Spot the Impostor: Difference between revisions

== Films -- Animation ==

* ''Sev Trek: Puss in Boots'' (an Australian CGI spoof of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''). The crew find themselves confronted with two Captain [[Punny Name|Pinchhards]], one of them a shapeshifting alien. Lt. Barf wants to kill them both, as the alien would [[This Was His True Form|revert to its natural state when dead]], while Beta tries "statistical probability" (''"eeny-meeny-miny-mo"'') but Commander Piker suggests asking a question only the real Captain would know.

'''Pinchhard 2:''' Here's a combadge, Number One. Call someone who cares! }}

* ''[[Toy Story]] 2''. When the toys realize they have two Buzz Lightyears, the real Buzz cleverly reveals his double's true identity by pressing the button that opens the double's bubble helmet. The double falls to the ground gasping for air, the same way the real Buzz did in the first movie. He clinches the identification by showing the toys the name "Andy" on the sole of his boot.

== Films -- Live-Action ==

* The first ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'' movie has Mystique pulling that trick too. However, Wolverine can smell the difference between Mystique and Storm, so he doesn't fall for it. Later, Cyclops asks Wolverine to confirm he is the real thing:

'''Cyclops:''' Okay. }}

** In ''X2'', the trope is averted when Stryker is able to recognize his "handiwork" on sight -- it's enough to fool the soldiers, but somehow the Colonel can tell with one close-up look. Which actually isn't that surprising. Parents can tell the difference between identical twins even when others can't.

** If the blood test counts, so does any film of TV show that homages the blood test scene, such as ''[[The Faculty]]'', with the drug test.

* ''[[Invasion U.S.A.]]''. A Russkie disguised as an American soldier doesn't know who the Chicago Cubs are ("A cub is a small bear, no?"). [[Lampshaded]] by [[Mystery Science Theater 3000|Tom Servo]].

'''Servo as the impostor:''' Yeah, they won... No! Damn! }}

** And later spoofed:

'''Crow, panicky:''' Uh, the Cubs! Studs Terkel! Saul Bellow! Oh, whatever, just shoot 'em! }}

* The climax of ''[[The Adventures of Pluto Nash]]'' involves the title character's fight against his evil clone and both wearing the same outfit. Pluto tricked the clone's goons into shooting the clone.

*** An asexual instance of [[Freud Was Right]]? Id and Superego split from the Ego? Oh hey, [[Incredibly Lame Pun]].

** And again in "Mirror, Mirror", when Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty are transported to the mirror universe and replaced by their doubles. Spock casually mentions at the end how easy it was to spot them, saying, "It's far easier for civilized people such as yourselves to act like barbarians, than it is for barbarians to act like civilized people."

'''McCoy:''' Oh, I'm sure of it. }}

* ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' did an entire [[Arc]] about shapeshifting imposters. However, the first episode in the arc ("The Adversary") was actually a subversion. A Founder traps the crew inside a ship it controls, then tries to pick off the crew one by one. The climax of the episode is O'Brien seeing two Odos, who demand he pick the real one. O'Brien shrugs, says "I've got better things to do than play 'choose the changeling'." and begins reprogramming the ship's computer -- which forces the imposter to reveal himself by attacking.

** One episode had Sisko and a Jem'Hadar grappling, while an ally stood nearby with a phaser. The visibility was so poor he could only make out silhouettes. He found a way to shoot the right one:

'''EDDINGTON''': Not really. I just waited to see which of you was knocked down first, and then I shot the one still standing. }}

* In a weak first-season episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' Lore incapacitates Data and proceeds to impersonate him. Handled in a terrible, confusing way: Wesley quickly notices the impersonation, but Picard is inexplicably unwilling to believe him, telling Wesley to "shut up."

* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' has the episode "Holiday", where Daniel is tricked into switching bodies with an aging scientist who wants to have a little fun before he dies. Though the two are different characters, they are both played by the same actor.

** In that episode, Daniel (in Machello's body) is questioned to prove whether he's really Daniel or not:

'''Daniel:''' I don't have a sister, and if I did, I'd never let her date you anyways. }}

** Jack is once transformed into his teenaged self {{spoiler|(sort of, it is a clone, but we don't know that until the end of the episode)}} and starts revealing classified information about the rest of the team to prove who he is.

