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More about Watchmen
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** In the end, Nite Owl and Rorschach discover what Ozymandias is up to, but when they (along with Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre) confront him with the evidence, he reveals that his plot has averted World War III, and the others can't ever reveal what they know without jeopardizing the peace and possibly bringing about the destruction of all life on Earth. They are forced to help him cover up his crimes. It's also implied that Nite Owl and Rorschach only found out the truth because Ozymandias had left the evidence for them to find on his office computer, protected only by a very weak password (and a user interface that actually ''told'' them when they had a partial match and encouraged them to keep guessing). By luring them to his Antarctic headquarters while Ozymandias's masterstroke was being carried out in New York, he ensured that they couldn't interfere with it (and, in fact, didn't even know about it until after it was completed).
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** The Comedian's murder had already left Rorschach wondering whether someone was "gunning for masks" (i.e., planning to kill all the active and retired superheroes). When Dr. Manhattan leaves Earth, Rorschach recognizes that he was framed, and becomes ''convinced'' that a mask-killer is at work. He's wrong, but Ozymandias decides to encourage Rorschach's belief by making ''himself'' the next target. Through intermediaries, he hired an assassin to kill Ozymandias, then evades the attack, disarms the assassin, and kills him in a way that makes it look like the assassin committed suicide. This not only convinces Nite Owl and the other characters that Rorschach is right, but also puts Ozymandias himself beyond suspicion. Later, Ozymandias contrives to have Rorschach arrested under circumstance that make it look like ''he'' might be the mask-killer.
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** The Comedian's murder had already left Rorschach wondering whether someone was "gunning for masks" (i.e., planning to kill all the active and retired superheroes). When Dr. Manhattan leaves Earth, Rorschach recognizes that he was framed, and becomes ''convinced'' that a mask-killer is at work. He's wrong, but Ozymandias decides to encourage Rorschach's belief by making ''himself'' the next target. Through intermediaries, he hired hires an assassin to kill Ozymandias, him, then evades the attack, disarms the assassin, and kills him in a way that makes it look looks like the assassin committed suicide. This not only convinces Nite Owl and the other characters that Rorschach is right, but also puts Ozymandias himself beyond suspicion. Later, Ozymandias contrives to have Rorschach arrested under circumstance circumstances that make it look like ''he'' might ''him'' appear to be the mask-killer.
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Watchmen
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* In ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', Ozymandias needs super-powerful Doctor Manhattan out of the picture in order to carry out his evil plan. To accomplish this, Ozymandias connives to put Doctor Manhattan on a television talk show, where the angry audience accuses him of causing cancer. This predictably (?) drives Manhattan to abandon humankind by faffing off to Mars.
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* In ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'':
** Ozymandias needs super-powerfulDoctor Dr. Manhattan out of the picture in order to carry out his evil plan. To accomplish this, Ozymandias connives to put Doctor Manhattan induce cancer in several of Manhattan's associates, then arranges for him to appear on a live television talk show, show where a journalist will ambush him with the angry audience accuses him accusation of causing cancer. having ''caused'' the cancers. This predictably (?) drives Manhattan (whose emotional connection to abandon humankind humanity had been weakening for years) to decide that life on Earth isn't worth the hassle and teleport to Mars.
** The Comedian's murder had already left Rorschach wondering whether someone was "gunning for masks" (i.e., planning to kill all the active and retired superheroes). When Dr. Manhattan leaves Earth, Rorschach recognizes that he was framed, and becomes ''convinced'' that a mask-killer is at work. He's wrong, but Ozymandias decides to encourage Rorschach's belief byfaffing off making ''himself'' the next target. Through intermediaries, he hired an assassin to Mars.kill Ozymandias, then evades the attack, disarms the assassin, and kills him in a way that makes it look like the assassin committed suicide. This not only convinces Nite Owl and the other characters that Rorschach is right, but also puts Ozymandias himself beyond suspicion. Later, Ozymandias contrives to have Rorschach arrested under circumstance that make it look like ''he'' might be the mask-killer.
** Ozymandias needs super-powerful
** The Comedian's murder had already left Rorschach wondering whether someone was "gunning for masks" (i.e., planning to kill all the active and retired superheroes). When Dr. Manhattan leaves Earth, Rorschach recognizes that he was framed, and becomes ''convinced'' that a mask-killer is at work. He's wrong, but Ozymandias decides to encourage Rorschach's belief by
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* In [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel's]] ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', it is revealed that Merlyn arranged the formation of Excalibur and manipulated many subsequent events (including faking his own death), in order to ultimately prevent the collapse of Merlyn's Energy Matrix and destroy Merlyn's former teacher Necrom.
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* In [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel's]] ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', it is revealed that Merlyn arranged the formation of Excalibur and manipulated many subsequent events (including faking his own death), in order to ultimately prevent the collapse of Merlyn's Energy Matrix and destroy Merlyn's former teacher Necrom.[[OmnicidalManiac Necrom]]. [[spoiler:The gambit is only half-successful: while Necrom ''is'' destroyed, Captain Britain and Meggan create a feedback loop in the Energy Matrix and destroy it, greatly reducing Merlyn's power.]]
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* Franchise/{{Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
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* Franchise/{{Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
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* In ''ComicBook/HelOnEarth'', [[WellIntentionedExtremist H'el]] was counting on {{Superboy}} to destroy most of his [[TimeMachine Star Chamber]] because he was actually destroying the fueling station for his ship and freed his ship from its launchpad, helping H'el in his plan to ressurect Krypton at the expense of Earth.
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* In ''ComicBook/HelOnEarth'', [[WellIntentionedExtremist H'el]] was counting on {{Superboy}} ComicBook/{{Superboy}} to destroy most of his [[TimeMachine Star Chamber]] because he was actually destroying the fueling station for his ship and freed his ship from its launchpad, helping H'el in his plan to ressurect resurrect Krypton at the expense of Earth.
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* In ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', Ozymandias needs super-powerful Doctor Manhattan out of the picture in order to carry out his evil plan. To accomplish this, Ozymandias connives to put Doctor Manhattan on a television talk show, where the angry audience accuses him of causing cancer. This predictably (?) drives Manhattan to abandon humankind by faffing off to Mars.
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* The ''ComicBook/IronMan'' comic showed that Howard Stark pulled an epic one during "The Secret Origin of Tony Stark". Howard and Maria Stark were expecting a child, but they come to find out that their child was very ill. He wouldn't be able to be active at all if not be dead. Enter the Rigellian Recorder robot 451, who promises that he can heal him in exchange for using him for a powerful robot that is said to help lead humanity into a golden age of peace and prosperity. However, Howard realizes that all of 451's talks of this use Alexander the Great as an example and realizes that his son would live, only to die years later. What does he do? [[spoiler:He finds a way to negate 451's modifications, then, while hiding the child away, adopts another and proclaims him to be his son. The boy he adopted? ''Tony Stark''.]] When 451 came to collect, he had no idea of what had happened.
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* Snively pulls something like this a few times in trying to get rid of his dear uncle Robotnik/Eggman in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog'', befitting his role as TheStarscream. The first Robotnik, his "dear" Uncle Julian, was killed when his superweapon, the Ultimate Annihilator, is destroyed - Snively had sabotaged it and knew it was a matter of time before the Freedom Fighters would find a way to aim it at him, as he was now the only one who could be killed. The second Robotnik, Dr. Eggman, was slowly being driven insane by his constant losses. All he had to do was call his new love, the Iron Queen, and let her know when the Egg finally broke.
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* In ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'' [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis tricks the Mane Six into getting into a huge argument, knowing full well that they will inevitably reconcile and strengthen their bond, [[INeedYouStronger thereby giving the Changelings more energy to feed on]], and making Twilight's magic more powerful for when [[ManaDrain she needs to drain it]].]]
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which John D. Rockerduck is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole purpose of this risky scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would soon pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and this was a way to get Rockerduck to burn some money on a lousy investment and remain in second place. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++715-B In another story]], Scrooge takes out a massive insurance policy on his ship from Rockerduck's insurance company, and he makes it look like he deliberately sank his own ship for the insurance proceeds. Scrooge counts on Rockerduck to take him to court for insurance fraud, where Scrooge reveals that his ship never sank and that he stands falsely accused by Rockerduck. He points out to the court that Rockerduck smeared Scrooge's good name with the fraud accusations, and demands compensation. The sole purpose of this convoluted scheme? To force Rockerduck to hand over ownership of a small, worthless[[labelnote:almost]]It did have some pearl oysters in the surrounding waters[[/labelnote]] island. An island that Scrooge wanted only because Rockerduck had it, and he didn't.
