History Main / UsingYouAllAlong

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': [[spoiler:King Andrias uses Marcy and the trio for the majority of Season 2 in order to fully charge the InterdimensionalTravelDevice that will allow him and his army to conquer hundreds of other worlds and drain them of their powers in one fell swoop. To make matters worse, this all banks on Marcy's [[HatesBeingAlone fear of being alone]] with the false promise that she and her friends will stay together on new adventures forever]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': Emperor Belos is actually [[spoiler:[[ArtifactAlias Phillip Wittebane]], one of the first humans to travel and get stranded in the Boiling Isles]]. When Luz goes [[TimeTravel back in time]] to meet him, she [[spoiler:inadvertently causes a StableTimeLoop, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero allowing him to get exactly what he needs to conquer the world]]]]. And he's been ''keeping her alive just to ensure that it happens'' until she [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlives her usefulness]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E18TexasWalkingSmall "Walking Small"]], Plankton befriends [=SpongeBob=] and ostensibly teaches him how to be assertive, but in reality is taking advantage of his naivety to get him to drive everyone out of Goo Lagoon so he can pave over it and build the Mega Bucket. When [=SpongeBob=] finds out, he expresses shock that "you used me... for ''land development!''"

** In [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]], the plan is instead for the Homunculi to use the country to make Philosopher's Stones and become human. [[spoiler:Except the Homunculi were '''also''' being used all along, and Dante didn't really care for turning them into humans at all, she just needed the stone to maintain her immortality.]]

** In [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]], the plan is instead for the Homunculi to use the country to make Philosopher's Stones and become human.
*** [[spoiler:Except the Homunculi were '''also''' being used all along, and Dante didn't really care for turning them into humans at all, she just needed the stone to maintain her immortality.]]

[[folder:ComicBooks]]

[[folder: Fan Works]]
* The entire rationale behind ''Fanfic/WithStringsAttached'' is that the four are being used by the Fans. First they're sent to C'hou by Shag and Varx as part of an undergraduate Alien Psychology experiment. After this collapses and things go weird, they're sent on a quest to remove a curse from a continent and told that's why they were sent to C'hou in the first place. [[spoiler: Everyone thinks the C'hovite gods set them on the quest path, but it was actually engineered by Jeft.]] They mostly learn the truth about [[spoiler: Jeft's]] manipulations, but they never do learn about those of Shag and Varx, because the two lie quite convincingly to the four.

* In ''Film/DeathWish4TheCrackdown'', Kersey finds out the rich man who offered him assistance to take out the drug dealers, [[spoiler: wasn't a corporate executive, the person he impersonated was out of the country for several months, the man he dealt with was really the rival of the other dealers, and was basically using Kersey to eliminate the competition. Please note that this plot twist appeared earlier in The Saint in New York and The Saint Meets a Phantom]].

* ''Film/SeasonOfTheWitch'' actually is about this sort of plot--[[spoiler: the BigBad tricked not only the main character, but the entire branch of the Catholic Church backing an expedition to remove her power and its effects by taking her to an ancient monastery where a ritual can be performed to do so. Unbeknownst to them, the monks are all dead and the monastery desecrated, and the demon actually wanted to be taken there so that the usual restrictions against demons entering churches didn't apply, and she could use the particular book of rituals to destroy humanity. ]]
** [[spoiler: In doing this, she even makes them think they've figured out her tricks (and made the audience think she was entirely ineffectual) in her obvious displays of witchcraft while she was talking about being innocent. When all along, she wanted them to think her guilty.]]

** Done twice in fact, when its discovered that Quai- Bayaz's assistant- was murdered and replaced by Tolomei, a girl from Bayaz's past he claims was killed by her father (when in fact he murdered both of them). Played more straight in that she wants it to bring forth TheLegionsOfHell and bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, and ''nobody'' thinks thats a good idea.
* In ''Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan'', Mr. Des Tiny has been using the entirety of both vampire clans for centuries -- he might have even created the concept of vampires in the first place -- culminating with [[spoiler: his own two sons]], Darren and [[spoiler: Steve]], as leaders of the two sides, destined to fight to the death, and whichever survives will rule the world as [[TheAntichrist Lord of the Shadows]]. Why? Because Tiny finds it entertaining.

* In ''Series/{{CSI}}'', we're led to believe season 8's BigBad is Lou Gedda, until the finale when [[spoiler: Undersheriff [=McKeen=] shows what's BeneathTheMask by murdering Warrick]].
* Series/DoctorWho and [[spoiler: the entire 16th season, also known as ''The Key to Time'', where the White Guardian asks [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor]] to find the six segments of the Key to Time, because the Black Guardian is planning to unravel the universe with it. Well, the White Guardian was the Black Guardian all along...]]

* In the seventh season of ''Series/TwentyFour'' [[spoiler: Tony turns out to be playing everyone at the end of the season. Him warning Jack, Chloe, and the FBI about an attack and Washington D.C. and working with them to stop it was all to obtain a bio-engineered virus that the terrorist cell he was working with wanted obtain, but then it turns out at the very end that he was doing that for them all to get in good graces with and meet their ringleader so he could kill him since said ringleader had masterminded the death of his pregnant wife.]]

