Basic Trope: The bad guys wear uniforms based on those worn by
Nazi Germany's forces or some other "
bad guy" group.
- Straight: The Evil Empire's troopers wear uniforms based on those worn by the Wehrmacht during World War II. Hitler salute optional.
- Exaggerated: Everything about the Evil Empire apes Nazi Germany.
- The Evil Empire's troopers wear exact replicas of SS uniforms, complete with swastika armbands.
- Downplayed: A few random things about the Evil Empire vaguely resemble Nazi German equivalents.
- Justified: By identifying the antagonists with Nazis, it's easy to tell the viewer/reader that they're the bad guys.
- It's World War II, and the heroes are fighting actual German forces.
- The villians know the connotations of their uniforms and dress that way to make thier enemies afraid of them.
- The villians didn't know that the nazis dressed this way and just thought it would look cool
- Inverted: The heroes wear Wehrmacht or SS style uniforms.
- Or the bad guys were once part of the Nazi Empire, but now are a separate enemy force. They abandon their old uniforms for newer ones.
- Subverted: The Evil Empire's troops wear generic military uniforms in the field...
- Double Subverted: ...but their dress uniforms practically scream Nazi Germany.
- Parodied: Uniforms include massive peaked caps, huge racks of medals, and breeches hanging down past knees.
- Civilians wear Nazi-like clothing ("it's the latest style!") but the military's uniforms are generic.
- Zig Zagged: The bad guys wear a variety of uniforms, including German ones, but also including American or Western European style uniforms.
- Averted: The bad guys' uniforms don't rip off the Nazis.
- Enforced: Executive Meddling assumes that Viewers Are Morons and won't understand who the bad guys are unless their uniforms ape the Nazis.
- Lampshaded: A recruit to the Evil Empire's army asks: "Why are we dressing like we're about to invade Poland?"
- Invoked: The Evil Empire is a successor state to Nazi Germany, so they go out of their way to call back to their roots.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: The Evil Empire doesn't want to associate with the Nazis and does something different to differentiate themselves from their precursors.
- Discussed: "We have to fight an evil empire? Five bucks says they're all wearing uniforms that look like Nazi knock-offs."
- Conversed: "Have you ever noticed that all of the bad guys in tv look like Nazis?"
Goosestep back to
Putting on the Reich,
Jawohl!
