The
evil twin is an antagonist found in many different
fictionFiction is a branch of literature which deals, in part or in whole, with temporally contrafactual events...
al
genreA genre is a loose set of criteria for a category of composition; the term is often used to categorize literature and speech, but is also used for any other form of art or utterance...
s. They are physical copies of
protagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, video game, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy...
s, but with radically inverted
moralitiesMorality has three principal meanings.In its first, descriptive usage, morality means a code of conduct or belief concerning matters of what is moral or immoral...
. In filmed entertainment, they can have obvious physical differences with the protagonist—such as
facial hairIn the traditional taxonomy of facial hair, a goatee is a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin. The word probably originated from the tuft of hair seen on an adult goat.-Goatee styles:thumb|right|140px|[[Soviet]] [[premier]] [[Bulganin]], 1955 - 1958...
,
eyepatchAn eyepatch is a small patch that is worn in front of one eye. It may be a cloth patch attached around the head by an elastic band or by a string, or an adhesive bandage. It is often worn by people to cover a lost or injured eye, but it also has a therapeutic use in children for the treatment of...
es,
scarScars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. A scar results from the biologic process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natural part of the healing process. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound Scars (also...
s or distinctive clothing—that make it easy for the audience to visually identify the two characters. Sometimes, however, the physical differences between the characters will be minimized, so as to confuse the audience. Both
roleA role or a social role is a set of connected behaviors, rights and obligations as conceptualized by actors in a social situation. It is an expected behavior in a given individual social status and social position...
s are almost always played by either the same actor, or (if the actor has one) the actor's actual twin.
Though there may be moral disparity between actual biological twins, the term is more often a
misnomerA misnomer is a term which suggests an interpretation that is known to be untrue. Such incorrect terms sometimes derived their names because of the form, action, or origin of the subject becoming named popularly or widely referenced—long before their true natures were known.- Sources of misnomers...
. In many cases, the two look-alikes are not actually twins, but rather physical duplicates produced by other phenomena (e.g.
alternate universeParallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a multiverse, although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute physical reality...
s). In others, the so-called "evil" twin is more precisely a
dual oppositeDualism denotes a state of two parts. The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two" . The term 'dualism' was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general or common usages.-Moral...
to their "good" counterpart, possessing at least some commonality with the
value systemA value system is a set of consistent ethic values and measures used for the purpose of ethical or ideological integrity. A well defined value system is a moral code.- Personal and communal :...
of the protagonist.
Mythologic precursors
The concept of evil twins is ancient. One of the earliest may be in the Zurvanite branch of
ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster , after whom the religion is named. The term Zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with Mazdaism, i.e...
. This sect distilled the general abstract duality of Zoroastrianism into a concept of manifest twins "born" of a monist (first) principle
Zurvan "Time." In this cosmological model, the twins — Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd) and Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) — were co-eternal representatives of good and evil. Ahura Mazda, representing good, was eventually expected to win the battle. The doctrinal foundation of Zurvanism lies in its interpretation of the Zoroastrian precepts of Free Will: Like Mazdaism (the other, and still extant branch of Zoroastrianism), Zurvanism emphasized that mortals always "have a choice between good and evil, and that one is always free to make the choice one way or the other." Zurvanism took this one step further and considered Angra Mainyu "evil" by choice, rather than by nature. This characterization is important to modern uses of the "evil twin", as most examples are in fact opposites of their "good twin", rather than wholly evil.
Amongst the
MandikaThe Mandinka are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million. They are the descendants of the Empire of Mali, which rose to power under the rule of the great Mandinka king Sundiata Keita...
of southern
MaliMali, officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked nation in Western Africa. Mali is the seventh largest country in Africa, bordering Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west...
, the
origin of the worldCosmology is the study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanity's place in it...
is also attributed to twins, albeit fraternal ones. According to this legend,
MangalaIn Jyotish astrology, Mangala is the name for Mars, the red planet. Mars is also called Angaraka or Bhauma in Sanskrit. He is the god of war and is celibate. He is considered the son of Prithvi or Bhumi, the Earth Goddess...
, or God, twice tried to create the world with seeds. The first attempt failed because he had but one seed. On his second attempt, Mangala used four sets of twin seeds. This experiment was more satisfactory, and soon a universe was growing within a
cosmic eggA world egg or cosmic egg is a mythological motif found in the creation myths of many cultures and civilizations. Typically, the world egg is a beginning of some sort, and the universe or some primordial being comes into existence by "hatching" from the egg.- Sanskrit scriptures and Vedanta :The...
. Ultimately, however, one of the male twins, Pemba, grew tired of being confined. In attempting to escape, he proved himself treacherous. The rip he caused in the cosmic egg begat the Earth. It also compelled Mangala to seek a
sacrificeSacrifice is commonly known as the practice of offering food, objects , or the lives of animals or people to the gods as an act of propitiation or worship...
of
atonementThe atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. It describes how sin can be forgiven by God. In Judaism, Atonement is said to be the process of forgiving or pardoning a transgression. This was originally accomplished through rituals performed by a high priest on the holiest...
. For this, Mangala killed Pemba's innocent fraternal twin, Faro. When Faro's remains were scattered on the newly formed Earth, fertile land was formed. Thus the Earth as we know it is the result of the treason of the evil twin and the sacrifice of the good one.
Many
Native AmericanThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples...
creation myths likewise provide for the role of
dualisticDualism denotes a state of two parts. The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two" . The term 'dualism' was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general or common usages.-Moral...
twins.
Literature
In
literatureLiterature is the art of written works. Literally translated, the word means "acquaintance with letters" , and therefore the academic study of literature is known as Letters...
,
BeowulfBeowulf is an Old English heroic epic poem of unknown authorship, dating as recorded in the Nowell Codex manuscript from between the 8th and the early 11th century, set in Denmark and Sweden...
has been cited as an early example of the evil twin story. Although it does not feature biologic twins or even characters that seem to have similar appearances, the precise language suggests that the monsters are evil reflections of the hero.
Film
A notable early use of the modern concept of evil twins in film is
1939The year 1939 in film involved some significant events.- Events :Movie historians and film buffs often look back on 1939 as "the greatest year in film history"...
's
The Man in the Iron MaskThe Man in the Iron Mask is a American film very loosely adapted from the last section of the novel The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père, which is itself based on the French legend of the Man in the Iron Mask....
