Line #49 Main/MysteriousInformant


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4	->'''Agent Smoulder:''' Sore Throat, my mysterious informant. Why are you always meeting me in the parking garage?\
5	'''Sore Throat:''' I parked my station wagon here in '89 and can't remember where I left it.
6	-->-- ''The X Fools''
7
8	A type of messenger, the mysterious informant exists to feed information to the good guys, often just enough to keep them on track to expose TheConspiracy. The information is usually fragmentary and/or in cryptic SpySpeak. They tend to meet the main character in secluded areas like {{parking garage}}s or shadowy alleys, be impossible to find unless they want to be found, always wear a ConspicuousTrenchcoat, and are usually masters of the StealthHiBye, to prevent heroes from pursuing them. He also insists that IWasNeverHere.
9
10	In police shows, this role may be filled by a [[TheInformant snitch]]. In [[ConspiracyThriller shows involving conspiracies]], the mysterious informant is usually an anonymous insider. In SpeculativeFiction, this role is often filled by psychics and prophets.
11
12	The TropeMaker and a major inspiration for [[StockShoutOuts Stock Shout-Outs]] is Deep Throat (decades later revealed to be W. Mark Felt, a deputy director of the FBI), the ''Washington Post'''s mysterious informant during the Watergate scandal that drove US President UsefulNotes/RichardNixon out of office. [[TruthInTelevision The real-life Deep Throat]], being ProperlyParanoid, did in fact deliver vague, cryptic information in the dead of night in a parking garage and take other extreme precautions against being discovered.
13
14	Compare and contrast MysteriousEmployer: he tells the characters what to do, but provides minimal information.
15
16	----
17	!!Examples
18	[[foldercontrol]]
19
20	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
21	* ''Anime/TheBigO'' anime: Big Ear, Roger Smith's information source. He's always in the same bar (in the same seat, no less) and almost never looks directly at Roger, reading the newspaper as they talk.
22	** Also, it's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:he's an android.]]
23	* SSS ("Three Speed") from ''Anime/{{Madlax}}'', the eponymous character's employer/contact [[spoiler: who ends up selling out Madlax to [[AncientConspiracy Enfant]] under pressure]]. She doesn't hold a grudge at him for this.
24	* Sylia occasionally receives job offers and intelligence from one of these in ''Anime/BubblegumCrisis''. He spends at least half of each meeting hitting on her.
25	* Kujaku from ''Manga/RGVeda'' is one of very few people who knows what's going on with the prophecy, and the only one who helps the heroes.
26	* In ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'', Izaya might not be nice or helping the good guys too often, but he is mostly definitely an informant.
27	* In ''Literature/DenpaTekiNaKanojo'', KidDetective Juu gets a phone call with only a word with a distorted voice saying ''park'', the place where the SerialKiller would strike next. Subverted because the informant is really [[spoiler: TheManBehindTheMan trying to get Juu LuredIntoATrap.]]
28	* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' features a character known as "Owl" in [[spoiler:Grisha Yeager]]'s flashbacks. [[spoiler:"Owl" is sending [[LaResistance the Eldian Restoration Movement]] (which Grisha is the leader of) information to help them in their quest to restore the Eldia Empire to its former glory. This includes the [[UnreliableNarrator supposedly]] true story of Ymir Fritz, the ancestor of the Eldians and creator of the Titans and getting Dina Fritz, the [[LastOfHisKind last remaining]] royal left on the continent (as opposed to the branch of the Fritz family that fled to Paradis Island). Grisha and Dina end up marrying and having a son named Zeke. Zeke was ''supposed'' to be Eldia's last hope, but he turned in his parents and other members of the Movement to the Marleyan military. The group are then sent to Paradis Island are are to be turned into mindless Titans. All of them are, except Grisha, who is saved by a soldier named [[DeadGuyJunior Eren]] Kruger. Kruger]] reveals himself as "Owl" before [[spoiler:turning into the Attack Titan and killing all the other military officials that were with him on Paradis Island. He then bequeaths the Attack Titan to Grisha and tells him to make it to Paradis Island's walled cities so that he can complete Kruger's ultimate goal of retrieving the Founding Titan]]. Essentially, he's responsible for setting a lot of the main events of the story in motion.
