History Literature / TheMillenniumTrilogy

* [[spoiler:GovernmentConspiracy]]: Hoooo, '''''BOY.''''' [[spoiler:Once upon a time in Soviet Russia, there was a ChildSoldier named Alexander Zalachenko. He did great work for Soviet Russia. Then he decided to turn coat for more money, and sought asylum in Sweden. In exchange for massive assistance in Cold War spygames, all he really asked for besides scads of money and privacy was a woman to beat and rape as he liked. That woman eventually gave birth to Lisbeth Salander. Who grew up watching her father brutalize her mother. When she was thirteen, she came home to find her mother unconscious and bleeding on the kitchen floor. Most kids would call 911. Lisbeth Salander also filled a milk carton with gasoline and tossed it in her father's car along with a lit match. When the ambulance arrived, they dragged her father out of the burning car and got him expert medical care but left her mother to suffer permanent brain damage. Then the government sent her to a BedlamHouse and gave the director written instructions to ''[[GoAmongMadPeople make sure she belonged there.]]'' Because if charges were ever pressed against Alexander Zalachenko, the whole Cold War mess would come out. And now you know why Lisabeth Salander hates all cops and doctors. I'd call the woman a saint. Can anyone else say that if they had her childhood and genius, they wouldn't turn full-blown terrorist?]]

* UnfortunateName: The killer blonde giant is not given a name until late in the book, at which point it's revealed to be the very unintimidating "Ronald Niedermann."

* [[ActorAllusion Composer Allusion]]: A character in the US version s seen wearing a NineInchNails shirt - while [[PopStarComposer Trent Reznor]] is the co-writer of the score.

* {{Bishoujo}}: Lisbeth is described as looking like a wide-eyed anime girl.

* NotSoHarmless: Lisbeth looks like a teenage girl. She also looks like someone who could easily be attacked or intimidated. She is none of these things.

* SuperpowerLottery: Won by Niedermann - he not [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pain feels no pain]], he has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myostatin-related_muscle_hypertrophy a gene which gives him]] an insanely muscular frame [[RequiredSecondaryPowers which keeps him from killing himself by accident.]] The first condition should have killed him in his twenties, the second is so rare only a handful of subjects have been identified. The two together essentially make him TheTerminator.

* PaleSkinnedBrunette: Lisbeth, who is described as looking vaguely Asian in the books. In the films, she's played by a Pale Skinned Brunette actress.

* SuperpowerLottery: Won by Niedermann - he not [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pain feels no pain]], he has [[http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/muscle-growth.htm a myostatin deficiency]], resulting in an insanely muscular frame [[RequiredSecondaryPowers which keeps him from killing himself by accident.]] The first condition should have killed him in his twenties, the second is so rare only a handful of subjects have been identified. The two together essentially make him TheTerminator.

* YouFailBiologyForever: Niedermann's muscular frame could only be the result of heavy weight training. But that sort of workout performed without the benefit of pain receptors to gauge one's own limits would be catastrophic. Similarly, [[spoiler: when Lisbeth shocks him with a stungun, the electricity through his muscles should have immobilized him regardless of whether he felt it or not.]]

* RapeAndRevenge: Lisbeth's advocate Nils Bjurman lures her to his apartment, [[spoiler: where he sodomizes her with a sex toy, rapes and tortures her]], then orders her to come back a week later. She does so, but [[spoiler: tasers, ties up and sodomizes ''him'', then tattoos "I am a sadistic pig, a pervert, and a rapist" on his chest and stomach]]. She also tells him that [[spoiler: she recorded his assault of her, and that]] he will be doing exactly what she says from now on, or he'll be going to jail for a very long time.

* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Lisbeth does it to a john, involving a taser and a noose around his neck. Pretty much on the edge of the MoralEventHorizon.

* RuleOfThrees: Lisbeth zaps three men with her trusty taser [[spoiler:but the third man is immune to its effects despite being hit in the groin.]]