. This adaptation of a part of the novel
The Vicomte de BragelonneThe Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It is the third and last of the d'Artagnan Romances, following The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years After. It appeared first in serial form between 1847 and 1850...
by
Alexandre DumasAlexandre Dumas, père, born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
made a key change to the source material by suggesting that the plot's central twins were in fact opposites of each other. Louis XIV is portrayed as the evil twin of Philippe, a boy raised by
d'ArtagnanCharles Ogier de Batz de Castelmore, Comte d'Artagnan served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard and died at the Siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War...
and
The Three MusketeersThe Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to become a guard of the musketeers...
. The movie contains many of the common
tropesA literary trope is a common pattern, theme, motif in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
of the evil twin plot, such as the fact that Phillippe is unaware of his twin's existence, differences in upbringing being important to the twins' adult temperaments, facial hair as a way for the audience to distinguish between the twins, one twin impersonating the other, and the eventual triumph of the good twin.
Evil twins were also staples of
serial films|}Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials or Film serials, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film that were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
. They were crucial plot devices in the initial
1937 Dick TracyDick Tracy is a 15-Chapter Republic movie serial starring Ralph Byrd based on the Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould. It was directed by Alan James and Ray Taylor.-Plot:...
storyline and the
1941 Jungle Girl serialJungle Girl is a 15-Chapter Republic Pictures Serial starring Frances Gifford. It was directed by William Witney and John English based on the novel Jungle Girl by Edgar Rice Burroughs...
. In the 1937 serial, Gordon Tracy was introduced as Dick's twin brother. Gordon underwent an evil scientist's procedure which rendered him evil and physically transformed. For the majority of the story he and Dick were played by different actors, but it is understood that he was intended as a twin. In the case of Jungle Girl, it is not the titular character who has the twin, but her father. She is raised in the wilds of
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
, according to the narrative, because her uncle drives her father into exile there when she is a young girl. Later, after she has grown into a young woman, she stops her uncle's plan to illegally remove diamonds from the continent.
However, just as in the modern era, early film usages were not confined to
action-adventureAction movies are a film genre wherein the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero. While action has long been an element of films, the "Action film" as a genre of its own began to develop in the...
stories.
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer Chaplin, KBE was an English comedic actor and film director. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker, composer and musician in the early to mid Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.Chaplin acted in, directed, scripted, produced and...
's
The Great DictatorThe Great Dictator is a comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin. First released in October 1940, it was Chaplin's first true talking picture, and more importantly was the only major film of its period to bitterly satirize Nazism and Adolf Hitler.The film is unusual for its period, as...
was a 1940
comedicComedy as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in Ancient Greece...
evil twin story that worked on two levels. In the narrative itself, Chaplin played both a good, simple barber and his evil counterpart, a
HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party...
-esque dictator. But it was also born of the notion that Chaplin himself actually looked like Hitler. As a modern reviewer has noted:
Comic books
Comic books contain some other early appearances of evil twins. One such example is found in September 1948's
Kid EternityKid Eternity is a comic book superhero who first premiered in Hit Comics #25, published by Quality Comics in December, 1942. The character - as well as all of Quality's intellectual properties were sold to DC Comics in 1956...
#11. The final story in the work revolves around "Handsome Harry", the evil twin of Kid Eternity's mentor, Mr. Keeper. Handsome Harry is the archetypal evil twin in that he is both evil and a biological twin.
The concept was brought to the more iconic
superheroA superhero is "a fictional character of unprecedented powers dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest"...
,
SupermanSuperman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc...
, about a decade later. 1958's
BizarroBizarro is a fictional supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superboy #68 , and was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp....
was at first
SuperboyThe original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. A younger version of Superman, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
's evil twin. This twin was easily distinguishable both in deformed physical appearance and manner of speech. Bizarro, more anti-Superman than evil, nevertheless "represented Superman's
Jungian shadowIn Jungian psychology, the shadow or "shadow aspect" is a part of the unconscious mind consisting of repressed weaknesses, shortcomings, and instincts. It is one of the three most recognizable archetypes, the others being the anima and animus and the persona...
, his dark side". In
DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
, evil doppelgangers of various superheroes reside on
Earth-ThreeEarth-Three is a fictional alternate universe set in the . It is the Earth of an alternate reality in the DC Multiverse. It first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Pre-Crisis:Its history is a mirror image to the Earth we know...
, such as Superman's evil counterpart,
UltramanUltraman is the name of several fictional characters, who are supervillains that appear in stories published by DC Comics. The characters are all evil criminal counterparts of Superman. Ultraman first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Publication history:Ultraman first appeared as the...
.
Although the
Kid Eternity story has had the term retroactively applied to it, none of these examples originally used words "evil twin" explicitly. 1968's
Wonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superhero created by William Moulton Marston. First appearing in All Star Comics #8 , she is one of three characters to have been continuously published by DC Comics since the company's 1944 inception .Wonder Woman is a member of an all-female tribe of Amazons...
#175 is thus important for being an early case of the term appearing on a comic cover.
A more recent example, in which the "good" character actually brings about the existence of his own evil twin, would be the relationship of Marvel Comics' the Sentry and the Void. Merely using his powers and trying to do "good things" in the way most think of superheroes causes the Void to come into existence and to hurt as much as the Sentry tries to protect.
Television
While evil twins are inextricably linked to the
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
, they have appeared in most televised
genreA genre is a loose set of criteria for a category of composition; the term is often used to categorize literature and speech, but is also used for any other form of art or utterance...
s. Some of the earliest usages were in fact in
westernsThe Western is a fiction genre seen in film, television, radio, literature, painting and other visual arts. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the later half of the 19th century in what became the Western United States , but also in Western Canada, Mexico , Alaska The Western...
. Two episodes entitled
Deadly Image appeared within a year of each other on two different westerns.
Maverick'sMaverick is a comedy-western television series created by Roy Huggins that ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC and featured James Garner, Jack Kelly, Roger Moore, and Robert Colbert as the poker-playing traveling Mavericks...
version appeared in March 1961, followed swiftly by
The Rifleman'sThe Rifleman is an American Western television program that ran on ABC, from September 30, 1958 to April 8, 1963, a production of Four Star Television.-History:...
take in February 1962. Beyond the coincidence of name, both offered similar plots: the hero becomes confused with a look-alike criminal, and the guilt of the hero must be cleared by demonstrating that the evil twin is a separate individual.
Tropes
The evil twin has now been used with great enough frequency to become viewed with cynicism as a hackneyed concept. As the character of
Kate AustenKatherine Anne "Kate" Austen is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, played by Canadian actress Evangeline Lilly. She is the de facto female lead...
remarked in a
deleted sceneDeleted scene is a commonly-used term in the entertainment industry, especially the film and television industry, which usually refers specifically to scenes removed from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
from
LostLost is an American serial drama television series. It follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, United States, crashes somewhere in the South Pacific...