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which his [[ArchEnemy archrival]], John D. Rockerduck Rockerduck, is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling [[GlobalWarming cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole purpose of this risky scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would soon pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and this was a way to get Rockerduck to burn some money on a lousy investment and remain in second place. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++715-B In another story]], Scrooge takes out a massive insurance policy on his ship from Rockerduck's insurance company, and he makes it look like he deliberately sank his own ship for the insurance proceeds. Scrooge counts on Rockerduck to take him to court for insurance fraud, where Scrooge reveals that his ship never sank and that he stands falsely accused by Rockerduck. He points out to the court that Rockerduck smeared Scrooge's good name with the fraud accusations, and demands compensation. The sole purpose of this convoluted scheme? To force Rockerduck to hand over ownership of a small, worthless[[labelnote:almost]]It worthless[[labelnote:almost]](It did have some pearl oysters in the surrounding waters[[/labelnote]] waters.)[[/labelnote]] island. An island that Scrooge wanted only because Rockerduck had it, and he didn't.
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which John D. Rockerduck is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole purpose of this risky scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would soon pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and this was a way to get Rockerduck to burn some money on a lousy investment and remain in second place. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++715-B In another story]], Scrooge takes out a massive insurance policy on his ship from Rockerduck's insurance company, and he makes it look like he deliberately sank his own ship for the insurance proceeds. Scrooge counts on Rockerduck to take him to court for insurance fraud, where Scrooge reveals that his ship never sank and that he stands falsely accused by Rockerduck. He points out to the court that Rockerduck smeared Scrooge's good name with the fraud accusations, and demands compensation. The sole purpose of this convoluted scheme? To force Rockerduck to hand over ownership of a small, worthless[[labelnote:almost]]It did have some pearl oysters in the surrounding waters[[/labelnote] island. An island that Scrooge wanted only because Rockerduck had it, and he didn't.
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which John D. Rockerduck is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole purpose of this risky scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would soon pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and this was a way to get Rockerduck to burn some money on a lousy investment and remain in second place. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++715-B In another story]], Scrooge takes out a massive insurance policy on his ship from Rockerduck's insurance company, and he makes it look like he deliberately sank his own ship for the insurance proceeds. Scrooge counts on Rockerduck to take him to court for insurance fraud, where Scrooge reveals that his ship never sank and that he stands falsely accused by Rockerduck. He points out to the court that Rockerduck smeared Scrooge's good name with the fraud accusations, and demands compensation. The sole purpose of this convoluted scheme? To force Rockerduck to hand over ownership of a small, worthless[[labelnote:almost]]It did have some pearl oysters in the surrounding waters[[/labelnote] waters[[/labelnote]] island. An island that Scrooge wanted only because Rockerduck had it, and he didn't.
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which John D. Rockerduck is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole point of this scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and forcing
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which John D. Rockerduck is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole point purpose of this scheme? risky scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would soon pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and forcing this was a way to get Rockerduck to burn some money on a lousy investment and remain in second place. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++715-B In another story]], Scrooge takes out a massive insurance policy on his ship from Rockerduck's insurance company, and he makes it look like he deliberately sank his own ship for the insurance proceeds. Scrooge counts on Rockerduck to take him to court for insurance fraud, where Scrooge reveals that his ship never sank and that he stands falsely accused by Rockerduck. He points out to the court that Rockerduck smeared Scrooge's good name with the fraud accusations, and demands compensation. The sole purpose of this convoluted scheme? To force Rockerduck to hand over ownership of a small, worthless[[labelnote:almost]]It did have some pearl oysters in the surrounding waters[[/labelnote] island. An island that Scrooge wanted only because Rockerduck had it, and he didn't.
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* Scrooge [=McDuck=] has himself conducted Batman Gambits, of which John D. Rockerduck is frequently the victim. [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1718-A In one story]], Scrooge launches an epic scheme involving deliberately [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling cooling down the Earth]], risking '''100 billion Euros''' of his own money in the process, and using his understanding of Rockerduck's greediness (of which Scrooge himself is in no short supply) that Rockerduck will buy the whole project off of him in the hopes of reaping massive profits. The project is a money-loser, and Scrooge reveals this only after Rockerduck has paid Scrooge. The sole point of this scheme? Scrooge was worried that Rockerduck would pass him as Richest Duck in the World, and forcing
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* If you followed [[Comicbook/TheMightyThor Thor]] since [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers: Disassembled]], and through Comicbook/DarkReign and Comicbook/{{Siege}}, and up until now, you probably already know this. If you didn't, [[http://www.narutoforums.com/showthread.php?t=743153 read this]] and realize who the real orchestrator behind everything that happened was. [[spoiler:Loki]]. In short? [[spoiler:Loki was shown to ensure his own adoption by [[PhysicalGod Odin]], caused the last [[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], made sure Thor would revive all the gods, manipulated humans, gods, demons and [[SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom Doom]] to ensure he won't have an afterlife and that he would be reincarnated, caused [[NormanOsborn Osborn's]] downfall, made it possible for Asgard to exist without harming [[WorldTree Yggdrasil]], all with everyone around him being clueless.]] And the best part? No one has yet realized the magnitude of the plan that was executed or the reason behind it.
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* If you followed [[Comicbook/TheMightyThor Thor]] since [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers: Disassembled]], ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled, and through Comicbook/DarkReign and Comicbook/{{Siege}}, and up until now, you probably already know this. If you didn't, [[http://www.narutoforums.com/showthread.php?t=743153 read this]] and realize who the real orchestrator behind everything that happened was. [[spoiler:Loki]]. In short? [[spoiler:Loki was shown to ensure his own adoption by [[PhysicalGod Odin]], caused the last [[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], made sure Thor would revive all the gods, manipulated humans, gods, demons and [[SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom Doom]] to ensure he won't have an afterlife and that he would be reincarnated, caused [[NormanOsborn Osborn's]] downfall, made it possible for Asgard to exist without harming [[WorldTree Yggdrasil]], all with everyone around him being clueless.]] And the best part? No one has yet realized the magnitude of the plan that was executed or the reason behind it.
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* In ''ComicBook/HelOnEarth'', [[WellIntentionedExtremist H'el]] was counting on {{Superboy}} to destroy most of his [[TimeMachine Star Chamber]] because he was actually destroying the fueling station for his ship and freed his ship from its launchpad, helping H'el in his plan to ressurect Krypton at the expense of Earth.
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*** [[SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample Most Triumphant Example]]: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange are amongst the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains him and helps rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of a DealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassOutOfHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PyrrhicVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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*** [[SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample Most Triumphant Example]]: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange Comicbook/DoctorStrange are amongst among the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains train him and helps help rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of a DealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassOutOfHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PyrrhicVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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*** [[SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample Most Triumphant Example]]: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange are amongst the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains him and helps rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of a DealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassFromHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PhyricVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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*** [[SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample Most Triumphant Example]]: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange are amongst the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains him and helps rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of a DealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassFromHell [[LikeABadassOutOfHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PhyricVictory [[PyrrhicVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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*** MostTriumphantExample: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange are amongst the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains him and helps rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of ADealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingOrder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassFromHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PhyrricVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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*** MostTriumphantExample: [[SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample Most Triumphant Example]]: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange are amongst the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains him and helps rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of ADealWithTheDevil. a DealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingOrder [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassFromHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PhyrricVictory [[PhyricVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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*** MostTriumphantExample: Triumph and Torment. The Agamotti are holding a sorcerer's tournament, DoctorDoom and DoctorStrange are amongst the participants. Whomever wins gets bequeathed power, the runner up? Gets owed a boon by the winner. Doom loses to Strange.[[ItGetsBetter This is the start of the story]]. Doom requests from Strange that he trains him and helps rescue his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's soul from]] [[BigRedDevil Mephisto]] which is trapped in his hell because of ADealWithTheDevil. Doom and Strange go to Mephisto's hell, Doom betrays Doctor Strange in exchange for his Mother's soul, she spurns him because of his evil deed, she [[TakenForGranite petrifies]], [[ChronicBackstabbingOrder Doom betrays Mephisto]], Doctor Strange frees Cynthia von Doom, her [[CareBearStare now redeemed soul burns Mephisto]], [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence and ascends to heaven]]. [[LikeABadassFromHell Doom and Strange get the hell out of dodge]]. [[PhyrricVictory This is all according to plan]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=33 Doom sacrificed his mother's love for him in order to free her soul from Hell]]. [[http://s52.beta.photobucket.com/user/Dutchtica/media/Scans/Insinuation.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Strange is left bewildered, and wonders if this was Doom's plan from the get go.]]
