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Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Difference between revisions
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Reptiles Are Abhorrent refers to the association between reptiles and villainy. This trope manifests itself in several basic ways. The simplest is to have reptiles that are consistently villainous. In [[Animal Tropes|animal stories]], villains might be anthropomorphic versions of [[Real Life]] reptiles, while the heroes are cute mammals and birds. In [[Speculative Fiction]], they might be fantastic beings such as [[Lizard Folk]], [[Snake People]] or [[The Reptilians|Reptilian aliens]].
Even when the bad guys are not actual reptiles, they may have some sort of reptilian theme. Perhaps they are an [[Animal
This trope is generally not applied with equal frequency and intensity to all reptiles. Snakes (especially venomous ones) and [[Never Smile At a Crocodile|crocodiles]] tend to be the reptiles most associated with villains. Meanwhile, [[Turtle Power|turtles]] and various lizards seen as cute and harmless, such as geckos and frilled lizards, are less likely to be associated with villainy. Dinosaurs are also often exempt from this trope. Stereotypically reptilian features such as [[Fangs Are Evil|fangs]], claws, tails, visible scales, and slit pupils may distinguish villainous reptiles from friendly ones.
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Reptiles Are Abhorrent is fairly consistent, but it's far from [[Omnipresent Tropes|omnipresent]], so do not list aversions. Do not list subversions unless they actually invoke this trope.
See also [[What Measure Is a Non
'''[[No Real Life Examples Please]]!'''
{{examples
== Media in General ==
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* The first set of baddies in ''[[Getter Robo]]'' was the evil Dinosaur Empire, who were, well... dinosaurs.
* The ''[[Pokémon]]'' anime features several, but the most prominent is the Ekans (later [[Evolutionary Levels|Arbok]]) owned by [[Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain]] Jessie of Team Rocket. And later she comes into ownership of a Seviper, yet another snake Pokémon.
* The ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh]]'' anime includes a set of Reptile monsters, but their only major appearance was in [[Yu-Gi-Oh GX|GX]] while being used by Professor Viper. Ganzley, [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]] and [[Big Bad]] of [[Five
* While the main characters of ''[[Keroro Gunsou]]'' are mostly alien frogs, there is an antagonistic enemy race of humanoid cobras known as Vipers.
* Orochimaru from ''[[Naruto]]'' is very snake-like himself, with slit pupil eyes, a very long (read: creepy) tongue, ability to stretch his neck and other body parts like Mr. Fantastic, and uses a round of snake-based jutsu. {{spoiler|His replacement Kabuto, who has integrated bits of Orochimaru's genes into himself has taken this up a notch with blatantly reptilian features, a cobra-like hood similar to [[Soul Eater|Medusa's]], and a giant snake "familiar" that appears to be his tail.}}
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* ''[[Fantasia]]'' has "Dance of the Hours", in which the ballet-dancing hippopotami, pachyderms and ostriches are interrupted by caped alligators. The alligators' leader is a romantic swashbuckler type, but the rest of them seem to be lechers.
* The main characters in ''[[The Wuzzles]]'' were all obvious, easily identifiable [[Mix and Match Critters]]. Background characters were less-obvious mixes. But the thing is ''only the antagonists'', Croc, Brat and Flizzard, sported any recognizably reptilian features. And aside from that, your guess is as good as ours what they were meant to be hybrids of. (Many fansites hold that they are, respectively, "half-crocodile/frog/lizard, half-''dragon''". Strange, given that all other Wuzzles were combinations of real animals.)
* ''[[The
* In ''[[Brandy and Mr. Whiskers]]'', the villain is a dictator-esque gecko named Gaspar Le Gecko.
* In ''[[Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (Animation)|Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers]]'' the one-shot-villain Sewer Nose is a deranged alligator who at least gains some sympathy points because he was driven nuts by being [[Freudian Excuse|traumatized as a hatchling]] by being flushed down a toilet.
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* They aren't reptiles, but while we're on the subject of horror movies that assume we think crawling, <s> scaly,</s> swamp-dwelling animals are inherently scary: ''[[Film/Frogs|Frogs]]''. Yes, ''Frogs''. (And the frogs in question aren't the poisonous or gigantic variety, either.) Funny thing is, the frogs themselves don't do anything. They just stand around being ominous. All of the mayhem and murder is done by alligators, moccasins, snapping turtles, and anoles (the last lock a guy in a greenhouse and cause a chemical reaction that asphyxiates the guy with vapors).
* In his original appearance, [[Godzilla]] was portrayed as a walking nuclear explosion, destroying everything in his path. In subsequent movies, however, he was depicted in a grayer light, and even became a hero at times.
* The [[Very Loosely Based
* And in a case of Humans Are Stupid, ''[[Primeval]]'' stars SUV-sized "[[Never Trust a Trailer|Serial killer]]" Gustav, whose large kill record is largely due to idiot fishermen and similarly idiot photographers and big-game hunters. However, it's at least more factually accurate than ''Lake Placid''.
* ''[[Reptilicus]]'' is a giant, man-eating lizard-dragon-thing.
