Believe it or not, being yourself is hard. Whether it's the people around us, or just society in general, there are often times when we are forced to become someone we're not. Thus, as you would expect from this "pressure," there are more than a couple where we feel that it's hard to breathe. Luckily, with the proper "ventilation" people can easily switch back and forth between personalities with little to no issues.
Oh, if only it were that simple.
Subtrope of Beneath the Mask, the Painful Persona is when what a person has to pretend to be in front of others is so disassociated with who they are and/or who they "want" to be that they end up feeling like they're either being buried alive or trapped in a room with no ventilation. And try as they might to subdue their fear, frustrations, and/or any other negative emotions they might be feeling, the fact that the people around them are constantly forcing them into an unwanted role means that their grief will rarely relent. There are even times when this problem is self-enforced, the character deciding to do things beyond their capabilities simply because they feel like that's what people want.
Their reasons for keeping up this agonizing facade can vary. Some people are just too kindhearted to ruin people's dreams. Others Desperately Craves Affection to the point that they'll do anything for attention. And hey, a Villain with Good Publicity has to maintain their image somehow. Whatever their reason though, you can expect at least a good half of them to be constantly near the Rage Breaking Point, while the other half is full of Stepford Smilers, at best.
This can also be a gender and/or sexuality-related trope. A person who is Closet Gay pretends to be heterosexual because they fear, rightly or wrongly, that they won't be accepted (or worse) if they're open about their sexual orientation. Trans Tribulations similarly can include (but are not limited to) a gender-nonconforming person having to conceal their gender preference and live as something they're not.
Do note that while Becoming the Mask is still possible in these cases, a Heel–Face Turn will most likely result in a Reformed, but Not Tamed scenario, especially if the character no longer feels the need to hide their thoughts, and a Face–Heel Turn...well...they might be a little more cheerful than they were before. I mean, look at how much they're laughing while they hack away at everyone with a rusty axe. Hehehe...run...now.
Compare I Just Want to Be Normal, It Sucks to Be the Chosen One, Trapped in Villainy, and The Chains of Commanding. Contrast what is basically The Wannabe Index (minus the aforementioned normal one), Boisterous Weakling, and Know-Nothing Know-It-All, where, for the most part, the characters actually believe they're something they're not. Also contrast The Poorly Chosen One and The Chosen Zero, where it's actually other people who wish the character didn't have the role they have. See also Slave to PR, where the character needs to simply maintain an image for the "general public" as opposed to practically everyone who knows them. Also see Loving a Shadow and Stop Worshipping Me. Can and will often overlap with Repression Never Ends Well. A character with this problem might end up going Against the Grain.
Due to the nature of this trope, beware of unmarked spoilers and no real-life examples please.
Examples
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Anime & Manga
- Detroit Metal City: Souchi Negishi is a laid-back Nice Guy who likes romantic music and dreams of joining a pop music band, but currently can't because he ended up joining the infamous Thrash Metal band Detroit Metal City taking on the name Demon King Johannes Krauser II. The series follows Souchi as he tries, and fails, to live the modest, easygoing life he wants while performing as the obscene Demon King who loves blood and gore and has a penchant for raping anyone or anything that catches his eye (despite the fact that Souchi himself is a virgin).
- The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Downplayed and zigzagged in regards to Teruhashi. Being the World's Most Beautiful Woman, she always pretends to be a perfect lovable maiden when outside, when in truth she's a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing Attention Whore. That being said, she does take pride in her "perfect girl" persona and will go to great lengths to do what she feels is necessary to maintain it such as going to a poor, greasy noodle shop with her classmates, or forcing herself to memorize every single detail about all of her fans at school, regardless of how she actually feels about it. Ironically enough, it's actually this part of her personality alongside her later developed Jerk with a Heart of Gold tendencies that actually help earn her the respect of the titular psychic Saiki who, due to Power Incontinence, both knows her true personality and can't even perceive her beauty, who she just so happens to be in love with.
