Line #23 PlayingWith/TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf


1	'''Basic Trope''': A reflective surface (most commonly a [[MirrorTropes Mirror]]) reveals the ShapeShifter's [[GlamourFailure true identity]].
2	* '''Straight''': Alice doesn't realize that Bob is a TricksterGod until she notices that his reflection looks like [[FaunsAndSatyrs a Satyr]].
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** Alice doesn't realize that Bob is an [[HumanoidAbomination Avatar of Nyarlathothep]] until she glimpses his reflection in a puddle of water and goes [[GoMadFromTheRevelation hopelessly insane]].
5	** Alice's mirror [[FlockOfWolves reveals that Bob, Charlie, Diana and everyone else she knows are monsters]] and that she's [[LockedOutOfTheLoop the only normal human in the bunch]].
6	* '''Downplayed''':
7	** Alice notices that Bob's reflection has a pair of [[HornedHumanoid horns]]. Bob [[GenreSavvy starts wearing a hat]], which nets him a free pass in most day-to-day situations.
8	** Bob's reflection looks exactly like he does... until Alice notices that it's not reversed like everyone else's.
9	* '''Justified''':
10	** Bob is a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampire]] with a [[WeaksauceWeakness weakness]] to silver, which won't even deign to reflect him. However, his reflection appears normal on any non-silver surface.
11	** Bob is a MasterOfIllusion whose magic [[SlidingScaleOfRealisticVersusFantastic directly manipulates the perception centers within his victims' brains]]. However, as the effect is purely [[PsychicPowers psychic]] and he is neither an actual ShapeShifter nor actually changing either sound reverberation or light refraction, he cannot affect anything that displays reality objectively. Mirrors, [[PowerEchoes sound echoes]], [[MagicalCamera audio/video recordings]] and [[ShapeshifterBaggage deep footprints]] are still reliable giveaways and Bob actively avoids leaving any of these.
12	** The [[MagicMirror mirror is enchanted]] to [[TrueSight show the true nature of anything reflected in it]].
13	* '''Inverted''':
14	** Bob is a normal human, but his reflection always looks monstrous.
15	** Bob is a [[OurMonstersAreDifferent monster]], but his reflection always looks human [[MindScrew for some odd reason]].
16	** [[Literature/TheSnowQueen The mirror reflects (and magnifies) Bob's worst qualities]]. For example, if he's a {{Jerkass}}, the mirror shows him as a CompleteMonster.
17	** Alice has taken over Bob's body. She thinks of herself as Alice, and thus we see her that way on screen, but her reflection shows Bob because that's the physical body she's wearing.
18	* '''Subverted''': Alice sees the true form of Bob, but remarks that it's obvious to anyone who knows Bob.
19	* '''Double Subverted''': But then she notices that Bob not only looks older, but also hides a tail that she didn't know about before.
20	* '''Parodied''': Shapeshifter Bob steps into a roomful of Funhouse Mirrors. HilarityEnsues.
21	* '''Zig Zagged''': Bob is non-human of some nasty race, polymorphed into human and forced to live in human society. Alice knows that her mirror causes GlamourFailure and tries it out on Bob, but the mirror shows him in human form. Later, she discovers the truth from a different source and decides that Bob isn't acting human anymore, but became one.
22	* '''Averted''': Bob's actual appearance perfectly matches his reflection, or the mirror's reflection is always inaccurate.
23	* '''Enforced''': The writers want to [[TraitorShot reveal Bob's true identity]] [[DramaticIrony to the viewer and not to Alice]]. His demonic reflection is there [[RuleOfPerception for their sake and does not (presumably) appear so in-universe]].
24	* '''Lampshaded''': "People say I've got a nice face. [[TimeAbyss I never knew how right they were until they invented the photograph.]]"
25	* '''Invoked''': [[WickedWitch Alice]] placed [[TheWoobie Bob]] under a [[ThePunishment curse]], condemning him to be [[LonersAreFreaks alone]] [[DyingAlone forever]]. [[YankTheDogsChain How long can a friend/co-worker/business partner/neighbor/lover go without seeing his reflection or meeting someone else who has?]]
26	* '''Exploited''': Alice is out to expose Bob to the world, so she makes sure to carry at least three mirrors with her at all times.
27	* '''Defied''': Bob studies and labors long and hard until he can craft a spell to ensure that his reflections look perfectly fine.
28	* '''Discussed''': "Funny how a guy as vain as Bob doesn't have a mirror in his bathroom or bedroom..."
29	* '''Conversed''': "How did Dracula get away with it for so long? Wouldn't [[OminousOperaCape someone see a disembodied opera cape walking around in the mirror]] and start asking questions?"
30	* '''Deconstructed''': Bob has a pathological (but entirely justified) aversion to mirrors. His would-be dupes become suspicious at his odd behavior and strange choice of meeting places, causing otherwise airtight gambits to [[DidntThinkThisThrough fail spectacularly]].
31	* '''Reconstructed''': Alice, however, [[WrongGenreSavvy decides that Bob just has a strange phobia]] and kindly tells Bob that she'll do her best to avoid his triggers. [[AffablyEvil Bob offers his deepest thanks]] and coyly asks [[HaveYouToldAnyoneElse if she's told anyone else]]...
32	* '''Played For Laughs''': Bob's reflection [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack has a life of its own]] and [[CannotTellALie cheerfully reveals]] [[TalkativeLoon Bob's every thought]].
33	* '''Played For Drama''': Alice seeing Bob's true form is a massive DramaBomb that triggers a GenreShift for the remainder of the story.
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35	Back to TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf
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37	%%* '''Implied''': ???

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