Line #69 WebAnimation/TheTwins2022


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_twins_thumbnail.png]]
2	"The Twins" is an animated [=CalArts=] short {{horror}} film created by Michelle Tang, first published on April 28th, 2022.
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4	The film is based on twins, Lake and Lucas. Lucas frequently snitches on Lake to their teacher, Mrs. J, whenever the latter misbehaves, making the two despise each other. Then one day after school, Lucas runs off with Lake's toy car and the twins end up in a restricted area. There, their SiblingRivalry goes too far.
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6	It can be watched on [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCawr8qHbHE&ab_channel=MichelleTang YouTube]].
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8	----
9	!! The film contains examples of:
10	* AccidentalMurder: [[spoiler:Lake pushes Lucas down into an empty road and refuses to help when Lucas complains about his ankle. This leads directly to Lucas being killed by a hit-and-run. It's clear killing Lucas was not Lake's intention when he shoved him, as evidenced by his [[OhCrap horrified expression]] when the car runs over his brother]].
11	* AdultsAreUseless: At first, it's PlayedForDrama. The teacher never catches on to Lucas' true nature or bothers to understand Lake's side of the story. Eventually PlayedForHorror when she doesn't notice anything wrong when "Lucas" is shown with broken glasses.
12	* AintTooProudToBeg: When Lucas is on the ground and unable to get up, he finally begins pleading for Lake to help him and frantically apologizing for how he treated him. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Lake doesn’t even consider he could be actually scared and doesn’t turn around fast enough.]]
13	* AlliterativeFamily: Twins whose names start with the letter L, '''L'''ake and '''L'''ucas.
14	* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: Apart from their different clothing choices and hairstyles, Lake and Lucas are identical in physical appearance. [[spoiler:This allows Lake to seamlessly take Lucas's place when the latter dies.]]
15	* AlwaysSecondBest: This is deliberately invoked by Lucas, who consistently tattles on Lake to get him in trouble with their teacher and make himself appear better in comparison. Notably, for every X Lake gets for getting in trouble, Lucas gets a gold star for tattling.
16	* ApatheticTeacher: Lake and Lucas' elementary school teacher is a realistic take on this trope. She always sides with Lucas's word over Lake's and rewards him with gold stars due to this "well-behaved" behavior. Near the end of the short film when "Lucas" looks rougher in his appearance, she doesn't even notice it or shows any concern if something has happened.
17	* ArmorPiercingResponse: In response to Lucas' smug speech about how everyone prefers him as the "better twin", Lake fires back that not only is Lucas not better, the only reason everyone else likes him is that he deliberately makes Lake look bad so ''he can make himself look good.' Lake's words break through Lucas' smug demeanor and things just [[FromBadToWorse escalate]] from there.
18	* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Lucas, who not only tattled on his brother to make himself look better, but tormented him by taking his toy car and acting like he was going to break it. While his death is shocking, you likely aren't going to mourn him]].
19	* BelievingTheirOwnLies: While Lucas knows he's being deliberately malicious to Lake, it's implied that some part of him actually buys into his own lies about Lake after slandering him for so long. After all, Lake ''has'' to truly be an unruly troublemaker, unlike him who's "well-behaved", otherwise no one would prefer him to be the "better twin", right?
20	* BigBrotherBully: Lucas is either this or an AnnoyingYoungerSibling as it's unknown whether he's the older or younger twin brother of Lake, who also gets him in trouble to make himself look good.
21	* BitchInSheepsClothing: To his teacher and fellow students, Lucas comes off as the good twin who is charming and well-behaved, in contrast to his "ill-behaved" twin brother Lake. But just under the surface, Lucas is a rule-breaker who delights in getting his brother in trouble just to make himself look good, something Lake is in the know about. Lake even lampshades that the other kids wouldn't like Lucas nearly as much if they were on the receiving end of the latter's manipulative treatment.
