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| 3 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. |
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| 6 | %% Image replaced per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1296326021035484500 |
| 7 | %% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 8 | %% |
| 9 | [[quoteright:300:[[Series/ILoveLucy https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Harpo_and_Lucy_1217.jpg]]]] |
| 10 | [[caption-width-right:300: [[Series/ILoveLucy Lucy]] and [[Creator/MarxBrothers Harpo]] take their time [[{{Pun}} to reflect off each other.]]]] |
| 11 | |
| 12 | ->'''Clay:''' [Le Mime]'s doin' everything ''I'' do!\ |
| 13 | '''Dojo:''' ''The mirror gag.'' Why did it have to be a mime?! |
| 14 | -->-- ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' |
| 15 | |
| 16 | When someone attempts to be a mirror image of another person by standing behind a glass pane, sometimes only an empty frame or a gap in a row of mirrors, copying their movements exactly. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Sometimes this is to hide the fact that ''they'' have broken the mirror, and they don't want the other character to find out. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | In cartoons, this is usually played for laughs with two characters that look nothing alike, with the mark trying to catch the "mirror image" out and the foil managing to pull off a perfectly synchronised act. If the act is [[IdiotBall convincing enough to work]], expect the mark to attribute glaring differences to simple illness, drinking, or staying up too late. It can also be used very effectively to hide from a pursuer, especially if you happen to be an EvilTwin. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | Another variant is when two [[IdenticalStranger Identical Strangers]] meet each other for the first time. This is also sometimes done when [[FullBodyDisguise someone is flawlessly disguised as the person he is impersonating]] or [[PaperThinDisguise vice-versa]], or even if the impersonator is only [[LatexPerfection wearing a convincing rubber mask]] but leaving the rest of the body exposed. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | A similar setup is used when the character seen by the audience isn't the character seen by the other characters (e.g., a FreakyFridayFlip situation, or a person using a glamour to hide his true form). If Bob is hiding in Alice's body, sometimes the show will continue to show us Bob, but have everyone react like they've seen Alice, and the Mirror Routine is a decent way to clarify what's going on. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Unfortunately, since mirrors have traditionally been a way to see through a glamour (e.g., how Dracula [[MissingReflection doesn't reflect]]), there are two variants here, one the inverse of the other: Either Bob is the true person (or at least the [[OurSoulsAreDifferent soul]]) and Alice-in-the-Mirror is what others see, or Bob is what others see and Alice-in-the-Mirror is his true form. Whichever you use, establish it well. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | In RealLife, this is almost impossible to do convincingly. If you've ever done basic drama in school then you've probably done this exercise and know just how hard it is to synchronise your actions with those of another actor, even with proper forward planning. |
| 29 | |
| 30 | See also StandInPortrait and WallpaperCamouflage. Compare with TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf. Not to be confused with MirrorMatch. |
| 31 | ---- |
| 32 | !!Examples: |
| 33 | |
| 34 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 37 | * A recent UsefulNotes/McDonalds commercial plays with this trope with a young teenage girl who apparently approaches a mirror and performs a dance routine before "reaching through" to pick up the "reflected" drink, at which point it becomes apparent that this trope was being performed with twin sisters. |
| 38 | * A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i8f7pcJUdM 2016 commercial]] for the Advertising/SeattleMariners baseball had 2016 Mariner Robinson Cano, and former Mariner Edgar Martinez perform such a routine. Robinson adjusts his hat, and Edgar adjusts his hat. Robinson touches his ear, and Edgar touches his ear. Robinson holds up a lamp, and Edgar holds up the light bat, a baseball bat-shaped lamp [[CallBack that he made in a commercial 15 years earlier.]] Immediately afterwards, two coaches [[ComicallyMissingThePoint decide that Robinson Cano's swing is a mirror image of Ken Griffey Jr.]] |
| 39 | [[/folder]] |
| 40 | |
| 41 | [[folder:Animation]] |
| 42 | * ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': When [=BoBoiBoy's=] [[LiteralSplitPersonality counterparts are split up for too long]], their memory deteriorates. Adu Du exploits this weakness by kidnapping one of the three so they can't reunite. As they all undergo identity loss, [=BoBoiBoy=] Earth and [=BoBoiBoy=] Wind (who weren't kidnapped) are puzzled over which of them is the "real" [=BoBoiBoy=], and start mirroring each other's actions at some point. |
| 43 | [[/folder]] |
| 44 | |
