Line #2 Main/Doppelganger


1	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1658872599024845100
2	%% Previous thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1431073414077109100
3	%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
4	%%
5	[[quoteright:300:[[Literature/WilliamWilson https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ww_howtheymet.png]]]]
6	%%
7
8	->'' "Talk about being your own worst enemy." ''
9	-->-- '''Lara Croft''' in ''VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary'' [-([[BondOneLiner after]] sending a mutant copy of herself into a lava pit)-]
10
11	Doppelgänger, with an umlaut and a majuscule, is the German word for a ghostly double of a living person or more commonly simply a word for someone looking exactly like someone else, i.e. an impostor or double. It means "double (walker)", in the original. It is often said that one who sees their own Doppelgänger will die soon. In fiction, this is usually because [[KillAndReplace they kill you themselves and take your place]].
12
13	Traditionally, Doppelgängers have strange, supernatural origins, unlike twins which usually have more natural explanations. A MirrorUniverse, [[OurClonesAreIdentical Cloning]], alien intervention, and magic are all possible sources of a Doppelgänger. For purposes of clarity, this index includes both mundane and supernatural impersonators of a character.
14
15	For twins related by blood, see TwinTropes. See also DisguiseTropes. If a good character has an evil Doppelgänger, the Doppelgänger is an EvilTwin.
16	----
17	!!Specific types of Doppelgängers include:
18	[[index]]
19	[floatboxright:
20	'''Subcategories:'''
21	+ OurClonesAreIdentical
22	]
23	* AlternatePersonalityPunishment: An alternate personality or clone of the perpetrator gets punished.
24	* AlternateSelf: It's the same person, but in a different timeline and leading a different life.
25	* AlternateSelfShipping: Shipping a character with their alternate personality or clone.
26	* AlternateSpeciesCounterpart: It's the same person, but of a different species.
27	* AlternateUniverse: Self-explanatory.
28	* AlternativeSelfNameChange: To differentiate the copy from the original, the copy is given a new name.
29	* ArtificialHuman: [[OurClonesAreIdentical Clones]] and [[OrganicTechnology bioroids]] are one common way of making duplicates.
30	* BodyDouble: A leader uses lookalikes to make assassination more difficult.
31	* BodySnatcher: Doppelgängers created by bodily possession.
32	* ChangelingTale: When TheFairFolk [[InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers abduct children]], they often [[RedHeadedStepchild leave behind]] a "changeling".
33	* CelebrityImpersonator: Somebody looks like and is mistaken for a famous person
34	* CloneByConversion: Being transformed into somebody else's doppelgänger.
35	* CostumeCopycat: When a hero is impersonated by someone in a nearly identical costume.
36	* CriminalDoppelganger: When the person's double is also coincidentally a wanted criminal.
37	* DeadPersonImpersonation: When one person takes over another's identity.
38	* DeepImmersionGaming: Gamer characters "become" their avatars.
39	* DifferentlyDressedDuplicates: The person has been copied, but their clothes haven't.
40	* DisposableDecoyDoppelganger: A clone/doppelgänger created and used for the sole purpose of being a distraction.
41	* DoppelgangerAttack: When one person makes multiple physical copies of oneself for combat.
42	* DoppelgangerSpin: When one person makes multiple harmless copies and circle the target to distract them.
43	* {{Doppelmerger}}: A FusionDance between a person and their clones or doppelgangers.
44	* EasyImpersonation: When a hero is impersonated by someone in a not-even-similar costume.
45	* EvilBrunetteTwin: An EvilTwin has darker hair.
46	* EvilCounterpart: A character (not related to the hero) who is very similar, but something small turned them evil.
47	* EvilDoppelganger: The MirrorUniverse counterpart of the hero.
48	* EvilKnockoff: when a robotic duplicate or clone is made of a hero with the purpose of destroying them.
49	* EvilTwin: When a character has an evil sibling or alternate reality duplicate.
50	* FaceStealer: When a villain has to harm another character in some way to look like them.
51	* FreakyFridayFlip: When two people switch bodies, the result is remarkably doppelgänger-like.
52	* GenderBentAlternateUniverse: If said person is a gender-bent version of themselves.
53	* {{Humanshifting}}: A type of shapeshifter that turns into humans.
54	* IdenticalGrandson: Heredity is so strong, it can give you the original person back!
55	* IdenticalStranger: For some reason, the gene sequencing fairy took the day off and you have an unrelated twin.
56	* IdentityImpersonator: Creating a doppelgänger of the SecretIdentity to prove that our hero is not the superhero.
57	* InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals: Not clones. Not related. They all just ''happen'' to look, talk, act, and think alike.
58	* JekyllAndHyde: When the person is their own doppelgänger.
59	* LegendaryImpostor: Con artist tries to copy a well-known SecretIdentity for profit or fun.
60	* LiteralSplitPersonality: A character's alter-egos are represented by multiple entities.
61	* MirrorSelf: The antithesis of the hero. Often wears black.
62	* MobileSuitHuman: When the robot duplicate is piloted by a tiny alien.
63	* MySiblingWillLiveThroughMe: When a sibling takes over a person's identity.
64	* OddballDoppelganger: A clone or a lookalike of a character looks just a bit... off.
65	* OppositeSexClone: A clone of the opposite sex of the original.
