| abstract | - There are two parallel definitions of a gimmick:
* A cheat; either a method of doing something that appears impossible, or some device used for cheating.
* A feature that distinguishes something (in this case, a character or series) from the competition (with strong connotations of not adding any functionality or value). This is about that second, as applied to characters. The power of sheer gimmickry, when properly used, cannot be underestimated; a properly executed gimmick can make a character truly memorable. The true definition of a gimmick is if an Alternate Universe or Re Boot equivalent (or a Captain Ersatz) isn't "really" that character without the gimmick, then that's this. Most common in Comic Books and Professional Wrestling, but can show up elsewhere. See also Idiosyncrazy, for when a character's gimmick is driven by his insanity, rather than out of universe considerations. Examples of The Gimmick include:
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