22	* BittersweetEnding: With a bit of variation on how much bitter to sweet the ending actually is. [[spoiler:Lake no longer has to suffer the constant torment from Lucas or live in his brother's shadow and even has the chance to rewrite the narrative on just who Lake "was" as Lucas should he choose to. However, it comes at the personal cost of having to keep up appearances and pretend to be Lucas for the rest of his life, or at least until Lake becomes an adult and decides to live independently.]]
23	* BlackAndGrayMorality: Lucas is an [[NerdyBully intelligent]], [[ForTheEvulz sadistic]], and [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative bully]] who constantly tells on Lake and sometimes lies about to make himself look better. But by the end of the film when [[spoiler:Lucas has been accidentally runover, Lake remorselessly disposes of Lucas’ body, without calling the cops, and decides to forever impersonate his dead brother without the rest of the world knowing. Even if it's all [[PayEvilUntoEvil a product of his brothers' mistreatment]], it's not exactly on the moral high ground]]. In the end, neither of the twins is a saint.
24	* BookEnds: The film starts and ends with Lake being late to class and Lucas informing Mrs. J about it. However, [[spoiler:the "Lucas" at the end of the film is just Lake, who has replaced Lucas after his death, indicated by his messy hair, the broken glasses, and zipping up his backpack to hide his toy car.]]
25	* CainAndAbel: Lucas' constant antagonism of Lake seems to be driven by an inferiority complex if we go by his flustered reaction to Lucas stating as much. And while [[spoiler:Lake never intended to kill Lucas, he doesn't seem too bent out of shape about it, what with the way he seamlessly co-opts his brother's life]].
26	* CensoredChildDeath: [[spoiler:Once he's pushed onto a road by Lake, Lucas ends up dying after getting hit by a car offscreen. The silhouettes that appear on [[DeadHatShot his broken glasses]] show Lake dragging his body across the road.]]
27	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Lucas wears blue and Lake wears red. The bright red truck that Lucas threatens to smash clearly belongs to Lake, which explains his reaction. [[spoiler:This is also how you know the "Lucas" at the end is really Lake: this Lucas is now wearing purple and violet -- combining the red and blue motifs.]]
28	* ColorMotif: Blue for Lucas and Red for Lake. The junkyard scene, when things are very much weighted in Lucas's favor, has a [[UnnaturallyBlueLighting blue color wash]]. But as the narrative shifts more in Lake's favor, the color wash also shifts, first to purple and then to red. [[spoiler:Red being [[RedIsViolent associated with violence]] fits the end of the scene, too, as Lucas is killed in a hit and run.]]
29	* DeadHatShot: After [[spoiler:Lucas is run over by a car, the scene cuts to his cracked glasses lying on the ground, which also show the reflection of Lake [[DisposingOfABody disposing his body]]]].
30	* DeadPersonImpersonation: [[spoiler:At the film's end, Lake takes Lucas' place after the latter's death. He's seen wearing Lucas' clothes and adopts his personality, mainly being smug when he tells Mrs. J that "Lake" is late as usual. The credits show a missing poster of the supposed "Lake", actually the original Lucas.]]
31	* DeathByIrony:
32	** On the climatic night that [[spoiler: Lucas was killed in the hit and run]], Lucas made it a point to climb into the junkyard, despite having previously tattled on Lake for doing the same thing.
33	** Moreover, [[spoiler:Lucas was toying around with Lake's toy car. His death is from being run over by an ''actual'' car.]]
34	* DeliberatelyBadExample: Lucas sets up Lake to be the bad example to his perfect example of what a polite, rule-abiding young boy should be to make himself look better at school by always tattling on Lake to the teacher for ''every'' little mistake he makes.
35	* DisposingOfABody: [[spoiler:It's a small detail, but in the reflection of [[DeadHatShot Lucas's broken glasses on the street]] you can see (and hear) Lake dragging his brother's body off the street. Seeing as he replaces Lucas, it's heavily implied Lake was disposing or hiding the body.]]
36	* DoubleMeaning: When [[spoiler:"Lucas" (actually Lake impersonating him) says that "Lake" is late again at the end. Late can mean a failure to be punctual... or ''dead'', which "Lake" (actually Lucas) really is]].