: "It's not a soap opera until somebody's evil twin shows up." However, within the concept of the evil twin there are characteristics which are themselves
tropesA literary trope is a common pattern, theme, motif in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
.
The goatee
The biggest of these distinguishing traits is the
goateeIn the traditional taxonomy of facial hair, a goatee is a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin. The word probably originated from the tuft of hair seen on an adult goat.-Goatee styles:thumb|right|140px|[[Soviet]] [[premier]] [[Bulganin]], 1955 - 1958...
. Famously used by the "Mirror Universe" version of
Star TrekStar Trek is a science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that aired from September 8, 1966 to September 2, 1969. Though the original series was titled simply Star Trek, it has acquired the retronym Star Trek: The Original Series to distinguish it from the spinoffs that...
character
SpockSpock is a character in the fictional Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
, in the episode "Mirror, Mirror", it was an easy way for audiences to tell "good" Spock from "evil" Spock. The presence of a goatee on a familiar character is now seen as an immediate clue that the character is an evil twin. Even writers not discussing evil twins in their literary sense have occasionally made reference to the goatee through quick
metaphorA metaphor is a figure of speech concisely comparing two things, saying that one is the other. The English metaphor derives from the 16th c...
:
The goatee is referenced in
FuturamaFuturama is an animated American sci-fi sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox network. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
by Bender's 'evil twin' Flexo, who is constantly accused of being the bad Bender because of his goatee.
Another well known example of the evil twin goatee can be found in
StargateStargate is a military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a worldwide hit grossing nearly $200...
SG-1; although it could be debated as to which
ApophisApophis may refer to:* Apep, an Ancient Egyptian demon, in Greek known as Apophis.* Apepi , a Hyksos pharaoh of Lower Egypt* 99942 Apophis, a near-Earth asteroid...
was the evil one. Similarly,
Teal'cTeal'c [ˈtiːəlk] is a fictional character in the military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. Played by Christopher Judge, Teal'c is a Jaffa warrior from the planet Chulak. As a Jaffa, Teal'c has a human appearance but has an abdominal pouch that serves as an incubator for a larval...
is seen with an unfamiliar pony tail, denoting him the evil version.
Identifying the imposter
In cases where the "evil twin" is not physically distinguishable from the "good twin", a typical plot resolution will involve another character having to choose between the two. At some point the evil twin must be killed, jailed, banished, or at least unmasked. While this has been accomplished in a variety of different ways, the basic idea of a third character having to choose between the two twins is common to most plots involving evil twins.
Type of doppelgänger
In modern use, "evil twin" and one sense of the word "
doppelgängerA doppelgänger is the ghostly double of a living person, a sinister form of bilocation.In the vernacular, the word "doppelgänger" has come to refer to any double or look-alike of a person. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a...
" have come to be virtually interchangeable. While "evil twin" does not connote the sense of "supernatural harbinger of death", it can be used to mean "a physical copy of one's self who has an altered morality".
As metaphor
The term "evil twin" has also passed into general usage in a variety of different contexts. In computer technology,
it describesEvil Twin is a term for a rogue Wi-Fi access point that appears to be a legitimate one offered on the premises, but actually has been set up by a hacker to eavesdrop on wireless communications among Internet surfers...
a faked
wireless access pointIn computer networking, a wireless access point is a device that allows wireless communication devices to connect to a wireless network using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or related standards...
designed to appear like a genuine one, for the purpose of
phishingIn the field of computer security, phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication...
information from unsuspecting users. The term is further used in contemporary
journalismJournalism is the craft of conveying news, descriptive material and comment via a widening spectrum of media. These include newspapers, magazines, radio and television, the internet and even, more recently, the mobile phone...
and
non-fictionNonfiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as fact. This presentation may be accurate or not; that is, it can give either a true or a false account of the subject in question. However, it is generally assumed that the authors of such accounts believe them to be...
as a convenient label. In
astronomyAstronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere...
,
VenusVenus is the second-closest planet to the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6...
is often called Earth's "evil twin", in deference to the similarity, yet opposition, of the two bodies.
Fictional evil twins
Evil twins have found their enduring niche in comic books, video games, and television shows.
- They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is a double Grammy Award-winning American alternative rock band which began as a duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell, and currently also includes Marty Beller, Dan Miller, and Danny Weinkauf. Formed in 1982, they are best known for an unconventional and experimental style...
sing a song called My Evil Twin.
- Liquid Snake, the antagonist of Metal Gear Solid
is a stealth action video game directed and written by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid...
, is the twin brother of protagonist Solid Snakeis a fictional character and the main protagonist of Konami's Metal Gear series of stealth video games. Created by Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear is Konami's main franchise and has sold approximately 26.5 million units as of February 2009. Introduced in the first game of the series, Metal Gear , Snake...
. Both are genetically-altered clones created from a secret government project.
- In the Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is a best-selling series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias in 1992. Mortal Kombat began as a series of arcade games, which were picked up by Acclaim Entertainment for the home console versions. Then Midway Games exclusively created home versions of Mortal Kombat....
series, MileenaMileena is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.-Overview:Mileena was brought to life by Shang Tsung using Tarkatan race physiology to be a clone of Princess Kitana. She looks just like Kitana when her mask is on , but when it is off, her true visage is exposed...
is KitanaKitana is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.-Overview:A primary hero in the Mortal Kombat saga, Kitana is the princess of Edenia and the daughter of Queen Sindel. She is 10000 years old, although she appears to be in her early to mid twenties...
's evil "twin" sister - actually Mileena is Kitana's doppelgängerA doppelgänger is the ghostly double of a living person, a sinister form of bilocation.In the vernacular, the word "doppelgänger" has come to refer to any double or look-alike of a person. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a...
created by Shao KahnShao Kahn is a boss and recurring playable character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.-About Shao Kahn:One of the primary villains in the Mortal Kombat series, Shao Kahn is the Emperor of Outworld. He resembles an Asian warrior-king in many respects, and embodies evil in many forms...
.
- In Max Payne
Max Payne is a BAFTA award winning third-person shooter video game developed by Finnish Remedy Entertainment, produced by 3D Realms and published by Gathering of Developers in July 2001 for Windows. Ports later in the year for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and the GameBoy Advance were published by...
, Mona and Lisa Sax are identical twins. Upon appearing, Mona, a hired gunwoman, describes herself as Lisa's evil twin.
