show one's true colors
idiom
: to show what one is really like : to reveal one's real nature or character
He seemed nice at first, but he showed his true colors during the crisis.
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“Show one's true colors.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/show%20one%27s%20true%20colors. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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