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One very clear way of showing it's The Future in a work is to depict two corporations which in our time are blood rivals having merged into a Mega-Corp.

When played for dystopian drama, this may be a symptom of an Assimilation Plot or One Nation Under Copyright.

In the more distant future, this may also happen to countries, and in the even more distant future, to religions (which crosses over into Interfaith Smoothie). The Big International Clubs may come into play here. Compare Japan Takes Over the World, China Takes Over the World, Mexico Called; They Want Texas Back. Contrast Balkanize Me and Divided States of America. Can be used as a subtrope of Bland-Name Product if just to write around trademarks.

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Examples:

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Anime and Manga

It's only seen in logos in the background of a few scenes and mentioned in a few obscure sourcebooks but in Gundam's original Universal Century timeline Samsung and Sony have merged into the consumer electronics powerhouse "Samsony".

Comic Books

In the future of Marvel 2099, Stark industries was bought out by Japanese corporation Fujikawa, forming Stark-Fujikawa, one of the many Mega-Corporations of the setting. Recursively, Iron Man comics later established Fujikawa as a rival to Stark in The Present Day. The merger even happened in the present day, around the time that Iron Man was stuck in an alternate universe for a year, with Fujikawa CEO's daughter Rumiko becoming Tony's main love interest.

In the Eppy/Orion era of Grendel, Christianity has been reunified under the Pope at Vatican Quest.

Film

Demolition Man: "Taco Bell was the only restaurant to survive the Franchise Wars. Now all restaurants are Taco Bell." None of the restaurants are anything like the "old" Taco Bell, because all junk food is outlawed so now the company is "Taco Bell" In Name Only.

In the original Alien series, the Weyland-Yutani corporation appears to be the dominant commercial entity. The expedition in AVP: Alien vs. Predator was funded by Weyland, as was the one in the pseudo-prequel Prometheus, while Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem shows Yutani corporation showing up to investigate recovered technology at the end, and is implied to already have some knowledge. According to Word of God, this meant to imply that England and Japan become the major superpowers of the future. Alien: Resurrection takes it further by mentioning Weyland-Yutani got bought out by Walmart. Early revisions of the script had the company named "Leland-Toyota", making it an even more literal version of the trope.

Pitch Black has 'Chrislam' pilgrims heading for the planet of New Mecca.

In Americathon, Jews and Arabs have finally put aside their differences and formed "Hebrab National," a future (post-reconciliation) "Hebrew National." Great Britain has also become a U.S. state.

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Literature

Live-Action TV

Appears on seaQuest DSV as an aside. The World Bank transaction network is the arterial channel through which the real money flows. Money, with a capital M. Not just the mortgage on your house or even Apple Computer buying Microsoft. This money controls armies, governments, even confederations.

In a variation, Red Dwarf does this to currency: in The Future, the unit of exchange is the dollarpound, made up of 100 pennycents, and known in slang as 'buckquid'.

Alternate History example: in the Fringe alternate universe, Shell and Exxon have merged into Shexxon.

Firefly is a subtle example, as the only explicitly religious ceremony it shows is a funeral which combines Christian and Buddhist elements, which may just be Artistic License  Religion. The Alliance from the Firefly 'verse started out as an alliance between the United States and China.

Andromeda has Wayism, founded by a Magog who found God and decided all religions were true.

Doctor Who: In "Sleep No More", set in the 38th century, India and Japan have become one nation. Remarks by the Doctor imply this was a physical merger in the wake of a "Great Catastrophe", not solely a political alliance.

In a Season 7 episode of Parks and Recreation, it's revealed Verizon, Exxon and Chipotle merged into one company called Verexxotle.

Tabletop Games

Theatre

Of Thee I Sing mentions in the patter of "Love Is Sweeping The Country": Chevrolet and Ford

Have felt this cosmic urging;

They, with one accord,

Have kissed and now are merging.

Video Games

Web Original

Webcomics

"Winux" (Windows Linux) from Sluggy Freelance. note Unless it's a reference to the idea of an open-source Windows clone, which has been attempted once or twice. There's also the non-future example of Sasha being a delivery person for "Up-Ex".

There's also the non-future example of Sasha being a delivery person for "Up-Ex". Schlock Mercenary: Sergeant Schlock's drug of choice being a powdery substance named Ovalqwik, one can infer that the brands Ovomaltine (Ovaltine in the US) and Nestle's Quik have also become a single entity. There was also a reference to playing "Master Chief Mario" on a "WiiBox" and "Samsony" (Samsung Sony) makes consumer commlinks. The existence of a show titled Babylon Abbey where Jesus, Janeway, and Optimus Prime fight Daleks would suggest a lot of things enter the public domain in the next millennium.

Pangaeism, the most politically correct religion ever, is briefly mentioned in Last Res0rt, apparently they have a minor holy war every time a new species is contacted and the scripture needs to be revised to include their mythology.

In the sci-fi webcomic Starslip, the crew is sent to explore a Ghost Ship that once belonged to the "Canamerexican Alliance". The comic is set so far in the future that this conglomeration is now just a part of their ancient history, having given way to global and interstellar governments.

Western Animation

Real Life