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* ''Fanfic/ProjectNewEra'': Thomas, being a super-powered human being in a world of dog people, maintains the safety of the Heelers by shape-shifting into a dog and going by his middle name Jason; this identity in turn has its own secret super-hero identity named Austra-Violet.
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* In the GrandFinale of ''Series/ThePrisoner1967'' Number Six takes off Number One's mask, revealing a gorilla mask. Six takes that off to reveal... himself?
* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Duet", Cardassian file clerk Aamin Marritza impersonates Cardassian occupation work camp administrator Gul Darhe'el who is himself "impersonating" Marritza. His plan is to be captured by the Bajorans, to have the latter part of the facade exposed, and to be executed as Darhe'el [[TheAtoner to force the Cardassian regime to face the truth about its war crimes]].

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* ''Series/ThePrisoner1967'': In the GrandFinale of ''Series/ThePrisoner1967'' "[[Recap/ThePrisonerE17FallOut Fall Out]]", Number Six takes off Number One's mask, revealing a gorilla mask. Six takes that off to reveal... himself?
* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Duet", "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS01E19Duet Duet]]", Cardassian file clerk Aamin Marritza impersonates Cardassian occupation work camp administrator Gul Darhe'el who is himself "impersonating" Marritza. His plan is to be captured by the Bajorans, to have the latter part of the facade exposed, and to be executed as Darhe'el [[TheAtoner to force the Cardassian regime to face the truth about its war crimes]].
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* ''ComicStrip/ElSantos'': One episode has a horde of fans wanting to see Santos' face, so they gather at his house and ripping his luchador mask, revealing a rather mundane and ugly man underneath... until they leave and he reveals that it's actually another mask and he's wearing a second Santos mask underneath it. The fans decide to leave well enough alone and just imagine how he really is instead. [[spoiler: In the epilogue he says that the truth is that he's not wearing anything, his face just happens to look like a wrestling mask]].

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* ''ComicStrip/ElSantos'': ''Franchise/ElSantos'': One episode has a horde of fans wanting to see Santos' face, so they gather at his house and ripping his luchador mask, revealing a rather mundane and ugly man underneath... until they leave and he reveals that it's actually another mask and he's wearing a second Santos mask underneath it. The fans decide to leave well enough alone and just imagine how he really is instead. [[spoiler: In the epilogue he says that the truth is that he's not wearing anything, his face just happens to look like a wrestling mask]].
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* ''ComicStrip/ElSantos'': One episode has a horde of fans wanting to see Santos' face, so they gather at his house and ripping his luchador mask, revealing a rather mundane and ugly man underneath... until they leave and he reveals that it's actually another mask and he's wearing a second Santos mask underneath it. The fans decide to leave well enough alone and just imagine how he really is instead. [[spoiler: In the epilogue he says that the truth is that he's not wearing anything, his face just happens to look like a wrestling mask]].
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* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch has three or four identities: Lelouch Vi Britannia, Lelouch Lamperouge, Zero, and the king of geass. The second series adds another identity, since there are two different Lelouch Lamperouge identities depending on who he says his real [[spoiler: sibling]] is. People who are close to him, like Nunnally, Suzaku, and Milly might know two of the identities, but C.C. is the only other person who knows all of them. In the last five episodes, he complicates it further by [[spoiler:pretending that Lelouch Vi Britannia is a monster]]. And like the ''Naruto'' example above, he wears a second, ninja-like mask underneath his iconic Zero helmet. [[spoiler:Doesn't stop Shirley from seeing right through it, though.]]

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* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch has three or four identities: Lelouch Vi Britannia, Lelouch Lamperouge, Zero, and the king of geass. The second series adds another identity, since there are two different Lelouch Lamperouge identities depending on who he says his real [[spoiler: sibling]] is. People who are close to him, like Nunnally, Suzaku, and Milly might know two of the identities, but C.C. is the only other person who knows all of them. In the last five episodes, he complicates it further by [[spoiler:pretending that Lelouch Vi Britannia is a monster]]. And like the ''Naruto'' example above, below, he wears a second, ninja-like mask underneath his iconic Zero helmet. [[spoiler:Doesn't stop Shirley from seeing right through it, though.]]
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* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': "The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy" has a villain hired to obtain Batman's cape and cowl. When he ultimately succeeds, Batman reveals a second mask underneath the cowl to protect his identity. The villain, bemused, leaves. After all, he was only hired to obtain the cape and cowl, not to expose Batman's secret identity. Of course, the ''audience'' might be a little confused here, since they have never, ever seen Batman wear a mask underneath his cowl before, and it is an early clue that [[spoiler: Batman was the guy who hired the villain in the first place and thus ''knew'' to wear a second mask.]]

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* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': "The "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE31TheCapeAndCowlConspiracy The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy" Conspiracy]]" has a villain hired to obtain Batman's cape and cowl. When he ultimately succeeds, Batman reveals a second mask underneath the cowl to protect his identity. The villain, bemused, leaves. After all, he was only hired to obtain the cape and cowl, not to expose Batman's secret identity. Of course, the ''audience'' might be a little confused here, since they have never, ever seen Batman wear a mask underneath his cowl before, and it is an early clue that [[spoiler: Batman was [[spoiler:Batman is the guy who hired the villain in the first place and thus ''knew'' to wear a second mask.]]mask]].



* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' Miss Martian's shapeshifting has created these layers: whatever disguise may be needed for the current situation including a humanized version of her preferred form, her preferred [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe human with green skin form]], her true [[RubberForeheadAliens Green Martian form]], and her actually true monstrous White Martian form.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', Miss Martian's shapeshifting has created these layers: whatever disguise may be needed for the current situation including a humanized version of her preferred form, her preferred [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe human with green skin form]], her true [[RubberForeheadAliens Green Martian form]], and her actually true monstrous White Martian form.
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As a Reveal Trope, expect unmarked '''SPOILERS!'''

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As !!As this is a Reveal Trope, expect form of TheReveal, [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked '''SPOILERS!'''
spoilers abound]]. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Beware]].



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* Creator/Wileyk209zback has occasionally showed this skill with LatexPerfection masks, even [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrcwXUjBIbs wearing one Scooby-Doo mask under another]] as a gag!
** For AprilFoolsDay 2020, he did a video as Zak Wolf exclaiming he was going to reveal his actual face under the fursuit for everyone and [[DramaticUnmask dramatically removes it]] as the audience from ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' chants "Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!"... only to [[spoiler:reveal [[TheUnreveal a tight latex grey cartoonish wolf mask]] underneath his fursuit head, to which he [[TheTease teasingly says "April fools.."]]]]

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Alphabetized examples.


* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' has a guild of assassins called the Faceless Men. While they wear the faces of dead people as disguises (shown to have been surgically removed), there's a magical aspect to this in that with the wave of a hand they can change to another face. Arya pulls several masks off a dead Faceless Man in quick succession.
* In ''Series/JackOfAllTrades'', under the mask of the Daring Dragoon is... another identical mask!



* In the Chinese drama ''Series/NirvanaInFire'', when the hero first returns to the capital to begin his revenge plot, he introduces himself as "Sir Su" a mere visiting scholar. When his enemies get suspicious, they do a background check and discover his "real" identity, the powerful Mei Changsu. This prevents them from thinking to dig deeper and discover his actual Secret Identity, the presumed dead traitor Lin Shu.
* In ''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'', Colby Granger's allegiance. First he's an FBI agent. Then he's revealed as a Chinese double agent. And ''then'', no, wait, [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent he's an American spy infiltrating the Chinese]]. Unsurprisingly, it takes the others a while to figure out what's true and what isn't.



