History Main / CorruptedCharacterCopy

* The Spot from ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'' is one to ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}. Both are the result of science experiments gone awry, have a relationship with Spider-Man, walk a fine line between eccentric and crazy and can see beyond the scope of their worlds (Deadpool breaks the fourth wall, the Spot can access the Multiverse). While Deadpool has very loose morals, he's at least on friendly terms with Peter Parker, while the Spot demands to be taken seriously as an arch-enemy to Miles Morales.

** ''CorruptedCharacterCopy/TheVentureBrothers''

* ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'': Brittany is a combination of ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (specifically [[Characters/SupergirlTheCharacter the Kara Zor-El version]], since she's the cousin of the comic's resident SupermanSubstitute Omegaman along with being blonde) and ComicBook/SheHulk ([[SuperhumanTransfusion she obtains her powers after a blood transfusion from her cousin]]). But unlike the both of them, who are heroic figures who use their abilities for good, Brittany is an AlphaBitch who uses her powers for her own selfish desires.

Contrast VirtuousCharacterCopy, where the {{Expy}} is far more likable and moral than the character their based on. This trope is most prevalent in {{Superhero}} fiction, with Franchise/{{Superman}} himself being the most common target, thus BewareTheSuperman is very closely related. Examples that don't capture the character they're supposed to be "corrupting" very well may overlap with ShallowParody. This may be one reason for KnockingTheKnockoff; the character will likely find this twisted version of themselves [[EvilMeScaresMe horrifying]] or infuriating.

* ''WesternAnimation/RubyGillmanTeenageKraken'': From the moment the first trailer was released, Chelsea was immediately recognized as a warped parody of Ariel from ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'', especially given how the film is set to be released just months after [[Film/TheLittleMermaid2023 Disney's live-action remake of that film]]. Like Ariel, Chelsea is a beautiful, redheaded mermaid, and as such her classmates see her as an AllLovingHero. ''Unlike'' Ariel, who really is as kind and pure-hearted as she appears, Chelsea is a vain, selfish, and cruel AlphaBitch who plots to destroy Ruby's life by exposing the fact that she's a kraken in disguise, with mermaids in general presented as [[VillainWithGoodPublicity Villains with Good Publicity]].

** Volume 9 introduces Alyx, an {{Expy}} of Literature/{{Alice|s Adventures In Wonderland}}, who wrote her own adaptation of her adventure in [[TheWonderland the Ever After]]. Though InUniverse, her character is marked with AlternativeCharacterInterpretation, with Yang seeing her as a mean girl that lied and cheated to reach her goals while Weiss sees her as someone that did what it took to get back home. It's then revealed by [[spoiler:an older Jaune, AKA the Rusted Knight]] that Alyx was ''much'' worse. [[spoiler:The real Alyx was selfish and [[LackOfEmpathy uncaring towards others]], even her own brother Lewis. And after the visit with the Herbalist (who attempts to "fix" people of their conditions), she became far more paranoid and ruthless, poisoning Jaune and doing whatever it takes to get home. Jaune even suspects that Alyx sacrificed Lewis so she can get back to Remnant, while ommitting his existence when she wrote her own accounts of her adventure]].

** 2018 had a Film/{{Ch|ildsPlay}}ucky themed Scarezone called ''Revenge of Chucky'' that was flooded with creepy corrupted parodies of 80's kids toys. Amongst the childhood ruining theme park, you'd see a [[https://halloweenhorrornights.fandom.com/wiki/Jemburnt-faced]] WesternAnimation/{{Jem}} or a [[https://halloweenhorrornights.fandom.com/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Girl menacing Cabbage Patch Kid]] holding a bloody knife, while people get torn apart in giant [[https://halloweenhorrornights.fandom.com/wiki/Monkeys_in_a_Barrel Barrel of Monkeys]] and [[https://halloweenhorrornights.fandom.com/wiki/Operation_Victim Operation]] playsets.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen}}'': [[spoiler:Hans is obviously based on PrinceCharming of ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}'' as well other Creator/{{Disney}} princes like [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Phillip]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Eric]] etc. However, instead of being a genuine NiceGuy who falls in love with the princess of the film Anna, he's instead a ManipulativeBastard who cruelly deconstructs the LoveAtFirstSight staple of Disney, having really exploited Anna's loneliness and DesperatelyCravesAffection emotions to get a shot at the throne and is happy to let Anna die and actively try and kill her sister Elsa. Hans is also a bit of a [[TruthInTelevision reality check]] by subverting the idealistic qualities of the dashing prince archetype and reflecting how truly [[TheEvilPrince flawed and sociopathic]] most UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}an princes/royals of that era actually were, especially given how the [[Literature/AFrozenHeart tie-in novel]] explains that Hans has been conditioned by his abusive father to want [[MightMakesRight power and entitlement]] from childhood]].

