History Main / MoleInCharge

* Similarly, ''Series/TwentyFour'' has given us versions of PresidentEvil who are really TheMole for hostile foreign powers.

** Lieutenant Gorn is in charge of security and duty rosters at the Aldhani garrison, making it a simple task to get the infiltration team inside by having them pose as transfers from the airbase and clear out most of the staff from the route they take to the vault.

* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', Light is suspected of being the mass murderer Kira, but manages to throw off suspicions enough that he's allowed to join the task force hunting Kira, partly so he can fully clear his name, partly so L can keep a close eye on him. Being TheChessmaster, he figures out a way to kill the people in charge and assume control of the task force without letting anyone else in the organization realize his involvement.

* In the backstory of the ''[[Literature/JacksonLamb Slough House]]'' novels, [[spoiler:MI5's [[DaChief First Desk]] for more than a decade, Charles Partner, was selling secrets and framing his [[TheAlcoholic recovering alcoholic]] [[GirlFriday assistant]], Catherine Standish, for the crime. When Partner's treason was discovered, he was assassinated by Jackson Lamb on the orders of [=MI5=]'s deputies, rather than let the whole scandal come to light. Lamb was "rewarded" with command of the newly-created [[ReassignedToAntarctica Slough House]] and elected to bring Standish with him, but never told her what really happened to Partner, whose death was staged to look like suicide]].

* ''Film/CambridgeSpies'' and all other retellings of the story of Kim Philby and his colleagues, Communist agents who rose to the top ranks of MI5.

* In the backstory of the ''[[Literature/JacksonLamb Slough House]]'' novels, [[spoiler:MI5's [[DaChief First Desk]] for more than a decade, Charles Partner, was selling secrets and framing his [[TheAlcoholic recovering alcoholic]] [[GirlFriday assistant]], Catherine Standish, for the crime. When Partner's treason was discovered, he was assassinated by Jackson Lamb on the orders of MI5's deputies, rather than let the whole scandal come to light. Lamb was "rewarded" with command of the newly-created [[ReassignedToAntarctica Slough House]] and elected to bring Standish with him, but never told her what really happened to Partner, whose death was staged to look like suicide]].

* One episode of ''Series/YesPrimeMinister'' revolved around the revelation that a former head of MI5 had, during his time in office, been a Russian agent - See the Real-Life section below re: Kim Philby for why this is not ''merely'' a comedic premise for a half-hour sitcom about the machinery of Government.

* In the ''Series/{{Castle}}'' episodes "Pandora" and "Linchpin" the villain is the second-in-command agent of a CIA operation. [[spoiler: Strike that it was really the number one in command and she framed him. It further turns out she was a KGB agent who infiltrated the CIA just as the USSR went under and was thus a double mole.]]

* In ''VideoGame/SleepingDogs'', [[spoiler:Wei Shen becomes a Red Pole in the Sun On Yee after Winston is killed. While he doesn't reach the top of the Sun On Yee overall, he's still this trope for the subsidiary Water Street Boys gang, making him one of the most powerful people in the Triad hierarchy, and if he had wanted to and found support, he could have moved to become Dragon Head. Ultimately however, he goes back to being a cop and the new Triad boss lets him walk away out of respect for eliminating her enemies.]]

** Arlong's ProtectionRacket in the East Blue went undisturbed by the marines because Colonel Nezumi was on his payroll.

* ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs Warhammer 40K]]'': The leader of the [[LaResistance Axum Resistance]] in Season 3 is an undercover Imperial Inquisitor [[AgentProvocateur who goads the rebels into taking borderline suicidal actions]] like trying to ZergRush a heavily-defended Imperial stronghold without any proper military support from the Republic and Jedi.

* ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs Warhammer 40K]]'': The leader of the [[LaResistance Axum Resistance]] in Season 3 is an undercover Imperial Inquisitor [[AgentProvocateur who goads the rebels into taking borderline suicidal actions]] like trying to ZergRush a heavily-defended Imperial stronghold without any military back-up from the Republic and Jedi.