* In ''Series/JackOfAllTrades'', under the mask of the Daring Dragoon is... another identical mask!
* In the Chinese drama ''Series/NirvanaInFire'', when the hero first returns to the capital to begin his revenge plot, he introduces himself as "Sir Su" a mere visiting scholar. When his enemies get suspicious, they do a background check and discover his "real" identity, the powerful Mei Changsu. This prevents them from thinking to dig deeper and discover his actual Secret Identity, the presumed dead traitor Lin Shu.



* In ''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'', Colby Granger's allegiance. First he's an FBI agent. Then he's revealed as a Chinese double agent. And ''then'', no, wait, [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent he's an American spy infiltrating the Chinese]]. Unsurprisingly, it takes the others a while to figure out what's true and what isn't.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' has a guild of assassins called the Faceless Men. While they wear the faces of dead people as disguises (shown to have been surgically removed), there's a magical aspect to this in that with the wave of a hand they can change to another face. Arya pulls several masks off a dead Faceless Man in quick succession.



* In ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}: Legends of Metru Nui'', Makuta Teridax, who mainly wears the Kanohi Kraahkan, Mask of Shadows, wore Dume's Kiril over it while disguised as the Turaga.[[/folder]]

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* In ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}: Legends of Metru Nui'', Makuta Teridax, who mainly wears the Kanohi Kraahkan, Mask of Shadows, wore Dume's Kiril over it while disguised as the Turaga.Turaga.
[[/folder]]



* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'': The spy's arsenal is effectively this. You can disguise as your enemy, only to turn invisible once your enemies catch on, or use a backup watch that creates a dummy of your character while you turn completely invisible instead of taking fatal damage. The Your Eternal Reward knife causes you to instantly steal the identity (but not the abilities) of the player you kill with it, allowing you to combo a series of stealth kills while harnessing near-seamless combos of disguises.
** Works on a more physical level as well, when disguised Spy wears a paper mask with a drawing of the class he's disguised as over his ski mask.
* ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}''. Hoo boy. [[spoiler: The mysterious masked man called "Wiseman" who fights in Fei's style, the mysterious Grahf who hunts him, and Fei's own father are all actually the same person. And to make things even more complicated, said person is actually the remnants of one of Fei's past lives, who is currently [[DemonicPossession possessing]] his father.]]
* In ''VideoGame/NancyDrew: Ransom of the Seven Ships'', [[spoiler:Jamaican Johnny Rolle]] is revealed to be [[spoiler:Australian John Poole]], who later is revealed to be [[spoiler:Dwayne Powers, a previous culprit who wants to prove he still has acting skills. And get back at Nancy for ruining his life]].
* Meta example: in the ending of ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'', there is a scene where the Master Chief takes off his helmet, but part of the ship obscures his head. If you move the camera so that you can get a good look, you can see that under his helmet is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mkiRQVkERg another helmet.]]



* Meta example: in the ending of ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'', there is a scene where the Master Chief takes off his helmet, but part of the ship obscures his head. If you move the camera so that you can get a good look, you can see that under his helmet is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mkiRQVkERg another helmet.]]



* In ''VideoGame/NancyDrew: Ransom of the Seven Ships'', [[spoiler:Jamaican Johnny Rolle]] is revealed to be [[spoiler:Australian John Poole]], who later is revealed to be [[spoiler:Dwayne Powers, a previous culprit who wants to prove he still has acting skills. And get back at Nancy for ruining his life]].
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'':
** The spy's arsenal is effectively this. You can disguise as your enemy, only to turn invisible once your enemies catch on, or use a backup watch that creates a dummy of your character while you turn completely invisible instead of taking fatal damage. The Your Eternal Reward knife causes you to instantly steal the identity (but not the abilities) of the player you kill with it, allowing you to combo a series of stealth kills while harnessing near-seamless combos of disguises.
** Works on a more physical level as well, when disguised Spy wears a paper mask with a drawing of the class he's disguised as over his ski mask.
* ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}''. Hoo boy. [[spoiler:The mysterious masked man called "Wiseman" who fights in Fei's style, the mysterious Grahf who hunts him, and Fei's own father are all actually the same person. And to make things even more complicated, said person is actually the remnants of one of Fei's past lives, who is currently [[DemonicPossession possessing]] his father.]]



* From ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' we have [[spoiler:Beatrice, who not only has several different versions of her from different arcs and different time periods (her mother and grandmother also had the name Beatrice) but is also the same person as Shannon and Kanon. And to top that off, the three of them are just idealized personas created by Yasu.]] Flowcharts have been made in order to explain it.

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* From ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' we have [[spoiler:Beatrice, who not only has several different versions of her from different arcs and different time periods (her mother and grandmother also had the name Beatrice) but is also the same person as Shannon and Kanon. And to top that off, the three of them are just idealized personas created by Yasu.]] Yasu]]. Flowcharts have been made in order to explain it.



* Happens in the flash video [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/188383 "Mega Man and the Pompous Robots,"]] during a fight between Tenguman and Bass. At one point, Bass says something amongst the line of "Let's see who's under that mask," pulls off Tenguman's mask... to reveal another one. This then gets repeated for a ludicrous number of masks which were all stacked on Tenguman's face.

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* Happens in the flash video [[http://www."[[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/188383 "Mega Mega Man and the Pompous Robots,"]] Robots]]" during a fight between Tenguman and Bass. At one point, Bass says something amongst the line of "Let's see who's under that mask," pulls off Tenguman's mask... to reveal another one. This then gets repeated for a ludicrous number of masks which were all stacked on Tenguman's face.



* ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily'' takes this to an [[http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/comic/459-kirby-transforms extreme]], with Kirby copying Mega Man copying Doopliss transforming into Ditto transforming into Link wearing the Deku Mask. Even Kirby doesn't know who he is by the end.
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Elliot's [[SuperGenderBender superheroine]] spell has not one but three alternate civilian alter ego forms (each with distinctive personalities and clothes) in addition to the super one. This allows him to avoid having to reveal either his true identity or [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-06-03 his most discreet alter ego form to those he doesn't trust fully]] while still having a form with a largely normal appearance to fall back on. Unfortunately for him, this form is the '''least''' discreet in terms of personality as [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-06-07 this]] and the following pages demonstrate.
** Later on in the comic, we have [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/tsos-27 scenes]] of Grace revealing that she has magic (which a surprising number of people know exists by this point), without revealing that she gets her magic from being part space alien (the existence of aliens being a ''much'' more closely kept secret).



