History Main / AgentProvocateur

!!Examples

* [[TheBible King David]] sent one of his men to Absalom to give bad advice so that David could escape Jerusalem and prepare for war.

In spy lingo, this is a covert operative whose job is to incite rebellion, entice defectors or goad the enemy into a foolish action (sometimes to the point of skirting with the FalseFlagOperation). Even though it's a [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench sexy French word]], the Agent Provocateur got the short end of the [[InnocentInnuendo sexy spy stick]]. They are looked down upon by...pretty much everyone.

Confused yet? That's probably why these guys aren't nearly as popular in fiction as they are in RealLife. In RealLife it's ''good'' if no one can figure out a covert operative's cover. In fiction, [[OvertOperative on the other hand...]]

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!!Examples

[[AC:Anime And Manga]]

[[AC: Film]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* ''The State Councilor'' novel contains enough of these to make ErastFandorin swear he'll never take political cases again.
* In Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/TheCatWhoWalksThroughWalls'': Gwen is falsely accused of being one.
* ''{{Sten}}'': Mercury Corps uses this as a matter of course. Sten incites rebellion on Vulcan by fulfilling the Mig folk story of "one of their own" who will get out, return, and lead them to freedom. Especially effective because he is, and does.

[[AC:Real Life]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

* JustCause is an exception to its rarity in fiction being as the protagonist is one.

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* The film ''{{Matewan}}'', about labor unrest and the formation of a miner's union in 1920s West Virginia, had the Baldwin-Felts Detective Organization engaged in this activity, through [[spoiler: their [[TheMole mole]] in the union]] persuading a young miner to plant a bomb to shut down one of the mines.

* This is used often by the police, especially in regards to drug cases, asking to buy some drugs hoping the suspected drug dealer would agree, then catching them in the act.

In spy lingo, this is a covert operative whose job is to incite rebellion, entice defectors or goad the enemy into a foolish action. Even though it's a [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench sexy French word]], the Agent Provocateur got the short end of the [[InnocentInnuendo sexy spy stick]]. They are looked down upon by...pretty much everyone.

* The film ''{{Matewan}}'', about labor unrest and the formation of a miner's union in 1920s West Virginia, had the Baldwin-Felts Detective Organization engaged in this activity, through their [[TheMole mole]] in the union persuading a young miner to plant a bomb to shut down one of the mines.

* Nom Anor from the NewJediOrder, several times in different disguises.

** In the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anima adaptation]] [[spoiler:a group of special forces had been tasked with starting the Ishbal uprising. This group of special forces is then used in experiments to create chimeras who are let loose after the 5th laboratory arc and expose the whole conspiracy. The story of the child getting shot is then spread around as a coverup.]]

* In FullmetalAlchemist the Ishval uprising is supposedly the result of a soldier accidentally shooting an Ishval boy.
** In the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist first anima adaptation]] [[spoiler:a group of special forces had been tasked with starting the Ishbal uprising. This group of special forces is then used in experiments to create chimeras who are let loose after the 5th laboratory arc and expose the whole conspiracy. The story of the child getting shot is then spread around as a coverup.]]
** In [[Manga/FullMetalAlchemist the manga and Brotherhood adaptation]] [[spoiler: Envy posing as an Armestrian soldier shoots an Ishvalan child with the intent of causing the rebellion. The purpose of the homunculi is pretty much to starts wars.]]

* In RobertAHeinlein's ''The Cat Who Walks Through Walls'': Gwen is falsly accused of being one.

* ''[[VorkosiganSaga A Civil Campaign]]'': [[spoiler:Byerly]] is actually an [=ImpSec=] agent working to support Lord Dono's claim to the countship. Or at least to [[spoiler:actively encourage the rather [[GroinAttack extreme shenanigans]] Dono's rival attempts.]]

** In the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist first anima adaptation]] [[spoiler:a group of special of special forces had been tasked with starting the Ishbal uprising. The group of special forces is then used in experiments to create chimeras who are let loose after the 5th laboratory arc. The story of the child getting shot is then spread around as a coverup.]]

** In [[Manga/FullMetalAlchemist the manga and Brotherhood adaptation]] [[spoiler: Envy posing as an Armestrian soldier shoots an Ishvalan child with the intent of causing the rebellion.]]

* Captain Barca from ''{{Exosquad}}'' is one, constantly enticing younger [[SpacePirate Pirates]] to rebel against Simbacca, while on Phaeton's payroll.

* [[TheCatWhoSeries ''The Cat Who Walks Through Walls'']]: Gwen is falsly accused of being one.

It may have something to do with the fact that--as a TreacherousAdvisor--they are inherently untrustworthy. One side (the Agent Provocateur's true alignment) believes they are inciting foolish, risky attacks against them, while the other side (the infiltratees) thinks they are inciting foolish, risky behavior in their friends.

* ''TheCatWhoWalksThroughWalls'': Gwen is falsly accused of being one.

Not necessarily one of LesCollaborateurs, though he or she may double as this.

** Byerly's ''job'' was merely to observe, and report any suspicious activity. His working as an agent provocateur [[spoiler: against Richars]] was done entirely on his own. [=ImpSec=] had no official interest in which side won the Countship.

In spy lingo, this is a covert operative whose job is to incite rebellion, entice defectors or goad the enemy into a foolish action. Even though it's a [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench sexy French word]], the Agent Provocateur got the short end of the sexy spy stick. They are looked down upon by...pretty much everyone.