Line #26 Main/GoToAlias


1	Whether it's for [[IdentityIndex serious reasons]] or a [[ComicRolePlay silly scenario]], occasionally a character will have to pretend to be someone he isn't. As the story continues (probably as [[CallBack a treat for people who've been watching the show for some time]]), he'll use a name that has been mentioned in the past. This is the Go-to Alias: a default pretend name on which the character falls back when he's pretending to be someone else.
2
3	A variation on this would be the Go-to Identity, when this name carries a history or personality to which the character sticks whenever he uses it. In more dire circumstances, [[BecomingTheMask the character will start associating with that identity more than his own]]. If PlayedForLaughs, he will be LostInCharacter.
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5	If the character uses multiple aliases with a common thread, they're ThemedAliases.
6	----
7	!!Go-to Aliases:
8
9	[[foldercontrol]]
10
11	[[folder:Comic Books]]
12	* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
13	** Alfred Pennyworth often uses his middle names (Thaddeus Crane) as an alias when he goes undercover.
14	** Since Batman didn't want Tim Drake revealing his ComicBook/{{Robin}} identity even to other heroes, he sometimes told them that his name was "Alvin Draper." Amusingly, his best friend Conner immediately dismissed it, on the grounds that [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude no one with that name would willingly go by it]]; he'd have introduced himself as "Al" or "Vinnie" instead. On the other hand while he introduced himself as Alvin to his girlfriend Spoiler he didn't even try to claim the id was his real one since they already understood the identity problems of their relationship.
15	* In ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'', 'Weird' Pete's go-to alias is John Mephisto; the name of an old ''[=HackNoia=]'' character of his.
16	* Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} uses "Michael Nelson" (no, not [[Creator/LloydBridges that one]]; or [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 that one]] either), a combination of his father's and best friend's names.
17	* ''ComicBook/NikolaiDante'' often uses the alias Quentin Durward. Of course, he's never able to maintain the cover for very long.
18	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' foe Mysterio has used the alias of Ludwig Rinehart three times --once when posing as a psychiatrist to try to drive Spidey insane, again while running a rest-home scam, and a third time when posing as ''his own'' psychiatrist, and convincing the actual psychiatrist that ''he'' was Mysterio.
19	* ''ComicBook/Superboy1994'': Before he took the secret identity of Conner Kent, ComicBook/{{Superboy}} would use the name "Carl Krummet" when undercover (infiltrating Risk's old high school in ''ComicBook/TeenTitans: Superboy and Risk Double-Shot'' and ComicBook/{{Stargirl\|DCComics}}'s school in ''ComicBook/StarsAndSTRIPE'').
20	* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: Lt. Lauren Haley pretends to be a National Geographic reporter named Linda while on espionage assignments.
21	* In ''Comicbook/{{Grandville}}'', [=LeBrock=] has several alternate identities, but he seems rather fond of the name "Meles". (Meles is the scientific name for the badger family, and the European badger is ''meles meles''.)
22	* ''ComicBook/{{Blacksad}}'' has a number of fake badges and ID cards in the name "John Blackmore."
23	[[/folder]]
24
25	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
26	* ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}''. J. Wellington Wimpy often claims to be "one of the Jones Boys" whenever he's in some hot water for something he did.
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Film]]
30	* ''Film/MenInBlack''. Kay always claims to be working for "Division Six" of any government agency.
31	* ''Film/PremiumRush''. The villain, Robert Monday, always calls himself "Forrest J. Ackerman" whenever he needs access somewhere.
32	* At several points in ''Film/AmericanAnimals'', Warren uses the alias 'Walter Beckman'.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Literature]]
36	* In the Literature/JamesBond novels by James Gardner, Bond often uses the alias of 'James Boldman'.
37	* ''Literature/TheSaint'': Simon Templar liked to use the alias "Sebastian Tombs". Deconstructed after a while, when someone points out that he's used it so often that people just treat it as synonymous with him and it's not actually much use for hiding his identity now.
38	* Literature/LordPeterWimsey generally uses his two middle names (Death Bredon) as a NomDeGuerre. If he needs to explain this coincidence, he'll claim that he's a distant cousin of the Wimseys.
39	* In the ''Company Z'' novels by Creator/JTEdson, Alvin Fog uses 'Rapido Clint' as his alias whenever he poses as a criminal. His partner Mark Scrapton would use 'Commanche Blood'. These two verge of being full-blown 'go-to identities'.
40	** In the ''Floating Outfit'' novels, Alvin's grandfather Dusty Fog often used his middle names 'Edward Marsden' as his go-to alias.
41	* ''Literature/GentlemanBastard'': Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen have had a lot of aliases in their time... but when pressed for an identity on short notice, they can always fall back on Tavrin Callas. This is sort of a prank on their part; the first time Jean used that name, he was infiltrating the cult of the death goddess and faked his own suicide. They figure if anyone traces the name far enough back, the followers of the death goddess can declare it a miracle.
