Broken Masquerade: Difference between revisions

Content added Content deleted

Inline

Latest revision as of 20:26, 8 March 2024

Are you comfortable? Good. What we are about to reveal to you will shock you to the core. The truth that has been hidden from all humanity will now be revealed to you. You see, the world you inhabit, perhaps even your very nature as a human, is not as it seems.

We cannot reveal more; you must discover for yourself the true nature of your deception.

Choose a Pill:

Tomato in the Mirror: It is not the world which is wrong, but you. Perhaps you are - or have become - a ghost, a robot, a clone, or something stranger. In the end, you are not actually in or rightfully a part of the normal world. The world is normal (more or less) and works as you know it, but not you.
The Masquerade: The world of humans is real enough, but we're not the only ones who inhabit it. Aliens, wizards, vampires and other beings coexist with us in the same cities, schools, and jobs as we do. Sometimes peacefully, other times less so. Beware, if you are discovered breaking the Masquerade, you must either become part of it, or join those who fight or police it.
Hidden Realm: There is a Spirit World, magical dimension, or other realm hidden but coterminous with "The Real World" that people can go into. The world is isn't so much false, as that our understanding of all that's in it is incomplete. You may have to Save Both Worlds.
Artificial Realm: The world literally isn't real; you live in a Lotus Eater Machine, magical illusion, or are in a coma... or worse. In this case, you must either destroy or escape the illusion to return to the real world. But... is it worth it?
Fake World: The paranoids are half right. The world is real, but not for you. Everyone around you, from childhood friend to complete stranger, even the news anchor, is putting on an act to fool you into thinking you live in "the real world". Sometimes they're all in on it, other times everyone is being Mind Controlled or manipulated with Fake Memories. Reasons for this vary, but may be as disgustingly mundane as setting up an elaborate reality TV show, pseudoscientific experiments, to the chillingly bizarre community of refugees from the real world.

This knowledge is not without price, however. If you wish to keep it you have no choice but to join us. You may at least take pride in that, much like a pauper who discovers she is a princess and other changeling fantasies, you are yourself an intrinsic part of this the world behind the Broken Masquerade. Perhaps you are an heir to a kingdom, a rebellious product of its mad science, or destined to bring it into balance with the "real world".

In any event, I hope you like to wear black.

Contrast The Unmasqued World, where the Masquerade is broken for everyone.

Examples of Broken Masquerade include:

Type 1 - Tomato in the Mirror

Film

The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Day, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger

Literature

Type 2 - Masquerade

Film

Men in Black
They Live!

Literature

Harry Potter

Tabletop Games

The Trope Namer, or at least popularizer in this context: Vampire: The Masquerade

Type 3 - Hidden Realm

Fan Works

The RWBY AU fanfic The Unseen Hunt by Coeur Al'Aran deals with the "Awakening" of Ordinary High School Student Jaune Arc to the world of the Grimm, and its periodic overlap with Earth... and the threats it holds.

Film

Pan's Labyrinth

Literature

The Spiderwick Chronicles
Peter Pan

Type 4 - Artificial Realm

Film

Live-Action TV

Certain Twilight Zone episodes explore this trope.
Life On Mars

Type 5 - Fake World

Film

(Sound of breaking glass) AHH!!! CHARACTERS FROM ANOTHER MASQUERADE!!! My mother WAS right about the Fantasy Kitchen Sink!