* Parodied in a ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' guest-penned filler arc [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20000416 here.]]
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Elliot's [[SuperGenderBender superheroine]] spell has not one but three alternate civilian alter ego forms (each with distinctive personalities and clothes) in addition to the super one. This allows him to avoid having to reveal either his true identity or [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-06-03 his most discreet alter ego form to those he doesn't trust fully]] while still having a form with a largely normal appearance to fall back on. Unfortunately for him, this form is the '''least''' discreet in terms of personality as [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-06-07 this]] and the following pages demonstrate.
** Later on in the comic, we have [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/tsos-27 scenes]] of Grace revealing that she has magic (which a surprising number of people know exists by this point), without revealing that she gets her magic from being part space alien (the existence of aliens being a ''much'' more closely kept secret).

to:

* Parodied in a ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' guest-penned filler arc [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20000416 here.]]
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Elliot's [[SuperGenderBender superheroine]] spell has not one but three alternate civilian alter ego forms (each with distinctive personalities and clothes) in addition to the super one. This allows him to avoid having to reveal either his true identity or [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-06-03 his most discreet alter ego form to those he doesn't trust fully]] while still having a form with a largely normal appearance to fall back on. Unfortunately for him, this form is the '''least''' discreet in terms of personality as [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-06-07 this]] and the following pages demonstrate.
** Later on in the comic, we have [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/tsos-27 scenes]] of Grace revealing that she has magic (which a surprising number of people know exists by this point), without revealing that she gets her magic from being part space alien (the existence of aliens being a ''much'' more closely kept secret).
here]].



* ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily'' takes this to an [[http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/comic/459-kirby-transforms extreme,]] with Kirby copying Mega Man copying Doopliss transforming into Ditto transforming into Link wearing the Deku Mask. Even Kirby doesn't know who he is by the end.



* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'': In one episode of ''The Justice Friends'', Krunk tries to take off the mask of Major Glory -- only to reveal several layers of masks beneath it.
-->'''Major Glory:''' When I say secret identity, I ''mean'' secret identity.



* In ''[[WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory The Justice Friends]]'', Krunk tries to take off the mask of Major Glory -- only to reveal several layers of masks beneath it.
-->'''Major Glory:''' When I say secret identity, I ''mean'' secret identity.

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* In ''[[WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory The Justice Friends]]'', Krunk tries to take off an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'', Timmy has an {{expy}} of the mask of Major Glory -- {{WesternAnimation/Scooby Doo}} team unmask a villain only to reveal several layers of masks beneath it.
-->'''Major Glory:''' When I say secret identity, I ''mean'' secret identity.
discover that he's actually "a guy in a mask".



* In the ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' episode "Bravo Dooby-Doo", a crossover with ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'', the villain turns out to wear multiple masks on top of each other. The masks are, in order: two ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' characters, Bigfoot, Creator/DonKnotts, and [[Creator/HannaBarbera Joseph Barbera]]. ("[[BitingTheHandHumor Who's that?]]") The gang shouts in surprise-like unison each time they reveal a new mask.



* In the ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' episode "Bravo Dooby-Doo", a crossover with ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'', the villain turns out to wear multiple masks on top of each other. The masks are, in order: two ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' characters, Bigfoot, Creator/DonKnotts, and [[Creator/HannaBarbera Joseph Barbera]]. ("[[BitingTheHandHumor Who's that?]]") The gang shouts in surprise-like unison each time they reveal a new mask.
** A few other Scooby-Doo villains often did this, sometimes wearing a latex mask of a different human under the monster or ghost disguise. In "The Haunted Candy Factory," Velma unmasks one of the "Green Globes" as Mr. Franklin, a watchman at the titular candy factory. But then Velma unmasks him ''again'' to reveal the true criminal. It's [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] near the end, when the real Mr. Franklin is found, and Shaggy wonders if he is also an impostor as well.
** In "Never Ape an Ape Man," the titular villain (whom is, [[ScoobyDooHoax of course]], someone in an ape costume) slips on a rubber Scooby-Doo mask over his Ape Man mask to pull a MirrorRoutine with the real Scooby.
** In "The Exterminator," the actor [[Creator/LonChaney Lorne Chumley]], known as the "man of a million faces", is filming a new movie with his butler, and has assumed numerous disguises to keep people from the bank away while he prepares his comeback. When guest star Don Adams unmasks the "monster" Lorne is portraying, he initially tugs off various human masks (including a [[Creator/HannaBarbera William Hanna]] caricature and a [[DisguisedInDrag woman mask]]), but once he reveals Lorne's true face, he thinks it's also a mask and ends up [[NotAMask pulling on his scalp]].

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* In the ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' episode "Bravo Dooby-Doo", a crossover with ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'', the villain turns out to wear multiple masks on top of each other. Soviet ''[[https://youtu.be/yEAj_oY7XGg?t=950 The masks are, in order: two ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' characters, Bigfoot, Creator/DonKnotts, and [[Creator/HannaBarbera Joseph Barbera]]. ("[[BitingTheHandHumor Who's that?]]") The gang shouts in surprise-like unison each time they reveal a new mask.
** A few other Scooby-Doo villains often did this, sometimes wearing a latex mask of a different human under the monster or ghost disguise. In "The Haunted Candy Factory," Velma unmasks one
Passions of the "Green Globes" as Mr. Franklin, Spies (Shpionskiye Strasti)]]'', a watchman at the titular candy factory. But then Velma unmasks him ''again'' to reveal the true criminal. It's [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] near the end, when the real Mr. Franklin is found, and Shaggy wonders if he is also an impostor as well.
** In "Never Ape an Ape Man," the titular villain (whom is, [[ScoobyDooHoax of course]], someone in an ape costume) slips on
spy war parody, a KGB detective tears four rubber Scooby-Doo mask over his Ape Man mask to pull a MirrorRoutine with the real Scooby.
** In "The Exterminator," the actor [[Creator/LonChaney Lorne Chumley]], known as the "man of a million faces", is filming a new movie with his butler, and has assumed numerous disguises to keep people from the bank away while he prepares his comeback. When guest star Don Adams unmasks the "monster" Lorne is portraying, he initially tugs off various human
masks (including off a [[Creator/HannaBarbera William Hanna]] caricature and suspect: an old woman, a [[DisguisedInDrag woman mask]]), but once he reveals Lorne's sailor, an underage girl, a Central Asian man. Her true face, he thinks it's also face is a mask and ends up [[NotAMask pulling on his scalp]].tacky middle-aged woman.



* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'':
** Scooby-Doo villains often did this, sometimes wearing a latex mask of a different human under the monster or ghost disguise. In "The Haunted Candy Factory," Velma unmasks one of the "Green Globes" as Mr. Franklin, a watchman at the titular candy factory. But then Velma unmasks him ''again'' to reveal the true criminal. It's [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] near the end, when the real Mr. Franklin is found, and Shaggy wonders if he is also an impostor as well.
** In "Never Ape an Ape Man," the titular villain (whom is, [[ScoobyDooHoax of course]], someone in an ape costume) slips on a rubber Scooby-Doo mask over his Ape Man mask to pull a MirrorRoutine with the real Scooby.
** In "The Exterminator," the actor [[Creator/LonChaney Lorne Chumley]], known as the "man of a million faces", is filming a new movie with his butler, and has assumed numerous disguises to keep people from the bank away while he prepares his comeback. When guest star Don Adams unmasks the "monster" Lorne is portraying, he initially tugs off various human masks (including a [[Creator/HannaBarbera William Hanna]] caricature and a [[DisguisedInDrag woman mask]]), but once he reveals Lorne's true face, he thinks it's also a mask and ends up [[NotAMask pulling on his scalp]].



* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'', Timmy has an {{expy}} of the {{WesternAnimation/Scooby Doo}} team unmask a villain only to discover that he’s actually “a guy in a mask”.



* In Soviet ''[[https://youtu.be/yEAj_oY7XGg?t=950 The Passions of the Spies (Shpionskiye Strasti)]]'', a spy war parody, a KGB detective tears four rubber masks off a suspect: an old woman, a sailor, an underage girl, a Central Asian man. Her true face is a tacky middle-aged woman.

