History Main / BeethovenwasanAlienSpy

** The rocket launcher, the two-story house, America and the stage play were all invented by Shakespearicles, the strongest writer who ever lived.'

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' suggests that Creator/OscarWilde, Creator/AleisterCrowley, Samuel "Creator/MarkTwain" Clemens, Eugene Sandow & UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla (along with Fantomas and Dr Venture's ancestor) were members of a [[Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]-esque Guild that was meant to safeguard and research an artifact made by the greatest minds of the past (from Archimedes to Leonardo). The fracturing of this guild would give birth to the Guild Of Calamitous Intent (a name coined by Wilde), which would become a WeirdTradeUnion for {{Supervillain}}s.

* ''Fanfic/NihonversePocketville'' has the Moon Queen, an AsianFoxSpirit GoddessOfTheMoon who helps Queen Ami and her sister Emi. It is revealed that she was in fact [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethII Queen Elizabeth II]] herself, who was apparently the Sixth Folklorist for the Queendom of Onmyou.

Commonly results in a WeirdHistoricalWar, although not always. See also JuliusBeethovenDaVinci and, for one of a few particularly popular alien spies, see ElvisHasLeftThePlanet, ElvishPresley, UsefulNotes/RasputinTheMadMonk or — in Japanese media — DemonKingNobunaga. WeDidntStartTheFuhrer is a subtrope of this. For a specific {{Biopic}} example, check out BiographyAClef. Often it leads to a HistoricalBadassUpgrade. May involve {{Gender Flip}}ping (see HistoricalGenderFlip), in which case expect a SamusIsAGirl reaction (or "Samus Is a Guy", if "Samus" was originally a girl in the first place) when the character's true identity is revealed. Contrast NoSuchThingAsWizardJesus. If the historical figure in question has superpowers or supernatural abilities, then it's HistoricalDomainSuperperson. Also the BeenThereShapedHistory character where they simply use a fictional character. If the alien spy initially appears to be a fictional character, and only late in the story is revealed to be a historical figure, it's a HistoricalPersonPunchline. Also compare RealEventFictionalCause (with real events instead of people).

* In ''Literature/RingShout'' by Creator/PDjeliClark, the Klan was born from an order of white supremacist wizards, and ''Film/TheBirthOfANation1915'' was not just racist propaganda, but a spell that not only stoked racism higher (in RealLife, the film is indeed credited with a revival in KKK membership), but also turned most Klan members--including people who joined afterwards--into {{Eldritch Abomination}}s. The main character and her friends are part of a secret group that fights these creatures. [[spoiler: The AndTheAdventureContinues ending has Maryse's otherworldly patrons telling her about a writer in Providence, RI touched by the same beings, obviously meant to be H.P. Lovecraft.]]

*** ''II'' has an even bigger surprise: [[spoiler: all polytheistic gods were based on AbusivePrecursors who enslaved humanity with [[AncientArtifact ancient artifacts and ''the'' Adam and Eve were the first to openly rebel against them]].

** In ''The Stanchurian Candidate'', it's mentioned that Ronald Reagan was mind controlled by his "masters" using a high-tech tie [[spoiler: made by Ford Pines. He thinks nothing of it.]]

*** Benjamin Franklin was secretly a woman.
*** Abraham Lincoln had a hand sticking out of his head, which he covered with his hat.
*** Thomas Jefferson was really [[TotemPoleTrench two kids in a trenchcoat]].
*** Mount Rushmore is actually a bunch of giant robots.

* The founder of the titular Gravity Falls, according to the episode "Irrational Treasure", was Sir Lord Quentin Trembley III, the 8th & 1/2 president of the USA. He was [[CloudCuckoolander the most ridiculous president of the US]], and was kicked out of office [[UnPerson and erased from the history books]]. His term was replaced by UsefulNotes/WilliamHenryHarrison (the official 9th and thus why Trembley was 8th & 1/2), and the government claimed some waste shoveling village idiot was the founder of Gravity Falls. Also in the same episode, the following are mentioned, both in gags and on [[FreezeFrameBonus on-screen text]]:
** Benjamin Franklin was secretly a woman.
** Abraham Lincoln had a hand sticking out of his head, which he covered with his hat.
** Thomas Jefferson was really [[TotemPoleTrench two kids in a trenchcoat]].
** Mount Rushmore is actually a bunch of giant robots.
* In ''The Stanchurian Candidate'', it's mentioned that Ronald Reagan was mind controlled by his "masters" using a high-tech tie [[spoiler: made by Ford Pines. He thinks nothing of it.]]

* The founder of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', according to the episode "Irrational Treasure", was Sir Lord Quentin Trembley III, the 8th & 1/2 president of the USA. He was [[CloudCuckoolander the most ridiculous president of the US]], and was kicked out of office [[UnPerson and erased from the history books]]. His term was replaced by UsefulNotes/WilliamHenryHarrison (the official 9th and thus why Trembley was 8th & 1/2), and the government claimed some waste shoveling village idiot was the founder of Gravity Falls. Oh, and Ben Franklin was secretly a woman, and Abe's tall hat was used to conceal an extra arm on the top of his head.
** The same episode is full of these, both in gags and on [[FreezeFrameBonus on-screen text]]:
*** Benjamin Franklyn was secretly a woman.
*** Abraham Lincoln had a hand sticking out of his head, which he covered with his hat.
*** Thomas Jefferson was really [[TotemPoleTrench two kids in a trenchcoat]].
*** Mount Rushmore is actually a bunch of giant robots.
** In ''The Stanchurian Candidate'', it's mentioned that Ronald Reagan was mind controlled by his "masters" using a high-tech tie [[spoiler: made by Ford Pines. He thinks nothing of it.]]

