Beneath the Mask: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

{{quote|''"We wear the mask that grins and lies''

 

Virtually everyone has to wear a public mask in order to be accepted by others. That's a simple fact of human psychology. When circumstances (such as anonymity, strong emotion, or sufficient power) allow a character to take off that mask and act in complete accord with their inclinations, they reveal what's '''Beneath the Mask'''.

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Magical Project S]]'': Misao Amano's normal self is that of a stereotypical [[Shrinking Violet]] [[Friendless Background|friendless]], [[Shy Blue-Haired Girl|blue-haired]] [[Ill Girl]]. However, this persona falls away when she's transformed into Pixy Misa, the manifestation of her deeply repressed id: an egomaniacal [[Chaotic Evil]] [[Green-Eyed Monster|jealous]] [[Dark Magical Girl]] [[Villainous Harlequin|trickster]].

* Black Adam of [[Captain Marvel]] was chosen as a champion of justice, but when he received superpowers he [[Anti-Hero|didn't react as his patrons expected him to]].

 

* In ''[[DC Nation]]'', Fauna lampshades this when it comes to Nightwing. After seeing him as Dick Grayson, she wrote in her [[Character Blog]] that not many people put a mask ''on'' when they want to be themselves.

* Played straight in a Danny Phantom [[Fanfic]] called [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3831182/1/Masks Masks.] It is unusual in that Danny is actually wearing three masks to hide his true self. A surprisingly good read.

 

* In ''[[Bridesmaids]]'' Helen is the typical [[Alpha Bitch]]. At least that's what it appears on the surface. But when she breaks down crying, she reveals {{spoiler|[[I Just Want to Have Friends|she's in a loveless marriage, and just gets invited to weddings because she's good at organizing events]].}}

* [[Film/Enter The Dragon|Enter The Dragon]]: In reference to Han, the villain, whose martial-arts tournament is a front for a really nasty operation: "You must remember... the enemy has only images and illusions, behind which he hides his true motives. Destroy the image, and you will break the enemy."

* The knights' elaborate, mask-like helmets in the John Boorman film, 'Excalibur,' show the real personae of the wearers.

* A major theme of ''[[Wild Things]]''. Sam appears to be an honest, upstanding educator, but he's really a {{spoiler|sleazy, exploitative pervert.}} Kelly appears to be an all-American teenage girl next door, but she's actually {{spoiler|an angry, sexually confused cokehead who hates her family.}} Ray appears to be an honest if overzealous cop, but he's actually a {{spoiler|[[Dirty Cop]] who enjoys prostitutes and is quite willing to murder anyone who pisses him off.}} Suzie appears to be a white-trash loser, but she's actually a {{spoiler|brilliantly calculating [[The Chessmaster|Chessmaster]] who manipulates everyone else}}.

{{quote|'''Ray:''' People aren't always what they appear to be, Jimmy. Don't forget that.}}

 

== Literature ==

* Double Subverted in [[Deep Space Nine]] ''Soldiers of the Empire''. Klingons underneath their swagger are lonely overworked soldiers grumbling about their lot just as much as human soldiers do. But when inspired they [[Becoming the Mask|put on their mask]] again and go into battle as a true [[Proud Warrior Race]].

 

* Major Zod in ''[[Smallville]]'' pretended to be an ally to Clark and a caring leader until he received his superpowers, revealing his hidden lust for power. "[[Paradise Lost|Better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven]]."

** Lana Lang once received Clark's superpowers, using them to try to kill [[Big Bad|Lex]], steal his secrets, and discredit him in the media.

* ''[[Odyssey 5]]'' has Kurt occasionally show a much kinder side than his usual persona.

* Effectively everyone of any importance on ''[[Babylon 5]]'', as summed up by G'Kar's word of warning to Catharine Sakai: ''"No one here is exactly what he appears. [[Ass in Ambassador|Not]] [[Magnificent Bastard|Mollari]], [[The High Queen|not]] [[Lady of War|Delenn]], [[The Captain|not]] [[Obfuscating Stupidity|Sinclair]]... and [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|not]] [[Cassandra Truth|me.]]"''

 

 

 

 

* Explored deeply in ''[[Jekyll and Hyde]]'', most notably with the song ''Facade'' and its numerous reprises.

{{quote|There's a face that we wear in the cold light of day/ It's society's mask, it's societies way/ And the truth is... That it's all a facade.}}

* [[Tales of Legendia]]: Grune starts of as an Amnesiac who is basically the teams personal [[Cloudcuckoolander]]. Later on, even though she tries to hide it when she figures it out, it is revealed that Grune is really {{spoiler|a goddess of time whose only purpose is to battle with her evil counterpart in order to determine the fate of the world.}}

* ''[[Tales of Vesperia]]''. After {{spoiler|his [[Face Heel Turn]] and subequent redemption}} we get to see the person behind Raven's sleazy-selfish-pervert mask. {{spoiler|After revealing, he does return to the mask though, because he much prefers that persona.}}

 

 

* {{spoiler|Lesteena}} in ''[[Eien no Aselia]]'' isn't sure whether her normal personality or the one she pretends to be when she gets a chance to relax is the real one. The answer seems to be both and neither.

* Tohsaka in ''[[Fate/stay night|Fate Stay Night]]'' is a bit of a funny example. She acts like a perfect and kind student, but beneath that she's irritable, [[Tsundere|dishonest about her feelings]], [[Not a Morning Person]], selfish and something of a [[The Gadfly|troll.]] However, beneath ''that'' is something she doesn't seem entirely aware of: She values people's lives a great deal, will die for others, values fair play and honesty and is actually rather kind. Nor is she as ruthless as she thinks she is.

* In [[Neopets]]: {{spoiler|Xandra in the "Faerie's Ruin" plot initially has a facade of a helpful and nerdy innocent appearance with anger issues (even using glasses to appear more innocent}} [http://images.neopets.com/faerieland/tfr_fa61c26562/conv/2_9815d2d41a.png pictured here]. However she is revealed to be a [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] with a completely "machiavellian" and [[A God Am I|egomaniacal personality]] [http://www.drsloth.com/p/view/162912/ pictured here].

* [[Ask That Guy With The Glasses]] is a nicely layered version of the trope. The "mask" is a distinguished gentleman, underneath that is a bastard who likes playing with people, underneath that is an invoked Complete Monster, and underneath that is a cesspool of self-loathing and damage.

 

== Western Animation ==

** Prince Zuko as well, especially in season one. He is introduced as a ruthless, conceited bully of a prince who only cares about himself and seemingly looks down on everyone, including his superiors. In reality, he's just a [["Well Done, Son" Guy|good-natured kid]] who wants his father to be proud of him. Over the next two seasons, this facade begins to gradually break and by the final episode it has disappeared completely.

* Helga from ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'' expressed her true feelings for Arnold when alone.

* In ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', there are numerous examples:

** Candace Flynn is secretly a fan of a series called Duckie Momo (a parody of both [[Hello Kitty]] and Pokemon). She used to wear a costume in order to hide her love of the series from her friends, going as far as lying to both her boyfriend and her best friend.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Disguise Tropes]]

[[Category:More Than Meets the Eye]]

[[Category:Psychology Tropes]]

[[Category:Fame and Reputation Tropes]]

[[Category:Identity Index]]