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Alphabetizing examples; WIP...


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* Kakashi in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' is a literal case -- he wears ''another mask'' under his mask.
* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch has three or four identities: Lelouch Vi Britannia, Lelouch Lamperouge, Zero, and the king of geass. The second series adds another identity, since there are two different Lelouch Lamperouge identities depending on who he says his real [[spoiler: sibling]] is. People who are close to him, like Nunnally, Suzaku, and Milly might know two of the identities, but C.C. is the only other person who knows all of them. In the last five episodes, he complicates it further by [[spoiler: pretending that Lelouch Vi Britannia is a monster]]. And like the ''Naruto'' example above, he wears a second, ninja-like mask underneath his iconic Zero helmet. [[spoiler:Doesn't stop Shirley from seeing right through it, though.]]
* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos'', [[spoiler: Melvin Voyager, the escaped convict from Central Prison, reveals that he is actually Ashleigh Crichton, the long-lost brother of movie protagonist Julia Crichton. Except that he actually isn't; he is Julia and Ashleigh's family's old bodyguard Atlas, with Ashleigh's face grafted over his own as part of his EvilPlan.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Medabots}}'': Hikaru Agata (Henry) with his two alter egos, the Phantom Renegade and Space Medafighter X. At one point Space Medafighter X's golden mask is cracked which reveals the white mask of Phantom Renegade. Note that Space Medafighter X's mask is EXACTLY THE SAME as the Phantom Renegades' mask, just with gold plating and different colored eyes. [[PaperThinDisguise Yet nobody suspects a thing.]]

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* Kakashi in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' is a literal case -- he wears ''another mask'' under his mask.
* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Lelouch has three or four identities: Lelouch Vi Britannia, Lelouch Lamperouge, Zero, and the king of geass. The second series adds another identity, since there are two different Lelouch Lamperouge identities depending on who he says his real [[spoiler: sibling]] is. People who are close to him, like Nunnally, Suzaku, and Milly might know two of the identities, but C.C. is the only other person who knows all of them. In the last five episodes, he complicates it further by [[spoiler: pretending [[spoiler:pretending that Lelouch Vi Britannia is a monster]]. And like the ''Naruto'' example above, he wears a second, ninja-like mask underneath his iconic Zero helmet. [[spoiler:Doesn't stop Shirley from seeing right through it, though.]]
* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos'', [[spoiler: Melvin Voyager, the escaped convict from Central Prison, reveals that he is actually Ashleigh Crichton, the long-lost brother of movie protagonist Julia Crichton. Except that he actually isn't; he is Julia and Ashleigh's family's old bodyguard Atlas, with Ashleigh's face grafted over his own as part of his EvilPlan.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Medabots}}'': Hikaru Agata (Henry) with his
''Manga/DragonBall'': Son Gohan had two alter egos, the Phantom Renegade and Space Medafighter X. At one point Space Medafighter X's golden mask is cracked which reveals the white mask of Phantom Renegade. Note that Space Medafighter X's mask is EXACTLY THE SAME as the Phantom Renegades' mask, just with gold plating and different colored eyes. [[PaperThinDisguise Yet nobody suspects vigilante identities: one that is called "the Golden Warrior" by the citizens of Satan City, and "the Great Saiyaman" which he created himself. The reason he "became the Golden Warrior" was because he wanted to hide that he had CharlesAtlasSuperpower. Originally, Gohan wanted a thing.]]costume that allowed him to transform into a Super Saiyan (the aforementioned Golden Warrior) without anyone recognizing him, although the Great Saiyaman made this purpose redundant, so Gohan settled with this superhero identity instead. (''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' is the only instance where he really transformed into a Super Saiyan while wearing his complete Great Saiyaman costume). While Videl figured out that he's the Great Saiyaman, Gohan still denied that he's also the Golden Warrior. But during the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai, his classmates recognized him through his Great Saiyaman disguise (although they assumed it might be just cosplay) because of his lack of headgear. Right after that, Gohan transformed into a Super Saiyan 2, revealing to everyone that he's the Golden Warrior.
** Despite the Great Saiyaman's original purpose to hide his identity as the Golden Warrior, the tournament's rules prohibited him from wearing a helmet, so he settled down with a pair of sunglasses and a white bandana. And despite the fact that Gohan didn't want any Saiyan to transform at the tournament because the broadcast of the Cell Games made them widely known to the public, Gohan's rage-induced transformation into a Super Saiyan prior to his match ripped his bandana apart, something that wouldn't have happened had he still his helmet on. Which means that Gohan's attempt to hide his real identity with his Golden Warrior identity ''with'' the identity of the Great Saiyaman was absolutely fruitless.



* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos'', [[spoiler:Melvin Voyager, the escaped convict from Central Prison, reveals that he is actually Ashleigh Crichton, the long-lost brother of movie protagonist Julia Crichton. Except that he actually isn't; he is Julia and Ashleigh's family's old bodyguard Atlas, with Ashleigh's face grafted over his own as part of his EvilPlan]].



* ''VideoGame/{{Medabots}}'': Hikaru Agata (Henry) with his two alter egos, the Phantom Renegade and Space Medafighter X. At one point Space Medafighter X's golden mask is cracked which reveals the white mask of Phantom Renegade. Note that Space Medafighter X's mask is EXACTLY THE SAME as the Phantom Renegades' mask, just with gold plating and different colored eyes. [[PaperThinDisguise Yet nobody suspects a thing.]]
* Kakashi in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' is a literal case -- he wears ''another mask'' under his mask.
* In the ''Anime/SpeedRacer'' episode "The Fire Race," Kapetapek's champion race driver, Kabala, is revealed to be Racer X, leading to a scene where Kabala removes his mask and we see he was wearing the Racer X mask underneath.



* In the ''Anime/SpeedRacer'' episode "The Fire Race," Kapetapek's champion race driver, Kabala, is revealed to be Racer X, leading to a scene where Kabala removes his mask and we see he was wearing the Racer X mask underneath.



* ''Manga/DragonBall'': Son Gohan had two different vigilante identities: one that is called "the Golden Warrior" by the citizens of Satan City, and "the Great Saiyaman" which he created himself. The reason he "became the Golden Warrior" was because he wanted to hide that he had CharlesAtlasSuperpower. Originally, Gohan wanted a costume that allowed him to transform into a Super Saiyan (the aforementioned Golden Warrior) without anyone recognizing him, although the Great Saiyaman made this purpose redundant, so Gohan settled with this superhero identity instead. (''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' is the only instance where he really transformed into a Super Saiyan while wearing his complete Great Saiyaman costume). While Videl figured out that he's the Great Saiyaman, Gohan still denied that he's also the Golden Warrior. But during the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai, his classmates recognized him through his Great Saiyaman disguise (although they assumed it might be just cosplay) because of his lack of headgear. Right after that, Gohan transformed into a Super Saiyan 2, revealing to everyone that he's the Golden Warrior.
** Despite the Great Saiyaman's original purpose to hide his identity as the Golden Warrior, the tournament's rules prohibited him from wearing a helmet, so he settled down with a pair of sunglasses and a white bandana. And despite the fact that Gohan didn't want any Saiyan to transform at the tournament because the broadcast of the Cell Games made them widely known to the public, Gohan's rage-induced transformation into a Super Saiyan prior to his match ripped his bandana apart, something that wouldn't have happened had he still his helmet on. Which means that Gohan's attempt to hide his real identity with his Golden Warrior identity ''with'' the identity of the Great Saiyaman was absolutely fruitless.



* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': For a while, Matt Murdock pretended to also be his non-blind twin brother Mike, who everyone suspected was secretly Daredevil.
* ''ComicBook/MoonKnight'' sometimes did this. His original identity is Marc Spector, a onetime soldier of fortune [[TheAtoner trying to make amends]]. He also took on the [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne-ish]] identity of financier Steven Grant and -- to catch up with street level gossip -- cab driver Jake Lockley. As part of his [[SplitPersonality multiple personality disorder]], sometimes even he didn't know who the "real" person was under all the double- and triple-personalities.



* In ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' #107, Red Kryptonite makes Clark jealous of himself as Superboy. He proceeds to reveal his superpowers and starts doing his fantastic feats openly. Some out-of-town criminals who arrived in Smallville to kill Superboy with Green Kryptonite learn of this and make plans to strike Clark at his home. Eventually the Red K's effect wears off and Clark proceeds to extricate himself from the crisis [[http://www.supermanfan.net/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/showoff-6.jpg via the trope.]] He makes up a story explaining that he knew that the criminals wanted to kill Superboy but didn't know when they'd strike, so he posed as Clark in cooperation with the Kents to force their hand.
* One issue of ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' has the team playing Truth or Dare, with Impulse daring ComicBook/{{Robin}} to take off his mask. He does... only to reveal that he had [[CrazyPrepared put on another mask, figuring that the game would come up]].
* In one of the earliest team ups between ComicBook/SpiderMan and ComicBook/ThePunisher, Frank gives Spider-Man some makeup in case he's caught and unmasked by the bad guys.
* The Creator/VertigoComics ''ComicBook/HumanTarget'' series features two characters who layer on so many disguises and so frequently [[BecomingTheMask lose track of who they really are]] that it quickly becomes a MindScrew.

to:

* In ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' #107, Red Kryptonite makes Clark jealous of himself as Superboy. He proceeds ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': For a while, Matt Murdock pretended to reveal also be his superpowers and starts doing non-blind twin brother Mike, who everyone suspected was secretly Daredevil.
* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'': When Darkwing gets targeted by a supervillain who [[TheCollector specializes in unmasking heroes]], he employs several layers of masks. His final line of defense turns out to be a LatexPerfection rendering of
his fantastic feats openly. Some out-of-town criminals who arrived in Smallville to kill Superboy with Green Kryptonite learn of this and make plans to strike Clark at his home. Eventually real face; the Red K's effect wears off and Clark proceeds to extricate himself from the crisis [[http://www.supermanfan.net/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/showoff-6.jpg via the trope.]] He makes up a story explaining villain thinks that he knew that the criminals wanted to kill Superboy but didn't know he's won when they'd strike, so he posed as Clark in cooperation with strips off all of the Kents to force their hand.
* One issue of ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' has the team playing Truth or Dare, with Impulse daring ComicBook/{{Robin}} to take off his mask. He does...
other layers, only for Darkwing to reveal that he had [[CrazyPrepared put hadn't ''fully'' exposed him while rapidly retying his signature mask back into place. Launchpad [[LampshadeHanging starts to remark on another mask, figuring this]], but gets shushed by Gosalyn so he doesn't reveal that the game would come up]].
said mask is how Darkwing ''really looks''.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Diabolik}}'', the title character has occasionally pulled this. Most notably, in a prequel from before his [[LatexPerfection perfect masks]] became known, he was wearing one of under the earliest team ups between ComicBook/SpiderMan cowl, so when Ginko arrested him and ComicBook/ThePunisher, Frank gives Spider-Man some makeup in case he's caught took off his cowl, he preserved his real identity and unmasked by the bad guys.
* The Creator/VertigoComics ''ComicBook/HumanTarget'' series features two characters who layer on so many disguises and so frequently [[BecomingTheMask lose track
was later able to use this as part of who they really are]] that it quickly becomes a MindScrew.breaking out of jail.



* An early ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comic has Spidey caught unmasked by Alistair Smythe's surveillance camera. His solution is to make a latex Peter Parker mask (which averts LatexPerfection, as it's noticeably not quite right), return to the camera, and take off his Peter mask to reveal the Spider-Man mask underneath. It works: Smythe concludes Spidey was probably screwing with him, and doesn't follow up on trying to put a name to the face.
* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': During a nightmare, one character is confronted with Dorothy from ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', who pulls her mask off to reveal the Wicked Witch, then that mask off to reveal another mask...



* In ''ComicBook/{{Diabolik}}'', the title character has occasionally pulled this. Most notably, in a prequel from before his [[LatexPerfection perfect masks]] became known, he was wearing one under the cowl, so when Ginko arrested him and took off his cowl, he preserved his real identity and was later able to use this as part of breaking out of jail.

to:

* In ''ComicBook/{{Diabolik}}'', The Creator/VertigoComics ''ComicBook/HumanTarget'' series features two characters who layer on so many disguises and so frequently [[BecomingTheMask lose track of who they really are]] that it quickly becomes a MindScrew.
* ''ComicBook/MoonKnight'' sometimes did this. His original identity is Marc Spector, a onetime soldier of fortune [[TheAtoner trying to make amends]]. He also took on
the title [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne-ish]] identity of financier Steven Grant and -- to catch up with street level gossip -- cab driver Jake Lockley. As part of his [[SplitPersonality multiple personality disorder]], sometimes even he didn't know who the "real" person was under all the double- and triple-personalities.
* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': During a nightmare, one
character has occasionally pulled this. Most notably, in a prequel is confronted with Dorothy from before his [[LatexPerfection perfect masks]] became known, he was wearing one under ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', who pulls her mask off to reveal the cowl, so when Ginko arrested him Wicked Witch, then that mask off to reveal another mask...
* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
** An early comic has Spidey caught unmasked by Alistair Smythe's surveillance camera. His solution is to make a latex Peter Parker mask (which averts LatexPerfection, as it's noticeably not quite right), return to the camera,
and took take off his cowl, he preserved Peter mask to reveal the Spider-Man mask underneath. It works: Smythe concludes Spidey was probably screwing with him, and doesn't follow up on trying to put a name to the face.
** In one of the earliest team ups between Spider-Man and ComicBook/ThePunisher, Frank gives Spider-Man some makeup in case he's caught and unmasked by the bad guys.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' #107, Red Kryptonite makes Clark jealous of himself as Superboy. He proceeds to reveal
his real identity superpowers and was later able starts doing his fantastic feats openly. Some out-of-town criminals who arrived in Smallville to use kill Superboy with Green Kryptonite learn of this and make plans to strike Clark at his home. Eventually the Red K's effect wears off and Clark proceeds to extricate himself from the crisis [[http://www.supermanfan.net/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/showoff-6.jpg via the trope.]] He makes up a story explaining that he knew that the criminals wanted to kill Superboy but didn't know when they'd strike, so he posed as part Clark in cooperation with the Kents to force their hand.
* One issue
of breaking out of jail.''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' has the team playing Truth or Dare, with Impulse daring ComicBook/{{Robin}} to take off his mask. He does... only to reveal that he had [[CrazyPrepared put on another mask, figuring that the game would come up]].