| 45 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 46 | * In ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'' episode 322a "Shokupanman and Horrorman", Baikinman dresses Horrorman as Shokupanman due to the skeleton feeling depressed that Dokinchan loves Shokupanman instead of him. Baikinman takes advantage of this as he wanted Horrorman to cause trouble for the superhero. When Horrorman was at the Bakery, he tries to get way from Shokupanman by using the fallen mirror and tries to pretend that he is his reflection until the mirror falls. |
| 47 | * A variation of this is done in ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''. The Mirror card [[InvokedTrope deliberately]] mirrors Sakura's actions in order to reveal its identity. |
| 48 | * In ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', after Josuke and Koichi manage to warn Jotaro about Hazamada's planned ambush, Josuke notices how he suddenly took Jotaro's pocket pen, and upon looking at his nearby reflection, he realizes that it's actually Hazamada's Surface controlling him from afar. |
| 49 | * ''Anime/MegaManNTWarrior2002'' has Yuriko and Mariko doing this, mainly because Mariko thought Yuriko ''was'' her reflection due to their very similar appearance. Yuriki then hypnotises Mariko to forget she ever saw her and disappears. |
| 50 | * ''Manga/MyLovelyGhostKana'': Daikichi and Kana are cleaning opposite sides of a window and go through a short routine, then burst out laughing at each other. |
| 51 | * ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': [[BrilliantButLazy Shikamaru and the rest of the Nara family]] pull this off by way of their ShadowPin ninjutsu. To paraphrase an enemy, "You got ahold of my shadow, so now we marry each other's movements." |
| 52 | * On ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'', Chuck's EvilCounterpart Fastener stands in front of a mirror that Chuck is examing. Chuck starts goofing off with Fasterner mimicking his actions. Then Fastener smacks Chuck in the face and zips behind him before he can get reoriented. With Fasterner's reflection now in the mirror, Chuck tries to punch him...and rips his hand open on the glass. |
| 53 | [[/folder]] |
| 54 | |
| 55 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 56 | * ''ComicBook/TheBeano'' once utilized this in 'The Three Bears' strip. Pa used a mirror frame to distract Hank with this while Ma and Ted robbed the store. It [[GoneHorriblyRight worked a little too well]], as Hank decided that the 'mirror' was so good, that he should use it to check out his new hat. After Hank sees his 'reflection' with the old hat, he catches on, and then proceeds to knock-out Pa off-panel, and then disguise as him to trick Ma and Ted into giving him the food back. |
| 57 | * ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': A ([[ContinuitySnarl/DonnaTroy short lived]]) retcon to [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Donna]]'s backstory plays with this. She was "born" when a magic mirror absorbed a piece of her sister Diana's soul as she gazed into it and her first steps outside of the mirror matched Diana's as though her reflection had left the mirror to continue on next to her. [[note]] For Donna's most well known origin see ''ComicBook/WhoIsDonnaTroy''[[/note]] |
| 58 | [[/folder]] |
| 59 | |
| 60 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 61 | * ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': Bolt's look-alike father mirrors his son's actions in "The Cameo" when they first meet. They even shout "Creator/MarxBrothers! Film/DuckSoup!" to each other when they finish. |
| 62 | [[/folder]] |
| 63 | |
| 64 | %%[[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 65 | %% Needs Context * Done by Chuckie and Donnie in the ''WesternAnimation/RugratsGoWild''. |
| 66 | %%[[/folder]] |
| 67 | |
| 68 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 69 | * A surprisingly horrifying example in ''Film/FourteenOhEight''. The protagonist tries to articulate his troubles by gestures to a stranger he sees in the window of the house across the road. He manages to attract attention to himself, but then the stranger suddenly begins repeating the protagonist's own moves. And when the hero finally realizes that [[MindScrew he sees his own reflection in the opposite window]], [[MirrorScare the reflection gets attacked from behind]]. |
| 70 | * Used in ''Film/{{Airheads}}'' when Pip first leaves the radio station. He encounters a police officer, and they perform the basic routine. Pip tries to throw off the cop with some kind of dance move, but the officer reaches for his gun, causing the inept rocker to flee. |
| 71 | * In the unused script for ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'', old Doc Brown travels to the sixties and has to avoid being seen by young Doc Brown by hiding behind an empty mirror frame. ''"Great Scott! I look terrible!"'' |
| 72 | * Played with in the Creator/BetteMidler flick ''Film/{{Big Business|1988}}''. She's playing identical twins who don't know about this and meet for the first time -- walking along a mirrored surface. Neither wants to foil the other, they just happen to do the same movements at the same time -- except, you know, mirrored. |
| 73 | * Also played for horror in ''Film/Cube2Hypercube''. One character opens a door and sees herself in an apparent mirror...until her other self grabs her hand, then is murdered seconds later by another character ''who's in the room with them''. |
| 74 | * Done in the Creator/VincentPrice vehicle ''[[Film/DrGoldfootAndTheBikiniMachine Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs]]'' (1966), between Price's title villain and Ciccio Ingrassia's hero/comedy relief. |