* The ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E16InterArmaEnimSilentLeges Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges]]" has this as a major twist that changes your perception of the events of the episode: [[spoiler:Koval, the chairman of the Tal Shiar (the Romulan intelligence organization) and staunch opponent of the Federation-Romulan alliance against the Dominion turns out to have been a Federation agent all along. The entire thing was a plot to remove a less reliable Senator from power and lend additional force to Koval's turn to supporting the alliance.]]

* The Federation storyline in ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity Nova'' features this (''Only'' the Federation storyline, mind -- despite the [[RashomonStyle Rashomon-y]] tendencies of the game, certain things only make sense if SchrodingersGun is in effect here): [[spoiler: Frandall, head of Rebellion intelligence and former head of Federation Intelligence, turns out to be the real head of the Bureau]].

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' has this occur in season three with [[spoiler:Agent Kallus]] as the new Fulcrum due to a HeelFaceTurn. Their high rank in the empire's Lothal garrison, specifically as an [[spoiler:intelligence agent]], makes them a valuable ally. However, this was also the season Grand Admiral Thrawn was put in charge of the Lothal situation and Governor Pryce took more of a commanding role, limiting Fulcrum's abilities; making it closer to a "mole who would have been in charge if higher-ups hadn't gotten involved."

* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', the head of [[spoiler:Autobot Intelligence]] is [[spoiler:Shockwave, a shapeshifting Decepticon spy.]]

* Alfred Redl was the most devastating spy [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic Austria-Hungary]] ever suffered, giving UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia virtually every scrap of data he could get his hands on to the point where by the time he was found out and forced to commit suicide, over a year of preparation did not even start to repair the damage by the time UsefulNotes/WorldWarI started. Redl's role? Director of Austro-Hungarian intelligence!

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hanssen Robert Hanssen]] was an FBI counter-intelligence agent who spied for the Russians for years. He also led various efforts to find moles within the FBI.

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has probably the ultimate version of this [[spoiler:when Lelouch becomes Emperor in the final act of season 2, all with the intent of making ''everyone'' hate him and the Britannia policies so much they will turn away from it once he's assassinated.]]

** "Napping" Kyoshiro is the top Yakuza in Wano Country, and one of Orochi's strongest soldiers. [[spoiler: He's actually Denjiro, a member of the Akazaya Nine and loyal vassal to the late Kozuki Oden. His appearance was changed by his immense rage at failing Oden and his family.]]

* This seems to happen to ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} depressingly often in ''ComicBook/NickFury'' stories. As well after Carol Danvers is forced to step down Post Ultimatum. Her replacement is someone who in the 616 is known as ''Mentallo''.
* The premise of the Creator/MarvelComics storyline ''ComicBook/DarkReign'' and especially the ''ComicBook/DarkAvengers'' series.

* ComicBook/{{Runaways}}: [[spoiler: Alex Wilder]] becomes the undisputed team leader, only for it to be revealed that [[spoiler: he was working with the Pride the entire time.]]
* Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} once found himself ostensibly running the evil ninja assassins called the Hand. [[spoiler: They corrupted him to the point that a demon actually possessed him briefly.]]
* This is the entire premise of ''ComicBook/AgentsOfAtlas''.
* In ''ComicBook/SupermanAndBatmanGenerations'', Batman ultimately ends up accepting Ra's Al Ghul's offer to become his heir, and turns his terrorist organization into a world-spanning anti-crime unit.
* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}: [[ComicBook/NewKrypton World of New Krypton]]'', General Zod is severely injured before he can unleash his plan to invade Earth. While he recovers, the supreme commander of New Krypton's military forces is ... Commander Kal-El. Kryptonian foreign policy suddenly becomes a lot more diplomatic; unfortunately, it's temporary.
* For a long time, this was a running sub-plot of the Kree/Skrull war in the ''ComicBook/SilverSurfer'' comics; a Skrull (locked in the form of a Kree woman) had somehow risen to the very top of the hierarchy of the Kree Empire.

* In ''ComicBook/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', Haazen is the second-in-command and effective leader of the Jedi Covenant, a clandestine organization dedicated to keeping Sith artifacts out of the wrong hands. He is also secretly a Sith, and the Covenant are unwitting pawns in his scheme to take control of the Jedi Order.