* '' Fanfic/Batman1939'': Batman wears another cowl glued to his scalp under his regular cowl.



* ''Fanfic/TheRigelBlackChronicles'': Harry's core secret is that she's illegally attending Hogwarts; if that gets out, she's liable to life in Azkaban. To keep people from putting together the pieces, she remains generally secretive and lets people make wrong assumptions about her, like allowing folk in the Lower Alleys to think that she's a boy. She also sets up a contingency plan, with an empty apartment and a brewing job and correspondence schooling, so that if Archie is found out but Harry isn't, she can claim to have been quietly living in the Lower Alleys for the sake for giving Archie his dream, and that "Rigel Black" was someone else; the legal penalties in that scenario are vastly less.



* ''Fanfic/TheRigelBlackChronicles'': Harry's core secret is that she's illegally attending Hogwarts; if that gets out, she's liable to life in Azkaban. To keep people from putting together the pieces, she remains generally secretive and lets people make wrong assumptions about her, like allowing folk in the Lower Alleys to think that she's a boy. She also sets up a contingency plan, with an empty apartment and a brewing job and correspondence schooling, so that if Archie is found out but Harry isn't, she can claim to have been quietly living in the Lower Alleys for the sake for giving Archie his dream, and that "Rigel Black" was someone else; the legal penalties in that scenario are vastly less.
* '' Fanfic/Batman1939'': Batman wears another cowl glued to his scalp under his regular cowl.



* From ''Film/TropicThunder'': Kirk Lazarus in character as Lincoln Osiris disguises himself as a farmer. Or, if you want to get meta about it, Robert Downey Jr. playing Kirk Lazarus in character as Lincoln Osiris disguises himself as a farmer.
-->'''Downey/Lazarus/Osiris/Farmer:''' I'm the dude ''playing'' a dude disguised as another dude!
* When Dawson and Martina subdue the killer in ''Film/ShriekIfYouKnowWhatIDidLastFridayTheThirteenth'', they unmask him to reveal another mask. They continue for some time, accumulating a pile of masks on the floor, until they get to the last one and they (finally) find his true identity: [[StrangerBehindTheMask Doughy's identical cousin Hardy]].



* A literal version of this trope can be found in ''Film/WhoAmI2014'', where the hacker MRX unmasks his rival [=WhoAmI=] only to find another mask below, and another, and another.
* Played for laughs in ''Film/Deadpool2016''. When Deadpool is unmasked by Vanessa, he reveals that he stapled a crude paper Hugh Jackman mask to his face beneath it, in case his regular mask fell off.

to:

* A literal version of this trope can be found in ''Film/WhoAmI2014'', where the hacker MRX unmasks his rival [=WhoAmI=] only to find another mask below, and another, and another.
* Played for laughs
PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/Deadpool2016''. When Deadpool is unmasked by Vanessa, he reveals that he stapled a crude paper Hugh Jackman mask to his face beneath it, in case his regular mask fell off.



* When Dawson and Martina subdue the killer in ''Film/ShriekIfYouKnowWhatIDidLastFridayTheThirteenth'', they unmask him to reveal another mask. They continue for some time, accumulating a pile of masks on the floor, until they get to the last one and they (finally) find his true identity: [[StrangerBehindTheMask Doughy's identical cousin Hardy]].
* From ''Film/TropicThunder'': Kirk Lazarus in character as Lincoln Osiris disguises himself as a farmer. Or, if you want to get meta about it, Robert Downey Jr. playing Kirk Lazarus in character as Lincoln Osiris disguises himself as a farmer.
-->'''Downey/Lazarus/Osiris/Farmer:''' I'm the dude ''playing'' a dude disguised as another dude!
* A literal version of this trope can be found in ''Film/WhoAmI2014'', where the hacker MRX unmasks his rival [=WhoAmI=] only to find another mask below, and another, and another.



* In ''Literature/{{Dawnshard}}'', this is part of Rysn and the Sleepless's final strategy. They tell the general public that the expedition to Aimia encountered the Sleepless guarding a cache of Soulcaster fabrials, but that Rysn was able to win her crew's life and the Soulcasters from the Sleepless in a duel of wits. They then share with Queen Navani and other dignitaries the first secret, that in exchange for her crew's life and the Soulcasters Rysn agreed to train the Sleepless in imitating humans, and that a few of them followed her to Urithiru for that training. While not a lie, this secret's primary function is to provide something for those who dig into the story to discover, so that they'll stop before they find the ''real'' secret: [[spoiler: that Rysn has become one of the titular [[CosmicKeystone Dawnshards]], and that the Sleepless are actually guarding her from those who might try to might wish to acquire and misuse a Dawnshard.]]

to:

* ''Literature/AscendanceOfABookworm'': The commoner protagonist's noble identity being in a reverse MamasBabyPapasMaybe situation means that if someone already knows or suspects that her official noble mother is not her biological mother, they will be told or come to the conclusion that she's actually the daughter of a different woman who is deceased in the present day, but actually existed. However, on top of her enemies publicising her real origins in a move to discredit her, that extra layer of secrecy isn't enough for her smarter allies, some of whom have gone full SecretSecretKeeper.
* In ''Literature/{{Dawnshard}}'', this is part of Rysn and the Sleepless's final strategy. They tell the general public that the expedition to Aimia encountered the Sleepless guarding a cache of Soulcaster fabrials, but that Rysn was able to win her crew's life and the Soulcasters from the Sleepless in a duel of wits. They then share with Queen Navani and other dignitaries the first secret, that in exchange for her crew's life and the Soulcasters Rysn agreed to train the Sleepless in imitating humans, and that a few of them followed her to Urithiru for that training. While not a lie, this secret's primary function is to provide something for those who dig into the story to discover, so that they'll stop before they find the ''real'' secret: [[spoiler: that [[spoiler:that Rysn has become one of the titular [[CosmicKeystone Dawnshards]], and that the Sleepless are actually guarding her from those who might try to might wish to acquire and misuse a Dawnshard.]] Dawnshard]].
* ''Franchise/{{Discworld}}'':
** In ''Literature/MakingMoney'', the protagonist [[ConArtist Moist Von Lipwig]] (former BoxedCrook, now sort-of reformed) meets [[CoolOldLady Topsy Lavish]], who owns Ankh-Morpork's bank. Being a businesswoman, she immediately sees him for what he is, [[spoiler:decides he's the perfect person to keep the bank out of the hands of her evil relatives]] and proceeds to {{lampshade}} his relationship with [[ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou Adora Belle Dearheart]] with this trope.
--->'''Lavish:''' I suspect you like her because she can see your inner self. Or at least an inner self you've left inside just in case.
** Shows up as part of the plot for ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'' too. When an assassination attempt on the Klatchan ambassador seems to point to Klatch as the culprit, Commander Vimes is quick to point out the ease with which the evidence could be a frame up. He spends most of the book thinking his primary suspect is in league with rogue Ankh-Morpork elements to start a war with Klatch, only [[spoiler:to find out from 71-hour Achmed that the flimsy evidence had been specifically planted to make him think that due to his own predisposition to distrust his own countrymen]].
* Undarl in ''[[Literature/TheElminsterSeries Elminster: The Making of a Mage]]'' is a [[spoiler:Malaugrym who pretends to be a Yuan-Ti]] posing as an aspiring Magelord who wants to prove himself and join [[TheMagocracy the magical oligarchy]] of Athalantar on good terms. Which is how he is given the task to destroy one of the legitimate heirs they don't control, [[DoomedHometown along with the whole village]].
* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': When the protagonists of the ''Winds'' trilogy need to hide their [[BondCreatures Companions]] -- blue-eyed, white, [[SapientSteed intelligent]] {{Cool Horse}}s that always stand out in a crowd and can't take dye -- from a foe who can easily sense and pierce illusions, they simply layer one illusion over another. When the enemy mage peers through the illusion of high-bred horses and sees a pair of broken-down nags, he chuckles to himself and doesn't bother to look further, believing the horses' owners are simply hiding their neglect from potential buyers.



