History Main / TheConspiracy

* ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourneySaga'' series loves to have conspiracies for villains:

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* '''[[CovertGroup Group]]'''. The number of conspirators ranges from a dozens to thousands. Depending on the scale, the conspiracy may be between individuals or entire organizations. Some of them are ObviouslyEvil, some appear benevolent, some don't exist at all in the public eye. There may be an OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness, TheManBehindTheMan, a BigBad, TheDragon, TheMole, and tons of FacelessGoons among them. Conspiracy is like the [[HydraProblem Lernaean Hydra]]: every time a head is cut off, it just grows another.

** The first, more prominent conspiracy consists of [[spoiler:a group of high-profile medical experts and other people of interest, attempting to extend their lives by means of memory transfer to younger clone bodies. Due to the memory transfer requiring the clone to be a mature adult, most of these clones were raised as the conspirators' children, unaware of their true relationships. However, when the government threatens to pass major genome-registration legislation, the conspirators choose to kill off their clone "children" by stranding them in deep space to cover their tracks, thus setting the series' events in motion]]. Most of the plot, particularly in the later half, surrounds the protagonists uncovering this conspiracy during their voyage home [[spoiler:– while also contending with the fact that one member of their party is in on the conspiracy as well, acting as the adults' triggerman]].
** One of the above conspirators ([[spoiler:[[GovernmentConspiracy Noah Vix, the king of the district of Vixia]]]]) is also the current leader of a deeper conspiracy [[spoiler:concealing the world's true history. After devastating wars wiped out most of Earth's population prior to its emigration to Astra, the remaining population agreed to adopt measures meant to destroy and cover up the existence of the [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole technology]] that wrought such destruction, [[BenevolentConspiracy to prevent anything like the wars from happening again]]. However, this choice also required the population to agree to the narrative that humanity had always lived on Astra, turning back the calendar 100 years and falsely claiming that [[WorldWarIII World War III]] had occurred due to the [[UsefulNotes/HistoryOfTheColdWar Cuban Missile Crisis]] going hot to cover for the discrepancies in development and population on the new planet. By the time of the series' events, most people who remember the existence of Earth are dead, and education on pre-1963 history is deliberately limited or discouraged to help sell the narrative. Although these efforts did achieve peace, the protagonists agree that the population deserves to know the truth after learning the full history from Charce, choosing to expose it upon their return home]].
* The less known thing about Creator/BeeTrain's ''GirlsWithGuns'' trilogy is that in addition to playing into three distinct action movie genres (see {{Trivia.BeeTrain}}), they also each center on a different type of conspiracy:

* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' has the Millennium Organization, a group of Nazi scientists that was thought to be wiped out by Hellsing but some of whom escaped out of Europe into Brazil in the aftermath of [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WWII]]. Their purpose was to develop a means of [[BioAugmentation engineering vampires]] and build an army of them. To what end? Why, [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]] of course. A large portion of their funding came from the Vatican, although we're not quite sure why. In the years leading up to the main plot of the story, they periodically released groups of [[OurZombiesAreDifferent ghouls]] as a covert way of testing the defences of the Hellsing Organization and the world in general, as well as keeping them occupied until the moment came to unleash their undead army on the world.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': [[spoiler:[[AncientConspiracy Hundreds of years prior to the story]], the BigBad [[GovernmentConspiracy founded the country of Amestris]] to further his plan. All of the highest ranking officials in the government are in on it. They're so far along in their plans that even when the protagonists figure out what's going on, they can't do anything about it, and the only reason they aren't killed is because [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou they're needed for the plan]].]]

* The Franchise/MarvelUniverse two-issue limited series, ''Conspiracy'', revolves around an IntrepidReporter investigating a mysterious group called "Control". The investigation eventually leads him to General Edward Harrison from ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'', who explains that in the wake of the attack by the alien monster Gormuu (as originally told via flashback in ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' #271), Reed Richards proposed a scientific think tank addressing fantastical crises, and the military implemented it as a means to control and manipulate everything, from [[ReedRichardsIsUseless the use and influence of revolutionary discoveries]] to {{superhero origin}}s. Soon after the revelation, the reporter meets ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}'s Dum-Dum Dugan, who explains that Harrison is actually a nutcase who's been using his Black Ops resources to make his claims convincing. The comic leaves it ambiguous over who's telling the truth, as it ends just as the reporter meets an acquaintance before he heads to the abandoned mansion of one of the think tank's members.

