History ShadowArchetype / LiveActionFilms

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy''
** Harvey Dent and Batman of ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' are shadows of each other -- both had a day where they lost the people most important to them, which changed their lives forever. The difference being that Rachel Dawes was there to push Bruce back into believing there's good in the world worth fighting for, whereas for poor Harvey there was just the Joker showing up to mess with his head some more.
** ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' Joker tries to draw parallels between himself and Batman:
---> "Don't talk like you're one of them [normal regular citizens]...To them, you're just a freak. Like me."
%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample** As does Bane in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''.
* ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'':
** ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'': After two decades of fighting crime, Franchise/{{Batman}} has become cynical and apathetic towards the world. His crimefighting methods are less about protecting the innocent and more about punishing the guilty, to the point even ordinary citizens fear him. Superman, who also struggles with insecurities in this film, begins to see Batman as the kind of person he could become if he ever lost his faith.
** ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'': Peacemaker is this to Rick Flag, representing a warped version of Flag's loyalty to the United States government. Although Flag is a patriotic military man, he turns against his country and decides to expose their corruption when he discovers that they helped fund Project Starfish, in which innocent Corto Maltese citizens, including children, were experimented on for the purpose of developing a WMD, while Peacemaker is a KnightTemplar who firmly believes in MyCountryRightOrWrong, and even [[spoiler:kills Flag]] to prevent him from releasing the Project Starfish records to the public.

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse
** ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'': Loki works as a warped mirror to the Avengers more than once. He's an example of different parts of their personalities, like Thor's values about becoming King, the Widow's past murderous life or Tony's Big Ego, gone wrong. In Tony's case, he's able to figure out what Loki's big plan is because it's something ''he'd'' do.
--->'''Tony:''' Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? THAT'S what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience... This is -- this is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered... ''[{{Beat}}]'' [[ExplainExplainOhCrap Son of a bitch]].
** ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'': Loki is a twisted reflection of Frigga. Both are sly, fashionable, spell casters and agile combatants. But Frigga is benevolent, puts others first and is content with not being number one. She is admired by the Asgardians because she is what is expected from the Queen. Loki could never compete with Thor in Odin's eyes, and was disparaged by his peers, {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s for being different. The need for validation made him self-centered, ambitious, and ultimately villainous and violent. In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', he comes to terms with who he is and shows that he cares for those he loves [[spoiler:more than his own life]], just like Frigga.
** ''Film/ThorRagnarok'': Hela is this to Thor, showing what Thor might have become if Odin didn't managed to teach him humility: a violent, sadistic BloodKnight who talks about the glory of Asgard, but cares nothing for the people in it, to the point of murdering its army and trying to keep the people in line with murderous undead.

* In ''Film/SupermanReturns'', Richard White is essentially a reflection of the man that Franchise/{{Superman}} could have become if he had fully embraced his human side as "Clark Kent" instead of traveling across the galaxy in search of his home planet. Like Superman, he's a brave, kind-hearted, square-jawed heroic figure who loves Lois Lane and can fly ([[AcePilot in a plane]]); unlike Superman, he's a fully committed family man who actually ''marries'' Lois, and [[spoiler: becomes a father to the son that Superman unwittingly abandoned]].

* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': When Creator/OscarIsaac encapsulates En Sabah Nur's modus operandi in the "Clan of Akkaba: Apocalypse and his Horsemen" documentary on the Blu-Ray, it's ''identical'' to Professor X's. Apocalypse is the warped mirror image of Xavier if the latter loses all self-restraint and fully succumbs to "absolute power corrupts absolutely" -- Charles even gets DrunkOnTheDarkSide for a couple minutes to showcase that he's not immune to its effects. En Sabah Nur governs his ApocalypseCult with the Four Horsemen as his devotees, whereas Professor X can be interpreted as a highly idealized cult leader (if a truly good-hearted one exists, then he'd be it) with the X-Men as his disciples.
--->'''Isaac:''' He finds people that are in need, people that are in a very dark part of their lives, that are searching for something. He zeroes in on these people and reads them, and figures out what it is that they need to feel fulfilled, to feel strong.
** ''Film/{{Logan}}'': X-24 is this to Logan, being a literal clone of him who embodies all the things Logan most hates and fears about himself. While Logan fears that he is nothing more than a monster and a murderer who poses a serious threat to his loved ones when he loses control, X-24 has been bred from birth to be the personification of unstoppable rage. Their OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain dynamic also represents Logan's insecurities about how his body is failing him in his old age.