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarus then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarus then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius Xarus thinks he can't lose, Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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I\'m fixing a typo.
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius Xarus then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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* In ''{{Wolverine}}: Origins'', Wolverine has a plan with Bucky. The first part of the plan requires Bucky to hire a mercenary to attack Wolverine. Bucky hires everyone's favorite fourth-wall destroying, partially insane, [[{{Deadpool}} merc with a mouth]], because Bucky knows how he hates that everyone thinks he's a Wolverine knock-off -- so Deadpool will draw Wolverine into a very noticeable battle. Deadpool is also the only guy who could have a chance against Wolverine. Hence, the battle ensues, and eventually [[spoiler:Deadpool has Wolverine hanging above a secret pool so that he can drown him, which may take a long time. But then, Wolverine's son, Daken, shows up, Bucky shoots Daken with a special bullet that will dull his healing factor, keeping him knocked out for a long time, so Wolverine can un-brainwash him.]] It turns out, that was the entire point of everything. [[TheChewToy Deadpool did not get paid.]]
* If you know ''anything'' about [[DoctorDoom Victor Von Doom]], you can easily see why this trope could just as well be called ''The Doom Gambit''.
* If you know ''anything'' about [[DoctorDoom Victor Von Doom]], you can easily see why this trope could just as well be called ''The Doom Gambit''.
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* In ''{{Wolverine}}: Origins'', Wolverine has a plan with Bucky.{{Bucky|Barnes}}. The first part of the plan requires Bucky to hire a mercenary to attack Wolverine. Bucky hires everyone's favorite fourth-wall destroying, partially insane, [[{{Deadpool}} merc with a mouth]], because Bucky knows how he hates that everyone thinks he's a Wolverine knock-off -- so Deadpool will draw Wolverine into a very noticeable battle. Deadpool is also the only guy who could have a chance against Wolverine. Hence, the battle ensues, and eventually [[spoiler:Deadpool has Wolverine hanging above a secret pool so that he can drown him, which may take a long time. But then, Wolverine's son, Daken, {{Daken}}, shows up, Bucky shoots Daken with a special bullet that will dull his healing factor, keeping him knocked out for a long time, so Wolverine can un-brainwash him.]] It turns out, that was the entire point of everything. [[TheChewToy Deadpool did not get paid.]]
* If you know ''anything'' about[[DoctorDoom [[SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom Victor Von Doom]], you can easily see why this trope could just as well be called ''The Doom Gambit''.
* If you know ''anything'' about
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* This is the kind of planning that allows LexLuthor, with no superpowers, to mop the floor with Superman nearly every time the two of them meet. (Until Supes eventually wins, of course.)
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* This is the kind of planning that allows LexLuthor, SelfDemonstrating/LexLuthor, with no superpowers, to mop the floor with Superman nearly every time the two of them meet. (Until Supes eventually wins, of course.)
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* Spider Jerusalem pulls one in the climax of {{Transmetropolitan}}. The first time he meets [[PresidentEvil Gary Callahan]] he was able to record him with the use of "Source Gas". In their future meetings Callahan is smart enough to nullify such tricks, preventing Spider from getting any dirt on him. But as the story goes on Spider becomes less like a crusading journalist and more like an outright revolutionary, carrying real guns and using lethal force on assailants. After successfully ruining the president's career, he drives the final nail when Callahan meets him one last time to kill him. He has Spider repeatedly scanned for weapons and prepares to have him shot, claiming he nonetheless got a gun past security and it was self defense. Unfortunately for the President, he was relying too much on his belief that Spider had lost it and forgot the first trick he ever played on him. Spider is soaked in Source Gas, and Callahan is exposed.
* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''InfinityGauntlet'' [[CrisisCrossover crossover]], the [[TheChessmaster coldly calculating]] AdamWarlock sets into motion several futile engagements against the omnipotent {{Thanos}} and his upstart successor Nebula, designed to exploit the villains' AchillesHeel and ineptitude (respectively), and ultimately transition the Infinity Gauntlet to Warlock himself.
* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''InfinityGauntlet'' [[CrisisCrossover crossover]], the [[TheChessmaster coldly calculating]] AdamWarlock sets into motion several futile engagements against the omnipotent {{Thanos}} and his upstart successor Nebula, designed to exploit the villains' AchillesHeel and ineptitude (respectively), and ultimately transition the Infinity Gauntlet to Warlock himself.
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* Spider Jerusalem pulls one in the climax of {{Transmetropolitan}}.''Comicbook/{{Transmetropolitan}}''. The first time he meets [[PresidentEvil Gary Callahan]] he was able to record him with the use of "Source Gas". In their future meetings Callahan is smart enough to nullify such tricks, preventing Spider from getting any dirt on him. But as the story goes on Spider becomes less like a crusading journalist and more like an outright revolutionary, carrying real guns and using lethal force on assailants. After successfully ruining the president's career, he drives the final nail when Callahan meets him one last time to kill him. He has Spider repeatedly scanned for weapons and prepares to have him shot, claiming he nonetheless got a gun past security and it was self defense. Unfortunately for the President, he was relying too much on his belief that Spider had lost it and forgot the first trick he ever played on him. Spider is soaked in Source Gas, and Callahan is exposed.
* In[[MarvelUniverse [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''InfinityGauntlet'' [[CrisisCrossover crossover]], the [[TheChessmaster coldly calculating]] AdamWarlock sets into motion several futile engagements against the omnipotent {{Thanos}} and his upstart successor Nebula, designed to exploit the villains' AchillesHeel and ineptitude (respectively), and ultimately transition the Infinity Gauntlet to Warlock himself.
* In
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* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', it is revealed that Merlyn arranged the formation of Excalibur and manipulated many subsequent events (including faking his own death), in order to ultimately prevent the collapse of Merlyn's Energy Matrix and destroy Merlyn's former teacher Necrom.
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* In [[MarvelUniverse [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel's]] ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', it is revealed that Merlyn arranged the formation of Excalibur and manipulated many subsequent events (including faking his own death), in order to ultimately prevent the collapse of Merlyn's Energy Matrix and destroy Merlyn's former teacher Necrom.
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* In ''EarthX'', CaptainAmerica uses Alicia Master's Marvels (animated clay fashioned in the guise of Earth's heroes) to have an army immune to the Skull's mind-control, and to preoccupy the supervillain's superhuman slave army. Cap then disguises himself as a Marvel made in his image to fool the Skull into believing he's also immune to the boy's powers, allowing Cap to get in close and [[ShootTheDog snap the Skull's neck]]
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* In ''EarthX'', CaptainAmerica Comicbook/CaptainAmerica uses Alicia Master's Marvels (animated clay fashioned in the guise of Earth's heroes) to have an army immune to the Skull's mind-control, and to preoccupy the supervillain's superhuman slave army. Cap then disguises himself as a Marvel made in his image to fool the Skull into believing he's also immune to the boy's powers, allowing Cap to get in close and [[ShootTheDog snap the Skull's neck]]
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* A character in the '''{{Blacksad}}'' album "Artic Nation" is in the middle of one several decades in the making. A key factor in this plot is [[spoiler:marrying her own father, while keeping him from discovering this particular bit of information. She succeeds at most of her goals, but her sister is killed in the process and her niece rendered an orphan]].
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* A character in the '''{{Blacksad}}'' ''Comicbook/{{Blacksad}}'' album "Artic Nation" is in the middle of one several decades in the making. A key factor in this plot is [[spoiler:marrying her own father, while keeping him from discovering this particular bit of information. She succeeds at most of her goals, but her sister is killed in the process and her niece rendered an orphan]].
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* During the {{Onslaught}} CrisisCrossover of the ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
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* During the {{Onslaught}} CrisisCrossover of the ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's SelfDemonstrating/{{Magneto}}'s minds).