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* ''Ranger Rick'', of all places, used this trope off and on:
** Uncomfortably applied in one issue. There was a short story in which Rick and his gang help an Ocelot in the Everglades and are menaced by an alligator, who was explicitly described as a villain. This was '''jarring''' considering it was the only time an animal filled the antagonistic role; usually [[Humans Are Bastards]] (and even then, they staunchly used the Humans Are Misguided subtrope). Even worse? The very next issue Rick and co. head back to Florida to help... alligators.
** ''Ranger Rick'' magazine also had a series of nonfiction books about animals and of those, one of the most beloved is ''The Unhuggables''. It did all it could to discredit this trope (though it's telling that snakes get their own chapter to themselves) as well as [[Carnivores Are Mean]] and (as you could probably guess from the so-close-to-being-the-[[Trope Namer]]-title) [[What Measure Is a Non
* [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s stories invoke the trope only when applied to venomous snakes and crocodiles.
** In "[[The Jungle Book (Literature)|Rikki-Tikki-Tavi]]", a pet mongoose defends his masters' home against the deadly snakes that are ''[[Everything Trying to Kill You|everywhere]]''.
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** A snake is the mascot of Slytherin House, which was never an "evil" house, but has a bad reputation due to the many Death Eaters who were sorted there in their school days. The snake is used as an evil motif by the Death Eaters. The ability to speak Parseltongue (snake language) is said to be associated with Dark magic, worsening the snake's reputation even further.
** There was also the basilisk, a huge snake that Harry fights at the end of the second book. It was Slytherin's pet back in the day, and he kept it hidden in the chamber in hope that his heir would release it and use it to drive Muggle-born wizards out of the school.
** Nagini is essetially Voldemort's [[Right
** Subverted with an actual boa constrictor in the first book, who seems genuinely pleasant and just wants to go to Brazil, where his particular species comes from.
* This trope becomes Reptiles Are Stupid in Foster's ''[[Spellsinger]]'' series, in which reptiles are the only air-breathing vertebrates that ''aren't'' intelligent tool-users. Except for the turtles and dragons, which of course get an exemption on grounds of popular appeal.
* Played with in the novel ''Chester Cricket's Home'', a sequel to ''[[A Cricket In Times Square]]''. One of the residents of Chester's meadow, a water snake named Walter, realizes that many humans find him horrifying, a fact that he takes an inordinate amount of pride in. However, Walter is actually quite friendly and funny, if a bit of a wise guy at times.
* Subverted by David Eddings' ''[[Belgariad]]'' and ''Mallorean'' series. While the civilization most attuned to and appreciative of snakes, the Nyissans, are usually portrayed as a rather sinister, corrupt, and amoral people, eventually the chief eunuch Sadi becomes a rather amusing hero, and he brings his pet snake Zith, an intelligent, extremely lethal but extremely affectionate and endearing snake with almost cat-like habits. The only member of the party who doesn't take a shine to her is Silk, whose snake-phobia is more comical than rational. Zith's habit of curling up and sleeping in the bosom of Silk's love interest does not help this. Nor does how Silk finds out...
* ''[[Gator Gumbo]]'': The main character is an old alligator that can no longer catch prey. The other animals taunt him over this. In the end, he makes a batch of gumbo. The other animals refuse to help but want some. {{spoiler|So they get get close enough and he sweeps them into the pot, cooks, and eats them.}} It probably qualifies as a [[Family
* Similar to the Disney's ''Aladdin'' example, the Queen of Underland in ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia|The Silver Chair]]'' turns into a giant snake when she finally runs out of subtler options for killing the heroes. Prince Rillian is glad of this, because it meant he [[Wouldn't Hit a Girl|wouldn't have to kill a woman.]]
* Debora Chester's ''[http://www.lucasaliens.com/ Alien Chronicles]'' series has the Viis, who resemble giant frilled lizards. They're a despotic race that has enslaved various mammalian races, with the only other reptilian species being their allies instead. When the mammalian races leave to find a utopia, not even their Viis underclass allies go with them, and what becomes of the turtle-people is never said. The web page for the series even invokes this trope.
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** However, there was also the first [[Big Bad]], Apophis, whose Jaffa wore snake-themed armour, and he himself wore golden snake armour.
* In the ''[[CSI]]: Miami'' episode "Identity," a sunbathing woman is killed and swallowed (but for some reason not digested) by a boa constrictor. Once again, this is more a case of Humans are Bastards, as the snake had been illegally imported and died soon thereafter.
* The Sleestak were the worst sentient villains in ''[[Land of the Lost (TV)|Land of the Lost]]''. And the other villains? Well, they subverted [[
* The main [[Big Bad|Big Bads]] of ''[[Space Cases]]'' were the Spung, an [[Always Chaotic Evil]] (except for [[Green
* [[Kamen Rider Ryuki]] has Kamen Rider Ohja, which means [[Meaningful Name|King of Snakes]]. And Oh how [[Complete Monster|evil]] [[For the Evulz|he]] [[Blood Knight|is.]]
