History Main / ImpersonationGambit

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': In a rare VillainProtagonist case, [[spoiler:Shion]] [[MuggedForDisguise kidnaps and impersonates]] [[spoiler:[[ImpersonatingTheEvilTwin her twin sister]] Mion]] throughout [[spoiler:the second halves of ''Watanagashi-hen'' and ''Meakashi-hen''. She]] does this [[spoiler:[[MotivationalLie falsely believing]] [[WeUsedToBeFriends the latter was partly responsible for]] [[TheLostLenore her love interest Satoshi's disappearance]]; and [[LoveMakesYouEvil taking an opportunity]] [[ThisMeansWar to avenge him]]]]. However, [[spoiler:Shion's]] judgment is clouded by [[spoiler:Mion's position as their {{yakuza}} family's [[TheFavorite favorite]] and successor--[[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask which sometimes requires her to pose as]] DaddysLittleVillain--as well as by Shion's ''own'' position as the [[TheUnFavorite Un-Favorite]]; thus {{justif|ied trope}}ying her [[CainAndAbel Cain-and-Abel]] [[SiblingRivalry rivalry]]. After she [[SiblingMurder offs the "evil" twin]], her gambit {{invert|ed trope}}s as she reassumes her true identity, and becomes a DisguisedHostageGambit / FalseInnocenceTrick]].

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': In a rare VillainProtagonist case, [[spoiler:Shion]] [[MuggedForDisguise kidnaps and impersonates]] [[spoiler:[[ImpersonatingTheEvilTwin her twin sister]] Mion]] throughout [[spoiler:the second halves of ''Watanagashi-hen'' and ''Meakashi-hen''. She]] does this [[spoiler:[[MotivationalLie falsely believing]] [[WeUsedToBeFriends the latter was partly responsible for]] [[TheLostLenore her love interest Satoshi's disappearance]]; and [[LoveMakesYouEvil taking an opportunity]] [[ThisMeansWar to avenge him]]]]. However, [[spoiler:Shion's]] judgment is clouded by [[spoiler:Mion's position as their {{yakuza}} family's [[TheFavorite favorite]] and successor--[[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask which sometimes requires her to pose as]] DaddysLittleVillain--as well as by Shion's ''own'' position as the [[TheUnFavorite Un-Favorite]]; thus {{justif|ied trope}}ying her [[CainAndAbel Cain-and-Abel]] [[SiblingRivalry rivalry]]. Her impersonation continues even after [[SiblingMurder offing the "evil" twin]], with a WoundedGazelleGambit]].

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': In a rare VillainProtagonist case, [[spoiler:Shion]] kidnaps and impersonates [[spoiler:[[ImpersonatingTheEvilTwin her twin sister]] Mion]] throughout the second half of ''Meakashi-hen'', [[spoiler:falsely believing [[WeUsedToBeFriends the latter was partly responsible for]] [[TheLostLenore her love interest Satoshi's disappearance]]; and [[LoveMakesYouEvil taking an opportunity]] [[ThisMeansWar to avenge him]]. However, Shion's judgment is clouded by Mion's position as their {{yakuza}} family's [[TheFavorite favorite]] and successor, [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask which sometimes requires her to pose as]] DaddysLittleVillain--as well as by Shion's ''own'' position as the [[TheUnFavorite Un-Favorite]]--{{justif|ied trope}}ying her [[CainAndAbel Cain-and-Abel]] [[SiblingRivalry rivalry]]]].

* A [[InvertedTrope villainous inversion]] happens in the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' story, "Beneath the Viscoid", wherein [[VillainProtagonist the Master]] pretends to be [[TheHero the Doctor]] in order to fool a group of friendly aliens to help pull off his plan [[EvilVsEvil against the Daleks]].

* Done in ''Literature/{{Harald}}'', when [[TheDragon Mord]] hires [[HorseArcher Westkin]] mercenaries as soldiers to assassinate [[spoiler: King James]], [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness who has outlived his usefulness]], [[BadassGrandpa Harald]] gets his own Westkin allies to impersonate them.

* A [[InvertedTrope villainous inversion]] happens in the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' story, "Beneath the Viscoid", where [[VillainProtagonist the Master]] pretends to be [[TheHero the Doctor]] in order to fool a group of friendly aliens to help pull off his plan [[EvilVsEvil against the Daleks]].

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[[folder: Real Life ]]

* A villainous example occurs in the LordPeterWimsey short story "The Bibulous Business Of a Matter of Taste', where two Lord Peters show up to receive secret information from a person who then holds a wine-tasting to determine which is the real Lord Peter. [[spoiler: Neither are, but the real Lord Peter, there in disguise, is proven anyway.]]

