History Main / MutuallyFictional

* In Chapter 18 of ''Fanfic/AisA'', SG-1 and MV-1(Fairy Tail's Strongest Team) end up in the Clancyverse, which Jack recognizes as he's read the books. He then gets the attention of people very high up by blowing a few secrets open in the right ears. Team Rainbow naturally can't trace or identify any of his teammates until somebody stumbles upon a volume of the ''Fairy Tail'' manga and recognizes Erza on the cover. It later turns out that the Clancyverse has the shows/games of nearly all of the MVTF's member universes, many of which are farther ahead than the universes were when they joined (for example MV-5 (the VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSeries universe) is only just past ''Tiberium Dawn''/''Renegade'', while the series up to ''Tiberium Wars'' is out in the Clancyverse.)[[/folder]]

* In Chapter 18 of ''Fanfic/AisA'', SG-1 and MV-1(Fairy Tail's Strongest Team) end up in the Clancyverse, which Jack recognizes as he's read the books. He then gets the attention of people very high up by blowing a few secrets open in the right ears. Team Rainbow naturally can't trace or identify any of his teammates until somebody stumbles upon a volume of the ''Fairy Tail'' manga and recognizes Erza on the cover. It later turns out that the Clancyverse has the shows/games of nearly all of the MVTF's member universes, many of which are farther ahead than the universes were when they joined (for example MV-5 (the VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumSeries universe) is only just past Tiberium Dawn/Renegade, while the series up to ''Tiberium Wars'' is out in the Clancyverse.)[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

* Okay, this gets complicated: In Creator/JasperFforde's ''Literature/ThursdayNext'' book ''Well of Lost Plots'', Thursday is hiding out in the Bookworld, in an unpublished crime novel called ''Caversham Heights'', along with two Generics, one of whom takes the form of Lola Vavoom, an actress frequently mentioned in the ''Thursday'' books. At the end of the book, ''Caversham Heights'' becomes a sanctuary for nursery rhyme characters, turning into a nursery rhyme/crime novel mashup. The ''Literature/NurseryCrime'' books are supposed to be what ''Caversham Heights'' becomes, and ''The Big Over Easy'' mentions that ''that'' version of Lola Vavoom has a backstory that includes appearing in an adaptation of ''The Eyre Affair''.

** A ShowWithinAShow example: Many characters are fans of ''Gekiganger 3''. The RecapEpisode showed that, in turn, the main characters of ''Gekiganger 3'' are fans of ''Nadesico''.
** [[MindScrew To make it even stranger]], each {{defictionaliz|ation}}ed something from the other in-verse. Done mutually with [[spoiler:the Gekigan flare]].

* ''ComicBook/TheMultiversity'' canonizes the idea that ''all'' comic book universes exist as entertainment in someone else's universe. Throughout the series, we actually see random characters reading other comics, most of which are other issues in the series. Or, in the words of Captain Carrot, as the Superman of Earth-23 [[http://mindlessones.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/5.jpg reads a copy]] of ''[[ComicBook/ActionComicsNew52 Action Comics v2 #9]]'':

* FanFic author Jared "Skysaber" Ornstead used this trope to invert the SelfInsertFic trope of {{Author Avatar}}s knowing everything about the [[TrappedInAnotherWorld worlds they visit]]; there's always a ShowWithinAShow based on his life in each one, and at least one of the characters is guaranteed to be a fan.

* ''Fanfic/MyHeroPlaythrough'': Canon!Izuku and Bakugou appear as Bosses in a Reflective Dungeon. An Omake in the same chapter has canon!Izuku experiencing the fight as a dream, commenting on the oddness of seeing Momo wearing "biker's leathers and a helmet", and fighting [[Franchise/SailorMoon Sailor Mercury]] and a girl wielding electromagnetic powers that Shoto (of all people) identified as Mikoto Misaka from the [[Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex RailDex]] series.

* In ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack'', the duo stumbles upon the the filming of a ''Film/{{Scream}}'' movie. The [[Film/Scream1996 first movie]] in the series had a poster for ''Film/{{Clerks}}'', a movie in [[Film/TheViewAskewniverse the same continuity]] as ''Jay and Silent Bob'', and Jay and Silent Bob themselves make a cameo in ''Film/Scream3'' where they try to hit on Gale after mistaking her for Connie Chung. That said, within the ''Scream'' series, the ''[[ShowWithinAShow Stab]]'' movies serve as their in-universe analogue to themselves, so the popular fan explanation is that Jay and Silent Bob wandered onto the set of ''Stab 4'' instead. (Doesn't explain the ''Clerks'' poster, though.)

* A cross-media example: An ad for ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' appeared at the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' Season 5 premiere, with some of the mercenaries too distracted by Hank and Dean's antics to notice a Spy sneaking into their base. A little over a season later, Rusty and Sgt. Hatred were seen playing ''Team Fortress 2'' when they were supposed to be working. While characters from both universes have appeared in the [[InnBetweenTheWorlds interdimensional bar]] known as [[VideoGame/PokerNightAtTheInventory The Inventory]], they appeared one game apart.

