Gloved Fist of Doom

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If you only knew the power of the dark glove!

When the Big Bad wants to flex his power, he shoves his hands into big (usually black) gloves with an upward thrusting motion, then makes an evil fist (although a clawed semi-fist, as if clutching something unseen, is sometimes also done). Putting on the gloves can be optional; the character can make this move even if they're already wearing the gloves. For extra points, we get a scrunchy-leathery-rubbery sound effect as the fist is clenched.

Pretty much a Mad Scientist staple, but the fisted glove is also a trope of megalomaniacs in general, showing off their power.

Could also be an Evil Hand. When it's a Mad Doctor performing it, it might also include a Glove Snap. When the heroes do it, it's a Bicep-Polishing Gesture. Compare Milking the Giant Cow. Not related to a Fist Pump. Not to be confused with Giant Hands of Doom. Also not to be confused with the Power Fist. Or the Black Power Fist.

Examples of Gloved Fist of Doom include:

Anime and Manga

  • When Colonel Roy Mustang in the manga and Brotherhood anime version of Fullmetal Alchemist prepares to fake the killing of Maria Ross there is a scene of him putting on his trademark "ignition gloves" in the classic evil fashion, complete with a closeup of the flame transmutation circle. Subverted in that he only pretends to kill her to create cover for her escape, using a pile of meat transmuted into a fake carcass as a decoy Ross, and thus does not do anything evil. Not that Ed knew that at the time.
  • Sakura Haruno of Naruto inverts the trope, usually with a nice Glove Snap to go with it. She's one of the good guys, but if she uses this gesture then beware.

Comic Books

  • This is practically a prerequisite for anyone who puts on the Infinity Gauntlet, both villain and hero alike.
  • Showing the "clawed semi-fist" variant, we see here the Gloved Fist of Doom!!

Film

  • The prototypical Mad Scientist, Rotwang, does this in Metropolis (though he never does quite close his fist; his hand was said to have been prosthetic). Possibly the Ur Example and Trope Maker.
  • Darth Vader does this so often he comes close to being the Trope Codifier. "If you only knew the power of the Dark Side..." "Luke, join me..."
    • For bonus Gloved Fist of Doom, there was a kids' EU novel titled "The Glove of Darth Vader" and it was about the eponymous glove as a Memento MacGuffin. Presumably the bad guy made this gesture some more after he found it.
      • Actually, it really was an Gloved fist of Doom. It burned and eventually drove whoever wore it insane. Naturally the bad guys wanted it anyway.
  • Street Fighter. General M. Bison (Raul Julia) clenches a gloved (red) fist in an upward motion as he exclaims, "Pax Bisonica!"
    • He also does a double-fisted one when he shouts, "Game Over!". He was almost as fond of this move as Darth Vader.
  • Boromir does this at least once while contemplating the power of the Ring.
    • As does the Witch-King during the lead-up to his dramatic reveal in Return of the King.
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit?. While in the Acme factory, Judge Doom pulls on a large rubber glove before putting a Toon shoe in the Dip. (Watch it here, 4:00-5:20. He doesn't make the fist, but he does put it on menacingly.
    • Of course, it is perfectly reasonable for the judge to don menacing gloves since it is revealed later that he is a toon himself and the glove is for his protection...
      • Given the chemicals stated to be present in Dip, a normal human would get nasty chemical burns putting their hand in it as well, so this isn't exactly telling on Doom's part. Heck, even standing in the presence of the stuff would likely cause severe tissue damage to the linings of the lungs.
  • Syndrome does it in The Incredibles, with a semi-closed fist [dead link] (reversing the trope with white gloves).
  • Jaffar in Aladdin makes the move - sans gloves - when he turns into a genie. "ULTIMATE COSMIC POWER!"
  • Teaser footage for The Avengers: Infinity War invariably end on Thanos doing this with the Infinity Gauntlet.

Live-Action TV

  • Gwendolyn Post, the evil Watcher, does this after putting on the magical power glove in Buffy the Vampire Slayer 'Revelations'.

Video Games

  • Shockingly, Yuna does this in a moment of rebelliousness in Final Fantasy X-2.
  • Magus in Chrono Trigger adjusts his gloves like this while charging a spell. There is no discernible reason why he would need to do this, but damned if it doesn't look cool.
  • Ansem / Xehanort's Heartless ends his "Darkness is the heart's true essence" speech in the first Kingdom Hearts with one of these.
  • City of Heroes' first expansion--City of Villains--had boxart that featured President Evil Lord Recluse in the open-fisted pose. Moreover, Nazi-inspired villain (and M. Bison-lookalike) Reichsman raises a gloved fist in the middle of a fight before punching the ground with enough force to knock out Player Characters' Hit Points and Endurance. Gloved Fist of Doom, indeed.
  • Illidan Stormrage does this in the opening cinematic of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. He's conjuring up a storm to summon minions from the bottom of the sea.

Web Original

Western Animation

  • G.I. Joe‍'‍s Cobra Commander often does this.
  • Dr. Drakken does this in Kim Possible, often two-fisted.

Real Life

  • Recent[when?] studies have shown that clenching one's fist in this manner does indeed increase one's sense of power and increase willpower. Especially if you're thinking evil thoughts while doing so. (see: Schubert, T.W., & Koole, S.L. (2009). The embodied self: Making a fist enhances men’s power-related self-conceptions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45, 828–834.)
  • Benito Mussolini loved to do this gesture during speeches photo
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