History Main / BlackShirt

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': The Yeagerists [[spoiler:are this for Eren Jeager, they are formed by civilian and military members dissatisfied with the current leadership, believing Eren is the only one that can stop the global threat Paradis island faces and usher the New Eldian Empire. They [[TheCoup stage a coup]] against the military junta, do ThePurge against disloyal members of the military and gleefully execute foreigners.]]

** 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. Voldemort is partially tailoring his message specifically to fit their prejudices, though he also has his own issues regarding Muggles. It's ultimately deconstructed with the Malfoys (especially the [[SpoiledBrat bratty teenaged son Draco, who never actually lived through the BigBad's original reign of terror and comes to find what cold-blooded murder really entails along with the easiness of losing the Dark Lord's good graces permanently) when they quickly find themselves on the wrong side of him after a couple of Lucius' strategic mis-steps and thus they end up in way more trouble than they bargained for once he actually returns and reinstates his ''de facto'' dictatorship. After [[BreakTheHaughty learning the hard way]] that EvilIsNotAToy, they decide to just [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes grab each other]], ditch their BadBoss, and [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere opt for a strategic withdrawal]].

** 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. Voldemort is probably tailoring his message specifically to fit their prejudices. It's ultimately deconstructed with the Malfoys (especially the [[SpoiledBrat bratty teenaged son]] who never actually lived through the BigBad's original reign of terror and comes to find that cold-blooded murder is quite a few steps above harassing your classmates) in that they quickly find that they got way more than they bargained for once he actually returns and reinstates his ''de facto'' dictatorship. After [[BreakTheHaughty learning the hard way]] that EvilIsNotAToy, they decide to just [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes grab each other]], ditch their BadBoss, and [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere opt for a strategic withdrawal]].

[[caption-width-right:350:No, they are not saluting that poor policeman]]

Named after the uniform worn by the [[UsefulNotes/FascistItaly Italian fascists]] and by their [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Union_of_Fascists British imitators]]. [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]] did the same thing with brown shirted SA (who then fell out of favor and were [[ThePurge purged]] by [[EvilerThanThou the black-clad SS]] after the Nazis took power, the SS were then favored by the regime until its end), and one American fascist movement wore silver shirts. A variety of other lesser-known fascist movements also copied this pattern of wearing a uniform with a specific color shirt that became the nickname of their followers, such as the blueshirts of the somehow even ''more'' ineffectual [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Fascists first attempt at British fascism]], the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Legion_of_America Silver Shirts]] of American Nazi sympathizers, and the greenshirts of the Romanian [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Guard Iron Guard]] (who like the Nazi brownshirts were [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness disposed of or fell out of favor once no longer useful to the fascist dictatorship]]). Needless to say, this trope is TruthInTelevision, since every distasteful ideology has always had followers, and of course, uniforms are a very easy way of enforcing conformity, as practically ''any'' organized group from store employees to the Boy Scouts to, y'know, ''armies'' can attest to.[[note]]This is '''''not''''' to equate any of these latter groups with any of the former, just in case [[ThatCameOutWrong that got interpreted poorly]].[[/note]] Just to make it confusing, black shirts are also a popular choice for [[LaResistance anti-fascist groups]].

Named after the uniform worn by the [[UsefulNotes/FascistItaly Italian fascists]] and by their [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Union_of_Fascists British imitators]]. [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]] did the same thing with brown shirted SA (who then fell out of favor and were purged by the black-clad SS after the Nazis took power, the SS were then favored by the regime until its end), and one American fascist movement wore silver shirts. A variety of other lesser-known fascist movements also copied this pattern of wearing a uniform with a specific color shirt that became the nickname of their followers, such as the blueshirts of the somehow even ''more'' ineffectual [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Fascists first attempt at British fascism]] and the greenshirts of the Romanian [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Guard Iron Guard]] (who like the Nazi brownshirts were [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness disposed of or fell out of favor once no longer useful to the fascist dictatorship]]). Needless to say, this trope is TruthInTelevision, since every distasteful ideology has always had followers, and of course, uniforms are a very easy way of enforcing conformity, as practically ''any'' organized group from store employees to the Boy Scouts to, y'know, ''armies'' can attest to.[[note]]This is '''''not''''' to equate any of these latter groups with any of the former, just in case [[ThatCameOutWrong that got interpreted poorly]].[[/note]] Just to make it confusing, black shirts are also a popular choice for [[LaResistance anti-fascist groups]].

