History Main / DecoyLeader

* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', the GreaterScopeVillain E.N.D. is touted as the master of the dark guild Tartaros, but is [[SealedEvilInACan sealed within a book]] carried by Mard Geer, his NumberTwo. However, the truth is that E.N.D. was sealed in his book all along, and Mard Geer merely used the book as a figure to rally the rest of the guild around, effectively passing his own orders off as the will of E.N.D. [[spoiler:Moreover, the book only contains E.N.D.'s demonic essence; his real identity is Natsu, the main character, who ironically ends up helping tear down the very dark guild he was presumed to have built without anyone the wiser.]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* [[DiabolicalMastermind The Empress]] of [[NebulousEvilOrganization Tarot]], from the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'', uses this technique to protect herself from assassins, something she has to worry about because she's in a power-struggle to control [[AncientConspiracy Tarot]] with [[DiabolicalMastermind The Emperor of Tarot]].
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* One might consider Doctor Doom doing this by proxy of [[ActuallyADoombot Doombots]], whilst he can do research or fight the ComicBook/FantasticFour for MacGuffin they "lead" the country.

* One of the [[MultipleChoicePast various origins]] of ComicBook/TheJoker involved this. A criminal gang would hire a random smuck to dress up as the villainous Red Hood, and accompany them during heists. The police would assume that the supervillain is obviously the leader, and all the others are just hired Mooks, an assumption that the gang members would back up if they were ever caught. That way, they could get less severe prison sentences. If the "Red Hood" ever wanted out, they could just replace him with someone else, as the costume totally obscured the face. The scheme worked for a while, until they ran into Batman, and that crime's "Red Hood" was knocked into a vat of chemicals...

* ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoNewAdventuresDeathAndDiplomacy Death and Diplomacy]]'' takes this a step further: even the real leader thinks that the decoy is the one in charge. Confusing things further, his people have set up a cunning double bluff where he's officially the leader, meaning that [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow everyone assumes he's the decoy]], and the "minor official" he consults with (the actual decoy) is the real leader. (In theory. When he learns the truth, the swiftness with which his people accept it leads him to suspect [[EverybodyKnewAlready that maybe they all knew apart from him all along]].) Complicated double-dealing and duplicity are this race's [[PlanetOfHats hat]].
* In the Franchise/BattleTechExpandedUniverse, several novels detail uses of decoys for a variety of leaders: Jenna Clay subbing for Melissa Steiner is the most straightforward of these, but Hanse Davion and Thomas Marik both had doubles. Hanse's double was a plot by Maximilian Liao to take control of the Federated Suns, but Thomas Marik's double was a plot by ... Thomas Marik.
* ''Literature/TheNikolaiDuology: [[spoiler:When king Nikolai goes missing, his allies get Isaak, one of the royal guards, to pretend to be the king so that the country wouldn't descend into chaos. The appearence isn't a problem, since they can just use magic for that, but imitating the king's behaviour and mannerisms is way harder. He also has a lot of trouble navigating diplomatic situations, since he is just a guard from a poor family with no experience in court poilitics. Luckily the king's advisors are there to help him.]]
* An interesting variation in ''[[Literature/XWingSeries Starfighters of Adumar]]'': General Wedge Antilles arranges for [[{{Redshirts}} a couple of fighters in each squadron]] of his allied force to have identity transponders that can switch between their real details (Adumari pilots gain prestige from downing more experienced foes, so this information is readily available even to the enemy) and one picked from the [[AcePilot top thirty or so pilots in the force]]. Likewise the genuine best pilots could switch their [=IDs=] for nobodies. In addition to general misdirection and confusion ("How'd that guy end up on the opposite end of the battlefield?"), he hopes the [[ProudWarriorRace honor-obsessed Cartaanese pilots]] will go haring off after the decoy aces (who would ideally be good at evading even if they were bad shots), allowing the alliance's best shooters time to line up. He also exploited the relatively primitive Adumari sensors by having a squadron of fighters fly in tight formation and all broadcast the same ID, so that [[ActuallyFourMooks they'd appear to be a single large bomber or command ship until the enemy got into visual range]], while at the same time having the command ships and bombers broadcast multiple [=IDs=] so they would appear to be fighter squadrons without any prestigious aces (or with them, in the case of the well-shielded and heavily-armed command ships), thus allowing the bombers to more easily reach their targets.
* Essentially the primary role of the President of the Galaxy in ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''; it is explicitly stated throughout the novel that the real role of president is not to wield power but to draw attention away from the fact that nobody is publically in charge (part of the reason Zaphod Beeblebrox took power was to find out who was ''really'' in charge).