** 2018 had a Film/{{Ch|ildsPlay}}ucky themed Scarezone called ''Revenge of Chucky'' that was flooded with creepy corrupted parodies of 80's kids toys. Amongst the childhood ruining theme park, you'd see a [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/halloweenhorrornights/images/b/b8/Jem_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20190703014229 burnt-faced]] WesternAnimation/{{Jem}} or a [[https://halloweenhorrornights.fandom.com/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Girl menacing Cabbage Patch Kid]] holding a bloody knife, while people get torn apart in giant [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/halloweenhorrornights/images/4/4c/Revenge_of_Chucky_JC_4.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20210327023854 Barrel of Monkeys]] and [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/halloweenhorrornights/images/d/d8/Revenge_of_Chucky_JC_1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20210327023825 Operation]] playsets.

** Hal Stewart, Roxanne's cameraman, begins the story as an {{expy}} of [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]], being a geeky redheaded everyman who works with the leading lady covering the exploits of the local FlyingBrick superhero. But whereas Jimmy usually gets portrayed as an endearing, helpful NiceGuy who legitimately wants to do the right thing, Hal comes off as creepy even before he becomes a supervillain and only tries to act as a superhero to impress Roxanne, to whose affection he [[EntitledToHaveYou feels entitled]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'': The villainous Burger Beard is basically an evil [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Jack Sparrow]].

* ''WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity'': Taco appears to be a clone of [[WebAnimation/BattleForDreamIsland Rocky]], with both being armless {{cloudcuckoolander}}s with a tendency to engage in projectile vomiting and being regarded as TooQuirkyToLose. Rocky is exactly as oblivious and silly as he looks, while on the other hand, Taco shows signs of [[spoiler:and is eventually revealed to have been]] [[ObfuscatingInsanity pretending to be insane]] to fish for sympathy.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen}}'': [[spoiler:Hans is obviously based on PrinceCharming of WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}} as well other Creator/{{Disney}} princes like [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Phillip]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Eric]] etc. However, instead of being a genuine NiceGuy who falls in love with the princess of the film Anna, he's instead a ManipulativeBastard who cruelly deconstructs the LoveAtFirstSight staple of Disney, having really exploited Anna's loneliness and DesperatelyCravesAffection emotions to get a shot at the throne and is happy to let Anna die and actively try and kill her sister Elsa. Hans is also a bit of a [[TruthInTelevision reality check]] by subverting the idealistic qualities of the dashing prince archetype and reflecting how truly [[TheEvilPrince flawed and sociopathic]] most UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}an princes/royals of that era actually were, especially given how the [[Literature/AFrozenHeart tie-in novel]] explains that Hans has been conditioned by his abusive father to want [[MightMakesRight power and entitlement]] from childhood]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen}}'': [[spoiler:Hans is obviously based on PrinceCharming of Disney/{{Cinderella}} as well other Disney princes like [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Phillip]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Eric]] etc. However instead of being a genuine NiceGuy who falls in love the princess of the film Anna, he’s instead a ManipulativeBastard who cruelly deconstructs the LoveAtFirstSight staple of Disney having really exploited Anna loneliness and DesperatelyCravesAffection emotions to get a shot at the throne and is happy to let Anna die and actively try and kill her sister Elsa. Hans is also a bit of a [[TruthInTelevision reality check]] by subverting the idealistic qualities of the dashing prince archetype and reflecting how truly [[TheEvilPrince flawed and sociopathic]] most European princes/royals of that era actually were, especially given how tie-in novel explains Hans has been conditioned by his abusive father to want [[MightMakesRight power and entitlement]] from childhood.]]

** Hal Stewart, Roxanne's cameraman, begins the story as an expy of [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]], being a geeky redheaded everyman who works with the leading lady covering the exploits of the local FlyingBrick superhero. But whereas Jimmy usually gets portrayed as an endearing, helpful NiceGuy who legitimately wants to do the right thing, Hal comes off as creepy even before he becomes a supervillain and only tries to act as a superhero to impress Roxanne, to whose affection he [[EntitledToHaveYou feels entitled]].

