Thread:Mesektet/@comment-36740624-20190218164839/@comment-3581997-20190220051153

Stock Characters are characters that appear in multiple incarnations across different media with no specific set of details entirely "cannon" as it were. Micky Mouse's nature may change from media piece to media piece, and as long as he is no cussing sailor, one interpretation is as good as another - just because he was a steam-boat driver in one and a musketeer in another does not mean say in Kingdom Hearts he was both, each new interpretation is self-contained even if it was used in another property. Unofficially there is a Zelda Time Line  the fans put together, but Shigeru Miyamoto's official stance is, they have no official continuity, whatever Link is in the newest game, is all he is at that moment. Same sort of thing happens to Mario, Hercules, Carmen Sandiago.

Or if you want a piffy summery, a Stock Character is someone who appears in multiple works but is free from the restraints of one solid shared cannon.