This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Fast Eddie: (revised) Moved the quote down. Didn't seem applicable until after the explanation in the examples.
Kilyle: Em... I understood the term "foil" to be related to the sword called a foil. My vague understanding of the term's origins could be summed up "jumps onstage for a minor fight, then we never speak of him again" (the link between that and the trope at hand is not entirely obvious, but at least plausible). So if you're going to use it with the image of "like shiny (tin)foil" then please either (1) indicate the actual origin of the term, so people don't think we just made up the connection to the English language, or (2) indicate a source for the actual origin, if indeed I've been misunderstanding it all these years.
Some Sort Of Troper: A google search for "foil character" solves all.