* In ''HHB''-era ''[[Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia Narnia]]'' fanfiction In ''FanFic/TheFledglingYear'', the prince’s entourage gets caught up in a conspiracy by a group called the Finii, whose goal seems to be to systematically kill off the royal line of Archenland in order to put a distant cousin on the throne. (The fic is still a WIP, so it’s not yet fully developed.)
* One of the driving plots in ''[[Fanfic/TheNuptialverse Families]]'' is a conspiracy by corrupt noble [[VillainWithGoodPublicity Olive Branch]] to use his media resources to discredit Princess Celestia, playing off of the public's fear after the Changeling invasion to eventually gain enough support to overthrow her. [[spoiler: As it turns out, he didn't really care about her position, he was just trying to get into a position to force her to [[ImmortalitySeeker give him immortality]].]]
* ''Fanfic/JewelOfDarkness'': One of the major components of the MythArc is the existence of the White Glove, a group with definite negative vibes that is so far reaching that its leader, the "Good Man", can walk in and out of the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} Watchtower whenever he wants. [[spoiler: Jinx is their [[TheMole mole]] on the Titans, albeit one who is BecomingTheMask.]]
* In ''Fanfic/AColdCalculus'' Euphie, Cornelia and Schneizel are aware of the Geass Directorate's existence, but not their true nature, and have been secretly cooperating to smooth things out in the Empire, oust their father and put a stop to the Directorate. We're clued into this when Euphie brings Milly into it. [[spoiler:Heinrich Stadtfeld, in turn, knows about ''their'' conspiracy [[ForensicAccounting when a money trail he followed led him to]] [[NuclearOption the Damocles]].]]
* In '''Fanfic/{{Marionettes}}'' there's [[TheMenInBlack S.M.I.L.E., also known as the Stallions in Black]] who [[spoiler:seek to enforce the fate that they believe should happen, building the Marionettes]] and performing brainwashing innocent civilians to accomplish that goal. [[spoiler:It turns out they were originally a BenevolentConspiracy founded by Celestia to safeguard Equestria, especially from ''her'' in the event she fell to darkness like her sister had, and be a HeroSecretService for Equestria's heroes. Unfortunately, since then they've become more and more corrupt until they became what they are now.]]

* ''Fanfic/YetAgainWithALittleExtraHelp'': Much like everything else in this fic, PlayedForLaughs. [[spoiler:It's implied that the RunningGag of Konoha's religious reverence of the NinjaLog is actually a plot started by the Senju Brothers, aided by their student Sarutobi, to claim the entire world in the name of the Log, who is an actually deity or some other worldly being]].
* The ''[[Fanfic/AManOfIron A Song of Metal and Marvels]]'' series has one revealed in Chapter 38 of ''A Crack of Thunder'': [[spoiler: Fury reveals that [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness the Council]] switched Rhaegar's son Aegon with another baby and smuggled him to safety in Essos, and planned to send Jon there too upon his birth, so that they could be raised together and eventually retake the Iron Throne. Unfortunately for them, the Rebellion triumphed and Ned arrived at the Tower of Joy sooner than they expected, leading to Jon being taken to Winterfell; worse, Aegon died before his second nameday, leaving the whole plan to fall apart]].
* ''[[Fanfic/TheMasksWeWearTeenTitans The Masks We Wear]]'' has The Court of Owls, the criminal cabal from Gotham City that many think are just a nursery rhyme to scare children. They want to expand into Jump City, bringing them into conflict with both the Teen Titans and Slade.
* ''Fanfic/ForTheGloryOfIrk'': The protagonists eventually realize that something mysterious is going on within the Irken Empire, as Irkens are disappearing and/or carrying out acts unsanctioned by the Tallest. As it turns out, [[spoiler: [[AIIsACrapshoot the Control Brains]] are brainwashing Irkens in order to manipulate events towards a war with [[TheFederation the Syndicate]], which will force the Tallest to activate a protocol that will allow the Brains to fuse all Irkens into a HiveMind that [[ZerothLawRebellion they can control]]]].

