Cool Mask: Difference between revisions

[[File:Zorro1.jpg|link=Zorro|frame]]

 

 

Anyone who routinely covers at least half of their face is likely to be at the top end of the personal power scale. Habitual illusions and kabuki-style makeup also count.

Oddly, this also applies to those who wear little round glasses, despite the significantly lesser coverage, especially if they're [[Scary Shiny Glasses]] or [[Stoic Spectacles]].

 

 

[[Humongous Mecha]] frequently gain a mask (over their mouth at the least) when [[Combining Mecha|combining]] or entering a [[Super Mode]].

{{examples}}

== Your Basic Mask ==

* The Glittering Crux Brigade from ''[[Star Driver]]'' is practically built around this trope. Their masks even let them pilot ''[[Humongous Mecha]]''.

* [[Action Girl|Juliet]] of ''[[Romeo X Juliet]]'', as part of her awesome, cross-dressing vigilante alter ego, The Red Whirlwind.

* Pizza the Zonderian from ''[[GaoGaiGar]]''.

** By extension, {{spoiler|[[Sixth Ranger]] Soldat J. When he gets purified and makes his [[Heel Face Turn]], his mecha ends up being at least three times the size of the biggest Yuusha Robos.}}

** Schwartz Bruder, a helpful "Big Brother" character from ''[[Mobile Fighter G Gundam|G Gundam]]'', and the Gundam Fighter from Neo Germany who always follows the protagonist, Domon Kasshu, around like a "Chief Rival." However (as the name implies) well into the series, Schwarz Bruder is revealed to be none other than the protagonist's own actual brother (or at least a nanomachine copy of his conscience) meant to toughen Domon up to take down the Big Bad. "[[Speed Racer|Racer X]]" anyone?

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing|Gundam Wing]]'' features a masked character similar to Char in backstory. The son of royalty who were killed by the Earth Sphere Alliance, Milliardo Peacecraft, adopted the name Zechs Marquise (''Gundam Wing'' has a naming trope all to itself), donned a mask, joined a military contractor so he could infiltrate the Alliance, and then bring them down. After finally bringing down his family's murderers, he removes the mask. For the next season, he leaves the mask, but remains [[Badass]].

*** To a lesser extent, Trowa Barton puts on a half-mask when performing as a clown for the circus he uses as cover. Thing is, Trowa is a [[The Stoic|Stoic]], even in the circus, so the half-mask combined with his constant poker face only enhance his mystique. In addition, he also piloted the mostly-red (until ''Endless Waltz'' at least) Gundam Heavyarms.

** Bask Om from ''[[Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam|Zeta Gundam]]'' (and a minor role in ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory]]'') is the "tiny little glasses" version of this. Well, goggles, really. He happens to be one of the highest ranked officers in the entire Federation/Titan force, [[Complete Monster|and one mean bastard in general]].

*** Also Quattro Bajeena, a ''[[Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam|Zeta Gundam]]'' expy of Char who just happens to be... Char himself, sans mask, but with sunglasses that cover just as much. Said sunglasses did pretty much jack since everyone already knew that he's Char.

* Otohime Mutsumi from ''[[Love Hina]]'' appears to become a lot less ditzy, although she still affects a facade of ditziness, after she acquires a pair of these glasses (and a wardrobe change). This happens approximately in volume 12.

* Sara Gallagher, one of the [[Authority Equals Asskicking|Five Pillars]] from ''[[Mai-Otome]]'', sports a Meister Robe that gives her a decidedly Zorro-like appearance, complete with a black mask, black [[The Cape (trope)|cape]], and black form-fitting tights.

* The titular heroine of ''[[Kekko Kamen]]'' wears a red mask to conceal her face when she's out protecting her innocent classmates from evil. And that's about all she's concealing, seeing as the rest of the costume consists of gloves and boots... [[Stripperiffic|and nothing more]].

{{quote|'''Kekko Kamen:''' Nobody knows my face, but everyone knows my body...}}

* Kogarashi from ''[[Kamen no Maid Guy]]''. He's got super strength, super smarts, is a master of disguise - and wears a mask at all times.

* Persona from ''[[Gakuen Alice]]''.

* Papillion Mask from ''[[Busou Renkin]]'' may be the only homunculus to wear a large face mask, depending on whether or not Moon Face's actual head is shaped like the moon. And Papillion Mask is probably the strongest, smartest, and most ambitious 'normal' human homunculus in the series.

* Kurei from ''[[Flame of Recca]]''. In nearly all of his appearances he is wearing his mask, or renditions of it. Which is a very badass mask too.

* The Jester from ''[[Grenadier]]''.

* ''Everyone'' in ''[[Dorohedoro]]'', pretty much justified since mages get masks as part of their contract with daemons, and Cayman presumably does not want to scare off little children looking at his face. En is a particular bad case of this, even among a ''city'' of powermasked people.

** Same show has the Shikimoribito, who all wear fullbody suits and bizarre masks through which they eat with straws, and who have the government and everyone else terrified of trespassing on their underground territory, where they dangle by their ankles on ropes from the ceiling in a disquieting way. The main characters can beat them up if they have to, though.

* In [[Digimon]], any 'mon who has a sufficiently humanoid appearance (I.E. could be confused for an actual human if not for a few tells) wears some sort of mask that obscures the top half of their face - for example, [[Our Angels Are Different|Angemon]], [[Monster Clown|Piedmon]], [[Satan|Devimon]], [[Our Vampires Are Different|Myotismon]], etc.

** Also General Winters Socalo. And {{spoiler|once he gets better-attuned to his Innocence, Allen}}.

* ''[[Sailor Moon]]''. [[Mysterious Protector|He's]] called [http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3558/tuxedounmask.jpg Tuxedo Mask] for a reason. In the original manga, Sailor Moon wears a [http://fandomania.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/manga.jpg mask as well].

* Noein, the titular [[Big Bad]] of ''[[Noein]]'', appears as a floating mask for most of the series. {{spoiler|It makes it harder to tell that he's an alternate-reality version of one of the male leads.}}

** {{spoiler|Actually two of the male leads, seeing as the male leads are both the same person.}}

* Near in ''[[Death Note]]''. Very briefly, but the mask is completely awesome.

* ''Casshern'' wears a lower face mask for combat. In [[Casshern Sins]], it resembles a motorcycle helmet. [[The Movie]] version resembles an oversized jaw.

* Dynamis and Kagetarou in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]''. It seems to be common among [[Casting a Shadow|shadow mages]], and Takane's puppets also have similar-looking masks.

* The fox masks the players of [[Kakurenbo|Otokoyo]] have to wear.

* The legendary [[Bully Hunter]] "Rubber Shooter" in ''[[Daily Lives of High School Boys]]'' wears a [[Kamen Rider]] mask.

 

=== Comic Books ===

* Resident [[Badass]] Noburo from ''[[Okko]]'' always wears a red oni mask to [[The Faceless|conceal his features]].

* [[The Green Hornet]] and his faithful sidekick Kato. They began on radio, expanded their territory into comics, TV and film... and kept their verdant masks on the whole while.

** The turtles' vigilante ally Casey Jones wears a hockey mask. This is more about looking scary than hiding his identity; Casey frequently yells out his name just so people know who's delivering the beatdown.

** The Shredder's helmet and the Foot Clan's ninja masks could count as well.

 

 

=== Film ===

* As a part of his [[Historical Hero Upgrade]], King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (Edward Norton) got a spiffy metal mask in ''[[Kingdom of Heaven]]'', covering his [[Ill Boy|leprosy-stricken face]].

* ''[[RoboCop]]''. He's the future of law enforcement!

* ''[[The Mask (film)|The Mask]]''. It's literally ''about'' a mask that turns whoever wears it into the physical avatar of the [[Trickster God]] Loki.

* Jason Voorhees of the ''[[Friday the 13th (film)|Friday the 13 th]]'' series made the hockey mask a universal symbol of horror.

* The Alchemist from ''[[Vidocq]]'' wears a mask made out of mirror that he uses to [[Your Soul Is Mine|eat the souls of his victims]]. For extra creepiness, it also makes the victim see their own dying face while looking at him.

** Extra extra creepiness: {{spoiler|it has to be reforged periodically, and the most important step is [[Blood Magic|tempering it with the life's blood]] of a hundred [[Virgin Power|virgin girls]]}}.

* Every film version of ''[[Zorro]]'' (see page photo.) One of the fictional characters most closely associated with this trope.

* Every film version of ''[[The Lone Ranger]]''. See comment beside ''[[Zorro]]''. "Who was that masked man?"

* [[Lon Chaney]], in the Silent Era ''[[Phantom of the Opera]]'', may not have worn the coolest face-cover around... but the scene where it's snatched off remains one of the most memorable [[The Reveal|Unmaskings]] in the history of cinema.

* In ''[[Onibaba]]'', a mysterious samurai wears a frightful demonic Noh mask which was later the inspiration for the demon in ''[[The Exorcist]]''.

 

=== Literature ===

*** Apparently the way its way of speech was described pretty much gave away it was just an ordinary Mi-Go. {{spoiler|With prosthetic hands, mask, blanket and the place being pitch-ass dark,}} it could pass for a {{spoiler|sick old}} man, though.

*** Prosthetic hands and mask that are more or less confirmed to be {{spoiler|made from the actual body parts.}}

** Let's not forget [[The Phantom of the Opera]] himself.

* [[Zorro]], who seems to have been one of the earliest practitioners, if not the [[Trope Maker]] himself.

* Legendary seducer [[Lord Byron's Don Juan|Don Juan.]] Different writers have portrayed him in various ways over the centuries- a high-spirited rascal, a heartless destroyer, even a semi-innocent victim of his own [[So Beautiful It's a Curse|good looks]]- but all the better-known accounts agree he had a penchant for wearing a mask.

 

* In ''[[Queen of Swords]]'', Tessa wears a very elegant black lace mask made from her mother's favourite shawl.

* Liz 10, from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "The Beast Below", wears a porcelain mask.

** From the Expanded Universe, [[Faction Paradox]] members wear [[Rule of Cool|masks of]] [[Skeletons in the Coat Closet|bone]]. Along with ''[[Impossibly Cool Clothes|awesome]]'' [[Impossibly Cool Clothes|headdresses and gorgets]].

 

=== Music ===

* Used in the music video for [[My Chemical Romance]]'s single [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egG7fiE89IU "Na Na Na"]. All of the main protagonists in the story have some sort of headgear, the most notable being Party Poison's own masquerade-style mask.

* [[Daft Punk]] wear robot masks when in public that light up.

* Deadmau5 and his signature mouse mask.

* The members of Japanese rock band Beat Crusaders always wore masks featuring dot-matrix print-outs of their faces, never showing their actual faces in public.

* The '80s [[Progressive Metal|Prog-]][[Power Metal]] band Crimson Glory deliberately distinguished itself by all wearing silver full-face masks, except for the singer, whose mouth was uncovered. So he could, you know, [[Captain Obvious|sing.]]

 

=== Professional Wrestling ===

* Comes up on occasion, especially Mexican ''lucha libre'' - major lucha libre feuds can culminate in a "mask vs mask" match, where the loser is required to publicly unmask themselves and have their real name revealed.

** [[El Santo]] is perhaps the ultimate example. There is only one known occasion where he was publically seen without the mask. When he died, they buried him in it.

* Subverted/Played Straight with [[Kane (wrestling)|Kane]]. In a 2003 angle, Kane was forced to unmask. When he first unmasked, he went back to being the Monster Heel he was at his debut; however, after a sucktacular match with [[The Undertaker]], he quickly became involved in some pretty idiotic storylines.

** The unmasking was actually Kane's idea; wearing it was growing increasingly uncomfortable and making it increasingly difficult to perform, and he felt that his inability to display facial expressions was limiting what they could do with the character.

* Oddly enough masked wrestlers used to be considered one of the worst things in wrestling. Only pathetic undercarders wore masks, so that people wouldn't see who it was getting their asses kicked.

** This often occurred, even later, with "Parts Unknown" jobbers like "Mr. X", who could be known wrestlers who are simply put out there to do the job.

* The mask is also closely related to the [[Charlie Brown From Outta Town]] angles, where a banished/disgraced wrestler returns with a not-very-conspicuous mask under a different name to try to "clear" the banned wrestler (ie himself)'s name.

 

** While masks have been included in the Magic Items section of the rules for years, 3.5's Complete Psionics introduced Crystal Masks. Almost all of them are overpriced and very weak (despite most of them being constantly active), and were reprinted in the Magic Item Compendium ([[And the Fandom Rejoiced|and given a price retuning]]). Most of these are trash, but certain Fighter builds can make use of the Crystal Mask of Dread.

** Mask, the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' god of thieves.

* [[Exalted]]: [http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/76891/Icon_PrincessMagnificent.jpg Princess Magnificent with Lips of Coral and Robes of Black Feathers.]

 

=== Toys ===

** Some masks are more powerful than others, and only some actually grant powers at all. Only Toa and Turaga can use them either way. Matoran can sense if a mask has power, but can't use it. So multiple levels of this trope.

** Also, it's a breathing apparatus. {{spoiler|Since the Matoran were designed to live inside the giant robot body of Mata Nui, leaving Metru Nui to go to Mata Nui essentially put them in a toxic atmosphere.}}

 

=== Video Games ===

* Prinny Mask and the whole Masked Hero class in general from [[Disgaea]] 3.

* Salem and Rios of ''[[Army of Two]]'' both wear metal metal painted facemasks, which actually have some practical applications in the game; one of their melee attacks is a simple, brutally effective headbutt, and if an opponent punches one of them in the face, he recoils, shaking his hand in agony, letting them set up to finish them off.

* Psycho Mantis, from the [[Metal Gear Solid]] games. Even if he's a villain, you can't top that [[Gas Mask Mooks|gas mask]].

* Aoi "Zaki" Himezaki of ''[[Rival Schools|Project Justice]]'' is almost always seen wearing a mask covering the lower half of her face. The supplemental board game reveals that she even refuses to eat in the presence of others since it'd require taking off her mask. A number of members in the Ladies Team, the [[Delinquents|delinquent]] gang she leads, also wear [http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z295/NeoChaosX/Seijyun%20HS%20story/ladies-team.png similar] [http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z295/NeoChaosX/Seijyun%20HS%20story/vs-gedo.png masks], though whether they're following Zaki's example or just doing it for some other reason isn't clear.

* The entire premise of [[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask]] is that Link obtains lots of masks with unique powers.

* The Garif from [[Final Fantasy]] XII, a race of shamanistic mask wearers who put on their first mask when they are born and are NEVER WITHOUT ONE AFTER THAT.

** In fact, luchadores period.

** Also, his [[Infinity+1 Sword|ultimate upgrade]] not only makes him damn near invincible, but almost as terrifying as the monsters he's slaughtering with said [[Bottomless Magazines|infinite grenades]].

* Joachim Valentine from ''[[Shadow Hearts|Shadow Hearts: Covenant]]'' uses a mask as part of his ultimate power-up when he appears as Grand Papillon, {{spoiler|and later as the Great Question after he defeats his mentor during the Man Festival.}}

* ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' deserves at least a few mentions given the preponderance of ninjas. Notables include Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Smoke, Jade, Kitana, Mileena, the cyber-ninjas Smoke, Sektor, and Cyrax, and the shadowy Noob Saibot. Shao Kahn has an intimidating skull mask-helmet.

** Proving his mask power even further, Revan fought and killed Mandalore the Ultimate, the other Cool Mask user of his time in hand to hand single combat.

** And then there's Darth Nihilus from the sequel, whose mask can be obtained to get you more Force Points, and who is coincidentally extremely close to being an [[Eldritch Abomination]]. Quite a few Sith from those games have part or all of their faces obscured, actually.

** Belueth the Calm, an aasimar rogue you can hire in ''Storm of Zehir'', wears a jet-black domino as a symbol of her devotion to the thief-god Mask.

 

* Baron Munchhausen in ''[[Shikkoku no Sharnoth]]'' always wears a strange, inhuman mask. {{spoiler|Underneath it is a strange, inhuman face. ''Sometimes.''}}

 

=== Web Original ===

* [[Homestar Runner|Strong Bad's]] wrestling mask.

* In [[Dark Dream Chronicle]], every Chosen has one.

* The mysterious masked man in ''[[One Hundred Yard Stare]]'' could fit this trope.

 

* Dave of ''[[Narbonic]]'' fame, begins with apparently opaque round glasses. But, {{spoiler|as he realizes his mad science abilities, his glasses turn transparent.}}

* Eternion and the rest of the Eternals in ''[[Adventurers!]]!''

* Guy, from ''[[Mushroom Go]]'', is a [[Super Mario Bros. 2|Shyguy]] with a scarred mask.

* [[Juathuur|Weijuaru]] wears a mask whenever he goes out in public. This is half because it provides his political persona with a level of mystique that helps things work out better in his favor, and half because it hides the fact that [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old|he hasn't aged a day during his reign thanks to his Shift magic]].

 

=== Western Animation ===

** Red X wears a full-face mask, and he can fight Robin blow-for-blow.

** Cheshire wears a cat mask with a permanent scary grin during her brief but memorable appearance in the series. She made enough of an impression that the ''[[Young Justice]]'' version of the character retains it.

** And throwing daggers.

* The Blue Spirit in ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', even [[Badass Normal|without being able to bend the elements]]. When {{spoiler|Zuko}} takes the mask off, his fighting changes in terms of technique.

** Also it was probably psychological. The Blue Spirit didn't have {{spoiler|Zuko's}} emotional baggage.

** This may also apply to the [[Amazon Brigade|Kyoshi Warriors.]] While their facepaint doesn't give them any special powers (Suki and the others are just about as deadly without it), they use it to remind themselves of their connection to Avatar Kyoshi, and it is definitely a symbol of being at the top end of their power scale.

* {{spoiler|The real Noodle}} in [[Gorillaz]] Phase 3 now has a cat mask. It's hinted that it's hiding some form of facial injury. 2D wears a clown mask for as-yet-unexplained reasons in the "Stylo" and "On Melancholy Hill" videos.

** [[All There in the Manual|In the iTunes interviews,]] 2D explains he had the mask to cover up a massive hangover.

* In [[Winx Club]], all three evil witches, Icy, Darcy, and Stormy (The Trix) wear eye makeup that goes down to their cheekbones on the bottom and to their eyebrows on the top. When they achieve Disenchantix, their eye makeup goes from the top of their face to their chins on either side. Darcy in civilian form also wears a tiny pair of spectacles on her nose and when she was a child wore a large, round pair.

* In ''[[Rollbots]]'', Vett's mask makes him look even more [[Badass]] than he is.

 

=== Real Life ===

* Shamans of various traditions and cultures the world over wear masks of animals or spirits in ceremonies in order to assume the aspects, powers and identities associated with the animal or spirit.

* Hip hop dance crew Jabbawockeez wear creepy, blank masks to give the illusion that they are a bunch of puppets moving to the music. They're masked heroes! Like Rorschach.

** Before the Jabbawockeez there was guitarist Brian "[[Buckethead]]" Carroll, who still wears that same type of mask to this day.

* Can we count astronaut's helmets, with monolayers of gold to block the sun?

 

=== Anime and Manga ===

* Vash the Stampede from ''[[Trigun]]''

* Gendo Ikari from ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' wears little round [[Scary Shiny Glasses]], and while he may or may not be physically formidable, he's a megalomaniacal mad genius and absolutely ruthless, as well as having large numbers of security goons and assassins at his beck and call, not to mention that he commands a force of [[Humongous Mecha]]; he is definitely ''not'' a man to be trifled with.

* No mention of Yu-gi-oh! GX's Shou Marufuji yet? If nothing else, the fact that they only fall off his face ''twice'' throughout the series (once for a [[Blind Without'Em]] joke, once for drama,) makes them pretty cool.

