Putting a Face to the Name: Chapter 1
"I don't know why people are so keen to put the details of their private life in public; they forget that invisibility is a superpower." - Banksy
Steeped in mystery, unseen characters are iconic staples of popular culture, appearing in various forms of media over the decades. While many of these faceless individuals are never seen in the flesh, some do eventually step out of the shadows and shed their anonymity. I originally envisioned this as a single post but continue thinking of more examples to add. As such, I'm making this an ongoing series to be updated between my other posts. Without further ado...
Ernst Stavro Blofeld, James Bond
Arguably the most famous example of this trope, James Bond's archnemesis, Blofeld, was initially only shown from the chest down, wearing a business suit and sitting behind the desk in his office. While issuing orders to his subordinates, Blofeld's ringed hand would be seen stroking his beloved Persian cat. This shadowy facade would remain for a couple of movies, until Blofeld finally confronted Bond face-to-face in You Only Live Twice.
Dr. Claw, Inspector Gadget
A clear parody of Blofeld, Dr. Claw was also depicted sitting behind a desk in his office, though much less of him was seen than Blofeld. Dr. Claw was only shown from the right arm down, wearing a sleeve tucked into a ringed, metallic glove. He would stroke his own beloved cat when pleased or slam his fist onto the desk when angered. While Dr. Claw never emerged from the shadows in Inspector Gadget, he did officially reveal his face via the Tiger Toys action figure and a couple of video games for the Super NES and iOS, respectively.
Blair Witch, The Blair Witch Project
While the ghostly, titular Blair Witch is never actually seen in The Blair Witch Project, she was intended to make a brief appearance while pursuing her victims through the woods. Unfortunately, the actor who was supposed to capture this footage of her didn't point the camcorder in the right direction, missing the shot. Thankfully, Todd McFarlane rectified this mistake via a McFarlane Toys action figure that officially depicts the Blair Witch.
Mrs. Columbo, Columbo
Mrs. Columbo is frequently, and lovingly, brought up in conversation by her husband, Lieutenant Columbo, but is never actually seen throughout the entirety of Columbo. This was rectified in the spin-off, Mrs. Columbo, in which the titular character is an investigative reporter, solving mysteries of her own.
Princess Toadstool, Super Mario Bros.
When Super Mario Bros. was launched in North America alongside the NES in October 1985, Princess Toadstool was solely represented by a question mark in the game's instruction manual. As such, if you wanted to catch a glimpse of the Princess back then, you had to complete the entire game and rescue her.
King K. Rool, Donkey Kong Country
As with Princess Toadstool, King K. Rool was also merely represented by a question mark in the Donkey Kong Country instruction manual. So, if you desired to behold the King in all his glory, you had to play through this Super NES classic, reach its final level, and confront him...that is, unless you owned the game's official Nintendo Power Player's Guide, in which he was depicted.
And that concludes the premiere chapter of this new, ongoing series. As mentioned, I keep brainstorming additional examples, so I imagine there will be plenty more chapters to come. I hope you're enjoying it so far, and that you'll join me on future installments. Until next time, love, peace, and chicken grease.