[[folder:Films — Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'': [[spoiler: The reason why predators are going savage is because a group of racist sheep led by [[BitchInSheepsClothing Assistant Mayor Dawn Bellwether]] created a PsychoSerum and sniped innocent predators with it. The ultimate goal is for [[FantasticRacism the prey vs. predator tensions]] in Zootopia to be stoked up to such a high level that the prey species (who collectively make up 90% of the population) will unite against the predator species and ensure that Bellwether will remain in power.]]

[[folder:Films — Live Action]]
* ''Film/Amsterdam2022'': The film centers on one by a mysterious group called the Committee of Five who want to convert the US into a fascist dictatorship by recruiting the popular General Gil Dillenbeck to rally World War One veterans and take power. It was based on the real Business Plot.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': Since the comics contain a few of these, the MCU has collected several over the course of the franchise:
** [[NebulousEvilOrganization HYDRA]], first introduced in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' as a wing of the [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi Party]] during WWII, returns to antagonize the heroes in entries like ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' and ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' as a shadowy conspiracy. This also applies to SHIELD (whose forerunners, the Strategic Scientific Reserve, were also introduced in ''The First Avenger''), which is more of a BenevolentConspiracy and the ArchEnemy of HYDRA. However, SHIELD is often shown to have its own flaws and, not unlike HYDRA, has also been dubiously manipulating world events by, among other things, surreptitiously monitoring and attempting to control superhumans and extraterrestrial elements. Indeed, in ''The Winter Soldier'', SHIELD's unfortunate [[NotSODifferentRemark similarities]] to HYDRA is what convinces Captain America to [[spoiler:insist on SHIELD being destroyed along with HYDRA after the latter is shown to have been secretly growing within the former since the Red Skull's defeat in ''The First Avenger''.]]
** The Red Room turns out to be another one in ''Film/BlackWidow2021'', an {{Interquel}} set between ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''. Having been established in previous Avengers films as the NebulousEvilOrganization that trained Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and other young women as assassins, its leader, [[DiabolicalMastermind General Dreykov]], reveals here that the Red Room has brainwashed Widow assassins [[WeAreEverywhere embedded in every country]] on the planet, allowing them to instigate disasters and catastrophes anywhere for their own profit with the push of a button.
** As revealed in ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'', the Ten Rings itself. First introduced in ''Film/IronMan'' as a terrorist organization, it turns out that it is actually an AncientConspiracy lead by Xu Wenwu, the immortal ArchnemesisDad of Shawn/Shang Chi and the "real" Mandarin, as opposed to the false one created by [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Aldrich Killian]] in ''Film/IronMan3'' (not that Wenwu actually adopted that name himself). It's also revealed that the previous iterations of the Ten Rings confronted by Tony Stark in the ''Iron Man'' films were actually unrelated organizations which were allowed to use the Ten Rings' name for their own ends.
* ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'': Following the destruction of the Klingon moon of Praxis, the Klingon Empire sues the Federation for peace. However, not everyone agrees with such an idea, specifically [[spoiler: Federation Admiral Cartwright, and Klingon General Chang]], who believe that such a peace between them could only be resolved with a war of superiority. Thus, they, and several other conspirators (such as [[spoiler: Valeris, Spock's new protege]]), work to undermine the peace talks by making it seem that the [[FantasticRacism bigoted]] Captain Kirk attacked and killed Chancellor Gorkon, then plan to assassinate the Federation President. Said conspiracy might have worked had it not been for the natural curiosity of [[TheSpock Spock]], who was able to help unravel it and ensure peace would occur.

%%* ''Literature/TheIlluminatusTrilogy'', the original ConspiracyKitchenSink novel.
%%* In the novel ''Literature/SpocksWorld'', a group of Vulcans have been stirring up the planet to secession.
* In ''Literature/CatGirlsHaveFourEars'' there are many conspiracies. Some of the conspiring factions appear to know of each other, but they don't seem aware of all the players involved. Dr. Jarvie seems involved in at least two different conspiracies, one having to do with controlling the city, the other some scheme to pacify unruly elements to disrupt another unrelated conspiracy. His cat-girl manufacturing scheme involves an entirely different black-market conspiracy against a rival cat-girl manufacturer. All that may or may not be interconnected. Meanwhile, the BigBad of the story is conspiring to undermine society with the help of some terrorist group. The entire existence of [=UPPs=] is directed against his conspiracy. Beyond that, things get murky.

* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': There are several, all working to fight [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Desolation]] in their own way, even if that means [[WeAREStrugglingTogether fighting each other, too]].

** And then there's the group that [[spoiler:Shallan's mother]] belonged to. We don't see much of them, but we know that they believe the Radiants were evil and will kill any Surgebinder they see. They might be connected to Nale's Skybreakers, but it is unclear.

* ''Literature/TheWitches'' by Creator/RoaldDahl has a secret society of {{wicked witch}}es whose ultimate goal is to kill all children on Earth.

** In the 1967 series episode "[[Recap/Dragnet1967S1E02TheBigExplosion The Big Explosion]]" two Neo-nazis engage in a conspiracy to blow up a school that was recently integrated.
** Then in "Administrative Vice DR 29" the DirtyCop Chris Drucker and 25 of his associates are all charged with conspiracy. Drucker is sent to prison for 1 to 14 years, while the others were sentenced to jail and probation.

* ''Series/{{Scandal}}'': It's not yet clear what the nature of this is, but a large part of Season Two's backstory seems to involve one [[spoiler: including Olivia, First Lady Mellie Grant, Cyrus Beene, Hollis Doyle, and Justice Verna Thornton. The conspiracy resulted in throwing the election to get Grant elected, but he appears to be unaware of it, and the depths appear to go much further than that. Quinn's framing appears to have been related to this conspiracy, and it probably is what resulted in her former office being firebombed. Hollis seems to be the Token Evil Teammate; it is not clear how malicious or how implicated the other members are, but it has been stated that their actions would get them locked up for the rest of their lives. We know Olivia generally has good intentions, but it is possible that she is The Atoner for actions in her past]].
* The Masons in ''Series/DancingOnTheEdge'' are presumably involved with all sorts of conspiracies but they're efforts to frame [[spoiler: Louie]] for [[spoiler: Jessie's murder]] deserve particular notice as they are able to do things like fake passport stamps thanks to their government ties.

** A group called the Neolutionists [[spoiler: created the clones, monitor them and run tests on them. Known members are Olivier, Dr. Leekie, and Delphine.]]
** A group of religious fanatics called the Proletheans [[spoiler: are hunting and killing the clones. This group includes Maggie Chen and Tomas and they used Helena as their assassin.]]
* ''{{Series/Extant}}'': Of the group variety, involving both the ISEA and its parent company, Yasumoto Corporation.
* ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'': Fred was part of one that led to Gilead's creation. It's a group, while their exact size is unknown. He proposed they commit false flag attacks on the Congress, President and Supreme Court. This was agreed to, and they succeeded.

* In ''Podcast/AliceIsntDead,'' the CharacterNarrator learns that her missing wife Alice was actively [[ConspiracyTheorist investigating]] a multi-group conspiracy with vague aims before her disappearance, gathering information on three mysterious parties: The Cumberland Project, Vector H, and Bay & Creek Shipping. The discovery of her scattered notes prompts the Narrator to involve herself more directly, going so far as to get hired as a [[IntrepidMerchant long haul trucker]] by [[CovertGroupWithMundaneFront Bay & Creek Shipping]], in hopes of locating her missing wife. However, agents of the Conspiracy, including a cannibalistic HumanoidAbomination, don't much care for her meddling, and its heavily implied that the Conspiracy causes or contributes to seemingly random deaths, disasters and paranormal activity, with tacit approval from at least ''some'' [[TheBadGuysAreCops officials]].
* ''Podcast/UnwellPodcast'' has the Delphic Order.

** Firewall, a "heroic" (well, anti-heroic) conspiracy that does not work for any government or criminal organization, and is devoted to the survival of transhumanity at all costs. Though there's also Project Ozma, [[spoiler: SETI turned MIB]]. Oh, and Firewall is descended from a fusion of three real world groups [[spoiler: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JASON_%28advisory_group%29 JASON]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_Foundation Lifeboat Foundation]], and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_Institute_for_Artificial_Intelligence Singularity Institute]]]]
** There's also Project Ozma, their somewhat less ethical rivals who work for the [[OneNationUnderCopyright Planetary Consortium]], and [[spoiler: are descended from SETI]].
%%* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Illuminati'' is a resource for conspiracy-related games in general.%%How?