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Cyclops reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
to:
** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Cyclops Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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* ComicBook/{{Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
* Marvel's Odin of ''TheMightyThor'' fame has one of his own, when it's revealed during the "Disassembled/Ragnarok" story arc that all of the trials and tribulations that Odin had put Thor through over the years (centuries, millennia) were preparing him to finally be the god to put an end to the Ragnarok Cycle once and for all.
* Udon Comics has a fun one, in the ''Comicbook/StreetFighter Legends''. Karin challenges Sakura to a contest, ANY contest... and Sakura comes up with a Hot-Dog Eating Contest. Karin quickly comes up with the plan. She asks to, at least, be able to pick the time and place of the next contest. She cheats like mad, relying on Sakura to go all out. Sakura does so, and it looks like Karin might win, until it's revealed she was cheating. She goes to her back-up plan. Admit defeat in the stupid, stupid contest, and challenge Sakura IMMEDIATELY to a martial arts match, which Karin wanted. Handicapped. Right there, right now. Sakura, meanwhile, was busy trying not to throw up. It would be a good Xanatos Gambit, if it wasn't for the simple failure condition of Sakura calling foul. Sakura could have NOT exhausted herself in the hot-dog contest, or simply refused the fight. But Sakura is not the person to do that.
* Believe it or not, {{Deadpool}}. You see, everyone thinks that Deadpool's a moron. He's not. This was proved without a doubt when he executed a plan involving the manipulation of the X-Men, HAMMER, NormanOsborn, some random called Kincaid, the SFPD, the public, the local news, and a chicken, over the course of five issues. Deadpool first declared to the X-Men that he was going to kill Kincaid, causing a public fiasco, making the X-Men look like criminals, then, he proceeded to interrupt a ''live broadcast'', wearing a ''home made X-Men outfit'', then, he let himself be captured by Domino, knowing that her morals would mean that when Cyclops ordered Wolverine to "take Deadpool out of the picture", she would protect him, then, Deadpool got Domino to tell him her greatest fear, ''then'' stuck the chicken, (which was Domino's worst fear) into an air vent in a train station, knowing ''full well that Osborn would put Kincaid in an open spot to GET him killed to make the X-Men look bad'', fully expecting the X-Men to try to save Kincaid by way of a vent, pulling out the lights ''FIRST'' to add to the confusion. Then he flushed Kincaid into the open. While Kincaid was in the open, Deadpool kept an eye out for snipers, '''PROTECTING''' Kincaid, while making it look like he was going to kill him. Then, when Wolverine saved Kincaid, Deadpool made a run for it, and fought the X-men (except for Wolverine who would, by now, be in on the plot, Deadpool made sure of that) on the roof, allowing a camera guy taken by Wolverine to film them, making the X-Men look like heroes, and Osborn to look like an incompetent buffoon, just as '''''planned!'''''
* Marvel's Odin of ''TheMightyThor'' fame has one of his own, when it's revealed during the "Disassembled/Ragnarok" story arc that all of the trials and tribulations that Odin had put Thor through over the years (centuries, millennia) were preparing him to finally be the god to put an end to the Ragnarok Cycle once and for all.
* Udon Comics has a fun one, in the ''Comicbook/StreetFighter Legends''. Karin challenges Sakura to a contest, ANY contest... and Sakura comes up with a Hot-Dog Eating Contest. Karin quickly comes up with the plan. She asks to, at least, be able to pick the time and place of the next contest. She cheats like mad, relying on Sakura to go all out. Sakura does so, and it looks like Karin might win, until it's revealed she was cheating. She goes to her back-up plan. Admit defeat in the stupid, stupid contest, and challenge Sakura IMMEDIATELY to a martial arts match, which Karin wanted. Handicapped. Right there, right now. Sakura, meanwhile, was busy trying not to throw up. It would be a good Xanatos Gambit, if it wasn't for the simple failure condition of Sakura calling foul. Sakura could have NOT exhausted herself in the hot-dog contest, or simply refused the fight. But Sakura is not the person to do that.
* Believe it or not, {{Deadpool}}. You see, everyone thinks that Deadpool's a moron. He's not. This was proved without a doubt when he executed a plan involving the manipulation of the X-Men, HAMMER, NormanOsborn, some random called Kincaid, the SFPD, the public, the local news, and a chicken, over the course of five issues. Deadpool first declared to the X-Men that he was going to kill Kincaid, causing a public fiasco, making the X-Men look like criminals, then, he proceeded to interrupt a ''live broadcast'', wearing a ''home made X-Men outfit'', then, he let himself be captured by Domino, knowing that her morals would mean that when Cyclops ordered Wolverine to "take Deadpool out of the picture", she would protect him, then, Deadpool got Domino to tell him her greatest fear, ''then'' stuck the chicken, (which was Domino's worst fear) into an air vent in a train station, knowing ''full well that Osborn would put Kincaid in an open spot to GET him killed to make the X-Men look bad'', fully expecting the X-Men to try to save Kincaid by way of a vent, pulling out the lights ''FIRST'' to add to the confusion. Then he flushed Kincaid into the open. While Kincaid was in the open, Deadpool kept an eye out for snipers, '''PROTECTING''' Kincaid, while making it look like he was going to kill him. Then, when Wolverine saved Kincaid, Deadpool made a run for it, and fought the X-men (except for Wolverine who would, by now, be in on the plot, Deadpool made sure of that) on the roof, allowing a camera guy taken by Wolverine to film them, making the X-Men look like heroes, and Osborn to look like an incompetent buffoon, just as '''''planned!'''''
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* ComicBook/{{Superman}} Franchise/{{Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
* Marvel's Odin of''TheMightyThor'' ''Comicbook/TheMightyThor'' fame has one of his own, when it's revealed during the "Disassembled/Ragnarok" story arc that all of the trials and tribulations that Odin had put Thor through over the years (centuries, millennia) were preparing him to finally be the god to put an end to the Ragnarok Cycle once and for all.
* Udon Comics has a fun one, inthe ''Comicbook/StreetFighter Legends''. Karin challenges Sakura to a contest, ANY contest... and Sakura comes up with a Hot-Dog Eating Contest. Karin quickly comes up with the plan. She asks to, at least, be able to pick the time and place of the next contest. She cheats like mad, relying on Sakura to go all out. Sakura does so, and it looks like Karin might win, until it's revealed she was cheating. She goes to her back-up plan. Admit defeat in the stupid, stupid contest, and challenge Sakura IMMEDIATELY to a martial arts match, which Karin wanted. Handicapped. Right there, right now. Sakura, meanwhile, was busy trying not to throw up. It would be a good Xanatos Gambit, if it wasn't for the simple failure condition of Sakura calling foul. Sakura could have NOT exhausted herself in the hot-dog contest, or simply refused the fight. But Sakura is not the person to do that.
* Believe it or not, {{Deadpool}}. You see, everyone thinks that Deadpool's a moron. He's not. This was proved without a doubt when he executed a plan involving the manipulation of the X-Men, HAMMER, NormanOsborn, some random called Kincaid, the SFPD, the public, the local news, and a chicken, over the course of five issues. Deadpool first declared to the X-Men that he was going to kill Kincaid, causing a public fiasco, making the X-Men look like criminals, then, he proceeded to interrupt a ''live broadcast'', wearing a ''home made X-Men outfit'', then, he let himself be captured by Domino, knowing that her morals would mean that when Cyclops ordered Wolverine to "take Deadpool out of the picture", she would protect him, then, Deadpool got Domino to tell him her greatest fear, ''then'' stuck the chicken, (which was Domino's worst fear) into an air vent in a train station, knowing ''full well that Osborn would put Kincaid in an open spot to GET him killed to make the X-Men look bad'', fully expecting the X-Men to try to save Kincaid by way of a vent, pulling out the lights ''FIRST'' to add to the confusion. Then he flushed Kincaid into the open. While Kincaid was in the open, Deadpool kept an eye out for snipers, '''PROTECTING''' Kincaid, while making it look like he was going to kill him. Then, when Wolverine saved Kincaid, Deadpool made a run for it, and fought theX-men X-Men (except for Wolverine who would, by now, be in on the plot, Deadpool made sure of that) on the roof, allowing a camera guy taken by Wolverine to film them, making the X-Men look like heroes, and Osborn to look like an incompetent buffoon, just as '''''planned!'''''