* Franchise/DocSavage takes on the Silver Shirt bundists in the first issue of Millennium Comics ''Franchise/DocSavage: Man of Bronze''.

* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', the corrupt administration in TheFederation has its own black shirts.

* [=JRPGs=] seem fond of this, especially those of the SNES era. If the villain is a leader who's openly belligerent, and you enter his hometown or base of operations, you can expect to find these spouting his praises and talking about how the day where he rises to power and kills all who oppose him is at hand.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* Interestingly enough, ''Manga/{{MAR}}'' manages to pull this one off with a nice HeelFaceTurn at the end of it. Ash has actually joined the Chess Pieces to protect the children he loves and despite Ginta telling him that Phantom just wants to kill everyone, he knows this and it isn't until his strongest [=ARMs=] are overpowered and defeated that he finally admits defeat and completes the turn. Letting Ginta know that he's leaving it in the boy's capable hands to protect the kids in his place.
* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', the corrupt administration in TheFederation has its own black shirts.

* The two ''Series/{{V 1983}}'' 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 is such a group in the [[ContinuityReboot re-imagined series]] as well.
* One episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark'', "Super Mann", featured a group of deep-cover Nazis, who had created "all-American" cover personas as a footballer, a model and a country singer. The Daily Planet's new copyboy, in addition to being a rather bitter figure who even Jimmy thought was a bit of a dweeb, was a huge fan of theirs. When they revealed their true colors, of course, he was the first to get a black leather uniform and took over the Planet building.
* ''Series/FoylesWar'': In "Trespass", a former member of Mosley's Blackshirts was attempting to start up a similar organization in post-war Britain. Although he claims to be in favor of a single European government, in his first speech he reveals it will be a Europe free of Jews, Slavs and other 'undesirables'. He whips a mob into a frenzy where they murder a pair of harmless Polish refugees on the mistaken belief they are Jewish.
* Parodied in ''Series/JeevesAndWooster'' where Black Shorts (as all shirt colors were taken already) use imagery very similar to one used by German and Italian fascists, but are what all real Blackshirts should not be: incompetent, lazy, fumbling, very low in number, and partial to haphazardly twisted ideas (such as providing all citizens with a British-made bicycle and umbrella). They get dissolved when their leader quits the politics.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Ratcliffe and his gang of neo-Nazi thugs who ally themselves with the Daleks in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS25E1RemembranceOfTheDaleks Remembrance of the Daleks]]". Ratcliffe even mentions that he had been jailed during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII for advocating that Britain was on the wrong side (implying that he was an actual Black Shirt).

* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'': Marianna, who was "waiting all her life" to help the Keeper tear the veil.

* In the original stage version of Ustinov's ''Theatre/RomanoffAndJuliet'', one of the bookend guards explains that his movement wears violet shirts - "or would if we could afford them."

* Else God-Hater in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion''. She openly despises the official religion of the Septim Empire. Turns out later in the game she's a member of the [[ApocalypseCult Mythic Dawn]], and ends up dying on the PlayerCharacter's blade.

* [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel The Imperial Defense Force]] in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsIntoReverie'' are an army of this trope as they have no names (in a franchise that gives out names to even the most minor [=NPCs=]) but are the main villain force in the game. The reason why they exist is because they are disgruntled at the fact that they had their times wasted when the war in ''Cold Steel IV'' [[spoiler:only lasted for only a day or two and that TheEmpire retreated even though the country was winning in terms of the massive technological advantage the empire has over the Calvard Republic.]] They all seek to restart the world war to prove that the Erebonian military power is the most powerful army in the world and unite the world under its banner.

%% * ''Literature/ChaosTimeline'': The fascisti.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': When [[BadFuture Shego takes over the world]] in ''A Sitch in Time'', AlphaBitch Bonnie Rockwaller, Kim's [[SitcomArchNemesis high school arch-enemy]], enforces Shego's rule.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'': Clash is the Black Shirt in universe -- as she's the first Misfits fan we set our eyes on.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* Pro-Nazi Bunds were a common foe of the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks.
* In ''ComicBook/SupermanBirthright'', Superman's first foes are Black Shirts working for Luthor, who truly believe Luthor's theory that Superman is an evil alien invader.
* A Creator/GarthEnnis ''War Story'', "Condors", features an Irish Greenshirt, who supports the closest thing Ireland had to a true fascist, Eoin O'Duffy, fighting for [[UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar Franco in the Spanish Civil War.]]