* ''TabletopGame/NightsBlackAgents'': The Premise is that the players are all ex-spies who have discovered a conspiracy controlled by vampires. The exact nature of said conspiracy and of the vampires themselves is determined by the GM.

* ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourney'' series loves to have conspiracies for villains:
** The original game had the AncientConspiracy of the Vanguard, a twelve thousand years old {{cult}} led by [[spoiler:a [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien DraicKin]]]] and aiming to forcibly reunite the [[CyberPunk technological world]] of Stark and the magical {{Arcadia}}, disregarding the enormous risks to both worlds' existence.
** ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'' had Project Alchera, a CorporateConspiracy by the top executives and researchers of the Japanese toy manufacturer [=WATIcorp=] to develop and spread MindControl technology disguised as lucid dream toys. Unfortunately, none of them had any idea that there was an entire world of magic that used the same wavelengths as the project. The central AI latched on in curiosity and suddenly [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom instant chaos, test subjects manifest in Arcadia, two worlds in danger, etc.]].

* ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' and its follow up games (''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'', ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', and ''VideoGame/DeusExMankindDivided'') have these in spades.

%%* Suburban Redevelopment Fund in ''VideoGame/LANoire''. Should go under Corporate Conspiracy.
* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' is starting to show shades of this regarding to the [[TheGovernment U.S. Government]].
* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'': The Knights Templar have been [[AncientConspiracy trying for centuries]] to control the world. At some point they decided the best way to do this was from [[GovernmentConspiracy behind the scenes]]. ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' then reveals that [[spoiler:Juno has been manipulating humanity from ''before recorded history'' so that she could blackmail Desmond into bringing her back to rule over humanity. To this end, she did this entirely through prerecorded messages left where certain people would find them. And she did it without the entirely ''benevolent'' first civilization conspirators noticing.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', being a ConspiracyKitchenSink, has plenty of these. The player character joins one of three possibly-benevolent ones early in the game, who are currently in an EnemyMine situation due to the impending EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* The [[BigBad Institute]] of ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' indirectly controls most of the Commonwealth through proxies and Synth agents who operate behind the scenes. They don't take a direct hand in running the place, but any time someone starts getting too technologically advanced and/or organised, the Institute will smother them in the crib before they can grow to become a threat to their power. [[spoiler:As was the case with the original Commonwealth Minutemen. The Institute also have a nasty habit of monopolizing usage of pre-war technology by sending an army of Synths to where it can be found and massacre anybody around to prevent them ever finding out what it is.]]

* ''VideoGame/CriminalCase'':
** ''VideoGame/CriminalCaseGrimsborough'' has [[spoiler:the Crimson Order, an AncientConspiracy]] that has been controlling Grimsborough from the shadows for centuries, and many, ''many'' important figures in the city are revealed to be part of them, including [[spoiler:the chief of police]].
** ''VideoGame/CriminalCaseWorldEdition'' has SOMBRA, a NebulousCriminalConspiracy with cells all over the world that serve as the main threat of the whole story. Curiously, there's ''also'' an AncientConspiracy among their ranks in the form of the Promethian Cult, who have been active for centuries and their newest incarnation functions as SOMBRA's European branch.
** ''VideoGame/CriminalCaseTheConspiracy'' features two interconnected conspiracies: the CorporateConspiracy of [[EvilInc DreamLife]] that [[spoiler:seeks to manufacture a FantasticDrug capable of brainwashing and controlling people ''and'' a serum to create a race of superhumans]], and the CovertGroup of [[spoiler:Ad Astra]], [[TheManBehindTheMan who are behind]] [=DreamLife=] in the first place.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Website/TheWanderersLibrary has a [[http://wanderers-library.wikidot.com/a-brief-history-of-stairs hilariously petty one]]. For a long time in the world of Elrich, elevators were the only method of going up. When stairs were invented, they posed a threat to the livelihood of the Elra Architectural Sub-Union, which made elevators. In order to discredit stairs, they loosen one step that the king will be going up. He falls to his death, thus making sure no one will use stairs again.

* ''The Church of the SubGenius'' blames pretty much everything wrong with the world on "The CONSPIRACY" (which is apparently [[FunWithAcronyms an acronym]] for "Cliques of Normals Secretly Planning Insidious Rituals Aimed at Controlling You").

