GuessTheTrope: Antagonists Assimilate

I came across this trope and had no idea what it meant... perhaps it's about the Borg? How about a group of enemies that combine into a large mecha? Can you Guess The Trope and win tonight's big prize? Or is it perhaps time for a rename?

Wow. Wouldn't have guessed that.

I suppose I see the point. That's not the way assimilate is most commonly used. If a rename is agreed upon, I suggest Villains Blend In.

However, it's got an okay (but not great) number of wicks. Is there misuse or indication that the article is failing to catch on? I do recall seeing this page a really long time ago and it doesn't have many wicks now, so I guess that would indicate it's not proliferating.

Its gain 7 "added line" from as far back as the history will go. the other 24 are edits. Not good at all IMO and I would never have guessed the trope itself.

Villains Blend In seem to be a good name.

I read the trope recently, so my guess wouldn't count. That said, I was never fond of it, but I didn't want to suggest a new name unless I already had one in mind. Villains Blend In works for me, though.

I swear we've had this discussion before. Or maybe it was in YKTTW? Eh. Not a fan of the name.

I also thought the title was about Assimilation Plot, but rather than take the penalty for guessing wrong I'll just sit this one out and wait for Alex to reveal the answer. Gotta make it to that final round and all....

And, wow. Okay, I'll take Misleading Titles for $800 then...

"Assimilation" is clearly the wrong verb to use here, it should at least be "adapt".

Also, in a situation like the trope describes, the villain, almost by definition, would not be assimilating. He would be pretending to be, at most, but he's going to want to bend the world and/or its rules to his will. That's not assimilating.

Well, that was unguessable.

"Integrate" would also be an appropriate verb.

Spark 9,

I think the name is okay. I think that if one defines assimilate to mean "to conform or adjust to the customs, attitudes, etc., of a group, nation, or the like," Antagonists Assimilate makes sense. That being said, I think the point that Leaper made is a good one and complicates this a bit.

I set up a single proposition rename crowner here.

edited 26th May '11 10:57:32 AM by LouieW

I also think it's a little close to Antagonists Assemble. It sounds more like a battle cry rather than something antagonists happen to do.

I just read this trope 2 or 3 months ago so no need to guess here, but I wonder what definition of assimilate people have that this isn't instantly obvious. If anything, I'd say this was Exactly What It Says on the Tin.

What do people think assimilate means?

Also, I see no functional difference between assimilating and faking it well. That seems a rather nitpicky distinction.

To me, "assimilate" is something that is done to a person or group of people, rather than something they do, unless it's used as the verb phrase "assimilate into" or "assimilate with". I don't assimilate the culture of the area I live in; it assimilates me, or I assimilate into it.

I like it, its a different use of the word assimilate. People assume the antagonist is doing it to something else, not the other way around.

Antagonists Adapt would be less confusing, so that's what I vote if it must be renamed.

Bad Guys Blend In?

How about Bad Guys Blend In Better?

The point of this trope isn't that the bad guy adapts per se, but that the bad guy adapts more, faster, and/or better compared to the good guy.

Not only "to blend in" the way the trope uses it, but to fully accept and integrate oneself into the culture. Which, as I said before, is not intended by the trope.

Okay, crowner points to "rename" with a 4:1 rate. So what's next, we crowner for the suggested names in this thread?

Put Together a Alternate Titles Crowner Here.

Edit: Pinned!

edited 29th May '11 8:38:31 PM by pokedude10

Villains sounds better than bad guys. Both work, so I'm downvoting the latter and upvoting the former.

-Bump-

Villains is winning by a large margin, badguys in second place. Do we want to use Badguys as a redirect? Normally, that's for more searchable terms.

Agree. I'd leave it as a redirect.

Ok, let's finish this one up. I'm asking a mod to slap a Clock on this.

Clocked as requested.