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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|''"Why did they go away, do you think? If there ever were such things."
''"Who knows? Times change. Would you call this age a good one for unicorns?"
''"No, but I wonder if any man before us ever thought his time a good time for unicorns."''
|''[[The Last Unicorn (novel)|The Last Unicorn]]''}}
{{quote|''There was green aligators, and long-necked geese
''Some humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees
''Some cats and rats and elephants, but as sure as you're born
''The loveliest of all was the unicorn
|The Irish Rovers, ''The Unicorn Song''}}
A [[Mythical Motifs|mythical creature]] representing purity, rarity and wild beauty, the
▲A [[Mythical Motifs]] representing purity, rarity and wild beauty, the [[Unicorn]] has appeared in heraldry and fairy tales for centuries. Its origins come not as a mythical creature but as a beast of [[Our Monsters Are Different|natural history]] recorded by ancient Greek historians, or as they are commonly known: [[Blatant Lies|liars]].
Pliny the Elder was one of the earliest writers to study unicorns and certainly one of the most influential:
"The unicorn (monocerotem) is the fiercest animal, and it is said that it is impossible to capture one alive. It has the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant, the tail of a boar, and a single black horn three feet long in the middle of its forehead. Its cry is a deep bellow." We recognize this today as a very fair description of a ''Rhinoceros''.▼
▲"The unicorn (monocerotem) is the fiercest animal, and it is said that it is impossible to capture one alive. It has the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant, the tail of a boar, and a single black horn three feet long in the middle of its forehead. Its cry is a deep bellow." We recognize this today as a very fair description of a
Today's conception of a unicorn is nearer to the Medieval one: A narwhal's horn, a horse's head, a deer's body, a goat's beard and feet and a lion's tail. There also is the version of a horse with a horn and occasionally even ''wings'' to make to look like a flying Pegasus (''yet another'' horse with wings).▼
▲Today's conception of a unicorn is nearer to the Medieval one: A narwhal's horn, a horse's head, a deer's body, a goat's beard and feet and a lion's tail. There also is the version of a horse with a horn ([[Winged Unicorn|and occasionally even
As the common fare of little girls' fantasies, the origin in histories becomes quite ironic. Even in stories where [[All Myths Are True]] and obvious and are coming round for tea later, the Unicorn will still keep a mythical status, staying rare and secretive. Further irony is added by the fact that it started off as an incredibly wild and violent beast that was completely untameable before evolving into one of the softest and child-friendly motifs.▼
▲As the common fare of little girls' fantasies,
The switch is linked to one of the most common paired motifs- the Virgin and the Unicorn. Only a virgin-maiden would be able to attract the Unicorn to her. According to [[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Terry Jones]], though not conventional scholarship, in his researching of medieval folklore he found that the pairing was originally just an old [[Stealth Pun]] {{spoiler|you send a mythical creature to find a mythical creature.}} Broadly, the story always goes on the lines of the maiden was duped into attracting and soothing her unicorn friend until the hunters who convinced her to do so could attack and kill the unicorn for its horn. Sometimes the maiden is just followed, [[Virginity Makes You Stupid|sometimes knowingly involved and tricked.]] The implication is that the unicorn was so fierce and wild [[Good Hurts Evil|only an innocent girl's purity could conquer it]].▼
▲The switch is linked to one of the most common paired motifs -- the Virgin and the Unicorn. Only a virgin-maiden would be able to attract the Unicorn to her. According to [[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Terry Jones]], though not conventional scholarship, in his researching of medieval folklore he found that the pairing was originally just an old [[Stealth Pun]]
Either way, when they're good, the most important unicorn-association is [[Purity Personified|purity]]. Indeed, the connections with maidens is probably why the unicorn has become gentle in popular culture and myth for several centuries. In modern days, unicorns are often part of a [[Sugar Bowl]] theme. Portraying unicorns as aggressive is one of the more common fantasy subversions - or perhaps the writers of today still haven't forgotten Pliny's vicious unicorn. The Virgin and the Unicorn pairing is also open to the same harking back to the original joke. It's a resurgance not unlike the reappearance of [[The Fair Folk]].
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Compare [[Pegasus]]. For unicorns with wings, see [[Winged Unicorn]].
{{examples}}▼
▲{{examples}}
== Anime
* In the anime and books of ''[[The Twelve Kingdoms]]'', Kirin resemble horned or antlered horses that can take human form, among many other magical properties.
