History Main / EmergingFromTheShadows

* In ''[[Film/TheFly]]'', during the "Insect Politics" scene, when Veronica tells Brundle, "I don't know what you're trying to say," he finally reveals himself to her, as he steps into the light coming from the skylight.

* Colonel Kurtz's face in ''ApocalypseNow'' is emerging from the shadows only after minutes of talking.

* Spoofed in ''ExterminatusNow'', when just prior to TheReveal, TheMole calls his employer, a sinister face in darkness... who turns out the be TheMole's friend who was sleeping in bed, and TheMole appologizes for calling the wrong number. Then we get the BigBad [[HijackedByGanon from a previous arc]], cheerfully answering the phone in a brightly lit kitchen, cooking dinner while wearing a "Kiss the Cult Leader" apron.

* Emerging from the Shadows

** ''Idol'', [[spoiler:Chloe does this to WonderTwins, comes with a pretty epic threat. Shame that is [[CharacterDerailment rather un-Chloe-like]].]]

* In ''TheThirdMan'', Harry Lime is revealed when light from a window shines on him from across the street.

* The final villain in ''{{Chuck}}'' is revealed this way.

[[caption-width-right:350:Thus we beheld the face of ''[[LukeNounverber Morwyn Nerdbane]]''!]]

Someone's face, or whole body, is kept in shadows until just the right moment to come out and show his/her face to the other characters and/or the audience.

This person might be someone the audience knows, or looks like that person, or it might just be someone we don't know, but it's time to see who this character looks like.

The duration of the shadow hiding can also vary. It could be just a few seconds, to spending several episodes not seeing this person.

And how much shadow there is can also vary. This can range from going into the only source of light in a dark area, to leaving the only shadow in a bright area.

This is especially popular in some HighFantasy (usually involving a shadow in a lighted scene), and FilmNoir (usually involving a light in a dark scene).

A SubTrope of TheReveal, {{Chiaroscuro}}, RuleOfDrama.

A SisterTrope to LightningReveal, TheUnmasking.

Compare FaceFramedInShadow, DramaticSpotlight, NaturalSpotlight.

Contrast TheUnreveal.

!!Examples

[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Many, many stories about {{Batman}}, regardless of the medium, love to do this with that very character.

[[AC:Films - Animation]]
* When Belle pleads for her father in ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'', she asks Beast to step into the light, and we see his full form for the first time.

[[AC:Films - Live Action]]
* DavidLynch has done this in many of his movies, particularly when revealing a love interest or FemmeFatale.
** ''{{Eraserhead}}''
** ''BlueVelvet''
** ''MulhollandDrive''
* In ''DeadAgain'', Roman's face is in the shadows for a couple minutes.
* Done very creepily in one of the ''Film/{{Hellboy}}'' movies. The door at the end of a shadowed hallway opens, a security guard shines his flashlight around to make sure no one's lurking there... and as soon as he leaves and the hallway is dark again, out steps [[BigBad Rasputin]].
* Dr. Claw is sort of revealed this way in the ''Film/InspectorGadget'' adaptation.
* In ''TheThirdMan'', Harry Lime is revealed when light from a window shines on him from across the street.

[[AC:Literature]]
* In ''LordOfTheRings'', a revived Gandalf the White keeps his face and new garments hidden until it is time to reveal himself. The films actually invert this, by having him reveal himself as a blinding light fades.

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath City of Death]]'', Captain Tancredi's identity is revealed in this way.

[[AC:Web Comics]]
* In ''TheOrderOfTheStick'', Xyxon [[InvokedTrope won't let the Creature in the Darkness step out of the shadows until it's dramatically appropriate]]. The creature was ''supposed'' to do this during the big battle at Dorukan's Gate, but things didn't quite go to plan. It's spent ''years'' hiding in shadows, being shut in a box, or being forced to carry around a magical ([[ParasolOfPrettiness albeit nice looking]]) umbrella that creates darkness beneath it.

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Dungeons And Wagons", Haley's [[DeepImmersionGaming game avatar]] is revealed this way.

* In the 5th SeasonFinale of ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Sela showing her face is the last shot.

* In the ''DoctorWho'' serial ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath City of Death]]'', Captain Tancredi's identity is revealed in this way.

* In [[StarTrek:TheNextGeneration Redemption]] [[spoiler:Tasha Yar's Daughter]] Sela emerges from the shadows, and since she looks like a Romulan version of Tasha Yar, this leads to quite a shock factor.

* The final villain in ''{{Chuck}}'' is revealed this way.

* In the ''AmericanDad'' episode "Dungeons And Wagons", Haley's [[DeepImmersionGaming game avatar]] is revealed this way.

* In ''TheOrderOfTheStick'', Xyxon [[InvokedTrope won't let the Creature in the Darkness step out of the shadows until it's dramatically appropriate]]. The creature was ''supposed'' to do this during the big battle at Dorukan's Gate, but things didn't quite go to plan. It's spent ''years'' hiding in shadows, being shut in a box, or being forced to carry around a magical umbrella that creates darkness beneath it.

* In ''TheOrderOfTheStick'', Xyxon [[InvokedTrope won't let the Creature in the Darkness step out of the shadows until it's dramatically appropriate]]. The creature was ''supposed'' to do this during the big battle at Dorukan's Gate, but things didn't quite go to plan.

* In the 5th SeasonFinale of ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Sela showing her face is the last shot.

* ''TheTwilightZone'' does this in "Eye of the Beholder" (when revealing that these "humans" have quite a different standard of beauty than ours) and "He's Alive" (when revealing that the person guiding the neo-Nazi is [[spoiler:Hitler himself]]).

* A very common occurrence in ''TheXFiles'', particularly if it's someone involved in some way with the myth arc conspiracy.

* ''LordOfTheRings'' inverts this. A revived Gandalf is revealed after a blinding light fades.

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Compare FaceFramedInShadow, Natural Spotlight.

Someone's face, or whole bodies, is kept in shadows until just the right moment for this one to come out and show his/her face to the other characters, or just the audience.