The Doctor: Like what?
Idris: So much bigger on the inside.
People are rarely all that they seem at first glance. Without getting into An Aesop about books and covers and ugly ducks and swans and frogs that when kissed turn into robots, it's fairly true to say that people are mostly visually oriented, and go by first impressions. So when it turns out that The Big Guy who can bend steel bars is also a Harvard alumnus with a penchant for pontificating on the power of prose, people are justifiably taken aback.
This is not so much a character type being subverted as it is getting Character Development in unexpected directions. Much like Playing Against Type, it can be something that seemingly goes against the character type, or combines two different, seemingly opposite roles or characters into one more Round Character. The talent or quirk is rarely impossible for the character to have, just unexpected: people aren't just their job or surface personality after all. The Smart Guy who's a cooking wiz because he had to take care of his younger siblings, or The Ditz who's a Black Belt because her dad wanted her to be able to defend herself are two examples. Hidden Depths can be discovered in Backstory or organically as a story progresses, but if used improperly can crop up in a Plot Tailored to the Party to give a character the necessary skills. Why did they never mention it? "You Didn't Ask".
This Rebus Bubble list might take a while to fill.
- The Ace + Dark and Troubled Past/Broken Bird = Broken Ace
- The Big Guy + The Smart Guy = Genius Bruiser
- The Big Guy + Nice Guy = Gentle Giant
- Shrinking Violet + Beneath the Mask = Yandere
- Shrinking Violet + Action Girl = Little Miss Badass
- Genius Bruiser - The Worf Effect = Minored in Ass-Kicking
- Noble Demon = Fallen Hero
- Alpha Bitch + Took a Level in Kindness = Defrosting Ice Queen
- The Fool + Badass Normal = Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
- Jerk Jock/Jerkass + Pet the Dog = Jerk with a Heart of Gold
- Being A Mother + Action Girl = Mama Bear/Action Mom
- Being A Father + Action Hero = Papa Wolf/Action Dad
- The Cutie + Super-Strength = Cute Bruiser/Badass Adorable
- Crazy Cat Lady = Kindhearted Cat Lover
- The Ditz + The Smart Guy = Genius Ditz (and the other way around for Ditzy Genius)
- Nice Guy + Berserk Button = Beware the Nice Ones
- The Quiet One + Berserk Button = Beware the Quiet Ones
- Jade-Colored Glasses + Knight in Shining Armor = Knight in Sour Armor
- Fake Ultimate Hero + The Münchausen = Miles Gloriosus
- Children Are Innocent + Wise Beyond Their Years = Innocent Prodigy
- The Stoic or Emotionless Girl + Not So Stoic = Sugar-and-Ice Personality
- Character - Basic Skill + The Spartan Way = Fish Out of Water
- Lovable Sex Maniac + Nice Guy = Chivalrous Pervert
- Jerkass + Break the Cutie = Jerkass Woobie
- Jerkass or Jerk with a Heart of Gold + Broken Bird = Sour Outside, Sad Inside
- Yamato Nadeshiko/Ojou/Proper Lady + Action Girl = Lady of War
- Proper Lady + Guile Hero/Beware the Nice Ones = Silk Hiding Steel
Of course, since these are common enough to have become a trope, they are less of a surprise than more — unusual depths. Indeed, some hidden depths are so common that making the surface and depth the same surprises the reader. In more extreme cases, a completely Flat Character becomes a Rounded Character.
If the audience is aware of the depths but not all the characters are, Dramatic Irony is almost bound to occur. If it happens gradually, it's essentially Flanderization in reverse. May be demonstrated when a character catches the Smart Ball. Cracks in the Icy Façade are hinted at by Hidden Depths.
For more examples, see the index.
Examples
- Anime & Manga
- Comic Books
- Fan Works
- Films — Animation
- Films — Live-Action
- Literature
- Live-Action TV
- Video Games
- Visual Novels
- Western Animation
- Other Media
