Cool Mask: Difference between revisions

 

{{quote|'''Fezzik''': Why are you wearing a mask? Were you [[Phantom of the Opera|burned by acid]] or something like that?<br />

 

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.

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

 

 

Compare [[Superheroes Wear Tights]].

* 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.

** Of course, he gets bonus points. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGn-Tg1j8w0 What's under his mask?] {{spoiler|1=[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1eNQ68mf6Y&feature=related Another mask!]}}

** Tobi has a spiral mask, only one eye is visible, he is an Akatsuki member {{spoiler|He is the leader of Akatsuki and appears to be Uchiha Madara}}. In flashbacks he had a different mask that was flat with a flame-like pattern. Later, he got a new mask. {{spoiler|- [http://manga.bleachexile.com/naruto-chapter-514-page-18.html That shows both Sharingan and Rinnegan]}}.

* ''[[Vampire Hunter D]]''. No mask, but the shadow of his hat sometimes produces the same effect.

** 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.}}

* Char Aznable and [[Char Clone|his imitators]] from the various ''[[Gundam|Gundams]]''. Char wore his Cool Mask so he could infiltrate the Zeon Military, and exact revenge upon the Zabis. Kycilia Zabi often wears a mask for reasons that go completely unexplained.

*** 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.

** In ''[[Turn a Gundam (Anime)|Turn a Gundam]]'', Harry Ord, the [[Char Clone]] is a bodyguard for the Princess of the Moon, Diana Soriel. The trope (large red sunglasses) in this case is lampshaded by his confession that he is "keeping his eyes on the Queen's back." While being a semi-rival for the protagonist, he mostly kicks ass. And how.

** In classic [[Char Clone]] fashion, Zeheart Galette from ''[[Gundam AGE]]'' dons one from Episode 20 onwards. Unlike the other "Char-style" masks, however, Zeheart's mask is [[Justified Trope|actually a device that helps him concentrate his X-Rounder abilities.]]

** And in ''[[Gundam Unicorn]]'', we have Full Frontal who also wears a mask, and looks and sounds a lot like Char. {{spoiler|In a brilliant bit of [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshading]], its revealed that he's a Cyber-Newtype who was surgically modified to look and sound like Char, complete with the mask, all in order to keep the morale of the Neo Zeon remnants up, making him a literal Char clone in universe.}}

* Larva from ''[[Vampire Princess Miyu]]''.

* Chichiri from ''[[Fushigi Yuugi]]'' is an interesting example. His mask happens to be [[Expressive Mask|a perfect replica of his face]], sans the scar.

** In the first Slayers anime season, a Mazoku named "Tiiba" looks like a cute humanoid rooster in a waistcoat at first. Then he manages to slip away and find a mask into which most of his power was sealed, transforming him into a giant humanoid hawk-thing when he melds it into his face.

* The Zeiram's (from the ''[[Zeiram]]'' films and ''Iria: Zeiram the Animation'') only visible face is a three-inch thing on a long prehensile neck, but it resembles a Kabuki mask, so it might count.

* The mysterious masked man in the second season of ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]''. He could take the full brunt of Nanoha's attack without being fazed and routinely made short work of anyone he attacked.

* San from ''[[Princess Mononoke]]''. Her mask is so badass that it let her shrug off a nearly point-blank gunshot ''to the face'' (Okay, so it shatters at that point, but it gets fixed.)

* 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|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...}}

* [[Magnificent Bastard|Lelouch Lamperouge]], as [[My Hero Zero|Zero]], in ''[[Code Geass]]''. Wears an "undermask" under the mask: The latter is the iconic helmet with chess-styled horns, and underneath is what appears to be part of his undershirt covering just his lower face - think [[Naruto|Kakashi]]. However, despite multiple masks and an impressive list of accomplishments, he's [[Squishy Wizard|less likely to beat you up himself]] than to have his minions do it for him.

** Or [[Evil Eye|order you]] to [[Compelling Voice|do it yourself]].

** Later revealed to be an actual mask that shatters to reveal her true face when it's time for her to play [[Final Boss]].

* Hakuoro of ''[[Utawarerumono]]'', as seen above. Not even ''he'' knows what he looks like without the mask, so you know he means business. In fact, the {{spoiler|scientists who originally recovered and studied him even found a way to improve their health and longevity by donning duplicates of his mask... until he smote them.}}

** Or the bottom half in the case of Wizardmon.

* The titular character of ''[[Ergo Proxy]]''.

** 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.}}

** L in the second [[Live Action Adaptation|live action]] movie, [[media:Awesome_Mask.png|not so much...]]

* Friend of ''[[Twentieth Century Boys]]'' gets ''two'' cool masks. He starts off the series with a Ninja Hattori-Kun mask, then later swaps that one out for a full head hood with the symbol of his cult on it.

* Every member of Planet ''[[Kinnikuman|Kinniku]]'' has to wear a full-face wrestling mask with a mohawk-fin on top from birth. If their faces are ever seen, they have to commit suicide. The masks are pretty damn [[Expressive Mask|lifelike]].

