Marvel Universe
Shadow Archetype in this franchise. open/close all folders
Comic Books
Comic Books
The following have their own pages:
- Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel: Blue Marvel's nemesis Anti-Man went through the same experiences as he did, from fighting in the same war, suffering the same restrictions in society and getting their super powers from the same source. They were good friends. Blue Marvel just happened to be lucky enough to maintain his right mind upon being empowered. Anti-Man wasn't (and, it later transpired, Blue Marvel's attempts to help only made it much, much worse). Therefore, while Anti-Man didn't react to their circumstances in the best way going forward, Blue Marvel believed it was not Anti-Man's fault and tried to help him... until Anti-Man accidentally killed Blue Marvel's wife. Even then, Marvel eventually (after being shown his unwitting role in Anti-Man's insanity) finds it in himself to try and reconcile with his insane counterpart.
- Ant-Man: The Killer Robot Ultron's programming was based on his creator Hank Pym's own brain patterns. Pym is understandably very disturbed by what this implies about him. Ultron is essentially a copy of Pym's own mind acting on his subconscious misanthropy. When they end up in a Fusion Dance in Rage of Ultron, this is why Pym doesn't fight Ultron's control.
- Captain Marvel: There were two early attempts to give Marvel Comics' second Captain Marvel an Arch-Enemy. Both doubled as shadow archetypes.
- Moonstone is also a Legacy. She has the same values and the same desire to be special, but doesn't hold the same values in equal measures. Moonstone and Captain Marvel both provided a service, but Moonstone values power over service, keeping her from doing her job to its fullest. They both got powers on the job while dealing with criminals. Captain Marvel immediately set out to find a way to put them to good use, Moonstone immediately induldged in criminal activity. Losing their powers was almost fatal to both. They both ended up as leaders in their new fields, displacing Captain America and his villain, Baron Zemo, respecitvely. The one fundamental difference is Moonstone's sadism, and even that doesn't stop her from being more like Captain Marvel. It's the different lessons they learned from the rich and powerful. Helping people feels as good to Moonstone as hurting them. Her pursuit of hedonism ahead of duty stems from learning to put herself first ahead of all other distractions.
- Nebula rose up to captain freight, not unlike Captain Marvel, just in outerpace instead of on the water. She turned her talents to mercenary work, where Captain Marvel went to harbor patrol. Nebula also has the same deepseated desire to be special, but where Captain Marvel's role models were a firefighter and a seemstress, where she was shoehorned into the "Captain Marvel" legacy and reluctantly relinquished it to the man's family, Nebula's role models were Warlod Zorr and mass murderer Thanos Of Titan, legacies she claims ahead of their families despite lacking proof of relations. Captain Marvel got her powers pursuing criminals misuing an extra dimensional power source, Nebula became a pirate misuing similar things. When Captain Marvel got super powers, she joined The Avengers, Nebula used hers to torture the group. Losing her powers wasn't inherently life threatening to Nebula as it was to Captain Marvel, but she still ended up infirmed as a consequence of her choices. Despite it all, Nebula isn't incapble of altruism. She inspired loyal followers from thousands of worlds and willingly joined Gamora's Graces to defend The Universe from The Annihilation Wave. She incinerated her followers to save herself and ended up corrupting Graces, but Nebula could have been just like Captain Marvel with more positive influences in her formative years. On the flip, Captain Marvel showed similar vindictiveness toward the Beyond Corporation that ensnared her as Nebula did to her jailers on Titan. She didn't go out of her way to repay them the way Nebula did, but different circumstances could have made her just like Nebula.
- Daredevil: Daredevil's classic counterparts are Bullseye and the Kingpin, whose constant evasion of criminal convictions cause Murdock to seriously doubt the law's ability to deal with the most calculating criminals. Mark Waid's run introduces Ikari, who has all of Daredevil's powers along with sight, which was accomplished by recreating Daredevil's origin. Appropriately enough, his costume resembles Daredevil's original yellow and red.
- Doctor Strange: Baron Mordo to Doctor Strange, who represents what Strange might have become if he hadn't learned humility, patience, and respect for others. Doctor Strange: The Oath introduces Nicodemus West, yet another student of the Ancient One, with the added resonance of also being a physician.
- Iron Man: Iron Man (1968) #293 positions the Controller as one to Tony and his current status quo: Whereas Tony has been paralyzed and is consciously neglecting his own recovery in order to continue to operate as Iron Man (using a remotely-controlled armor), the Controller has mind-controlled several of Stark's employees in order to force him to help him cure his own broken body.
- The Sentry: The Sentry and his nemesis/other-half, the Void are a pretty literal example given the Void's appearance and the nature of their relationship.
