History Main / FakeKing

* ''DragonQuestIII'' did it with the king of Samanao, who'd been replaced by a troll in disguise.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'', "The King's Demons"
* Sylar, the villain of ''[[{{Series/Heroes}} Heroes]]'', has attempted to TakeOverTheWorld by assuming the identity of the President of the United States. Twice!

* [[http://www.adventurers-comic.com/d/0253.html Parodied]] in ''{{Adventurers}}!'': Karn meets a chancellor and immediately defenestrates him, on the GenreSavvy assumption that he's been replaced by a monster. It turns out that was the real chancellor; the monster assigned to replace him was out sick.

Rarely seen in the same country as the EvilChancellor and rarely a FinalBoss -- though they can be a significant one -- a good, often beloved ruler or other authority figure has been replaced by a doppelganger of some kind with horribly evil intentions. The FakeKing exploits the country's people and resources to further his nefarious agenda. He often isn't very subtle, but you don't get much in the way of disobedience except from the heroes; everyone else just remarks on how the king is acting funny or has changed. The replacement usually happens before the story starts. It could be seen as the lazy way to become a VillainWithGoodPublicity, or for the EvilTwin to star in a TyrantTakesTheHelm story. Many RolePlayingGames use this setup and the inevitable exposure of the usurper and [[ReturnOfTheKing restoration of the real king]] as a rather forgettable FetchQuest. (For some reason, the usurper never takes the advice of the EvilOverlordList item quoted above and resorts to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just killing the king]] to really complicate the matter.)

* Yaridovich in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' takes this trope to its logical extreme: He replaced ''everyone in Seaside Town'', fooling exactly no one.

** [[FridgeLogic If you replaced EVERYONE, haven't you basically already won?]]

* ''DoctorWho'', "The King's Demons"

* PokemonGoldAndSilver[=/=]Crystal and their remakes (''[=HeartGold=]''/''[=SoulSilver=]'') also used this trope with Goldenrod Radio Tower's Director, being replaced by Team Rocket Executive Petrel in an attempt to get the Johto region to practically worship Team Rocket and Giovanni, it failed thanks to the player of course.

* ''{{Pokemon}} XD'' had six brothers impersonate the same person and the same time -- apparently unaware of the awkwardness of this situation.
* Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal and their remakes (Heart Gold/Soul Silver) also used this trope with Goldenrod Radio Tower's Director, being replaced by Team Rocket Executive Petrel in an attempt to get the Johto region to practically worship Team Rocket and Giovanni, it failed thanks to the player of course.

* [[http://www.adventurers-comic.com/d/0253.html Parodied]] in ''{{Adventurers}}!'': Karn immediately defenestrates the chancellor on the GenreSavvy (but incorrect) assumption that he's been replaced by a monster.
** To be fair, there was a monster all set to replace him, but he was late due to a cold.

* Yaridovich in ''SuperMarioRPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' takes this trope to its logical extreme: He replaced ''everyone in Seaside Town'', fooling exactly no one.

While this specific FakeKing plot is arguably a DeadHorseTrope in console [=RPGs=] by now, the general trope of replacing a good authority figure with an evil one through VoluntaryShapeshifting, possession, the existence of an EvilTwin, cloning, illusion magic, or some other form of AppliedPhlebotinum is considerably older and potentially more varied. The key points are that the authority figure is known as a real person and that he or she gets replaced by a look-alike who makes things worse -- a villain disguised as the king.

Rarely seen in the same country as the EvilChancellor and rarely a FinalBoss -- though they can be a significant one -- a good, often beloved ruler or other authority figure has been replaced by a doppelganger of some kind with horribly evil intentions. The FakeKing exploits the country's people and resources to further his nefarious agenda. He often isn't very subtle, but you don't get much in the way of disobedience except from the heroes; everyone else just remarks on how the king is acting funny or has changed. The replacement usually happens before the story starts. It could be seen as the lazy way to become a VillainWithGoodPublicity, or for the EvilTwin to star in a TyrantTakesTheHelm story. Many RolePlayingGames use this setup and the inevitable exposure of the usurper and [[ReturnOfTheKing restoration of the real king]] as a rather forgettable FetchQuest. (For some reason, the usurper never takes the advice of the EvilOverlordList item quoted above and resorts to WhyDontYouJustShootHim to really complicate the matter.)