| 75 | * The Creator/MarxBrothers do this in ''Film/DuckSoup''. The [[TropeCodifier definitive version]] that everyone copies. The gag was old when the Marxes did it, dating from vaudeville and being used in several silent comedies in the '20s, though they subvert it niftily at one point when Groucho and Harpo ''walk around each other'' but continue imitating each other afterward. |
| 76 | * The TropeMaker might be 1916 Creator/CharlieChaplin film ''Film/TheFloorwalker'', in which the Tramp runs into his IdenticalStranger, in the person of a department store floorwalker. The Tramp and the floorwalker mimic each other's movements for a while until Charlie is reassured that the floorwalker is real by reaching out and touching his valise. |
| 77 | * In the second ''Film/{{Garfield}}'' movie, ''A Tale of Two Kitties'', Garfield and IdenticalStranger Prince do this when they finally meet, over a hedge arch. They desynchronize once Garfield tries some wicked dance moves, although it's Garfield's bad breath that's the last straw for Prince. |
| 78 | * Sarah Jessica Parker made a dance movie in the 1980s called ''Film/GirlsJustWantToHaveFun''. During the final round of competition, twin dancers successfully pull off a quick intro that way and are called Mirror Image. |
| 79 | * In ''Film/AGirlWalksHomeAloneAtNight'', the vampiric Girl taunts Hossein like this as she stalks him on the opposite side of a street. |
| 80 | * [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in Music/TheMonkees' film ''Film/{{Head}}''. Peter thinks Davy's trying to do "the old mirror routine" in the studio restroom, but Davy's actually trying to warn Peter about a huge MagicalEye in the mirror. |
| 81 | * In ''Film/InterviewWithTheVampire'', the titular vampire, Louis, relates his encounter with the French vampire Santiago, who happens to be quite dressed similarly to himself. Upon being spotted by Louis, Santiago amuses himself by engaging in a bit of this before he actually properly introduces himself to Louis. [[spoiler:He does at the end again, where Louis confronts him armed with scythe. This time, however, Louis proves too fast for him.]] |
| 82 | * Creator/RobertoBenigni does a quick mirror routine with an IdenticalStranger in ''Film/JohnnyStecchino.'' |
| 83 | * ''Film/LostInAHarem'': Done by a disguised Peter Johnson and Nimativ, with Peter posing as the mirror to keep Nimativ fooled. |
| 84 | * The IdenticalStranger version features in the [[PolishMedia Polish comedy]] ''[[Film/TeddyBear MiÅ›]]'', in which the protagonist opens the door and takes his doppelganger for a mirror salesman. Then he shuts the door in his face. |
| 85 | -->"We already have a mirror." |
| 86 | * This happens in the TV movie ''Model Behavior'', except the lookalikes are ''unintentionally'' copying each other's movements. |
| 87 | * Done in ''Film/TheNuttHouse'', when two identical twins finally meet. |
| 88 | * Variation of sorts in ''Film/ThePinkPanther1963'' where Sir Charles and his nephew are cracking a two-sided safe, unaware of each other, wearing identical gorilla costumes. |
| 89 | * Also used in ''[[Film/RepliKate Repli-Kate]]'': Kate and her clone both mistake each other for a reflection, unintentionally mirror each other's movements, and walk away without a clue what just happened. |
| 90 | * Max Linder, in the 1921 silent comedy ''Seven Years Bad Luck'', in which Max's servant is trying to hide the fact that he's broken his master's mirror. |
| 91 | * A variation shows up in the Creator/BusterKeaton film ''Film/SherlockJr'' -- Buster stands in front of what appears to be a full-length mirror, then steps through, revealing that it's a door connecting two identical rooms. |
| 92 | * Another silent-era example: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4VdIZLiRec Charley Chase,]] in his 1924 short ''Sittin' Pretty''. (which, incidentally, was directed by the same director who went on directing... ''Film/DuckSoup''.) |
| 93 | * ''Film/{{Sleeper}}'' is an homage to silent film slapstick -- at one point, Creator/WoodyAllen does the routine shaving at a futuristic mirror, where he notices his reflection is just a bit off-sync. |
| 94 | * Like every other slapstick trope, this one was used on occasion by Film/TheThreeStooges -- usually Curly. |
| 95 | [[/folder]] |
| 96 | |
| 97 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 98 | * Inversion: In ''Ares Express'' by Creator/IanMcDonald, Sweetness searches through a mirror maze for one image that doesn't match her every move, because it's an independent virtual-reality copy of her. |
| 99 | * Played for dramatic effect near the end of ''The Big Over Easy'' (book kind-of spun off from ''Literature/ThursdayNext''). |
| 100 | * In ''[[Franchise/DisneyFairies Fawn and the Mysterious Trickster]]'', Fawn pranks Beck by dressing up as her and pretending to be her reflection. |
| 101 | * In ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'', Dante initially mistakes the misty, transparent visage of one of the Moon's saints for his own reflection. |
| 102 | * In ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear: The Nightmare Machine'', Zak ends up in a hall of funhouse mirrors that, with holographic aid, distort reflections in improbable ways. After a while in there, he comes across [[TheCameo Lando Calrissian]], assumes he's a particularly cool-looking reflection and tries posing. Lando grabbing him is one of the book's PseudoCrisis chapter ends. |