** Cohen the Barbarian is an AffectionateParody of the most famous BarbarianHero [[Literature/ConanTheBarbarian Conan]] with the {{Hunk}} macho cool guy qualities being heavily subverted as Cohen is instead a gross and skinny old man (it’s inferred he used be an traditionally Arnie-type warrior but age has caught up with him) and unlike Conan he’s far more greedy and overtly selfish though still incredibly badass having a century of honed skills. Cohen does become more likeable in later books however and genuinely loves and supports his daughter Conina.

** Cohen the Barbarian is an AffectionateParody of the most famous BarbarianHero [[Literature/ConanTheBarbarian Conan]] with {{Hunk}} macho cool guy qualities being heavily subverted as Cohen is instead a gross and skinny old man (it’s inferred he used be an traditionally Arnie-type warrior but age has caught up with him) and unlike Conan he’s far more greedy and overtly selfish though still incredibly badass having a century of honed skills. Cohen does become more likeable in later books however and genuinely loves and supports his daughter Conina.

* The ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' franchise lives and breathes off of this. With the exceptions of [[WesternAnimation/Shrek1 Lord Farquad]] and [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish The Wolf]], [[spoiler: aka, [[TheGrimReaper Death]]]], just about every villain in the series is a corrupted version of a classic fairy tale character. [[WesternAnimation/Shrek2 The]] FairyGodmother is portrayed as a sleazy manipulator who only seeks the throne, PrinceCharming [[WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird is]] portrayed as a RoyalBrat and a DirtyCoward, [[WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter Rumplestiltskin]] is portrayed as an evil wizard who tricks people into giving him what he wants, [[WesternAnimation/PussInBoots Jack and Jill]] are portrayed as menacing thugs, and [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish Big Jack Horner]] is just a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who isn’t afraid to kill his own men. [[WesternAnimation/PussInBoots Humpty Dumpty]] and [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish Goldilocks]], while still technically villains, are portrayed in a more sympathetic light.

* The ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' franchise lives and breathes off of this. With the exceptions of [[WesternAnimation/Shrek1 Lord Farquad]] and [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish The Wolf,]] [[spoiler: aka, [[TheGrimReaper Death]]]], just about every villain in the series is a corrupted version of a classic fairy tale character. [[WesternAnimation/Shrek2 The]] FairyGodmother is portrayed as a sleazy manipulator who only seeks the throne, PrinceCharming [[WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird is]] portrayed as a RoyalBrat and a DirtyCoward, [[WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter Rumplestiltskin]] is portrayed as an evil wizard who tricks people into giving him what he wants, [[WesternAnimation/PussInBoots Jack and Jill]] are portrayed as menacing thugs, and [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish Big Jack Horner]] is just a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who isn’t afraid to kill his own men. [[WesternAnimation/PussInBoots Humpty Dumpty]] and [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish Goldilocks]], while still technically villains, are portrayed in a more sympathetic light.

* King Candy from ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' is an evil {{expy}} of the Mad Hatter from ''WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland'', complete with an Creator/EdWynn-style voice provided by his voice actor, Creator/AlanTudyk. Both are kooky, old-fashioned-style figures connected with food (tea in the Mad Hatter's case, candy in King Candy's) and also known for their interactions with the young female protagonist. However, while the Mad Hatter isn't particularly helpful to Alice, he isn't really harmful either, being just another individual she meets in Wonderland. King Candy tries to hunt down Vanellope (a homeless nine-year-old) so she can't race, because [[spoiler: it would reveal him as Turbo, who stole her position and is responsible for her being a glitch.]]

* [[PhysicalGod The Watchers]] from ''Literature/TheArtsOfDarkAndLight'' are this to the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Valar]] from ''Literature/TolkiensLegendarium''. Like the Valar they are immortal beings with powers beyond the younger races who were once worshipped by humans as gods; and chose to stay behind and watch over the physical world while the rest of their kind moved on to the celestial realm. Their description of being "like in form to Men and Elves", and being their "teachers and chieftains" in the earliest times are almost word-for-word copied from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''. However, while the Valar are BenevolentPrecursors who love the younger races; the Watchers have grown to hate the mortal world and want to follow the rest of their kind to the higher planes. They secretly control powerful institutions from behind the scenes and every five hundred years when the gate to the higher realms opens up they wage massively destructive wars with armies of mortal followers to take control of it.