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Comics]]
32	* In ''Crock'', the Foreign Legion would go to [[Film/TheMalteseFalcon1941 "The Fat Man"]] for information on whether their fort was in danger. The Fat Man would then insist on being called "full-figured" or agree that the fort was in danger...from termites, and try to sell them an insurance plan.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Fan Fic]]
36	* In ''FanFic/MegaManReawakened'', Robert hears from one in Arc 5, chapter 6. It's Darian Darhk.
37	* In ''FanFic/ChrysalisVisitsTheHague'', this role is filled by Golden Dirk, a mysterious Royal Guard sergeant with direct access to the Royal Canterlot Archives. There's even a ShoutOut to [[Film/AllThePresidentsMen Deep Throat]].
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
41	* In ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheMovie'', there was a principal character who was impersonating "Deep Voice", a reference to "Deep Throat". This character also wore a trenchcoat and used a voice simulator. [[spoiler:It was really Helga Pataki.]]
42	* Chatter Telephone from ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' helped Woody out when things turned sour. He also has a kick-ass film noir voice.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
46	* Creator/DonaldSutherland's character in ''Film/{{JFK}}''.
47	* ''Film/AllThePresidentsMen'' has the original Deep Throat, Bob Woodward's government source who tells him to "follow the money."
48	* ''Film/HiddenAgenda'' has Captain Harris, who claims to have been with British military intelligence and have information in the form of a tape recording that shows a conspiracy high in the government.
49	* ''Film/PromWars'': Someone calling herself Linda Lovelace from the girls' school repeatedly calls the Selby kids to tip them off about upcoming competition twists or Lancaster cheating. The tipster turns out to be Jen L., the member of the GirlPosse running the completion who (besides Diana) most hates the Lancaster students and wants to see them lose.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Literature]]
53	* Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' book "The Butt-Files". In a section parodying ''The X-files'', Beavis and Butt-head take the roles of Scully and Mulder, and get a tip from Deep Throat. Angered, Beavis yells "Dammit, you're always pulling this crap! If you know everything, why the hell don't you just tell us so we can go home! Now it's gonna take us another 45 minutes to figure this out!" Deep Throat initially refuses, but "Scully" persuades him with a kick to the crotch.
54	* ''Franchise/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' In ''Literature/MortalFear'', Simon tips Buffy and her friends off about lots of monster attacks in an affable but ocassionally threatening way, while refusing to reveal anything about himself or meet them in person. He is using the Scooby Gang's victories to gather the pieces of a mystical sword that will let him defeat his enemies and TakeOverTheWorld.
55	* In the Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Literature/TheTruth'', there is a mysterious informant known only to William De Worde as Deep Bone, who provides him some key information about the alleged attempted murder at the palace.
56	* Joe Grey in the ''Joe Grey Mysteries'' by Shirley Rousseau-Murphy. Since Joe, Dulcie, and Kit are, well, ''talking cats'', they can't exactly walk into the police department to spill the beans on all they know.
57	* In ''Literature/MotherOfLearning'', [[TheProtagonist Zorian Kazinski]] is living through a [[Main/GroundhogDayLoop month long time-loop]] and invokes this trope in order to feed information to authority figures about ''Main/TheConspiracy'', without drawing attention to himself. At the start of the story, he sends anonymous letters; by the end, [[spoiler: after a decade of constant magical training, he can create disguised [[Main/ExpendableClone clones]] that dissolve after handing over information directly.]]
58	* "[[CoolMask Diana]]" in Boris Akunin's ''Literature/TheStateCounsellor'' leaks the terrorist organisation's secrets to the police - or is it the other way around? - and attains a considerable influence over the heads of several police departments. She really likes to keep up the mysterious appearance - it helps her maintain her FemmeFatale reputation as well.
59	* ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'' has the Librarian, who went off the grid shortly before Big Black.
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
63	* ''Series/PoliceSquad'' (the six-episode ABC series that later became the ''Naked Gun'' movies) also parodied this with Johnny the Shoeshine Boy, who knew everything if you had the price. After every visit by Frank Drebin, Johnny had to deal with a celebrity looking for advice or help on their special areas of expertise (Dick Clark asking about ska music, Dr. Joyce Brothers asking about psychology, and so on).