* During the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kulikovo battle of Kulikovo field]] in 1380 prince of Moscow Dmitry "of Don" gave his recognizable bright armour, banner and the horse to a young warrior, while Dmitry donned simple armour and fought as an ordinary footman. The obvious explanation that Dmitry was hiding in a safer place is often contested -- he went to the "big" (central) regiment, where the fighting was expected to be (and was) the most brutal.[[note]]The usual tactics against tartar cavalry was basically this: the small front regiment slows them down, the big central regiment stops and ties them down, then mounted regiments hit from flanks. 2/3 losses for the central regiment were not uncommon.[[/note]] The decoy boyarin was killed, Dmitry was wounded, trampled and left for dead, but ultimately survived. His exact motives are still debated.

Where this gets interesting is that the decoy doesn't need to look anything like the leader either. The leader may be a MasterOfDisguise or can at least [[SheCleansUpNicely clean up nicely]], which she'll use in order to move around royal and civil society freely. In fact, the leader will likely enjoy going about with the common folk. Of course, a savvy hero or villain will be able to tell this KingIncognito out.

A Decoy Leader takes the place of a leader and impersonates them, often conducting him or herself as if they were the real deal. Often, the real leader feeds them instructions via audio device, hand signals, extensive training, or other means so the leader can conduct meaningful policy. Usually, the decoy is willing to die for the leader, and has little to no political ambitions at all.

* In ''LightNovel/RakuinNoMonshou'' this was Fedom's plan when Prince Gil was shot. Orba would take over the Prince's spot in the Empire and eventually become Emperor, with Fedom manipulating him to become the power behind the throne.

* One of the [[MultipleChoicePast various origins]] of TheJoker involved this. A criminal gang would hire a random smuck to dress up as the villainous Red Hood, and accompany them during heists. The police would assume that the supervillain is obviously the leader, and all the others are just hired Mooks, an assumption that the gang members would back up if they were ever caught. That way, they could get less severe prison sentences. If the "Red Hood" ever wanted out, they could just replace him with someone else, as the costume totally obscured the face. The scheme worked for a while, until they ran into Batman, and that crime's "Red Hood" was knocked into a vat of chemicals...

* Used in ''Theatre/HenryVI'' by the Dauphin of France to test whether JoanOfArc could tell the difference. (She could.)

Compare PuppetKing, where the actual legal leader has become purely a tool for somebody else. The logical extreme of this trope is the ElCidPloy, where the real leader may be missing or even dead but still "commands" because another is impersonating him or (as in the original) no one realizes that he's dead. Also compare with TheManInFrontOfTheMan, for when the TheManBehindTheMan poses as a supposed minion of the Decoy Leader.

* Creator/FrankMiller's ''Comicbook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'' employs this.

* In ''Film/IronMan3'' [[spoiler:"The Mandarin" is actually a washed up vice-addled British actor named Trevor Slattery hired by Aldrich Killian, the real villain, to be an obvious target for Tony Stark]].

* The Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures book ''Death and Diplomacy'' takes this a step further: even the real leader thinks that the decoy is the one in charge. Confusing things further, his people have set up a cunning double bluff where he's officially the leader, meaning that [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow everyone assumes he's the decoy]], and the "minor official" he consults with (the actual decoy) is the real leader. (In theory. When he learns the truth, the swiftness with which his people accept it leads him to suspect [[EverybodyKnewAlready that maybe they all knew apart from him all along]].) Complicated double-dealing and duplicity are this race's [[PlanetOfHats hat]].