** [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] is an intentional {{Expy}} of Literature/{{Cinderella}}, where abuse turned her villainous and her "[[BigBad fairy godmother]]" empowers that evil. [[spoiler:Cinder shares Cinderella's background of abusive slavery within a wicked step-family, and a "Prince Charming" who tries to rescue her. The caveat is that her "Prince Charming"'s intervention requires her to endure years of abuse while he trains her to obtain a legal escape only when she's old enough. She eventually snaps, murdering her family and then her "Prince Charming" for trying to arrest her.]]
** [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] is an {{Expy}} of Prince Adam, the titular Beast from ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''. Like the Beast, Adam is in a relationship with [[Characters/RWBYBlakeBelladonna Blake Belladonna]], who serves as his Belle by being a BadassBookworm, and he's the head of the White Fang, a rebellion group of Faunus who've been wronged by humanity, akin to the Beast's servants being cursed alongside him. Unlike the Beast, however, Adam is a complete terrorist who not only sees his troops as [[WeHaveReserves expendable]], instead of how the Beast cared for his servants, but he views Blake as little more than an item who he feels he's {{entitled to have|you}}, much like how Gaston acts.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'': Brittany is a combination of ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} (specifically [[Characters/SupergirlTheCharacter the Kara Zor-El version]], since she's the cousin of the comic's resident SupermanSubstitute Omegaman along with being blonde) and ComicBook/SheHulk ([[SuperhumanTransfusion she obtains her powers after a blood transfusion from her cousin]]). But unlike the both of them, who are heroic figures who use their abilities for good, Brittany is an AlphaBitch who uses her powers for her own selfish desires.
[[/folder]]

* Hot Topic's retired mascot Sweetypuss bears a significant resemblance to Franchise/HelloKitty due to being a white kitten with a red bow on her head, but instead of being amiable and sweet, she's psychotic and rude, behaving more like fellow Jim Benton creation [[Advertising/ItsHoppyBunny Hoppy Bunny]].

* Hot Topic's retired mascot Sweetypuss bears a significant resemblance to Franchise/HelloKitty due to being a white kitten with a red bow on her head, but instead of being amiable and sweet, she's psychotic and rude.

[[caption-width-right:350:On the left, the superhero ComicBook/{{Superman}}.[softreturn] On the right, the super "hero" [[ComicBook/TheBoys Homelander]].]]

* ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'': Brittany is a combination of Characters/{{Supergirl|TheCharacter}} (being the cousin of the comic's resident SupermanSubstitute Omegaman, along with being blonde) and ComicBook/SheHulk ([[SuperhumanTransfusion she obtains her powers after a blood transfusion from her cousin]]). But unlike the both of them, who are heroic figures who use their abilities for good, Brittany is an AlphaBitch who uses her powers for her own selfish desires.

** Esmeralda, for [[Franchise/HarryPotter Albus Dumbledore]]. More specifically, she ends up something of a CompositeCharacter between Dumbledore and Severus Snape, being both the respected head of a prestigious magic academy and [[spoiler:in love with the mother of the main protagonist]] (though [[DecompositeCharacter Darius Grenville takes of Severus' nastier personality traits]]). But while Albus and Severus did everything in their power to protect Lily and her family, [[spoiler:Esmeralda is the one [[YouKilledMyMother who killed Chloe]] and left Oliver without a mom growing up]]. Additionally, Severus' love for Lily is portrayed as true and selfless, and he's penant over accidentally causing her death, while Esmeralda intentionally kills the woman she loves and proves herself just as rotten as her co-conspirators.

* ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': Professor Darius Grenville draws clear inspiration from ''Franchise/HarryPotter''[='s=] Severus Snape: tall, slim, shoulder-length black hair, SadistTeacher of alchemy at a WizardingSchool who covets another position (swordmaster rather than Defense Against the Dark Arts), and has a backstory connection to the main character's mother. Except rather than trying to save her from the BigBad and failing, [[spoiler:[[YouKilledMyFather he helped murder her]]]]. He also has a habit of helping promising students along in their academic research so he can [[PlagiarismInFiction plagiarize it]], [[spoiler:and is [[RasputinianDeath torturously killed]] at the end of the first volume, having succeeded only in solidifying Oliver Horn's resolve to kill his mother's other six murderers]].
* Ren from ''Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' is very obviously based on Kirito from ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', being a dark-haired, sword-wielding hero who has NoSocialSkills, prefers soloing, is stoic and serious, dresses in black, and is even introduced to the story playing a VRMMO called ''Brave Star Online''. To drive the point home, in the anime he's also voiced by Creator/YoshitsuguMatsuoka, Kirito's Japanese voice actor. However, the way he's written points out several glaring flaws in Kirito's character, as Ren is essentially what Kirito would be like if he didn’t bother the learn the systems of the world he’s in and never opened up to others or learned to work with other people, instead relying on raw force to get the job done.