* Marvel's Odin of
* Udon Comics has a fun one, in
* Believe it or not, {{Deadpool}}. You see, everyone thinks that Deadpool's a moron. He's not. This was proved without a doubt when he executed a plan involving the manipulation of the X-Men, HAMMER, NormanOsborn, some random called Kincaid, the SFPD, the public, the local news, and a chicken, over the course of five issues. Deadpool first declared to the X-Men that he was going to kill Kincaid, causing a public fiasco, making the X-Men look like criminals, then, he proceeded to interrupt a ''live broadcast'', wearing a ''home made X-Men outfit'', then, he let himself be captured by Domino, knowing that her morals would mean that when Cyclops ordered Wolverine to "take Deadpool out of the picture", she would protect him, then, Deadpool got Domino to tell him her greatest fear, ''then'' stuck the chicken, (which was Domino's worst fear) into an air vent in a train station, knowing ''full well that Osborn would put Kincaid in an open spot to GET him killed to make the X-Men look bad'', fully expecting the X-Men to try to save Kincaid by way of a vent, pulling out the lights ''FIRST'' to add to the confusion. Then he flushed Kincaid into the open. While Kincaid was in the open, Deadpool kept an eye out for snipers, '''PROTECTING''' Kincaid, while making it look like he was going to kill him. Then, when Wolverine saved Kincaid, Deadpool made a run for it, and fought the
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* Pretty much all of {{Spider-Man}}'s victories against supervillains depend on Batman Gambits, especially ones much more powerful than he is. Spider-Man will either set up in advance or improvise on the spot various traps and goad his enemies into falling into them, and even if he can beat a supervillain in straight combat, he'll joke around and mock them into fury and carelessness to make the fight easier.
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* Pretty much all of {{Spider-Man}}'s Franchise/SpiderMan's victories against supervillains depend on Batman Gambits, especially ones much more powerful than he is. Spider-Man will either set up in advance or improvise on the spot various traps and goad his enemies into falling into them, and even if he can beat a supervillain in straight combat, he'll joke around and mock them into fury and carelessness to make the fight easier.
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* If you followed [[TheMightyThor Thor]] since [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers: Disassembled]], and through DarkReign and {{Siege}}, and up until now, you probably already know this. If you didn't, [[http://www.narutoforums.com/showthread.php?t=743153 read this]] and realize who the real orchestrator behind everything that happened was. [[spoiler:Loki]]. In short? [[spoiler:Loki was shows to ensure his own adoption by [[PhysicalGod Odin]], caused the last [[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], made sure Thor would revive all the gods, manipulated humans, gods, demons and [[DoctorDoom Doom]] to ensure he won't have an afterlife and that he would be reincarnated, caused [[NormanOsborn Osborn's]] downfall, made it possible for Asgard to exist without harming [[WorldTree Yggdrasil]], all while everyone around him being clueless.]] And the best part? No one have yet to realize the magnitude of the plan that was executed or the reason behind it.
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* If you followed [[TheMightyThor [[Comicbook/TheMightyThor Thor]] since [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers: Disassembled]], and through DarkReign Comicbook/DarkReign and {{Siege}}, Comicbook/{{Siege}}, and up until now, you probably already know this. If you didn't, [[http://www.narutoforums.com/showthread.php?t=743153 read this]] and realize who the real orchestrator behind everything that happened was. [[spoiler:Loki]]. In short? [[spoiler:Loki was shows shown to ensure his own adoption by [[PhysicalGod Odin]], caused the last [[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], made sure Thor would revive all the gods, manipulated humans, gods, demons and [[DoctorDoom [[SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom Doom]] to ensure he won't have an afterlife and that he would be reincarnated, caused [[NormanOsborn Osborn's]] downfall, made it possible for Asgard to exist without harming [[WorldTree Yggdrasil]], all while with everyone around him being clueless.]] And the best part? No one have has yet to realize realized the magnitude of the plan that was executed or the reason behind it.
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** Most of them involve him being ActuallyADoombot.
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* During the Onslaught CrisisCrossover of the ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
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* During the Onslaught {{Onslaught}} CrisisCrossover of the ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
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* The [[Literature/HarryPotter Voldemort]]-like villain from the horror comic ''[[LockeAndKey Locke & Key]]''. So far, he's been manipulating pretty much '''everyone''' into his agenda.
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* The [[Literature/HarryPotter Voldemort]]-like villain from the horror comic ''[[LockeAndKey Locke & Key]]''.''ComicBook/LockeAndKey''. So far, he's been manipulating pretty much '''everyone''' into his agenda.
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* ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'' had one that spectacularly failed. In the "New Power" arc, the Oracle learns that there's a new threat to Kandrakar, one so powerful that the girls wouldn't be able to handle it on their own. The big plan was to have the Oracle revive hidden memories inside Matt that made him realize he was once part of Kandrakar, have him ''take the girl's magic while they were asleep'' so the Oracle could give them brand new powers, have Matt train them in those new powers, then have them go and beat up the threat. And while they do that, ''he seals up Kandrakar'' and basically goes "It's on them, now. Let's wait and see." The Gambit fails due to the fact that the threat already had a foothold on Kandrakar way before he set things into motion and when the girls come to save the day, it takes Yan Lin to smack some sense into the suddenly-overly cocky team and get them to win. It's no wonder the Oracle stepped down and gave the position to Yan Lin after that.
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Cyclops reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Logan getting bitten and Xarius putting him in the front was all part of Cyke's BatmanGambit. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Cyclops reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Logan getting bitten and Xarius putting him in the front was all part of Cyke's BatmanGambit. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.them.
-->'''Cyclops''': I had to assume the possibility that you'd get bitten and turned. In fact, I counted on it.
-->'''Cyclops''': I had to assume the possibility that you'd get bitten and turned. In fact, I counted on it.
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** In ''Curse of the Mutants'', Xarus's vampire army manages to turn Wolverine. Xarius then puts Logan in the lead of his attack on Utopia, as a psychological gambit to demoralise the mutants. Then, just when Xarius thinks he can't lose, Cyclops reveals the vampirism only worked because Dr Nemesis shut off Wolvie's HealingFactor, and turns it back on. Logan getting bitten and Xarius putting him in the front was all part of Cyke's BatmanGambit. Now Wolverine's back, very unhappy, knows where Xarus is based, and the vamps ''really'' aren't expecting him to turn on them.
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* During the Onslaught CrisisCrossover of the ''{{Comicbook/X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
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* During the Onslaught CrisisCrossover of the ''{{Comicbook/X-Men}}'' ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
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* Interestingly enough, TheJoker, in his more serious interpretations, is immune to the Batman Gambit based simply on the fact that he is completely unpredictable.
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* Interestingly enough, TheJoker, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker, in his more serious interpretations, is immune to the Batman Gambit based simply on the fact that he is completely unpredictable.
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* {{ComicBook/Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
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* {{ComicBook/Superman}} ComicBook/{{Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
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* TheMole on the team in ''{{Comicbook/Runaways}}'' attributes this to the success of their plan near the end of the first volume - specifically, they let Nico suggest part of it after arranging things so there wouldn't be many other options.
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* TheMole on the team in ''{{Comicbook/Runaways}}'' ''Comicbook/{{Runaways}}'' attributes this to the success of their plan near the end of the first volume - specifically, they let Nico suggest part of it after arranging things so there wouldn't be many other options.
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* The [[Literature/HarryPotter Voldemort]]-like villain from the horror comic ''[[LockeAndKey Locke & Key]]''. So far, he's been manipulating pretty much '''everyone''' into his agenda.
* In ''{{Wolverine}}: Origins'', Wolverine has a plan with Bucky. The first part of the plan requires Bucky to hire a mercenary to attack Wolverine. Bucky hires everyone's favorite fourth-wall destroying, partially insane, [[{{Deadpool}} merc with a mouth]], because Bucky knows how he hates that everyone thinks he's a Wolverine knock-off -- so Deadpool will draw Wolverine into a very noticeable battle. Deadpool is also the only guy who could have a chance against Wolverine. Hence, the battle ensues, and eventually [[spoiler:Deadpool has Wolverine hanging above a secret pool so that he can drown him, which may take a long time. But then, Wolverine's son, Daken, shows up, Bucky shoots Daken with a special bullet that will dull his healing factor, keeping him knocked out for a long time, so Wolverine can un-brainwash him.]] It turns out, that was the entire point of everything. [[TheChewToy Deadpool did not get paid.]]
