History PlayingWith / PuppetKing

* '''Double Subverted''': That's what Lady Alice lets him think.

* '''Deconstructed''': Lady Alice commands a high public salary because of her influence over King Bob (and knows it), so she regularly demands higher and higher pay raises until Tropeland goes bankrupt.
* '''Reconstructed''': Lady Alice learns to be satisfied that it's she who keeps the country running smoothly and makes do on what she had.

* '''Played for Horror''': An EldritchAbomination is controlling King Bob.

* '''Exaggerated''': King Bob makes no decisions of his own. Lady Alice decides everything down to what's for dinner.

* '''Straight''': Bob, King of Tropeland, is secretly controlled by Lady Alice.

** Despote his title, King Bob is just another nobleman, with only slightly more power then the average earl or duke.

* '''Discussed''': "King Bob of Tropeland is [[AuthorityInNameOnly a king in name only.]] He just acts on government officials' advice -- and by advice, I mean politely worded all-but orders."

** King Bob is just another nobleman, with only slightly more power then the average Earl or Duke.

** King Bob makes every decision; Lady Alice is the puppet, despite the fact that she is supposed to be his advisor.
** Tropeland is officially a ceremonial monarchy where the royal family exists mainly to spread goodwill and the Prime Minister is the head of state. Key word being officially- in practice, the ''Prime Minister'' is the puppet of King Bob who does whatever he asks, allowing Bob to rule as a king and bask in the people's praise [[ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster while keeping assassins focused on the "real" rulers]].

* '''Inverted''': King Bob makes every decision; Lady Alice is the puppet, despite the fact that she is supposed to be his advisor.

** King Bob has a different passion, [[ReluctantRuler doesn't want to rule]], and would [[IJustWantToBeNormal much rather make his own way like his subjects]], but [[ResignationsNotAccepted he can't]] AbdicateTheThrone, so he delegates his authority to Lady Alice.

* '''Downplayed''': Lady Alice decides most things, but King Bob does make a few decisions on his own.

* '''Straight''': Bob, King of Tropeland, is secretly controlled by Alice.
* '''Exaggerated''': King Bob makes no decisions of his own. Alice decides everything down to what's for dinner.
* '''Downplayed''': Alice decides most things, but King Bob does make a few decisions on his own.

** King Bob has a different passion, [[ReluctantRuler doesn't want to rule]], and would [[IJustWantToBeNormal much rather make his own way like his subjects]], but [[ResignationsNotAccepted he can't]] AbdicateTheThrone, so he delegates his authority to Alice.
* '''Inverted''': King Bob makes every decision; Alice is the puppet.
* '''Subverted''': People assume that because King Bob is young Alice is ruling the kingdom through him; however, [[YoungAndInCharge Bob is the one in charge]], while [[ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster playing the role of a controlled puppet]].
* '''Double Subverted''': That's what Alice lets him think.

* '''Zig-Zagged''': King Bob and Alice each decide some very important and some comparatively trivial things.

* '''Lampshaded''': Alice says, "You may be king, Bob, but I'm your AlmightyJanitor."

** Foreign diplomats can go straight to Alice, who (they think, rightly or wrongly) doesn't have the gravitas of King Bob, to try to cut deals with Tropeland that favour them.

* '''Implied''': Cathy, the Troperian ambassador, is supposed to meet with King Bob frequently, but she always meets Alice first.

* '''Deconstructed''': Alice commands a high public salary because of her influence over King Bob (and knows it), so she regularly demands higher and higher pay raises until Tropeland goes bankrupt.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice learns to be satisfied that it's she who keeps the country running smoothly and makes do on what she had.
* '''Played for Laughs''': Alice writes a speech for King Bob and, though her writing, his delivery, or both, it comes across in-universe as pure {{narm}}.
* '''Played for Drama''': King Bob [[TheCassandra tries to bring up some grave danger]], but Alice [[HeadInTheSandManagement elects to ignore it]] and it wreaks major damage on Tropeland.

'''Basic Trope''': A person who nominally controls an organization secretly takes orders from someone else.

* '''Downplayed''': Alice decides many things, however King Bob does make a few decisions on his own.

** King Bob is [[ReluctantRuler deeply uninterested in ruling]] and would [[IJustWantToBeNormal much rather make his own way like his subjects]], but he's legally forbidden to do so, so he delegates his authority to Alice.

* '''Subverted''': People assume because King Bob is young Alice is ruling the kingdom through him; however, [[YoungAndInCharge Bob is the one in charge]], while [[ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster playing the role of a controlled puppet]].

* '''Played for Horror''': King Bob is the puppet of an EldritchAbomination.

* '''Subverted''': People assume because King Bob is young Alice is ruling the kingdom through him; however, [[YoungAndInCharge Bob is the one in charge]], while [[ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster playing the role of a controllled puppet]].

** Alternatively, it's a PeriodPiece written by somebody who [[ShownTheirWork prizes historical accuracy]].

* '''Invoked''': Tropeland's constitution is rewritten to take away most of the royal family's power.

* '''Discussed''': "King Bob of Tropeland is [[AuthorityInNameOnly a king in name only.]] He just acts on government officials' advice."

* '''Played for Drama''': King Bob is [[TheCassandra tries to bring up some grave danger]], but Alice [[HeadInTheSandManagement elects to ignore it]] and it wreaks major damage on Tropeland.

* '''Defied''': King Bob refuses to let anybody dictate his deeds or words to him.

* '''Implied''': Cathy, the Troperian ambassador, is supposed to meet with King Bob frequently, but she always meets Alice first.

* '''Subverted''': People assume because King Bob is young Alice is ruling the kingdom through him; however, [[YoungAndInCharge Bob is the one in charge.]]

* '''Played for Drama''': King Bob is TheCassandra about some grave danger, but Alice [[HeadInTheSandManagement elects to ignore it]] and it wreaks major damage on Tropeland.

'''Basic Trope''': A person who is supposedly at the head of control secretly takes orders from someone else.
* '''Straight''': King Bob of Tropeland is secretly controlled by Alice.

** King Bob is unfit to rule and needs someone to control him else the kingdom would be run into the ground.

* '''Inverted''': King Bob makes all the decision; Alice is the puppet.

* '''Discussed''': "King Bob of Tropeland is a king in name only. He just acts on government officials' advice."

* '''Reconstructed''': Alice is satisfied that it's she who keeps the country running smoothly and makes do on what she had.

* '''Straight''': King Bob of Tropeland is secretly controlled by [[AlmightyJanitor Alice]].

* '''Subverted''': People assume because King Bob is young Alice is ruling the kingdom through him, however Bob is the one in charge.

* '''Zig-Zagged''': King Bob and Alice decide some important and some trivial things.

* '''Exploited''': Foreign diplomats can go straight to Alice, who (they think, rightly or wrongly) doesn't have the gravitas of King Bob, to try to cut deals with Tropeland that favour them.

* '''Discussed''': ???
* '''Conversed''': ???

%%* '''Plotted a Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played for Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played for Drama''': ???

* '''Straight''': King Bob is being secretly controlled by Alice.

* '''Double Subverted''': That's what Alice let's him think.

* '''Zig Zagged''': ???

* '''Enforced''': ??
* '''Lampshaded''': ??
* '''Invoked''': ??
* '''Exploited''': ???
* '''Defied''': ???

%%
%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???
%%* '''Reconstructed''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

'''Basic Trope''': Moneyed, sophisticated characters wear monocles.