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

 

 

== Comic Books ==

 

* The [[Anti-Hero]] in ''[[V for Vendetta]]'' wears a Guy Fawkes mask. In the movie, the mask is such a powerful symbol, it overshadows the hero himself up to a point where it's hard to tell who's wearing whom.

* Pretty much most (if not all) superheroes, but the second Batgirl took this to the logical extreme; her mask was skin-tight, designed to cover her entire skull, and [[wikipedia:Image:Knightalone.jpg|really about the last thing you'd want to meet in a dark alley]]. (Let's not even get into the pointy ears.)

* In ''[[Kabuki (Comic Book)|Kabuki]]'', all eight Noh agents wear painted porcelain masks when "in character".

* In ''[[Jon Sable Freelance]]'', Sable wears a black makeup design on his face because "it scares the hell out of the bad guys".

* [[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.

* [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]] all wear masks; uniformly red in the original comic book, [[Colour-Coded for Your Convenience|color-coded on the TV shows and movies]] (red = Raphael, blue = Leonardo, purple = Donatello, orange = Michaelangelo.) In the TMNTs case, these accessories do not serve as identity concealers (it's rather hard to disguise a giant humanoid turtle as anything else) so much as badges of their Shadow Warrior vocation.

== Film ==

 

* ''[[Star Wars]]'': Darth Vader's face is fully masked and even if he's not the most powerful villains in the universe, he's amongst the scariest. He may have been more powerful before he needed a life support mask, but we don't recommend telling him if you appreciate being able to breathe.

* The mask of the ''[[Predator]]'' features (at least) IR vision, EM vision, "preda-tech" vision, optic zoom, breathing apparatus and a targeting module for the [[Frickin' Laser Beams|Plasma Caster]].

** Bumblebee also puts on a mask for combat.

* 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]].

* [[The Smurfette Principle|7]], in ''9'' wears a combo [[Cool Mask]]/[[Nice Hat]] dubbed the 'Skullmet'. Is she badass? Well, {{spoiler|considering that her entrance involves her ''decapitating the Cat Beast in one swing''}}...

** He also inspired the song "The Man Behind The Mask" by [[Alice Cooper]].

* 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?"

 

== Literature ==

 

* [[Humanoid Abomination|The King in Yellow]] from the [[Cthulhu Mythos]], whose face is covered by a strange white mask. {{spoiler|Actually subverted, as like [[Edgar Allan Poe|the Red Death]], he wears no mask.}}

** The High Priest Who Is Not To Be Described in ''Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath'' wears a mask.

** The horrible {{spoiler|[[The Worm That Walks|worm-monster-horrors masquerading as people]]}} in "The Festival" wear waxen masks.

*** 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.

* In ''[[X Wing Series|Starfighters of Adumar]]'', Wedge Antilles disguises his identity with a mask - but because it's lavender, and he doesn't like lavender, he doesn't think of it as cool.

{{quote| "whom men called Natohk, the Veiled One; for his features were always masked."}}

 

== Live Action TV ==

 

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

* Theres a reason why they are called [[Kamen Rider|KamenRiders]]. Kamen being Japanese for mask, and up until recently they were known as "Masked Riders" in official translated material, including the series logos.

* Played with with Richard Harrow of "[[Boardwalk Empire]]"--it hides his badly mangled face and most people seem to prefer that he wears it at all times, although it's rather unsettling in and of itself. However, he is most definitely a [[Badass]], and the mask helps with the mystique.

* 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.

* [[The Aquabats]], seeing as [[Stage Names|they're actual superheroes and all.]]

* Deadmau5 and his signature mouse mask.

* Dubstep artist Funtcase wears a gray robot mask when performing.

* 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.

** [[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.

** The local sports commissions actually enforce these "matches of bets" -- ''luchas de apuestas'' -- in that the wrestler can no longer don the mask, at least in the locality involved!

** 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.

* Played Straight with "The Hurricane" Gregory Helms, who underwent a [[Face Heel Turn]] upon (voluntarily) unmasking. He [[Growing the Beard|developed actual depth]] during his time afterward, but suffered from severe under-pushing, though he underwent a [[Heel Face Turn]] much later. He recently returned from injury on ECW, redebuting with a slightly [[Darker and Edgier]] [[Anti-Hero]] version of The Hurricane, as Hurricane Helms. It seems to be rather successful, though time will tell whether it results in a title push or Kane-like decay.

== Toys ==

 

** A full list: Shielding, Underwater Breathing, Levitation, Strength, Speed, X-Ray Vision, Time, Life, Light, Shadows, Concealment, Translation, Illusions, Night Vision, Mind Control, Telekinesis, Fate, Spirit, Detection, Telepathy, Flight, Accuracy, Radar, Kindred, Summoning, Stealth, Gravity, Reanimation, Corruption, Hunger, Silence, Repulsion, Disruption, Time Duplication, Diminishment, Clairvoyance, Quick Travel (Teleportation), Emulation, Growth, Rahi Control (Animal Control), Regeneration, Truth, Dimensional Travel, Charisma, Alternate Futures, Psychometry, Intangibility, Possibilities, Elemental Energy, Mutation, Creation, Scavenging, Incomprehension, Adaptation, Sensory Aptitude, Aging, Undeath, Conjuring, Rebounding, Biomechanics, and Fusion.

