which character/location/story element has the most wasted potential

THE-DEAD-AMONG-US

Title. Can be a character, location, item, plot element, etc.

For me, Max had so much potential to be a great character but ultimately was wasted. He started out as an enemy though he had some morals. When he spilled the beans on Joan, it showed that he could be redeemed and maybe help Javi. Then in EP4 he just...POOF gone and is never mentioned again. Ironically his role in EP4 was greater if you killed him since Joan shows his body to everyone. I'm honestly convinced that the writers just forgot about him.

What else in the game series that had potential but didn't get to shine properly?

DabigRG

I'm just gonna shelved my protracted comment and just be grateful someone's trying to get some discussion going.

I'll just start with a list of characters since this popped up unexpectedly:
1. Sarah
2. Arvo(and the Russian Group in general)
3. Gabriel "Gabe" Garcia(kinda)
4. Katie Dominguez-Garcia
5. Head of Diplomacy Joan
6. Lieutenant Max
7. Mike the Prisoner aka "Ralph" the Scavenger
8. Becca
9. Dr. Carlos(and the Cabin Group in general)
10. Wellington Guard Edith
11. Nurse Eleanor

"Shades-Chick"
Jr. Scavenger Michelle
1st Lieutenant Ava
Luke
Troy
Jane(sort of)
Head of Rations Clinton Barnes

Dealer Eli
Anita Garcia
Baseball Kid

Yo-da-Man

The New Frontier group in general. They could have been a unique gang with a consistent political social ideology but in the end they were just another gang in the post apocalypse just like Carver's group and the saviors

RichWalk23

• The 400 Days crew, besides Bonnie. They reappear in Season 2 as cameos and have no further impact on the story, and are never to be seen again.
• The Cabin Group crew from Season 2, and Carver and S2 Clementine to a lesser extent. A story about two groups warring against each other due to conflicting ideals, with Clementine stuck in the middle of it, which eventually falls into obscurity as both Kenny and Jane takes their spotlights.
• Christa. Her journey with Omid before meeting Clementine is not explored, and her journey with Clementine after the death of Omid is not explored, and she is abruptly written out of the story and never to be mentioned again. Not even Clementine mentions Christa in her flashback sequences, which revolves around either Kenny, Jane, or being alone with AJ.
• The New Frontier. What a tremendous let down. What could have been a refreshing group that deals with diplomacy and politics, ends up being all about one-sided affairs where Javier and his group is kicked out of Richmond no matter what defence he makes for himself, and is soon taken over by a power-hungry Joan who convinces the easily manipulated inhabitants that she's their saviour, all because of competition with other communities she had led her men to destroy and raid.

DabigRG

Oh, definitely.

Wiso2kinfinity

Willington.....I had a lot of theories and hopes for it but we didn't even fuckin see it nor explore it. And it didn't matter in anf's storyline despite being the core story for s2...

MRSHYGUY45

Wasted Character Potential:
-Chuck (S1)
-Sarah (S2)
-Nick (S2)
-Shawn (S1)
-Carver (S2)
-Alvin (S2)
-Max (ANF)
-Joan (ANF)
-Marianna (ANF)
-Kate (ANF)
-Conrad (ANF)
-Pete (S2)
-Becca (S1/S2)
-Eleanor (ANF)

Wasted Locations:
-Slaughterhouse (ANF)
-Prescott (ANF)
-Howe’s Hardware (S2)
-Wellington (S2/ANF)
-The Church (S2)

Wasted Storylines:
-Luke vs Kenny (S2)
-Mike being part of Scavenger group that separated Clem & Christa (S2)
-Decision to execute Joan or not (ANF)
-Max’s Redemption (ANF)
-Clem finding AJ (ANF)
-Javier leading a revolution in Richmond (ANF)

DabigRG

I just went back through my Failed Aspirations thread looking for specific plot elements that could've been done and here's what I personally came up with there(in posted order):

Troy joining the Group at Jane's suggestion
"Shades-Chick"[/Ava] gathering David's followers after what she heard at his confrontation with Joan
Also, Joan/Clint's guards being Prescottites who were close to Eli
Michelle returning with a personal enmity with Clementine
Joan's ambassador skills being a key element to the raids and the New Frontier's relationship with the other settlements before and afterwards
Sarah trying to become more active in the group while coping with Carlos' death
Sarah reacting to AJ's birth
Sarah helping Jane deal with their issues
Sarah interacting with Arvo
Sarah determinately being there for Clementine after Kenny and Jane's fight
Sarah's [determinate?] stance on Arvo "joining" the group
Sarah's response to Kenny treatment of Arvo
Sarah's thoughts/approach on the Defectors
ANF!Clementine having become a more unlikable character and the other characters reactions to her
Max's priorities after essentially defecting from Joan
Eleanor/Clint suggesting/advising to return/keep the stolen supplies
Eleanor determinately deciding what Joan's fate should be
Becca buying into Carver's BS
Becca functioning as a "rival" for Edgy!Clem
Ava as an overdue "evil" counterpart to Clementine
Ava as Conrad's estranged daughter
Ava as a fatalist obsessed with having a baby to call her own
Gabe's ability to actually kill someone and it's impact as a test on his morals
Gabe fully understanding moderation concerning gun use
Tripp's acquisition of his job as Prescott's Guardian(?)
Tripp as a serious, but reasonable authority figure
Clementine determinately talking down Gabe and using her own anger constructively
Gabe talking to Clementine about why she hates David
Grace's influence on Gabe and Mariana
Clementine confronting Mike for separating her and Christa
Nick advising Clementine to forgive Mike
Alvin, Carver, and George's former friendship
George's stance on Rebecca's affair with Carver
Carver's take on George