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Sexual Healing", there is a vast conspiracy between all men in the world to keep a secret from all women in the world. That secret is... that AllMenArePerverts. All those rich and famous men who sleep with lots of women, possibly cheating on their girlfriend/wife in the process? They're suffering from the horrible disease of sex addiction, which was caused by [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot an alien who is also a wizard]] casting a spell on them. [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial It's totally]] ''[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial not]]'' [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial because guys are horndogs and would screw any and all willing women if they had the sheer number of opportunities that rich and famous men have]]. Honest. Whenever any man claims that ''they'' would never do such a thing even ''if'' they were rich and famous, all the men's eyes briefly glance at the closest woman in the room, checking to see if she believed the lie.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy", the kids are at first happy that there are no adults around, but then they begin to wonder what is exactly going on with them. They eventually come up with a theory that the Rand Corporation, the saucer people, and reverse vampires are trying get rid of dinnertime by forcing the adults to go to bed early. In a DeletedScene, Ralph shows up and reveals that he hid in a closet and found out that the adults are actually having sex. After a {{beat}}, Bart claims that the adults having sex is part of a [[Film/TheMolePeople mole people]] plot.
* The season 5 finale of ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' reveals the Central Finite Curve first mentioned in "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" to be this. In essence, the Ricks of the Citadel have spent god knows how long manipulating events so that Beth and Jerry meet and produce Morty, then cloning Mortys over and over again to create a never-ending supply of human shields and yes-men. And the reason they're able to get away with this is because they ''walled off an infinite corner of the Multiverse where they're the smartest person in the universe from the rest of the Multiverse where they're not''.

* '''Villainous'''. The conspiracy always plays an antagonistic role to the heroic protagonists. If a conspiracy isn't evil, it's an AncientTradition and is discussed elsewhere.

-->-- ''Series/BurnNotice'', "Long Way Back"

** ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'' had Project Alchera, a GovernmentConspiracy (actually, a [[CorporateConspiracy corporate]] one, but [[OneNationUnderCopyright corporations ARE the world government in the setting]]) by [[spoiler:the top executives and researchers of the Japanese toy manufacturer [=WATIcorp=]]] to develop and spread MindControl technology disguised as lucid dream toys. Unfortunately, none of them had any idea that there was an entire world of magic that used the same wavelengths as the project. The central AI latched on in curiosity and suddenly [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom instant chaos, test subjects manifest in Arcadia, two worlds in danger, etc.]].

* ''TabletopGame/EclipsePhase'' has Firewall, a "heroic" (well, anti-heroic) conspiracy that does not work for any government or criminal organization, and is devoted to the survival of transhumanity at all costs. Though there's also Project Ozma, [[spoiler: SETI turned MIB]].
** Oh, and Firewall is descended from a fusion of three real world groups [[spoiler: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JASON_%28advisory_group%29 JASON]], the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_Foundation Lifeboat Foundation]], and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_Institute_for_Artificial_Intelligence Singularity Institute]]]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Illuminati'' is an invaluable resource for conspiracy-related games in general.
* The premise of ''TabletopGame/NightsBlackAgents'' is that the players are all ex-spies who have discovered a conspiracy controlled by vampires. The exact nature of said conspiracy and of the vampires themselves is determined by the GM.

For this reason, education on pre-1963 history remains limited in the series' world, and only the higher Astran nobility (descended from the founders of the corporation that facilitated the exodus of Earth) know the full truth – at least, until the protagonists expose it upon their return home.]]

** The first, more prominent conspiracy consists of [[spoiler:a group of high-profile medical experts and other people of interest, attempting to extend their lives by means of memory transfer to younger clone bodies. Due to the memory transfer requiring the clone to be a mature adult, most of these clones were raised as the conspirators' children, unaware of their true relationships. However, when the government threatens to pass major genome-registration legislation, the conspirators choose to kill off their clone "children" by stranding them in deep space to cover their tracks, thus setting the series' events in motion]]. Most of the plot, particularly in the later half, surrounds the protagonists uncovering this conspiracy during their voyage home [[spoiler:– while also contending with the fact that one member of their party is in on the conspiracy as well, acting as the adults' triggerman.]]
** The second conspiracy involves [[spoiler:a [[GovernmentConspiracy government cover-up]] of the world's history. In the mid-21st century, an oncoming extinction event forced humanity to evacuate Earth to a nearby inhabitable planet, Astra – but not before devastating wars for control of the new world and its resources wiped out the majority of Earth's population. [[BenevolentConspiracy Determined never to let this happen again]], the new population of Astra agreed to the installation of a unified worldwide government and the destruction of all records related to the [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole technology]] that enabled such a large scale of destruction. However, because the exodus of Earth would be unexplainable without wormholes, the government instead enforced the claim that humanity had always lived on Astra, turning back the calendar 100 years to cover for the degree of development on the planet at the time of their institution and claiming that [[WorldWarIII World War III]] had occurred due to the [[UsefulNotes/HistoryOfTheColdWar Cuban Missile Crisis]] going hot to explain the reduced population. For this reason, education on pre-1963 history remains limited in the series' world, and only the higher Astran nobility (descended from the founders of the corporation that facilitated the exodus of Earth) know the full truth – at least, until the protagonists expose it upon their return home.]]

