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Please can you find me a term for someone who had been used like a string puppet by some greater force or divinity to accomplish an act of vengence for them?

mediator and the likes sounds too... tame. I'd like something to make the character feel like some kind of string puppet in the hands of someone.

Thank you very much!!!

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    The most common term is "puppet".
    – Hot Licks
    Mar 16, 2017 at 12:31
  • Is a religious martyr relevant in your context?
    – Amir Uval
    Mar 16, 2017 at 12:35
  • Dupe or stooge may work.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Mar 16, 2017 at 12:43
  • no, not really religious martyr but I'm trying to portray something alike. like the character feels like the messenger of a divinity but not to do something good like a prophet but something bad. (hence the act of vengence, as in the divinity is actually a vengress divinity.)
    – Lola
    Mar 16, 2017 at 12:59
  • If you wish to inject, or don't mind injecting, a bit of legalese you could also consider, "unwitting accomplice."
    – MDHunter
    Mar 16, 2017 at 13:12

3 Answers 3

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Consider 'Cat's paw'

a person used unwittingly or unwillingly by another to accomplish the other's own purpose.

This has its origin in the fable of the Monkey and the Cat.

In La Fontaine's telling, Bertrand the monkey persuades Raton the cat to pull chestnuts from the embers amongst which they are roasting, promising him a share. As the cat scoops them from the fire one by one, burning his paw in the process, the monkey gobbles them up. They are disturbed by a maid entering and the cat gets nothing for its pains

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  • OOOh!! This define exactly what I'm trying to convey! used to accomplish someone else's purpose! 'feeling like the cat's paw of a vengeredd divinity' Sounds good?
    – Lola
    Mar 16, 2017 at 13:19
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"Tool" is common. I believe it was Lenin who coined the term "useful idiots" to refer to those whose adherence to some ideology exceeded their common sense and could be manipulated in pursuit of it. "Puppet" (you used it) is certainly common, as is its variant "marionette". "Sock Puppet" is even more specific.

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  • How could I not have thought of Tool x) I shall use use marionette and Stooge both. the phrase goes like: 'Watching it all unravel before his eyes and feeling like some stooge or the marionette of a vengeress divinity.' sounds good you guys think?
    – Lola
    Mar 16, 2017 at 13:03
  • @Lola - Do you mean vengeful?
    – Jim
    Mar 16, 2017 at 15:37
  • @Jim yes, i mean vengeful
    – Lola
    Mar 29, 2017 at 19:10
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There are huge differences between 'used someone else' and 'used like a string puppet by some greater force or divinity…'and still, if it is to be by 'some greater force or divinity' then the usual term is 'instrument' as in 'instrument of God.'

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