* ''ComicBook/ThereforeRepent'': The Splitters who side with the psychopathic angels against LaResistance.
* Franchise/DocSavage takes on the Silver Shirt bundists in the first issue of Millennium Comics ''Franchise/DocSavage: Man of Bronze''.

* [[Comicbook/StarWarsDoctorAphra Dr. Aphra]] of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' comics is an AdventurerArchaeologist who happens to be a supporter of the Empire and a personal fan of Darth Vader, admiring their ideals (or at least fears them enough to prefer being on their side). [[spoiler:She eventually has something of a HeelRealization -- while she still believes in a cynical view that strong-handed authority is needed for peace, she's not blind to the horrors the Empire's committed. The fact they repeatedly attempted to kill her even while she was nominally on their side certainly didn't help.]]

[[folder:Film]]
* ''Franchise/StarWars'' series: Anakin Skywalker. Likewise, Stormtroopers follow this trope mostly, (at least with the Clone Troopers,) since they answer to the emperor. A few clones do oppose the Empire due to the fact their trainer cared for them so much and shown them their ProudWarriorRace Heritage. Some other Clone Troopers are disgusted by that though. This is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] a bit in one of the ''ComicBook/TagAndBink'' 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. Apparently he didn't know that the Emperor deliberately caused said war and confusion for this very purpose.

* ''Film/FightClub'' featured a group of black shirts calling themselves Project Mayhem. One of the film's more obvious clues that these guys are not heroes is their literal black shirts and habit of chanting in unison while Edward Norton is pleading with them to think for themselves.

* The ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series provides numerous examples:
** ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'': Filch readily welcomes Dolores Umbridge as Headmistress of Hogwarts during her TyrantTakesTheHelm arc because she gives him free rein in his sadistic disciplinary tactics -- in fact, hers surpass his!
** Umbridge herself seems to leap at the chance to upgrade from being a SadistTeacher to being able to torment the entire muggle-born population after Voldemort takes over in [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Book 7]].
** 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. Voldemort is probably tailoring his message specifically to fit their prejudices. It's ultimately deconstructed with the Malfoys (especially the [[SpoiledBrat bratty teenaged son]] who never actually lived through the BigBad's original reign of terror and comes to find that cold-blooded murder is quite a few steps above harassing your classmates) in that they quickly find that they got way more than they bargained for once he actually returns and reinstates his ''de facto'' dictatorship. After [[BreakTheHaughty learning the hard way]] that EvilIsNotAToy, they decide to just [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes grab each other]], ditch their BadBoss, and [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere opt for a strategic withdrawal]].
** Pansy Parkinson from Slytherin House sides with Voldemort without a second thought during the FinalBattle, and there is a possibility that the rest of Slytherin House will do same. However, [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Professor McGonagall]] suspends most of them before the big battle. [[WordOfGod Some returned with Slughorn and his reinforcements to fight in the final battle on Harry's side]].

* Creator/PGWodehouse created a rather merciless (and contemporary-to-the-original) savage parody of the Blackshirts -- Sir Roderick Spode and his Black''shorts'', from the ''Literature/JeevesAndWooster'' stories.
** It is explained that they adopted this because all the shirts were already taken. Bertie takes the chance to sneer at "a handful of halfwits (disfiguring) the London scene by going about in footer bags."
** [[spoiler:Jeeves and Bertie get to hold over Spode the Dark Secret that he designs lingerie under the brand name "Eulalie Soeurs", which would ruin his fascistic aspirations if it got out.]]
* From ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': Bill Ferny, Harry Goatleaf, and the rest of the "ruffians" from Bree, plus the [[LesCollaborateurs malcontent]] [[{{Hobbits}} hobbit]] Ted Sandyman, who are more than happy to join [[TheQuisling Lotho Sackville-Baggins]] as hired thugs when he takes over the Shire with Saruman's help.
* Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel ''Literature/ItCantHappenHere'' chronicles the rise of American fascism based on religious fundamentalists (duped, more or less), economic discontent, and hatred of Communists and socialists. President Buzz Windrip's supporters organize themselves into paramilitary Minute Men units complete with blue uniforms.
** They specifically choose blue to emphasize they are not black-shirted fascist thugs, but all-American boys- then act in exactly the same thuggish manner.
* In Creator/SMStirling[='=]s ''Literature/T2Trilogy'', "Luddite" environmental extremists work for [=SkyNet=] because wiping out humanity is a ''good'' thing. Even Skynet thinks they're crazy.
* ''Literature/{{Timeline 191}}'': Being an AlternateHistory, Creator/HarryTurtledove's series features the SS-counterparts in the form of the Freedom Party Stalwarts. The series also mentions the Silver Shirts, who were organised by Oswald Mosley and [[UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill Evil Churchill]] in 1920s Britain (which had lost the First World War). There were [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Legion_of_America real-life Silver Shirts,]] too.