- In the anime Vampire Knight
is a shōjo manga and anime series written by Matsuri Hino. The series premiered in the January 2005 issue of LaLa magazine and is still on-going. Chapters are collected and published in collected volumes by Hakusensha, with nine volumes currently released in Japan. The manga series is licensed in...
, Ichiru Kiryu is the jealous and vengeful identical twin to main character, Zero Kiryu. Overshadowed by the stronger Zero during childhood, a revenge-minded Ichiru aided in their parrents' murder and continued to seek revenge and the murder of Zero. He eventually fulfills The Twins Curse and dies, becoming 'one' with the still living Zero.
- In the animated TV show South Park
South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become infamous for its crude, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, the second-season episode "Spookyfish"Spookyfish" is the 28th episode of Comedy Central's animated series South Park. It was originally broadcast on October 28, 1998. It was the season's Halloween special, with a "spooky" theme by having pictures of Barbra Streisand in the screen corners, accompanied with the words "spooky...
" features versions of the main characters with goatees (in a parody of the famous evil Spock from Star Trek) that come from what is referred to as an "Evil Parallel Universe". In this universe, however the so-called "evil" version of the normally obnoxious and belligerent Cartman is actually a kind and caring friend, causing the real Cartman's friends to prefer the twin. Meanwhile, two evil versions of Stan and Kyle (minus Kenny who is rich) arrive through the dimensional gateway to bring back their Cartman.
- In Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name. Its first four seasons aired on ABC from September 27, 1996 to May 5, 2000; the final three seasons ran on The WB Television Network from September 22, 2000 to April 24, 2003.-History and...
, there is an episode in which Sabrina finds out everyone in the Spellman family has an twin. She soon finds Katrina, her twin, and they have to find out who is the evil twin and who is the good twin. Though Sabrina is initially believed to be the evil twin, it is quickly discovered that Katrina is the evil one when she attempts to kill Sabrina when told to do so as a test, something that the good twin has never had the heart to do. In a later episode they discover Zelda's evil twin, Jezebelda, who was apparently responsible for the Black PlagueThe Black Death was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. It is widely thought to have been an outbreak of bubonic plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, but this view has recently been challenged...
, shares a prison room with Katrina.
- In Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is a science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Created about 21 years after the original Star Trek, and set in the 24th century about 80 years after the orginal series, the program features a new crew and a new...
, the androidAn android is a robot or synthetic organism designed to look and act like a human. The word derives from ανδρός, the genitive of the Greek ανήρ anēr, meaning "man", and the suffix -eides, used to mean "of the species; alike" . Though the word derives from a gender-specific root, its usage in...
character Data, has an evil, identical twin brother named Lore whose mannerisms and ideas, not just his morality, are the polar opposite of Data's. He made several appearances, the first being in the episode "Datalore".
- In the movie Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness is a comedy horror/adventure film and the third installment in the Evil Dead series. Bruce Campbell stars as protagonist Ash Williams who finds himself in the Middle Ages where he must battle the undead in his quest to return home...
, Ash has to deal with little evil twin duplicates of himself that spring out of a broken mirror. One of the mini Ashes gets himself swallowed by Ash, and effectively grows into an evil twin, "Bad Ash". Ash kills his evil self, but after burying him, his evil twin returns as "Evil Ash". (See Evil Ash)
- RoboGadget is the evil twin of Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget is an animated television series about a clumsy, absent-minded and oblivious detective, Inspector Gadget, who is a human being with various bionic "gadgets" built into his anatomy. Gadget's main nemesis is the mysterious Dr. Claw, leader of an evil organization known as MAD...
in the 1999 Inspector GadgetInspector Gadget is a 1999 live-action film based on the animated cartoon series of the same name. It starred Matthew Broderick as the title character, along with Rupert Everett as Dr. Claw, and Michelle Trachtenberg as Penny. Two new characters were introduced, Brenda Bradford and the Gadgetmobile...
film.
- Elizabeth Montgomery
Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery was an American film and television actress whose career spanned five decades...
often played Samantha Stevens' evil twin cousin, Serena on the television series BewitchedBewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York , Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead and David White. It is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife...
.
- In the television series I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2000-year-old female genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
Jeannie had an evil twin sister known as "Jeannie's Sister" or Jeannie II. Both characters were played by Barbara EdenBarbara Eden is an American film and television actress and singer who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early years:...
.
- In the Futurama
Futurama is an animated American sci-fi sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox network. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
episode "The Lesser Of Two Evils"The Lesser of Two Evils" is episode six in season two of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on February 20, 2000.-Plot:While visiting the Past-o-rama theme park, Fry runs over a robot with an uncanny resemblance to Bender. They bring him back to the Planet Express building, where...
", the character of Flexo is introduced who is effectively the twin of Bender (complete with goatee). As it turns out, Bender is actually the evil one.
- The Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
of DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
has an evil counterpartFor the concept of crime syndicates in general, see Organized crime.The Crime Syndicate is a team of fictional supervillains, from one of DC Comics' parallel universes, who are the evil counterparts of the Justice League of America. The original team was specifically known as Crime Syndicate of...
in a parallel universeParallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a multiverse, although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute physical reality...
, where evil supplements good. As such, the heroes of the comic are feared villains in that reality, and archcriminal Lex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Superman and first appeared in Action Comics #23 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Luthor is described as "a power-mad, evil scientist" of incredible...
is a kindly hero. In the Justice League animated series, an evil version of the title characters (minus their version of the FlashThe Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
) called the Justice LordsThe Justice Lords are fictional anti-heroes who first appeared in the two-part Justice League episode, "A Better World" .-Biography:The Justice Lords are an alternate version of the Justice League from a parallel Earth...
, sought to take over the normal dimension. Similarly, Archie ComicsArchie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenage Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Forsythe "Jughead" Jones characters were created by...
' Sonic the Hedgehog series featured an evil version of the Freedom Fighter hero team (The Suppression Squad, who later turned on Scourge) from an alternate reality, led by a totally amoral hedgehog named Scourge (formally known as Evil Sonic). The traditional nemesis of Sonic, Dr. Eggman, was a harmless veterinarianA veterinarian or a veterinary surgeon , often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. The word comes from the Latin veterinae meaning "working animals"...
.
