Evil Twin
From Fanlore
| Trope · Genre | ||
|---|---|---|
| Synonyms: | Doppelganger | |
| Related: | Secret Sibling | |
| See Also: | Mirror Universe | |
| Tropes · Slash Tropes · Tropes by Fandom | ||
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | ||
| ||
While not necessarily related, an evil twin is a physical copy of the protagonist but with a radically inverted morality. The evil twin often functions to cause havoc in the protagonist's life, as most people are unable to tell them apart.
A typical plot resolution will involve another character having to choose between the two, often at gunpoint or at the end of some other weapon, with "twins" trying to convince others of their authenticity. The good twin is often revealed to be the one who is more self-sacrificing or is the one with a more intimate knowledge of the relationship.
The evil twin trope differs from Mirror Universe fiction in that only one character has a counterpart.
Physical Evil Twin Clues
- Has a beard (see TV Tropes) - Spock's Goatee in the Mirror Universe episode of Star Trek: The Original Series is a famous example, despite the fact that he isn't evil
- Other hair changes (see TV Tropes) - Teal'c is seen with an unfamiliar pony tail, denoting him the evil version in a Stargate SG-1 episode
- Difference in speech - Data's evil brother Lore could use contractions whereas Data could not, but also just had a more dynamic intonation; Vampire Willow on Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a sultry, laconic voice and was so identified with one particular line of dialogue — "Bored now" — that it was later used to indicate when the "real" Willow had turned evil.
Canon
Fanon
- The End of Daylight by KateCMT has Philip Corman's Evil Twin tormenting Hutch for his role in his brother's death.
- In the Starsky and Hutch story Dead Man's Vengeance by Karen B., Val Bellamy, Vic's twin has revenge in mind
- The Sentinel zines Masks and The Devil You Know by Susan L. Williams have an "evil twin" Jim brutally attack Blair as he tries to take the real Jim's place
- Blair's lookalike from another dimension arrives to cause havoc in Genetic Destiny by Datalore.
- In the zine Fate's Reflection, when someone comes through the Stargate wearing Jack's face, he finds himself and his team thrown into a war that could bear impossibly high costs for them all.
- Breaking the Silence by Morgana includes an evil twin who tries to murder Blair.
- Substitute from Galactica 1988: Ten Years Later - an evil twin story in which Starbuck is captured by the Cylons and replaced with a clone that acts in an exaggerated manner, causing everyone to think there is something seriously wrong with him.