** There is another one where Daniel is invisible and communicating through his grandfather, who is [[It Makes Sense in Context|the only one who could see him.]] Spot the Imposter without the imposter.

'''Jack:''' ''(looking towards Daniel in surprise)'' Daniel? }}

* Similarly, ''[[Angel]]'''s third-season episode "Carpe Noctem" featured an old man who switched bodies with Angel.

** The episode where Giles is turned into a demon, Buffy is able to tell it's him when she looks into his eyes "because no one else can look quite that annoyed with me."

** Something similar happens when, after being attacked by zombies, Cordelia suddenly runs into Giles.

'''Cordelia:''' It's him. }}

** Faith and Buffy switch bodies. When told by Buffy (in Faith's body) to ask her a question only she would know, Giles asks, "Who's President?" "We're checking for Buffy here, not a concussion," Buffy replies. Giles eventually gets it. Also, Joyce gets suspicious and Tara knows right away (because Buffy has the wrong aura). No one else clues in, however.

*** Well, {{spoiler|Joyce had just died}}, so they expected her to act differently. And they ''did'' think she was insane!

** In ''Doppelgangland'', Buffy and Xander are [[Heroic BSOD|traumatized]] when they meet an alternate universe counterpart of Willow...[[It Gets Worse|who's a]] '''[[It Gets Worse|vampire!]]'''. When the real Willow appears in the library, Xander reacts by brandishing a crucifix, but when it doesn't cause Willow to recoil in pain, Buffy realizes that Willow hasn't been turned after all. Angel was also thrown by Vampire Willow's appearance:

'''Xander''': We're right there with you, big guy. }}

** It gets weirder. Later in the episode, we have [[Alyson Hannigan]] playing Willow playing Dark!Willow and Dark!Willow playing Willow. How Alyson Hannigan didn't explode in a singularity of Willowyness is beyond this troper.

== Web Animation ==

* Parodied in ''[[Red vs. Blue]] Revelations'' when {{spoiler|a newly revived Tex}} is [[Curb Stomp Battle|fighting the rest of the soldiers]]. At one point, Tucker's armor {{spoiler|gets turned black (like Tex's) and Tex starts pummeling him.}}

'''Tucker:''' Ow! Shoot the one who's winning, dumbass! }}

 

** During the Azure City War arc the Order can see three different figures who look like [[Big Bad|Xykon]]--two fighting, one hanging back on the enemy side--and have to figure out which the real one so they can stop him from getting to the Gate. Haley eventually figures that {{spoiler|it's ''none'' of them--after all, if he can make two copies why not three?}} Then they realize {{spoiler|the ''real'' Xykon is ''flying right above them on a zombie dragon''}}.

* The [[Stick Figure Comic]] ''[[Stickman and Cube]]'' does this during [http://www.drunkduck.com/Stickman_and_Cube/index.php?p=277417 the "Cube Disappears" arc]. After Cube disproves his own existence, Stickman builds a [[Replacement Goldfish|robot duplicate]] called Robo-Cube as a temporary replacement. However, after the real Cube returns, Robo-Cube impersonates him. [http://www.drunkduck.com/Stickman_and_Cube/index.php?p=278943 This is the result.]

* Parodied/lampshaded in an early ''[[Bob and George]]'' [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/Archive/index.php?date=001111 strip].

* ''[[Planet Zebeth]]'' has a sequence in which Samus fight against a backup copy of herself from a save file, and of course, during the battle the scene cut away to other characters watching, so there is no way to tell who won. (However, the two characters are clearly not completely identical -- they've experienced different things, so if there's ever a situation in which the differences come up we will know!)

* Gets time in ''[[Sacred Pie]]'' [http://www.sacredpie.com/rooni23.html starting in this strip].

* Played with here in ''[http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=895#comic SMBC]''.

* Subverted with Molly and Golly in the first panel of [http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20080722.html this] strip from ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]]''.

* ''[[Amazing Super Powers]]'' has [http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/2009/08/which-one-do-i-shoot/ a wife shooting both her husband and the imposter] because neither one knew anything about her. The [http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/hc/08272009/ hidden comic] reverses this.