* If you know ''anything'' about [[DoctorDoom Victor Von Doom]], you can easily see why this trope could just as well be called ''The Doom Gambit''.
* This is the kind of planning that allows LexLuthor, with no superpowers, to mop the floor with Superman nearly every time the two of them meet. (Until Supes eventually wins, of course.)
** A Pre-Crisis Superman story had Luthor falling in love, turning good, curing a deadly disease, marrying, and even allowing Superman to read his mind (with a machine) to convince his former foe that he'd changed- but it was all a trick; he erased his own memories of the plan and arranged it so that he ''genuinely'' believed he had reformed in order to lure Superman into an inescapable trap. His only error was that he had to make himself forget that ''he was already married'' (to an alien woman) for the plan to work... and Superman was aware of that.
* Spider Jerusalem pulls one in the climax of {{Transmetropolitan}}. The first time he meets [[PresidentEvil Gary Callahan]] he was able to record him with the use of "Source Gas". In their future meetings Callahan is smart enough to nullify such tricks, preventing Spider from getting any dirt on him. But as the story goes on Spider becomes less like a crusading journalist and more like an outright revolutionary, carrying real guns and using lethal force on assailants. After successfully ruining the president's career, he drives the final nail when Callahan meets him one last time to kill him. He has Spider repeatedly scanned for weapons and prepares to have him shot, claiming he nonetheless got a gun past security and it was self defense. Unfortunately for the President, he was relying too much on his belief that Spider had lost it and forgot the first trick he ever played on him. Spider is soaked in Source Gas, and Callahan is exposed.
* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''InfinityGauntlet'' [[CrisisCrossover crossover]], the [[TheChessmaster coldly calculating]] AdamWarlock sets into motion several futile engagements against the omnipotent {{Thanos}} and his upstart successor Nebula, designed to exploit the villains' AchillesHeel and ineptitude (respectively), and ultimately transition the Infinity Gauntlet to Warlock himself.
** It's part of the same gambit, but it's worth pointing out that a substantial part of Warlock's gambit was to script an entire battle involving more than a dozen of the galaxy's strongest warriors sacrificing their lives, to get Thanos to ''raise his hand'' at the right moment.
** Warlock's [[EnemyWithout evil half]] the Magus is not to be outdone in the sequel [[CrisisCrossover crossover]] ''The Infinity War'', implementing an elaborate scheme geared towards the acquisition of the Infinity Gauntlet. Unfortunately, two [[TheChessmaster Chessmasters]] (three, if you count Thanos' duplicitous doppelganger) are better than one, and after Warlock and Thanos discern the Magus' end game, they execute a counter-scheme that sabotages the villain's newfound godhood, and ultimately leads to his defeat.
* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', it is revealed that Merlyn arranged the formation of Excalibur and manipulated many subsequent events (including faking his own death), in order to ultimately prevent the collapse of Merlyn's Energy Matrix and destroy Merlyn's former teacher Necrom.
-->''Was all this deception really necessary? - Merlyn's daughter Roma''
* In ''EarthX'', CaptainAmerica uses Alicia Master's Marvels (animated clay fashioned in the guise of Earth's heroes) to have an army immune to the Skull's mind-control, and to preoccupy the supervillain's superhuman slave army. Cap then disguises himself as a Marvel made in his image to fool the Skull into believing he's also immune to the boy's powers, allowing Cap to get in close and [[ShootTheDog snap the Skull's neck]]
* NickFury in the ''UltimateMarvel'' universe performs one of these. In order to eliminate a dangerous assassin and recover the high tech rifle he possesses, Fury anonymously contacts the assassin ''and orders a hit on himself''. He manages to successfully lure the assassin into the open and kill him.
** The best part. The assassin is armed with a gun with X Ray Vision and a [[BulletsDoNotWorkThatWay Magic Bullet that will phase through any barriers between him and his target.]] As he's setting up his aim, the last thing he sees is Nick Fury aiming the only other copy of this same rifle ''at him''. He didn't just call a hit on himself, he slipped the assassin just enough information about his own schedule so that he'd know exactly when and where the assassin would attack.
* A character in the '''{{Blacksad}}'' album "Artic Nation" is in the middle of one several decades in the making. A key factor in this plot is [[spoiler:marrying her own father, while keeping him from discovering this particular bit of information. She succeeds at most of her goals, but her sister is killed in the process and her niece rendered an orphan]].
* Done at least twice in ''SinCity'':
** In "A Dame to Kill For", Ava leaves Dwight [=McCarthy=] for millionaire Damien Lord; then, four years later, comes to Dwight pretending to be afraid of Damien and his servant Manute, playing on Dwight's [[TheDulcineaEffect Lancelot complex]] to get Dwight to investigate and ultimately kill Damien, leaving her Damien's money.
** In "That Yellow Bastard", Senator Roark keeps Detective Hartigan from receiving a few letters from the only friend he has left, "Cordelia" (Nancy Callahan, though Roark doesn't know it), then sends Hartigan a severed finger. Predictably, Hartigan, thinking Nancy's in danger, does what he has to in order to make parole so he can rescue Nancy, then goes looking for her, only to find she was safe and unharmed until that moment, when he accidentally revealed to Roark's son, who had been following him since he left prison, that "Cordelia" was Nancy.
* During the Onslaught CrisisCrossover of the ''{{Comicbook/X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
** Onslaught actually predates "Tower of Babel", the JLA story where Batman's files are revealed, by a few years (and even JLA: Year One, where [[MartianManhunter J'onn]] did much the same thing, by a period of time).
** The "Xavier Protocols", as these plans are known, eventually end up becoming important plot elements in various other arcs.
* In the 13-issue story "The Kindly Ones" from ''Comicbook/TheSandman'' series, Death calls Dream out on having orchestrated a Batman Gambit.
** What makes it even more amazing is that it's quite possible that he did it unconsciously.
*** As he is the embodiment of Story, it is only natural that [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy tropes would bend to his unconscious will]].
**** It's also worth noting that this gambit is a [[spoiler: suicide.]] It's also implied that only two others in existence realize what's happened: Puck [[spoiler: who says that he could discuss the subject "endlessly"]], and [[spoiler: Loki, who doesn't realize he's been played until it's too late for him.]]
* Interestingly enough, TheJoker, in his more serious interpretations, is immune to the Batman Gambit based simply on the fact that he is completely unpredictable.
** And moreover, that if he can be bothered, he's DangerouslyGenreSavvy enough to see through them.
* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' [[http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1986/01/13 shows it in the proto-form]]. It seems Susie has the good makings.
* In ''The Black Knight [=GLORPS=] Again!'' by DonRosa, Arpin Lusene is out to regain his melts-anything-it-touches suit of armor from Scrooge [=McDuck=]. At the armor's supposed resting place, he finds that the armor has been replaced with a note stating that it is not there... which Arpin anticipated, and therefore brought a tiny saw along. With it, he saws silhouettes of a knight's armor in the walls, so Scrooge later believes that Arpin has regained his armor and walked through the walls. Worried, Scrooge goes to check out the armor at its true resting place, Arpin tailing him and stealing it.
* {{ComicBook/Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
* Marvel's Odin of ''TheMightyThor'' fame has one of his own, when it's revealed during the "Disassembled/Ragnarok" story arc that all of the trials and tribulations that Odin had put Thor through over the years (centuries, millennia) were preparing him to finally be the god to put an end to the Ragnarok Cycle once and for all.
* Udon Comics has a fun one, in the ''Comicbook/StreetFighter Legends''. Karin challenges Sakura to a contest, ANY contest... and Sakura comes up with a Hot-Dog Eating Contest. Karin quickly comes up with the plan. She asks to, at least, be able to pick the time and place of the next contest. She cheats like mad, relying on Sakura to go all out. Sakura does so, and it looks like Karin might win, until it's revealed she was cheating. She goes to her back-up plan. Admit defeat in the stupid, stupid contest, and challenge Sakura IMMEDIATELY to a martial arts match, which Karin wanted. Handicapped. Right there, right now. Sakura, meanwhile, was busy trying not to throw up. It would be a good Xanatos Gambit, if it wasn't for the simple failure condition of Sakura calling foul. Sakura could have NOT exhausted herself in the hot-dog contest, or simply refused the fight. But Sakura is not the person to do that.