| 103 | * In one ''Literature/LordPeterWimsey'' short story, a man who suffers from a chronic fear of doppelgängers meets his long-lost EvilTwin when he mistakes him for a reflection in a glass door, then has a panic attack. |
| 104 | * In ''Literature/SeptimusHeap'', Septimus finds a mirror he thinks is a {{Chronoscope}}, which shows a super-old man mimicking his movements. Then the old guy pulls him through and shoves him through a PortalToThePast of 500 years ago. It turns out the old guy was Marcellus Pye, who really was [[AgeWithoutYouth over 500 years old]]. |
| 105 | * Partially applies to a scene in ''Literature/WitchesAbroad'', where Lily rushes into her mirror-filled room and mistakes Granny for one of her own reflections, as she's standing in the frame of a broken one. Justified in that Granny was dressed similarly to Lily, they're sisters who look a lot alike, and Lily's ''ordinary'' reflections don't move perfectly in synch with her, due to her excessive use of mirror-magic. |
| 106 | [[/folder]] |
| 107 | |
| 108 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 109 | * Done on by Patty Duke on the opening titles of the ''Series/ThePattyDukeShow'' as [[UncannyFamilyResemblance Patty and Cathy]]. |
| 110 | * Happens a few times in ''Series/TheBennyHillShow'', usually with Benny in drag mirroring a woman. The "disguise" fails when they start to strip... |
| 111 | * One episode of ''Series/GilligansIsland'' involves a Soviet spy who has undergone plastic surgery to resemble Gilligan landing on the island. When the two Gilligans come face to face, the spy tries to convince the real Gilligan that he is looking into a mirror. Gilligan manages to trip the spy up by acting like he is going to sneeze and then stopping halfway through. |
| 112 | * ''Series/TheGoodies''. In "The Baddies", our heroes are chasing evil robot doppelgangers of themselves. Graeme Garden comes across a mirror and cringes in fear until realising it's just a reflection. He decides to check his appearance in the mirror, only to suddenly reach through the frame and knock out his robot double. It's a variation on this trope in that it really is a reflection of the actor, which then becomes a visual gag. |
| 113 | * This is done as part of a rehearsal for a school play in ''Series/HannahMontana''. |
| 114 | * Lucy and Harpo Marx, in an episode of ''Series/ILoveLucy'', echoing the famous scene from ''Film/DuckSoup''. |
| 115 | * Done in an episode of ''Series/MadTV1995'' spoofing ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', where Nikki (the one with the split personality) believes the "her" in the mirror is someone different and performs a series of elaborate stunts in front of the mirror to prove it. |
| 116 | * This is a plot point in the episode "The Tailor's Dummy" of ''Series/JonathanCreek'', inspired by ''Film/DuckSoup'', to bluff that one man was the murderer. |
| 117 | * A contender group in the Japanese talent show ''Kasou Taishou'' had done a mirror room dance involving one girl dancing with five other girls as mirror images mimicking the dancer. This got them first place. |
| 118 | * In an episode of ''Series/PhilOfTheFuture'', Pim dresses up as Debby's grandmother to sneak out of a {{Slumber Party}}. She then poses as a mirror in front of Debby's real grandmother but gets caught when she accidentally sneezes. |
| 119 | * Scott Bakula did the same performance with dozens of other actors on ''Series/QuantumLeap'', for pretty much the same reason. |
| 120 | * Parodied in a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketch parodying ''Series/TheSwan'' in the episode hosted by [[Creator/MaryKateAndAshleyOlsen the Olsen twins]]. One twin played the contestant looking at herself in the mirror; the other played the mirror image, deliberately off-sync with the other. The "image" even hands the other a tissue when she starts crying! |
| 121 | * In the first episode of ''Series/SisterSister'', Tia and Tamara simultaneously brush their hair a bit (like, out of one eye) while standing on either side of an empty frame. Neither knows about the existence of the other until later in the episode. |
| 122 | * Subverted in the ''Series/{{The Suite Life Of Zack and Cody}}'' episode "Midsummer Nightmare''. A heated argument breaks out during this routine. |
| 123 | * This sketch was done as a performance in ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'': Rather slim prima ballerina Darcy Bussel in a famous cameo is reflected by not-at-all slim Geraldine. |
| 124 | * Parodied in the "Arrivederci, Arnold" episode of ''Series/WelcomeBackKotter'', when Mr. Kotter dresses up as Horshack and puts on a skit to convince Woodman to return Arnold from mainstream classes to the Sweathogs, with Kotter looking face-to-face at Arnold and both of them doing such trademarks as Arnold's wheezy laugh and several "Ooh-ooh-ooh!"'s. Arnold takes a look at Mr. Kotter and says "Wait a minute; I don't got no mustache..." |
| 125 | * {{Played for Laughs}} in the ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'' episode "All About You-Niverse". Alex performs this routine to avoid being spotted by her mother through a portal to a MirrorUniverse but immediately drops the act when her mother falls for it. |
| 126 | -->'''Alex:''' [[LampshadeHanging Mom we're not even dressed the same! I can't believe you bought this for one second!]] |