** The first, more prominent conspiracy surrounds the incident that gets the school group of protagonists stranded in deep space in the first place. Investigating the matter in between their efforts to ensure their survival on their trip home, the students correctly deduce that [[spoiler:they were deliberately brought together in a targeted group assassination attempt. This is because all of them are actually [[CloningBlues clones produced as part of a body-surfing rejuvenation scheme]] by their genetic "parents" (many of whom also posed as their biological parents), which was threatened to be exposed by impending genome-registration legislation. Furthermore, one among their number is in on the conspiracy, and is helping execute the assassination with the full awareness that they will die as well.]]

** The second conspiracy involves [[spoiler:a [[GovernmentConspiracy government cover-up]] of the world's history. In the mid-21st century, an oncoming extinction event forced humanity to evacuate Earth to a nearby inhabitable planet, Astra – but not before devastating wars for control of the new world and its resources wiped out the majority of Earth's population. [[BenevolentConspiracy Determined never to let this happen again]], the new population of Astra agreed to the installation of a unified worldwide government and the destruction of all records related to the [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole technology]] that enabled such a large scale of destruction. However, because the exodus of Earth would be unexplainable without wormholes, the government instead enforced the claim that humanity had always lived on Astra, turning back the calendar 100 years to cover for the degree of development on the planet at the time of their institution and claiming that [[WorldWarIII World War III]] had occurred due to [[UsefulNotes/TheCubanMissileCrisis The Cuban Missile Crisis]] going hot to explain the reduced population. For this reason, education on pre-1963 history remains limited in the series' world, and only the higher Astran nobility (descended from the founders of the corporation that facilitated the exodus of Earth) know the full truth – at least, until the protagonists expose it upon their return home.]]

** The Red Room turns out to be one in ''Film/BlackWidow2021'', an {{Interquel}} set between ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''. Having been previously established in prior Avengers films as the malevolent organization that trained Natasha Romanoff and other young women as assassins, its leader, [[DiabolicalMastermind General Dreykov]], reveals here that the Red Room has brainwashed Widow assassins [[WeAreEverywhere embedded in every country]] on the planet, allowing them to instigate disasters and catastrophes anywhere for their own profit with the push of a button.

** As revealed in ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'', the Ten Rings itself. First introduced in ''Film/IronMan'' as a terrorist organization, it turns out that it is actually an AncientConspiracy lead by Xu Wenwu, the immortal ArchnemisisDad of Shawn/Shang Chi and the "real" Mandarin. It's also revealed that the previous iterations of the Ten Rings confronted by Tony Stark in ''Iron Man'' and ''Film/IronMan3'' were actually unrelated organizations which were allowed to use the Ten Rings' name for their own ends.

** In ''Film/BlackWidow'', [[BigBad Dreykov]] reveals to Natasha that the Red Room's Widow operatives are [[WeAreEverywhere embedded in every country]] on the planet, allowing him to instigate disasters and catastrophes anywhere he wants.

* ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'': Following the destruction of the Klingon moon of Praxis, the Klingon Empire sues the Federation for peace. However, not everyone agrees with such an idea, specifically [[spoiler: Federation Admiral Cartwright, and Klingon General Chang]], who believe that such a peace between them could only be resolved with a war of superiority. Thus, they, and several other conspirators (such as [[spoiler: Valeris, Spock's new protege]]), work to undermine the peace talks by making it seem that the [[FantasticRacism bigoted]] Captain Kirk attacked and killed Chancellor Gorkon, then plan to assassinate the Federation President. Said conspiracy might have worked had it not been for the natural curiosity of [[TheSpock Spock]], who was able to help unravel it and ensure peace would occur.