* Believe it or not, {{Deadpool}}. You see, everyone thinks that Deadpool's a moron. He's not. This was proved without a doubt when he executed a plan involving the manipulation of the X-Men, HAMMER, NormanOsborn, some random called Kincaid, the SFPD, the public, the local news, and a chicken, over the course of five issues. Deadpool first declared to the X-Men that he was going to kill Kincaid, causing a public fiasco, making the X-Men look like criminals, then, he proceeded to interrupt a ''live broadcast'', wearing a ''home made X-Men outfit'', then, he let himself be captured by Domino, knowing that her morals would mean that when Cyclops ordered Wolverine to "take Deadpool out of the picture", she would protect him, then, Deadpool got Domino to tell him her greatest fear, ''then'' stuck the chicken, (which was Domino's worst fear) into an air vent in a train station, knowing ''full well that Osborn would put Kincaid in an open spot to GET him killed to make the X-Men look bad'', fully expecting the X-Men to try to save Kincaid by way of a vent, pulling out the lights ''FIRST'' to add to the confusion. Then he flushed Kincaid into the open. While Kincaid was in the open, Deadpool kept an eye out for snipers, '''PROTECTING''' Kincaid, while making it look like he was going to kill him. Then, when Wolverine saved Kincaid, Deadpool made a run for it, and fought the X-men (except for Wolverine who would, by now, be in on the plot, Deadpool made sure of that) on the roof, allowing a camera guy taken by Wolverine to film them, making the X-Men look like heroes, and Osborn to look like an incompetent buffoon, just as '''''planned!'''''
** Deadpool's got moves.
** This aspect of Deadpool's personality was lampshaded by Nick Fury in ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance 2'' where Nick Fury states that with his intelligence and skill, Deadpool would easily be the most dangerous being on the ''entire planet'' if it weren't for his insanity preventing him from doing ''too'' much.
* Pretty much all of {{Spider-Man}}'s victories against supervillains depend on Batman Gambits, especially ones much more powerful than he is. Spider-Man will either set up in advance or improvise on the spot various traps and goad his enemies into falling into them, and even if he can beat a supervillain in straight combat, he'll joke around and mock them into fury and carelessness to make the fight easier.
* [[RobertCrumb Mr. Natural]] uses this on just about everyone, which makes them even madder when they realize how easily he's able to manipulate them.
* TheMole on the team in ''{{Comicbook/Runaways}}'' attributes this to the success of their plan near the end of the first volume - specifically, they let Nico suggest part of it after arranging things so there wouldn't be many other options.
* If you followed [[TheMightyThor Thor]] since [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers: Disassembled]], and through DarkReign and {{Siege}}, and up until now, you probably already know this. If you didn't, [[http://www.narutoforums.com/showthread.php?t=743153 read this]] and realize who the real orchestrator behind everything that happened was. [[spoiler:Loki]]. In short? [[spoiler:Loki was shows to ensure his own adoption by [[PhysicalGod Odin]], caused the last [[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], made sure Thor would revive all the gods, manipulated humans, gods, demons and [[DoctorDoom Doom]] to ensure he won't have an afterlife and that he would be reincarnated, caused [[NormanOsborn Osborn's]] downfall, made it possible for Asgard to exist without harming [[WorldTree Yggdrasil]], all while everyone around him being clueless.]] And the best part? No one have yet to realize the magnitude of the plan that was executed or the reason behind it.
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* In ''{{Wolverine}}: Origins'', Wolverine has a plan with Bucky. The first part of the plan requires Bucky to hire a mercenary to attack Wolverine. Bucky hires everyone's favorite fourth-wall destroying, partially insane, [[{{Deadpool}} merc with a mouth]], because Bucky knows how he hates that everyone thinks he's a Wolverine knock-off -- so Deadpool will draw Wolverine into a very noticeable battle. Deadpool is also the only guy who could have a chance against Wolverine. Hence, the battle ensues, and eventually [[spoiler:Deadpool has Wolverine hanging above a secret pool so that he can drown him, which may take a long time. But then, Wolverine's son, Daken, shows up, Bucky shoots Daken with a special bullet that will dull his healing factor, keeping him knocked out for a long time, so Wolverine can un-brainwash him.]] It turns out, that was the entire point of everything. [[TheChewToy Deadpool did not get paid.]]
* If you know ''anything'' about [[DoctorDoom Victor Von Doom]], you can easily see why this trope could just as well be called ''The Doom Gambit''.
* This is the kind of planning that allows LexLuthor, with no superpowers, to mop the floor with Superman nearly every time the two of them meet. (Until Supes eventually wins, of course.)
** A Pre-Crisis Superman story had Luthor falling in love, turning good, curing a deadly disease, marrying, and even allowing Superman to read his mind (with a machine) to convince his former foe that he'd changed- but it was all a trick; he erased his own memories of the plan and arranged it so that he ''genuinely'' believed he had reformed in order to lure Superman into an inescapable trap. His only error was that he had to make himself forget that ''he was already married'' (to an alien woman) for the plan to work... and Superman was aware of that.
* Spider Jerusalem pulls one in the climax of {{Transmetropolitan}}. The first time he meets [[PresidentEvil Gary Callahan]] he was able to record him with the use of "Source Gas". In their future meetings Callahan is smart enough to nullify such tricks, preventing Spider from getting any dirt on him. But as the story goes on Spider becomes less like a crusading journalist and more like an outright revolutionary, carrying real guns and using lethal force on assailants. After successfully ruining the president's career, he drives the final nail when Callahan meets him one last time to kill him. He has Spider repeatedly scanned for weapons and prepares to have him shot, claiming he nonetheless got a gun past security and it was self defense. Unfortunately for the President, he was relying too much on his belief that Spider had lost it and forgot the first trick he ever played on him. Spider is soaked in Source Gas, and Callahan is exposed.
* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''InfinityGauntlet'' [[CrisisCrossover crossover]], the [[TheChessmaster coldly calculating]] AdamWarlock sets into motion several futile engagements against the omnipotent {{Thanos}} and his upstart successor Nebula, designed to exploit the villains' AchillesHeel and ineptitude (respectively), and ultimately transition the Infinity Gauntlet to Warlock himself.
** It's part of the same gambit, but it's worth pointing out that a substantial part of Warlock's gambit was to script an entire battle involving more than a dozen of the galaxy's strongest warriors sacrificing their lives, to get Thanos to ''raise his hand'' at the right moment.
** Warlock's [[EnemyWithout evil half]] the Magus is not to be outdone in the sequel [[CrisisCrossover crossover]] ''The Infinity War'', implementing an elaborate scheme geared towards the acquisition of the Infinity Gauntlet. Unfortunately, two [[TheChessmaster Chessmasters]] (three, if you count Thanos' duplicitous doppelganger) are better than one, and after Warlock and Thanos discern the Magus' end game, they execute a counter-scheme that sabotages the villain's newfound godhood, and ultimately leads to his defeat.
* In [[MarvelUniverse Marvel's]] ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', it is revealed that Merlyn arranged the formation of Excalibur and manipulated many subsequent events (including faking his own death), in order to ultimately prevent the collapse of Merlyn's Energy Matrix and destroy Merlyn's former teacher Necrom.
-->''Was all this deception really necessary? - Merlyn's daughter Roma''
* In ''EarthX'', CaptainAmerica uses Alicia Master's Marvels (animated clay fashioned in the guise of Earth's heroes) to have an army immune to the Skull's mind-control, and to preoccupy the supervillain's superhuman slave army. Cap then disguises himself as a Marvel made in his image to fool the Skull into believing he's also immune to the boy's powers, allowing Cap to get in close and [[ShootTheDog snap the Skull's neck]]
* NickFury in the ''UltimateMarvel'' universe performs one of these. In order to eliminate a dangerous assassin and recover the high tech rifle he possesses, Fury anonymously contacts the assassin ''and orders a hit on himself''. He manages to successfully lure the assassin into the open and kill him.
** The best part. The assassin is armed with a gun with X Ray Vision and a [[BulletsDoNotWorkThatWay Magic Bullet that will phase through any barriers between him and his target.]] As he's setting up his aim, the last thing he sees is Nick Fury aiming the only other copy of this same rifle ''at him''. He didn't just call a hit on himself, he slipped the assassin just enough information about his own schedule so that he'd know exactly when and where the assassin would attack.
* A character in the '''{{Blacksad}}'' album "Artic Nation" is in the middle of one several decades in the making. A key factor in this plot is [[spoiler:marrying her own father, while keeping him from discovering this particular bit of information. She succeeds at most of her goals, but her sister is killed in the process and her niece rendered an orphan]].