| 127 | * Done in an episode of ''Series/TheXFiles''. In the Season 6 two-part episode "Dreamland", Mulder switches bodies with a [[TheMenInBlack man in black]]. When he later looks in the mirror, the two actors (David Duchovny and Micheal [=McKean=]) perform this trope. |
| 128 | [[/folder]] |
| 129 | |
| 130 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 131 | * [[Wrestling/HunterJohnston Delirious]] does one in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POj9ANlRr4s this promo]] from [[Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance NWA Wildside]], with Wrestling/DaizeeHaze and referee Mike Posey as the second Delirious. |
| 132 | [[/folder]] |
| 133 | |
| 134 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
| 135 | * In ''Series/BarneyAndFriends'', two characters perform the clown version of this. |
| 136 | * ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': |
| 137 | ** In an episode, Kermit checks his appearance in an empty frame; on the other side is Scooter's wind-up TV show host that looks exactly like Kermit, except for the wind-up key in the back. |
| 138 | ** In a later episode, a sketch features Gonzo testing this when performing "[[Music/BuckOwens Act Naturally]]" opposite his reflection, who refuses to mimic the "ludicrous things" he does. |
| 139 | * Done with Kermit and EvilTwin Constantine in ''Film/MuppetsMostWanted''. |
| 140 | [[/folder]] |
| 141 | |
| 142 | [[folder:Theater]] |
| 143 | * A musical incorporating the songs of Creator/GeorgeGershwin, ''Crazy For You'', has the unintentional version happen partway through. Both characters (one is disguised as the other) are drunk ([[DrowningMySorrows due to lost love]]) and don't realize they're not seeing a reflection until one raises their glass in a toast and the other doesn't. They both shrug it off. |
| 144 | * In the Creator/CirqueDuSoleil show ''Theatre/{{Zed}}'', the title character briefly encounters a double of himself, and their performances are mirrored until they seemingly merge into one being again. |
| 145 | [[/folder]] |
| 146 | |
| 147 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 148 | * A version of this appears in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', albeit so subtly that neither the player nor Batman notice until the end of the game: when Batman arrives for their second confrontation, Joker is seen adjusting his makeup in a large mirror; though he has his back to the door, it's clear from his reflection that he's still [[DarkLordOnLifeSupport horribly diseased and likely within hours of dying]]. However, when the Joker turns around, he appears perfectly healthy. [[spoiler: It's not until the end of the game that Batman discovers that Joker has actually hired [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Clayface]] to act as his BodyDouble; the "mirror" was just a pane of glass that the real Joker was hiding behind, Clayface being able to mirror his bosses mannerisms almost perfectly as he put the finishing touches on his disguise. If you look carefully at the mirror during this scene, you can even get a glimpse of the real Joker ducking out of sight.]] |
| 149 | * ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2NTranced'': The fight against Fake Crash has him copying the player's movements. If you touch him you'll die, so to damage him you had to lead him into the [[BossArenaIdiocy traps in the stage]] without getting killed by them yourself. |
| 150 | * ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': The battle against Shadow Link starts off like this and goes on for about a minute or so before he starts attacking on his own. You can break the mirror act sooner by using something other than sword-and-shield. |
| 151 | * ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'': At the end of the first mission for the "Daybreak" update, Mai's Munchlax will end up doing this with [[spoiler:an illusion-disguised Zorua]]. |
| 152 | * In the ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' quest "Broken Home", you encounter the ghostly Mysterious Waif in a room, with a pane of glass between you. She doesn't respond if you speak to her, but if you mimic her actions like a mirror, [[CuteMute you can make her smile]]. [[spoiler: Turns out, it was a very good thing that glass ''was'' separating you...]] |
| 153 | * ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'': Before fighting the Death Egg Robot, Classic and Modern Sonic both walk up to a glass window in the wall separating them and perform this gag. The perspective the player sees it from depends on which Sonic they used to enter the boss portal from the hub world. In Classic Sonic's perspective, he realizes the trick after Eggman speaks. In Modern Sonic's, he doesn't notice until Classic Sonic runs off. |
| 154 | * ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': |
| 155 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' did it to simplify the graphics processing. In-story, a room had a large mirror on the wall. The game actually used a mirrored room, a duplicate of Mario, and an invisible force field. Not a ''perfectly'' mirrored room, of course. The trick in that room is to find something that isn't a perfect mirror and use that as a level entrance. In the remake, Luigi can phase through the mirror into the copied room, where things get [[WhiteVoidRoom weird]]. |
| 156 | ** In ''VideoGame/PaperMario64'', some shape-changing enemies try to pull this in the seventh dungeon, an ice palace, where every room ''looks'' like it has a mirror covering its wall, but is actually divided by a giant wall of glass. Eventually you find a hole in the "mirror" and bump into your "reflection". |