** They're also so pure that they faint at the smell of blood, even their own. So they have a special servant monster who acts as a bodyguard/parent/older sibling. Its complicated since the monster in question is born literally ''minutes'' before the kirin, and yet immediately knows the name of its charge.
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** The card game itself has [http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Thunder_Unicorn their] [http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Voltic_Bicorn trump] [http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Lightning_Tricorn cards], and [http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sunlight_Unicorn Sunlight Unicorn], used by Ruka.
* The symbolism of the Unicorn is milked for all its worth in [[Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn]]. The eponymous Mobile Suit is white and carries possibility to right the wrongs of Universal Century. Its pilot is a [[The Messiah|naive and idealistic]] teenager. On the other hand, it is also ''[[Super-Powered Evil Side|vicious]]'', being a [[Super Prototype]] {{spoiler|which goes on automatic destroy mode when it detects a New Type pilot nearby}}.
* In ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' ''
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* In [[Mercedes Lackey]]'s ''[[Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms]]'' series, unicorns are beautiful creatures attracted to virgins of the opposite sex. They've also got the brains and personality of a rather annoying lap dog. They're also very protective of virgins.
** They lisp, which this troper finds amusing. The fifth book gets into a little more detail about their uses, dead or alive. Also, {{spoiler|the complete lack of brains and personality is due to being in the presence of a virgin. Otherwise, they do exhibit some sense.}}
*** There's a funny bit in ''Fortune's Fool'' where three female unicorns come rushing to protect the virgin male hero ([[A Man Is Not a Virgin|Don't say it so loudly!]]) from a female
{{quote|
"But..." the hesitant one said, as she dropped her head to sniff at the water. "A virgin creature of darkness..."
"I'm sure there are virgin creatures of darkness ''all the time''," the leader retorted, stamping her forehoof. }}
*** And then a ''male'' unicorn shows up, intent on protecting the ghost, because she's a virgin female, after all....
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* Meredith Ann Pierce's ''[[The Firebringer Trilogy]]'', which has unicorns as protagonists, is ''made'' of this trope. The unicorns as a species have considered themselves at war with [[Giant Flyer|gryphons]] and wyverns for the past four centuries. Their society is rigidly controlled, and it is believed that any unicorn who leaves or is exiled will turn into a horse. This turns out {{spoiler|not to be true, of course...in fact, it's revealed that drinking from a magical pond will change a horse into a unicorn.}}
* On the ''[[Discworld]]'', unicorns, like the fairies, adhere to the more classical myths of vicious supernatural creatures (though they are still subject to [[Virgin Power]]). As in [[Real Life]], people have misremembered unicorns and fairies as cutesy magical pals for little girls.
** In ''[[
{{quote|
Yep and the unicorns are hard to find too }}
* ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]'' unicorns are just about the least threatening thing you'll find in the Forbidden Forest. The foals are golden, but they turn silver when they're about two. They're described as being 'pure', and to kill one and drink its blood will save your life from anything, but the act is so evil that you are doomed to 'a half life... a cursed life.' Unknown what that actually meant. Unicorn parts have other uses without the drawback as they don't require killing unicorn to get them. For example, the hairs are used for wand cores, as well as rope. You can also apparently chisel off part of the horn and leave it alive, as there are no qualms about using unicorn horn in potions.
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* We never get to see them, but [[Tamora Pierce]]'s [[Tortall Universe]] has killer unicorns.
** The most skilled of the Shang warriors take the names of magical creatures; there's a short story about the girl who eventually becomes the Shang Unicorn.
* Mary Stanton's ''[[Unicorns of Balinor]]''. They are horses with horns, but only Celestial unicorns are immortal and only they and the Royal unicorns possess magic. They also come in literally every color of the
* Appear occasionally in the ''[[Enchanted Forest Chronicles]]'', where they're basically horned horses that speak and seem to be very narcissistic.
* In ''Dragonrouge'' or ''Kesrick'' (I don't recall which one) Mandicardo and Calypgia encounter a monocerous (unicorn) that adheres to Pliny the Elder's description: it's very rhinocerous-looking. It's still tameable by a virgin, though.
* In ''Grailblazers'' by [[Tom Holt]], the heroes at one point have to find a unicorn in order to use it as bait to capture a virgin. It turns out that modern unicorns are scruffy and unpleasant feral critters.
* In the ''[[Garrett P.I.]]'' universe unicorns are carnivorous pack hunters who are smart enough to breed and train hunting dogs.