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'': [[spoiler: All of the assassinations Al Mualim had you were performing were done so he would be the only one with knowledge and possession of the Piece of Eden. He's also the tenth Templar. MagnificentBastard indeed. Oh and NiceJobBreakingItHero.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': [[spoiler: King Andrias uses Marcy and the trio for the majority of Season 2 in order to fully charge the InterdimensionalTravelDevice that will allow him and his army to conquer hundreds of other worlds and drain them of their powers in one fell swoop. To make matters worse, this all banks on Marcy's [[HatesBeingAlone fear of being alone]] with the false promise that she and her friends will stay together on new adventures forever]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': Emperor Belos is actually [[spoiler: [[ArtifactAlias Phillip Wittebane]], one of the first humans to travel and get stranded in the Boiling Isles]]. When Luz goes [[TimeTravel back in time]] to meet him, she [[spoiler: inadvertently causes a StableTimeLoop, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero allowing him to get exactly what he needs to conquer the world.]]]] And he's been ''keeping her alive just to see to it that it happens'' until she [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlives her usefulness]].

* ''WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017'': In Season 4, Saint Germain goes on a mission to search for his lover and receives help from a vampire named SmallNameBigEgo Varney who claims to be a member of Dracula's court.[[spoiler: Varney is later revealed to be [[TheGrimReaper Death]], who was using Saint Germain to revive Dracula and consume all of humanity's souls.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': Emperor Belos is actually [[spoiler: [[ArtifactAlias Phillip Wittebane]], one of the first humans to travel and get stranded in the Boiling Isles]]. When Luz goes [[TimeTravel back in time]] to meet him, she inadvertently causes a StableTimeLoop, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero allowing him to get exactly what he needs to conquer the world.]] And he's been ''keeping her alive just to see to it that it happens'' until she [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlives her usefulness]].

* ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'': The Moonchild / TheAntichrist / [[spoiler:Literature/HarryPotter]] discovers that his adventures at a WizardingSChool were all faked by headmaster [[spoiler:Tom Riddle]] ([[spoiler:actually a BodySurfing Alistair Crowley]]) and takes it badly. As in, murder-his-friends-and-shoot-up-the-school badly.

* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' throughout much of the game [[spoiler: Dickson is using the party to kill egil so zanza’s plans can be set in motion]]

* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'' throughout much of the game [[spoiler: Dickson is using the party to kill egil so zanza’s plans can be set in motion]]

* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'' throughout much of the game [[spolier: Dickson is using the party to kill egil so zanza’s plans can be set in motion]]

* In ''Series/{{CSI}}'', we're led to believe season 8's BigBad is Lou Gedda, until the finale when [[spoiler: Undersheriff [=McKeen=] shows his TrueColors by murdering Warrick]].

* This is the surprise twist in the thriller ''Film/StateOfPlay''. Critics generally called it a ShockingSwerve.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'': [[spoiler: All of the fal'Cie are driving the heroes to destroy Cocoon. [[AncientConspiracy ALL OF THEM.]]]]

* ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' takes this to its {{logical extreme}}. [[spoiler: Your master, who raised you from a child, trained you as part of an elaborate plot to kill the current Emperor. He planned everything perfectly so that you would think you are merely saving your master when instead you are clearing the way for him to become Emperor. [[MagnificentBastard Glorious Strategist indeed!]]]]

* ''VideoGame/{{KOLM}}'': In both games, though clearer in the second game where you have a definite goal: reunite Sis with Father. [[spoiler:Turns out it was so he could forcibly turn her into a robot.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DreamfallChapters'', [[spoiler: Brian Westhouse]] approaches Helena Chang and the Azadi with promises to help them remake the world in their image. In reality, [[spoiler:Westhouse]] serves no one but [[spoiler:himself]].
* ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime'': Both [[BigBad Cyril Le Paradox]] and [[TheSociopath Penelope]] have been using each other for their goals involving [[ItsAllAboutMe egoism]] and [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]], respectively. In Penelope's case, she has also been using the Cooper Gang since [[VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves the third game]], even going as far as to pretend she loves [[GeniusCripple Bentley]] when she actually sees him as an idiotic MealTicket. [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge The gang don't take this well]].

* ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime'': Both [[BigBad Cyril Le Paradox]] and [[TheSociopath Penelope]] have been using each other for their goals involving [[ItsAllAboutMe egoism]] and [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]], respectively. In Penelope's case, she has also been using the Cooper Gang since [[VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves the third game]], even going as far as to pretend she loves [[GeniusCrippled Bentley]] when she actually sees him as an idiotic MealTicket. [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge The gang don't take this well]].

Alternatively, the BigBad may be giving the heroes their marching orders, though the heroes are unware of this fact. The heroes may believe they are serving some noble purpose and may or may not use this to justify any distasteful actions they undertake on the BigBad's behalf. But the truth of the matter is that all the hero's actions somehow advanced the BigBad's plan and may even include defeating a lesser villain. This lesser villain is often painted as the BigBad when he is just in the way of the true BigBad's plan.

*** [[spoiler:Except the Homunculi were '''also''' being used all along, and Dante didn't really care for turning them into humans at all, she just needed the stone to mantain her imortality.]]

* The entire quest-line involving the [[spoiler:Black Soulstone]] from ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'', which takes up the majority of the second and third acts and involves the killing of the final two Great Evils...so that [[spoiler:Adria, who it turns out is a servant of Diablo, can use it to resurrect her master as the embodiment of all seven Great Evils in one being, in accordance with his centuries-in-the-making EvilPlan to destroy the High Heavens and end the war between HeavenAndHell once and for all]].