* Done at least twice in ''SinCity'':
** In "A Dame to Kill For", Ava leaves Dwight [=McCarthy=] for millionaire Damien Lord; then, four years later, comes to Dwight pretending to be afraid of Damien and his servant Manute, playing on Dwight's [[TheDulcineaEffect Lancelot complex]] to get Dwight to investigate and ultimately kill Damien, leaving her Damien's money.
** In "That Yellow Bastard", Senator Roark keeps Detective Hartigan from receiving a few letters from the only friend he has left, "Cordelia" (Nancy Callahan, though Roark doesn't know it), then sends Hartigan a severed finger. Predictably, Hartigan, thinking Nancy's in danger, does what he has to in order to make parole so he can rescue Nancy, then goes looking for her, only to find she was safe and unharmed until that moment, when he accidentally revealed to Roark's son, who had been following him since he left prison, that "Cordelia" was Nancy.
* During the Onslaught CrisisCrossover of the ''{{Comicbook/X-Men}}'' series, it was revealed that Professor X (like Batman) kept secret files on how to kill each X-Man in case they went rogue, including himself (which was good, since Onslaught was created from a combination of Xavier's and Magneto's minds).
** Onslaught actually predates "Tower of Babel", the JLA story where Batman's files are revealed, by a few years (and even JLA: Year One, where [[MartianManhunter J'onn]] did much the same thing, by a period of time).
** The "Xavier Protocols", as these plans are known, eventually end up becoming important plot elements in various other arcs.
* In the 13-issue story "The Kindly Ones" from ''Comicbook/TheSandman'' series, Death calls Dream out on having orchestrated a Batman Gambit.
** What makes it even more amazing is that it's quite possible that he did it unconsciously.
*** As he is the embodiment of Story, it is only natural that [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy tropes would bend to his unconscious will]].
**** It's also worth noting that this gambit is a [[spoiler: suicide.]] It's also implied that only two others in existence realize what's happened: Puck [[spoiler: who says that he could discuss the subject "endlessly"]], and [[spoiler: Loki, who doesn't realize he's been played until it's too late for him.]]
* Interestingly enough, TheJoker, in his more serious interpretations, is immune to the Batman Gambit based simply on the fact that he is completely unpredictable.
** And moreover, that if he can be bothered, he's DangerouslyGenreSavvy enough to see through them.
* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' [[http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1986/01/13 shows it in the proto-form]]. It seems Susie has the good makings.
* In ''The Black Knight [=GLORPS=] Again!'' by DonRosa, Arpin Lusene is out to regain his melts-anything-it-touches suit of armor from Scrooge [=McDuck=]. At the armor's supposed resting place, he finds that the armor has been replaced with a note stating that it is not there... which Arpin anticipated, and therefore brought a tiny saw along. With it, he saws silhouettes of a knight's armor in the walls, so Scrooge later believes that Arpin has regained his armor and walked through the walls. Worried, Scrooge goes to check out the armor at its true resting place, Arpin tailing him and stealing it.
* {{ComicBook/Superman}} once pulled one of these on {{Darkseid}}, ''and himself''. After rescuing {{Supergirl}} from being a Female Fury, Supes inducts her as an official hero and sort of parades her around Earth. Angered about losing his prize, Darkseid comes to Earth and seemingly vaporizes her with his Omega Beams. Superman goes apeshit over losing her and beats Darkseid to a pulp and seals him inside the Source Wall. Superman then meets with Supergirl, who used a device to teleport away at the last second, and reports that the plan was successful. They were able to goad Darkseid into coming to fight them personally, and the mere ''sight'' of Supergirl's seeming death was able to trigger Superman's UnstoppableRage so he could curb stomp Darkseid's ass. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Batman muses that the plan had no input from him, it was all Clark, and it was brilliant]].
* Marvel's Odin of ''TheMightyThor'' fame has one of his own, when it's revealed during the "Disassembled/Ragnarok" story arc that all of the trials and tribulations that Odin had put Thor through over the years (centuries, millennia) were preparing him to finally be the god to put an end to the Ragnarok Cycle once and for all.
* Udon Comics has a fun one, in the ''Comicbook/StreetFighter Legends''. Karin challenges Sakura to a contest, ANY contest... and Sakura comes up with a Hot-Dog Eating Contest. Karin quickly comes up with the plan. She asks to, at least, be able to pick the time and place of the next contest. She cheats like mad, relying on Sakura to go all out. Sakura does so, and it looks like Karin might win, until it's revealed she was cheating. She goes to her back-up plan. Admit defeat in the stupid, stupid contest, and challenge Sakura IMMEDIATELY to a martial arts match, which Karin wanted. Handicapped. Right there, right now. Sakura, meanwhile, was busy trying not to throw up. It would be a good Xanatos Gambit, if it wasn't for the simple failure condition of Sakura calling foul. Sakura could have NOT exhausted herself in the hot-dog contest, or simply refused the fight. But Sakura is not the person to do that.
* Believe it or not, {{Deadpool}}. You see, everyone thinks that Deadpool's a moron. He's not. This was proved without a doubt when he executed a plan involving the manipulation of the X-Men, HAMMER, NormanOsborn, some random called Kincaid, the SFPD, the public, the local news, and a chicken, over the course of five issues. Deadpool first declared to the X-Men that he was going to kill Kincaid, causing a public fiasco, making the X-Men look like criminals, then, he proceeded to interrupt a ''live broadcast'', wearing a ''home made X-Men outfit'', then, he let himself be captured by Domino, knowing that her morals would mean that when Cyclops ordered Wolverine to "take Deadpool out of the picture", she would protect him, then, Deadpool got Domino to tell him her greatest fear, ''then'' stuck the chicken, (which was Domino's worst fear) into an air vent in a train station, knowing ''full well that Osborn would put Kincaid in an open spot to GET him killed to make the X-Men look bad'', fully expecting the X-Men to try to save Kincaid by way of a vent, pulling out the lights ''FIRST'' to add to the confusion. Then he flushed Kincaid into the open. While Kincaid was in the open, Deadpool kept an eye out for snipers, '''PROTECTING''' Kincaid, while making it look like he was going to kill him. Then, when Wolverine saved Kincaid, Deadpool made a run for it, and fought the X-men (except for Wolverine who would, by now, be in on the plot, Deadpool made sure of that) on the roof, allowing a camera guy taken by Wolverine to film them, making the X-Men look like heroes, and Osborn to look like an incompetent buffoon, just as '''''planned!'''''
** Deadpool's got moves.
** This aspect of Deadpool's personality was lampshaded by Nick Fury in ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance 2'' where Nick Fury states that with his intelligence and skill, Deadpool would easily be the most dangerous being on the ''entire planet'' if it weren't for his insanity preventing him from doing ''too'' much.
* Pretty much all of {{Spider-Man}}'s victories against supervillains depend on Batman Gambits, especially ones much more powerful than he is. Spider-Man will either set up in advance or improvise on the spot various traps and goad his enemies into falling into them, and even if he can beat a supervillain in straight combat, he'll joke around and mock them into fury and carelessness to make the fight easier.
* [[RobertCrumb Mr. Natural]] uses this on just about everyone, which makes them even madder when they realize how easily he's able to manipulate them.
* TheMole on the team in ''{{Comicbook/Runaways}}'' attributes this to the success of their plan near the end of the first volume - specifically, they let Nico suggest part of it after arranging things so there wouldn't be many other options.
* If you followed [[TheMightyThor Thor]] since [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers: Disassembled]], and through DarkReign and {{Siege}}, and up until now, you probably already know this. If you didn't, [[http://www.narutoforums.com/showthread.php?t=743153 read this]] and realize who the real orchestrator behind everything that happened was. [[spoiler:Loki]]. In short? [[spoiler:Loki was shows to ensure his own adoption by [[PhysicalGod Odin]], caused the last [[{{Gotterdammerung}} Ragnarok]], made sure Thor would revive all the gods, manipulated humans, gods, demons and [[DoctorDoom Doom]] to ensure he won't have an afterlife and that he would be reincarnated, caused [[NormanOsborn Osborn's]] downfall, made it possible for Asgard to exist without harming [[WorldTree Yggdrasil]], all while everyone around him being clueless.]] And the best part? No one have yet to realize the magnitude of the plan that was executed or the reason behind it.
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