* In the first scene of ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'', the film ''Film/{{Halloween 1978}}'' is the subject of one of the questions the killer asks, and later ''Halloween'' is shown at a party (with one character [[GenreSavvy loudly protesting at the mistakes Laurie Strode is making]]). Likewise, in the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' sequel, ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'', a couple of characters are watching ''Film/{{Scream 2}}'' in one scene.

* In ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors'', the TV-obsessed patient is seen watching an early scene from the movie ''Film/{{Critters}}''. Later, ''Film/Critters2TheMainCourse'' had one of its alien doppelgangers attempt to imitate a cardboard Freddy Krueger standee at a video store.
* In the first ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984'', ''Film/TheEvilDead1981'' is seen on a TV, a ShoutOut to a poster for Creator/WesCraven's earlier film ''Film/TheHillsHaveEyes1977'' appearing in ''The Evil Dead'' (which was itself a ShoutOut to a poster for ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' appearing in ''The Hills Have Eyes''). Then in ''Film/EvilDead2'', Freddy Krueger's glove is seen in the shed where Ash creates his chainsaw-hand. Averted in [[Comicbook/FreddyVsJasonVsAsh the comics]], there was an UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny between Freddy, Ash, and [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]].
* In ''Film/IndependenceDay'' a character makes a passing reference to ''Series/TheXFiles'', conversely, in [[Film/TheXFilesFightTheFuture the first X-Files movie]] we see Mulder urinating in front of an ''Independence Day'' movie poster.
* The major plot point of ''Film/TheFrame'' is two characters in two different tv shows discover that they can talk to each other through the television. They also realize that ThePlotReaper is coming for them in each show.
* In [[Film/DieHard2 the second]] ''Film/DieHard'', at one point an [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E4TheresNoDisgraceLikeHome episode]] of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' is being shown on TV. In a [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E13HomerVsLisaAndThe8thCommandment second-season episode]] of ''The Simpsons'' the following year, the family is shown watching the original ''Film/DieHard''.

* Within ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' BBC fanfiction, Series/DoctorWho has been both fictional (e.g. John Watson's a whovian) and real (e.g. John is the son of Captain Jack Harkness, a character on Doctor Who), depending on what universe the fanfiction author is writing in. Additionally, some Whovian fanfiction features the Sherlock characters as real people, or claims that the Doctor is a fan of the original Conan Doyle figures. *Cue Rift crack*

* ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'' has a DirectLineToTheAuthor; the {{Kayfabe}} is that the Rev. Wilbert Awdry has really visited Sodor and writes about events he heard about or witnessed there. ''Thomas and the Great Railway Show'' reveals that ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' exists as an in-universe TV show that's an adaptation of these books. Then, towards the end of ''Thomas and Friends''[='=] run, it's revealed that Wilbert Awdry and ''The Railway Series'' exists in that universe as well, which means that both continuities exist as BasedOnATrueStory works within each other.

* The ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' series had a ''recursive'' fiction paradox. For example, a couple of the main books and ''a lot'' of the Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure books mention the main character having read about something like their situation in a Goosebumps book. In a good deal of the ''Literature/GiveYourselfGoosebumps'' books, you need to know about the book being referenced to get a good ending!

* ''[[Literature/HouseOfLeaves House]] of Leaves'': Used recursively[[note]]and basically like a "trope" rather than "trivia"[[/note]]: According to the story of the novel, Will Navidson is fictional. (Even though he's also the protagonist of the main narrative. It's complicated to say the least.) At the very end of the story, he starts reading ''[[EldritchLocation House]] of Leaves''.\\

* ''VideoGame/ChampionIslandGames'': The secret ending reveals that ''Champion Island Games'' and [[spoiler:''Halloween Magic Cat Academy'']] are fictional Google Doodles in each others' verses. Things get ''weird'' when the protagonists meet.

This is far weirder than it sounds, because even with all TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou MindScrew with a convoluted FramingDevice, certain rules have been established, and this breaks all of them. For one thing, even though the manuscript detailing Navidson's experiences becomes frighteningly real, all rational evidence has so far indicated it to be a fake, whereas this detail is basically impossible and apparently magical all things considered. For another, even thought he "manuscript" is full of notes highlighting all its oddities and inconsistencies as well as overanalysing everything, nobody comments anything about this book ''[[HauntedHouse House]] of Leaves'' -- not Navidson, who should see it's his own story, not Zampàno with his obsessive analysis and background on everything, not Johnny Truant who apparently gave the unfinished manuscript the name ''[[BiggerOnTheInside House]] of Leaves'' before he even got to this part and who's been going nuts because of the way it has intruded into his life. After all that commentary that contained the story even though it didn't keep it from seeming far too real, you're suddenly hit with this impossibility that nobody acknowledges, and which no commentary could contain if it tried.

