Spy Catsuit: Difference between revisions

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During any infiltration or stealth operation, the female lead will wear an impossibly tight catsuit. It's almost always black, may be shiny leather or plastic. It's never a camo pattern, and it can't have pockets. There will often be [[Zip Me Up|a single zipper on the front]], which will result in [[Absolute Cleavage]] when it's unzipped. The suit will frequently be accompanied by [[Combat Stilettos|ridiculous high heels]]. If you see someone in one of these, there's little she can say to convince you she's not a spy or a fetishist (unless [[Latex Space Suit|It's a Sci-Fi series]]).
During any infiltration or stealth operation, the female lead will wear an impossibly tight catsuit. It's almost always black, may be shiny leather or plastic. It's never a camo pattern, and it can't have pockets. There will often be [[Zip Me Up|a single zipper on the front]], which will result in [[Absolute Cleavage]] when it's unzipped. The suit will frequently be accompanied by [[Combat Stilettos|ridiculous high heels]]. If you see someone in one of these, there's little she can say to convince you she's not a spy or a fetishist (unless [[Latex Space Suit|It's a Sci-Fi series]]).


The writers may try to justify it, saying it's a stealth garment with sensor defeating properties--so she's seductively slathered herself in [[Applied Phlebotinum]]. It could be for freedom of movement (a [[Critical Research Failure]] if the outfit is leather). It could be that she just swam up to the facility and can't ditch the wetsuit. In reality, it's to make the inevitable climbing, shimmying, flipping and belly-crawling through a [[Laser Hallway]] look [[Stripperiffic|that much more like a lapdance]].
The writers may try to justify it, saying it's a stealth garment with sensor defeating properties—so she's seductively slathered herself in [[Applied Phlebotinum]]. It could be for freedom of movement (a [[Critical Research Failure]] if the outfit is leather). It could be that she just swam up to the facility and can't ditch the wetsuit. In reality, it's to make the inevitable climbing, shimmying, flipping and belly-crawling through a [[Laser Hallway]] look [[Stripperiffic|that much more like a lapdance]].