* The various Kuinists from ''Literature/TheChronoliths'' are just waiting for the day when prophesied [[TakeOverTheWorld world conqueror]] [[DarkMessiah Kuin]] will arrive and lead them to victory. One of them, Adam Mills, serves as the ''de facto'' BigBad in Kuin's absence.
* Many rank and file Darkfriends are this in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime''. They pledged themselves to the Dark One (usually out of greed or power lust), but they mostly serve as informers, messengers and sleeper agents. They are clearly unpleasant and bad persons but they don't usually do so much harm, at least until a powerful leader (for example a Forsaken) takes charge and actually makes them do something. As the series progresses we are also introduced to a number of Darkfriends who are [[PunchClockVillain pretty ordinary people]] who mostly [[SignedUpForTheDental joined for the perks]] of belonging to a multinational criminal network/secret society, and are horrified that they might be called on to help bring about the end of the world.
* In the Creator/AgathaChristie UsefulNotes/WorldWarII novel ''N or M?'', Literature/TommyAndTuppence run across a number of characters who admire the Nazis and think it a pity that Britain didn't ally with Germany at the start of the war. [[spoiler:It turns out the villain has an entire book full of these: people in power who can be counted on to support the Nazis in case of an invasion. The villain is also an example of one, British by birth but spying for and supporting the Nazis.]]

* The Greg Mandel trilogy by Creator/PeterFHamilton is set in a Britain recovering from a Communist dictatorship. Ironically the Blackshirts are extreme left-wing (formerly the Peoples Constables, a militia force used by the government to brutally maintain order) while the Trinities were LaResistance, who copied their tactics of violent political agitation. Both sides still exist as street gangs under the New Conservative government, with the Trinities secretly encouraged to eliminate the Blackshirts who are working with TheRemnant to take back power.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': The Yeagerists [[spoiler:are this for Eren Jeager, they are formed by civilian and military members dissatisfied with the current leadership, believing Eren is the only one that can stop the global threat Paradis island faces and usher the New Eldian Empire. They [[TheCoup stage a coup]] against the military junta, do ThePurge against disloyal members of the military and gleefuly execute foreigners.]]

* Franchise/DocSavage takes on the Silver Shirt bundists in the first issue of Millenium Comics ''Franchise/DocSavage: Man of Bronze''.

->''"Waiting to put on a black shirt.\\
Waiting to weed out the weaklings.\\
Waiting to smash in their windows\\
And kick in their doors.\\
Waiting for the FinalSolution\\
To strengthen the strain."''

[[WriterOnBoard Authors with an agenda]] will often make them into a StrawCharacter for whatever ideology they dislike, and top it off by having them led by a StrawHypocrite. Some character types like the AlphaBitch or the JerkJock can become Black Shirts when presented with the right opportunity.

* In ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'', it was generally shown that the European populations the Nazis conquered almost universally resented their rule. In contrast, in ''VideoGame/WolfensteinIITheNewColossus'', a shockingly high proportion of the ordinary American citizenry seem supportive of the new Nazi government. Most of the Americans LaResistance convince to join them over the course of the game are people who were already outcasts even before the Nazis took over, such as Black Panthers and American Communists[[note]]though the ending seems to imply that Wyatt or Grace were able to convince more mainstream Americans to rise up against the Nazis[[/note]]. The games have at least a couple prominent [[AuthorTract Author Tracts]] stating that the Nazis and 1950's America [[NotSoDifferentRemark weren't so different]]. Also might be a case of CreatorProvincialism, given that the games were made by a Swedish studio and at the time ''Wolfenstein II'' was made the populist, democratically elected American government was notably more belligerent towards the Global Community than previous administrations.