* The Theodore Sturgeon short story ''The Silken-Swift'' plays with this: there are two women in the
* [[Bruce Coville]]'s ''[[The Unicorn Chronicles|Unicorn Chronicles]]'' series, of course. The [[Virgin Power]] part is never explicitly mentioned, but unicorns are still instinctively drawn to "maidens".
* [[James Thurber]]'s ''[[The Unicorn in the Garden]]''
* One other way to catch a unicorn is known, through ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130401141142/http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/bravetailor/ The Brave Little Tailor]'': stand between the unicorn and a good stolid tree. When it goes to stab you through, jump aside. With its horn stuck deep in the tree, it won't be able to kill you.
* The Forestmaster in ''[[Dragonlance]]'' turns out to be a unicorn; she speaks to the party, provides them with food and instructs several pegasi to serve as temporary mounts for them, and appears to be at least somewhat aware of the ultimate fate of at least one person there.
* [[Lewis Carroll]]'s ''[[Alice in Wonderland|Through the Looking Glass]]'', Alice meets the Lion and the Unicorn -- [[Mother Goose|fighting for the crown]].
{{quote|
"I always thought they were fabulous monsters!" said the Unicorn. "Is it alive?"
"It can talk," said Haigha, solemnly,
The Unicorn looked dreamily at Alice, and said "Talk, child."
Alice could not help her lips curling up into a smile as she began: "Do you know, I always thought Unicorns were fabulous monsters, too! I never saw one alive before!"
"Well, now that we have seen each other," said the Unicorn, "if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?" }}
* In L. Jagi Lamplighter's [[Prospero's Daughter]] trilogy, the Lady Miranda serves is a unicorn, Miranda keeps unicorn pets, and one historical band of evil-doers hunted unicorns.
* In [[Jasper Fforde]]'s ''[[Thursday Next|Well of Lost Plots]]'', Perkins complains of how many unicorns careless writers of fantasy produce
{{quote|
* [[Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World]]. The "Hard-Boiled Wonderland" segments has the protagonist encounter a unicorn skull, while "The End of the World" segments has the protagonist read old dreams from a unicorn skull. There are also unicorn-like creatures that reside outside the Town.
* The unicorns from [[Return to Neverend]] are the guardians of Neverend. They have the ability to [[Playing with Fire|conjure/control fire]], and one doesn't need to [[Virgin Power|be a virgin]] in order to ride one (although [[Chivalrous Pervert|Sage]] seemed awfully happy to meet one).
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* In the miniseries ''[[The Voyage Of The Unicorn]]'', the crew of ''The Unicorn'' must find the real thing, in order to use its tears to restore to life a fellow shipmate who has been turned to stone. In an interesting variation, the unicorn is portrayed as black with a gold horn, although the only two characters who ever ride it are young (and therefore presumably virgin) girls.
* ''[[Scrubs]]'': J.D.'s girlishness is emphasised by his drawing of a unicorn on his journal in the episode "''My Unicorn''"
{{quote|
* [[Doctor Who|The Doctor]], Jamie and Zoe encounter a unicorn in "[[Doctor Who/Recap/S6
* The Elders from [[Charmed]] gave Wyatt a unicorn for his first birthday. The horn is supposedly made up entirely of solid magic, which comes in very useful when the sisters lose their powers.
* In an episode of "[[Ally McBeal]]'' she defends a client who was fired for claiming to have seen a unicorn. During the episode it's revealed that she saw one as a child also at the end she sees one. [[Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane|It's implied that unlike most of her visions this one might be real.]]
* An episode of [[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|the original ''
== Music ==
* In the video for [[Ke$ha]]'s "Blow", unicorns are [[Petting Zoo People|bipedal, wear clothes]] bleed rainbows when shot and, since they're hanging with Ke$ha apparently have no
* Also apparently with no
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* A creature type that's mostly under the domain of White in ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''.
** However, [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=3561 Zebra Unicorn] is White/Green, and [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205111 Prized Unicorn] is pure Green.
* In the third edition of ''[[Dungeons
** Other unicorn-like monsters from past editions include the powerful ki-rin of Oriental legend, and the al mi'raj.
** The list of alternate mounts for Paladins in "Defenders of the Faith" says only female Paladins can ride unicorns - this doesn't turn up in later editions.
** The [[Tier-Induced Scrappy|Healer]] class trades all of the armor, weapons, and combat spells of the cleric for (arguably) improved healing ability and a unicorn companion.