37	* DramaticIrony: This is what drives the horror at the end of the short. [[spoiler:We the audience know that Lucas is dead and the Lucas we see is really Lake, who's decided to take over Lucas's life. No one else realizes and the class laughs when "Lucas" says "Lake" just must be late for class again. The MissingChild poster for Lake at the end emphasizes this even more.]]
38	* EnfantTerrible: Lucas is only ten-years-old, yet he is unnecessarily cruel and manipulative, constantly getting Lake into trouble and terrorizing him mercilessly out of pure sadism and spite.
39	* EntitledBastard: Lucas demands Lake to help him after he hurts his leg, ignoring that he has been nothing but a smug, manipulative prick to Lake for all his life. Naturally, Lake doesn't bother to help him.
40	* EvilIsPetty: If it wasn't enough for Lucas to constantly manipulate those around him to see Lake as the "bad twin" in order to make himself look good, he practically feels delighted in the fact that Lake is genuinely miserable despite Lake not actually being a bad kid deep down.
41	* FauxAffablyEvil: Lucas keeps a charade of kindness around others, while also hiding his endless, sadistic torment of Lake.
42	* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: Lake is the foolish sibling, having messy hair, a more casual outfit, often getting in trouble and Mrs. J putting xs on the attendance sheet (which is also used to track how well-behaved a student is) while Lucas is the responsible sibling, having a more formal and well-maintained appearance, tells on Lake whenever he does something naughty (or make it seem like he is), and Mrs. J frequently gives him stars on the attendance sheet (implying that he's usually well-behaved). Outside of school though, this dynamic is actually flipped, as Lake is the more cautious one who doesn't think it's a good idea to go into the dangerous junkyard at night, whereas Lucas mocks him for not going.
43	* {{Foreshadowing}}: During the montage where Lucas continually gets Lake into trouble, one of Lake's 'transgressions' is carving a picture on his desk with scissors. [[spoiler: It's of Lucas being decapitated. Indeed, towards the end of the story, Lucas has been ran over by a car.]]
44	* GenreShift: The film starts as a simple sibling drama that quickly turns into a horror film by the second half. {{Downplayed\|Trope}} in that the first half of the film is already portrayed in a horrific light; it's just the second half that makes it overt.
45	* HateSink: Lucas is unsympathetic in every sense of the word, constantly making Lake look bad for his own amusement and even tormenting him by messing with his toy car. [[spoiler:Horrifying as it is, very few will empathize with him when he meets his demise.]]
46	* IdenticalTwinIDTag: Apart from the blue-red ColorMotif, Lucas wears glasses and Lake doesn't. [[spoiler:Lake makes sure to wear Lucas's glasses when he's impersonating him at the end, despite them being cracked.]]
47	* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Lake seems to hit a nerve when he states that the only reason why Lucas is so hellbent on getting him in trouble and acting like he's better than him is just to make ''himself'' feel better.
48	* {{Jerkass}}: Lucas is a smug, manipulative bully who openly torments Lake for his own amusement.
49	* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: Lucas has gotten away with tormenting Lake for all his life just to make himself look good. [[spoiler:After dragging Lake him to the junkyard, he gets his leg hurt while messing with Lake's toy car, with Lake refusing to help him. Then he gets hit by a car and killed.]]
50	* KickTheDog: Lucas taking away Lake's toy car from him and attempting to break it in front of him. [[spoiler:This ends up resulting in his own downfall.]]
51	* LackOfEmpathy: Lucas never shows an ounce of remorse for his treatment of Lake, terrorizing him mercilessly and making him look bad in front of other people. [[spoiler: In turn, Lake doesn't feel that bad about hiding his brother's corpse and impersonating him.]]
52	* LookBothWays: [[spoiler:As the twins fight over the toy car, Lake pushes Lucas to a nearby road, injuring his ankle. Lake stands by as Lucas cries out for help before he gets run over by a car.]]
53	* MissingChild: As the credits roll, someone posts a missing child flyer [[spoiler:for Lake.]]