* YouFailBiologyForever: Niedermann's muscular frame could only be the result of heavy weight training. But that sort of workout performed without the benefit of pain receptors to gauge one's own limits would be catastrophic. Similarly, [[spoiler: when Lisbeth shocks him with a Taser, the electricity through his muscles should have immobilized him regardless of whether he felt it or not.]]

* AmbiguousDisorder: Lisbeth. Mikael, on the subject of her photographic memory, thinks to himself, "Asperger's syndrome, or something like that. A talent for seeing patterns and understanding abstract reasoning where other people perceive only white noise." Since [[DidNotDoTheResearch Asperger's Syndrome is nothing like that]], he might want to rethink that statement--while Asperger's has a high memory rate for obsessions, that only applies to obsessions, and high-functioning Aspies tend to tune out a lot of stimulus.

* FridgeBrilliance: Niedermann's abnormal strength could be explained by [[http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/muscle-growth.htm a myostatin deficiency]].

* AllMenArePerverts: The Swedish title wasn't lying--one could almost count the male characters who are not violent sexual deviants on one hand.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Lisbeth. Mikael, on the subject of her photographic memory, thinks to himself, "Asperger's syndrome, or something like that. A talent for seeing patterns and understanding abstract reasoning where other people perceive only white noise."
** Since [[DidNotDoTheResearch Asperger's Syndrome is nothing like that]], he might want to rethink that statement--while Asperger's has a high memory rate for obsessions, that only applies to obsessions, and high-functioning Aspies tend to tune out a lot of stimulus.

* AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance: Casting NoomiRapace as Lisbeth Salander obviously made things a lot easier for the costume department and the writers. Although finding a grown woman with all of Lisbeth's physical traits would be next to impossible, they got lucky in several regards. Noomi, like Lisbeth, [[{{Pettanko}} is very small-breasted]] as well as dark-eyed with a naturally pale complexion, and in her late teens had numerous ear and facial piercings that she readily got repierced for the role. However, she's not ''quite'' as short as Lisbeth at 5'5" compared to 4'11.

** The Swedish did it right by casting Mikael as a balding man who is clearly overweight and rather homely. The American version, of course, cast Daniel Craig.
*** You consider [[http://images.wikia.com/milleniumtrilogy/images/e/e6/Michael-Nyqvist_439115q.jpg Michael]] [[http://www.topnews.in/files/images/Michael-Nygvist5.jpg Nyqvist]] to be "balding [...] clearly overweight and homely"?!
* AuthorExistenceFailure: Larsson died of a heart attack shortly after submitting the manuscripts for the three novels. Fortunately, the third book at least resolves most major active plot threads fairly well, so readers aren't left with a gigantic, unresolved cliffhanger as the ending. [[http://www.stieglarsson.com/the-4th-book A fourth book was partially written and some of ideas of a fifth and sixth book are recorded.]]
** It has been rumored that Larsson planned to write 10 books with these characters. [[spoiler: Major plot points left unresolved include the fate of Lisbeth's sister, which was intended to be the subject of the fourth book.]]

* BiTheWay: Lisbeth usually prefers sex with guys, but she won't kick girls out of bed.
** Definitely true in the first book, but something of a subversion for the series - Lisbeth has two lovers she treats seriously, and one of them is a woman.

* CaptainObviousAesop: Human trafficking is a problem that needs to be dealt with. Rapists are bad. So are Nazis. Nazi rapists are even worse. Also, bad guys are pedophiles.
** Somewhat subverted by the [[spoiler: government conspiracy plot]] in the third book.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: Not applicable to the author himself, but an article published in an Australian magazine labelled Larsson a Neo-Nazi. This is a classic example of DidNotDoTheResearch, as Larsson was a firm Marxist and was well-known for his work against far-right extremist and racist organisations in Sweden. Which ''included'' Neo-Nazis. Who, in typical Neo-Nazi fashion, regularly sent him death threats.
** And of course, one of the series primary protagonists is the (Jewish) Inspector Bublanski.