Shows up in most [[Spy Drama]] shows. Any action show that puts a female character through [[The Infiltration|an infiltration scene]] will use it. Mostly used with at least a wink these days.
Shows up in most [[Spy Drama]] shows. Any action show that puts a female character through [[The Infiltration|an infiltration scene]] will use it. Mostly used with at least a wink these days.
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* In Adam Warren's ''[[Empowered]]'' comic, the heroine doesn't just wear a shiny skintight suit, it's a shiny skintight suit of power armor that tears like a wet hanky if she brushes against anything that has a point on it. Of course, his comic is a parody of all the tied-up, mostly naked superdamsels in distress he was drawing for commissions, but ''still''...
* In Adam Warren's ''[[Empowered]]'' comic, the heroine doesn't just wear a shiny skintight suit, it's a shiny skintight suit of power armor that tears like a wet hanky if she brushes against anything that has a point on it. Of course, his comic is a parody of all the tied-up, mostly naked superdamsels in distress he was drawing for commissions, but ''still''...
** "Empowered" goes well beyond skintight; the power suit is actually a membrane-thin piece of nothing that leaves the wearer effectively naked, while fighting crime in public. The point to 'Empowered' is to get your humiliation fetish in your ironically-titled supers fantasy.
** "Empowered" goes well beyond skintight; the power suit is actually a membrane-thin piece of nothing that leaves the wearer effectively naked, while fighting crime in public. The point to 'Empowered' is to get your humiliation fetish in your ironically-titled supers fantasy.
* Similarly to the ''[[Empowered]]'' example, [[Artificial Human]] Girl One from ''[[Top Ten]]'' wears what at first appears to be a full body catsuit. In reality, she's actually nude -- her creators gave her an aversion to clothing, while at the same time giving her body the ability to hide this fact via built in full body tattoo/bodypaint that she can control at will -- she typically looks like she's wearing a full body purple spandex catsuit with logos and patterns on it. [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|They didn't explain this until several chapters in]].
* Similarly to the ''[[Empowered]]'' example, [[Artificial Human]] Girl One from ''[[Top Ten]]'' wears what at first appears to be a full body catsuit. In reality, she's actually nude—her creators gave her an aversion to clothing, while at the same time giving her body the ability to hide this fact via built in full body tattoo/bodypaint that she can control at will—she typically looks like she's wearing a full body purple spandex catsuit with logos and patterns on it. [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|They didn't explain this until several chapters in]].
* The [[Black Widow (comics)|Black Widow]] in the [[Marvel Universe]].
* The [[Black Widow (comics)|Black Widow]] in the [[Marvel Universe]].
* Oddly averted in ''Codename: Knockout'' -- though it's a spy parody practically made out of [[Fan Service]], the protagonist almost never wears her catsuit outside of covers.
* Oddly averted in ''Codename: Knockout''—though it's a spy parody practically made out of [[Fan Service]], the protagonist almost never wears her catsuit outside of covers.
* [[Archie Comics]] Betty and Veronica wear black catsuits when acting as "[[Teen Superspy|Agents B & V]]".
* [[Archie Comics]] Betty and Veronica wear black catsuits when acting as "[[Teen Superspy|Agents B & V]]".
* [[The Baroness]] in ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' wears this as her standard outfit in every incarnation. Scarlett of the Joes does as well, though hers is more of a leotard worn over tights.
* [[The Baroness]] in ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' wears this as her standard outfit in every incarnation. Scarlett of the Joes does as well, though hers is more of a leotard worn over tights.
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* Parker in ''[[Leverage]]'' is fond of these... ''under'' street clothes or bulky harnesses that provide pockets and carabiner loops.
* Parker in ''[[Leverage]]'' is fond of these... ''under'' street clothes or bulky harnesses that provide pockets and carabiner loops.
* In ''[[NCIS]], McGee fantasizes about Kate in a catsuit in one episode.
* In ''[[NCIS]], McGee fantasizes about Kate in a catsuit in one episode.
* Seen on [[Doctor Who|Gugu]] [[Bonekickers|Mbata-Raw]] in the [[media:undercovers_9089.jpg|promo pics]] for ''[[Undercovers]]''.
* Seen on [[Doctor Who|Gugu]] [[Bonekickers|Mbata-Raw]] in the [[media:undercovers 9089.jpg|promo pics]] for ''[[Undercovers]]''.
* [[Bionic Woman|Michelle]] [[Jekyll|Ryan]] wore one as [[Doctor Who|Lady Christina De Souza]] in ''The Planet of the Dead''
* [[Bionic Woman|Michelle]] [[Jekyll|Ryan]] wore one as [[Doctor Who|Lady Christina De Souza]] in ''The Planet of the Dead''
** And Wendy Padbury, as Zoe Heriot in the Second Doctor's era, wore a sparkly catsuit.
** And Wendy Padbury, as Zoe Heriot in the Second Doctor's era, wore a sparkly catsuit.
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== Video Games ==
== Video Games ==
* ''[[Half-Life]]'''s Black Operations females wore skintight suits. In fact, in ''Half-Life 1'', their breasts jiggled when they walked. It was removed in ''Opposing Force'', an expansion. It's also worth noting that the ''males'' wore skin-tight black, too.
* ''[[Half-Life]]'''s Black Operations females wore skintight suits. In fact, in ''Half-Life 1'', their breasts jiggled when they walked. It was removed in ''Opposing Force'', an expansion. It's also worth noting that the ''males'' wore skin-tight black, too.
* Strangely enough, in the ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' games, the [[Spy Catsuit]] is the domain of [http://i11.tinypic.com/4ujta9j.jpg male spies]. The female spies get to wear [http://i17.tinypic.com/5xz6dz6.jpg proper camo], suits, military uniforms or flight suits. The Boss starts out in a proper BDU, but switches this for possibly the [http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/celtic1962/THEBOSSsnakeeater.jpg a more "space age" type outfit]. Eva in ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' plays this pretty straight though, complete with the front-zipper cleavage, which features prominently in first-person cutscenes.
* Strangely enough, in the ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' games, the Spy Catsuit is the domain of [http://i11.tinypic.com/4ujta9j.jpg male spies]. The female spies get to wear [http://i17.tinypic.com/5xz6dz6.jpg proper camo], suits, military uniforms or flight suits. The Boss starts out in a proper BDU, but switches this for possibly the [http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n291/celtic1962/THEBOSSsnakeeater.jpg a more "space age" type outfit]. Eva in ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' plays this pretty straight though, complete with the front-zipper cleavage, which features prominently in first-person cutscenes.
** The character designer for ''Metal Gear Solid'' admitted that Snake and Raiden's outfits, particularly Raiden's, were inspired by looking at bondage gear, probably an admission that it was intended as [[Fetish Fuel]]. On the character art, he draws an arrow to Raiden's buttocks, [[Mr. Fanservice|explicitly pointing out where his underwear lines can be seen through his clothes]] - it's subtly visible on the in-game model itself.
** The character designer for ''Metal Gear Solid'' admitted that Snake and Raiden's outfits, particularly Raiden's, were inspired by looking at bondage gear, probably an admission that it was intended as [[Fetish Fuel]]. On the character art, he draws an arrow to Raiden's buttocks, [[Mr. Fanservice|explicitly pointing out where his underwear lines can be seen through his clothes]] - it's subtly visible on the in-game model itself.
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]'' has the Beauty and the Beast Corps. Every last one of whom are wearing a full spandex (actually nanotech) bodysuit covering what appears to be a complete neck-to-toe '''see-through''' latex catsuit. What's even more notable was that this wasn't even intended at first. Originally, they were supposed to be stark naked, but they had to edit it to catsuits because it would have given ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' an Adult Only rating.
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]'' has the Beauty and the Beast Corps. Every last one of whom are wearing a full spandex (actually nanotech) bodysuit covering what appears to be a complete neck-to-toe '''see-through''' latex catsuit. What's even more notable was that this wasn't even intended at first. Originally, they were supposed to be stark naked, but they had to edit it to catsuits because it would have given ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' an Adult Only rating.
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== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* ''[[Aeon Flux]]'' wore an even less practical outfit on her missions. It must be [[media:Aeon%20Flux.jpg|seen]] to be disbelieved.
* ''[[Aeon Flux]]'' wore an even less practical outfit on her missions. It must be [[media:Aeon Flux.jpg|seen]] to be disbelieved.
** Turns out all Monicans wear this.
** Turns out all Monicans wear this.
* On ''[[Totally Spies]]'', the uniform worn by the three teenage girl spies is a shiny plastic catsuit. The stealth part of the trope is usually subverted, as each suit is of a unique bright color. At other times, the suits can change appearance to look like more ordinary clothing, subverting the skintight aspect of the trope.
* On ''[[Totally Spies]]'', the uniform worn by the three teenage girl spies is a shiny plastic catsuit. The stealth part of the trope is usually subverted, as each suit is of a unique bright color. At other times, the suits can change appearance to look like more ordinary clothing, subverting the skintight aspect of the trope.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Spy_Catsuit"