54	* MySiblingWillLiveThroughMe: A dark example. After [[spoiler:Lucas dies from being run over by a car, Lake decides to impersonate him, taking over his good reputation at school]].
55	* NerdyBully: Lucas is TheBully to his twin brother Lake by getting him into trouble through social manipulation rather than brute force. Lucas is also shown to be academically minded, reinforced by him [[SmartPeopleWearGlasses wearing glasses]].
56	* OhCrap: Lake gets a ''horrified'' expression when he turns around to see [[spoiler:a car run over the downed Lucas]], suggesting that [[spoiler:he had no intention to actually murder his brother]].
57	* OminousOwl: When the two hop the fence into the junkyard, eerie music begins to play, the whole scene is awash in blue, and an owl with glowing eyes appears hooting ominously before snatching a mouse in its beak to emphasize the looming danger. When Lake is startled by the owl, Lucas makes fun of him. [[spoiler:After Lucas is killed, that same owl returns, this time with [[GlowingEyesOfDoom glowing red eyes]].]]
58	* PayEvilUntoEvil: [[spoiler: On paper, Lake hiding his brother's corpse and impersonating him comes across as amoral, and it ''is''. But for the most part, this is in response to how Lucas was [[AssholeVictim nothing but bully-some to Lake]], making him look bad in front of the teacher and generally mistreating him.]]
59	* PolarOppositeTwins: In class, Lucas is rule-abiding and condescending and Lake is irresponsible. Outside of class, the dynamic is flipped, with Lucas casually entering the junkyard despite the "Do Not Enter" sign telling them to turn away. Lake warns against doing so by noting how they really shouldn't be there.
60	* RedFilterOfDoom: The last section of the short is done with a red ColorWash, foreshadowing the increasing danger as Lucas is stuck in the middle of the road with a hurt ankle and cannot get up.
61	* RedOniBlueOni: Played with. Lake, who wears red clothes, is seen as having bad behavior and being disruptive in-universe. Lucas, who wears blue, is seen as the well-behaved and rule-abiding sibling. As the scene in the junkyard shows though, Lake is the more wary and cautious of the two meanwhile Lucas is the brasher of the two, charging in without a care.
62	* RightWayWrongWayPair: Invoked by Lucas, who rats on Lake all of the time for the most minor of infractions to make him a DeliberatelyBadExample in the eyes of their teacher so that he'll look better in comparison. By the end of the short, Lake has had enough and calls him out on it.
63	* SiblingRivalry: {{Deconstructed\|Trope}}. Lucas and Lake are constantly at odds with each other, but they never get better, ultimately resulting in [[spoiler:a death]].
64	* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: Lucas is treated as an accomplished student and wears glasses.
65	* TheSociopath: Lucas is manipulative, remorseless, sadistic, and impulsive. He tattles on Lake every chance he can get for even the smallest infractions just to build up a reputation as him as the good brother and Lucas as the bad brother. He takes enjoyment out of Lucas' misery and doesn't apologize even when confronted. He brashly goes into the junkyard after school, knowing it's against the rules.
66	* StockShoujoBullyingTactics: Whether it'll be tattling on Lake for every little mistake he makes, or seems to be, Lucas has no problem doing everything in his power to make himself look good in comparison.
67	* TheTag: The credits show someone posting a [[spoiler:MissingChild poster for Lake, which we the audience know it's really Lucas who went "missing" and he's not missing, but dead]].
68	* TemptingFate: During their argument, Lucas said to Lake "You wish you were me!" At the end of the film, [[spoiler:when Lucas is killed in a hit-and-run, Lake hides the body and [[DeadPersonImpersonation takes over Lucas' life]], living as his twin for the foreseeable future]].
69	* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Lucas is very popular among the crowd, mainly due to deliberately making Lake look worse by comparison. Lake even points out that Lucas wouldn't have any friends if they knew what he is actually like.
70	* WhamShot: Perhaps the most shocking moment of all happens when [[spoiler:the car runs over and kills Lucas]], changing what many would expect to be [[spoiler:a {{near miss\|es}} and reconciliation into something ''horrifying'']].

Context WebAnimation / TheTwins2022