* The Franchise/MarvelUniverse two-issue limited series, ''Conspiracy'', revolves around an IntrepidReporter investigating a mysterious group called "Control". The investigation eventually leads him to General Edward Harrison from ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'', who explains that in the wake of the attack by the alien monster Gormuu (as originally told via flashback in ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' #271), [[ComicBook/MisterFantastic Reed Richards]] proposed a scientific think tank addressing fantastical crises, and the military implemented it as a means to control and manipulate everything, from [[ReedRichardsIsUseless the use and influence of revolutionary discoveries]] to {{Super Hero Origin}}s. Soon after the revelation, the reporter meets ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}'s Dum-Dum Dugan, who explains that Harrison is actually a nutcase who's been using his Black Ops resources to make his claims convincing. The comic leaves it ambiguous over who's telling the truth, as it ends just as the reporter meets an acquaintance before he heads to the abandoned mansion of one of the think tank's members.

* '''GovernmentConspiracy''': A secret project uniting a small number of members of a powerful but otherwise benevolent organization, usually but not necessarily TheGovernment (hence the name). The project can hardly be older than the government itself. Their power comes from their [[CovertGroupWithMundaneFront Front Organization]]'s resources and the trust that {{Muggles}} put into it.

* ''Franchise/Dragnet'': A number of episodes end with criminals facing charges for conspiracy.

* In ''Literature/CatGirlsHaveFourEars'' there are many conspiracies. Some of the conspiring factions appear to know of each other, but they don't seem aware of all the players involved. Dr. Jarvie seems involved in at least two different conspiracies, one having to do with controlling the city, the other some scheme to pacify unruly elements to disrupt another unrelated conspiracy. His cat-girl manufacturing scheme involves an entirely different black market conspiracy against a rival cat-girl manufacturer. All that may or may not be interconnected. Meanwhile, the BigBad of the story is conspiring to undermine society with the help of some terrorist group. The entire existence of UPPs is directed against his conspiracy. Beyond that, things get murky.

Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment applies when dealing with RealLife conspiracies, since almost all ''known'' conspiracies are not fully declassified, and may be documented in subjective/political bias. All we can say for sure is that there ''have'' been conspiracies and some have been uncovered over the ages.

Multiple concurrent conspiracies form a ConspiracyKitchenSink. A character doing research on conspiracies is a ConspiracyTheorist. See also MilkmanConspiracy and PathOfInspiration (aka ConspiracyReligion).

* '''BenevolentConspiracy''': An organization that acts like a conspiracy in many ways, but works for the benefit of the non-conspirators (thereby averting/inverting two of the four criteria of the basic definition above).

** ''Anime/{{Noir}}'' pits the protagonists against a {{cult}}-like AncientConspiracy of [[GratuitousFrench Les Soldats]], a secret society formed (probably) by the [[TheHeretic Cathar]] survivors after the [[KillEmAll Albigensian Crusade]] to oppose the rule of the [[TheChurch Roman Catholic Church]]. Their ([[spoiler:or rather, Altena's]]) EvilPlan, ''Le Grand Retour'', involves reverting the Western society to [[TheMiddleAges Medieval]] norms.

* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'': The Knights Templar have been [[AncientConspiracy trying for centuries]] to control the world. At some point they decided the best way to do this was from [[GovernmentConspiracy behind the scenes]].
** [[spoiler: And on a truly epic scale, ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' reveals that Juno has been manipulating humanity from ''before recorded history'' so that she could blackmail Desmond into bringing her back to rule over humanity. Just to be clear, she did this entirely through prerecorded messages left where certain people would find them. And she did it without the entirely ''benevolent'' first civilization conspirators noticing.]]

* Wiki/TheWanderersLibrary has a [[http://wanderers-library.wikidot.com/a-brief-history-of-stairs hilariously petty one]]. For a long time in the world of Elrich, elevators were the only method of going up. When stairs were invented, they posed a threat to the livelihood of the Elra Architectural Sub-Union, which made elevators. In order to discredit stairs, they loosen one step that the king will be going up. He falls to his death, thus making sure no one will use stairs again.