42	* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/TheCompleteAdventuresOfLuckyStarr'': Lucky usually tells people his name is "William Williams", unless there's a reason why he has to use his identity as a member of the [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction Council of Science]].
43	* Author Creator/GordonKorman used "G. Gavin Gunhold" as a running alias across multiple books. Gavin takes on a life of his own more than usual in [[Literature/MacdonaldHall ''The Wizzle War'']] (as the world's most perfect, absentee student) and ''A Semester In The Life Of A Garbage Bag'' (an obscure Canadian poet) in particular.
44	* Donald E. Westlake's John Dortmunder character from the ''Literature/{{Dortmunder}}'' is a career criminal. He has occasionally used the alias "John Diddums" (he claims to anyone who asks that it's Welsh), a name he dislikes but uses involuntarily in circumstances that preclude using his real name.
45	* Vanyel from the ''Literature/LastHeraldMageTrilogy'' has a [[PerformerGuise minstrel named Valdir]] as his go-to undercover identity.
46	* [[Literature/JackRyan John Clark]]'s go-to alias when operating in Russia or pretending to be Russian is Ivan Sergeyevich Klerk, which patryomnic aside, is [[ThisIsMyNameOnForeign basically his name]].
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
50	* ''Series/AntFarm'': [[LineOfSightName Dorian Banister]] for main character Chyna. Or when she's pretending to be a foreigner, [[AsLongAsItSoundsForeign Dorianna Banistera]].
51	* ''Series/EvenStevens'': Twitty uses Lars Honeytoast when buying shoes from a shady salesman. He uses it again in TheMovie.
52	* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
53	** Phoebe is practically guaranteed to use the name "Regina Phalange" whenever pretending to be someone else. In "The One Where Joey Speaks French", she gives her alias as a French woman as 'Régine Phalange'.
54	** Joey apparently uses "Ken Adams" from time to time, but we only see it in action in one episode.
55	* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'':
56	** Andy Dwyer used Bert Macklin, FBI agent, in a few scenarios. However, he eventually dies and is replaced by his [[BackupTwin brother]], Kip Hackman. [[FakingTheDead Or so the President's enemies think.]]
57	** In the same vein, April Ludgate likes being Janet Snakehole. Originally just the daughter of the owner of the Snakehole Lounge (so she could score free drinks), the next time we see her she's a fabulously wealthy widow with a MysteriousPast.
58	* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'':
59	** It's implied in "Chuck Versus the Break-Up" that Sarah and Bryce are habitually "Mr. and Mrs. Anderson" when going UndercoverAsLovers.
60	** The eponymous Chuck Bartowski introduced the idea of Charles Carmichael (the successful version of himself) in the third episode, "Chuck vs. the Tango". Over the course of season two, it becomes so associated with him that it ends up as one of his operating aliases. In one episode people are congratulating him as both "Bartowski" and "Carmichael" as he walks through a crowd.
61	** Further down the line, even Morgan gets into the act, establishing Michael Carmichael as his go-to alias.
62	* On ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', Michael Scott has Agent Michael Scarn. Originally his go-to improv character, eventually the main character of a script he writes and, over the course of several years, films.
63	* On ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Doctor often goes by the generic "[[MrSmith John Smith]]" when forced to give up a name or being "under cover". In one case he even used the German variation, "Johann Schmidt".
64	* On ''Series/BetterCallSaul'', it's revealed that "Saul Goodman" was Jimmy's fallback alias, before he adopted it full-time as his professional name.
65	* On ''Series/WillAndGrace'', Karen's alias was "Anastasia Beaverhausen".
66	--> "Anastasia, like Russian Royalty, and Beaverhausen, like... where the beaver live".
67	* ''Series/BurnNotice'''s Sam Axe always, ''always'' uses the name "Chuck Finley" when he needs an alias for the Job of the Week.
68	** After the season 4 in-series proclamation that "Chuck Finley is forever", there is official [[http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/burn-notice-chuck-finley-is-forever-t-shirt/detail.php?p=345700 merchandise]] for Sam's go-to alias. Mr. Finley is on the way to becoming a MemeticBadass, a la Wang Fire of [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]] fame.
69	* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': Each of the male characters has one. In the Puerto Rican day episode, they all end up in the same apartment using their aliases.
70	** George Costanza has Art Vandelay, who is an architect, a marine biologist, or an importer/exporter, dating back as early as the second episode. He'll also use the name Vandelay when coming up with other lies, such as claiming he was employed by Vandelay Industries. In the series finale, the judge the four are sentenced under is actually named Art Vandelay. George interprets this as a good sign. It isn't.