* [[Ravenloft]] has only shadow
* Both subverted and played straight in ''[[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]] Fantasy'', the Unicorns in the Wood Elf army book are cruel forest spirits but Bretonians and High Elves have been shown using more familiar Unicorns.
* Both subverted and played straight by FASA's RPGs, as unicorns in ''Earthdawn'' are vicious, dangerous monsters, whereas those in ''Shadowrun'' are benign Awakened horses with an extreme sensitivity to pollution. It's implied that the Horrors' influence corrupted the Fourth Age unicorns, while those of the Sixth Age are free of this taint.
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** Regrets? Those are for people who are not [[Villain Protagonist|The Overlord]]!
** Gnarl, your [[Voice with an Internet Connection]], [[Lampshade Hanging|hangs a lampshade]] on their frequency in fantasy works.
{{quote|
* Rapidash from ''[[Pokémon]]'' is a unicorn ''[[Incendiary Exponent|on fire]]'' . Upon evolving from Ponyta, it gains access to a number of horn-based moves.
** Blitzle and Zebstrika are electric unicorn zebras.
** Keldeo, a Water/Fighting type legendary Pokémon. Who also appears to be [[The Three Musketeers (novel)|the Fourth Musketeer]].
* Sigfried in ''[[Suikoden II]]'', who you can only recruit by bringing a maiden before him.
** His reaction to the resident [[Miss Yo
* ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' features a horse-type unicorn with a few variations; it's telepathic, its horn can cure death, it can give up its horn at the cost of its life, and when a unicorn dies, a new one is born.
** It also follows the old only lets virgin women near it rule. Leading to a funny scene where Raine notes she shouldn't bother trying to go near it, and [[The Stoic|Kratos]] doubts [[Stripperiffic|Sheena]] can. She can.
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** A unicorn also appears in ''[[Tales of Phantasia]]'', which takes place 4000 years after Symphonia.
* A unicorn named Lasher (of the horned horse type) is featured in ''[[Ultima VII]]'' and it has some interesting dialog. Because his herd leader refused the summoning of a wizard who in retaliation placed the Curse of Chastity upon them, making them unable to stand the presence of non-virgins. Lasher for one has had it with being used to ruin the reputations of women.
* In the ''[[Wild
* [[Robot Unicorn Attack]] seems to be a take of 'Unicorns are Agressive', yet also throws in a heaping helping of Girliness.
* Unicorns are part of the fauna in good lands in [[Dwarf Fortress]], and are occasionally ridden by elves. Their horns pack a mean punch if you get in a fight, but goods and food made from [[Organ Drops|their remains]] can fetch a very nice price.
* They're never actually referred to as such, but there are a few unicorns running about in [[World of Warcraft]], including the stripy Zhevras and the Quel'dorei Steeds.
* [[Punny Name|Chew]][[Incredibly Lame Pun|nicorns]] are symbols of rarity in [[Viva Pinata]], as they are very rare in the game. They don't represent any kind of purity since they don't get along and will fight other horse-like pinatas.
* The main character and [[Big Bad]] of ''Pryzm Chapter One: The Dark Unicorn'' are both unicorns. Instead of working with some [[Virgin Power
* You meet unicorns in both ''[[Fantasy Quest]]'' games, luring them with carrots.
* In [[Terraria]] the Hallow biome spawns unicorns. They are your traditional horse-with-a-horn variety and are invariably hostile. Killing them for their horns is the only purpose they seem to have.
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* In ''[[The Adventures of Dr. McNinja]]'', a unicorn has seemingly been transformed into a motorcycle with seemingly magical abilities.
** According to the unicorn, it was the closest approximation of his magnificence when he came to our world. <s>It is yet to be seen how much of that is true.</s> [http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/15p65 Good lord, was that ever an understatement.]
*** It should be noted that the Sparklelord was the Radical Land's [[The Lord of the Rings|Sauron]] equivalent.
*** {{spoiler|[http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/15p73 "Don't unicorns only approach virgins?"]}}
* As ''[[The Perry Bible Fellowship]]'' shows us, one must never mock [http://pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF103-Nice_Shirt.gif Unicorn Power].
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* ''Any'' creature can be a unicorn in the world of ''[[Axe Cop]]'' simply by obtaining a unicorn horn. Yes, that includes humans. And avocados.
* [http://mountaincomics.com/2010/05/31/mountain-time-174/ Mountain Time's unicorn] runs a mystical bar that specializes in Windex-based drinks.