* DoubleStandard: Lisbeth is labelled a prostitute because she's been to a park late at with a man. Later, the media go into a frenzy over her lesbianism. Erika Berger is absolutely terrified of having her sex life exposed. At the same time, Mikael Blomkvist leads a very active sex life with multiple partners without giving it much thought - and no one seems to care.

* EthicalSlut: Lisbeth and Mikael both, in slightly different ways. Lisbeth views sex as a way to have fun (she's noted as having been with 50 different people by the beginning of the series), but she also has a strict personal code of morals that pushes her to try and protect innocents. Mikael has similar ethics, but his sexual liasons tend more toward the serious side; he's just had plenty of them.

* FunTShirt: Lisbeth is fond of wearing shirts with snarky slogans on them. One proclaims: "Armageddon was yesterday - today we have a serious problem."

* PragmaticAdaptation: Many of the characters have been changed from the books to the films for the sake of brevity. In addition many subplots were cut. For example in the book Lisbeth leaves Mikael because she catches him with Erika and is heartbroken. In the Swedish films Erika and Mikael do not have a physical relationship, instead Lisbeth simply leaves Sweden because she is afraid of falling in love. This happens less in the first American film, which is a few minutes longer (Mikael and Erika's physical relationship has been restored, for example), but still appears occasionally.
** The Mikael-Erika relationship does appear in the uncut TV version, though.

* ReasonYouSuckSpeech: Many characters are fond of this. Lisbeth uses on in the first film to defend herself when Mikael questions her about [[spoiler: Martins death.]] and why he deserved to die. In the second film, Armansky gives one to Lisbeth when she says she didn't know why she never said good bye. "You don't care about anyone, you treat your friends like dirt. It's as simple as that." Which she is unable to disagree with.

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: This is pretty much Lisbeth's justification for hacking into people's computers and, if neccessary, reporting them to the authorities for their illegal actions. Mikael also has this attitude, but to a lesser degree.
** Well, Lisbeth has it to an extent. She hacks into ''everybodys'' computers and pretty much lives on her computer, so even if she isn't going after someone she'll still be hacking people.

* ShoutOut: All three books have homages to Swedish children's books, especially Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking and Kalle Blomkvist. The first one also has lots of homages to Agatha Christie, and name-checks Sara Paretsky and Sue Grafton.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: While the original books have Blomkvist and Salander as equal protagonists, the [[TheFilmOfTheBook Swedish movies]] go out of their way to make Salander the star. Her weaknesses are cut back (most notably her social awkwardness), portraying her as less of a flawed human and more of an invincible force of nature. Blomkvist suffers in that his intelligence and journalistic competence are lowered in order to make Salander more intelligent by comparison.

* StarMakingRole: NoomiRapace was mostly a stage actress before being cast in the trilogy, which has brought her international acclaim.

* FakeNationality: All over the American film version. The main cast is comprised of Brits, Americans, a Canadian, a Dutch man, a Croatian, and one lone Swede.

* InJoke: In the American verison of the film, all the characters say Lisbeth's name with English pronunciation, "Liz-bith" or "Liz-beth". But toward the end of the movie when Martin learns her name, he says it with Swedish pronunciation as "Leez-bit".
** Which makes sense seeing as Martin is played by Stellan Skarsgård, the only actual Swede to have a major role in the movie.

* PragmaticAdaptation: TheFilmOfTheBook hits most of the high notes, but simplifies a few matters for the sake of streamlining the plot. Henrik's offer to give Mikael evidence about Wennerström and his buying a stake in ''Millennium'' are left out, as is Mikael's daughter being the one who figures out the "Leviticus" references, and Anita is killed off [[spoiler: instead of being Harriet's helper]]. Some events in the timeline are shifted around as well, and the various ''Millennium'' employees have maybe five minutes total screen time.