- In the Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a fictional Japanese giant monster. His first film was Ishiro Honda's 1954 film Gojira, and since then, he has made many more appearances, and has become a pop-culture icon. In total, Godzilla has appeared in 28 films, all of which were produced by Toho Company Ltd...
films, Mechagodzillais a fictional character from various films in the Godzilla series, introduced in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla . It is Godzilla's mechanical doppelgänger and one of the most popular Toho kaiju...
was first introduced as Godzilla's evil, robotic counterpart. Another of Godzilla's evil twins was SpaceGodzilla, is a modified clone of Godzilla featured in the Heisei Godzilla film Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla . It was originally planned for use in the Showa era of films but dropped, and its physical appearance is nearly identical to Super Godzilla, a varient version of Godzilla himself from a 1993 videogame...
, introduced in the 90s. King KongKing Kong is a fictional movie monster that has appeared in several films since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 film King Kong, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels...
also had a robot counterpart in the form of Mechani Kong.
- In the anime
is animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
The Big Ois a Japanese animated television series created by director Kazuyoshi Katayama and designer Keiichi Sato for Sunrise Studios. The writing staff was assembled by the series' head writer, Chiaki J. Konaka....
, it is revealed that R. Dorothy Wayneright has an evil twin named Red Destiny (more commonly known as R.D.), who is similar to Dorothy in appearance only: she wears a red hooded cape that covers most of her face and speaks in a colder, more "metallic" voice than her civilized counterpart. Her personality is also drastically different: while Dorothy is calm and peaceful, R.D. is violent and confrontational. She murders several people before she confronts Roger Smith in an abandoned railway tunnel, and is destroyed by Big O when she is about to kill Roger.
- The Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a mysterious alien time-traveller known as "the Doctor" who travels in his space and time-ship, the TARDIS, which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s police box...
episode, Inferno features a parallel universe similar to that of Star Trek. The Doctor has no evil parallel but all of the human characters do. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart has no goatee, but sports a sinister eyepatchAn eyepatch is a small patch that is worn in front of one eye. It may be a cloth patch attached around the head by an elastic band or by a string, or an adhesive bandage. It is often worn by people to cover a lost or injured eye, but it also has a therapeutic use in children for the treatment of...
.
- In Metroid Prime 2 and 3, Dark Samus is the evil twin of Samus Aran.
- In Rich Burlew's webcomic Order of the Stick one of the main characters, Elan, has an evil twin named Nale (complete with goatee). Nale formed the Linear Guild, a group of evil opposite characters, to oppose the Order of the Stick.
- In the "Treehouse of Horror VII
"Treehouse of Horror VII" is the first episode of The Simpsons
' eighth season and originally aired October 27, 1996. In the seventh annual "Treehouse of Horror" episode, Bart discovers his long-lost twin, Lisa grows a colony of small beings and Kang & Kodos impersonate Bill Clinton...
" episode of The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
, Bart discovers he was separated at birth from a conjoined twin brother by Dr. Hibbert. His "evil twin" Hugo has been consigned to living in the atticAn attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . As attics fill the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof, they are known for being awkwardly shaped spaces with exposed rafters and difficult-to-access corners...
of the Simpson home and given a bucket of fish heads to eat once a week. He also does experimental surgery to prepare for his eventual reattachment to Bart, and created a "pigeon-rat" in the process. In the end they learn that Bart is the evil twin, locking him in the attic while releasing Hugo.
- The Kamen Rider Series had multiple evil counterparts starting with the Shocker Riders (which were based on Kamen Rider Ichigo/Takeshi Hongo
, translated as Masked Rider, is a weekly sci-fi story created by Japanese mangaka Shotaro Ishinomori. It debuted as a tokusatsu television series on April 3, 1971 and ran until February 10, 1973, airing on the Mainichi Broadcasting System and NET TV . A manga adaptation was also featured in Shōnen...
. Other Rider with evil twins included Riderman' is a fictional character, an anti-heroic protagonist from the tokusatsu television series, Kamen Rider V3. He was the first Kamen Rider to wield a weapon. In the original series, he is portrayed by , while in the movie Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs...
and Kamen Rider Amazonis a Japanese tokusatsu television series. The fifth installment to be produced as part of the Kamen Rider Series, the series aired in Japan from late 1974 to early 1975 on the Mainichi Broadcasting System...
. Kamen Rider Ryukiis a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was the twelfth installment in the Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows. It was a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and it was shown on TV Asahi from February 3, 2002 to January 19, 2003. The catchphrase for the series is...
and Kamen Rider Kabutois a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the sixteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. The series was broadcast on tv asahi. The first episode aired on January 29, 2006, and...
had evil clones in the form of Kamen Rider Ryugais a fictional character in the tokusatsu production Kamen Rider Ryuki. He is one of the 13 Kamen Riders the story revolves around. His Rider appearance resembles Kamen Rider Ryuki, but with a black look ripped all over and is similar to Ryuki's Blank Form. Aside from a brief cameo in the TV...
and Kamen Rider Dark Kabutois one of the major antagonists in Kamen Rider Kabuto. Similar to Kabuto, its design is based on a "Kabutomushi" or Japanese rhinoceros beetle.-Souji Kusakabe:...
.
- In the Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim is an American animated television series which ran for 23 episodes in 2 seasons from 1995-1996 on the Kids' WB! programming block on The WB Television Network in the United States. It is based on the video game series of the same name created by Doug TenNapel...
animated series based on the games, a radioactive waste brings Evil Jim to life from a disfigured photocopy of the hero, framing Jim.
- In the TV-show Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
, the two-parter episode "It's a Bad, Bad, Bad World" features a parallel world with Good and Evil inverted. Paige, Phoebe, Leo and Chris encounter their evil selves and a good version of Barbas, the Demon of Fear, who turns out to be a Demon of Hope in this world.
- In Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and it is the second installment in The Legend of Zelda video game series. It was originally released in Japan on the Family Computer Disk System less than a year after the release of the...
, Dark Link, an all-black sprite rip of Link, is the final and most difficult boss of the game. Dark Link reappears as a mini-boss in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeis an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
.
- In the Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck is an American animated television series produced by The Walt Disney Company that ran from 1991-1995 and 1996-1997 on both the syndicated programming block The Disney Afternoon and Saturday mornings on ABC. It featured an eponymous superhero anthropomorphic duck with the alter ego of...
animated series, the title hero has an evil twin named NegaDuckNegaDuck is a fictional character in the Disney animated series Darkwing Duck. A villainous doppelgänger of the show's title character, he is one of the most frequently recurring villains of the series, appearing in thirteen episodes...
, hailing from an opposite universe. This version is a complete villain as compared to Darkwing, and his outfit is almost entirely a contrasting colour to Darkwing's own (yellow instead of purple). Darkwing later visits the Negaverse, NegaDuck's home dimension, and meets evil twins of his friends and neighbours--and good twins of four villains from his home universe.
