History Main / TheManInFrontOfTheMan

** ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheWindmasters'' have the ancient Wind Spirit, Uranda, being revived by the Storm Tribe and awakening ther eldritch ancient dragon called Mafuga, until the last minute where Uranda was suddenly betrayed by the tribe's leader, Storm - who turns out to be manipulating the Spirit to awaken Mafuga for himself, pulling the strings behind Uranda's awakening to TakeOverTheWorld.

** E.N.D. is widely presumed to have built the Tartaros guild long before getting [[SealedEvilInACan sealed within his book]]. In truth, it's his so-called DragonInChief Mard Geer who's in charge, rallying other members around E.N.D.'s book and passing his own orders off as the will of E.N.D. with the intent to eventually free him. It makes sense, considering E.N.D. is actually [[spoiler:Natsu, the main character]], which nobody except [[BigBad Zeref knew]] about.

** E.N.D. is widely presumed to have built the Tartaros guild long before getting [[SealedEvilInACan sealed within his book]]. In truth, it's his so-called DragonInChief Mard Geer who's in charge, rallying other members around E.N.D.'s book and passing his own orders off as the will of E.N.D. with the intent to eventually free him. It makes sense, considering E.N.D. is actually [[spoiler:Natsu, the main character]], which [[LaserGuidedAmnesia neither he]] nor anyone in Tartaros knew about.

A subtrope of ObviousVillainSecretVillain. Compare DecoyLeader, BastardUnderstudy, ReverseRelationshipReveal, TrickBoss, BossInMookClothing, ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster, and various permutations of TheDragon and TheConsigliere, particularly: TheStarscream, the DragonAscendant (which eventually happens when the supposed BigBad is taken care of) and the DragonInChief (when you don't need TheReveal to show that the underling is the BigBad). See also TheDogWasTheMastermind, ChessmasterSidekick, HijackedByGanon and KingIncognito.

A subtrope of ObviousVillainSecretVillain. Compare DecoyLeader, BastardUnderstudy, ReverseRelationshipReveal, TrickBoss, ApparentlyPowerlessPuppetmaster, and various permutations of TheDragon and TheConsigliere, particularly: TheStarscream, the DragonAscendant (which eventually happens when the supposed BigBad is taken care of) and the DragonInChief (when you don't need TheReveal to show that the underling is the BigBad). See also TheDogWasTheMastermind, ChessmasterSidekick, HijackedByGanon and KingIncognito.

* The Demon King in ''Literature/SoImASpiderSoWhat'' is the absolute authority of the demons due to [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership being the most powerful by default]]. In the present of the story, Demon King Ariel is [[WorldsStrongestWoman the most powerful being who exists within the System]], and [[SheIsTheKing her]] intent is to spark the bloodiest and most terrible war to ever grace the planet between demons and humans...except, as it turns out, that there's someone even ''more'' powerful and fearsome than the Demon King, someone whom the Demon King ''takes orders from'', someone who is the true Demon King for all intents and purposes: Tenth Demon Army General Shiro, one of the Demon King's supposed loyal followers, who is actually the protagonist Kumoko, and a ''god.'' The duo's deception is so effective that the number of people outside of their inner circle who are aware of the truth can be counted in one hand until an outside force reveals the truth to the whole world in order to spark mayhem.

* ''Literature/StarterVillain'': The protagonist Charlie unexpectedly inherits his late uncle's supervillain operation and with it his HypercompetentSidekick Matilda, who walks Charlie through all his new responsibilities. It turns out that Matilda is the real heir, tasked with bringing the operation to a close; Charlie was their UnwittingPawn to help bring down the uncle's enemies along the way.

* ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'' has one that overlaps with mistaken blame: the prince Einon is given a heart transplant from a dragon to save his life. He then ascends the throne and becomes a tyrant. The protagonist believes that the dragon corrupted him and goes seeking for revenge, but the dragon claims that he thought his heart would save Einon and plant a seed of goodness in him. Einon eventually confirms that he was EvilAllAlong and used the dragon's gift for his own plans.

* In ''Manga/FlameOfRecca'', Reiran at first appears to be a villain who controls mannequins.She is revealed to be also just a mannequin after she is defeated. She was being controlled by Ganko, who was a little girl pretending to be a doll.