* Subverted in ''[[Dead of Summer]]''. The deal with {{spoiler|Panther and his clone}} seems to be leading into this, as the two meet face to face...and the real {{spoiler|Panther}} takes the clone out in one blow. It's [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|awesome]].

* Subverted in [http://www.explosm.net/comics/2426/ this] ''[[Cyanide and Happiness]]''.

'''Gun Holder:''' I know. }}

* In ''[[The Dragon Doctors]]'', Elizabeth, disguised as Goro, uses the bond of enmity between them to hide her true form completely, even from Sarin; it would have worked, except that while Sarin indeed couldn't sense her true form, she couldn't sense ''Goro'''s true ([[Gender Bender|male]]) form, either.

* Happened in a third-season episode of ''[[Gargoyles]]''. Where Proteus is disguised as Elisa, and Goliath asks them both if Elisa ever doubted him, even for a second. One Elisa claims that she would never doubt him... and that's the clue that proves to Goliath that the speaker is '''not''' Elisa.

* ''[[Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends]]'', "Bloo's Brothers": After trimming a bunch of impostors down to 2, Mac ID's his Bloo after the remaining impostor goes on and on about how much memories they've (supposedly) shared together.

'''Bloo:''' Yes! }}

* ''[[Codename: Kids Next Door]]'', "Op PRESIDENT": The 4th Grade President and a robot replica thereof fight on a bus on its way to the City Hall (the real pres wants to cut down on school hours). One of them gets thrown off. Nigel stops at a city dump to slag the fake with an electromagnet and car crusher, while Hoagie takes the thrown-off real president to the Hall himself... except that the actual president was then [[Brainwashed]] by recurring villain Father, and school hours end up being extended to 8:25pm]]. (Although it may not have been complete brainwashing, due to the President in Operation SNOWING being an out-and-out villain as well as giving a reason he turned evil.) In short, [[Xanatos Gambit|it didn't matter who got to City Hall Father was guaranteed to win.]]

* In ''[[Darkwing Duck]]'', they used the split personality variant for the episode "Negaduck". When Gosalyn and Launchpad decide to set free the good Darkwing to help them retrieve the [[Applied Phlebotinum]] that caused the split, in order to undo it, they mistakenly release the evil Darkwing, and he pretends to be the good one briefly, until he can effect his getaway. In subsequent episodes, the unsplit genuine Darkwing has an actual [[Evil Twin]] who goes by Negaduck, and on multiple occasions one of them has disguised himself as the other, resulting in Spot the Imposter scenes for the allies of whichever one they're disguised as.

** One memorable moment has Darkwing and Negaduck dressed identically (except Negaduck wore a black mask) and acting so much like each other that they mirrors each other's words and body motions perfectly. Then Darkwing breaks the impasse by declaring that a cute defenseless bunny rabbit is nearby, whereupon Negaduck (who was ''hatched'' from a [[Villain Ball]]) compulsively tries to kill the bunny with a shotgun. Before that, however, we get this memorable solution:

** Funnily enough, Darkwing tries the same ploy to infiltrate the Fearsome Five's HQ., using a Negaduck costume (minus his purple mask, again for audience benefit). He gets all the way up to the five -- WHO HAVE JUST RESOLVED TO KILL NEGADUCK FOR SCREWING THEM OUT OF THEIR SHARE OF THE CITY'S LOOT.

** When Negaduck returns, it leads to one of the best [[Never Say "Die"]] aversions ever seen.

'''Negaduck''' ''(beyond pissed)'' JUST... GET HIM NOW!!!!!!! }}

* An episode of ''[[Duck Dodgers]]'' features an escaped criminal named Drake Darkstar who looks almost exactly like Dodgers. Dodgers tries to prove his identity to the police by appealing to the Cadet by listing things only he would know, but every single thing he lists is a mean prank he played on the Cadet. The Cadet ends up declaring Dodgers to be the criminal, reasoning that Darkstar would be nicer to him than Dodgers ever was.

* Subverted in ''[[Stroker and Hoop]]'' when Hoop and his evil-identical-cousin are holding a gun on each other, with Stroker nearby. Stroker shoots one of the Hoops in the knee, causing the other one to exclaim "Good job, Stroker" before Stroker kneecaps him too. "Now we can figure out who's who at our leisure!"