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 [[The Omniscient Council of Vagueness|We]] [[Cryptic Conversation|cannot reveal more]]; you must [[Figure It Out Yourself|discover for yourself]] the true nature of your deception.
-'''{{smallcaps| Choose a Pill:}}'''
+'''Choose a Pill:'''
-* '''[[Tomato in The Mirror]]:''' It is not the world which is wrong, but ''you''. Perhaps you are - or [[What Have I Become?|have become]] - a [[Dead All Along|ghost]], a [[Ridiculously-Human Robots|robot]], a [[Cloning Blues|clone]], or something stranger. In the end, you are not actually ''in'' or rightfully a part of the normal world. The world is normal (more or less) and works as you know it, but not you.
+# '''[[Tomato in the Mirror]]:''' It is not the world which is wrong, but ''you''. Perhaps you are - or [[What Have I Become?|have become]] - a [[Dead All Along|ghost]], a [[Ridiculously-Human Robots|robot]], a [[Cloning Blues|clone]], or something stranger. In the end, you are not actually ''in'' or rightfully a part of the normal world. The world is normal (more or less) and works as you know it, but not you.
+# '''[[Masquerade|The Masquerade]]''': The world of humans is real enough, but we're not the only ones who inhabit it. Aliens, wizards, vampires and other beings coexist with us in the same cities, schools, and jobs as we do. Sometimes peacefully, other times less so. Beware, if you are discovered breaking the [[Masquerade]], you must either become part of it, or join those who fight or police it.
-** Signature Examples: ''[[The Sixth Sense]]'', ''[[Night Watch (Literature)|Night Watch]]'', ''[[HP Lovecraft|The Shadow Over Innsmouth]]'', ''[[Arnold Schwarzenegger|The Sixth Day]]''
+# '''Hidden Realm:''' There is a [[Spirit World]], [[Magical Land|magical]] [[Another Dimension|dimension]], or other realm [[Hidden Elf Village|hidden]] but coterminous with "The Real World" that people can go into. The world is isn't so much false, as that our understanding of all that's in it is [[World Half Empty|incomplete]]. You may have to [[Save Both Worlds]].
-* '''[[Masquerade The|Masquerade]]''': The world of humans is real enough, but we're not the only ones who inhabit it. Aliens, wizards, vampires and other beings coexist with us in the same cities, schools, and jobs as we do. Sometimes peacefully, other times less so. Beware, if you are discovered breaking the [[Masquerade]], you must either become part of it, or join those who fight or police it.
+# '''Artificial Realm:''' The world literally isn't real; you live in a [[Lotus Eater Machine]], magical illusion, or are in a [[Convenient Coma|coma]]... [[Dying Dream|or worse]]. In this case, you must either destroy or escape the illusion to return to the real world. But... is it worth it?
-** Signature Examples: ''[[Men in Black (Film)|Men in Black]]'', ''They Live!'' and ''[[Harry Potter (Literature)|Harry Potter]]''. [[Trope Namer]], or at least, popularizer in this context: ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade (Tabletop Game)|Vampire: The Masquerade]].''
+# '''Fake World:''' The paranoids are half right. The world is real, but not for ''you''. Everyone around you, from childhood friend to complete stranger, even the news anchor, is putting on an act to fool you into thinking you live in "the real world". Sometimes they're all in on it, other times everyone is being [[Mind Control]]led or manipulated with [[Fake Memories]]. Reasons for this vary, but may be as disgustingly mundane as setting up an elaborate reality TV show, pseudoscientific experiments, to the chillingly bizarre community of refugees from the real world.
-* '''Hidden Realm:''' There is a [[Spirit World]], [[Magical Land|magical]] [[Another Dimension|dimension]], or other realm [[Hidden Elf Village|hidden]] but coterminous with "The Real World" that people can go into. The world is isn't so much false, as that our understanding of all that's in it is [[World Half Empty|incomplete]]. You may have to [[Save Both Worlds]].
-** Examples: ''[[Pans Labyrinth]]'', ''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles]]'', ''[[Peter Pan]]''
-* '''Artificial Realm:''' The world literally isn't real; you live in a [[Lotus Eater Machine]], magical illusion, or are in a [[Convenient Coma|coma]] ...[[Dying Dream|or worse]]. In this case, you must either destroy or escape the illusion to return to the real world. But... is it worth it?