71	** Cosmo Kramer would often pretend to be wealthy businessman H.E. Pennypacker or various people with the last name "van Nostrand".
72	** Jerry himself occasionally went by Kel Varnsen.
73	* ''Series/InPlainSight'' gives us Mary Sheppard and Marshall Miller.
74	* On ''Series/ModernFamily'', Phil uses Clive Bixby, designer of high-end electro-acoustic transducers, when roleplaying with Claire, who uses the name Juliana for the same.
75	* Winston from ''Series/NewGirl'' uses "Theodore K. Mullins", Nick/Schmidt's lover on the down low.
76	* When he has to go undercover as a criminal, ''Series/NashBridges'' tends to use the pseudonym Teddy Malone.
77	* ''Reese'' from ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' uses "Det. Stills" and "John Rooney, Assets". Even John Reese is implied to be a fake name.
78	* On ''Series/PushingDaisies'', Chuck consistently goes by Kitty Pyms, covering up the fact that she's actually dead.
79	* On ''Series/{{Bones}}''. Booth and Brennan sometimes go undercover. They actually have two sets of aliases, Tony and Roxy or Buck and Wanda Moosejaw.
80	* Zane on ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' periodically goes by [[PunnyName I. P. Freely]], when he's not using the names of ''Film/WarGames'' characters.
81	* ''Series/{{Castle\|2009}}'' has given Alexis some extra undercover work recently, for which she tends to use the name "Clara Stryker," after one of her father's characters.
82	* Jim Rockford of ''Series/TheRockfordFiles'' typically used the name James Taggart when pretending to be a wealthy businessman.
83	* On ''Series/TheGoodPlace'' Eleanor's old stand-by was "Diana Tremaine". She later learns that [[spoiler: her mother has started a new life under that name]].
84	* {{Series/Sharpe}}: When Sharpe needs to travel incognito, he often uses the alias Dick Vaughan. Richard "Dick" Vaughan is the South Essex's supply officer which means that Sharpe can use his actual regiment and real first name and still have his cover pass cursory inspection.
85	* ''Series/ResurrectionErtugrul'': Used by several characters throughout the show, such as:
86	** Petruchio and Titus, who go undercover in the city of Aleppo as Tatos Harput and Ebu Hisham, respectively.
87	** Noyan uses this in a couple of season 2 episodes, as well as a different one [[spoiler: in season 4, where he momentarily dons the moniker of “The Traveler”]].
88	** A protagonist example happens in season 3. A man who drops by the Kayi-Cavdar grounds claiming to be a traveling merchant [[spoiler: is later revealed to be Sultan Alaeddin Kayqubad]].
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Video Games]]
92	* The ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series has the recurring alias of Schtoltheim Reinbach III/IV. Made much funnier when ''VideoGame/SuikodenIV'' actually features the real Schtoltheim Reinbach III.
93	* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', The Nameless One has the option of using the moniker Adahn when talking to people. And thanks to [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the nature of the Planes]], if you convince enough people that there's a guy named Adahn wandering around out there, [[RealityIsOutToLunch you can meet him in a bar]].
94	* Dallas from ''VideoGame/PAYDAY2'' uses the alias "Nathan Steele" in several of the game's trailers.
95	* In the ''Franchise/{{Hitman}}'' series, 47 will typically use the name "Tobias Rieper" as his main alias whenever he needs to give out a name. ''VideoGame/Hitman3'' reveals that he has a social media account under the name where he posts many photos of popular tourist locations around the world... and he doesn't appear to be in any of them (suggesting that it's just a dummy account loaded with stock photos).
96	* In ''Videogame/RedDeadRedemption2'', Arthur will typically give the name "Tacitus Kilgore" as the name to send letters to.
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Web Video]]
100	* In ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'', [[RefugeInAudacity Jester]]'s go-to fake name is "Ms. Fiona Fancypants", and she even holds on to the "Fancypants" surname sometimes with other first names. "Nancy Fancypants" is perhaps not the most convincing name for someone impersonating a drow.
101	** Scanlan tends to use "Creator/BurtReynolds", sometimes paired with the appropriate fake moustache.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:Western Animation]]
105	* On ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', Dale likes to go by Rusty Shackleford, generally whenever he's doing something sneaky, although he also refuses to sign his real name to any document, being a comical RightWingMilitiaFanatic. At one point in the series, [[TheRealRemingtonSteele the actual Rusty Shackleford]] shows up--Dale knew him as a kid and had thought Rusty had died--it turns out that Rusty had just moved away and wasn't happy being connected with Dale's various acts of stupidity.
106	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' has "Esmerelda". It only makes one appearance in the series proper when she first meets CasanovaWannabe Upchuck, but she uses it more frequently in subsequent tie-in media.