| 157 | ** In ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'', Mario and Luigi do this when they meet The Starshade Bros. |
| 158 | * In the first ''VideoGame/TombRaiderI'' game and its [[VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary remake]], there is an Atlantean creature who looks like a muscular structure of a human who copies Lara's movements exactly. |
| 159 | [[/folder]] |
| 160 | |
| 161 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 162 | * [[http://antiheroescomic.com/comic/66 Stick figures can do it too,]] as seen in ''Webcomic/AntiHeroes'' with ghost illusionist Kaalinor stumbling upon the very mook he took the appearance of. |
| 163 | -->'''Kaalinor:''' Wow! That was totally awesome! I can't believe I stayed in sync with you for so long! |
| 164 | * The protagonist of ''Webcomic/ChoppingBlock'' [[http://choppingblock.keenspot.com/d/20001003.html once did this]] with [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]] (both wear hockey masks). |
| 165 | * Jekyll and Hyde speak to each other this way in ''Webcomic/MKsTheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde''. |
| 166 | [[/folder]] |
| 167 | |
| 168 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 169 | * ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s [[http://www.cracked.com/article_19369_the-6-most-mind-blowing-ways-your-brain-can-malfunction.html The 6 Most Mind-Blowing Ways Your Brain Can Malfunction]] mentions a mental disorder called mirrored-self misidentification, in which someone looking into a mirror believes that the [[MirrorMonster monster in the mirror]] is an intruder performing a Mirror Routine, not oneself. |
| 170 | * When the title character of ''Roleplay/RubyQuest'' leaves a room and returns, what was a window into another room seems to have changed into a mirror, as she discovers when the players see a shadow behind it. When she shatters the mirror, however, there is someone on the other side- whose body distorts horribly in order to squeeze into the room. [[spoiler: The other person was later discovered to be a horribly mutated Daisy.]] |
| 171 | * On ''Website/ScrewAttack'', a [[http://www.screwattack.com/shows/originals/clip-of-the-week/clip-week-alternate-dimension Clip of the Week]] video has the staff opening a portal to an alternate dimension and meet with their doppelgangers. Stuttering Craig and his double (played by Craig's brother) silently size each other up. Then they whack each other in the crotch. |
| 172 | * Creator/Wileyk209zback: One video involved him doing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxzCMunzM28 a full-blown remake]] of this gag from the classic ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' episode "[[Recap/ScoobyDooWhereAreYouS1E7NeverApeAnApeMan Never Ape an Ape Man]]", utilizing ChromaKey technology, a gorilla suit and a Scooby mask and costume. The result looks pretty impressive. |
| 173 | ** In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LoC0GB6Kco this video]] demonstrating the video effects from the pre-2007 versions of Apple's [=iMovie=] Non-Linear Edit software, when Zak Wolf gets to the "Mirror" effect he acts this out with the mirrored image of himself. He even mentions he should've brought his Franchise/ScoobyDoo mask or a [[Film/DuckSoup Groucho Marx costume]]. |
| 174 | [[/folder]] |
| 175 | |
| 176 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 177 | * Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' episode "Marceline's Closet", when Finn spots Jake in Marceline's house, and Jake tries to pose as Finn's reflection in the window (only he mirrors Finn's movements the wrong way around). |
| 178 | -->'''Finn:''' Jake, get outta there! Marceline's gonna kill you! Jake! I ''know'' this isn't a mirror! What the-- You're [[LampshadeHanging doing it WRONG, even!]] |
| 179 | * The ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' episode "Double Dinobot" has a bit where Dinobot and his organic clone face one another and copy each other's movements. |
| 180 | * Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Bonkers}}'' also had an example similar to the Scooby-Doo/Ape Man example in the episode "When the Spirit Moves You," where a ghost a haunted house disguises himself in a rubber Bonkers mask and suit and does the mirror routine with the real Bonkers at an opening in a room. |
| 181 | * ''WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts'': |
| 182 | ** In the WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse cartoon "WesternAnimation/LonesomeGhosts", a ghost does this to Goofy, who mentions at the beginning, "For a moment I thought it wasn't me." After a while of doing this, Goofy finally catches on and says, "I know you, you're a ghost!" |
| 183 | ** In the Chip 'n Dale cartoon ''Two Chips and a Miss'', both Chip and Dale do this thinking they both saw a reflection of themselves to straighten their tuxedos when they were both secretly invited to a club. |
| 184 | ** [[WesternAnimation/PlutoThePup Pluto]] does this in the cartoon "Canine Casanova" with a dachshund named Dinah. |
| 185 | * ''WesternAnimation/CountDuckula'': In the episode "One Stormy Night", a statue of Duckula come to life does this with the real Duckula. Duckula begins to believe the statue really is his reflection, until the statue points out that [[MissingReflection vampires have no reflection]]. |
