History Main / DramaticUnmask

[[folder:Podcast]]
* Averted in ''Podcast/RedPandaAdventures'' since the Red Panda and the Flying Squirrel have booby-trapped their masks to give a nasty electric shock to any bad guys to might try to remove them. Being that getting captured by the bad guys (to encourage [[EvilGloating Evil Gloating]]) is one of their stock techniques, a way to prevent the dramatic unmask is essential.
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* In the made-for-HBO film ''Film/{{Blackout1985}}'', Chris knocks her leather-mask-wearing attacker unconscious, and takes the opportunity to remove his mask. The film shows us her horrified reaction before it shows us his face, because it’s the most terrible possible outcome. It’s not Steiner, or Mike Patterson, or any unknown assailant: it’s her own husband Allen Devlin; her (and our) worst fears have come true after all.

** This is played straight with [[spoiler:[[Film/Scream2 Mickey]], [[Film/Scream3 Roman]], and [[Film/Scream4 Jill]], all of whom remove their masks while in their Father Death costumes.]]
** This is subverted in the case of [[spoiler:[[Film/Scream1996 Billy]], [[Film/Scream1996 Stu]], [[Film/Scream2 Mrs. Loomis]], and [[Film/Scream4 Charlie]], all of whom reveal themselves in person without the Father Death costumes.]]

!Examples:

In the case of the {{villain|s}} the [[TheReveal big reveal]] may be the final part of their plan. An old face come to haunt the hero from [[DarkAndTroubledPast the past]] or worse [[EvilAllAlong someone they trusted]]. Expect villainous characters to be especially [[SmugSnake smug]] if this is a complete surprise to their opponent. When the villain desires to hide behind anonymity, expect the protagonist to be the one to go about unmasking him, [[AntiHero sometimes at any cost]], so that justice is served.

* In ''Manga/{{Eyeshield21}}'', Sena reveals that he is the titular Eyeshield 21 to his childhood friend Mamori, just before the match against the Bando Spiders.

* Spoofed in the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' manga ''Manga/TouhouSuzunaanForbiddenScrollery'', when Aya reveals herself as a {{Tengu}} to Kosuzu. Since her "disguise" in the Human Village is just [[https://en.touhouwiki.net/images/8/85/AyaHumanDisguise.png an early 20th Century newsboy outfit]] (not even bothering to hide her PointyEars), this "unmasking" involves swapping out her newsboy cap for [[https://en.touhouwiki.net/images/c/c3/10Aya1.png her usual hat.]] Kosuzu is still shocked by this.

** Also in VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} episode III, the White Testement removes his mask, revealing himself to be [[spoiler: Albedo, the BigBad of the second game.]]

* In ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', during [[Comicbook/{{Batman}} Bruce's]] [[BadFuture "Knightmare"]] vision, he's unmasked by the evil future Comicbook/{{Superman}} before being executed.

* In the final level of ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: Blacklist'', Sadiq rips off the player character's mask to reveal [[spoiler: it's not Sam Fisher, but his teammate Briggs who's been infiltrating Site F.]] Sharp-eyed players will have picked up on this already, and the point of ''who'' is behind the mask is equally important to ''why'' it's them.

* Slade is forcibly unmasked twice in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', but both times are somehow twisted around into TheUnReveal. In the first season, the shadows conveniently blocked his face from view, and in the fourth season, [[spoiler:he was conveniently ''dead,'' and thus his face was nothing more than a skull.]]

** ''Series/Daredevil2015'':

*** Season 3 episode 11 ends with another self-unmasking. Matt rescues Ray Nadeem and his family as their house is attacked by Wilson Fisk's men in response to Nadeem helping Karen escape from Dex (by deciding that the NYPD gets first dibs with Karen). After they take down the assassins, Nadeem, having realized his other FBI colleagues are also in Fisk's pocket, is uncertain whether he should trust Matt or not. So Matt slowly takes off his mask both as a means of assuring Nadeem he can be trusted, and also as a token of gratitude for Nadeem's help keeping Karen alive.

** ''Series/LukeCage2016'': After Cottonmouth tries to kill Luke by blowing up Genghis Connie's with a rocket launcher, Luke manages to free himself from the rubble unscathed. As he's walking away, with his hoodie up, he's accosted by a bunch of reporters who ask him for his name. After a few seconds, Luke turns around, takes off his hood, and says "My name is Luke Cage". This ends up driving Cottonmouth to more desperate measures to recuperate his losses, and Luke to end up in the crosshairs of [[spoiler:his half-brother]] Diamondback.

** ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': When Matt Murdock and Series/{{Jessica Jones|2015}} enter Midland Circle, Matt steals Jessica's scarf to improvise a mask before fighting a bunch of Hand soldiers. He's still wearing the scarf when the two of them, plus Series/{{Luke Cage|2016}} and [[Series/IronFist2017 Danny Rand]], flee to the Royal Dragon restaurant. Matt spends the first few minutes refusing to unmask himself or introduce himself to the other thinking that doing so will put them in danger. This prompts an exasperated Jessica to take him aside and persuade him to remove the scarf. After a few moments, Matt sighs, removes the scarf, and walks over to rejoin the others.

** ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Foggy learns that Matt is Daredevil when he discovers him bleeding out in his apartment from being attacked by Wilson Fisk and Nobu. Matt learns not to make the same mistake with Karen, which is why he willingly tells her the secret.
** ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': In "Mean Right Hook," Danny and Colleen catch a cleanup crew preparing to break down the bodies of some fallen Chaste soldiers with acid. Danny manages to corner one of them outside, and rips off the guy's mask, revealing it to be Cole Miller, the kid from Harlem that Misty Knight has tasked Luke with keeping an eye on. Moments later, Luke shows up, having followed Cole's crew after seeing them getting into a work van elsewhere in Harlem.
** ''Series/ThePunisher2017'':

---->'''Carson Wolf:''' Holy shit. You don't know how to die, do you? This is rich. ''[[[MirthlessLaughter laughs bitterly]]]''

* Subverted even more in the original ''Amazing Spider-Man'' series where Doctor Octopus unmasks him in front of the other students who immediately recognize Peter but refuse to believe a geek like him could possibly be Spider-Man. They even convince Doc Ock himself that he caught not the real Spidey but just some kid in a cheap costume, preserving Peter's secret.

* Happens in the ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses Three Houses]]'' fanfic ''Fanfic/YoullGetNoAnswersFromTheBlueSeaStar'', though not the same way as in the game. A mysterious group of riders is seen riding away from the monastery after an attack; they try to hide their faces, but Jo catches up and manages to unmask the one who appears to be leading them - [[spoiler:Princess Edelgard]]. War [[spoiler:with the Empire]] begins soon afterwards.

* ''Film/BatmanReturns''. Bruce ''rips'' the plastic mask off dramatically.

* ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}''. At the start of the film, Deadpool takes off his mask for a cabdriver while delivering HowWeGotHere {{exposition}} and shouts, [[FacialHorror "BOO!"]] At the end of the movie (during which he'd rather make his ex-girlfriend believe he was dead than reveal what he's turned into) Deadpool finally allows her to take off the mask [[RuleOfFunny only to reveal]] a cut-out photograph of Creator/HughJackman's face underneath.

** [=DiZ=] does it near the end of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', although the "dramatic" part is debatable, since it's only dramatic to the player. The person he's unmasking himself before, King WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, already knows who he is.

* The Shyguy victory animation from ''[[VideoGame/MarioTennis Mario Power Tennis]]'' actually shows him walking up to the podium where Luigi will give him his trophy, but he trips on the last step before the top, causing his mask to fall off. Luigi sees the Shyguy's face (but the player doesn't) and is freaked out before the Shyguy puts his mask back on and takes his trophy.
** This was also reused in ''VideoGame/MarioStrikers Charged Football''.

** The second time is played straight, with the Box Girl removing her mask to reveal to Aizawa and Asahi that she's [[spoiler: Aizawa from ten years in the future.]]

* ''Series/Heroes'': In A Clear And Present Danger, Claire is unmasked to Nathan revealing her as one of the black-hooded and drugged prisoners at the airport. She's eventually let go at Nathan's request. Later in the final scene of the next episode, Trust And Blood, a recaptured Tracy is black-hooded again, kept in a van before Nathan unmasks her. Unfortunately for Tracy, she is re-drugged and is black-bagged again as Nathan walks away in the final shot.

** A porn parody ''Gladiator Eroticus'' spoofs this scene by having the title character hide behind a series of masks, false beards and a large axe before being exposed.

* ''Series/TheMandalorian'': the first-season finale, when [[spoiler: the droid IG-11 [[LoopholeAbuse exploits the loophole]] of droids not technically being living things to remove Mando's helmet and treat a head injury suffered in the battle. This is the first time in the entire series that the audience sees his face.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', Amon's face is revealed twice. When Korra confronts him in the auditorium, she asks him to take it off and he does, but [[spoiler:he has put suitable makeup on that makes it look like he got burned. However,]] the next time [[spoiler:(and last time)]] his mask comes off is in the water in Yue Bay when he is thrown out the window of the pro-bending arena; his mask then floats to the surface.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'', Muscle Man's trailer is confiscated by a corrupt health inspector, who reveals himself to be the runner-up from the hot dog eating contest Muscle Man had won the trailer in years ago. Played for laughs as his "disguise" is literally just a pair of glasses, and the viewer didnt know he had existed 10 minutes ago when he was briefly seen in a flashback and no animosity of any sort was implied. What makes it even funnier is the dramatic music and Muscle Man's realization when the inspector reveals himself.
* A VillainEpisode of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' introduces a mysterious [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]]-esque bounty hunter who sits in the dark while the other bounty hunters are discussing their respective plans to kill Jack and points out the flaws in each of them. The mysterious bounty hunter unmasks herself as Princess Mira from a land enslaved by [[BigBad Aku]].
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': Cartman convinces fourth-grade superhero Mysterion to take off his mask and reveal his identity in order to prevent threats to public safety (à la ''Film/TheDarkKnight''); Mysterion complies, only to reveal that [[spoiler:because the face of just about every fourth-grader on the show looks exactly the same, it is impossible for the viewers to know his true identity. Cartman and the rest of the characters, however, recognize him immediately.]] In a later episode, it is revealed that [[spoiler: Mysterion is Kenny.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'', Spidey unmasks himself because he wants to show trust to Angelica and Bobby, who he's figured out are Firestar and Iceman, respectively. And they're both shocked to discover he is Peter. Particularly Bobby.
* Twice in one episode by Robin from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', appropriately named Masks. He turns out to be [[spoiler: Red X]], wearing his Robin mask under the [[spoiler: Red X]] mask. Unfortunately, it was insanely obvious since Scott Menville sounds the same in every role he plays.

*** In the final seconds of season 2, Matt meets with Karen and reveals his secret identity as Daredevil to regain her trust, after the secrecy and lies of his double life had driven her and Foggy away.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''Series/TheProfessionals''. In "Klansman", [=CI5=] are investigating a white supremacy group that's adopted the hooded outfits of the KKK. Turns out a crooked real estate dealer is using them as a front to force poor black residents from their homes so he can sell them at a higher price. Doyle discovers this when he shoots a couple of Klansmen only to remove their hoods to find a couple of black henchmen.