** ''Film/{{Octopussy}}'': A crooked and treacherous GloryHound, Soviet general [[GeneralRipper Orlov]] is essentially what General Gogol could have been had he chose to become bloodthirsty and lustful for power. Unlike Gogol, who remains an important Bond ally to stop Orlov's scheme, Orlov is even [[RenegadeRussian willing to betray]] his own country by plotting with Kamal Khan to kill millions of innocents in his power-hungry plans to invade Western Europe.

* ''Film/MeanGirls'': Regina and Janis for each other. Regina is manipulative, two-faced, and cunning, but maintains an outwardly friendly and affable demeanor. Janis, on the other hand, is apparently [[HollywoodHomely less attractive]] [[CoolLoser than Regina]] and claims not to care about any of that and poses as being above all Regina's petty high school business. However, Regina's high school manipulations and plotting is also reflected in Janis's plot for revenge. Regina, like Janis, has a lot of anger that she refuses to acknowledge, while Janis is relatively comfortable with her own anger and bitterness.

** One of Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'s defining traits is that he's the product of an unholy union of Nature and Technology, being a surviving Cretaceous-era dinosaur who was [[ILoveNuclearPower mutated by exposure to nuclear radiation]]. That's why [[Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzilla Mechagodzilla]] plays such an important role as Godzilla's {{Foil}}: as his evil robotic doppelganger, he's ''entirely'' a product of technology, and represents Godzilla's "unnatural" side.

** ''Film/Logan'': X-24 is this to Logan, being a literal clone of him who embodies all the things Logan most hates and fears about himself. While Logan fears that he is nothing more than a monster and a murderer who poses a serious threat to his loved ones when he loses control, X-24 has been bred from birth to be the personification of unstoppable rage. Their OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain dynamic also represents Logan's insecurities about how his body is failing him in his old age.

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': When Creator/OscarIsaac encapsulates En Sabah Nur's modus operandi in the "Clan of Akkaba: Apocalypse and his Horsemen" documentary on the Blu-Ray, it's ''identical'' to Professor X's. Apocalypse is the warped mirror image of Xavier if the latter loses all self-restraint and fully succumbs to "absolute power corrupts absolutely" -- Charles even gets DrunkOnTheDarkSide for a couple minutes to showcase that he's not immune to its effects. En Sabah Nur governs his ApocalypseCult with the Four Horsemen as his devotees, whereas Professor X can be interpreted as a highly idealized cult leader (if a truly good-hearted one exists, then he'd be it) with the X-Men as his disciples.
-->'''Isaac:''' He finds people that are in need, people that are in a very dark part of their lives, that are searching for something. He zeroes in on these people and reads them, and figures out what it is that they need to feel fulfilled, to feel strong.

* ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'': ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'': After two decades of fighting crime, Franchise/{{Batman}} has become cynical and apathetic towards the world. His crimefighting methods are less about protecting the innocent and more about punishing the guilty, to the point even ordinary citizens fear him. Superman, who also struggles with insecurities in this film, begins to see Batman as the kind of person he could become if he ever lost his faith.

* The titular Film/BlackSwan is everything the protagonist is repressing.
* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Gollum is a vivid reminder of what Frodo could turn into if he gave into the ring.

* ''Franchise/StarWars''
** Darth Vader is this to Luke, especially in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''; both of them dressing in black, losing a hand in battle etc, and the [[LukeIAmYourFather family connection]] only adds to their similarities. The prequel trilogy emphasizes them further by giving Anakin's backstory parallels to Luke's. Luke is even offered a chance to turn to TheDarkSide; the difference between Vader and Luke is that Luke opts to remain in the light.
** In ''Film/ANewHope'', the nearest thing Luke has to a shadow is Han Solo. Luke is young and naive, empathic, believes in the Force, and is a great pilot; Solo is OlderAndWiser, self-centered, a FlatEarthAtheist, and is also a great pilot.
** The villains in the prequel trilogy (with the exception of Palpatine, perhaps the shadow to Yoda) are reflections of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader:
*** [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Darth Maul]], a young, extremely skilled and powerful Sith apprentice. [[spoiler: Their similarities are further shown in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' animated series, where he returns from a near-death situation with prosthetics]].
*** [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Count Dooku]], a former Jedi who left the Order due to disagreements in philosophies.
*** [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith General Grievous]], a twisted mixture of machine and man which causes problems in breathing and combat.
** The battle droids, mass-produced and programmed machines, to the clones, mass-produced organics who are also programmed to some degree.
** Kylo Ren from ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' is essentially a Luke Skywalker turned to the Dark Side of the Force. They both struggle with temptation from the opposite side of the Force (Luke tries to resist the Dark Side, while Kylo wants to become immune to the Light), both come into conflict with [[spoiler:their fathers, with Luke ultimately redeeming Anakin and Kylo ultimately murdering Han]], and they both idolize Anakin Skywalker, with Luke proudly declaring himself a Jedi "like my father before me" and Kylo doing everything he can to emulate Darth Vader. ''Film/TheLastJedi'' sees both of them deal with their failures and disillusionments. Luke is able to overcome this and redeem himself, while Kylo descends further to villainy because he's unwilling to let it go.