- One-Punch Man: King is one of the strongest heroes around, has killed multiple high-tier monsters, able to terrorize monsters into surrendering just by looking stoically at them or leaving them to hear the "DOOM DOOM DOOM" of his King Engine long enough. He's actually a perfectly mundane human, his stoic face is simply that he's too terrified to show any emotions, the King Engine is actually the abnormally-loud beating of his heart (again, in fear), and his victories were actually the result of his coincidentally being near Saitama's victims before Saitama registered as a hero. All King wants to do is be left alone and play his eroges in peace, but keeps up the charade because it gave people such hope to think the monsters could be defeated. Fortunately, he ends up becoming friends with Saitama, greatly improving his chances of survival.
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Akemi Homura is cold to the point of being insensitive to other's pain unless they are Madoka. She's reserved and The Stoic. Or so she pretends. As the plot progresses, it's slowly revealed that she represses her emotions so ruthlessly and never gives herself the opportunity to bond with anyone because of the sheer amount of trauma she has suffered as a Magical Girl in this Crapsack World. "I Won't Rely On You Anymore", in particular, shows us that she used to be the opposite of her current self — emotional, shy, and very trusting.
- Who Decided That Blues Had To Be Cool!? is a yuri Magical Girl manga focused on the life of Blue Magical Knight Azurite (real name: Azusa Gunjou). As the "blue character" in the lineup, she is under the belief that she needs to be the cool level-headed mature type when she is actually a rather childish Otaku. Her partner Poryu tries to tell her that she can just Be Yourself, but she refuses due to being fully committed to what she believes is the general consensus.
Comic Books
- Transformers: All Hail Megatron: In the aftermath of The Climax and subsequent revitalisation of Cybertron, Optimus Prime reveals that he's long gotten weary of having to put up a façade of stoic nobility but continued to do so because he was aware of how important to morale he was. With tensions between the Autobots and returning Neutrals at an all-time high, he offers to resign as Autobot leader and exile himself in exchange for de-escalation of hostilities. As he was seen as a living symbol of the just-concluded war, the Neutrals agree and Optimus departs, feeling lighter than he has in centuries thanks to finally being able to be Orion Pax again.
Fan Works
- The Rigel Black Chronicles: To cover up the differences between herself and the real Arcturus Black, Harry lets her friends and even Professor Snape believe that she's putting on a show for Sirius all the time she's at home, pretending to be a happy-go-lucky prankster like the Marauders (which is Archie's real personality) when she's actually an obsessive Potions nerd. The reality is that her life is a much more serious lie than that, pretending to be her pureblooded cousin all year so that she can attend Hogwarts (which would get her sent to Azkaban if found out), then spending the summer pretending to have been at school in America. She chose it and she still thinks it's worthwhile, but it does put a lot of emotional strain on her, to the point where her greatest fear as shown by a Boggart is the idea that she and everyone around her will forget who she really is.
- The Rise of Darth Vulcan: Ted (who becomes the emponymous Evil Overlord) spent the years between starting high school and present pretending to be a stereotypical Jerk Jock, despite being as nerdy as they come. He lets this other side come out strictly on Halloween since it's "socially acceptable" to spend hundreds of dollars on a Halloween costume, but not cosplay. A single bad night ousts him as a nerd (and worse, everyone thinks he likes a certain little girl's cartoon), which sparks the plot.
Films — Animation
- Aladdin: Aladdin spends most of his debut film pretending to be The Ace Prince Ali Ababwa in order to make himself appear a suitable husband for Princess Jasmine, but this drives him to lie repeatedly to those he loves, especially when he finds out that, since marrying her will make him the next Sultan, he has a ton of massive responsibilities that weigh him down, making him feel that in order to maintain the pretence of royalty, he has to break his promise to use his third wish for Freeing the Genie. Ultimately, after being exposed and stripped of all his masks by Jafar, Aladdin realizes his mistake in not being honest with Jasmine and the Sultan that he was a poor street urchin from the start, and finally keeps his promise to the Genie, even if he knows there's a good chance he won't be able to marry Jasmine anymore.
Aladdin: Jasmine, I love you, but... I've gotta stop pretending to be something I'm not!
- The Lion King II: Simba's Pride: The main villain Zira indoctrinated her pride to believe that her son Kovu is Scar's heir. Kovu himself learns thanks to Kiara and the other animals of the Pride Lands that he's much more than the carbon copy of Simba's uncle and he eventually learns to become the opposite of him to the point that remarking about their alleged similarity becomes his Berserk Button.