| 186 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheCrumpets'' episode "Pity The Prize" has the Weather Girl's encounter with Cassandra, who is being disguised as her in an attempt to divert her own crush's attention. This scene is an intentional homage to the ''Big Business'' movie example, including blowing raspberries and nose pinching. |
| 187 | * ''WesternAnimation/DonkeyKongCountry'': "Ape-Nesia" features Captain Skurvy and his pirates doing this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4zU20y8kg&feature=PlayList&p=2FABC4C1D36B5F36&playnext_from=PL&index=7 in song]] to convince [[AmnesiaDanger an amnesiac Donkey Kong]] he's one of them. |
| 188 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewSchool'' has Kuzco shape-shift into Kronk with one of Yzma's potions and then pose as a reflection in the mirror to the real Kronk to steal the potion that will turn him back.[[note]]Kronk is holding the potion while venting his guilt in the "mirror".[[/note]] |
| 189 | -->'''Kronk:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Where is the reflection of the potion?]] |
| 190 | * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' does this with Hitler vs. Stewie disguised as Hitler, a shot-by-shot remake of the infamous Creator/MarxBrothers skit in the episode "Road to Germany". |
| 191 | ** A variation features in "Switch the Flip" when Stewie accidentally swaps bodies with Peter; to stop Peter realising what has happened to him, Brian-in-Chris tells Peter-in-Stewie to look in a "mirror" that is just a door with Stewie-in-Peter on the other side. |
| 192 | * Seen in the Paramount/Trans-Lux version of ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' entitled "Felix the Cat Suit", when as another scheme to steal the magic bag, the Professor disguises himself in a strange inflatable Felix the Cat costume, removes the glass from Felix's mirror and readies himself; once the real Felix arrives and begins combing his hair in the mirror, he is shocked to see a larger, fatter and permanently-grinning version of himself as his "reflection." Felix figures that he is either getting the mumps, is getting fatter, or the mirror is out-of-focus. But then [[BeeAfraid a bee comes along]] and pokes the "reflection" with its stinger, causing the Felix suit to blow up and give the game away. |
| 193 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}:'' One of the animals on Vergon-6 is the Four-Legged Mimic. When seen, it's turned into a horse version of Leela, and is doing this. Fry comes along and is confused as to which is which. He throws a net over Leela. |
| 194 | * The ''WesternAnimation/GarbagePailKidsCartoon'' episode "The House That Dripped Crud" had a short scene where Elliot Mess encounters a skeleton that pretends to be his reflection, even going to the trouble of scrambling his head and limb positions like Elliot's. |
| 195 | * Fred Flintstone does this on Billy's dad in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' once. Apparently, Billy's dad catches on eventually and keeps going after Fred has left. |
| 196 | * ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'': |
| 197 | ** In "Enter The Viper", when Jackie first met Viper, they were dressed identically when they passed, causing Jackie to think he was looking in a broken mirror. |
| 198 | ** In "The Tiger And The Pussycat", [[LiteralSplitPersonality after Jackie gets split into two thanks to accidentally using the tiger talisman]], the two Jackies initially thinks they're looking into a mirror. |
| 199 | * ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' has a shapeshifter escaping from the heroes this way. He has the advantage of being on the other side of the glass. |
| 200 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleRascals'' animated short "Rascals' Revenge", Butch does this to Alfalfa in the abandoned house. |
| 201 | * WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes: |
| 202 | ** WesternAnimation/BugsBunny does this to Elmer in the cartoon ''WesternAnimation/HareTonic'' to convince Elmer that he is turning into a rabbit. |
| 203 | ** WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck does this in ''The Impatient Patient'' and ''Draftee Daffy''. |
| 204 | ** On the short ''Bell Hoppy'', Sylvester has to put a bell on Hippety Hopper, and after various failed attempts, he tricks Hopper into putting the bell on himself with a mirror routine. |
| 205 | ** Daffy does it again in "WesternAnimation/AttackOfTheDrones" with one of his drones. |
| 206 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': In "Cover Girls", Luan (disguised as Leni) runs into the real Leni ([[ShapedLikeItself who's in her normal getup]]). They end up doing this, complete with Macarena. |
| 207 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': |
| 208 | ** Rainbow Dash does this in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart2 "A Canterlot Wedding Part 2"]] with the first [[ShapeShifter Changeling]] to take her appearance, complete with a subtle lag in the latter's movements. |
| 209 | ** In "The Times They Are a Changeling", Spike does this when he first encounters Thorax the Changeling (who's taken on Spike's form). Spike only figures it out when he turns to leave and Thorax accidentally slips in the snow copying him. |