64	* ''Series/TheXFiles'' turned it into a cottage industry. Mulder's very first informant was Deep Throat, atoning for his deeds and helping Mulder's cause, ([[spoiler:killed by TheMenInBlack in the season 1 finale]]); after him, there were the ex-MIB X ([[spoiler:killed by another MIB in the season 4 pilot]]), Marita "SRSG" Covarrubias ([[spoiler:infected with black oil in season 5, survived, and stopped helping Mulder]]), and the [[TheAdjectivalMan Well-Manicured Man]] (only in TheMovie, [[spoiler:killed himself with a car bomb]]).
65	* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'': When Hal is being indicted for his masterminding of a vast conspiracy to defraud the company he worked at, he's met by one of these at the public library who tells him that he's got six months to live and wants to die with a clean conscience. It's then neatly subverted when the informant turns up at court, testifies AGAINST Hal and says that the medical records were mixed up and he's going to be fine.
66	* An episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark'' featured a constantly coughing informant called "Sore Throat". When Perry asked him to give them more information he said "What, like 'follow the money'? I never understood that." One episode guide refers to him as "an obvious parody of Deep Throat in ''The X-Files''".
67	* The Mysterious Informant shows up, and is subverted, in the ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' episode "Three Days of the Condo." A secretive figure approaches Frasier in the car garage of his apartment building and urges him to stand as a candidate against the current chair of the condo board in the upcoming election. When Frasier asks why his informant insists on remaining anonymous, the figure replies that he's redecorating his bathroom and doesn't want his bidet request to be denied. Then he gets in his car and zooms away.
68	-->'''Frasier''': That would work better without the vanity plates, Dr. Dorfman.
69	** Later in the episode, Frasier's MysteriousInformant sends him an "anonymous" letter saying the building tenants are supporting Frasier.
70	-->'''Daphne''': Wouldn't this be more anonymous if it didn't say, 'From the desk of Doctor William M. Dorfman'?
71	* This trope was parodied in ''Series/HappyDays'' when Milwaukee is in the midst of a bitter garbage strike and Richie is investigating a story about it. Fonzie says he has a source, but since he wants to be anonymous, he will only appear as a silhouette on a window blind standing outside to give yes or no signs to questions. When he steps forward, Richie notes that it is obviously Al, but Fonz insists that Richie plays along. Reluctantly, he cooperates with his questions until Al forgets himself and answers a question by talking. Now with the silliness completely pointless, Richie opens the blind and the two finish their conversation normally.
72	* ''Rebel'' in ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' volume 4. But it was not that hard to guess his true identity.
73	* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'': In the "Fire" two-parter, the detectives are given tips on how to solve a series of arsons by a mysterious burglar [[TheFaceless who's face is never shown onscreen]] and [[NoNameGiven never gives his name.]] They do attempt to track him down, but fail, and [[RiddleForTheAges it's never revealed what his exact relationship to the arsonist is or why he's telling them anything.]]
74	* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. In "Improbable Cause" Odo meets with a Cardassian who keeps his face in shadow, claiming that he's altered his appearance since they last worked together (during the Bajoran Occupation). He was meant to be a recurring character but this was dropped, with main character Garak (a Cardassian 'tailor' with a MysteriousPast) filling in for the intelligence gathering role.
75	* ''Series/{{Castle\|2009}}'' had a secret informant for the conspiracy involving Beckett's mother's murder. Instead of helping solve the case, however, his job was to tell Castle when to tell Beckett to ''back off'' an investigation, so the murder wouldn't come after her too. He was [[spoiler: apparently killed]] and had his identity revealed, but showed up for one last meeting in the same mysterious manner even though he was addressed by name.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Radio]]
79	* The 1990's ''X-Files'' spoof ''The X Fools'' had the husky-voiced "Sore Throat" (always introduced as "our mysterious informant"). Once when Agent Smolder asked why he always met him in a {{parking garage}}, Sore Throat replied that he'd forgotten where he'd parked his station wagon back in '89 and was still looking for it.
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Video Games]]
83	* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
84	** Used in both ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''. The mysterious informants both dub themselves "Deep Throat", although the second then says to call him Mr. X (''Series/TheXFiles'') because Raiden, in FanGirl mode, made comparisons to the Shadow Moses "Deep Throat".