** This being Stroker and Hoop, they still get it wrong (at least until they spot the evil one pursing his hands with an evil grin as they prepare to drive off)

* ''[[Kim Possible]]'': Kim can quickly identify Ron, but when it is Ron's turn in another episode, he picks the wrong one, to Kim's annoyance.

** Not really. Kim had to rely on Camille being unable to duplicate Ron's ever-present pet, despite the fact that Camille stood in a pose that was obviously nothing like Ron's and utterly lacked Ron's [[Cloudcuckoolander]] personality. In the episode where Ron had to pick, Camille apparently worked on those flaws in her disguises, and Ron, having been trapped in a crate the entire episode, had stumbled onto the scene only moments earlier, and had absolutely no idea what was even going on. Even Monique, who had been touted as the one who got it right, wasn't actually able to distinguish between the two; she simply identified the disguised Camille's outfit as the more expensive one that a spoiled heiress like Camille would be wearing instead of the more practical Kim.

* ''[[Futurama]]''. The "Lesser of Two Evils" episode completely revolves around this trope, reaching the obvious climax when Bender and Flexo get into a [[Mirror Match]]. Leela has a laser gun but can't tell which to shoot, to which Fry unhelpfully remarks: "[[Captain Obvious|Flexo! Shoot Flexo!]]"

** Subverted in yet another [[Mirror Match]] in "Rebirth", with Leela and her robot double fighting over Fry:

'''Robot Leela:''' No! Shoot her! She's the human! }}

* Used to hilarious effect in a ''He-Man'' sketch on ''[[Robot Chicken]]''. Skeletor commissions Beast Man to create a magical clone of He-Man. The result is a the blue-skinned, incredibly stupid clone Faker. Undaunted, Skeletor sets Faker upon his enemies. Its odd appearance, mannerisms, and speech go unnoticed by all except Prince Adam himself; in fact, this laid back clone is far more popular and quickly becomes the life of the party, much to Skeletor's annoyance. When Adam returns as the real He-Man, Faker has either killed or captured most of his enemies. He-Man's outrage at the act, as well as the general hedonism Faker has inspired, leads the crowd to dub him a wet blanket and vote him as the imposter (even though Faker voted for him as the genuine article). He-Man is then executed, and it is only after Faker expresses no knowledge of being Prince Adam does someone finally catch on.

** Subverted at the end of ''[[Robot Chicken]]'''s "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMSZC3f0qf8 Michael Jackson vs. Michael Jackson]" sketch.

'''Alien 2:''' Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! }}

* Used in ''Action League NOW!'' on Nickelodeon. The villain has created a "perfect duplicate" of the heroic (if moronic) Flesh (who looks just like him except for the various bolts sticking out of every part of his body and his mechanically modulated voice). When the two Fleshes square off, the rest of the Action League try to determine which is the real one by asking for the League password. Both ''incorrectly'' guess "devilled egg". Finally Stinky Diver gets the idea to yell "Hey, stupid!", and the real Flesh responds.

* ''[[American Dad]]'' did this when Francine realizes that Stan assigned Bill (his double) to keep herself company while he dates the prom queen. She gets furious and pulls out Stan's gun, but can't tell them apart. One of them steps up apologizing and loves her, but Francine assumes the other Stan is the real one and shoots him thinking that Stan will never say something like this. It turns out the apologizing Stan was the real one and Bill was the one shot.

* ''[[Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]'': This happened in almost every episode that [[Master of Disguise|The Chameleon]] was in. And then there was the time that [[Evil Twin|Spider-Carnage]] kidnapped and replaced our Peter (who was himself pretending to be this reality's--long story--Peter). Gwen Stacy sees through them both, recognises that our Peter is still the heroic one, and frees him.

Gwen Stacy: The one downstairs? He's as [[Axe Crazy|nutty as a fruitcake]]. A girlfriend notices these things. }}

* In ''[[Transformers Prime]]'', Bumblebee was able to figure out Nemesis Prime wasn't the real Optimus because Nemesis (and by extension MECH) couldn't understand Bumblebee's form of speech.