dead.
08:03You know, after you murdered me.
08:05You did what?
08:06Forced into a potato battery,
08:08GLaDOS returns as both an antagonist and uneasy ally,
08:11trading Bansha with the player's character Chell.
08:14You know, being Carolyn taught me a valuable lesson.
08:17I thought you were my greatest enemy,
08:20when all along you were my best friend.
08:23The evil AI has come a long way from trying to kill her in the previous game.
08:28Fans were no doubt surprised by the villain's return and change of heart.
08:31But then again, it wouldn't really be a Portal game without her.
08:34John Locke lost.
08:36My God, you're alive.
08:41Among the survivors of Flight 815 was the stoic and intellectual John Locke.
08:45He'd later find a way off the island where the plane crashed,
08:48only to be murdered on the mainland by the villain Ben.
08:55In another shocking turn of events, John would appear on the island again,
08:59only this time possessed by a mysterious smoke monster.
09:02The twist recontextualized the weird events surrounding the show,
09:06including Locke's ability to walk again,
09:07despite needing a wheelchair before he arrived on that beach.
09:10This mystery may not be the show's most interesting,
09:13but it was certainly one of its most memorable fake-outs.
09:16I appreciate you showing me the way, but I think I can take it from here.
09:23You got it?
09:25Spock, Star Trek III, The Search for Spock.
09:27The Vulcan's death in Rathacon is one of the most iconic in film history,
09:31so it goes without saying that fans were elated when the officer came back in Star Trek III.
09:37In the film, the Enterprise crew embarks to recover Spock's body from a strange planet.
09:41They find their friend alive, and by the end, he's back with Starfleet.
09:45You came back for me.
09:48You would have done the same for me?
09:53Why would you do this?
09:59Because the needs of the one outweighed the needs of the many.
10:04Spock wasn't originally going to return after two,
10:07but Leonard Nimoy's passion got him to reprise the role and even direct The Search for Spock.
10:11Although the title essentially spoiled the character's resurrection,
10:15fans were nonetheless surprised by the actor's return.
10:18Jim.
10:21Your name is Jim.
10:25Yes.
10:31Albert Wesker, Resident Evil, Code Veronica.
10:38The first Resident Evil game builds to a pretty definitive end for its antagonist. After portraying
10:43Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, Wesker was stabbed by a bioweapon called the Tyrant,
10:47even if he lived through that. It was pretty clear that he died in the explosion that followed,
10:52and yet, he returned in Code Veronica.
10:54What are you doing here?
10:55I came for Alexia.
10:57Who?
10:58An organization hired me to capture her.
11:01Wait. You attacked the island.
11:04A virus passed on by the Tyrant allowed him to survive. His new genetics granted him a host of
11:09abilities, including regeneration. Capcom clearly wasn't done with the character, and bringing him back
11:14to life like this made him one of the series' best villains.
11:17You destroyed my plans, so now I've sold my soul to a new organization.
11:25Now, die.
11:32Hector Barbossa, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest
11:35So tell me, what's become of my ship?
11:39Jack Sparrow may be the star of the franchise, but his first mate turned nemesis is no slouch either.
11:44Ruthless, cunning, and occasionally sassy, Barbossa was a huge highlight of the first film. It was just
11:50too bad that he died when his curse was broken. What no one saw coming, however, was that he'd be
11:55revived at the end of Dead Man's Chest.
12:03Even more shocking was that he was going to help rescue Jack from the land of the dead.
12:07It was a memorable way to end the film, and his role in the next one proved that it was
12:11one of the best decisions Disney ever made with the franchise.
12:20I'm a little busy at the moment!
12:23Lex Luthor, Smallville
12:25After years of absence, one of TV's greatest villains returned right at the finish line.
12:31Longtime fans were stunned when Luthor appeared in the finale, having seemingly died after season 7.
12:36Lex Luthor, Smallville
12:49Though Michael Rosenbaum left the show three seasons ago, it's revealed that cloning and a deal with
12:54Darkseid allowed him to cheat death and finally become Superman's nemesis. If that wasn't enough,
12:59we later see that the villain becomes President of the United States.
13:03You have a second chance. You can change all that.
13:06But that's the thing about memories. You can't forget them. Like how you were always that one
13:12step ahead of me, Clark. No matter how meticulously I prepared, no matter how strategic I was,
13:20if only I'd known I never stood a chance.
13:22It wasn't a competition.
13:23It's a bittersweet return for the character, but it's fitting that the show ends on one of the most
13:28iconic rivalries in pop culture history, Mileena, Mortal Kombat 11.
13:33How in the hell is that possible?
13:35Unlike movies and TV, video games don't have to follow traditional narrative rules,
13:39because only matches in story mode are canon. NetherRealm Studios can put anyone alive or dead
13:44on the roster. That seemed to have changed when Mileena died in Mortal Kombat X and didn't appear in the
13:49sequel. The mutant clone was missing from the base game despite being a franchise staple.
14:04Not for one minute. Many thought that this would be the first time a canonically dead character
14:08might actually be excluded from future entries. However, her absence was too noticeable,
14:13so as a surprise for fans, she was included in a DLC pack. She's still dead as far as that
14:19timeline is concerned, but keeping her as a playable fighter is good enough.
