History Main / Expy

* Some of WebVideo/MLLanzillotta's characters count. She often refers to Tallulah the Flapper as a cross between Tallulah Bankhead and Agatha Runcible from [[Creator/EvelynWaugh Waugh's]] ''Literature/VileBodies''.
* The two main characters from ''Lonely and Horny,'' Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld's SpiritualSuccessor to popular ''Website/CollegeHumor'' series ''WebVideo/JakeAndAmir,'' bear a clear resemblance to [[TheDanza the fictional versions of Jake and Amir]] from that series. Blumenfeld's character, Ruby Jade, has a similar personality to the fictional Amir and is similarly a HeroWorshipper of Hurwitz's character, Josh Rice (Amir's dating "guru" rather than his coworker).

* Jschlatt's ''WebVideo/SMPLive'' character is heavily based on Sips from the [[WebVideo/YogscastMinecraftSeries Yogscast]], with Schlatt & Co. being clearly modeled after [=SipsCo=].

Compare to BleachedUnderpants, RomanAClef, SimilarSquad, SameStoryDifferentNames, SuspiciouslySimilarSong, DistaffCounterpart, JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarStories, EvilCounterpart, WholePlotReference, WritingAroundTrademarks and ProductDisplacement.

** ''Roleplay/Bay12SwordArtOnlineRP'': Shiina and Tzoushi are expies of [[LightNovel/SwordArtOnline Sachi and Klein]] respectively. The {{Irony}} in Shiina is that she has almost the opposite personality to her base, despite [[CaptainErsatz sharing her appearance]].

* ''WebAnimation/FoxysFamily'': Plushtrap is one to Lorca from ''WesternAnimaiton/DragonTales'' since both are bound to a wheelchair and are both extremely talented.

* Many of the characters from ''ARG/WelcomeHome'' are clearly inspired by characters from ''Series/SesameStreet'' and/or ''Franchise/TheMuppets''—the fictional production company behind the show is even called [[Creator/SesameWorkshop "The Playfellow Workshop"]].

** Many of the Greek gods themselves have origins in earlier religions. Aphrodite is a clear Expy of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, who herself is an Expy of the Sumerian Inanna.

* The Website/{{Deviantart}} group ''Website/EarthG'' is made of these who are DC superhero expies.
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''Literature/TheLayOfPaulTwister''. WordOfGod says that Paul was originally conceived as "essentially the Anti-[[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]].
* Astholm on Website/NationStates ''appears'' to be an expy of Scotland; or at least, Nottinghamshire, but it's all DependingOnTheAuthor, what with it being a HousePseudonym and all.

Compare to BleachedUnderpants, RomanAClef, SimilarSquad, SameStoryDifferentNames, SuspiciouslySimilarSong, DistaffCounterpart, JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarStories, EvilCounterpart, WholePlotReference, WritingAroundTrademarks and ProductDisplacement. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[ExperiencePoints XP]], nor [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows XP]].

* The Art/StatueOfLiberty was likened by Emma Lazarus (who was indirectly involved in Lady Liberty's creation) to a modern version of the [[UsefulNotes/SevenWondersOfTheWorld Colossus of Rhodes]]. With one major difference: the Greek Colossus commemorates defense against conquest, while Lady Liberty is depicted as a guardian standing by the Golden Door welcoming people to the New World. Incidentally, the Statue of Liberty has outlasted the original Colossus, [[BrieferThanTheyThink which stood for only 54 years]].

This can simply be the tendency of writers to prefer certain characterizations for important characters (or [[FollowTheLeader knowing which ones are most marketable/popular]]), or the influence of the design process. On the other hand, it may just be a [[WriterOnBoard bad attempt]] to try to revive a character who [[CreatorsPet the writer liked, but nobody else did]] and [[ShooOutTheNewGuy had to get rid of it]]. When by a different author, it may be an {{homage}} to the original creator and/or character or because the author did not have the rights to use the work and wanted to avoid copyright or trademark infringement issues. In the negative sense, an expy can be seen as just a bloated, gimmicky version of a perfectly serviceable past character. In a positive sense, it can refer to an "upgrade" of a two-dimensional or otherwise limited character to one more appreciably complex.

