A new character appears on the scene, usually with a noticeable air of mystery surrounding him or her. Eventually, the mask (literal or metaphorical) is removed, and the stranger turns out to be a disguise created by an established character for some purpose. But -- by this point, the company has had to devote a significant amount of collective effort detailing the false guise; it has a name and an image, and hence represents a potential trademark. It'd be a waste to just throw it away. Examples of The Real Remington Steele include: