The cast of characters on Community was an ever-evolving one. Buoyed by the initial conceit of the "Greendale Seven," the study group on Community eventually became somewhat unrecognizable, with members dying, going on boat trips and leaving through a revolving door in the later seasons. This allowed for plenty of story arcs to unfold for characters, even if they only stuck around for a season, like Buzz Hickey (Jonathan Banks) in season five.
That being said, when it comes to comparing the arcs of the main characters, it's clear which ones reign supreme. Attention will always be paid most prominently to the leaders of the show, which is why they often have the most thoroughly developed arcs.
Frankie Dart
Of the utility stars who came in for a season or two here and there, Frankie Dart (Paget Brewster) was definitely the one with the best arc. Professor Duncan (John Oliver) regressed, Elroy's (Keith David) story was decidedly abrupt, and the slew of recurring characters existed as constants.
Frankie, however, is the self-described "humble outsider who came in and nailed it." For the first time, an outsider to the eccentricities of Greendale was taught to embrace the school as it was. Yet, she still managed to make improvements that were jarring in the moment, but intellectually worthwhile ultimately.
Pierce Hawthorne
As good as Frankie's arc in season six was, it was still just one season's worth of stories. Because of this, characters like Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) still manage to rank above her, even though his arc revolved around regression more than anything.
In season two, Pierce occupies the role of a de facto villain in the group, which was sadly the last interesting thing that happened to his character. Following this arc, he became a doddering curmudgeon with no real development and an off-screen death. It's not the best arc by the end, even if "Cooperative Polygraphy" goes a long way to honor him.
Britta Perry
Speaking of regression, Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs) is a prominent example of a character being flanderized by the end of the series. She began as a stoic, suffer-no-fools intellectual.
By the end of the show, she was insufferable, dim-witted, and rebellious for no reason whatsoever. There are some good Britta sub-plots in episodes but her arcs largely come across as disingenuous.
Craig Pelton
The arc of the Dean (Jim Rash) on Community is a highly valuable secret weapon throughout Community. A hysterical, fully-realized creation, Dean Pelton ended up supplementing many of the laughs in late-stage Community.
He never truly becomes a good Dean over the course of his arc. However, that's not what was best about the Dean's stories. His arc is lovable because of how he comes to be ingratiated into a study group he long yearned to be included within.
Shirley Bennett
There were definitely some flashier Community characters than Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown). However, all this meant was that a number of Shirley's arcs went under the radar, but still defined a good portion of Community's identity throughout its run.
She learns to be more confident and to find a role in the group beyond being kind, religious, and good at baking treats. Her arc is among the show's upper tiers because she never made the study group her top priority, even if it was fun for other characters to do so.
Ben Chang
The character arc of Ben Chang (Ken Jeong) is all over the place. First, he's a Spanish professor. Then, he's desperate to be included in the study group. In season three, he becomes a warlord dictator. Then, he has "Changnesia." And finally, he becomes the more outlandish study group member.
Some may be put off by the cartoonish lunacy of Chang's trajectory throughout Community, but there's still plenty of fun moments to prop him up with. For example, the serialization of season three is a zenith of Community and Chang is largely responsible for it.
Abed Nadir
"Everyone else is growing and changing all the time and that's not really my jam," Abed (Danny Pudi) confesses in season two's "Critical Film Studies," which is approaching its tenth anniversary this year.
He may not have been a big fan of change, but Abed does grow and develop on his own throughout the show. Yes, he's unabashedly himself at all times, frequently to the point of unwavering, but he does open himself up to the study group, especially Troy.
Annie Edison
Abed's arc is more of an emotional one, but it is tied to the arc of Annie (Alison Brie), as they both depart Greendale in the series finale to follow their ambitions across the country.
While Annie does reach for something grander (an act that the audience must root for, she espouses), her arc also revolves around her own maturity. Annie learns to recognize the traits within herself, good, bad, or indifferent. And she accepts them for what they are. Annie's arc is Community's closest to a coming of age.
Troy Barnes
The arc of Troy Barnes (Donald Glover) also comes pretty close to a coming of age, but it's more aligned with the "hero's journey," in a very loose sense. He begins Community as a goofy, washed-up football star who affixes his identity to his friendship with another person.
Thanks to Pierce, though, Troy resolves his mini-arc of character development by finally taking the reins towards the heart of a leader and a hero. Perhaps his journey on a boat with LeVar Burton didn't go as planned, but he took the leap all the same.
Jeff Winger
When Troy leaves, Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) whispers to him that he's never left Colorado. He doesn't quite follow that potential arc through by the series' end, but he still represents all that makes Community so eternally beautiful.
In the finale, Jeff learns to be at peace with change and with people moving on with their lives. This is the culmination of six years of story arcs for Jeff that brings him from the position of a cynical, disaffected sleazy lawyer to the position of a person who cares about his friends, fights for goodness and fun, and teaches at Greendale. Jeff's character arc is not just Community's best; it's one of television's all-timers.