* In ''Literature/MakingMoney'', the protagonist [[ConArtist Moist Von Lipwig]] (former BoxedCrook, now sort-of reformed) meets [[CoolOldLady Topsy Lavish]], who owns Ankh-Morpork's bank. Being a businesswoman, she immediately sees him for what he is, [[spoiler:decides he's the perfect person to keep the bank out of the hands of her evil relatives]] and proceeds to {{lampshade}} his relationship with [[ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou Adora Belle Dearheart]] with this trope.
-->'''Lavish:''' I suspect you like her because she can see your inner self. Or at least an inner self you've left inside just in case.
** Shows up as part of the plot for ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'' too. When an assassination attempt on the Klatchan ambassador seems to point to Klatch as the culprit, Commander Vimes is quick to point out the ease with which the evidence could be a frame up. He spends most of the book thinking his primary suspect is in league with rogue Ankh-Morpork elements to start a war with Klatch, only [[spoiler: to find out from 71-hour Achmed that the flimsy evidence had been specifically planted to make him think that due to his own predisposition to distrust his own countrymen.]]
* Undarl in ''[[Literature/TheElminsterSeries Elminster: The Making of a Mage]]'' is a [[spoiler:Malaugrym who pretends to be a Yuan-Ti]] posing as an aspiring Magelord who wants to prove himself and join [[TheMagocracy the magical oligarchy]] of Athalantar on good terms. Which is how he is given the task to destroy one of the legitimate heirs they don't control, [[DoomedHometown along with the whole village]].
* The Creator/AgathaChristie novel ''Towards Zero'' includes one set of obvious clues that point to a particular person having committed the murder. However, the killer anticipated that the police would see through these clues, so left a different, less obvious set of clues that pointed to a second person having committed the murder. The killer figured that once the police had run across one set of faked evidence, they would be unlikely to believe that the second set was also a fake.
* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': When the protagonists of the ''Winds'' trilogy need to hide their [[BondCreatures Companions]] -- blue-eyed, white, [[SapientSteed intelligent]] {{Cool Horse}}s that always stand out in a crowd and can't take dye -- from a foe who can easily sense and pierce illusions, they simply layer one illusion over another. When the enemy mage peers through the illusion of high-bred horses and sees a pair of broken-down nags, he chuckles to himself and doesn't bother to look further, believing the horses' owners are simply hiding their neglect from potential buyers.
* In the ''Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries'' novel ''Chasm City'', the protagonist is shocked to discover that, due to a MemoryGambit, he himself has a Multilevel Facade: [[spoiler: he had the memories of Tanner Mirabel implanted to cover the identity of notorious armsdealer Cahuella, which is itself an alias hiding immortal MagnificentBastard (and mass murderer) Schuyler Haussmann.]] AmnesiacDissonance from the MemoryGambit assists him in BecomingTheMask.

to:

* In ''Literature/MakingMoney'', the protagonist [[ConArtist Moist Von Lipwig]] (former BoxedCrook, now sort-of reformed) meets [[CoolOldLady Topsy Lavish]], who owns Ankh-Morpork's bank. Being a businesswoman, she immediately sees him for what he is, [[spoiler:decides he's the perfect person to keep the bank out of the hands of her evil relatives]] and proceeds to {{lampshade}} his relationship with [[ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou Adora Belle Dearheart]] with this trope.
-->'''Lavish:''' I suspect you like her because she can see your inner self. Or at least
''Literature/TheLaundryFiles'': The People's Mandate is disguised by an inner self you've left inside just in case.
** Shows up as part of the plot for ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'' too. When an assassination attempt on the Klatchan ambassador seems to point to Klatch as the culprit, Commander Vimes is quick to point out the ease with which the evidence could be a frame up. He spends most of the book thinking his primary suspect is in league with rogue Ankh-Morpork elements to start a war with Klatch,
incredibly powerful {{glamour}} that not only [[spoiler: to find out from 71-hour Achmed that the flimsy evidence had been specifically planted to make makes him think that due to seem impossibly charismatic but also renders his own predisposition to distrust his own countrymen.]]
* Undarl in ''[[Literature/TheElminsterSeries Elminster: The Making
face a blur of a Mage]]'' is a [[spoiler:Malaugrym whatever features you consider kindly and trustable. A character who pretends retains enough presence of mind to be don a Yuan-Ti]] posing as an aspiring Magelord who wants defensive ward is able to prove himself and join [[TheMagocracy the magical oligarchy]] of Athalantar on good terms. Which is how he is given the task to destroy one of the legitimate heirs they don't control, [[DoomedHometown along with the whole village]].
* The Creator/AgathaChristie novel ''Towards Zero'' includes one set of obvious clues that point to a particular person having committed the murder. However, the killer anticipated that the police would
see through these clues, so left the mask, and finds herself looking at a different, less obvious set of clues [[ReptilianConspiracy humanoid reptile]] -- but later suspects that pointed to a second person having committed the murder. The killer figured it's just another mask, and that once there's no actual substance to him, just masks all the police had run across one set of faked evidence, they would be unlikely to believe that the second set was also a fake.
* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': When the protagonists of the ''Winds'' trilogy need to hide their [[BondCreatures Companions]] -- blue-eyed, white, [[SapientSteed intelligent]] {{Cool Horse}}s that always stand
way down. [[spoiler:The Mandate eventually turns out in a crowd and can't take dye -- from a foe who can easily sense and pierce illusions, they simply layer one illusion over another. When the enemy mage peers through the illusion to be (an avatar of) Nyarlathotep, famously capable of high-bred horses and sees a pair of broken-down nags, he chuckles to himself and doesn't bother to look further, believing the horses' owners are simply hiding their neglect from potential buyers.
* In the ''Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries'' novel ''Chasm City'', the protagonist is shocked to discover that, due to a MemoryGambit, he himself has a Multilevel Facade: [[spoiler: he had the memories of Tanner Mirabel implanted to cover the identity of notorious armsdealer Cahuella, which is itself an alias hiding immortal MagnificentBastard (and mass murderer) Schuyler Haussmann.]] AmnesiacDissonance from the MemoryGambit assists him in BecomingTheMask.
taking "a thousand forms", so she's probably correct.]]



