History Main / BlackShirt

** Dolores Umbridge herself practically welcomes the new leadership in the Ministry of Magic with open arms, since she's practically encouraged to persecute [[{{Muggles}} Muggle]]-descended wizards as [[FantasticRacism second-class citizens]]. *** Arguably, she may not be a black shirt, and have always been as evil and dangerous as she was under Voldemorts rule. Bear in mind [[spoiler: she was responsible for the dementor attack at the beginning of book five. Don't forget that dementors eat souls, and in fact attempted to do just that.]]

** Dolores Umbridge herself practically welcomes the new leadership in the Ministry of Magic with open arms, since she's practically encouraged to persecute [[{{Muggles}} Muggle]]-descended wizards as [[FantasticRacism second-class citizens]].

* The Crey Stormtroopers from ''Hard To Be A God'' by StrugatskyBrothers.

[[WriterOnBoard Authors with an agenda]] will often make them into a StrawmanPolitical for whatever ideology they dislike, and top it off by having them lead by a StrawHypocrite. Some character types like {{the Libby}} or the {{Jerk Jock}} (but never the {{Jerk with a Heart of Gold}}) can become Black Shirts when presented with the right opportunity.

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* In a deliberate parody of fascist paramilitary organizations, DoctorSteel's Army of Toy Soldiers (his fan club base) wear black uniforms.

* Pro-Nazi bunds were a common foe of the JusticeSocietyOfAmerica in the golden age.
* In ''Comicbook/{{Superman}} Birthright'', Superman's first foes are Black Shirts working for Luthor, who truly believe Luthor's theory that Superman is an evil alien invader.
* A good version is seen in ''Planet Hulk'', where the Imperial resistance's morale is bolstered when rumors surface of a mysterious green goliath who put a scar on the Red King's face the first time he entered the ring as a gladiator. The captions put it best, describing how they don't know their peoples' warrior history because those days are long gone, that their fighting streak ended with their fathers' fathers. They don't know how to fight, but all of a sudden... they ''do''.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_Club_(film) ''Fight Club'']] featured a group of black shirts calling themselves Project Mayhem.

Ironically the British Union of Facists, the Black Shirts that actually did wear black shirts, were sigularly ineffective, at one point being ambushed on a march by various of their opponants and beaten to a pulp.

* {{MAG ISA}} -- [[http://www.drunkduck.com/MAG_ISA/index.php?p=569894 The cult members wear black...]]

Black Shirts are closet {{evil minions}} yearning for the day the villain brings about his [[TheEmpire Empire of Evil]]. In the meantime, they'll complain about the current "decadent and corrupt" government to anyone who won't roll their eyes. Once the villain starts recruiting, these guys are in line before {{les collaborateurs}} have finished breakfast.

The threat that Black Shirts represent is a latent one. While they're harmless on their own or in peacetime, they quickly organize into a formidable force in service of the BigBad. Heroes are [[NominalImportance nominally]] obliged not to kill them, but even {{the Messiah}} would be hard pressed to make them do a [[MookFaceTurn turn to the side of good]]. What's more, they completely agree with the {{Evil Overlord}}'s agenda, no matter how cruel, inhuman or insane -- even if it means that they'll end up {{dying like animals}} themselves by its conclusion (a fact they usually ignore). While {{les collaborateurs}} are greedy enough that they can be bribed into helping the good guys, Black Shirts [[IControlMyMinionsThrough do it for fanaticism]] and can't be swayed by mere money. Against them, only force will ultimately stop them and you'll know they'll show no mercy in a heartbeat if they think they can get away with it, so get ready to get tough with them.

[[WriterOnBoard Authors with an agenda]] will often make them into a {{strawman political}} for whatever ideology they dislike, and top it off by having them lead by a {{straw hypocrite}}. Some character types like {{the Libby}} or the {{jerk jock}} (but never the {{jerk with a heart of gold}}) can become Black Shirts when presented with the right opportunity.