- Encanto: Isabela Madrigal has a reputation as the "perfect golden child" of her family, possessing beauty, gracefulness, and a talent for creating beautiful flowers. Because of this, however, she gets the most pressure from her perfectionistic Control Freak of a grandmother to not do anything that would ruin her image, including feeling pressured into marrying someone she doesn't love, and not being allowed to grow any plants that aren't pretty flowers. By the end of the film, she feels a lot happier when she finally gets to live free from Alma's expectations.
Mirabel: Some of us have bigger problems, you selfish, entitled princess!
Films — Live-Action
- Blonde: The film is a biopic about Norma Jeane Mortenson, a lovely blonde girl who is catapulted into stardom, and given the stage name Marilyn Monroe. Though the cameras and the press see a happy Marilyn loving the spotlight, in quieter moments, Marilyn longs to return to being Norma Jeane: a simple girl living peacefully settled down with hearth and home. "Marilyn doesn't exist. When I come out of my dressing room, I'm Norma Jeane."
Literature
- Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.: Mii usually plays the role of the strong-willed, charismatic leader of the Flame Emperors guild whenever she's playing NewWorld Online. When she's by herself however, she's quick to drop her deep voice and reveal a squeaky-voiced, almost timid girl who, while still capable of kicking ass, is a constant mess of insecurities.
- Ciaphas Cain: Zigzagged. Cain (who has a reputation as a fearless Hero of the Imperium) claims to be a Dirty Coward who would book it on the first shuttle out of a warzone if it wasn't for all the witnesses around and the loss of status and reputation it would entail, but multiple times throughout the series he does the right thing even when there's no one to see it. It doesn't help that every single time he tries to worm his way out of a fight (such as inspecting an out-of-the-way post, staying at the headquarters instead of joining the front, exploring abandoned tunnels, etc.) he ends up thwarting an enemy ambush, foiling an assassination attempt, or stumbling upon awakening Necron forces. He also mentions not being averse to being in the spotlight or being a Large Ham, and even Inquisitor Vail doesn't know whether he's a genuine hero with Self-Deprecation issues or a lucky coward.
- Classroom of the Elite: A deconstructed example occurs courtesy of Kikyo Kushida. Realizing in middle school that they weren't as good as they were praised to be, they decided to become the class gofer in a desperate attempt for attention. This ends up causing them a great deal of stress that they could only relieve by venting about it on an online blog, only for said blog to be discovered by their classmates. Feeling cornered, they decided to air their classmates' dirty laundry as well, effectively turning them against each other as well and causing the whole room to fall apart.
- The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt (Hey, How About Treason?): Wein, the wise prince of Natra, is loved by his people for being a kind, benevolent leader, etc. Who is actually a lazy bum who would want nothing more than to sell his own "dirt poor" kingdom to the highest bidder he can find. Unfortunately, due to his position as the prince, he has to be careful about he goes about carrying out this plan, lest he causes an uprising. As such, while any situation he gets into usually ends up benefitting his kingdom, almost nothing happens to benefit him directly, leaving him stuck in a perpetual cycle.
- Damon Knight's short story "The Handler
": A large, charismatic, Life of the Party actor named Pete is revealed to be a Mobile-Suit Human piloted by a tiny, unattractive man called Fred. Fred tries to interact with people, but it's obvious they don't particularly care for him, and eventually, he's outright told to get back in the suit before he can completely kill the mood.
- Overlord (2012): Ainz Ooal Gown is an ancient and unfathomably powerful lich, whose intellect is matched only by his monstrous evil. Or rather, he's Satoru Suzuki's MMO character. When Satoru finds himself isekai'd into a world similar to the MMO with all his character's powers (but not his personality or intelligence), he finds himself trying his best to balance his responsibility to his underlings (formerly NPCs, now empowered with intelligence according to the backstories written for them) with his status as a Person of Mass Destruction, with no one to talk to or able to understand his situation.
Video Games
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses: The lyrics to "Edge of Dawn", aka the main theme, imply that Edelgard does not enjoy their Flame Emperor persona and wishes they could live out their days at the academy with their friends in peace.