* "[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/1509638 Princess of the Isle]]" is essentially a ''Film/{{Descendants}}'' fic with Creator/AngelinaJolie's Film/{{Maleficent}} in the role, with the result that Maleficent has actually maintained the barrier around the Isle from inside to keep the other villains contained, maintaining a link to outside the Isle so that she stays in contact with Aurora and Audrey.

* In ''Fanfic/HurricaneSuite'' this is Akatsuki’s plan to bring peace within the five Great Villages. By installing shinobi loyal to them or their goal of peace as the Kages, they can all coordinate with each other to improve relations between the villages and work through disagreements peacefully. Naruto is acting as their agent in Konoha.
* ''Fanfic/IWokeUpAsADungeonNowWhat'': As far as most people know, the Central Resistance is first and foremost opposed to the PuppetKing that the two feuding empires have placed on the throne of Central. Only a very small inner circle know that the king is himself running the Resistance, allowing him to advance Central's interests without either empire realizing what he's up to.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', Anna names Prince Hans regent while she goes off to look for Elsa. [[spoiler:At this point, his status as a villain hasn't been revealed yet]].

* In the backstory of the ''[[Literature/JacksonLamb Slough House]]'' novels, [[spoiler:MI5's [[DaChief First Desk]] for more than a decade, Charles Partner, was selling secrets and framing his [[TheAlcoholic recovering alcoholic]] [[GirlFriday assistant]], Catherine Standish, for the crime. When Partner's treason was discovered, he was assassinated by Jackson Lamb on the orders of MI5's deputies, rather than let the whole scandal come to light. Lamb was "rewarded" with command of the newly-created [[ReassignedToAntarctica Slough House]] and elected to bring Standish with him, but never told her what really happened to Partner, whose death was staged to look like suicide.]]

* Technically the case in ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'', which notes that there is a secret organization where [[FlockOfWolves every single member is a mole for some other secret organization]]. Which must, logically, include the guy at the top.

* ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam & Max]]'' give us a literal example, since the mole inside the toy mafia takes over the mafia... and is actually a mole.

* You can do this in the game ''[[VideoGame/SevenKingdoms Seven Kingdoms 2: The Frythan Wars]]'' using your spy units. The spy looks like any ordinary unit to everyone but the owner and the enemy treats it like an ordinary unit, including for being promoted to general status and running a fort. And even for promotion to king if their king is killed and the spy is a general. Having a spy as a general allows you to take control of a fort and make it switch colors as well as some of the units in it, depending on loyalty or simply screw with enemy operations by conflicting orders. If the spy becomes king then you automatically defeat that enemy. Be warned though, the AI is good at using spies against you too.
* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'' has a major one. The head of [[spoiler:the Yatagarasu case]] ''is'' [[spoiler:the Yatagarasu, or at least one member of the group.]] Hell, the original [[spoiler:Yatagarasu]] was made up of [[spoiler:the prosecutor, detective, ''and'' the defense attorney]] on the case. Considering there's no jury in the ''Ace Attorney'' world and the Judge is an idiot, you can't get much more in charge than that.

* In ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune 2'', the ObviouslyEvil second-in-command of the anti-terrorist organization is also the leader of the main terrorist organization. It turns out he actually founded the terrorist organization to drum up business when the end of the Cold War caused a drop in demand for anti-terrorist services.
* In the 2005 remake of ''VideoGame/{{NARC}}'', the chief of the N.A.R.C. anti-drug task force is also the leader of K.R.A.K., the main drug cartel. It turns out she founded N.A.R.C. specifically to eliminate all the other competing drug cartels.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Strife}}'', the leader of [[LaResistance The Resistance]] is actually one of the 5 main leaders of [[ReligionOfEvil The Order]]. His actions vary between giving his men suicide missions designed to get them killed, and genuine strikes against the Order which are really power grabs in an attempt to gain dominance over the other 4 leaders.
* In ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarezTheCartel'', the Mendoza Cartel's high-ranking mole inside the U.S. government turns out to be Department of Justice Deputy Assistant Director Shane Dickson, the head of the special task force assembled specifically to deal with the Mendoza Cartel. In fact, the task force was [[SpringtimeForHitler designed to fail from the beginning]], which explains why all 3 members work together so poorly and are so obviously corrupt and[=/=]or insane.