->Fake King Plot: Oldest RPG subplot known. A town has a fake king that is really a monster, while the real king is [[ManInTheIronMask imprisoned]]. Sure signs you're dealing with a Fake King Plot are messages like [[NotHimself "The king has been acting strange lately"]].

* Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal and their remakes (HeartGold/SoulSilver) also used this trope with Goldenrod Radio Tower's Director, being replaced by Team Rocket Executive Petrel in an attempt to get the Johto region to practically worship Team Rocket and Giovanni, it failed thanks to the player of course.

* In the [[ArchiesSonicTheHedgehog Sonic The Hedgehog]] comics, during the "Endgame" StoryArc, [[BigBad Dr. Robotnik]] replaced King Max with a robot double as part of his plan to finally defeat the Freedom Fighters.

* In ''{{Lunar}}: The Silver Star'' and its remakes, the leader of the floating city of Vane, Lemia Ausa, is replaced by [[TheDragon Xenobia]], a servant of the Magic Emperor. The real Lemia is imprisoned in the dungeon with a mask that blocks her memories.

* ''BreathOfFire II'' features a variation on this. [[CloudCuckoolander Tapeta]] is the prince of Fort Nageur; unfortunately, he's shiftless, irresponsible and a hopeless romantic, and he's been abroad for quite some time (much of it spent [[BalefulPolymorph transformed into an even]] ''[[BalefulPolymorph bigger]]'' [[BalefulPolymorph frog]]). By the time he comes back as part of Ryu's party, an impostor has taken his place: said impostor claims that Tapeta is impersonating ''him'' and has him arrested.

** Again this trope turns up twice in ''DragonQuestIX'', the first with a moody girl in Bloomingvile [[spoiler: who happens to a doll effected by a Fygg who is replacing the dead girl.]] The second is with a viser to the king [[spoiler: who turns out to a Sluggernut from WoodCreek area effected by a Fygg.]]

** ''TwilightPrincess'' has this with the Goron Leader, who has been possessed by a Fused Shadow.

->Fake King Plot: Oldest RPG subplot known. A town has a fake king that is really a monster, while the real king is [[ManInTheIronMask imprisoned]]. Sure signs you're dealing with a Fake King Plot are messages like [[NotHimself "The king has been acting strange lately" or "The king hasn't been himself since ..."]]. References to this plot have even been found in primitive cave paintings. ''

->''My noble half-brother whose throne I usurped will be killed, not kept anonymously imprisoned in a forgotten cell of my dungeon.''
-->-- The EvilOverlordList, Rule #3

Rarely seen in the same country as the EvilChancellor and rarely a FinalBoss -- though they can be a significant one -- a good, often beloved ruler or other authority figure has been replaced by a doppelganger of some kind with horribly evil intentions. The FakeKing exploits the country's people and resources to further his nefarious agenda. He often isn't very subtle, but you don't get much in the way of disobedience except from the heroes; everyone else just remarks on how the king is acting funny or has changed. The replacement usually happens before the story starts. It could be seen as the lazy way to become a VillainWithGoodPublicity, or as the EvilTwin becoming TheUmbridge. Many RolePlayingGames use this setup and the inevitable exposure of the usurper and [[ReturnOfTheKing restoration of the real king]] as a rather forgettable FetchQuest. (For some reason, the usurper never takes the advice of the EvilOverlordList item quoted above and resorts to WhyDontYouJustShootHim to really complicate the matter.)

->'''''Fake King Plot'''. Oldest RPG subplot known. A town has a fake king that is really a monster, while the real king is [[ManInTheIronMask imprisoned]]. Sure signs you're dealing with a Fake King Plot are messages like [[NotHimself "The king has been acting strange lately" or "The king hasn't been himself since ..."]]. References to this plot have even been found in primitive cave paintings. ''
-->-- TheRPGClichesGame