* ''Literature/{{Oathbringer}}:'' In order to use her [[MasterOfIllusion Lightweaving]] powers for disguise without losing the impersonation and infiltration skills she has associated with her "Veil" AlternateSelf, Shallan needs to layer the new illusion on top of the "Veil" illusion, [[spoiler:who [[AmbiguousSituation may or may not]] be an illusion layered over the "Shallan" persona, who is herself an illusion layered over Shallan's [[BrokenBird true self]]. That's either three or four layers of illusion, depending on whether you think Veil goes over the Shallan persona or displaces her]].
* In the ''Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries'' novel ''Chasm City'', the protagonist is shocked to discover that, due to a MemoryGambit, he himself has a Multilevel Facade: [[spoiler: he had the memories of Tanner Mirabel implanted to cover the identity of notorious armsdealer Cahuella, which is itself an alias hiding immortal MagnificentBastard (and mass murderer) Schuyler Haussmann.]] AmnesiacDissonance from the MemoryGambit assists him in BecomingTheMask.
* Kent Allard, better known as Literature/TheShadow, has several of these -- most famously Lamont Cranston.
* The Creator/AgathaChristie novel ''Towards Zero'' includes one set of obvious clues that point to a particular person having committed the murder. However, the killer anticipated that the police would see through these clues, so left a different, less obvious set of clues that pointed to a second person having committed the murder. The killer figured that once the police had run across one set of faked evidence, they would be unlikely to believe that the second set was also a fake.



* ''Literature/{{Oathbringer}}:'' In order to use her [[MasterOfIllusion Lightweaving]] powers for disguise without losing the impersonation and infiltration skills she has associated with her "Veil" AlternateSelf, Shallan needs to layer the new illusion on top of the "Veil" illusion, [[spoiler: who [[AmbiguousSituation may or may not]] be an illusion layered over the "Shallan" persona, who is herself an illusion layered over Shallan's [[BrokenBird true self]]. That's either three or four layers of illusion, depending on whether you think Veil goes over the Shallan persona or displaces her.]]
* Kent Allard, better known as Literature/TheShadow, has several of these -- most famously Lamont Cranston.
* ''Literature/AscendanceOfABookworm'': The commoner protagonist's noble identity being in a reverse MamasBabyPapasMaybe situation means that if someone already knows or suspects that her official noble mother is not her biological mother, they will be told or come to the conclusion that she's actually the daughter of a different woman who is deceased in the present day, but actually existed. However, on top of her enemies publicising her real origins in a move to discredit her, that extra layer of secrecy isn't enough for her smarter allies, some of whom have gone full SecretSecretKeeper.
* ''Literature/TheLaundryFiles'': The People's Mandate is disguised by an incredibly powerful {{glamour}} that not only makes him seem impossibly charismatic but also renders his face a blur of whatever features you consider kindly and trustable. A character who retains enough presence of mind to don a defensive ward is able to see through the mask, and finds herself looking at a [[ReptilianConspiracy humanoid reptile]] -- but later suspects that it's just another mask, and that there's no actual substance to him, just masks all the way down. [[spoiler:The Mandate eventually turns out to be (an avatar of) Nyarlathotep, famously capable of taking "a thousand forms", so she's probably correct.]]
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* During one episode of ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', Goofy and Max are [[ItMakesSenseInContext dressed as robbers]] and end up bumping into each other. They take off each other's masks, then proceed to unveil rubber mask disguises of various people until Max accidentally pulls Goofy's ''[[RuleOfFunny actual face]]'' off, before putting it back on.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland'', after Duncan gets voted off the show and sent to ride on the boat of losers, Duncan finds that the one steering the boat is actually [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Sasquatchanakwa]] who roars at Duncan causing him to scream in fear; Sasquatchanakwa then takes off his mask revealing himself to be Chef Hatchet which makes Duncan sigh in relief, only for another mask to reveal him as Sasquatchanakwa again, then Chef again and continues with masks being repeatedly flung off the boat and Duncan continually switching between screaming and relieved until we fade to black.
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* '' Fanfic/Batman1939'': Batman wears another cowl glued to his scalp under his regular cowl.
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* The BigBad in ''LightNovel/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign'' pulls this on the main character Kyousuke, being disguised as a person he was planning on teaming up with, seemingly to disrupt his strategy to kill them. [[spoiler:Kyousuke sees through this disguise, avoids her surprise attack, and successfully kills her... then she shows up again, and reveals that it was all part of the plan. She actually wanted him to succeed in defeating her (and managed to survive through unknown means), because in doing so, he would unleash an even greater monster into the world. This would force him to work together with her, which is what she really wanted. Additionally, the real purpose of the disguise was to get him used to working with her]].

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* The BigBad in ''LightNovel/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign'' ''Literature/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign'' pulls this on the main character Kyousuke, being disguised as a person he was planning on teaming up with, seemingly to disrupt his strategy to kill them. [[spoiler:Kyousuke sees through this disguise, avoids her surprise attack, and successfully kills her... then she shows up again, and reveals that it was all part of the plan. She actually wanted him to succeed in defeating her (and managed to survive through unknown means), because in doing so, he would unleash an even greater monster into the world. This would force him to work together with her, which is what she really wanted. Additionally, the real purpose of the disguise was to get him used to working with her]].
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* ''Literature/TheLaundryFiles'': The People's Mandate is disguised by an incredibly powerful {{glamour}} that not only makes him seem impossibly charismatic but also renders his face a blur of whatever features you consider kindly and trustable. A character who retains enough presence of mind to don a defensive ward is able to see through the mask, and finds herself looking at a [[ReptilianConspiracy humanoid reptile]] -- but later suspects that it's just another mask, and that there's no actual substance to him, just masks all the way down. [[spoiler:The Mandate eventually turns out to be (an avatar of) Nyarlathotep, famously capable of taking "a thousand forms", so she's probably correct.]]
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* When Dooble of ''WebAnimation/TwoMoreEggs'' corners his [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter rival chaotic problem-solver]], Renfrow, he rips off his face to reveal...another Dooble. Who then unmasks the original Dooble as Renfrow. This then continues into a fadeout, with a narrator claiming this would go on "year after year."


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* This is what the meme "Good luck, I'm behind 7 proxies" means--that the individual used an identity-masking proxy to access another proxy and so on seven layers deep, figuring it was a safe bet that at least ''one'' of the connections would be untraceable. Whether anyone has ever actually been this thorough, we'll probably never know. And if we do, it'll prove it doesn't work.
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** Despite the Great Saiyaman's original purpose to hide his identity as the Golden Warrior, the tournament's prohibited him from wearing a helmet, so he settled down with a pair of sunglasses and a white bandana. And despite the fact that Gohan didn't want any Saiyan to transform in the tournament because the broadcast of the Cell Games made them widely known to the public, Gohan's rage-induced transformation into a Super Saiyan prior to his match ripped his bandana apart, something that wouldn't have happened had he still his helmet on. Which means that Gohan's attempt to hide his real identity with his Golden Warrior identity ''with'' the identity of the Great Saiyaman was absolutely fruitless.

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** Despite the Great Saiyaman's original purpose to hide his identity as the Golden Warrior, the tournament's rules prohibited him from wearing a helmet, so he settled down with a pair of sunglasses and a white bandana. And despite the fact that Gohan didn't want any Saiyan to transform in at the tournament because the broadcast of the Cell Games made them widely known to the public, Gohan's rage-induced transformation into a Super Saiyan prior to his match ripped his bandana apart, something that wouldn't have happened had he still his helmet on. Which means that Gohan's attempt to hide his real identity with his Golden Warrior identity ''with'' the identity of the Great Saiyaman was absolutely fruitless.
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* In one ''ComicStrip/SpiderMan'' strip, when Mysterio disrupts the filming of a movie MJ is appearing in, Spidey defeats him, pulls off the fishbowl to reveal the special effects guy on the movie, then pulls off the LatexPerfection mask to reveal it ''was'' Quentin Beck after all.

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