History Main / AWolfInSheepsClothing

* In the [[YanksWithTanks United States Air Force]], there is an entire Fighter Wing that earned its nickname from an operation based on this concept. During TheVietnamWar, North Vietnamese [=MiGs=] were pouncing on American F-100 Super Sabres, older, clumsier fighters that had been relegated to doing bombing missions. The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, under the leadership of [[AcePilot Robin]] [[NomDeGuerre "The Wolf"]] [[BadassMustache Olds]], launched an operation where F-4 Phantoms would fly the same routes as the F-100s, flying close together so that two Phantoms would resemble a single Super Sabre on the North Vietnamese pilots' radar. When the unwary North Vietnamese pilots closed to engage what they thought were vulnerable bombers, they realized, often too late, that they had blundered into an ambush. Ever since then, the 8th TFW (now simply known as the 8th Fighter Wing) has been called "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The Wolfpack.]]"
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-ship Q-ships]] are another example of this concept, merchant vessels with a disguised armament intended to lure enemy submarines into attacking them while surfaced. The flip side and more literal version of this is a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_raiders merchant raider]], a similarly fitted warship that attacks shipping. Both of these systems were used by the British and Germans respectively during WorldWarI

* From the {{Other Wiki}}: The phrase originates in a sermon by Jesus recorded in the [[Literature/TheBible Christian Bible]]: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Gospel of Matthew, 7:15 -- King James Version). The sermon then suggests that their true nature will be revealed by their actions (by their fruits shall ye know them, verse 16).

* The Aesop fable of the hungry wolf that finds a sheep's fleece on the ground and adorned himself with it in order to sneak into the flock and steal sheep without being noticed. The wolf was later killed when the shepherd went looking for a sheep to slaughter for his own dinner and mistook the wolf for a sheep, although some versions have the wolf howling out in an attempt to imitate a sheep's bleating and being caught that way.

* Subverted in the DarkestPowers series by [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Derek Souza]]. He's standoffish and can be [[NoSympathy utterly tactless]] at times, but he's also a genuinely good person who still carries the guilt of the ''one time'' he accidentally hurt someone in self-defense. However everyone, including a family friend who's known him from childhood, assumes he's a violent thug pretending to be harmless. The [[{{Muggle}} humans]] fear him because he's over six feet tall and 220 pounds of solid muscle at the age of 16, and the supernaturals fear him because [[FantasticRacism he's a werewolf]]. In short: Derek is usually assumed to be a wolf in sheep's clothing when, metaphorically, the opposite is true.

* Used as a VisualPun in ''{{Hoodwinked}}'' when Wolf needs to interrogate a sheep without disturbing the rest of the flock.

* Done literally in ''Sheep, Dog, 'n' Wolf'': the player character (Ralph Wolf) can acquire and wear a sheep costume, and uses it to steal sheep.

* Played with in multiple fashions in ''KevinAndKell'', particularly in the relationship between Corrie (a sheep [[hottip:*:well, a half-wolf, half-sheep who mostly identifies as a sheep]]) and Bruno (a wolf). Corrie spent a period as a ''sheep'' in ''wolf's'' clothing, since Bruno's best friend Rudy was opposed to carnivore/herbivore relationships.

* Some types of livestock-guarding dog, such as the Great Pyrenees or Kuvasz, have been bred to look like sheep so they won't scare the herds they're supposed to be protecting.

* Invoked if not actually used in ''{{Airwolf}}''. The design concept was a [[JustPlaneWrong supersonic attack helicopter]] whose weapons were hidden in pods so it could pass as a fancy executive transport. The flight suits' shoulder patches even featured a Wolf In Sheep's Clothing design.

* [[Disney/ThreeLittlePigs Disney's animated version]] of the ThreeLittlePigs had the TheBigBadWolf attempt to enter the second pig's house by pretending to be a [[DoorstopBaby baby sheep]]. The two little pigs don't buy it.

The phrase ''Wolf In Sheep's Clothing'' pertains to a character who uses a false identity to conceal either his true identity, feelings, or motives. This comes from the Aesop fable of the hungry wolf that finds a sheep's fleece on the ground and adorned himself with it in order to sneak into the flock and steal a sheep without being noticed. The wolf was later killed when the shepherd went looking for a sheep to slaughter for his own dinner and mistook the wolf for a sheep, although some versions have the wolf howling out in an attempt to imitate a sheep's bleating and being caught that way. Characters that are "wolves in sheeps' clothing" might not necessarily be evil or intend malice, but they often are a cause of discomfort or distrust at the least.

The phrase ''Wolf In Sheep's Clothing'' pertains to a character who uses a false identity to conceal either his true identity, feelings, or motives. This comes from the Aesop fable of the hungry wolf that finds a sheep's fleece on the ground and adorned himself with it in order to sneak into the flock and steal a sheep without being noticed. The wolf was later killed when the shepherd went looking for a sheep to slaughter for his own dinner and mistook the wolf for a sheep. Characters that are "wolves in sheeps' clothing" might not necessarily be evil or intend malice, but they often are a cause of discomfort or distrust at the least.

* ASongOfIceAndFire, (being an entire series worth of {{Doorstopper}} sized {{Thirty Xanatos Pileup}}s), has no shortage of these, but one character who stands out for this trope is Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. He's an interesting example because he doesn't pretend to be nice (his affable persona is a deliberately PaperThinDisguise); the real pretence is that he acts like a SmugSnake when he is in fact a full-fledged MagnificentBastard, so still fits the bill of pretending to be much less dangerous that he really is.

* ASongOfIceAndFire may be to be a FlockOfWolves, but one character who stands out for this trope is Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. He's an interesting example because he doesn't pretend to be nice (his affable persona is a deliberately PaperThinDisguise); the real pretence is that he acts like a SmugSnake when he is in fact a full-fledged MagnificentBastard, so still fits the bill of pretending to be much less dangerous that he really is.

* From the {{Other Wiki}}: The phrase originates in a sermon by Jesus recorded in the [[TheBible Christian Bible]]: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Gospel of Matthew, 7:15 -- King James Version). The sermon then suggests that their true nature will be revealed by their actions (by their fruits shall ye know them, verse 16).

[[folder:Film]]
* Senator/Emperor Palpatine from StarWars, who masquerades as a benevolent politician but is actually a [[TheDarkSide Sith Lord.]]

see also the similarly named but unconnected SheepInWolfsClothing.

* Richard ''TalesofGraces'' prior to assuming the throne.
* Sephiroth ''FinalFantasyVII''

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