History Main / SheepInWolfsClothing

[[quoteright:238:[[Literature/TheSheepInWolfsClothing https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51mnz0x5_xl_sy409_bo1204203200.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:238:How confusing...]]

However, some enemies can't be fooled by [[MostDefinitelyNotAVillain first rate acting]] and [[DressingAsTheEnemy good costuming]]. Some, like {{zombie|Apocalypse}}s, [[TheVirus virus infected]] or [[RobotWar robots]], can instantly tell others of their kind on sight, [[SuperSenses smell, sound, taste, touch]], [[AuraVision Aura]], or [[UnusualUserInterface WiFi]]. Anyone attempting to traipse by through a throng of them will quickly be found out and eaten. There is one catch to this "foolproof", friend-or-foe recognition though. Basically, it assumes ''everyone'' who is one of their kind has the same agenda and interests, and when you go about [[ViralTransformation infecting]], [[UnwillingRoboticisation robotizing]], or [[{{Metamorphosis}} metamorphosizing]] normal humans to your side, at least one of them is going to slip through the cracks, avoid or [[HeroicWillpower reject]] the {{Hive Queen}}'s influence, and refuse [[TranshumanTreachery to sell out humanity]] and become a ProHumanTranshuman.

* WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls capture Rowdyruff Boy Boomer incthe episode "Bubble Boy", then Bubbles impersonates Boomer and infiltrates the other Rowdyruffs in a ploy to lure them into capture.

* WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls capture Rowdyruff Boy Boomer, then Bubbles impersonates Boomer and infiltrates the other Rowdyruffs in a ploy to lure them into capture.

* WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls capture Rowdyruff Boy Boomer, then Bubbles impersonates Boomer and infiltrates the other Rowdyruffs in a ploy to break them up.

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* In ''VideoGame/GabrielKnight 2: The Beast Within'', the titular character [[spoiler: becomes a werewolf and then- having transformed into a wolf but not killed or eaten a human yet- is able to reverse his curse by killing Von Glower, the source of the curse.]]

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': Three of the ''Voyager'' crew members try to infiltrate a Borg cube by trying a standard attack and getting assimilated, which turns out to be what they actually wanted as they're using an inhibitor to prevent being taken over by the HiveMind while sabotaging the Borg. In the series finale, Admiral Janeway from the future intentionally lets herself be assimilated in order to spread a Borg-destroying pathogen throughout the Hub in the present.

* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'' the titular character used his condition as a vampire to infiltrate the demon supremacist army, the Scourge. The Scourge at first despised him due to the human origin of vampires, but he convinced them that he loathed that aspect of himself and wished nothing more than to see humanity wiped out.

* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'' the titular character used his condition as a vampire to infiltrate the Scourge. The Scourge at first despised him due to his human origin, but he convinced them that he loathed that aspect of himself and wished nothing more than to see humanity wiped out.
** Also comes up in the final season, [[spoiler: in Angel's plan to infiltrate the inner circle of evil's operations on Earth.]]

* In episode 5 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'''s sixth season, Dean gets turned by a vampire seeking "pretty boy" recruiters for its army. He manages to use this to his advantage in infiltrating the nest. This is less HeroicSacrifice and more WhatTheHellHero, as afterward [[spoiler: Dean realizes that [[CameBackWrong his brother]] [[SoullessShell Sam]] ''let him get turned'' just for this purpose.]]
** Mind you, he had an antidote back at base that he was like eighty percent sure would work so long as Dean didn't bite anyone. Not that he told Dean. Sam is kind of a dick without his soul.
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': The ''Voyager'' crew members try to infiltrate a Borg cube by trying a standard attack and getting assimilated, which turned out to be what they originally wanted. In the series finale, Admiral Janeway intentionally lets herself be assimilated in order to spread a Borg-destroying pathogen throughout the Hub.

* The Adversary in TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms is a figure of dread in illithid myth. The legend holds that a larva that undergoes ceremorphosis will take on all of the host's personality and memory. This "Adversary" would still be the host, but with all the powers of an illithid. Illithids that inherited little quirks from their hosts hide them so they are not mistaken by their peers for being the Adversary. [[spoiler:The Adversary is no mere myth. A scholar found a way to interfere with ceremorphosis and retained his mind and soul despite becoming an illithid. He acts as a mole within illithid society, doing what he can to be as subversive as possible. Such as spreading the legend of the "Adversary".]]

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These Sheep In Wolf's Clothing use their early stage zombification/monsterhood to slip by enemy hordes and help their still-human allies however they can. This is usually a HeroicSacrifice for a number of reasons: firstly, these {{Doomed Protagonist}}s know the change is [[BalefulPolymorph irreversible]], and he or she will either die outright from the infection or suffer LossOfIdentity once it finishes. Some heroes may infect themselves voluntarily to avoid detection, especially if the enemy is so well defended that only a suicide mission can end their threat.

** Ripley in ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'' survived a Xenomorph attack thanks to[[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong having a Xenomorph embryo inside her]]. She later uses this to her advantage when confronting it later.

** Ripley in ''Film/{{Alien 3}}'' survived an attack thanks to being [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong infected]], and later uses this to her advantage when confronting it later.

* In ''VideoGame/StarTrekBorg'', the player character, currently possessing the body of a Bijani crewmmate, [[spoiler: intentionally goes into a Bijani pain trance so that way when the Borg transforms him into one of their own he manages to retain his own mind, which in turn allows him to his his enhancements and links to the collective against them.]]

Surprisingly not connected to AWolfInSheepsClothing, but related to FaustianRebellion. Compare PersonalityRemant, which doesn't need to have a tactical advantage.

Surprisingly not connected to AWolfInSheepsClothing, but related to FaustianRebellion.

A [[GuileHero guileful hero]] can often avoid unnecessary fighting by disguising himself as a TrojanPrisoner, walking into an enemy base and planting explosives, rescuing the princess and laughing on the way home as [[UnflinchingWalk the base blows up.]] See also ReverseMole.

* In ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}'', [[ReverseMole Marsh]] impresses [[HumanoidAbomination the Inquisitors]] so much that they turn him into one of them, not bothering to investigate his false background. They also warn him about their primary weakness ([[spoiler:removing one spike on their backs will kill them]]), and he kills them all in their sleep.