Doppelganger (trope)

Tropes and genres
Synonym(s)	Mirror self
Related tropes/genres	Same-actor crossover, cloneset, twincest, evil twin, clones, changelings
See also	Alternate universe, mirror universe, time travel, robots
Related articles on Fanlore.

This article is about the trope. For the Vampire Diaries concept, see Doppelgänger (Vampire Diaries). For other uses, see Doppelganger.

Doppelganger is a term and media trope for when a character encounters that is a look-alike or double of themselves. This includes tropes such as clones, alternate universe versions of a character, same-actor crossovers, supernatural beings, and evil twins. The latter term is sometimes used synonymously with the term doppelganger.

In fanworks, doppelgangers may be used in variety of genres and themes, including romance, crackfic, smut, and issues of identity, self-image, and destiny versus free will. Fanworks utilizing doppelgangers in a sexual/romantic manner are known by a variety of terms, including doppelganger porn, doppelganger love, clonecest, doppelcest, selfcest, selfslash, self/self, reflexive slash, selfucking, and OT1.

Premises

Some common doppelganger premises for fanworks include, but are not limited to:

• A Same-Actor Crossover, utilizing two characters played by the same actor.
• An alternate universe, with a character encountering an alternate version of themselves.
• Time travel, with the same character encountering themselves at two different points in their personal timeline.
• Clones, either canon or non-canon
• Secret twins or twins separated at birth
• Artificial doppelgangers, such as shapeshifters and robots.

Example Fanworks

My Chemical Romance

• Doppelganger by tabula-x-rasa
• James Cameron Got It Wrong by ladyfoxxx
• In the Music of Time by greedy_dancer

Stargate Atlantis

• Something About John by chelle
• 3 + 1 = 2 by lavvyan
• Too Much Information by telesilla
• The Amazing Adventures of Me, Myself & I, or: Five Times John and Rodney Accidentally Cloned Themselves by trinityofone

Other

• All This Faithfulness by curiouslyfic - Star Trek (2009)
• And Be One Traveler by amireal and trinityofone - Stargate Atlantis/Stargate Atlantis RPF

• A Perfect Mirror by Gin/backinblack - Dark Angel

• At The Still Point of the Turning World by Nokomis - Teen Wolf, Welcome to Night Vale
• Die Hard, Live Easy by seaouryou - Heroes, Alias
• eyes big love crumbs by Isilya - Harry Potter
• Forged by Punk - Smallville
• Heal Thyself by cosmic_llin - Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Hope in the Mirror by trollsttroll & mildly_neurotic - Fall Out Boy

• identical by goyangi - SHINee

• The Fairest One of All by Violet Quill - Harry Potter
• Like a Cracked Mirror by sostrangechild - Sherlock Holmes, Cabin Pressure
• Me Time by Bluesummers - The Magicians

• Split by threeturn - One Direction

• A Soul Fractured to the Bone (Searching For Someone Who Can Make You Whole) by MemeKon - Teen Wolf

• Sweet Child of Mine by Kikkimax - The Sentinel
• Remember How Hungry You Are by tigriswolf - Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Covenant
• saw myself tonight (caught my reflection in the mirror) by notcayceepollard - Marvel Cinematic Universe, Actor RPF
• You Looking Like That (Podfic) by aethel - One Direction

Canon examples

Doppelgangers are a common trope in science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural works.

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: In the episode "The Replacement", when Xander Harris is split into two Xanders, his girlfriend Anya suggests a threesome before they are recombined. In the episode "Doppelgangland", when Willow meets her alternate universe evil twin, her twin licks her.
• Doctor Who: In the mini-episodes "Space" and "Time", Amy Pond encounters herself due to a time loop. The two Amys start flirting with each other, and Amy's husband Rory Williams alludes to participating in a threesome in response.
• Evil Dead: In Evil Dead 2, Ash's mirror reflection is possessed by Deadites, becoming Evil Ash, and briefly attacks Ash before disappearing. In Army of Darkness, Evil Ash becomes the leader of the Deadite army.
• The Magicians: In the episode "Homecoming", Margo finds out an ex made a golem in her image, inspiring Eliot to make a golem in his own image. When Margo remarks Eliot is definitely thinking about "banging himself," he replies that it would be "more like AP-level masturbation."
• Pizza Tower: The character Fake Peppino is a doppelganger of the game's protagonist Peppino Spaghetti, and serves as the game's fourth boss fight.
• Red Dwarf: In the episode "Parallel Universe", when the main cast travels to a genderswapped alternate universe, the character Lister gets drunk and has sex with the female version of himself, resulting in him becoming pregnant.
• Sliders: In the episode "Double Cross", Quinn meets and makes out with the character Logan, who is later revealed to be a female version of himself from an alternate universe.
• Sonic the Hedgehog: The character Metal Sonic is a robotic duplicate of Sonic, made to defeat Sonic. Metal Sonic is a recurring side character and antagonist throughout the franchise.
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: In the Mirror Universe episodes ("Crossover", "Through the Looking Glass", "Shattered Mirror", "Resurrection", and "The Emperor's New Cloak"), the Mirror Universe version of Kira Nerys hits on regular Kira Nerys.

Archives & Fannish Links

• Works tagged Doppelganger, Doppelcest and Self-cest at the AO3
• Harry Potter: painless_j's Themed list: autoerotic HP fiction
• Recs tagged as Clones & Doppelgängers at Fancake