'''Alexis Wilder:''' Yea *ahem, hum* Yes, that's correct.\\

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->'''Woman at ticket booth:''' You are... Cornelius Thorndyke and Ezra van Holt?
->'''Alexis Wilder:''' Yea *ahem, hum* Yes, that's correct.
->'''Woman:''' Yes, well, "Cornelius," I'm afraid these picture's don't--
->'''Alex:''' That's my morning face! Ezra here just had some work done, and that's "Mister Thorndyke" to ''you'', smartass.

* Done in almost all possible ways (from stolen uniforms to magical transformations) in the ''Literature/BlackCompany'' series. GambitPileup is the typical result.

->'''Woman:''' Yes, well, "Cornelius," I'm afraid these picture's don't-

* The Dark Brotherhood quest chain in ''{{Videogame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' requires you to murder and impersonate The Gourmet, Tamriel's greatest - and most secretive - chef, in order to get close to your ultimate target, [[spoiler:the emperor]]. It helps that no one actually knows what The Gourmet looks like (with the exception of the one guy you interrogated for The Gourmet's location, and subsequently killed to cover your tracks), so you can look and dress and act like anything you want.

* The Dark Brotherhood quest chain in ''{{Videogame/Skyrim}}'' requires you to murder and impersonate The Gourmet, Tamriel's greatest - and most secretive - chef, in order to get close to your ultimate target, [[spoiler:the emperor]]. It helps that no one actually knows what The Gourmet looks like (with the exception of the one guy you interrogated for The Gourmet's location, and subsequently killed to cover your tracks), so you can look and dress and act like anything you want.

* The Dark Brotherhood quest chain in ''Videogame/Skyrim'' requires you to murder and impersonate The Gourmet, Tamriel's greatest - and most secretive - chef, in order to get close to your ultimate target, [[spoiler:the emperor]]. It helps that no one actually knows what The Gourmet looks like (with the exception of the one guy you interrogated for The Gourmet's location, and subsequently killed to cover your tracks), so you can look and dress and act like anything you want.

For example, Bob is going to meet Alice to be given an evil plan to carry out. The hero, Charlie, catches up with Bob before he can meet with Alice. Since Alice and Bob have never met face to face, Charlie goes to the meeting point, pretending to be Bob. Charlie is attempting an Impersonation Gambit. If successful, he will take down Alice's organization, [[RuleOfDrama but this gambit doesn't always go as planned]].

* A villainous example occurs in the LordPeterWimsey short story "The Bibulous Business Of a Matter of Taste', where two Lord Peters show up to receive secret information from a person who then holds a wine-tasting to determine which is the real Lord Peter. [[spoiler: Neither are, but the real Lord Peter, there in disguise is found out anyway.]]

For example, Bob is going to meet Alice to be given an evil plan to carry out. The hero, Charlie, catches up with Bob before he can meet with Alice. Since Alice and Bob has never met face to face, Charlie goes to the meeting point, pretending to be Bob. Charlie is attempting an Impersonation Gambit. If successful, he will take down Alice's organization, [[RuleOfDrama but this gambit doesn't always go as planned]].

* Happened in an episode of the new ''KnightRider''.

* Done in ''{{Harald}}'', when [[TheDragon Mord]] hires [[HorseArcher Westkin]] mercenaries as soldiers to assassinate [[spoiler: King James]], [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness who has outlived his usefulness]], [[BadassGrandpa Harald]] gets his own Westkin allies to impersonate them.

* Happens a few times in JamesBond films.

* In ''{{Ultraviolet}}'' Violet impersonates a courier in order to get inside the Archminstry's headquarters and steal the weapon that will wipe out the hemophages.

* Done in almost all possible ways (from stolen uniforms to magical transformations) in the BlackCompany. GambitPileup is the typical result.
* ''TheExecutioner'' series. Mack Bolan would sometimes infiltrate Mafia organizations by masquerading as an elite hitman. He did so by displaying an ace of spades, which they used to identify themselves.
* Done in {{Harald}}, when [[TheDragon Mord]] hires [[HorseArcher Westkin]] mercenaries as soldiers to assassinate [[spoiler: King James]], [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness who has outlived his usefulness]], [[BadassGrandpa Harald]] gets his own Westkin allies to impersonate them.

* ''MissionImpossible''. This was sometimes used in IMF operations.

* [[HumanTarget Christopher Chance]] successfully pulls this off in "Taking Ames".

* ''{{Chuck}}'' pulls this off in "Chuck vs the Fake Name" by taking an assassins indentity to find out who the ring wants to kill.
** There was a similar plot in ''{{Monk}}''. Even more coincidental since one of the mobsters was played by the same actor who played a mobster in the that episode of ''{{Chuck}}''.

* In ''MetalGearSolid3'', [[spoiler: Eva isn't really your contact]].