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'', the BigBad of the [[spoiler:House of Sorrows Faction questline]] is the faction's leader [[spoiler:who is actually a Tuatha agent.]] He is even the one who recruits the Fateless One into the faction [[spoiler:and successfully manipulates him/her into removing one of the few obstacles left to his plan to destroy the House of Sorrows and claim its powerful magic for the Tuatha.]]

* The Federation storyline in ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity Nova'' features this (''Only'' the Federation storyline, mind -- despite the [[RashomonStyle Rashomon-y]] tendencies of the game, certain things only make sense if SchrodingersGun is in effect here): [[spoiler: Frandall, head of Rebellion intelligence and former head of Federation Intelligence, turns out to be the real head of the Bureau]].
* A comedic example in ''VideoGame/PajamaSam 2''. Carrot infiltrates World Wide Weather believing it to be economically oppressing employees. A puzzle solution requires that Sam needs Carrot to get himself on the Board of Directors, and Sam leaves Carrot to act in his stead. Carrot quickly becomes very popular by introducing seating for all the board members and then he starts implementing employee benefit programs. In the end, when Sam returns to see Carrot running the company by himself, Carrot explains that he thought management was top-heavy and downsized the entire board of directors except himself.
* ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'': THE WHOLE DAMN POINT. Your goal as a Ranger with Wraith powers is to build an army out of Sauron's forces through mind control, thereby causing an EnemyCivilWar strong enough to take down Sauron himself. Bad News: his army numbers in the millions. Good News: Sauron uses a mind control hierarchy, so that mind-controlled warchiefs have limited mind control over their lieutenants, and the lieutenants have limited mind control over the grunts. You either need to dominate a lieutenant and kill his warchief, thus allowing your mole to be instantly promoted to warchief, or dominate the leader himself.
** In a non-player caused example in the sequel, [[spoiler:Castamir]] betrays his people and causes their defenses to crumble (though one could argue it was going to fall anyways). He's surprised when the Witch King [[GenreBlindness of all people]] doesn't uphold his end of the bargain.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Policenauts}}'': In addition to being a DirtyCop, [[spoiler:Gates Becker]] is [[BigBad Tokugawa's]] partner in their NebulousCriminalConspiracy, and insures that Beyond Coast's police force can't touch them.
* Subtle occurrence in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', where the Illusive Man is leading Cerberus against both the Reapers and the Council whilst trying to gain control of the former, but ends up indoctrinated by the Reapers instead.
** It's revealed the batarian leadership had been indoctrinated by exposure to a Reaper carcass they'd found, thus when the Reapers invaded through batarian space, the Hegemony collapsed without any resistance.
* It's revealed in the True Mastermind Edition of ''[[VideoGame/TimeCrisis Time Crisis 5]]'' that [[spoiler: Robert Baxter, the one leading the investigation on finding a traitor within the VSSE, is the traitor all along.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel II'', Rufus Albarea, the chief of staff of the entire Noble Alliance, [[spoiler: is actually trying to undermine the very same alliance for his real boss, Chancellor Giliath Osborne.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheFeebleFiles'', [[spoiler:TheDragon somehow manages to become the leader of the Resistance, and tricks everyone into getting themselves captured. It becomes Feeble's task to save them.]]
* In the first ''VideoGame/FossilFighters'' game, the PoliceAreUseless when it comes to keeping the BB Bandits under control. Even when they catch any Bandits, [[CardboardPrison the cells are usually empty.]] [[spoiler:That's because the BB Bandits' leader is the chief of police, Bartholomew Bullwort. He has a teleporter in the police station that connects to the BB Base, preventing any Bandits from staying locked up for too long.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'': The leader of the vampire-hunting [[CreatureHunterOrganization Order of Virtuous Blood]] is secretly a vampire himself, using his position to [[FrameUp frame innocent people]] for his own murders. The player character can expose, [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt kill, and replace him]], even if they're a vampire too.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': In Act IV, the player characters learn that the leader of {{the Paladin}}s -- the "good" branch of the Divine Order, [[InterserviceRivalry in contrast]] with the firmly antagonistic KnightTemplar Magisters -- is secretly sworn to the GreaterScopeVillain, and is using the Magisters' crimes as a pretext to launch a bloody power grab.
* ''VideoGame/RuneScape'': In "Azzanadra's Quest", it's revealed that [[spoiler:the Head of Operations of the Temple Knights, Sir Vey Lance, is actually the Zarosian demon Veilinius, who made sure that most of the Temple Knights' initiated members were indoctrinated to be devoted to Zaros, in spite of the organization's ties to Saradomin. When TheMasquerade falls apart and Zaros steals the Elder Crown from Saradomin, he whisks away with his faithful followers - comprising of at least ''half of the assembled knights'', including Eva Cashien, who the player worked with in a prior quest to kill Mother Mallum and the niece of Saradominist loyalist and Temple Knights Head of Recruitment Sir Tiffy Cashien.]]
* In ''Videogame/LostJudgment'', it's revealed late-game that [[spoiler:Kazuki Soma, leader of the RK gang, is actually a government agent who created the gang as a way to centralize organized crime after the disbandment of the Tojo Clan in ''Videogame/YakuzaLikeADragon'', using them to to do the government's dirty work]].
* In ''VideoGame/ScrapMetalHeroes'', it's revealed that [[spoiler: Johann Krauss, the leader of the military task force sent to investigate the robot malfunctions, is actually working for the BigBad who's causing the robot malfunctions in the first place.]]
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV: A Realm Reborn'', [[spoiler: Ilberd, Captain of the Crystal Braves organization founded by your idealistic ally Alphinaud, turns out to be serving several other masters, as revealed when he and his underlings turn on you and your allies. The members loyal to the original cause are either murdered or imprisoned prior to the betrayal.]]

