History Main / ShadowDictator

* In ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'', few of his own people had ever seen the wizard, and those who claimed to have seen him disagreed as to who or what they'd seen. [[spoiler:He turns out to be his own ManBehindTheMan, using special effects to create an illusionary appearance.]]

* ''Series/ThePrisoner''. Who is Number One? [[spoiler: You are, Number Six.]]

* In ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', Big Brother is never seen in person, yet [[BigBrotherIsWatchingYou his face is worshiped throughout Oceania]]. Given that one of the characters claims that Big Brother cannot die, it's pretty likely that he doesn't exist in the first place. The existence of the revolutionary leader Goldstein is similarly questionable, as is pretty much everything we're told about world politics... or anything else.

* In GratuitousSpaceBattles, the leader of the Empire has apparently become this, at least officially:

* ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': No one in TheEmpire has actually ''seen'' the Emperor, not even the Darths on the Dark Council. He does have a network of "voices" and "hands" - avatars who have sacrificed their very existences to providing him a public face. That doesn't stop the Empire from their fanatic loyalty. Too bad it's completely misplaced as he's an omnicidal nut who doesn't give a damn about his empire ''or'' anything but wiping out everything in the universe but himself.

* In ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'', it turns out that [[spoiler:Alice's newly-found [[BigBadFriend best friend Yoriko Tajima]] not only the immortal, telepathic Boss of the Organization, but she has also been using her powers to rule Japan from the shadows since World War II.]]

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', it is revealed that [[spoiler:the society within the walls is ruled by one. The Fritz royal family were actually puppets, and the true royal family is House Reiss, led by King Rod Reiss, Krista's (AKA Historia Reiss) biological father]].

* The Principal in the ''SchoolRumble'' manga.

* Malkariss in the ''{{Redwall}}'' series only communicates by speaking to TheDragon Nadaz through his statue, refusing to let anyone see him directly. [[spoiler:When we find out what he actually looks like, he turns out to be weak and crippled, making him TheManBehindTheCurtain.]]

* For years many people suspected that OsamaBinLaden was already dead and his terrorist organization was controlled by others. This was proven wrong in 2011 when US troops stormed his compound in Pakistan and killed him.

* Despot in ''TheNamelessMod'' is never seen, doesn't use an avatar when he [=PMs=] people and leaves everything to his second in command Ghand, but as he is a CloudCuckooLander things fall to the de facto second in command, King Kashue.

* ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': No one in TheEmpire has actually ''seen'' the Emperor, not even the Darths on the Dark Council. He does have a network of "voices" and "hands" - avatars who have sacrificed their very existences to providing him a public face. That doesn't stop the Empire from their fanatic loyalty. Too bad it's completely misplaced as he's an omnicidal nut who doesn't give a damn about his empire ''or'' anything but wiping out everything in the universe but himself.\\
\\
At the end of the Jedi Knight class quest, [[spoiler: the Knight confronts and "kills" the Emperor himself. The Emperor persists as a Force ghost, as powerful Sith are wont to do.]] Then, in ''Shadow of Revan'', [[spoiler: Revan himself plans to reincarnate the Emperor and kill him properly this time -- except that, while he's successful at the first part, the second is beyond his abilities. The Emperor had deluded Revan into believing he could kill him; what if anything actually ''can'' has yet to be seen.]] The upshot of this is, [[OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness the Dark Council is in charge]] [[RegentForLife for all practical purposes]]. The ''Knights of the Fallen Empire'' expansion reveals why the Emperor hasn't been seen in centuries: [[spoiler:he was busy forming another empire under another identity that comes out of nowhere to conquer both the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic.]]

May not exist at all, or could be dead. TheManBehindTheCurtain is also possible. Overlaps with NoOneSeesTheBoss, which deals with the overarching conspiracy surrounding our mystery person.

* In ''Series/{{Star Trek Deep Space Nine}}'', the Dominion is ruled by the Changeling Founders, a race of shapeshifters. The Founders' contempt for "solids" means that they avoid interaction with non-Changelings, save for their Vorta and Jem'Hadar underlings. Most of them cloister themselves in the Great Link, with a small number serving as spies, infiltrators, or Dominion representatives.

* The Dark Powers from ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}''.

* In ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', Big Brother is never seen in person, yet [[BigBrotherIsWatchingYou his face is worshiped throughout Oceania]]. Given that one of the characters claims that Big Brother cannot die, it's pretty likely that he doesn't exist in the first place. The existence of the revolutionary leader Goldstein is similarly questionable, as is pretty much everything we're told about world politics...or anything else.

* Embryo has traces of this. While the Mana users are left to do their own thing, [[spoiler:he's in control of what's giving them power, is the one who ''created'' this world, and can control them as he wish.]]

* In ''Series/{{Star Trek Deep Space Nine}}'', the Dominion is rules by the Changeling Founders, a race of shapeshifters. The Founders' contempt for "solids" means that they avoid interaction with non-Changelings, save for their Vorta and Jem'Hadar underlings. Most of them cloister themselves in the Great Link, with a small number serving as spies, infiltrators, or Dominion representatives.

* Inspired by ''1984'', the Father from ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}''. Though we do see broadcasts featuring him, [[spoiler:They are faked, since the original Father died, and Du Pont was chosen to replace him]].

* By the second season of ''Manga/DeathNote'', [[spoiler:most of the world's countries have declared their support for Kira, and the United States eventually backs down and obeys his orders. Japan doesn't, however.]]

They rule the entire city/country/world/galaxy... but has anyone ever seen them?

[[caption-width-right:The mask of tyranny.]]

* Inspired by ''1984'', the Father from ''{{Equilibrium}}''. Though we do see broadcasts featuring him, [[spoiler:They are faked, since the original Father died, and Du Pont was chosen to replace him]].

* In ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', Big Brother is never seen in person, yet [[BigBrotherIsWatchingYou his face is worshiped throughout Oceania]]. Given that one of the characters claims that Big Brother cannot die, it's pretty likely that he doesn't exist in the first place. The existence of the revolutionary leader Goldstein is similarly questionable, as is pretty much everything we're told about world politics. Or anything else.

At the end of the Jedi Knight class quest, [[spoiler: the Knight confronts and "kills" the Emperor himself. The Emperor persists as a Force ghost, as powerful Sith are wont to do.]] Then, in ''Shadow of Revan'', [[spoiler: Revan himself plans to reincarnate the Emperor and kill him properly this time -- except that, while he's successful at the first part, the second is beyond his abilities. The Emperor had deluded Revan into believing he could kill him; what if anything actually ''can'' has yet to be seen.]] The upshot of this is, [[OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness the Dark Council is in charge]] [[RegentForLife for all practical purposes]].