| 210 | * The ''WesternAnimation/OhYeahCartoons'' short "Hubbykins vs. Sweetiepie" featured a variation on this trope where Hubbykins tried to avoid his irate wife Sweetiepie by covering himself in soot and pretending to be her shadow by copying her movements. His deception works until his wife's real shadow non-verbally points out he's an impostor. |
| 211 | * In ''WesternAnimation/ThePerilsOfPenelopePitstop'' episode "Big Top Trap", the Hooded Claw, disguised as Clyde ("One more clown Clyde won't be noticed"), does it by putting a mirror frame between himself and the real Clyde in the circus. |
| 212 | * A common gag on ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'', usually with Shaggy as a participant. Sometimes it is the Fake MonsterOfTheWeek doing the copying, other times it's Shaggy trying to fake out his pursuers. |
| 213 | ** In "Never Ape an Ape Man", this happens with Scooby, with the villain [[LatexPerfection wearing a very realistic latex Scooby-Doo mask]] but with his true hands exposed. |
| 214 | ** It happens again in "Scooby's Gold Medal Gambit" from ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyAndScrappyDooShow'' when the Chameleon disguised himself as Scooby, this time [[FullBodyDisguise in full-body]], even though the suit part was not as detailed. |
| 215 | ** A serious (and more realistic) variant was used in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'', in which a photograph thought to show a boy looking into a mirror turned out to be an image of identical twins, posed as if doing a Mirror Routine. |
| 216 | * Timid Smurf (later known as Actor) does this to Brainy in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'' episode "All the Smurf's a Stage". |
| 217 | * The ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' episode "A Bad Reflection on You, Part 2" features a scene where Kit hides out in Don Karnage's dressing room. When Mad Dog enters the room, Kit dresses in Karnage's clothes and mimics Mad Dog's movements to avoid being noticed. |
| 218 | * ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'': One of these occurs at the beginning of "Rapunzeltopia" when short-haired Rapunzel meets her long-haired alter ego: |
| 219 | -->'''Short-haired Rapunzel:''' Who are you, and what do you want? Ugh, whoa! ''[She finds herself wrapped up in her alter ego's long hair] '' |
| 220 | -->'''Short-haired Rapunzel:''' A frying pan? Who are you? Because that's kind of... my thing. ''[The other Rapunzel lowers her hood] ''Okay... |
| 221 | -->'''Other Rapunzel:''' Try not to freak out. |
| 222 | -->'''Short-haired Rapunzel:''' Try not to freak out? ''[giggles]'' Oh, why would I freak out? Meeting myself is perfectly normal, right? Trust me, I am not freaking out. Okay: I'm meeting myself, I'm meeting myself. I'm meeting myself! |
| 223 | -->'''Other Rapunzel:''' Right? |
| 224 | -->'''Both Rapunzels [simultaneously]:''' So neat! You said the same thing I said! Best day... Ha! You thought I was going to say "ever", but I stopped! |
| 225 | * ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'': A spy (who, naturally, looks nothing like Taz) does this to Taz in "Yet Another Road to Taz-Mania". |
| 226 | * The ''WesternAnimation/TeachersPet'' episode "Being Mrs. Leadready" has a scene where Leonard and Spot, both dressed as the mother of Spot's human persona Scott Leadyready II, copy each other's movements as if one of them was looking at their reflection. |
| 227 | * Tom and another cat did this while fighting over Jerry in the Chuck Jones ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' short ''Cat and Dupli-Cat''. |
| 228 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' episode "Like a Rock", Jack Spicer recruits [[EnemyMime Le Mime]] to help defeat the Xiaolin Monks. When Le Mime faces Clay, he does "the mirror gag" to stonewall Clay. Clay defeats Le Mime by punching himself in the face, which Le Mime copies. Clay can take a hit, Le Mime ''can't''. |
| 229 | [[/folder]] |
| 230 | |
| 231 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 232 | * [[http://www.metacafe.com/watch/876063/hilarious_mirror_prank/ Done as a prank.]] |
| 233 | * [[http://improveverywhere.com/2008/07/06/human-mirror/ Another prank]], done by Creator/ImprovEverywhere. |
| 234 | * [[http://animal.discovery.com/videos/planets-funniest-animals-cat-mirror.html This]] mirror routine between two similar-looking cats proves that this can happen in real life unintentionally. |
| 235 | * The "mirror test" for animal intelligence is whether or not animals can recognize their own reflection in a mirror as such, or think it's an intimidating, scent-less stranger whose every action matches their own. |
| 236 | * The ''Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation'' special effects team used this to film Benji's ImagineSpot about donning a LatexPerfection mask. In the movie, Benji has the mask fitted, then the camera seamlessly pans to a mirror showing his disguised reflection. In reality, Benji's actor, Creator/SimonPegg, sat in front of a hole with a mirror frame around it, facing a flipped duplicate of the set. The man Benji wanted to disguise as sat on the opposite side of the hole and copied Pegg's motions as best as he could. Ilsa's actress, Creator/RebeccaFerguson, also had a body double portray her reflection in the scene. Reversed in Ethan's case, as Creator/TomCruise played the reflection, and his body double filled the role of the "real" Ethan. |
| 237 | [[/folder]] |
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