- X-Men: Sabretooth is what Wolverine would be like if he ever fully embraced his berserker side. Cassandra Nova is Prof. X's shadow archetype, being his evil twin that was killed before birth. Everything she has done since finding herself alive is something Xavier himself could have done, and is more than likely tempted do to.
Films
Films
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
- The Avengers: Loki works as a warped mirror to the Avengers more than once. He's an example of different parts of their personalities, like Thor's values about becoming King, the Widow's past murderous life or Tony's Big Ego, gone wrong. In Tony's case, he's able to figure out what Loki's big plan is because it's something he'd do.Tony: Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? THAT'S what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience... This is — this is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered... [Beat] Son of a bitch.
- Thor and Thor: The Dark World: Loki is a twisted reflection of Frigga. Both are sly, fashionable, spell casters and agile combatants. But Frigga is benevolent, puts others first and is content with not being number one. She is admired by the Asgardians because she is what is expected from the Queen. Loki could never compete with Thor in Odin's eyes, and was disparaged by his peers, Proud Warrior Race Guys for being different. The need for validation made him self-centered, ambitious, and ultimately villainous and violent. In Avengers: Infinity War, he comes to terms with who he is and shows that he cares for those he loves more than his own life, just like Frigga.
- Thor: Ragnarok: Hela is this to Thor, showing what Thor might have become if Odin didn't managed to teach him humility: a violent, sadistic Blood Knight who talks about the glory of Asgard, but cares nothing for the people in it, to the point of murdering its army and trying to keep the people in line with murderous undead.
- The Avengers: Loki works as a warped mirror to the Avengers more than once. He's an example of different parts of their personalities, like Thor's values about becoming King, the Widow's past murderous life or Tony's Big Ego, gone wrong. In Tony's case, he's able to figure out what Loki's big plan is because it's something he'd do.
- X-Men Film Series:
- X-Men: Apocalypse: When Oscar Isaac encapsulates En Sabah Nur's modus operandi in the "Clan of Akkaba: Apocalypse and his Horsemen" documentary on the Blu-Ray, it's identical to Professor X's. Apocalypse is the warped mirror image of Xavier if the latter loses all self-restraint and fully succumbs to "absolute power corrupts absolutely" — Charles even gets Drunk on the Dark Side for a couple minutes to showcase that he's not immune to its effects. En Sabah Nur governs his Apocalypse Cult with the Four Horsemen as his devotees, whereas Professor X can be interpreted as a highly idealized cult leader (if a truly good-hearted one exists, then he'd be it) with the X-Men as his disciples.Isaac: He finds people that are in need, people that are in a very dark part of their lives, that are searching for something. He zeroes in on these people and reads them, and figures out what it is that they need to feel fulfilled, to feel strong.
- Logan: X-24 is this to Logan, being a literal clone of him who embodies all the things Logan most hates and fears about himself. While Logan fears that he is nothing more than a monster and a murderer who poses a serious threat to his loved ones when he loses control, X-24 has been bred from birth to be the personification of unstoppable rage. Their Older Hero vs. Younger Villain dynamic also represents Logan's insecurities about how his body is failing him in his old age.
- X-Men: Apocalypse: When Oscar Isaac encapsulates En Sabah Nur's modus operandi in the "Clan of Akkaba: Apocalypse and his Horsemen" documentary on the Blu-Ray, it's identical to Professor X's. Apocalypse is the warped mirror image of Xavier if the latter loses all self-restraint and fully succumbs to "absolute power corrupts absolutely" — Charles even gets Drunk on the Dark Side for a couple minutes to showcase that he's not immune to its effects. En Sabah Nur governs his Apocalypse Cult with the Four Horsemen as his devotees, whereas Professor X can be interpreted as a highly idealized cult leader (if a truly good-hearted one exists, then he'd be it) with the X-Men as his disciples.
Live-Action TV
Live-Action TV
- Daredevil (2015): Frank Castle serves as a direct shadow for Matt Murdock. Both serve as vigilantes fighting crime after a series of traumatic event (The Punisher for Frank; Dardevil for Matt) and both use violent methods in doing so. However, Matt refuses to kill anyone during his crusade against crime, while Frank believes the only way to stop crime permanently is to kill the criminals causing it. Also, Matt is constantly questioning himself on wether he has crossed the line into becoming an evil, while Frank has fully convinced himself, that he is forever dead and damned.
Western Animation
Western Animation
- Ultimate Spider-Man: Alex O'Hirn/Rhino is one to Peter Parker/Spider-Man, of all people. Both are unpopular smart kids from the same school who got mutated by Oscorp Mutagen (though Spidey got luckier); both got bullied by Flash; And Rhino even admitted that he wanted to be like Spider-Man, hence why he started drinking the mutagen. The difference is that Peter went on to use his powers as a hero and tried to help Flash be a better person, while Alex took the path of revenge and raised his hatred of Flash to creepily psychotic levels.