Commonly results in a WeirdHistoricalWar, although not always. See also JuliusBeethovenDaVinci and, for one of a few particularly popular alien spies, see ElvisHasLeftThePlanet, ElvishPresley, UsefulNotes/RasputinTheMadMonk or — in Japanese media — DemonKingNobunaga. WeDidntStartTheFuhrer is a subtrope of this. For a specific {{Biopic}} example, check out BiographyAClef. Often it leads to a HistoricalBadassUpgrade. May involve {{Gender Flip}}ping, in which case expect a SamusIsAGirl reaction (or "Samus Is a Guy", if "Samus" was originally a girl in the first place) when the character's true identity is revealed. Contrast NoSuchThingAsWizardJesus. If the historical figure in question has superpowers or supernatural abilities, then it's HistoricalDomainSuperperson. Also the BeenThereShapedHistory character where they simply use a fictional character. If the alien spy initially appears to be a fictional character, and only late in the story is revealed to be a historical figure, it's a HistoricalPersonPunchline. Also compare RealEventFictionalCause (with real events instead of people).

* The TabletopGame/D20Modern supplement ''Menace Manual'' lists a number of organizations, both fictional and real, for use in games. One of the organizations is the Final Church (originally from TabletopGame/DarkMatter), a satanic cult. The entry states that Hitler and the other high-ranking Nazis were members, and the Holocaust was actually a human sacrifice of vast proportions.

* ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'' implies that the Music/MichaelJackson we all know and love(?) is a phony, and that the ''real'' (read: ''Music/{{Thriller}}'' era) Wacko Jacko [[spoiler:lives on a secret Moon base, run by Literature/{{Dracula}}. And his flatmates include Music/PaulMcCartney, Music/TupacShakur, UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, Music/ElvisPresley, and Creator/BruceLee]]. Though, given the nature of the comic, fantastic scenarios like this [[WidgetSeries are standard operating procedure]]. Plus jet pack [[UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson Jefferson]].

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' suggests Chuck Berry invented rock and roll through a secondhand account from a time traveller from the future.

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': An alternate version of C.C.'s past in the ''Nightmare of Nunnally'' manga reveals that she is the [[spoiler: "Witch Of Britannia"]]. Since she was an Eden Vital, a witch, she didn't die. Her scar was cut into her by [[spoiler: Joan Of Arc]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', several historical figures, including Joan of Arc, St. George and the UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLaFayette are mentioned to have been past [[TransformationTrinket Miraculous]] holders.

*** ''II'' has an even bigger surprise: [[spoiler: all polytheistic gods were based on AbusivePrecursors who enslaved humanity with AncientArtifacts and ''the'' Adam and Eve were the first to openly rebel against them]].
*** Secret documents found in those games reveal that [[spoiler: UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill, UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, UsefulNotes/JosefStalin, and UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt]] were all Templars that orchestrated UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Also, [[spoiler: Thomas Edison was a Templar who discredited UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla because Tesla found one of the AncientArtifacts]].

The "revelation" that a famous RealLife historical figure actually had a secret life far more fantastic (figuratively or literally) and/or magical than history records. A historical {{retcon}}, if you will. Artists and writers tend to be the most common examples, followed by American Presidents. (At times, per the ''Film/MenInBlackII'' example below, a ''current'' figure also can be a subject of this trope, as can ''groups'', per the ''Film/NationalTreasure'' and ''Film/{{Transformers|2007}}'' examples below.)

** Issue 3 of IDW's comic book prequel to the 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers|2007}}'' movie establishes that scientists Robert Oppenheimer, William Hayward Pickering, Frederick Sanger and Jack Kilby were secretly working for the secret government organisation Sector Seven (as an EasterEgg, artist Don Figueroa added himself as another member). The movie includes other such information, but not as openly.

** The 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers|2007}}'' movie showed that 5 US presidents knew about Megatron and the Cube. [[spoiler: Hoover Dam]] was constructed to hide and store the Cube.

The "revelation" that a famous RealLife historical figure actually had a secret life far more fantastic (figuratively or literally) and/or magical than history records. A historical {{retcon}}, if you will. Artists and writers tend to be the most common examples, followed by American Presidents. (At times, per the ''Film/MenInBlackII'' example below, a ''current'' figure also can be a subject of this trope, as can ''groups'', per the ''Film/NationalTreasure'' and ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' examples below.)

* Issue 3 of IDW Publishing's comic book prequel to the 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' movie establishes that scientists Robert Oppenheimer, William Hayward Pickering, Frederick Sanger and Jack Kilby were secretly working for the secret government organisation Sector Seven (as an EasterEgg, artist Don Figueroa added himself as another member). The movie includes other such information, but not as openly.

** Also, according to the semi-senile Jetfire, his father was "The wheel! The ''first'' wheel!" And what did he turn into? "Nothing! But he did it with honor! Dignity, dammit!"

* The ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' movie showed that 5 US presidents knew about Megatron and The Cube. [[spoiler: Hoover Dam]] was constructed to hide and store the Cube.
** In the sequel, the Great Pyramids are a cover-up for [[spoiler: an alien portal generator]].
** And in the third film, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin went to the Moon [[spoiler: to explore the ruins of a Cybertronian starship. Also, the stopping of both the American and Soviet space programs was engineered by the Decepticons so that the ship remains undiscovered. The Chernobyl disaster is also revealed to be the result of an experiment with a power cell from the same ship]].

* ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' In the opening credits it is vaguely implied that the Comedian may have killed Kennedy.

* The lyrics to the ''Conehead Love'' song in the credits of ''Film/{{Coneheads}} say "[[UsefulNotes/DwightDEisenhower Eisenhower]], [[UsefulNotes/RichardNixon Nixon]], [[UsefulNotes/HarryTruman Truman]]. None of them were really human".