39,327
edits
Secret-Chaser: Difference between revisions
m
update links
m (revise quote template spacing) |
m (update links) |
||
Line 6:
'''Clyde:''' I don't know, it's just a cool costume.|'''''[[South Park]]''''', episode "The Coon" {{spoiler|Cartman was actually correct.}}}}
A standard fixture of the [[Fantastic Comedy]]: whenever the series concept requires that an extraordinary person [[Masquerade]] as [[Secret Identity|ordinary]], there is one person around who suspects them, or has already learned about their secret (usually not every little detail, but enough to see them for what they really are). This character is always the [[Only Sane Man]] -- [[Clark Kenting]], fortunately, still works for everyone else -- making this character [[The Cassandra|only look crazy]] if [[You Have to Believe Me|they try to expose the protagonist]].
If the character himself is not convinced that they are just hallucinating -- and some of them are -- they become set on getting proof to [[They Called Me Mad|show everyone else]] that [[The Cuckoolander Was Right|they were right all along]] -- only to [[Butt Monkey|fail every time]]. Sometimes the neighbor fancies herself an [[Amateur Sleuth]], going so far as [[Nosy Neighbor|to spy and snoop]] whenever visiting the "undercover" character. They may even set traps to expose the character's [[Masquerade]]. Usually though they have no idea -- or care -- about the trouble they are getting themselves into around the protagonist, so typically the hero will need to save them when they get ''too'' involved.
This character is usually a [[Muggle|normal human]] in the vicinity from their [[Wake Up, Go to School, Save the World|civil life]] who has noticed that something is odd or amiss with them -- a [[Nosy Neighbor]] or a [[Snooping Little Kid]]. If the masquerading subject is in school, the character is quite likely to be a teacher at that school, or a [[School Newspaper Newshound]]. If the show is a [[Work Com]], it can be a co-worker, often a rival or the subject's immediate manager.
Occassionally, the character will have had an obsession with the supernatural ''before'' they meet the protagonist. They may be a danger that comes from the outside -- [[The Hunter]], an [[Inspector Javert]] or the [[Intrepid Reporter]].
Often there is a character around who could give weight to their claims, an authority to present their proof to who views with bemused indifference their ranting insistence that something is strange about the main character -- a husband if the character is the neighbour, the school principal if they are a teacher, a more senior manager in a [[Work Com]]. Sometimes a [[Sidekick]] whom they [[The Drag Along|drag into helping them]] -- usually an underling, such as a school janitor if or an intern -- is also present.
Line 28:
* The [[Silver Age]] Lois Lane would occasionally act this way around ''[[Superman]]'', as would Lana Lang around Superboy.
* Vicky Vale in [[Silver Age]] ''[[Batman]]'' comics.
* In the comic ''[[PS238]]'' a school full of kid superheroes in their civilian secret identity disguises also includes the extremely paranoid Cecil Holmes, who is convinced his school is full of disguised ''aliens.''
** Semi-subverted in that {{spoiler|Cecil turns out to be a metahuman who can detect other metahumans and that was what was fueling his paranoia.}} Ironically, he never manages to spot the ''actual'' alien at the school, Prospero.
* One of these neighbours sicced an [[Knight Templar|occultist]] on the [[Fantastic Four]] in one issue, mistaking them for witches.
Line 35:
== Film ==
* In ''[[The Return of Hanuman]]'', Munni noticed that Maruti looks rather different. The other gods were worried that she will expose Maruti's secret that he is actually Hanuman. Fortunately, she didn't even have the will to figure out what's wrong with Maruti.
== Literature ==
Line 46:
* Notably absent in ''[[Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV series)|Sabrina the Teenage Witch]]'', much to the surprise of all.
** Until Brad showed up.
* Sergeant Doakes from [[Dexter]].
** Detective Quinn becomes one as he starts to get suspicious about Dexter. However, he has secrets of his own and the closer he gets to the truth the less willing he is to pursue it further.
* Jack McGee from the TV show ''[[The Incredible Hulk]]''.
* Elton Pope (and the rest of LINDA) from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "Love and Monsters".
Line 75:
* Dib knows that Zim is an alien out to conquer Earth in ''[[Invader Zim]]''. Unfortunately, despite constantly trying, he can't convince anybody else (except his sister Gaz, but she doesn't care).
* Denzel Crocker of ''[[The Fairly Odd Parents]]'' is constantly out to prove the existence of '''FAIRY GODPARENTS!'''.
* Hans Rotwood from ''[[American Dragon: Jake Long]]''. A teacher of the titular hero, he has an interest in supernatural creatures and is set on proving that Jake is one to the world once he has found out.
* Candace from ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', the older sister of her two [[Child Prodigy]] brothers whose crazy inventions only she witnesses: by the time she fetches their mom, it always disappears by some crazy coincidence.
* Mandy from ''[[Totally Spies]]'' has acted like this a few times, though the situation is usually solved by [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]. She is the [[Alpha Bitch]] in the main characters' class who seeks to cross them wherever she can.
* Lt. Mitch Kellaway in ''[[The Mask (film)|The Mask]]'' movie and the animated series is both this and the [[Inspector Javert]]. (Not so much in the movie where Stanley ''does'' do illegal things with the mask, such as robbing a bank (he just happened to do so just in front of the goons).)
* Every [[Animaniacs|Chicken Boo]] segment contains exactly one character who is aware that the titular character is in fact [[Phrase Catcher|A CHICKEN I TELL YOU! A GIANT CHICKEN!]] This guy/gal tends to get ridiculed throughout the episode (or sometimes kicked out) until Boo's masquerade is stripped away somehow. If the wolf-crier was sent away, he/she returns at this point to say, "I told you he was a giant chicken."
| |||