- In the Blood+
Blood+, stylized as BLOOD+ in Japan , is an anime series produced by Production I.G and Aniplex and directed by Junichi Fujisaku. The series premiered in Japan on Sony's anime satellite channel, Animax, as well as on terrestrial networks such as MBS, TBS, and RKB on October 8, 2005. The final...
anime, Diva is the evil twin of Saya, the protagonist. Being the only one able to kill the other, Saya and Diva are antagonistic towards each other and attempt to kill each other throughout the series. Diva can be physically distinguished from Saya by her blue eyes, pale skin, and longer hair.
- In Shaman King
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei. Shaman King follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura as he attempts to hone his shaman skills to become the Shaman King in the Shaman tournament....
the protagonist Yoh has a twin brother, named Hao. Yoh is the other half of Hao's reincarnation. They both share one soul, although Yoh defends humanity from Hao, who plans to absorb Yoh into himself and wipe out the human race.
- In the manga Fairy Cube
is a fantasy shōjo manga written and illustrated by Kaori Yuki. Appearing as a serial in the Japanese magazine Hana to Yume from 2005 to 2006, the Fairy Cube chapters were collected into three tankōbon volumes by Hakusensha and published from October 2005 to July 2006. Set in modern Japan, the...
the main protagonist Ian, has another personality that also is his evil twin brother, who died before he and Ian were born.
- In Devil May Cry 3, the protagonist, Dante
Dante is the fictional protagonist of the Devil May Cry video game series published by Capcom. The character and Devil May Cry are one of Capcom's flagship game franchises, which has sold over nine million copies worldwide as of 2008 and currently spans four video games...
, must fight his evil twin, a Doppelganger, depicted as a dark demonish version of him. In addition, his real twin, Vergil, is the main antagonist of the game, thus there are two instances of the Evil Twin concept present.
- In the Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is an action-adventure computer and video game developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. It was released in December, 2005 in North America for the Xbox, PC, PlayStation 2, and the Nintendo GameCube...
game, the antagonist is none other than the Prince himself. As a result of coming into contact with the cursed Sands of Time, a darker, evil entity formed within the Prince and constantly took control of the Prince in order to release his evil side. Both want to put a stop to the evil Vizier's plans. However, unlike the Prince whose main goal is to save his people, the Dark Prince's main objective is to slaughter the Vizier. The dark prince also seeks to completely gain control of the prince, whereas the prince tries harder and harder to break free from his curse.
- In the video game Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, Kirby
is the main character of Nintendo's Kirby video game series created by Masahiro Sakurai and developed by HAL Laboratory. The Kirby series is one of Nintendo's many well-known game franchises, spanning nearly twenty games since 1992...
and his other three selves must travel to another dimension, where they meet Dark Kirby and Dark Meta Knight. Dark Meta Knight is defeated, but the Dark Kirby turns out to be good.
- In the Crash Bandicoot series
This article is about the Crash Bandicoot series. For the first game in the series, see Crash Bandicoot . For the character, see Crash Bandicoot . For the animal, see bandicoot...
, the character Aku Aku has an evil twin named Uka Uka. Also, in Crash TwinsanityCrash Twinsanity is the seventh platform game in the Crash Bandicoot series, although it is the fifth chronologically. It was published by Vivendi Universal Games and developed by Traveller's Tales for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox...
, Crash Bandicoot (character), or simply "Crash", is a video game character and the primary protagonist of the Crash series of video games. In the series, Crash is described as a genetically-advanced Eastern Barred Bandicoot who attempts to live a quiet life on a three-island chain southeast of Australia...
discovers Evil Crash, an evil version of himself in the tenth dimension. While Crash previously had an evil twin before, this first evil twin, Fake Crash, eventually turned good after Crash saved him from being mind controlled by Doctor N. Tropy.
- In one episode of SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series and media franchise. It is currently Nickelodeon's highest rated show, the most distributed property of MTV Networks, and among Nicktoons Network's most-watched shows...
entitled "Frankendoodle", Spongebob unintentionally creates an evil twin-like copy of himself called DoodleBob. DoodleBob also makes an appearance in the game Nicktoons Unite!Nicktoons Unite!, known as SpongeBob SquarePants and Friends: Unite! in Europe, is a 2005 video game featuring characters and levels from SpongeBob SquarePants, Danny Phantom, The Fairly OddParents, and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.It spawned 3 sequels named Nicktoons: Battle for...
, where he can be deployed in the form of an airplane, then unfold and distract enemies.
- In the Mexican telenovela La Usurpadora
La Usurpadora is a Mexican romantic drama telenovela produced by Salvador Mejia Alejandre and originally broadcast on Televisa in 1998. It starred Gabriela Spanic and Fernando Colunga. This was one of the last telenovelas to feature Libertad Lamarque, who here portrayed the character of Abuela...
, the heroine Paulina (played by Gabriela SpanicGabriela Spanic Gabriela Spanic Gabriela Spanic (born Gabriela Elena Spanic Utrera, 10 December 1973, Gaby Spanic, is an award-winning Venezuelan actress best known for her roles in telenovelas. Her twin sister is model/actress Daniela Spanic. She has a younger sister Patricia, and two brothers...
) is forced to change places with her evil twin Paola (also played by Gabriela Spanic). In a few scenes, Paola was played by Gabriela's real life twin sister Daniela SpanicDaniela Spanic is a Venezuelan model and twin sister of actress Gabriela Spanic....
.
- In the Brazilian telenovela Mulheres de Areia, the heroine Ruth falls in love by the wealthy young man Marcos but the evil twin Rachel seduces Marcos and marries him in order to become a rich wife. When Rachel accidentally falls off a boat, disappears on the sea and is considered dead, Ruth pretends to be Rachel to live with the man she loves. Later, the evil twin Rachel returns and starts a revenge against the sister who took her place. The twins were portrayed by Eva Wilma
Eva Wilma Riefle Buckup is a Brazilian actress. She was married for 23 years to actor John Herbert, with whom she had two children, Vivian and John Jr. Then she married the actor Carlos Zara.-External links:*...
in the 1973 original version and by Glória PiresGlória Maria Cláudia Pires de Moraes, best known as Glória Pires is a Brazilian actress...
in the 1993 remakeA remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
.