Named after the uniform worn by the [[FascistItaly Italian Fascists]] and by their ineffectual [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Union_of_Fascists British imitators]]. The Nazis did similarly with brown shirts. Needless to say, this trope is TruthInTelevision, since every evil ideology has always had followers.

-->''"Waiting to put on a black shirt.\\

To strengthen the strain."''\\
--PinkFloyd, "Waiting for the Worms"

* The Splitters who side with the psychopathic angels against LaResistance in ThereforeRepent

* Anakin Skywalker to a fair enough extent in ''StarWars'', though in Episode VI he does a HeelFaceTurn and dies because RedemptionEqualsDeath.
** Likewise Stormtroopers follow this trope mostly (at least with the Clone Troopers), they only respond to the emperor and even those who oppose the Empire are only due to the fact their trainer cared for them so much and shown them their ProudWarriorRace Heritage to warrant such a situation. Some other Clone Troopers are disgusted by that though.
*** This is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] a bit in one of the ''Tag & Bink'' comics; a Stormtrooper goes on a little rant about how in a time of war and confusion, the Emperor brought forth peace, order, public safety, health care, and so on.

** The Malfoys and other Death Eaters readily lap up Voldemort's views and policies on all non pure-blood Wizards as being inferior, even though Voldemort's pretty contemptuous of all others himself.
*** That seems like more a case of Voldemort tailoring his message specifically to fit their prejudices.
* In several of the {{Discworld}} novels, small groups of [[AristocratsAreEvil aristocratic characters]] are portrayed as plotting against Lord Vetinari so that they can restore the monarchy with a puppet and make their interests policy, even though it's hinted this would be disastrous in the long run, which is why most city leaders are against the idea of a monarchy, even those from noble families such as the Rusts and Venturis who are critical of Vetinari personally.
** Plus the Day Watch and the Palace Guard from ''[[Discworld/GuardsGuards Guards! Guards!]]'' and ''[[Discworld/MenAtArms Men At Arms]]'', contrasted with the more JerkWithAHeartOfGold-like Night Watch.
* PGWodehouse created a rather merciless (and contemporary-to-the-original) savage parody of the Blackshirts- that, of course, being Sir Roderick Spode and his Black''shorts''.

* Being an AlternateHistory, [[HarryTurtledove Harry Turtledove's]] ''{{Timeline-191}}'' series features the SS-counterparts in the form of the Freedom Party Stalwarts. The series also mentions the Silver Shirts, who were organised by OswaldMosley and [[WinstonChurchill Evil Churchill]] in 1920s Britain (which had lost the First World War).

* [[{{Everworld}} The Sennites]]. They have a certain gray-eyed witch in mind for the throne of Everworld, and if you get in the way, [[MoreDakka you'll eat lead]].

* The Night Watch in ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]'' appears to have been almost entirely composed of Black Shirts.
* The two ''{{V}}'' miniseries had a youth group that followed the Visitors and helped them in their "we're only taking over for your own good, really" approach to humanity. Loosely based on the RealLife Hitler Youth.
** There will be such a group in the [[ContinuityReboot re-imagined series]] as well.

* Gordon Frohman (not Freeman, common mistake) in the ''HalfLife'' parody comic ''{{Concerned}}'' is the blackest Black Shirt imaginable. Though not malicious, he is a [[TheDitz dim-witted]] thoroughly pro-Breen and anti-Freeman advocate, doing everything he can to stop the hero and his allies. Thankfully, he's more of a SpannerInTheWorks who inadvertently helps Freeman at Breen's expense (though he is at least responsible for transforming Ravenholm into the Zombie-infested hellhole it is). He buys into the flimsy [[VillainWithGoodPublicity propaganda]] and [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter he can't tell how awful the Combine is]], so much so that when he accidentally escapes to Ravenholm he misses living in the oppressive {{Dystopia}} so much he makes a spare parts EvilTowerOfOminousness.
** And don't forget the (unactivated) Strider.
** It frankly seems less that Gordon is too dumb to appreciate freedom, rather that he simply ''loves'' tyrrany. In Ravenholm he even sleeps with a plush Combine footsoldier.

