History Main / TheMark

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:ProfessionalWrestling]]

* For the most part, TheMark in ''Series/MissionImpossible'' episodes using TheCon was a villain being duped into admitting his guilt. This would put the ConMan of that episode into the {{Tricksters}} category.

* The [[Film/OceansEleven Ocean's Trilogy]] - Benedict in Eleven, Bank in Thirteen.

In media, the Mark can be a sympathetic protagonist, a JerkAss who got what he deserved, or anywhere in between. He is rarely entirely innocent, however; a Con inevitably works by appealing to a character's greed or a desire to get something for nothing.

The Mark is a role in TheCon, the ''target'' of [[TheTale the Roper]] in the CaperCrew. In other words, this is the sucker who's supposed to fall for the Con and wind up much shorter on money and/or pride if the hucksters succeed. The Mark is sometimes called "the pigeon". There's OneBornEveryMinute.

In media, the Mark can be a sympathetic protagonist, a JerkAss who got what he deserved, or anywhere in between. He is never entirely innocent, however; a Con inevitably works by appealing to a character's greed or a desire to get something for nothing.

The Mark is a role in TheCon, the ''target'' of [[TheTale the Roper]] in the CaperCrew. In other words, this is the sucker who's supposed to fall for the Con and wind up much shorter on money and/or pride if the hucksters succeed. The Mark is sometimes called "the pigeon".

Looks like there's a sting operation going on! The Mark is a role in TheCon, the ''target'' of [[TheTale the Roper]] in the CaperCrew. To a great extent the nature of the mark defines whether the ConMan is operating as a {{Trickster}} who is initiating an awakening, or is simply a {{Villain}}. The Mark is often called "the pigeon" by The Con.

* The [[OceansEleven Ocean's Trilogy]] - Benedict in Eleven, Bank in Thirteen.

-->--'''Doc Scratch, Homestuck'''

Looks like there's a sting operation going on! The Mark is a role in TheCon, the ''target'' of TheTale. To a great extent the nature of the mark defines whether the ConMan is operating as a {{Trickster}} who is initiating an awakening, or is simply a {{Villain}}. The Mark is often called "the pigeon" by The Con.

* Fisher is the mark in ''{{Inception}}''.

Looks like there's a sting operation going on! The Mark is a role in TheCon, the ''target'' of TheTale. To a great extent the nature of the mark defines whether the ConMan is operating as a {{Trickster}} who is initiating an awakening, or is simply a {{Villain}}.

* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Going Postal'' is essentially a battle between two conmen. To the villain, [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Reacher Gilt]], TheMark is the entire city of Ankh-Morpork, and the other members of the board of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company. To the hero, [[LoveableRogue (mostly) reformed conman]] Moist von Lipwig, the mark is Reacher Gilt.
** In his next appearance, ''Making Money'', Moist has moved up to making the city his mark -- with the trick being that the "con" is moving them from the gold standard to paper money. He's not entirely certain if this is because is ''is'' a con, or if he [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer just thinks that way]], or if a con believed by enough people for long enough [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve becomes something else entirely]].

* In professional wrestling, a "mark" refers to anyone who watches pro wrestling but does not have a job in the business of it. They were called as such because the goal of the "smarts", the people who did work in the business, was to make the marks believe the pro wrestling bouts were not cooperative. After {{kayfabe}} was exposed, the term "{{smart mark}}" developed among some who now thought they knew what was going on, even though they still did not actually work in the business. Some find "smart mark" [[KnowNothingKnowItAll pretentious]] and mark a GrandFatherClause but some have embraced the term, Smart Mark video being a good source for fans who want to see matches and interviews, for instance.

* There was one of these on every episode of ''{{Hustle}}'', but it wasn't always who you thought it was. However, they always made great play of the fact that TheMark was always thoroughly deserving of being fleeced. Just in case anyone thought that conning people might be bad, m'kay?

-->'''Doc Scratch, Homestuck'''

* In professional wrestling, a "mark" refers to anyone who watches pro wrestling but does not have a job in the business of it. They were called as such because the goal of the "smarts", the people who did work in the business, was to make the marks believe the pro wrestling bouts were not cooperative. After {{kayfabe}} was exposed, the term "{{smart mark}}" developed among some who now thought they knew what was going on, even though they still did not actually work in the business. Some find "smart mark" [[KnowNothingKnowItAll pretentious]] and mark a GrandFatherClause but some have embraced the term, Smart Mark video being a good source for wrestling matches and interviews, for instance.

* In professional wrestling, a "mark" refers to anyone who watches pro wrestling but does not have a job in the business of it. They were called as such because the goal of the "smarts", the people who did work in the business, was to make the marks believe the pro wrestling bouts were not cooperative. After {{kayfabe}} was exposed, the term "{{smart mark}}" developed among some who now thought they knew what was going on, even thought they still did not actually work in the business, though some find "smart mark" [[KnowNothingKnowItAll pretentious]] and mark a GrandFatherClause.

* For many years, the term "mark" in wrestling lingo meant someone who thought [[{{Kayfabe}} wrestling was real]]. The term has now evolved to simply mean a fan of pro wrestling, although some people (especially in the SmartMark community) use it derisively. More positively, to "mark out" means to embrace the SuspensionOfDisbelief, especially in response to a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

* Satou in ''WelcomeToTheNHK'' finds himself as one at the hands of Kobayashi.

* Doyle Lonnergan in ''Film/TheSting''.

The Mark is a role in TheCon, the ''target'' of TheTale. To a great extent the nature of the mark defines whether the ConMan is operating as a {{Trickster}} who is initiating an awakening, or is simply a {{Villain}}.

* Janet Colgate is the Mark that the two Con Men bet over in ''DirtyRottenScoundrels''. [[spoiler: Oops! She was playing them both.]]

* Fisher is the mark in {{Inception}}.

* There's an interesting short story by AndrewVachss in which TheMark turns out to be the New York City judiciary system. The ConMan appears to have stolen a bag from someone in an airport, but the person who entered with the bag and the witness both vanish, he produces the receipt, sues the state for false arrest, and gets a substantial amount of money.

* Penelope is the mark in TheBrothersBloom.