If you look up Andrew Tate online, you find two kinds of images. In the one kind, his head is shaved, his beard trimmed, decked out in expensive gear.

In the other, he is unsmiling, with ragged hair, wearing all black. These are Tate's two personas: the all-conquering emperor and the martyred holy man.

It was in the second of these forms that he appeared in a Romanian court on Tuesday afternoon, charged with human traffickingThe recruitment, transportation or trade of humans for forced labour or sexual exploitation. .

Some hope this might be the end of the "manosphere", the set of online spaces where men like Tate peddle images of the alpha maleThe dominant male animal in a social group. lifestyle.

They take pictures of themselves surrounded by beautiful women, claiming that they are irresistibly attracted to their alpha magnetism. They boast about their fast cars and huge mansions.

They hand down teachings to their followers in being more manly and successful - for a fee.

But scrutiny has shown that many are not nearly as wealthy as they pretend. Tate insists that he is the world's first trillionaire. In reality, he has around $10m (£8m).¹

The fast cars and beautiful women were all just a scam, many say - in Tate's case, hiding the cruel, exploitativeUsing someone or something in an unfair or morally wrong way - but in a way that benefits you. underbelly of his operation.

Surely, they argue, now that the falsehood behind the "alpha male" image has been revealed, the manosphere influencers are finished.

But some think Tate will come back from this. They say he has already pivoted towards his second persona: the crucifiedNailed to a cross. messiah.

There is no sign that Tate would be silenced even by a prison sentence. He claims "the Matrix" is trying to take down alpha males like him. He has portrayed his arrest as part of a conspiracy by women who target famous men with allegations of sexual wrongdoing to ruin their reputations.

He has likened himself to a number of other big names with followings among teenage boys who have been accused of assault, including Cristiano RonaldoA Portuguese football player, known as one of the best in the world. and Johnny DeppAn American actor and musician, best known for appearing in Pirates of the Caribbean. .

The message to his true believers is clear: women lie to damage men. It is exactly what many of them want to hear.

This is not the end of Andrew Tate, they warn. It is the start of a new and more dangerous phase. Holy man Tate might be more harmful than emperor Tate ever was.

Yes: Manosphere influencers have always depended on their image. Now everyone can see the emperor has no clothes. Their following will surely disappear.

No: Tate is a master of self-marketing. He is already spinning his arrest into a new narrative that he can use to present himself as a martyrA person who is killed due to their beliefs, especially their religious beliefs. . His followers will believe powerful forces are targeting him and it will only make him seem more important.

Or... Some of the lesser alpha male influencers will implode under the new scrutinyCarefully examining or looking into something to get information about it. . But Tate's following is more like a cult, and like a cult it will believe anything rather than abandon its leader.