-->'''Zod''': You are the one they call "President"?
-->'''Guy''': I am.
-->'''Zod''': [snip] KneelBeforeZod.
-->'''Guy''': [kneels]
-->'''Zod''': You are not the President. No one who leads so many could possibly kneel so quickly.
-->'''President''': [Steps forward] They're protecting me. I'm the President.

* ''DoctorWho'': In "Day of the Daleks," the Controller of the Britain region serves as this to the Daleks--in fact, his whole family had served as this for generations. Interestingly, the Controller states that he doesn't necessarily ''like'' his masters, but feels that he doesn't see much choice in the matter. Also, as the Doctor later points out, "They would always have found ''someone''."

* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', [[spoiler:"Gwynevere" is actually an illusion controlled by the Dark Sun Gwyndolin, the real Gwynevere having abandoned Anor Londo long ago to marry a foreign god. Even "her" sunlight is just an illusion that is dispelled if the player kills "Gwynevere".]]

Compare PuppetKing, where the actual legal leader has become purely a tool for somebody else. The logical extreme of this trope is the ElCidPloy, where the real leader may be missing or even dead but still "commands" because another is impersonating him or (as in the original) no one realizes that he's dead.

* In ''Film/WildWildWest'', the first version of UsefulNotes/UlyssesSGrant we see is actually Artemus Gordon, but Jim West sees through the deception. Seconds later the real Grant arrives and chews them both out, suggesting he was unaware of what Gordon was doing. Note that both Gordon and Grant are played by the same actor. This gets repeated in a later scene where Loveless tries to kidnap the President and Gordon shows up disguised as Grant to buy the President time to escape. Unfortunately, before the President figures out that he's supposed to be leaving so that the imposter can be kidnapped, Loveless grabs them both. Gordon can't help but praise himself even when in-character, which is partly what causes West to realize he's not the President. The other reason? Gordon forgot to take off his Harvard ring. West is fully aware that Grant attended West Point.

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* An interesting variation in ''[[Literature/XWingSeries Starfighters of Adumar]]'': General Wedge Antilles arranges for [[{{Redshirts}} a couple of fighters in each squadron]] of his allied force to have identity transponders that can switch between their real details (Adumari pilots gain prestige from downing more experienced foes, so this information is readily available even to the enemy) and one picked from the [[AcePilot top thirty or so pilots in the force]]. Likewise the genuine best pilots could switch their [=IDs=] for nobodies. In addition to general misdirection and confusion ("How'd that guy end up on the opposite end of the battlefield?"), he hopes the [[ProudWarriorRace honor-obsessed Cartaanese pilots]] will go haring off after the decoy aces, allowing the alliance's best shooters time to line up.

* In ''Film/IronMan3'' [[spoiler:"The Mandarin" is actually a washed up vice-addled British actor named Trevor Slattery hired by Aldrich Killian, the real villain, to get at Tony Stark]].

* One might consider SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom doing this by proxy of [[ActuallyADoombot Doombots]], whilst he can do research or fight the ComicBook/FantasticFour for MacGuffin they "lead" the country.

Compare PuppetKing, where the actual legal leader has become purely a tool for somebody else. The logical extreme of this trope is the ElCidPloy, where the leader is actually ''dead'' but continues to hold the authority he held when living because the fact of his death has been concealed.

* During the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kulikovo battle of Kulikovo field]] in 1380 prince of Moscow Dmitry "of Don" gave his recognizable bright armour, banner and the horse to a young warrior, while Dmitry donned simple armour and fought as an ordinary footman. The obvious explanation that Dmitry was hiding in a safer place is often contested -- he went to the "big" (central) regiment, where the fighting was expected to be (and was) the most brutal.[[note]]The usual tactics against tartar cavalry was basically this: the small front regiment slows them down, the big central regiment stops and ties them down, then mounted regiments hit from flanks. 2/3 losses for the central regiment were not uncommon.[[/note]] The decoy boyarin was killed, Dmitry was wounded, trampled and left for dead, but ultimately survived. His exact motifs are still debated.