107	* Sterling ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'' frequently employs the first name "Randy" whenever he's on assignment (the last name varies more frequently). Cyril Figgis has had "Chet" as a cover name more than once.
108	* In ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlackTheSeries'', the [=MIB=]'s cover story was always "Division 6" of whatever government agency would be relevant to the situation. United Nations Security Division 6, Health Inspectors Division 6, and so on.
109	* Downplayed in ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' "Luzura". Luz only uses it as an alias once, though she had used it for different purposes on two other occasions beforehand.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	!!Go-to Identities:
113
114	[[folder:Comic Books]]
115	* Franchise/{{Batman}} has his Matches Malone identity that he uses to get information about the criminal underworld. Unusually, Matches was a real person; a gangster who Batman thought could have had the potential to go straight, if he hadn't been killed. In one storyline it turned out the real Matches was still alive, but on his return to Gotham was immediately killed by Scarface because of Batman!Matches' actions. Bruce blamed himself and started BecomingTheMask.
116	** Comicbook/{{Robin}} (Tim Drake)'s Alvin Draper alias (mentioned above) became more of an identity when he used it to go undercover in Gotham's teen gangs.
117	* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} uses the identity of "Patch" (wearing an eyepatch), a mercenary, when he acts undercover in the Far East. DependingOnTheWriter, most of Patch's regular contacts, especially in Madripoor, know perfectly well who he is, because [[ClarkKenting he looks like Wolverine wearing an eyepatch]], but go along with it anyway.
118	* In the ''Comicbook/AmalgamUniverse'', Dark Claw, the Batman/Wolverine amalgam, has, inevitably, the identity of Patch Malone.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Literature]]
122	* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'': Miles Vorkosigan spends a lot of time under the alias Admiral Miles Naismith. Part of the series delves into him BecomingTheMask.
123	* ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat'', in his criminal days, had a constructed identity complete with false fingerprints, pads that changed the shape of his face, and so on, which he would adopt before beginning any con (and [[MultilayerFacade keep up underneath any other alias required for the con]]), so that the police would spend their time looking for that person instead of the real him.
124	* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': Silk has two primary cover identities in place; the down-on-his-luck spice merchant Ambar of Kotu, and the reasonably successful wholesaler Radek of Boktor. He has others too, but Radek and Ambar see the most play because he likes the characters. Technically, "Silk" is a deep-cover fake identity as well, since having his real identity as Kheldar, Prince and Heir Apparent to the throne of Drasnia, be public knowledge would be Very Bad.
125	* Moist von Lipwig in ''Literature/GoingPostal'' is similarly described as having two or three favourite identities. ''Literature/MakingMoney'' shows the flaw in this approach for a conman; the fact "Albert Spangler" has a history makes it more likely that this history will come back to haunt him.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
129	* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': Sophie Devereaux is [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname the alias by which we know]] Creator/GinaBellman's con artist.
130	** Not that the rest of the gang doesn't have standard cover identities. [[WordOfGod John Rogers]] says it's to decrease the number of names they have to run by their legal team to keep them from slandering someone. A small selection:
131	*** Nate uses Jimmy Papadokalis every time he's playing a lawyer; he's used [[Series/DoctorWho Tom Baker]] and Bob Gibson multiple times as well.
132	*** Eliot has used the name Wes Abernathy at least twice.
133	*** Parker has used [[AliceAllusion Alice White]] at least twice.
134	*** Hardison has gone by [[ShoutOut Johnathon]] [[Series/TheAvengers1960s Steed]] at least twice
135	* On ''Series/WhiteCollar'', Neal Caffrey uses Nick Halden as a regular alias when playing cons. Probably because he knows the FBI already knows about that identity; he's had others, but he'd prefer not to give up all his secrets.
136	[[/folder]]
137
138	[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
139	* Classic ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'', ''The Journal of the Traveller's Aid Society'' #16. Jon "Fast Johnny" [=McRae=] is a highly skilled and daring interstellar con artist. One of his favorite aliases is Commodore Laruskaa Korkoran of the Imperial Navy. He has gone to great effort to make it a solid identity that can't be easily exposed.
140	[[/folder]]
141
142	[[folder:Western Animation]]
143	* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': In the episodes where Bloo and the others invoke the TotemPoleTrench, they use the name Orlando Bloo, Frankie's ex-boyfriend.
144	* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', Cartman often uses Mitch Conner both as an alias as well as an alternate persona in the form of a hand puppet.
145	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'': In season two, it's revealed that Foswell, a reporter for the Daily Bugle who specializes in stories regarding organized crime, [[spoiler:learns most of what he does by dressing up as low-ranking criminal Patch, allowing him to sneak into secret meetings and learn all he can about New York's worst gang leaders.]] He's so good as this that when Spider-Man interrogated his secret identity in an earlier episode, he couldn't tell it was him.
146	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GoToAlias