*** The abstractness of the powers grew as the series aged. One of the very cool features early on was how much the Toa mixed and matched elemental powers and mask powers, [[Fridge Brilliance|a lot like]] [[LEGO]]. Stop a lava flow from damaging an island? Mask of strength and earth elemental powers on the first Toa to dig a trench, mask of speed on the toa behind to push the digger around so that the channel was dug in time.

** Then sometimes he'll get "Serious", which is your cue to run. When his son Ryo inherits the title of "Mr. Karate", he does not wear the mask (in most continuities - he does wear a different mask in ''The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2'' though).

* El Blaze from ''[[Virtua Fighter]]''.

** Meta Knight wears a mask almost all the time. The only times his face is revealed is when he's defeated and his mask breaks.

* Wodan Ymir of ''[[Super Robot Wars]]'', what with his "BFS" which can become a giant "[[Laser Blade]]".

** The Dragon Priest Masks from Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim definitely count.

* [[Mass Effect]] gives us the quarians, an entire race of cool mask wearers. Most characters put on their own cool masks to walk around in hostile environments too. Special mention needs to go to Zaeed's and Thane's.

** Also Mask☆DeMasque, who is a charismatic [[Gentleman Thief]] {{spoiler|1=compared to his alter ego, the nervous Ron DeLite}}.

* Sturm from the ''[[Advance Wars]]'' series.

* 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.

* [[Gaia Online|Labtech X]] has always been one of [[The Faceless]], but when he traded in his old [[Scarf of Asskicking]] to one with a full mask... well there's a reason his scarf is one of the most valuable prizes you can win from playing zOMG. (By the way, X actually has a reason for hiding his face, since {{spoiler|he's a [[Cloning Blues|clone]], and [[Beta Test Baddie|hates the man who created him.]]}}

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

* Arakune, Hakumen, and Relius from ''[[Blaz Blue]]''.

* 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.

* Sirius, {{spoiler|who's actually Camus [[Back From the Dead]] and thus using the mask to hide his identity}}, in ''[[Fire Emblem|Fire Emblem : Mystery of the Emblem]]''.

** And he always straps a tail on his pants for good measure!

** And his dialogue is always snarls. Sadly, Kunimitsu isn't quite as powerful in the games despite her own mask habits.

** In fact, the Spy disguises himself by putting [[Up to Eleven|a second mask on over the first mask]].

* The Children of the Earth in ''[[Baten Kaitos]]'' all have them, which are used to filter the miasma out of the air so they can breathe. Mizuti, who joins your party in ''Eternal Wings'', has a particularly cool one, which only comes off once (not counting the epilogue).

 

== [[Visual Novels]] ==

 

 

 

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

* In ''[[Blip]]'', The Adversary wears a blank white mask. Apparently this is for everyone else's protection; even [[Satan|Lucifer]] would cease to exist if he were to see the Adversary's real face.

* [[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 ==

 

** As seen in season 4's episode "The Quest", Robin's mask looks cool on everyone.

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

* 80's cartoon ''[[MASK]]'' also had (almost) everyone in masks, which produced a variety of powers and effects, including Gliding, Holograms and Flamethrowers.

** And throwing daggers.

** In his defense {{spoiler|with his mask off, he's only firebending, something he knows, but never came easy to him. However, in the fight against Jet in Ba Sing Se, he's still being a badass swordsman, and did anyone else see his little bit of firebending WITH the swordfight? Also, Zuko's firebending skills are much greater after his visit with the dragons. He's basically a Master after that.}}

** 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.

* What of [[Transformers|Optimus Prime]]'s Mouthplate?

* [[G.I. Joe|Cobra Commander]]

** [[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.

== Anime and Manga ==

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

* Lobelia Carlini from ''[[Sakura Taisen]] III''

* Negi Springfield from ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]!''

** It should be noted that whenever he activates his [[Black Magic]], his glasses get blown off his face.

* ''[[Hellsing]]'' subverts this. Alucard is usually at his least powerful while dandied up in his signature hat, suit, and little round glasses. As a combat progresses and Alucard unleashes higher levels of powers, his appearance becomes more feral and otherwordly. This is somewhat justified in the fact that opponents have to knock him around first before he increases his power level.

* 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.

 

== Music ==

** who was just imitating John Lennon.

** Also Deep Purpledrummer Ian Paice.

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

* Iron Tager from ''[[Blaz Blue]]''.

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

 

 

== Western Animation ==

 

 

* Arguably, Tuxedo Mask from ''[[Sailor Moon]]''. In the manga, at least, he has some pretty hefty informed abilities and some extra powers. Still gets pwned.

* Wannabe [[Superhero]] Strike Man, from ''[[You're Under Arrest]]''

 

 

* The narcissistic Vega of ''[[Street Fighter]]'' wears a mask to protect his face. Considering how easily it's broken in his loss images, his face must be made of ''solid steel'' to hold up that well.

** 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.

 

 

** 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.

 

 

== [[Web Original]] ==