History Main / BeneathNotice

* In MassEffect2, Thane's loyalty mission has his backstory exposition include the [[StreetUrchin tunnel vent rats]], a group of orphans who live in the Citadel and acted as his spy network because nobody ever took notice of them.

This trope appears in many settings, with its use generally depending on the values of the time period. In a class-stratified society, it is literally unthinkable for an aristocrat to even consider pretending to be a commoner simply for the sake of honor, so the idea never even occurs to anybody to look for a commoner. Contrast a modern setting, where rather than a whole underclass, usually certain peripheral professions will be utilized for this. In either case, the SelectiveObliviousness of characters can become a plot point if a GenreSavvy character declares that EveryoneIsASuspect in hope of keeping others from failing to notice those usually Beneath Notice.

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* In ''NipAndTuck'', the ShowWithinAShow ''Rebel Cry'' features [[http://www.rhjunior.com/NT/00679.html the Admiral remonstrating with the Chairwoman, who then consults her handmaiden, who agrees with him, and turns to the Admiral to explain that she regards his advice as little as she does hers.]]
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* In ''HarryPotter'', presumably how a Secret Keeper can hide an entire house just by refusing to tell people where it is. I'm looking at you, [[spoiler:Peter Pettigrew.]]

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* The "Beggar Prince" book from ''TheElderScrolls''

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* On {{Leverage}}, while [[ManipulativeBitch Sophie]], [[LargeHam Hardison and Nate]] are more likely to show up people of importance, [[ClassyCatBurglar Parker]] and [[TheBigGuy Eliot]] generally fly under the radar by posing as irrelevant workers. Parker and Eliot are also much less likely to be captured, though that is also due to their respective skill sets allowing them to get out of danger more easily.

* [[TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]] has occasionally made potions that make him BeneathNotice.

* In ''HarryPotter'', presumably how a Keeper can hide an entire house just by refusing to tell people where it is. I'm looking at you, [[spoiler:Peter Pettigrew.]]

* In ''{{Hitman}}: Blood Money'' humble disguises like repairmen or janitors raise less suspicion from guards. They are, however, a disadvantage by restricting the areas you can enter while wearing them.

->'''Alejandro''': ''What will you do if [[BigBad he]] recognizes you?''
->'''Diego''': ''Montero considers himself a true nobleman. He would never look a servant in the eye.''
->''TheMaskOfZorro''

** A trait it seems he inherited from his dad, since Mr. Weston Sr. used to do the same to steal equipment off of work sites.

* In ''{{Fringe}}'', Walter explains that a side-effect they noticed amongst the children they treated with Cortexiphan, was their tendency to be drawn towards monochromatic colours such as black, white and grey, apparently instilling in them the subconscious desire to blend into their surroundings.

This trope appears in many settings, its use generally depending on the values of the time period. In a class-stratified society, it is literally unthinkable for an aristocrat to even consider pretending to be a commoner simply for the sake of honor, so the idea never even occurs to anybody to look for a commoner. Contrast a modern setting, where rather than a whole underclass, usually certain peripheral professions will be utilized for this. In either case, the SelectiveObliviousness of characters can become a plot point if a GenreSavvy character declares that EveryoneIsASuspect in hope of keeping others from failing to notice those usually Beneath Notice.

* In the [[GKChesterton G. K. Chesterton]] story "The Invisible Man", a man is murdered and witnesses say they saw nobody. FatherBrown figures out that the murderer [[spoiler: was dressed as a postman,]] and the witnesses didn't think he was important.

* On {{Leverage}}, while [[ManipulativeBitch Sophie]], [[LargeHam Hardison and Nate]] are more likely to show up people of importance, [[ClassyCatBurglar Parker]] and [[TheBigGuy Eliot]] generally fly under the radar by posing as irrelevant workers. Parker and Eliot are also much less likely to be captured, though that is also due to their respective skill sets allowing them to get out of danger more easily.
** Parker apparently learned this from her mentor [[GentlemanThief Archie]], as he also does this in "The Big Dam Job." As he says, "Nobody ever cuts the cake until someone tells them to cut the cake." [[spoiler: he was stealing a sword from an exhibit on opening night by smuggling it out through a fake cake, appearing as part of the catering staff.]]
* On {{Hustle}} Ash uses this fairly often in terms of setting up their cons.

* ''{{Shadowrun}}''. Often used by runners infiltrating corporate facilities.

* In ''{{Seventh Sea}}'', the Servant skill has a Knack (sub-skill) called Unobtrusive, which relies on this trope.

** Likewise, many games in the NewWorldOfDarkness not only have abilities like Obfuscate, but a Merit that makes it harder for someone to find records of the individual or track them down. It goes by various names depending on the game line, among them "Occultation," "Hidden Life," and "Anonymity". Often, though, these Merits also apply penalties to situations where being known would be useful ("Who're you to throw your weight around? Don't know you from Adam...").

* The "Beggar Prince" book from ''{{TheElderScrolls}}''

** Parker apparently learned this from her mentor [[GentlemanThief Archie]], as he also does this in "The Big Dam Job." As he says, "Nobody ever cuts the cake until someone tells them to cut the cake." [[Spoiler: he was stealing a sword from an exhibit on opening night by smuggling it out through a fake cake, appearing as part of the catering staff.]]

* On {{Leverage}}, while [[ManipulativeBitch Sophie]], [[LargeHam Hardison and Nate]] are more likely to show up people of importance, [[ClassyCatBurglar Parker]] and [[ TheBigGuy Eliot]] generally fly under the radar by posing as irrelevant workers. Parker and Eliot are also much less likely to be captured, though that is also due to their respective skill sets allowing them to get out of danger more easily.

* On {{Leverage}}, while [[ManipulativeBitch Sophie]], [[LargeHam Hardison and Nate]] are more likely to show up people of importance, [[ClassyCatBurglarParker]] and [[Eliot TheBigGuy]] generally fly under the radar by posing as irrelevant workers. Parker and Eliot are also much less likely to be captured, though that is also due to their respective skill sets allowing them to get out of danger more easily.

* In ''[[Film/{{X-Men}} X2: X-Men United]]'', Mystique disguises herself as a janitor.