Named after the uniform worn by the [[UsefulNotes/FascistItaly Italian fascists]] and by their [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Union_of_Fascists British imitators]]. [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]] did the same thing with brown shirted SA (who then fell out of favor and were purged by the black-clas SS after the Nazis took power, the SS were then favored by the regime until its end), and one American fascist movement wore silver shirts. A variety of other lesser-known fascist movements also copied this pattern of wearing a uniform with a specific color shirt that became the nickname of their followers, such as the blueshirts of the somehow even ''more'' ineffectual [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Fascists first attempt at British fascism]] and the greenshirts of the Romanian [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Guard Iron Guard]] (who like the Nazi brownshirts were [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness disposed of or fell out of favor once no longer useful to the fascist dictatorship]]). Needless to say, this trope is TruthInTelevision, since every distasteful ideology has always had followers, and of course, uniforms are a very easy way of enforcing conformity, as practically ''any'' organized group from store employees to the Boy Scouts to, y'know, ''armies'' can attest to.[[note]]This is '''''not''''' to equate any of these latter groups with any of the former, just in case [[ThatCameOutWrong that got interpreted poorly]].[[/note]] Just to make it confusing, black shirts are also a popular choice for [[LaResistance anti-fascist groups]].

Named after the uniform worn by the [[UsefulNotes/FascistItaly Italian fascists]] and by their [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Union_of_Fascists British imitators]]. [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany The Nazis]] did the same thing with brown shirted SA (who were replaced with the actually black-shirted SS after the Nazis actually took power and the brownshirts [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness had outlived their usefulness]]), and one American fascist movement wore silver shirts. A variety of other lesser-known fascist movements also copied this pattern of wearing a uniform with a specific color shirt that became the nickname of their followers, such as the blueshirts of the somehow even ''more'' ineffectual [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Fascists first attempt at British fascism]] and the greenshirts of the Romanian [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Guard Iron Guard]] (who like the Nazi brownshirts were [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness disposed of once no longer useful to the fascist dictatorship]]). Needless to say, this trope is TruthInTelevision, since every distasteful ideology has always had followers, and of course, uniforms are a very easy way of enforcing conformity, as practically ''any'' organized group from store employees to the Boy Scouts to, y'know, ''armies'' can attest to.[[note]]This is '''''not''''' to equate any of these latter groups with any of the former, just in case [[ThatCameOutWrong that got interpreted poorly]].[[/note]] Just to make it confusing, black shirts are also a popular choice for [[LaResistance anti-fascist groups]].

* ''Webcomic/{{MAG ISA}}'' -- [[http://mag-isa.thecomicseries.com/comics/pl/119615 The cult members wear black...]]

* The Greg Mandel trilogy by Creator/PeterFHamilton is set in a Britain recovering from a Communist dictatorship. The Blackshirts (officially the Peoples Constables) ironically supported the Communist government, while the Trinities were LaResistance who'd copied their tactics of violent political agitation. Both sides still exist as street gangs under the New Conservative government, with the Trinities secretly encouraged to eliminate the Blackshirts so they won't form their own resistance.

* The Greg Mandel trilogy by Creator/PeterFHamilton is set in a Britain recovering from a Communist dictatorship. The Blackshirts ironically supported the Communist government, while the Trinities were LaResistance who'd copied their tactics of violent political agitation. Both sides still exist as street gangs under the New Conservative government, with the Trinities secretly encouraged to eliminate the Blackshirts so they won't form their own resistance.

* Subverted in the music video for Music/{{Eminem}}'s "Mosh". Throughout the song, Eminem engages in a vicious diatribe against then-president UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush on a [[DramaticRain rain-soaked stage]]. This inspires scores of disaffected people to put on identical hooded sweatshirts, take to the streets, and fight through a police blockade... so they can line up at a voting station in an orderly fashion.

* In ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'', it was generally shown that the European populations the Nazis conquered almost universally resented their rule. In contrast, in ''VideoGame/WolfensteinIITheNewColossus'', a shockingly high proportion of the ordinary American citizenry seem supportive of the new Nazi government. Most of the Americans LaResistance convince to join them over the course of the game are people who were already outcasts even before the Nazis took over, such as Black Panthers and American Communists[[note]]though the ending seems to imply that Wyatt or Grace were able to convince more mainstream Americans to rise up against the Nazis[[/note]]. The games have at least a couple prominent [[AuthorTract Author Tracts]] stating that the Nazis and 1950's America were NotSoDifferent. Also might be a case of CreatorProvincialism, given that the games were made by a Swedish studio and at the time ''Wolfenstein II'' was made the populist, democratically elected American government was notably more belligerent towards the Global Community than previous administrations.

* The cult of Kira in ''Manga/DeathNote'', [[spoiler:who actually appear in the manga ''after'' Kira's defeated]]. Light also thought Matsuda was this. [[spoiler:Five bullets later, Light was no longer so sure.]]