66	* OurClonesAreIdentical: An index of clone tropes.
67	* ReplicantSnatching: A robot/alien peels off the original's skin and wears it.
68	* RobotMe: When the doppelgänger is a robot.
69	* SeparatedAtBirth: Two (often but not always identical) twins are, well, separated at birth.
70	* SplitAtBirth: A singular being separates into multiple entities at birth.
71	* SurgicalImpersonation: When the doppelgänger used MagicPlasticSurgery to impersonate someone.
72	* TemporalDuplication: Multiple versions of the same person at different points of time, around the same place.
73	* TwinSwitch: Twins momentarily impersonate each other.
74	[[/index]]
75	----
76	!!Related tropes:
77	[[index]]
78	* ActuallyADoombot: When the person is revealed to be a robotic duplicate.
79	* AllegedLookalikes: Two characters are mistaken for another in-universe but show no physical similarities to the audience.
80	* AllianceOfAlternates: When multiple alternate selves ally with the main one.
81	* AmbiguousCloneEnding: Did the original kill the clone, or is the clone the survivor?
82	* BadImpressionists: Impressions done badly for laughs.
83	* BecomingTheMask: What happens to many doppelgängers.
84	* BodyDouble: When this trope is used to protect Very Important Persons.
85	* CaptureAndReplicate: Someone is kept alive while their captor impersonates them.
86	* ConfrontingYourImposter: When the real character and the faker come face to face.
87	* CounterpartCombatCoordination: Fighting your doppelgängers.
88	* CreepyChild: Often come in twos, or more.
89	* DifferentlyDressedDuplicates: Time travel duplicates dress differently.
90	* DistaffCounterpart: Very similar to the original character, just the opposite gender. Often a rival or villain.
91	* DoppelgangerCrossover: Fanfiction crossing over two works featuring the same actor in different roles.
92	* DoppelgangerGetsSameSentiment: The doppelgänger gets the same emotional reaction as the original.
93	* DoppelgangerLink: Everything an individual feels, emotionally and physically, is felt by any and all doppelgängers. And yes, even a single death becomes a shared experience.
94	* DoppelgangerReplacementLoveInterest: That love interest that just died? They have a duplicate that wants to shack up with you.
95	* DuplicateDivergence: A doppelgänger starts out identical but differentiates over time.
96	* EmergencyImpersonation: An impersonator tries to fill in for someone else and HilarityEnsues.
97	* ExpendableClone: The tendency to see these doubles as highly expendable, if not abominations to be killed.
98	* FutureMeScaresMe: That's who I turn into?!
99	* GenderedOutfit: When an OppositeSexClone, DistaffCounterpart, or GenderBender wears an opposite-gender version of an established outfit.
100	* GlamourFailure: Not all doppelgängers can hide their tells.
101	* ImpostorExposingTest: A test to identify an alien or supernatural impostor.
102	* ImposterForgotOneDetail: An impersonator fails to to be convincing.
103	* InkSuitActor: Animated characters made to look very similar to the actors that play them.
104	* ISayWhatISay: Doppelgängers speaking in unison.
105	* KillAndReplace: A character murders another and takes their identity, usually by adapting their own appearance.
106	* KillingYourAlternateSelf: After doubles or alternates of characters meet, one or both tries/try to kill the other.
107	* MangledCatchPhrase: One person imitates another but screws up the first person's catchphrase.
108	* MesACrowd: When someone tries to clone themselves.
109	* MiniMe: A smaller version of an existing character. Can ''possibly'' fit into the above subcategory if the copy is sentient.
110	* MirrorMatch: When a character fights themselves (or a reasonably close match) in a video game.
111	* MirrorMoralityMachine: A character is made into their moral opposite thanks to {{Phlebotinum}}.
112	* MirrorUniverse: Home to many morality opposite versions of a cast.
113	* MistakenForAnImposter: Someone is mistaken for an imposter of themselves.
114	* NeverTheSelvesShallMeet: Encountering one's doppelgänger is bad news in and of itself.
115	* OpeningACanOfClones: A story with clones, especially when used to revive dead characters or undo plot, makes the events lose punch.
116	* OtherMeAnnoysMe: A character is irritated by an alternate version of themselves.
117	* PreferableImpersonator: People like the doppelgänger more than the original.
118	* PrinceAndPauper: Two people switch lives.
119	* ThePsychoRangers: An ''entire team'' of doppelgängers to the FiveManBand.
120	* ScrewYourself: Yes, there is PowerPerversionPotential to be had here (also RuleThirtyFour).
121	* ShapeshiftingFailure: {{Shapeshifting}} is sometimes imperfect or too short-lived.
122	* SpotTheImposter: When the friends of the impersonated have to figure out who the spy is.
123	* TeleporterAccident: One surefire way to create a duplicate, evil or otherwise.
124	* TreacherousSpiritChase: A malign entity poses as a dead loved one to lead the hero into peril.
125	* {{Twinmaker}}: A clone is made to replace a dead original.
126	* TwinTest: A character is tasked with differentiating between identical siblings by at least one of those siblings.
127	* VillainsBlendInBetter: Most villainous doppelgängers easily impersonate their target.
128	* YouAreWhoYouEat: A non-human shapeshifts into the form of the person they've eaten.
129	[[/index]]

Context Main / Doppelganger