Dual Identities - Spiderman, Jem and the Holograms and more

Dual Identities in Storytelling: The Allure of Living Two Lives

Dual identities have been explored in great length since its rise in popularity after Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with well-known motion pictures such as Spiderman and Superman delivering the trope through a balancing act of normality vs extraordinary situations. From Clark Kent simply removing his glasses and donning a cape to become Superman, or Miley Stewart stepping on stage as Hannah Montana with just a different hairstyle, the fictional concept of getting to experience two different lives has been around for a good while.

But what is it that makes dual identities such a compelling concept to watch or read about?

The Thrill of Duality

Well, the idea of living two lives taps into a universal fantasy: the chance to live a life opposite to the one you’re in currently. For me personally, it would be to live out one that feels unattainable, such as the pop star lifestyle or anything remotely more upscale.

Some people are simply happy with the lives they lead. But for a few, there's a secret longing of escapism, although I suppose living life in the limelight is slightly more grounded than being a secret super villain or something. ...Right?

Take Jem and the Holograms, for example. By day, main character Jerrica Benton is a responsible young woman running Starlight Music and caring for a group of foster girls. But through the power of Synergy, a powerful holographic device (if you haven't seen it, I'm not explaining further), she transforms into Jem, the glittering, confident rock star who dazzles crowds and is a different person entirely. Similarly, in Hannah Montana, Miley Stewart balances the life of a regular teenager with the glitz and glamour of her pop star alter ego. These dualities reflect a common fantasy: balancing the mundane and the extraordinary without losing oneself in the process.

Conflict and Complexity

One reason dual identities make for such engaging storytelling is the natural conflict they create. Living two lives is hardly seamless. The contrast between the public persona and private self becomes a rich source of drama. How does a character maintain the balance? What happens when the two worlds collide? Who finds out? These questions drive the plot forward and keep audiences invested.

In Jem and the Holograms, Jerrica constantly struggles to keep her true identity a secret while fulfilling the demands of both her music career and her personal responsibilities. Similarly, Miley Stewart in Hannah Montana deals with the challenges of keeping her superstar status hidden from her classmates, leading to humorous and heartfelt moments. I think Hannah is a rip-off Jem, to be honest, but the kids these days won't agree with that, so let's go with something more mainstream.

Superheroes like Spider-Man grapple with similar issues. Peter Parker’s struggles with school, work and relationships humanise him, making his adventures feel grounded and relatable. The difficulty of appearing perfect in both lives creates tension that resonates deeply with audiences – unless you’re a Green Goblin fan and find Peter a bit annoying. But I digress.

A Reflection of Real Life

While dual identities might seem fantastical, they often mirror the complexities of real life, which I think gets lost in the sparkle of it all. Many of us juggle different roles depending on the context: professional at work, dreamer in private.

This hits especially hard in stories with marginalised characters. Look at the X-Men—those powers aren’t just flashy nonsense, they’re basically metaphors for dealing with prejudice. Loads of mutants end up hiding who they really are just to avoid getting treated like rubbish, and honestly, it’s not a far-off parallel to real-life struggles with identity.

The whole dual-identity thing? It’s not just about costumes and saving the day. It’s a way to dig into what it means to belong, to be yourself, and to survive in a world that doesn’t always want you to. That’s why it hits so hard.

My Hidden Gems

Here’s a take you don’t see often: what if dual identities weren’t about a secret persona or living two lives at once, but about who you were versus who you’re becoming? Think about it—we all carry pieces of our past selves. Maybe it’s an old reputation, a belief we’ve grown out of, or even a version of us we’re a bit embarrassed by now.

It’s not like the past version of you just vanishes. It hangs around, whether you like it or not. Sometimes it clashes with the person you’re trying to be now, and other times it sneaks back in ways you don’t expect. It’s less about hiding a secret identity and more about dealing with the fact that your old self is still part of the story.

Like, imagine someone who used to live on the edge—breaking laws, living recklessly—and now they’re trying to be someone better. The tension comes from those old instincts kicking in or people refusing to see them as anything other than who they were. It’s not about a mask or a cape; it’s about trying to shake off a shadow that won’t budge.

We’ve all got a bit of that going on. Trying to move forward while dragging bits of our past along for the ride. It’s messy, but that’s what makes it interesting.

Note:

Just a heads-up, Jem and the Holograms might not be my best example of someone managing a dual identity. Jerrica and Jem are the same person, but only a handful of people in the show know that. Jerrica’s boyfriend, Rio, does not. So, he ends up cheating on Jerrica with Jem. He doesn’t realise it, but he’s actually cheating on his girlfriend, with his girlfriend, without knowing it. How's that for a plot twist?

Let me know some dual identities you've seen in media!