History Main / DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent

* In {{Cypher}}, the protagonist is the [[ThisLoserIsYou plaything]] in a ThirtyXanatosPileup. He ends up a hex-tuple spy, ultimately working for [[spoiler: himself. He pulled a Memory Gambit before the movie began, so he could pass lie-detectors.]]

* Irina Direvko, Jack Bristow, and Arvin Sloane on ''{{Alias}}'' who vacillate between working for terrorists, the CIA, the [[strike:KGB]] K Directorate, SD-6, Authorized Personnel Only, themselves, each other...

* [[AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes Black Widow]]. ..[[WildMassGuessing Maybe.]] [[EpilepticTrees Maybe not.]] [[TheMole Or...]] [[TheReverseMole I just don't know, okay.]]

* [[spoiler: Severus Snape]] in ''HarryPotter'', who is working for Lily by working for Dumbledore by pretending to work for Voldemort by pretending to work for Dumbledore.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/300px-Meetthespyhq_8834.png]]

* Fully and hilariously possible in ''{{Paranoia}}'': secret societies often have agents infiltrate other secret societies, who in turn might use the very same person to spy on yet another secret sciety, ''ad nauseum''. The rulebook even acknowledges the (very remote) possibility of spying on all of Alpha Complex at once. "[[DeadpanSnarker Try to keep your cover stories straight.]]"

** The end result of this is a secret society called The Wobblies. The Computer heard about this and sent a Troubleshooter to spy on it. Problem was, it didn't exist, and when the Troubleshooter reported this, he was swiftly executed for insubordination. This cycle repeated until one group got smart and actually founded the society just so they had something to spy on. This attracted the attention of other groups, who sent in their own spies, resulting in a group made up entirely of spies from other groups.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/300px-Meetthespyhq_8834.png
[[caption-width:300: [[OhCrap "Right behind you..."]]]]

-->''I never really was on your side.'' \\

* Kaji in ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', appearing to work for Nerv, Seele, the Japanese Ministry of the Interior, and against another one of them, in varying configurations.

* In {{Cypher}}, the protagonist is the [[ThisLoserIsYou plaything]] in a ThirtyXanatosPileup. He ends up a hex-tuple spy, ultimately working for [[spoiler: himself, but he'd performed a MindRape on himself to forget that, so he could pass lie-detectors.]]

* In {{Cypher}}, the protagonist is the plaything in a ThirtyXanatosPileup. He ends up a hex-tuple spy, ultimately working for [[spoiler: himself, but he'd performed a MindRape on himself to forget that, so he could pass lie-detectors.]]

* TropeNamer is the original description of [[{{Characters/TeamFortress2}} the Spy]] in ''TeamFortress2''. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation In game]], you can disguise yourself as a spy disguised as a spy.
* Revolver Ocelot in ''MetalGearSolid'' has, at various points in the series, apparently been working for the CIA, NSA, KGB, GRU, Colonel Volgin, FOXHOUND, rogue FOXHOUND, Colonel Gurlukuvich, Solidus Snake and the Patriots. In ''MetalGearSolid4'', we learn that [[spoiler:he was truly faithful to Big Boss, and the entire ''Solid'' series was a plot by him to recover Naked Snake's remains]].
** [[MindScrew Apparently]].
* [[spoiler: Severus Snape]] in ''HarryPotter'', who is working for Lily by working for Dumbledore by pretending to work for Voldemort by pretending to work for Dumbledore.

* Professor Tiktoffen in ''GirlGenius''. Everyone seems to think they are the ones he is really working for.
* The Green Lady from ''{{Exalted}}'' is working for four different Deathlords--one of whom [[VillainousCrossdresser is convinced she's secretly a man]]--as well as the Bureau of Destiny, and playing every last one of them off of the others. In fact, she's pulling such a convoluted, multilayered MemoryGambit that even ''she'' doesn't know whose side she's really on. [[spoiler: Her true loyalties lie with Heaven, but she may well end up helping to destroy the world before her gambit resolves itself.]]
* ''CalvinAndHobbes'' did this in one strip where they're playing football. Then they try to justify why why the other didn't score (I'm actually a double agent, triple agent, your goal is on top of mine so anytime you score it's a point for me, I'm actually a badminton player disguised as a football player, et.) until it turns into a game of {{Calvinball}}.
* [[spoiler:Tony Almeida]] in Season 7 of ''[[TwentyFour 24]]''. He initially seems to be working for David Emerson and his mercenaries, until it's revealed that he's working with Bill and Chloe to take down the people (General Benjamin Juma and Jonas Hodges) Emerson. But then it's revealed he was evil and working for a cabal of rival {{Big Bad}}s who wanted Juma and Hodges taken down all along, then eventually we find out he's trying to gain the trust of the cabal's leader so he can kill him in revenge for [[spoiler: ordering the death of his wife back in Season 5.]]

* Dr. Jill Roberts (Jordana Brewster) in several episodes of ''{{Chuck}}''. Her apparent loyalty switches back and forth in a dizzying manner.

* The loyalties of Adelle [=DeWitt=] in ''{{Dollhouse}}'' dizzyingly switch between Rossum and Echo at least once or twice per episode throughout the second/final season. Eventually, it's revealed [[spoiler:she's working against Rossum]].

* [[spoiler:Zelos]] of ''TalesOfSymphonia'' works for Lloyd by working for Kratos while working for [[spoiler:Yggdrasil]] by pretending to pretend to be helping Lloyd in one ending. He also passes information to [[spoiler:the Renegades]] at some point.

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* Revolver Ocelot in ''MetalGearSolid'' has, at various points in the series, apparently been working for the GRU, Colonel Volgin, the CIA, FOXHOUND, rogue FOXHOUND, Solidus Snake and the Patriots. In ''MetalGearSolid4'', we learn that [[spoiler:he was truly faithful to Big Boss, and the entire ''Solid'' series was a plot by him to recover Naked Snake's remains]].

* TropeNamer is the description of [[{{Characters/TeamFortress2}} the Spy]] in ''TeamFortress2''. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation In game]], you can disguise yourself as a spy disguised as a spy.

* Severus Snape in ''HarryPotter'', who is working for Lily by working for Dumbledore by pretending to work for Voldemort by pretending to work for Dumbledore.

* TropeNamer is the description of [[{{Characters/TeamFortress2}} the Spy]] in ''TeamFortress2''. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation In game]], you can disguise yourself as a spy disguised as a spy disguised as a spy disguised as a spy disguised as a Medic

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/300px-Spy_1066.png

* TropeNamer is the description of [[{{Characters/TeamFortress2}} the Spy]] in ''TeamFortress2''. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation In game]], though, you can only be a double agent (i.e. appear as a disguised friendly spy to the other team).

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tf2_spy_561.jpg
[[caption-width:400: [[OhCrap "Right behind you..."]]]]