- In the Brazilian telenovela Paraíso Tropical, the heroine Paula (played by Alessandra Negrini) is the twin of the primary antagonist, Taís (also played by Alessandra Negrini). While Paula is kind and lovely, Taís is wicked and greedy. At one point, when Paula marries Daniel (played by Fábio Assunção
Fábio Assunção Pinto is a Brazilian actor. PRECISA DE AJUDA,CALIFORNIA,SAN DIEGO www.atoncenter.com *Mad Maria - Dr...
), Taís tries to kill her in order to fake her own death and take her sister's place.
- In the video game Jimmy Neutron vs. Jimmy Negatron
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius vs. Jimmy Negatron is a video game for the Game Boy Advance and PC. In the game, players play as Jimmy Neutron as he tries to stop his evil alter ego Jimmy Negatron. It is ESRB rated E. It was published by THQ and developed by AWE Games and Human Soft...
, the main protagonist has an evil twin named Jimmy Negatron. Evil Jimmy, as he is called in the series, first appeared in two episodes. In one episode entitled "Send in the Clones", he was one of six clones of Jimmy to help him run errands. In a later episode, entitled "The Trouble with Clones", Evil Jimmy returned to clone the earth and destroy it.
- In an episode of Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door, also known as Kids Next Door or by its acronym KND, is an American animated television series created by Tom Warburton and produced by Curious Pictures. The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 6, 2002 and aired its final episode on January 21, 2008. The series...
entitled "Operation P.O.O.L.", Numbuh 4's pool is a gateway to an alternate universe, in which the Kids Next Door is the Destructively Nefarious Kids (reversing the KND's initials) and is led by Negative Numbuh 4 (who has a goatee similar to evil Spock and is intelligent but cowardly), Numbuh 1 is a wimp, Numbuh 2 makes better jokes, Numbuh 3 is self-centered, Numbuh 5 is a geek, Numbuh 86 is timid, the Delightful Children are rebels, and Father is always Benedict Uno.
- In the anime and manga Trigun
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhiro Nightow, published from 1995 to 2007 and spanning 14 collected volumes.The manga was serialized in Tokuma Shoten's Shōnen Captain from the series debut in 1995 until the magazine's demise in 1997...
, protagonist Vash's plant brother Knives is the antagonist of the series, who aims to destroy the last of the human race that are living on planet Gunsmoke.
- Shadow Mario is Mario's evil twin from Super Mario Sunshine
is a platform game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan on July 19, 2002, in North America on August 26, 2002, and in Europe and Australia on October 4, 2002. It is the first 3D Mario platformer...
, just as Wariois a fictional Nintendo video game character originally designed by Hiroji Kiyotake. Wario was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
is his evil twin who first appeared in Super Mario Land 2. Wario's brother Waluigi is Luigi's evil twin as well.
- In the 2006 season of Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
n primetime soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
NeighboursNeighbours is a Logie Award-winning Australian soap opera, which began airing in March 1985. The series follows the lives of families who live in the six houses at the end of Ramsay Street, a short cul-de-sac in the fictional middle-class suburb of Erinsborough. Storylines explore the romances,...
, three triplets Elle Robinson (played by Pippa BlackPippa Black is an Australian actress.-Career:Black made small appearances in Australian television shows, student films and children's theatre before joining the iconic Network Ten soap opera Neighbours in late 2005, playing her first major acting role of Elle Robinson for which she was nominated...
), Cameron RobinsonCameron Robinson was a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, and was played by Adam Hunter.-Character:He was introduced in late March 2006, and was at the time in a coma induced by his identical twin brother Robert...
and Robert RobinsonRobert Robinson was a fictional character in the Australian soap Neighbours. He is the estranged son of Paul Robinson, and is portrayed by Adam Hunter. He made his first, brief, appearance on October 24, 2005 , and entered the show properly on March 28, 2006 and left the show on July 18, 2006...
(played by Adam HunterAdam Hunter is an Australian actor.Hunter studied acting at the University of Southern Queensland . He is best known for his work on the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours, in which he appeared in the dual role of twin brothers Robert and Cameron Robinson in 2006...
) were living in and around ErinsboroughErinsborough is the fictional setting for the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours, which premiered in March 1985. Erinsborough is about 18 km from the Melbourne City Centre...
. While triplet Cameron was in a coma, his identical triplet Robert stole his identity in an attempt to murder the third triplet in the family Elle and their father Paul RobinsonPaul James Robinson is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Stefan Dennis. He appeared in the first episode in 1985 that was broadcast on Seven Network, and was in the episodes that was broadcast on Network Ten up until August 1992. Paul re-appeared for a handful...
(played by Stefan DennisStefan Dennis is an Australian actor most famous for playing the role of Paul Robinson in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1985–1993...
).
- In Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is an Emmy Award-nominated American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night,...
, Miley has a cousin Luann, who is her evil "twin". They look very much alike, but Luann is always trying to get Miley's Hannah fame.
- In The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy parents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001...
there are three evil twins- Cosmo has the Anti Fairy Anti-Cosmo, likewise Wanda has the Anti Fairy Anti-Wanda, and Comic Book Hero The Crimson Chin has Comic Book Villain The NegaChin.
- In Shoebox Zoo
Shoebox Zoo is a children's fantasy TV series made in a collaboration between BBC Scotland and various Canadian television companies. It is mostly live-action, but with CGI used for the animal figurines. It was first broadcast in 2004 by CBBC. The Showtime network owns the U.S...
, Los Contrarios are Toledo's black, evil clones of the original four Zoo members. They are linked to their originals, so that if the original dies, so does the evil twin.
- In the anime/manga Fushigi Yūgi
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. It was originally serialized in Shōjo Comic from May 1992 through June 1996. The manga series was given an English language release in North America by Viz Media, which started in 1999...
, the twins Amiboshi and Suboshi are both members of the Seiryuu Seven. While Amiboshi is first portrayed as evil, he really is good-natured and even at one point wished to have been born a member of the Suzaku Seven. So to speak, Suboshi is the evil twin.
- In the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "The Wish" we see a parallel universe in which Buffy Summers never came to Sunnydale. This includes evil vampire versions of Willow and Xander. In the subsequent episode "Doppelgangland", the vampire Willow is transported to the "real" Sunnydale. In the Season 5 episode "The Replacement", a demon's spell splits Xander into two identical Xanders. Each is convinced that the other is the evil twin - but in fact one has simply received Xander's stronger traits, and the other the weaker. When this is found out, the gang prepares a spell to splice the two Xanders back together. When asked "what if it doesn't work?" both Xanders respond together: "Kill us both, Spock", a reference to the Star Trek episode, "Enemy Within". Xander, played by Nicholas Brendan has an actual identical twin. His brother, Kelly, played the 'other half'. Kelly also occasionally filled in for Nicholas, as Xander, in a few other episodes.
