The "Trusted" Betrayer: A new cliche?

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Balrog
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The "Trusted" Betrayer: A new cliche?

Post by Balrog »

It seems to me that this has become a new cliche of many works of fiction, unless it's been around longer then I've realized it: you have the trusted companion of the hero, whether it's a mentor, sidekick, friend, what-have-you, that about 3/4 of the way through reveals himself as a backstabber or the main antagonist themselves.

Now I remember the first time I came across this idea, it really 'blew my mind' and I thought it was a great twist. The next couple of times, it still surprised the hell out of me and made the story interesting. By the twentifth time I was starting to wonder, can you really trust anyone anymore? :)

Does anyone else think this way, is it a new cliche or have I just been naive to how long treachery has been apart of fiction?
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Temjin
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Post by Temjin »

Ever since stories existed, long before using writing to jot them down with occurred to people, there was the trusted betrayer.
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Post by Ryoga »

See Iago from Othello.
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Post by Knife »

E tu, brutus?

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Patrick Degan
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Post by Patrick Degan »

Plenty of historical examples, like Benedict Arnold. The archetype goes at least as far back as Judas Iscariot.
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Post by Guardsman Bass »

Treachery is almost universally common in all genres of story. I wouldn't say it's exactly a cliched idea, either, because it really does happen in real life. I remember my uncle told me about his best friend from high school and most of his adult life for twenty years, who basically stole $2,000 from their combined business and disappeared.
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Post by Kuja »

Name 'Lando Calrissian' should ring a few bells...and maybe 'Admiral Cartwright' will too.
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Pezzoni
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Post by Pezzoni »

Dan Brown fellates this idea. Every single book he has written (as far as I remember) contains the same basic plot in different wrappings.
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Post by BloodAngel »

As long as these people have reasons for betraying their friends, besides the same old I wanna be on the winning side, then I don't mind it.
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Post by Fleet Admiral JD »

Knife wrote:E tu, brutus?

My latin sucks. :P
Et tu, Brute, is what you're looking for ;)
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Post by 2000AD »

Tessio was one that did it for reasons that weren't personal, just business.
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Post by Pick »

It's so cliche it's almost novel to do it! What a shock, he actually used that tired plotline?! :o :wink:
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Post by Gil Hamilton »

The trusted betrayer is old as plottwists. It's not really a new thing.
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General Soontir Fel
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Post by General Soontir Fel »

Kuja wrote:Name 'Lando Calrissian' should ring a few bells...and maybe 'Admiral Cartwright' will too.
Severus Snape was the first one that jumped to my mind.
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Post by Hawkwings »

Iago wins.

And we're not that sure that Snape killing D wasn't planned, or at least a contigency...
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Post by Elfdart »

Pezzoni wrote:Dan Brown fellates this idea. Every single book he has written (as far as I remember) contains the same basic plot in different wrappings.
James Michener and Michael Crichton had huge careers writing the same book over and over.
Fleet Admiral JD wrote:
Knife wrote:E tu, brutus?

My latin sucks. :P
Et tu, Brute, is what you're looking for ;)
Caesar: Et tu, Brute?

Brutus: No man, I ain't et nuttin' and boy am I hungry!



What did Caesar actually say when Brutus stabbed him?


Ouch!
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