Self-Proclaimed Liar: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Whether the story they tell is a complete whopper or a bending of the truth, your average liar usually has one goal in mind: Tell the lie undetected. Their attempts to deceive you are rooted in the fact that they don't want you to know they're lying. A Self-Proclaimed Liar, however, is the complete opposite. [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Just as their name implies]], they will openly proclaim that they are lying to your face as they tell you whatever tale they're deciding to weave that day.

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* In ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]'', one of the Tachikomas says this to one of the basic androids and causes it to malfunction.

* ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]'' might be an example, although it might just be a case of [[Unreliable Narrator]]. Basically, Beatrice doesn't care whether or not Battler thinks she's lying because he can't prove it. And because he can't find an alternate reality with which to fight with her own, she wins by default, telling fantastical stories about wild magic battles. Although she never outright tells him that she's lying. That's why I'm not sure, but I thought I'd mention it.

** Additionally, the "Uso" in Usopp's name is Japanese for "lie." An early joke soon after he joined the crew was for his introducing himself to sound as if he was saying "I am a liar."

* ''[[Eyeshield 21]]''. Hiruma lies. ALL THE TIME.

'''Players who've played Hiruma's team:''' You just noticed? }}

* Motoharu Tsuchimikado calls himself a liar in ''[[A Certain Magical Index]]'' right before {{spoiler|faking a Heroic Sacrifice.}}

 

 

== Literature ==

* ''[[Discworld]]'' uses this a few times.

** One of the best known is the dwarf Casanunda. He even has "Outrageous Liar" on his business cards.

* Petyr Baelish from ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]''

* [[wikipedia:Epimenides paradox|The Epimenides paradox]]. From [[The Bible]], Titus 1:12:

He has surely told the truth. }}

* In ''[[Illuminatus]]'', one of Hagbard Celine's advices to Geroge Dorn was "Never trust anyone who has the initials H. C." He's a [[Trickster Mentor]] to George, as well as the crew of his submarine.

* Vergere of the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]], with one of the earliest lessons she imparts being "Everything I tell you is a lie." {{spoiler|Including, apparently, not being a Sith.}}

* Cadrach of ''[[Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn]]'' is a self-admitted liar, cheat, and [[Dirty Coward]]. Unlike most examples, though, he's not trying to pull a con on anyone; he really is sunk so deep into self-loathing that he cares nothing of what people think of him. Beneath the [[Shell Shocked Senior]] exterior is a man who knows he betrayed the world to its ultimate doom, and would do so again, out of sheer terror. Miriamele tries to befriend him anyway, which ultimately leads to his redemption.

 

== Film ==

* A famous quote of Captain Jack Sparrow of the ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean]]'' movies

* In ''[[Bedazzled]]'' (at least the original version) Peter Cook's Mr Spigot (the Devil) tells Dudley Moore's character "I'm a terrible liar, believe me."

* ''[[The Invention of Lying]]''

* Allison from ''[[The Breakfast Club]]''.

 

* ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'': Elim Garak is probably this show's most triumphant example, to such a degree that on one occasion Odo realises Garak is telling the truth precisely because his response to a question is a simple "I don't know" rather than a convoluted and eloquant tale of extravagence. His reputation for obfuscation is legend not just in the fandom but in-universe as well.

'''Garak''': [[Especially Zoidberg|Especially the lies]]. }}

* Ben Linus from ''[[Lost]]''. His most effective manipulations have all taken place well after everyone knows he's a dirty, stinking liar.

* Urataros from ''[[Kamen Rider Den-O]]'' boasts about his ability to lie, primarily to [[Chivalrous Pervert|charm cute girls]]. He even says his main goal in sticking with the good guys is teaching [[The Hero|Ryotaro]] to be a better liar.

 

== Music ==

Your tears are all the pay I'll ever need }}

* To state the obvious, "Liar" by [[Henry Rollins|the Rollins Band]].

 

== Video Games ==

* GLaDOS from ''[[Portal (series)|Portal]]''.

* Kreia of ''[[Star Wars]]: [[Knights of the Old Republic|Knights of the Old Republic II:The Sith Lords]]''. She encourages The Exile to distrust people, even herself, you even gain [[Relationship Values|influence]] with her (that oddly works as "trust" for everyone else) if you say you don't trust her.

* Played for laughs in ''[[Sam and Max|Sam and Max: The Penal Zone]]'':

'''Sam''': I can, little buddy. (To Flint) Nope, not a thing. }}

* Marisa Kirisame of ''[[Touhou]]'' seems to take pride in telling the most outrageous lies she can as often as possible, but nothing can top the one in ''Phantasmagoria of Flower View'' where, confronted by the local Judge of the Dead about all the lies she's told, plainly states that she has ''never told a single lie in her life''.

 

== Web Original ==

 

== Western Animation ==

* In an episode of ''[[Sushi Pack]]'', the Pack face down a villain known as The Prevaricator, who can only lie. He gets away with this because most people don't know what "prevaricate" means. However, since his method of lying is just to say the opposite of what he means, Tako is able to easily get him to surrender by [[Logic Bomb|asking him to tell a lie]].

* One episode of ''[[Garfield and Friends]]'' has Roy state, in no uncertain terms, that he is about to lie to Wade. He even asks Wade if he understands this fact. Then he tells Wade "The bull is loose." Cue panic.

* Angelica from ''[[Rugrats]]'', especially in the ''All Grown Up'' sequel series. She even describes lying as an art.

* ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'': [[Magnificent Bastard|Azula]] is a pretty good liar.

'''Azula''': Like I've never done that before. }}

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Truth and Lies]]