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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 '17 at 12:31
  • Is a religious martyr relevant in your context? – Amir Uval Mar 16 '17 at 12:35
  • Dupe or stooge may work. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 16 '17 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 '17 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 '17 at 13:12
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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 '17 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 '17 at 13:03
  • @Lola - Do you mean vengeful? – Jim Mar 16 '17 at 15:37
  • @Jim yes, i mean vengeful – Lola Mar 29 '17 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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