 

=== Music ===

** who was just imitating John Lennon.

** Also Deep Purpledrummer Ian Paice.

 

=== Video Games ===

* <s>Elzam von Branstein</s> Ratsel Feinschmeker of ''[[Super Robot Wars]]''.

* No mention of the Medic from "[[Team Fortress 2]]" yet?

* [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Doctor Eggman.]]

 

 

=== Western Animation ===

 

== Exceptions ==

* Done in ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler]]'' (in a [[Shout-Out]] to ''[[Sailor Moon]]''), where Nagi dons a small face-mask and takes on the name "Mask the Money" when she rescues Hayate from the <s>[[Yakuza]]</s> very nice people looking to collect on his debt. She takes [[Crimefighting with Cash]] [[Screw the Rules, I Have Money|very literally]].

 

 

=== Professional Wrestling ===

* During the mid 80's-early 90's there were several masked jobber tag teams including but not limited to The Conquistadors, The Cruel Connection, The Shadows, The Galaxians, The Thunderfoots, The Executioners, The Head Hunters and various assorted Demons.

* For some reason practically every two bit independent wrestling promotion has to have a Doink The Clown rip off. The role is usually given to the worst wrestler on the roster, a fat, charisma deficient load. The worst part of an already awful idea is that they are given a Doink mask of horrible quality instead of simply painting their face like the original did. In every instance the matches are awful, the fans hate it, and yet the promoters will keep doing it.

 

 

=== Video Games ===

** The coolness value of El Fuerte's mask is often undone by his goofy expressions and hamminess. The coolness of it can really only be appreciated in his [[Asskicking Pose]] at the start of the fight.

* Before the director of ''[[GEAR Fighter Dendoh]]'' went on to direct ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED|Gundam SEED]]'', he was already referencing that franchises masked characters with a masked mentor (Vega) and masked rival (Altair).

 

=== Web Animation ===

* Strong Bad, of the website ''[[Homestar Runner]]'', who has a Mexican masked wrestler's mask for a face. He's more a wannabe supervillain than anything.

** When he finally takes it off, it's apparently very painful.

* Every member of the Chess Pieces in ''MÄR'' wears a unique mask. In fact, masks are quite telling of a Chess Piece's power, as the lowest ranked Mooks, "pawns" are only allowed [[Faceless Goons|identical masks]], the same as every other pawn. If a Chess Piece has a unique mask, you're dealing with something a bit more worrisome.

** Their rank is also identified by their earrings, which ARE chess pieces.

** Once they get to the earring stage it doesn't ''have'' to be an earring though (at least one has it as a tongue stud). They still have the masks of pawns, they can just choose how to wear it or customize it.

* Blood Boy from ''[[Survival of the Fittest]]'' both uses and subverts the trope. Due to hideous facial disfigurations (and REMOVING the skin of his face in one of the game's first posts) he almost always wears a smiley face mask, and was until recently the biggest killer on the island, and is still the most psychotic and sadistic. While lacking physical strength, his surprising agility and knowledge of the body's weak points make him a very capable hand to hand combatant, and his sharp mind makes him even more dangerous. However, this ability doesn't actually come from the mask itself, and he can't see nearly as well with it on. This hinders his combat abilities and actually makes him a worse shot than normal, which inspires his normal gunfighting style of [[More Dakka|just trying to put as much lead in the air as possible]] because it means he can really only hope to hit someone at greater than point blank range by firing an insane number of bullets.

* Shows up many, many times in ''[[The Fall (film)|The Fall]]'' (and even on the cover of the DVD!).

 

=== [[Web Original]] ===

* In ''[[The Gamers Alliance]]'', General Leopold covers half of his face with a cool mask. The Totenkopfs are fond of masks which look like skulls.

 

=== [[Western Animation]] ===

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Disguise Tropes]]

[[Category:Professional Wrestling]]

[[Category:Who Was That Masked Index?]]

[[Category:Costume Tropes]]

[[Category:The Utterly and Completely Definitive Guide to Cool]]