* A brief scene in the ''[[Davy Crockett]]'' mini-series featured Davy up against a few alligators.
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== Professional Wrestling ==
* [[Jake Roberts|Jake "The Snake" Roberts]], whether in the [[WWF]], [[WCW]], or anywhere else, was generally portrayed as just as sleazy, slimy, and duplicitous as the reptiles he handled. He also loved to use his snakes to intimidate and/or humiliate his foes, and cleared the ring in at least one battle royal by letting loose an 8-foot boa constrictor and watching everybody scramble over the top rope trying to get away from it. (We'd love to know what the snake was thinking.)
* [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] also went by "The Rattlesnake," although it was because of his [[Anti
* Then there's the Viper himself, [[Randy Orton]].
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== [[Video Games]] ==
* ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'': Let's hear it for Reptile! He's so abhorrent, he doesn't even need an actual name. However, he's actually a subversion as he's a severe case of [[Sliding Scale of Anti
* ''[[Donkey Kong]]'':
** The ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' has the apes saving their bananas from a gang of bullying crocodiles. Mind, the apes are also helped by a lot of other animals, including a friendly snake, so only the crocs really get this treatment.
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** Bangaa examples:
*** The Bangaa in ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (Video Game)|Final Fantasy Tactics Advance]]'' are pretty cool guys, and have some incredibly [[Badass]] job abilities. However, the NPC Bangaa in the game are almost all soldiers and jailers in the employ of the evil government.
*** In ''[[Final Fantasy XII (Video Game)|Final Fantasy XII]]'' Vaan's adoptive father figure Migelo is a Bangaa. But, then you have Ba'gam'nan's all-Bangaa hit-squad after you. Tellingly they are common enemies while the [[What Measure Is a Non
*** Bangaas are the race best integrated within the humes, hence why they're so common in the game. Contrast with the [[Pig Man|Seeqs]] who also appear as enemies and are treated like second-rate citizens.
** ''[[Final Fantasy XI (Video Game)|Final Fantasy XI]]'' has a few different reptile and amphibian enemies, and none are on any peaceful terms (Half the time because [[Humans Are Bastards|people did something stupid]]):
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* While the Gorn in [[Star Trek]] doesn't play this Trope straight, the ones in [[Star Trek Online]] sure do, though it probably doesn't help that they've been conquered by the [[Proud Warrior Race|Klingons]].
* An interesting example is the iguana owned by [[Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot|acrobat/assassin/thief]] Eve in the little known Arcade fighting game ''[[The Outfoxies]]''. He doesn't really do much that's abhorrent (or much at all other than serve as comic relief) and is in fact something of a [[Morality Pet]] for his owner, who is a thief and assassin willing to do anything to fund her lavish lifestyle, which makes him sort of abhorrent by proximity, unfortunately. {{spoiler|[[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|He's absolutely adorable in her ending, though.]] }}
* ''[[Bug! (Video Game)|Bug]]!'' has a stage named "[[Meaningful Name|Reptilia]]". A [[Shifting Sand Land]] filled with snakes (which were cannon fodder) and horned lizards (which were [[Invincible Minor Minion|completely damn invincible]]). The boss: a giant horned lizard that would try to club Bug with its [[Epic Flail]] of a tongue. Thankfully, it was [[Tactical Suicide Boss|stupid enough]] to cause boulders to roll into two [[Boss Arena Idiocy|conveniently-placed catapults]] on its arena.
* The krait in ''[[Guild Wars 2]]''. They've got fans hating their guts ''from the previews''. The fact that they nearly genocided the [[Actual Pacifist]] [[Ugly Cute|quaggan]]<ref>Almost, as they discovered that the reason quaggan survived so long is that they have a universal [[Super
* Grovyle from [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers (Video Game)|''Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky'']]. {{spoiler|Subverted halfway through the game, however, since he's really one of the good guys.}}
* The ''[[Jazz Jackrabbit]]'' series all feature rabbits as the heroes and turtles and lizards as the villains.
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* '''Extremely''' evident in ''[[The Get Along Gang]]''. Some episodes had a turtle (of course) joining the Gang. The Cartoon Over-Analizations blog described him as "the Furry equivalent of a [[Token Minority]]".
* ''[[G.I. Joe]]'''s [[Big Bad]] enemy is a [[Western Terrorists|terrorist organization]] called Cobra.
* ''[[Bucky O
* ''[[The Swan Princess]]'' had evil alligators, and a heroic turtle.
* ''Franchise/Transformers'':
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* Baron Silas [[Meaningful Name|Greenback]], [[Arch Enemy]] of ''[[Danger Mouse]]'', is a toad with a penchant for [[Greed]].
* ''[[Tuff Puppy (Animation)|Tuff Puppy]]'' has Francisco the crocodile, a member of [[Fun With Acronyms|DOOM]], and [[Shape Shifter|The Chameleon]].
* As Spike the baby dragon succumbs to greed in ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'', his reptilian traits become more and more exaggerated and his cute aspects recede. And then he turns into a purple [[Godzilla]].
{{reflist}}
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