Why at run time does my images disappear from the script component but when I stop the run, it reappears?

I don't see why it would happen if you don't do it in your scripts. You should show the script anyway to be sure. Also are you sure that other scripts don't mess with these variables?

I agree with JedBeryll... I fiddled with prefabs and sprites and tried to reproduce this, but it must have something to do with code. One guess: Some = instead of == in some null check passage?

here is the variable in the script:

and this is the only time it is touched in the script:

I have no other scripts that accesses any of the messages. I am making just a canvas that holds different images that you can cycle through uses Left Arrow and Right Arrow for my game tutorial while in game.