* ProductPlacement: The movie is filled with this for Swedish companies, including an almost gratuitous promoting of SVT, the public service channel. There's a rather perverse ValuesDissonance to it since Larsson was a noted communist and it's highly unlikely he'd have approved. There's also a bit of a TakeThat to SVT in the book, when Mikael buys a small TV with a rabbit-ear antenna (to pick up the broadcast channel SVT) for his stay in Hedeby. His neighbors invite him over to their house if he ever wants to watch anything on ''real'' TV.

*** For the nerdier types, the actual placement of Macs in the Fincher film is rather strange. The exact timeline of the film isn't clear, but it's either a present-day OS (Tiger, circa 2005) running on computers from the future (the unibody MacBook Pros from 2008, which came with Leopard), or computers of today running an OS from several years before they came out.

* ScarsAreForever: Mikael doubts that the scar he got on his neck [[spoiler: while being almost hanged by Martin]] will ever fade, and it's mentioned as still being visible during ''Hornet's Nest'' almost two years later.

* TangledFamilyTree: The Vangers.
** {{Lampshaded}} in the American film when Henrik is explaining to Blomqvist where each member of the family is and their relationship with each other. Blomqvist has a little trouble keeping up.

* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:Niedermann's paranoid hallucinations.]]

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Frequently used in a rare, non-comical version, when Lisbeth points out that the various villains in addition to being murderers and rapists, HATE WOMEN! The most extreme version of this comes when [[spoiler: she tells her father, a former hitman turned gangster, that he's "just another man who hates women" because he lets his sons into his criminal organization, but not his daughters. All things considered, that was probably one of his LEAST evil traits.]]
** YMMV on this - given the context, it could also refer to [[spoiler: Zala's illegal trafficking of women into Sweden to work as prostitutes or his beating Lisbeth's mother so much that she suffered permanent brain damage.]]
** She was also insulting him, by claiming that, despite what he thought, he wasn't a diabolical criminal mastermind. He was "just another asshole who hates women."
*** [[TheDragon Niederman]] references this; he doesn't understand why [[spoiler: Zalechenko is less interested in trafficking drugs than women, since it carries a far greater risk for a lesser profit, and most of their fortune is built on their drugs. The implication is he is oing it out of his hatred of women, and probably Lisbeth in particular, with the women as substitutes for the daughter who set him on fire.]]

The American adaptation of ''Dragon Tattoo'' was released December 21, 2011, directed by DavidFincher, written by Steven Zallan, and scored by the team of [[NineInchNails Trent Reznor]] and Atticus Ross. The cast includes {{Rooney Mara}} as Lisbeth and current JamesBond as Mikael. Despite the film's somewhat modest box office performance, it has been confirmed that the second instalment will be filmed, with Mara and Craig returning to their roles, although it is not yet clear whether Fincher will return as director. It is also rumoured that the third instalment will be filmed simultaneously with the second, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.

The American adaptation of ''Dragon Tattoo'' was released December 21, 2011, directed by DavidFincher, written by Steven Zallan, and scored by the team of [[NineInchNails Trent Reznor]] and Atticus Ross. The cast includes {{Rooney Mara}} as Lisbeth and current JamesBond Daniel Craig as Mikael. Despite the film's somewhat modest box office performance, it has been confirmed that the second instalment will be filmed, with Mara and Craig returning to their roles, although it is not yet clear whether Fincher will return as director. It is also rumoured that the third instalment will be filmed simultaneously with the second, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.

* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Evert Gullberg does this to [[spoiler:Zalachenko]][[spoiler:, and then proceed to do it on himself (!)]].

* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Evert Gullberg does this to [[spoiler:Zalachenko]].

* SexyBack: Lisbeth shows this off in the film versions, complete with a [[TitleDrop dragon tattoo]] that covers most of it. Albeit, in the American version the first time we see it is distinctly un-sexy, being during a shower scene immediately after [[spoiler: she returns home from being raped by Bjurman.]]