85	** Then subverted in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'', where Snake guesses who the mysterious informant is about three sentences into the conversation:
86	--->'''Snake:''' Is this... [[spoiler:Jack]]?
87	* The G-Man in the ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' series.
88	* The original ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' gave us Alfred Woden, who supplied Max with useful data throughout the game, before revealing himself as the head of the counter-conspiracy to [[spoiler:Project Valhalla]] and giving him the name of the FinalBoss in the endgame.
89	* The Council Spokesman/The Informant in ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' and ''VideoGame/XCOM2'', who is connecting XCOM with their benefactors in the first game and is a mole within ADVENT in the 2nd.
90	[[/folder]]
91
92	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
93	* Inverted with Daniela in ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework''. She gathers a lot more information about the protagonist than she gives him, and she only gives him a few tidbits to nudge him in the direction that her employer wants him to go.
94	* Ban in the first few chapters of ''VisualNovel/SpiritHunterNG'', where he provides information on spirits to Akira but keeps his sources a secret, and is evasive enough about his private life to even give the Yakuza a run for their money. Not so much after he joins Akira's group and slowly opens up to him about his occupation and past.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Web Comics]]
98	* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Dr. Sciuridae [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=401 served as this]] to Mr. Verres before Damien's death.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Web Original]]
102	* ''Podcast/TheStoragePapers'' has 4th Trumpet, a Twitter user who claims to be a high-ranking member of [[MenOnBlack Project Hydra]] who sometimes provides Jeremy with information. They're remarkably informative as far as this trope goes.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Western Animation]]
106	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' parodied this in "Sideshow Bob Roberts" with a trenchcoat-wearing, cigarette-smoking Mr. Smithers. His identity was blatantly obvious from the shape of his head while standing in the shadows, even before Homer shined his car headlights on Smithers.
107	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' has also had one, with the shadowed informant obviously being [[Series/TheMuppetShow Kermit The Frog]]. In another episode where they had become a reality TV family and Meg was kicked out of the family for being boring, Peter and Lois met her in this fashion, complete with offering her a cigarette.
108	* Used in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' special ''WesternAnimation/ChannelChasers'' when Tootie gives Timmy's parents information about her sister Vicky's evil deeds under the alias of "[[ShoutOut Deep Toot]]" (the name of which Timmy's dad finds hilarious).
109	* [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep The Mole]] in ''WesternAnimation/OzzyAndDrix''. He's not entirely sane, nor is he that good at [[StealthHiBye disappearing]].
110	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': In the first season, the Lothal Rebels have an informant referred to as "Fulcrum", whose identity is kept secret. [[spoiler:Eventually they are revealed as former Jedi [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars Ahsoka Tano]], working as part of a larger network of Rebel cells throughout the galaxy]]. In Season 3, another "Fulcrum" provides the Rebels with intelligence about Imperial operations. [[spoiler:This time, it turns out to be [[HeelFaceTurn Agent Kallus]].]]
111	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In the episode "Buster the Myth-Maker", after Buster hears a supposed rumor of a pair of escaped Siberian tigers living in the nearby nature reserve, he and Arthur meet with a masked informant named Deep Float, who claims to have more information. Of course, Deep Float is [[spoiler: Brain, whose Mom accidentally blows his cover and he made the whole thing about the tigers up just to see how people would react.]]
112	[[/folder]]
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114	[[folder:Real Life]]
115	* [[TruthInTelevision Real-life example]] and [[TropeMakers Trope Maker]]: "Deep Throat", the Watergate informant whose identity (William Mark Felt Sr.) was unknown for over 30 years before he finally revealed himself in 2005. So ubiquitous, nearly every MysteriousInformant is either an outright reference/parody or at least has some aspects gleaned from Deep Throat. However, some aspects of the trope draw heavily from the PopculturalOsmosis of ''Film/AllThePresidentsMen''; the real-life Deep Throat's identity was a mystery to the general public, but Bob Woodward knew exactly who he was talking to. Nixon himself also figured it out pretty quickly (it had to be someone in the FBI and only Felt knew everything Deep Throat had passed on) and torpedoed his career for it.
116	[[/folder]]

Context Main / MysteriousInformant