* Ironically, Shiwan Khan in 1994's ''Film/TheShadow'' is this to the titular protagonist, The Shadow himself. He got the same training as The Shadow, has same powers and is a big fan of Shadow's former self, ruthless crime lord Ying Ko.
* ''Film/{{Adaptation}}'': Charlie Kaufman's (fictional) twin brother Donald functions as his shadow, embodying everything Charlie dislikes about his profession and doesn't want to become. In true Jungian fashion, however, there are positive aspects to his character as well, which Charlie's neuroticism and self-awareness lead him to suppress, and which he ultimately grows as a person by accepting.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse
** ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'': Loki works as a warped mirror to the Avengers more than once. He's an example of different parts of their personalities, like Thor's values about becoming King, the Widow's past murderous life or Tony's Big Ego, gone wrong. In Tony's case, he's able to figure out what Loki's big plan is because it's something ''he'd'' do.
--->'''Tony:''' Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? THAT'S what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience... This is -- this is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered... ''[{{Beat}}]'' [[ExplainExplainOhCrap Son of a bitch]].
** ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'': Loki is a twisted reflection of Frigga. Both are sly, fashionable, spell casters and agile combatants. But Frigga is benevolent, puts others first and is content with not being number one. She is admired by the Asgardians because she is what is expected from the Queen. Loki could never compete with Thor in Odin's eyes, and was disparaged by his peers, {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s for being different. The need for validation made him self-centered, ambitious, and ultimately villainous and violent. In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', he comes to terms with who he is and shows that he cares for those he loves [[spoiler:more than his own life]], just like Frigga.
** ''Film/ThorRagnarok'': Hela is this to Thor, showing what Thor might have become if Odin didn't managed to teach him humility: a violent, sadistic BloodKnight who talks about the glory of Asgard, but cares nothing for the people in it, to the point of murdering its army and trying to keep the people in line with murderous undead.
* ''Film/JamesBond'': Many, if not all, Bond villains represent the worst aspects of 007.
** ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'': BigBad Raoul Silva is a former [=MI6=] agent (and a brilliant one, according to M), who is what Bond ''[[FaceHeelTurn could easily become]]'' if he didn't forgive or trust M for the things she puts him through. Silva even points this out multiple times over the course of the film, and the other characters aren't arguing with him, especially given that M leaving Silva for dead in China has echoes of her risking Bond's life at the beginning of the movie. Silva going rogue also harkens back to [[Film/GoldenEye Alec Trevelyan,]] another ex-[=MI6=] agent who had a similar grudge against his former employer.
--->'''Silva:''' We are the last two rats.
** Other examples from the films include ''Film/DieAnotherDay''[='=]s Gustav Graves/[[spoiler:Colonel Moon]], ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove''[='=]s Red Grant, ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}''[='=]s Le Chiffre (suave, handsome men of action), and ''Film/AViewToAKill''[='=]s Max Zorin. The titular villains of ''Film/DrNo'' and ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'' also attempt, less convincingly, to play Shadow Archetypes to Bond. They all easily serve to remind Bond of what he could be if he decided to cross the line and become immoral. Some of them [[AtLeastIAdmitIt even freely admit being]] {{Card Carrying Villain}}s, pull a NotSoDifferentRemark on 007, and harbor no loyalty to others but to themselves.
** ''Film/GoldenEye'': 006/Alec Trevelyan, Bond's former partner, who reappears from the dead and continually taunts 007 about his loyalty to England and FailureHero tendencies to lose allies and women during missions. Despite sharing many of Bond's qualities, Alec's personality shows the dangers of clinging on to old grudges, as he despises England for [[SinsOfOurFathers their (perceived) past transgressions.]]
** Ernst Stavro Blofeld, James Bond's ArchEnemy and head of the NebulousEvilOrganization SPECTRE, is a stark contrast to both M, Bond's boss, and 007 himself.
*** While both lead a secret organization and give orders directly to their subordinates, M commands the respect of his peers and subordinates, but Blofeld would often [[BadBoss kill minions]] [[YouHaveFailedMe just for]] [[EvilIsPetty minor reasons.]]