- Persona:
- Persona 4 While the appropriately named Persona franchise is already known for its Beneath the Mask psychology, the fourth installment in particular focuses on characters desperately denying their Shadow's exaggerated, but otherwise accurate accusation of who they really are, which leads to bosses where every Shadow begins by stating that they are the "true self." One stand-out example is Idol Singer Rise Kujikawa, who retires from her work due to believing that nobody cares about the real her. This belief is actually supplemented in-game when you meet her in person, as the fans who went to see her at her grandmother's tofu shop couldn't even recognize her from behind, especially with her now depressed mood at the time. It takes until after you defeat her shadow for her to regain her cheerful personality, and then it takes her Social Link for her to decide to return to her job.
- Persona 5 uses this trope differently. All the party members forced themselves to behave a certain way for the sake of society's expectations, or because someone in power made them. They're clearly not happy with the state of their lives but feel It Can't Be Helped. Their Shadows represent their repressed desire for rebellion, and when they emerge once their abusers go a step too far, the party members accept them near instantly, throwing off the yoke of society's expectations. A few members of the Phantom Thieves stand out:
- It's implied that the protagonist's mild-mannered, glasses-wearing Everyman persona is faked for the sake of not standing out, since the one time he followed his sense of justice and protected a woman being assaulted, the Corrupt Politician responsible framed him for assault and had him placed on probation. He acts much flashier in his Phantom Thief persona in the Mental World, and it's likely this is closer to his real self.
- Makoto Niijima's parents died when she was young, leaving her older sister the sole breadwinner of the family. So she has immense pressure to get a college recommendation and provide for the family, which leads to her becoming an Extreme Doormat to the school's incompetent and corrupt principal. It's clear she doesn't enjoy her "honor student" persona, and the other students see her as an Academic Alpha Bitch and hate her for it. When she finally snaps during her Persona's awakening, it's clear she's been wanting to let off steam for a long time.
Makoto: Don't get all cocky just because I normally behave myself. I am DONE playing nice!
- Project SEKAI: Mafuyu Asahina, a seemingly kind, helpful, and responsible honor student who is actually something of an Extreme Doormat when it comes to accommodating the needs and wishes of those around her. However, this is a Stepford Smiler persona that hides her reality: she is an Empty Shell and a Broken Ace who hates having to be a "good girl" all the time and wishes she could disappear. When the mask slips, she speaks with a Creepy Monotone, has Dull Eyes of Unhappiness, and often gives her opinions with Brutal Honesty, which is a huge contrast from her nice girl persona.
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: This is a twist at the end of the Imperial Agent storyline. Throughout, the agent has been hounded by a mysterious man known only as Hunter, who is introduced as being part of the Republic's SIS, the counterpart of Imperial Intelligence, though it quickly becomes apparent he works for another power, the mysterious Star Cabal. When the agent finally faces Hunter down, he deactivates a holographic disguise to reveal a woman, who had been forced to wear a different face and bear a false identity for most of her life to do the Cabal's bidding. The encounter ends with her death, either by suicide or execution, but just before that, she reveals her true feeling, either having fallen in love with a male agent or being jealous of a female agent, who retains her own identity, despite the many disguises she's taken in the past.
Visual Novels
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice For All: It has a darker example with the Arc Villain of its final case, who hates the "sheep's clothing" part of their Bitch in Sheep's Clothing act and genuinely revels in their true, sociopathic nature when they don't have to hide.
And that "refreshing like a spring breeze" crap; it's just as atrocious, don't you agree?
Western Animation
- Futurama: Slurm Cola spokesworm Slurms MacKenzie is an introvert, but since Slurm is marketed as a party drink, he is contractually obligated to party all day and all night, or else he gets fired. After forty years of this, he's so exhausted that his eyes are permanently bloodshot, and he ends up committing suicide by partying so hard that a tunnel collapses around him, crushing him.
- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Princess Celestia, the God Empress of Ponyville, is revealed to be one of these in later seasons. As the Big Good of her world and a symbol of hope, she constantly feels pressure to be polite, diplomatic, and kind to everyone she meets, to the point where a single moment without smiling can lead to serious repercussions. The episode "A Royal Problem" explores the trope in depth when Celestia and her sister Luna, the Princess of the Night, swap places for one day; Luna learns all about Celestia's burdens and how perpetually frustrated she feels—especially at not being able to express those frustrations to anyone. Add in the fact that Celestia is also compelled to be Willfully Weak because she's terrified of the depths of her own strength and you have one miserable pony.
