Basic Trope: The person you would be if you weren't the more cautious, inhibited and boring person you actually are.
- Straight: Bob, a Playful Hacker, has the online persona named Dark Pharaoh who is a Badass Longcoat-wearing Mad Scientist.
- Exaggerated: Dark Pharaoh is a total fuckwad.
- Downplayed: Dark Pharaoh has Bob's mild mannerism, but doesn't hesitate to point out egregious things when asked, unlike Bob.
- Justified:
- The story revolves around the members of a certain image board trying to reveal government conspiracy. Being anonymous assholes are expected.
- Bob is deeply repressed and can't bring himself to admit it. Dark Pharaoh is an outlet for the stress of maintaining his facade.
- Inverted:
- Dark Pharaoh is a Super Loser (that Bob uses as a strawman).
- Bob aka. Dark Pharaoh is more mild mannered & cautious online then he is in Real Life.
- Subverted: A forum member named Dark Pharaoh seems to be edgy and snarky, which the other members take as normal. However, when the forum have a Real Life meet-up, Bob is as edgy and snarky as the Dark Pharaoh.
- Double Subverted: The edgy and snarky Bob is just a facade for the timid and indecisive William Waddington Jr.
- Zig Zagged: The edgy and snarky Bob turns out to be the real persona after all, and the timid William Waddington Jr. persona was just an act, as part of an elaborate scheme to seduce a girl who isn't into bad boys.
- Parodied: The sheer over-the-topness of Dark Pharaoh inspire people to make a Dark Pharaoh Facts website.
- Averted: Every online persona/magical avatar/component soul behaves in civil manner.
- Enforced: The work Bob is in is targeted to an audience with a similar level of maturity as him.
- Lampshaded: "Oh boy, yet another totally uninhibited virtual dickhead who lives in momma's basement."
- Invoked: Bob always wanted to be edgy and snarky, but that would bring many consequences to him in the real world. Online anonymity allows Bob to fulfill his wish through his Dark Pharaoh persona without having to worry about said consequences.
- Exploited: Bob is an Attention Whore. He uses his Dark Pharaoh persona to get as much negative feedback as possible by being edgy and snarky with the other forum members.
- Defied: Bob tries to use Dark Pharaoh "attitude" in Real Life. The first stranger he tries to do it to punches him in the face before he even finishes his line.
- Discussed: "I'm only a jerk online."
- Conversed: "Classic old trope of being a complete fucking asshole online." "Yeah, I've definitely had my fair share of them, I can see where the writers are coming from with this."
Not satisfied with the way you act? Try being A Darker Me.