- In the Legend of Zelda cartoon episode "Doppelganger" Ganon uses a magic mirror to create an evil twin of Zelda. The twin then tricks Link into taking the Triforce of Wisdom to Ganon. Once Link and the twin meet the real Zelda, there is a scuffle between Zelda and her twin, in which they both fall into a mud pit and Link must identify which one is which.
- In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games. It is the fourth installment in The Elder Scrolls action fantasy video game series. It was released on...
expansion pack "The Shivering Isles", the player character must fight an exact, evil duplicate of him or herself in order to obtain an artifact necessary to complete the game.
- In the manga series Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
, by Rumiko Takahashiborn October 10, 1957 is a Japanese mangaka.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent mangaka in Japan. The manga she creates are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation...
, Ranma stands (as a girl) in front of a cursed mirror, which releases a duplicate of herself. This is more a "Horny Twin" than an evil one, since she starts chasing pretty much every guy in sight. However, she's surprised by the fact that no one accepts her advances (as everybody knew of Ranma's curse and thought she was him acting on a strange plan). Then Ranma tries to show her the reason, by tossing both of them into a hot bath. The clone, however, does not change to a guy, and then focuses only on getting Ranma's affection, bringing havoc to the Tendo family (especially Akane). By the end of the story arc, Ranma stands in front of the mirror again, which releases yet another clone, but this time he was a guy. Both clones set their eyes on each other, thus ending the "menace".
- In the manga
Manga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
series Monsteris a seinen manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Original between 1994 and 2001, and reprinted in 18 tankōbon volumes. It was adapted by Madhouse as a 74-episode anime TV series, which aired on NTV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005...
, by Naoki Urasawais a Japanese mangaka artist. He graduated from Meisei University with a degree in economics. He made his professional manga debut with Return in 1981. Three of his series have been adapted into anime: Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, Master Keaton, and Monster...
, the main female protagonist's (Anna Libert/Nina Fortner) twin brother, Johan, becomes a serial murderer, whom she pursues throughout the series to help bring to justice.
- In the video game Mother 3
Mother 3 is a role-playing video game developed by Brownie Brown, HAL Laboratory, and Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 3. It was published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It has only been released in Japan, alongside a limited supply bundle...
, the protagonist Lucas has a twin brother Claus, who is kidnapped and brainwashed into becoming one of the main villains of the game, although it is not revealed until much later.
- In the Troma film Class of Nuke 'Em High 3: The Good, the Bad and the Subhumanoid
The Class of Nuke 'Em High 3: The Good, the Bad and the Subhumanoid is a comedy film directed by Eric Louzil and distributed by Troma Entertainment, released in 1994...
, a main character in the series named Roger Smith has two twins. However, one is kidnapped from the hospital before anyone knows about it, and it is raised to be evil, while the twin Roger raises turns out good.
- In Ringu 0, Yamamura Sadako splits into two separate people- twins-one of which is the evil part of her that the good Sadako can't control and the other, unable to escape the evil. At the end she reunites with her stunted-growth twin to become the antagonist in Ringu
Ringu may refer to:* The Ring series of novels by Koji Suzuki** Ring** Spiral** Loop** Birthday* The Ring J-Horror Films**Ring: Kanzenban ** Ring ** Ring 2 ** Ring 0: Birthday ** Rasen...
, Ringu 2 and RasenRasen is a sequel to the movie Ring. It is directed by Joji Iida, and, as with the first movie, is based on a novel by Koji Suzuki....
.
- In the Bluth Entertainment video game "Space Ace", the protagonist Dexter is attacked by his "dark side", a muted evil version of his own image.
- In the video game "Um Jammer Lammy", the title character is troubled by an edgier character named "Rammy", who is identical except for her muted colors.
- In the computer game Guild Wars Prophecies, the protagonist must defeat their doppelganger in order to "Ascend." This doppelganger looks very demonic and, strangely, nothing like the actual character.
- Sonic the Hedgehog has had multiple evil twins, including numerous robotic look alikes (Metal Sonic, Mecha Sonic, Silver Sonic, Pseudo Sonic and various versions of said robots), Shadow the Hedgehog (who has been mistaken for the blue blur on many occasions), and Scourge the Hedgehog (Evil Sonic).
- Mozenrath
Mozenrath is a fictional character, voiced by the late Jonathan Brandis, in the Disney animated television series Aladdin. He is always accompanied by his flying eel, Xerxes....
was to have been revealed as the evil twin long lost brother of AladdinAladdin is one of the tales of medieval Arabian origin in the The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland .-Synopsis:The original story of...
in the 3rd Disney Movie.
- Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck is an American animated television series produced by The Walt Disney Company that ran from 1991-1995 and 1996-1997 on both the syndicated programming block The Disney Afternoon and Saturday mornings on ABC. It featured an eponymous superhero anthropomorphic duck with the alter ego of...
in one episode is turned into an evil twin mirror image of NegaduckNegaDuck is a fictional character in the Disney animated series Darkwing Duck. A villainous doppelgänger of the show's title character, he is one of the most frequently recurring villains of the series, appearing in thirteen episodes...
; in a comic reliefComic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
episode each tries to prove that he is the "real" evil doer.
- In the 1980s TV show Knight Rider, the show's hero Michael Knight
Michael Knight is a fictional character and protagonist in the 1980s Knight Rider television series played by David Hasselhoff. The character first appeared in the opening scenes as Michael Long, played by Larry Anderson in the beginning of the pilot.- Michael Long :Born Michael Arthur Long on...
is a surgically altered twin of the long estranged son of Wilton Knight (the inventor of KITTKITT is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure TV series Knight Rider. While having the same acronym, both KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series Knight Rider, and the other as the Knight...
and founder of FLAG). Garthe Knight is an arms dealer and international criminal, as well as a disgrace to his father Wilton.
- Knight Rider also had an evil twin for KITT. KARR
KARR is the name of a fictional, automated, prototype vehicle featured as a major antagonist in two episodes of the television series Knight Rider and was part of a multi-episode story arc in the 2008 series....
appears in both the original 1980s series and in the 2008 seriesKnight Rider is a 2008 series that follows the 1982 TV series of the same title and the 2008 television movie. The series stars Justin Bruening as Mike Traceur, the estranged son of Michael Knight. The series also stars Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Traceur's former girlfriend and love interest....
.
- In the book Gone, by Michael Grant, the hero and villain, Sam and Caine, are fraternal twins.