*** Blofeld also serves as a warped mirror image of Bond, especially in terms of lethality, wit, and shrewdness. The way they rose is also a stark difference: whereas Bond is of BlueBlood (albeit a minor one) yet puts his life on the line to stop power-hungry nutjobs, Blofeld is of modest origins but rose to power by [[TheUnfettered questionable means]] and is willing to ''[[OmnicidalManiac hold the entire world at gunpoint]]'' if he doesn't get what he wants. [[spoiler:To drive this even further, the MirroredConfrontationShot between the two during ''Film/{{Spectre}}''[='=]s climax even shows the visual similarities they share, with Blofeld being a Bond corrupted by a lust for revenge and domination]].
** ''Film/{{Spectre}}'': M gets another Shadow Archetype in the form of C/Max Denbigh, the new head of the Joint Intelligence Service. Whereas M is an ex-spy like Bond, is capable of handling firearms, and has shown genuine concern for his subordinates, C is an ObstructiveBureaucrat who mocks M's insistence on stopping the 00-agent program from being scrapped in favor of his new surveillance operation, and hurls childish insults whenever he's grilled about the surveillance program he favors. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that C is in bed with Blofeld, and is willing to sell out England for more political power unlike M, who remains loyal to queen and country. When C tries to have Bond and M killed for interfering in his EvilPlan, he didn't realize M's field experience enabled him to sweep the room and empty Denbigh's gun before he got there. In short, C represents an M whose lust for power has corrupted him to the point he's even willing to sell out others and use his position to enrich himself for political gain]].
** ''Film/{{Octopussy}}'': A crooked and treacherous GloryHound, Soviet general [[GeneralRipper Orlov]] is essentially what General Gogol could have been had he chose to become bloodthirsty and lustful for power. Unlike Gogol, who remains an important Bond ally to stop Orlov's scheme, Orlov is even [[RenegadeRussian willing to betray]] his own country by plotting with Kamal Khan to kill millions of innocents in his power-hungry plans to invade Western Europe.
* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': When Creator/OscarIsaac encapsulates En Sabah Nur's modus operandi in the "Clan of Akkaba: Apocalypse and his Horsemen" documentary on the Blu-Ray, it's ''identical'' to Professor X's. Apocalypse is the warped mirror image of Xavier if the latter loses all self-restraint and fully succumbs to "absolute power corrupts absolutely" -- Charles even gets DrunkOnTheDarkSide for a couple minutes to showcase that he's not immune to its effects. En Sabah Nur governs his ApocalypseCult with the Four Horsemen as his devotees, whereas Professor X can be interpreted as a highly idealized cult leader (if a truly good-hearted one exists, then he'd be it) with the X-Men as his disciples.
-->'''Isaac:''' He finds people that are in need, people that are in a very dark part of their lives, that are searching for something. He zeroes in on these people and reads them, and figures out what it is that they need to feel fulfilled, to feel strong.
* In ''Film/SupermanReturns'', Richard White is essentially a reflection of the man that Franchise/{{Superman}} could have become if he had fully embraced his human side as "Clark Kent" instead of traveling across the galaxy in search of his home planet. Like Superman, he's a brave, kind-hearted, square-jawed heroic figure who loves Lois Lane and can fly ([[AcePilot in a plane]]); unlike Superman, he's a fully committed family man who actually ''marries'' Lois, and [[spoiler: becomes a father to the son that Superman unwittingly abandoned]].
* ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'': After two decades of fighting crime, Franchise/{{Batman}} has become cynical and apathetic towards the world. His crimefighting methods are less about protecting the innocent and more about punishing the guilty, to the point even ordinary citizens fear him. Superman, who also struggles with insecurities in this film, begins to see Batman as the kind of person he could become if he ever lost his faith.

* Rene Belloq from ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' openly describes himself as this towards Franchise/IndianaJones, as both are passionate {{Adventure Archaeologist}}s, but Belloq doesn't have Indy's code of honor, lending his services to Nazi Germany.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample. Needs better clarification.* Lady Tremaine for Cinderella in the [[Film/Cinderella2015 2015 remake]] of ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}''. If Cinderella let all the traumatic events throughout her life change her, she'd be like Lady Tremaine.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample. Which character is Mr. Babadook a shadow of, and how?* Film/TheBabadook: Mr. Babadook is a metaphor living with a mental illness.

* ''Film/{{Tyrannosaur}}'': Hannah's abusive husband James for Joe. Both are extremely violent men but, while Joe kills his beloved dog, he is shown to try and avoid taking it out on people, preferring to hammer his shed down. He also mocked his wife for her weight, but still loved her, feels a great deal of remorse, and misses her desperately. James is a DomesticAbuser and violent rapist who shows zero remorse for his crimes against Hannah, who, despite showing verbal cruelty towards her, Joe actually tries to help.