* According to the story of ''[[Literature/HouseOfLeaves House]] of Leaves'', Will Navidson is fictional. (Even though he's also the protagonist of the main narrative. It's complicated to say the least.) At the very end of the story, he starts reading ''[[EldritchLocation House]] of Leaves''.\\

This is far weirder than it sounds, because even with all TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou MindScrew with a convoluted FramingDevice, certain rules have been established, and this breaks all of them. For one thing, even though the manuscript detailing Navidson's experiences becomes frighteningly real, all rational evidence has so far indicated it to be a fake. For another, even thought he "manuscript" is full of notes highlighting all its oddities and inconsistencies as well as overanalysing everything, nobody comments anything about this book ''[[HauntedHouse House]] of Leaves'' -- not Navidson, who should see it's his own story, not Zampàno with his obsessive analysis and background on everything, not Johnny Truant who apparently gave the unfinished manuscript the name ''[[BiggerOnTheInside House]] of Leaves'' before he even got to this part and who's been going nuts because of the way it has intruded into his life. After all that commentary that contained the story even though it didn't keep it from seeming far too real, you're suddenly hit with this impossibility that nobody acknowledges, and which no commentary could contain if it tried.

This is far weirder than it sounds, because even with all TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou MindScrew with a convoluted FramingDevice, certain rules have been established, and this breaks all of them. For one thing, even though the manuscript detailing Navidson's experiences becomes frighteningly real, all rational evidence has so far indicated it to be a fake. For another, even thought he "manuscript" is full of notes highlighting all its oddities and inconsistencies as well as overanalysing everything about it, nobody comments anything about this book ''[[HauntedHouse House]] of Leaves'' -- not Navidson, who should see it's his own story, not Zampàno with his obsessive analysis and background on everything, not Johnny Truant who apparently gave the unfinished manuscript the name ''[[BiggerOnTheInside House]] of Leaves'' before he even got to this part and who's been going nuts because of the way it has intruded into his life. After all that commentary that contained the story even though it didn't keep it from seeming far too real, you're suddenly hit with this impossibility that nobody acknowledges, and which no commentary could contain if it tried.

This is far weirder than it sounds, because even with all TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou MindScrew with a convoluted FramingDevice, certain rules have been established, and this breaks all of them. For one thing, even though the manuscript detailing Navidson's experiences becomes frigtheningly real, all rational evidence has so far indicated it to be a fake. For another, even thought he "manuscript" is full of notes highlighting all its oddities and inconsistencies as well as overanalysing everything about it, nobody comments anything about this book ''[[HauntedHouse House]] of Leaves'' -- not Navidson, who should see it's his own story, not Zampàno with his obsessive analysis and background on everything, not Johnny Truant who apparently gave the unfinished manuscript the name ''[[BiggerOnTheInside House]] of Leaves'' before he even got to this part and who's been going nuts because of the way it has intruded into his life. After all that commentary that contained the story even though it didn't keep it from seeming far too real, you're suddenly hit with this impossibility that nobody acknowledges, and which no commentary could contain if it tried.

* All the MindScrew in ''[[Literature/HouseOfLeaves House]] of Leaves'' includes a bizarre recursive version of this trope near the end, although it would be pretty simple without the mess of a FramingDevice the book has established by then. The novel you are reading is supposedly a version edited by Johnny Truant (together with his footnotes and personal ramblings) of a manuscript by Zampàno that's a fake academic study of a supposedly famous but nonexistent documentary called ''The Navidson Record'' made by photojournalist Will Navidson about his experiences in a really creepy [[BiggerOnTheInside house]]. ''[[HauntedHouse House]] of Leaves'' is the name given to it by Truant, not Zampàno, and the unfinished version is already called that before he gets to the part where this example happens. The text we are seeing has Zampàno explaining how other scholars before him have supposedly overanalysed every part of the story, and making his own observations on top, and then Truant adds comments on things he wasn't able to understand, so usually, anything like an inconsistency is {{lampshaded}} at the very least. Well, given all this, it's really freaky when towards the end of the novel/manuscript/documentary Will Navidson suddenly starts reading ''[[EldritchLocation House]] of Leaves'' -- apprently a printed version, not manuscript -- and none of his layers of commentators say anything about how this makes no sense at all, not to mention there's no mention of his noticing it's his own story.

* All the MindScrew in ''[[Literature/HouseOfLeaves House]] of Leaves'' includes a bizarre recursive version of this trope near the end, although it would be pretty simple without the mess of a FramingDevice the book has established by then. The novel you are reading is supposedly a version edited by Johnny Truant (together with his footnotes and personal ramblings) of a manuscript by Zampàno that's a fake academic study of a supposedly famous but nonexistent documentary called ''The Navidson Record'' made by photojournalist Will Navidson about his experiences in a really creepy [[BiggerOnTheInside house]]. ''[[HauntedHouse House]] of Leaves'' is the name given to it by Truant, not Zampàno, and the unfinished version is already called that before he gets to the part where this example happens. The text we are seeing has Zampàno explaining how other scholars before him have supposedly overanalysed every part of the story, and making his own observations on top, and then Truant adds comments on things he wasn't able to understand, so usually, anything like an inconsistency is {{lampshaded}} at the very least. Well, given all this, it's really freaky when towards the end of the novel/manuscript/documentary Will Navidson suddenly starts reading ''[[EldritchLocation House]] of Leaves'' -- apprently a printed version, not manuscript -- and none of his layers of commentators say anything about how this makes no sense at all, not to there's no mention of his noticing it's his own story.