14:23Help me, Liu Kang. Help me.
14:26Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers.
14:29Anyone who's read the Tolkien books knew this would happen. To the average moviegoer, however,
14:34this was one of the most surprising returns in cinematic history.
14:37Gandalf initially goes out facing down the Balrog in one of the film's most epic scenes.
14:41You shall not pass!
14:51Many thought that this was the end of The Great Wizard. The mentor character sacrificing himself was,
14:56after all, somewhat expected from these type of stories. Of course, his sudden re-emergence
15:01as the new and improved Gandalf the White was a comforting reveal.
15:04You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits.
15:09Where are they?
15:10They passed this way the day before yesterday.
15:14They met someone they did not expect.
15:18Does that comfort you?
15:20The moment gave both the audience and heroes some hope that Sauron may be defeated in the end.
15:25Eobard Thawne, aka Professor Zoom. Suicide Squad, hell to pay.
15:35Nice shot.
15:36It was Batman.
15:39In another timeline.
15:42Can't say that I blame him.
15:44Thanks to me, his entire world was going to die.
15:47Only Flash could turn back time. And I was damned if I was going to let that happen.
15:52Anyone who's a DC fan has probably seen The Flashpoint Paradox.
15:56In it, The Flash and Batman defeat Professor Zoom, reset the timeline, and create a new DC universe.
16:02Cut to a few movies later, and we meet Zoom yet again.
16:05Initially, we assume that this Eobard is a rebooted version from the current timeline.
16:09In a gruesome twist, we learn that he's actually the same character from Flashpoint Paradox.
16:14To buy himself time before death, he used his speed to extend his final moments into weeks.
16:19He also hopped into a different universe to find a car that lets him go to heaven.
16:23I never saw it coming.
16:28But I felt it.
16:29Is it a little confusing? Yes.
16:31But boy, were we glad to see more of The Flash's greatest foe.
16:35Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man, Spider-Man No Way Home.
16:39Even up until the day of release, everyone was wondering if Tobey Maguire would return as the web slinger.
16:44Hello. Um, I hope it's okay. I just came through this, uh, oh, just closed.
16:52You're Peter.
16:54Yeah.
16:55Rumors and leaks were everywhere on the internet, but it wasn't real until we saw it with our own eyes.
17:00Looking back, it's kind of crazy that we had any doubts.
17:03You don't bring back Doc Ock and Green Goblin without also getting their Spider-Man.
17:08All the speculation finally paid off when Tobey stepped through that magical portal.
17:13It took me a long time to learn to get through that darkness.
17:22I want to kill him.
17:24Although it was somewhat expected, the scene still felt like a huge surprise.
17:28For a while, it really felt impossible that we'd ever see Tobey put on the costume again.
17:33King K. Rool, Donkey Kong Bonanza
17:49Few villains have lain dormant for so long yet are still remembered by fans.
17:54Even fewer have managed to crash back into a franchise with great success.
17:58In Donkey Kong Bonanza, the titular character ventures to find a magical root and save his friends.
18:03Just when it seems like he's about to succeed.
18:05The croc reveals himself as the game's real antagonist and uppercut's newbie villain, Void Kong.
18:21There's even an in-universe explanation as to why he was absent for so long.
18:25He apparently got trapped underground searching for the root and has been down there for 20 plus years.
18:30It's not even more dangerous if you don't include his minor non-canon appearances.
18:33This late game twist was one we won't soon forget.
18:36Red Skull, Avengers Infinity War
18:38In the climax of the first Avenger, Captain America wins the day when the Red Skull is beamed into space.
18:52Where he teleported to was a mystery and as the MCU grew, attention was directed to future films.
18:59For a time, many started to forget about Red Skull's ambiguous fate.
19:02That is, until Thanos began his search for the Soul Stone in 2018.
19:06When he finally locates it, he finds that it's protected by a guardian.
19:10The hooded figure steps out of the shadow and is unmistakably the Red Skull putting to bed years of speculation.
19:17How is it you know this place so well?
19:20A lifetime ago, I too sought the stones.
19:24I even held one in my hand.
19:27But it cast me out, banished me here, guiding others to a treasure I cannot possess.
19:35Of all the cameos in the MCU up until this point, this definitely ranks as one of the most surprising.
19:42The stone demands a sacrifice.
19:46Of what?
19:47In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love.
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20:08Jon Snow, Game of Thrones.
20:10After meeting a brutal end in Season 5, the death of the series' moral center seemed permanent.
20:15Game of Thrones was known for killing off major characters without mercy.
20:19The Season 6 premiere cast doubted, however, as the camera lingered on his body for longer than usual.
20:24Later, his wounds are cleaned in a ritual and the character awakens in a jarring scene.
20:28Fans exploded online and wondered how the show would play out now that resurrection like this was possible.
20:38Not everyone was satisfied with Jon's return.
20:41Many outright accused it of being a poor attempt at shock value.
20:44In any case, it's undeniable that it was one of the show's most important moments for better or worse.
20:54Which of these characters shouldn't have come back?
20:57Let us know who you think should have stayed dead or gone in the comments down below.
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