* Yu Hansung and Augusgus from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' are test directors of the regime of Jahad, supervising two of the most important floors of the Tower, yet in secret, [[spoiler: they are working for the terrorist syndicate FUG and know how to use their positions to their advantage.]]

* In ''Anime/DanganRonpa3'', Chisa Yukizome is the leader of one of the branches of the [[LaResistance Future Foundation]]. Only bad thing is that she is BrainwashedAndCrazy, and is part of the organization's main enemy, the [[NebulousEvilOrganization Ultimate Despair]].

* In ''[[VideoGame/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms Romance Of The Three Kingdoms II]]'', you can hide officers in enemy territory to lower the loyalty of his officers. If his ruler dies, one of his officers (a relative if possible, the highest Charm officer otherwise) becomes the new ruler -- which means that your mole may become their new ruler (and, if he does, he will promptly [[FaceHeelTurn stop being a mole]].

* ''Fanfic/IWokeUpAsADungeonNowWhat'': As far as most people know, the Central Resistance is first and foremost opposed to the PuppetKing that the two feuding empires have placed on the throne of Central. Only a very small inner circle know that the king is himself running the Resistance.

* Alfred Redl was the most devastating spy [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic Austria-Hungary]] ever had, giving UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia virtually every scrap of data he could get his hands on to the point where by the time he was found out and forced to commit suicide, over a year of preparation did not even start to repair the damage by the time UsefulNotes/WorldWarI started. Redl's role? Director of Austro-Hungarian intelligence!

* When the [[AllBikersAreHellsAngels Aces and]] [[DeadMansHand Eights]] invaded Wrestling/{{TNA}}, [[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys Bully Ray]] went out of his way to get the trust of Wrestling/HulkHogan and, seemingly inadvertently, the love of his daughter Brooke Hogan, which resulted in the Hogan family essentially anointing him as TheHero for TNA against the Aces and Eights and giving him a fast track to a World Heavyweight Championship match. The thing with that, as they painfully found out the night of said title match, is Bully Ray is [[EvilAllAlong the]] [[BigBad President]] of the Wrestling/AcesAndEights.

* ''Series/{{Andor}}'': Lieutenant Gorn is in charge of security and duty rosters at the Aldhani garrison, making it a simple task to get the infiltration team inside by having them pose as transfers from the airbase and clear out most of the staff from the route they take to the vault.