-** Signature Examples: ''[[The Matrix]]'', ''[[Vanilla Sky]]'', ''[[Jacobs Ladder|Jacob's Ladder]]'', certain ''[[Twilight Zone]]'' episodes, ''[[Life On Mars]]''
-* '''Hollow World:''' The paranoids are half right. The world is real, but not for ''you''. Everyone around you, from childhood friend to complete stranger, even the news anchor, is putting on an act to fool you into thinking you live in "the real world". Sometimes they're all in on it, other times everyone is being [[Mind Control|Mind Controlled]] or manipulated with [[Fake Memories]]. Reasons for this vary, but may be as disgustingly mundane as setting up an elaborate reality TV show, pseudoscientific experiments, to the chillingly bizarre community of refugees from the real world.
-** Signature Examples: ''[[Dark City]]'', ''[[The Truman Show (Film)|The Truman Show]]'', ''[[The Village]]''
-This knowledge is not without price, however. If you wish to [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|keep it]] you have [[Killed to Uphold The Masquerade|no choice]] but to join [[The Men in Black|us]]. You may at least take pride in that, much like a [[Rags to Royalty|pauper who discovers she is a princess]] and other [[Changeling Fantasy|changeling fantasies]], you are yourself an intrinsic part of this the world behind the [[Broken Masquerade]]. Perhaps you are an heir to a kingdom, a [[Phlebotinum Rebel|rebellious product of its mad science]], or [[The Chosen One|destined]] to bring it into balance with the "real world".
+This knowledge is not without price, however. If you wish to [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|keep it]] you have [[Killed to Uphold the Masquerade|no choice]] but to join [[The Men in Black|us]]. You may at least take pride in that, much like a [[Rags to Royalty|pauper who discovers she is a princess]] and other [[Changeling Fantasy|changeling fantasies]], you are yourself an intrinsic part of this the world behind the '''Broken Masquerade'''. Perhaps you are an heir to a kingdom, a [[Phlebotinum Rebel|rebellious product of its mad science]], or [[The Chosen One|destined]] to bring it into balance with the "real world".
 In any event, I hope you like to [[The Men in Black|wear black]].
@@ Line 22: / Line 17: @@
 Contrast [[The Unmasqued World]], where the [[Masquerade]] is broken for ''everyone''.
+{{examples}}
-(Sound of breaking glass) AHH!!! CHARACTERS FROM ANOTHER MASQUERADE!!! [[Comically Missing the Point|My mother WAS right about the]] [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]!
+== Type 1 - Tomato in the Mirror ==
+=== Film ===
+*''[[The Sixth Sense]]''
+* ''[[The Sixth Day]]'', starring [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]
+=== Literature ===
+* ''[[Night Watch (novel)|Night Watch]]''
+* ''[[H.P. Lovecraft|The Shadow Over Innsmouth]]''
+== Type 2 - Masquerade ==
+=== Film ===
+* ''[[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]]''
+* ''[[They Live!]]''
+=== Literature ===
+* ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]''
+=== Tabletop Games ===
+* The [[Trope Namer]], or at least popularizer in this context: ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]''
+== Type 3 - Hidden Realm ==
+=== Fan Works ===
+* The ''[[RWBY]]'' AU fanfic ''[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13073342/1/The-Unseen-Hunt The Unseen Hunt]'' by Coeur Al'Aran deals with the "Awakening" of [[Ordinary High School Student]] Jaune Arc to the world of the Grimm, and its periodic overlap with Earth... and the threats it holds.
+=== Film ===
+*''[[Pan's Labyrinth]]''
+=== Literature ===
+* ''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles]]''
+* ''[[Peter Pan]]''
+== Type 4 - Artificial Realm ==
+=== Film ===
+* ''[[The Matrix]]''
+* ''[[Vanilla Sky]]''
+* ''[[Jacob's Ladder]]''
+=== Live-Action TV ===
+* Certain ''[[Twilight Zone]]'' episodes explore this trope.
+* ''[[Life On Mars]]''
+== Type 5 - Fake World ==
+=== Film ===
+* ''[[Dark City]]''
+* ''[[The Truman Show]]''
+* ''[[The Village]]''
+{{Needs More Examples}}
+-----
+(Sound of breaking glass) AHH!!! CHARACTERS FROM ANOTHER MASQUERADE!!! [[Comically Missing the Point|My mother WAS right]] about the [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]!
 {{reflist}}
+[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
 [[Category:The Index Is Watching You]]
 [[Category:Urban Fantasy Tropes]]
 [[Category:Plots]]
-[[Category:Broken Masquerade]]