* ''[[Exiern]]'': [https://web.archive.org/web/20110704155710/http://www.exiern.com/?p=9 Don't summon one] by accident if you are an evil sorcerer. The unicorn's purity is able to defeat evil magic, and a tiara made of it's hair will thwart any attempts at mind control. It also only allows protagonist, Tiffany, ride it and gets quite angry when [[Really Gets Around|Peonie]] tries. No one appears to have explained why this is to Tiffany, given her temper it is probably for the best.
* ''[[Dork Tower]]'' [http://www.dorktower.com/2006/04/21/comics-archive-775/ in alliance with a penumbra hulk]
* A book-only expansion to ''[[Digger]]'' tells us the story of a sculpter "commissioned" by a mad emperor, who had a forehead deformity and believed himself to be part-unicorn, to create statues of unicorns and nothing else. The artist came to hate unicorns, and dreamed of creating {{spoiler|a perfect statue of the god Ganesh}}, which he accomplished after the emperor tried to eat poison and died. The epitaph on his tombstone reads, "There are no unicorns in Heaven."
* ''[[Tales of the Questor]]'' sports a rather... ''prosaic'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20130301035012/http://www.rhjunior.com/totq/00590.html version].
* A unicorn is the second-most main character in the Go Comics strip ''[[
== Web Original ==
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* On a ''[[Robot Chicken]]'' episode, The Nerd is visted by a Unicorn, who invites him on a "adventure" and makes some rather unusual requests. Of course the Nerd never suspects a thing.
* A staple pony type in the ''[[My Little Pony]]'' franchise. The exact rules for how their powers work change from one incarnation of the franchise to the next.
** In the first series, all unicorns had a special power or unique magic trick in addition to limited teleportation called "winking," which may have been a reference to [[Dungeons
** In the [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|fourth incarnation]], they have all have their unique trick in addition to some basic magic like levitation, the extent of which depends on their personal skill and dedication. Twilight Sparkle, the primary heroine, is a student of magic who's [[The Gift|special talent]] is magic, allowing her to learn any unicorn magic she sees. Most unicorns have vastly less power and versatility.
* In ''[[Regular Show]]'', unicorns are punky/gothy [[Ambiguously Gay]] party animals who use "bro" like punctuation and are attracted by the scent of [[Ho Yay|Dude Time cologne]]. The only way to get rid of them when they've overstayed their welcome is to put them in a flying car and blow it up.
* Buttercup from ''[[Toy Story (franchise)||Toy Story 3]]''.
* Twinkles the Terrible on ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'', who just happens to be an [[Omnicidal Maniac]] that [[Cuteness Proximity|no one takes seriously]].
* Subverted in ''[[Camp Lazlo]]''. Lazlo manages to call a llama to camp and, in an effort to get rid of it, sticks an ice cream cone on its head and calls it a unicorn. Somehow, the Squirrel Scouts believe it.
== Other Media ==▼
▲== Other ==
* The Invisible Pink Unicorn is the goddess of a parody religion, the parody being that it is impossible to disprove her as she is invisible, and that her followers have faith that she exists and is pink. She's a parody of all religious beliefs that can't be tested, and also a parody of deities with contradictory traits (such as simultaneous invisibility and pinkness.)
* [[Horny Vikings|Viking]] [[Intrepid Merchant|traders]]
* Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus raised a stir in the 1980s by displaying "unicorns" in its shows ... in reality, white angora goats whose horn buds had been surgically repositioned in infancy. The animals' creator, a scholar and artist deeply involved in paganism and mythology, actually holds a patent on the procedure. She's also the co-founder of the real-life Church of All Worlds, a neopagan group that uses some of the concepts introduced in Robert Heinlein's ''[[Stranger in
* Ameristar casino advertisement: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU5nzqkzvJY "Is that a unicorn?"] [[Up to Eleven|"No, it's a quadricorn!"]]
* The Unicorn is the Heraldic symbol of Scotland -- which is odd, as purity is not the sort of thing one would associate with a nation so [[Violent Glaswegian|famously violent]]. On the other hand, unicorns have to [[Fridge Brilliance|use their horns for something]]. According to Wikipedia, however, the unicorn is the mortal enemy of the lion -- which England takes as its symbol... and Scotland was once the mortal enemy of England.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Equine and Equestrian Tropes]]
[[Category:Index of Fictional Creatures]]
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[[Category:Cool Horse]]
[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
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