Also, note the insistent use of singular pronouns when referring to the Expy's inspiration in this page's description. This is because an Expy is '''based on ''one'' character'''. If a character borrows traits from multiple other characters, then the influence of each source of inspiration is diluted to the point where it doesn't count as this trope anymore.

* ''Music/ClamaviDeProfundis'': The demon who temporarily takes over Hammerdeep in "Boic Bravesoul" before he's driven away is clearly inspired by the Balrog from The Lord of the Rings, being an ancient, fiery, horned monster who lives deep beneath the earth and brings ruin to the dwarves when their mining breaches its lair.
* Music/NickiMinaj's Roman Zolanski alter-ego is clearly very similar to Music/{{Eminem}}'s alter-ego Slim Shady, but given more of a fairytale feel with a fantasy high-class British background (highlighted in Eminem's guest verse on "Roman's Revenge" - "''high class meets white trash''"). In particular, both alter egos have an overbearing abusive mother who tries to control their child through sinister means, but where Shady's mother is a villain (and a frequent victim of his violence), Martha is a more sympathetic and campy character who can't cure her son's monstrousness, but is usually able to placate him. (In fact, Martha's so strong she's even able to subdue Slim and get him sent to a boarding school in Russia!)

* In the early days of ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'' and ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'', each was accused of copying the other -- a rage-filled video reviewer who critiques children's media. They had a crossover feud, each did a review in the other's style and have remained friends in real life, and each has evolved their character over the years so they are more distinct from each other.

->''"The one in back,\\

-->-- '''Music/TheyMightBeGiants''', "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsDWl3xDMOU Certain People]]"

%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!

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%% Before adding examples, check the guidelines in the Expy cleanup thread (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13983140170A37263400) and make sure your example fits the criteria to qualify as an Expy. Don't just list minor or coincidental similarities. Also, explain why the character is an Expy - don't just say "X is an expy of Y" and leave it at that.
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Compare to BleachedUnderpants, NamesTheSame, RomanAClef, SimilarSquad, SameStoryDifferentNames, SuspiciouslySimilarSong, DistaffCounterpart, JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarStories, EvilCounterpart, WholePlotReference, WritingAroundTrademarks and ProductDisplacement. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[ExperiencePoints XP]], nor [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows XP]].

* Expy/WebComics

The [[CanonicalListOfSubtleTropeDistinctions key difference]] between this and CaptainErsatz is that an Expy uses the other character as a starting point before ''going in their own direction,'' while CaptainErsatz is obviously the same character but with the SerialNumbersFiledOff. Please keep this distinction in mind before adding an example here. Also note that a fictional counterpart to a real-life person would be either NoCelebritiesWereHarmed, NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed, or a ShoutOut, depending on the intent. A quick glance around Wiki/TVTropes will reveal just how often these mistakes are made on this very wiki.

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%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!

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%% Before adding examples, check the guidelines in the Expy cleanup thread (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13983140170A37263400) and make sure your example fits the criteria to qualify as an Expy. Don't just list minor or coincidental similarities. Also, explain why the character is an Expy - don't just say "X is an expy of Y" and leave it at that.
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* ''WebAnimation/ObjectOppose'': and boy does this show run on this trope. Most of the characters are expys of other popular object shows such as Taoism and Baseball being ones to [[WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity Yin-Yang and Baseball]] and Leaf being one to [[WebAnimation/BattleForDreamIsland Leafy]]. Even some of the episode plots are parallel to other object shows like "The Puzzled Path" being similar to [[WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity "Mazed and Confused"]].In spite of all that, Object Oppose still manages to stand out as its own show.