* New England in ''DecadesOfDarkness'' has a group of them. For fun, they're called {{Redshirt}}s.
** An Anglo-Saxon revival group in Great Britain, in a ShoutOut to PGWodehouse (see above) is called the Blackshorts.
* The ''fascisti'' in the ChaosTimeline.
* Similar to that is the huge throng of people in the WhateleyUniverse fictions who are supporters of "Humanity First!", an organization opposed to the [[FantasticRacism mutant scourge]]. Of course, there are BlackShirt types on the other extreme, since there's an extreme mutant organization called "Evolution Rocks". Their most famous poster is of a hand-drawn superman-type dropping said rocks (the size of cars) on baselines below. Sort of polarizes the argument.

** It gets HILARIOUS when one PC has information about both dropped on his doorstep. Also, in a possible subversion...[[spoiler: Humanity first is RIGHT about mutants overcoming humankind. They're just wrong about it being violent]]. See the Braeburn Report.

* In the animated series ''{{Reboot}}'', Megabyte's defeat by Matrix frees hundreds of Binomes who he had infected and forced to be his slaves. However, in the film "My Two Bobs," we see a group of former Viral Binomes who actually liked serving Megabyte, since it gave them free reign to bully people. (Plus, it impressed the ladies.) These Black Shirts are reduced to being minor nuisances in the era of prosperity following Megabyte's defeat until said villain returns. They whip themselves into a fairly impressive fighting force despite their limited numbers and ultimately aid Megabyte in gaining control of the Core, which is unfortunately the cliffhanger the series ends on.
* TheLibby high school arch-enemy of ''KimPossible'' turns into a Black Shirt when Shego takes over the world.
* Clash is the BlackShirt in the ''JemAndTheHolograms'' universe--as she's the first Misfits fan we set our eyes on.

* Aside from the TropeNamer from Italy, the Nazis had the support of any number of Fascist groups across Europe, most of whom quickly became local [[TheQuisling Quislings]] after their countries were overrun. Many of the younger supporters went on to enlist in the Waffen SS, believing the Nazis were fighting to defend Europe against [[DirtyCommies Communism.]]
** Ironically the British Union of Facists, the BlackShirts that actually did wear black shirts, were sigularly ineffective, at one point being ambushed on a march by various of their opponants and beaten to a pulp.

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* The Tea Party

* Ferguson on ''ClarissaExplainsItAll'' is the quintessential Black Shirt in search of an EvilOverlord to serve... or the quintessential EvilOverlord in search of Black Shirt, he was kind of a SmugSnake anyway.

* New England in ''DecadesOfDarkness'' has a group of them. For fun, they're called {{redshirt}}s.

** Filch readily welcomes [[TheUmbridge Dolores Umbridge]] as Headmistress of Hogwarts because she gives him free reign in his sadistic disciplinary tactics -- in fact, hers surpass his!

** The Malfoys and other Death Eaters readily lap up Voldemort's views and policies on all non pure-blood Wizards as being inferior, even though Voldemort?s pretty contemptuous of all others himself.

** Filch readily welcomes [[TheUmbridge Dolores Umbridge]] as Headmistress of Hogwarts because she gives him free reign in his sadistic disciplinary tactics? in fact, hers surpass his!
** Dolores Umbridge herself practically welcomes the new leadership in the Ministry of Magic with open arms, since she?s practically encouraged to persecute [[{{Muggles}} Muggle]]-descended wizards as [[FantasticRacism second-class citizens]].

* This Troper dares to say it was a bit of an oversight, omitting P.G. Wodehouse's rather merciless (and contemporary-to-the-original) savage parody of the Blackshirts- that, of course, being Sir Roderick Spode and his Black''shorts''. He has taken the liberty of rectifying the matter...

* In S.M. Stirling's ''Terminator 2'' series (on which no Terminator movies were based), "Luddite" environmental extremists work for SkyNet because wiping out humanity is a ''good'' thing.
** Yes... So green, that nuclear carpet-bombing...