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Fascinating Eyebrow: Difference between revisions
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{{quote|''Let's say that I want to portray that I've just done something [[Card-Carrying Villain|evil]]. Well that would be your standard, "I've got a fish-hook in my eyebrow and I like it".''|'''Joey Tribbiani''', ''[[Friends]]''}}
The best way to portray amused superiority or superior amusement, the arched eyebrow is a prime weapon in the expression arsenal for the [[Chessmaster]], [[Manipulative Bastard]] or (in possibly the most famous modern example, hence the trope name) [[The Spock]]. Often raised just as the heroes comprehend what the [[Evil Plan]] was all about. For instance, [[Xanatos Gambit|finding out that by foiling one objective they helped their enemy achieve a second,]] the planner will arched an eyebrow as if to say 'suckers!'.
This may accompany an [[Eye Take]]: the raised brows make room for the widened eyes. And as [[Expressive Mask]] shows, even glasses and masks don't get in the way of the eyebrow.
Like rolling one's tongue or performing [[wikipedia:Vulcan salute|Spock's other trademark]], this is not a talent everyone has. With enough dedication and some practice in a mirror, however, would-be Chess Masters can usually develop the skill.
Combine this with [[Twinkle Smile]], and you get the [[Dreamworks Face]].
This is not to be confused with Alistair Darling's eyebrows which, while fascinating, are rarely raised. [[Overly Long Gag|Also not to be confused with Michael Dukakis's]] [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Dukakis1988rally.jpg eyebrow-forests].
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=== '''Examples:''' ===
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== Advertising ==
* [http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228138 Dreamworks' promotional posters] do this '''ALL. THE. TIME.''' Actually, this applies to a lot of animated companies. The difference, of course, is that Disney, for example, generally limits it to an in-film expression unless it practically defines the character (there's a reason why [[Toy Story|Buzz Lightyear]] wears it on his poster and [[The Little Mermaid|Princess Ariel]] doesn't, even though they both do it ''within'' their films).
** [[The Nostalgia Chick]]'s [http://nostalgiachick.blip.tv/file/4521464/ review] on the franchise talks about their habit of doing this in great detail.
** This has been termed ''[[Memetic Mutation|The Dreamworks' Face]]''.
*** Although there's an inverse image macro parodying the one linked above making the claim that the same could be said about Pixar. Make of that what you will.
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*** It ran in the family. Watch the beginning of ''The Principal''.
* [[Alan Rickman]] IS this trope.
* Sir Thomas [[Sean Connery]].
** Pretty much a requirement if you are to play the role of [[James Bond]]. Observe [[Roger Moore]].
* ''[[The Matrix]] Reloaded'': The Merovingian, when Neo blocks a sword with his bare hand during the chateau fight.
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* Rudolf Klein-Rogge, who played villains in most of [[Fritz Lang]]'s films (including [[Metropolis]]), is [http://cboye.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/vlcsnap-2010-12-05-00h07m57s211.png the master].
* [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oyro_eUL_Ck/Tck_p_1TVQI/AAAAAAAAADg/z09KCko5beQ/s1600/Scarlett%2BO%2527Hara.JPG Scarlett] [http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-izqihy6kFdA/TbzotTv7TSI/AAAAAAAAABs/qKc4nP5qc3w/s1600/Vivien+Leigh.jpg O'Hara].
* [[Angelina Jolie]] is a master of this. ''[[Tomb Raider|Lara Croft: Tomb Raider]]'' is a good example.
* Expect Billy Zane to do this a lot if he's playing a villain, most notably in ''[[Titanic]]''.
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* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/drianis/3165262252/ Snape] from ''[[Harry Potter]]'', in both the books and films.
* Vampires in ''[[The Hollows]]'' [[Our Vampires Are Different|either gain this ability upon infection]], or they all practice it because it [[Rule of Cool|looks so cool.]] Either way, Rachel is jealous.
* In the [[Trainspotting]] novel Mark Renton envies [[Casanova|Sick Boy's]] ability to raise one eyebrow.
* [[The Queen's Thief]] LOVES this trope. Not only is the main character a master of this art, so is his love interest.
* Elizabeth Bennet of [[Pride and Prejudice]] has a fascinating eyebrow that has a tendency to rise when she comes across things she finds particularly ridiculous or wryly amusing. It's one of the many pride things going on.
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* [[iCarly]]: Freddie can do this. Using it more often on Carly probably would've helped him seduce her by now.
* [[House MD|Foreman]]. It's never a real challenge to get [http://users.livejournal.com/_thickasabrick/3867.html Bingo].
* [[Heroes (TV series)|Sylar]], especially since [[Zachary Quinto]]'s eyebrows are so prominent. In the episode "Five Years Gone," when Sylar is using an illusion to disguise himself as Nathan Petrelli, who is president, Zach recorded Nathan's lines so that Adrian Pasdar would know how to say them, but the episode got to a point where Sylar!Nathan cocks his head to the side and stares at Mohinder, but it didn't look right because this trope was missing, since Adrian Pasdar can't cock his eyebrow like that.
** Of course, ZQ's ability to do this came in handy when he was cast as Spock in the [[Star Trek (film)|Star Trek reboot]].
* When Lucius Vorenus of [[Rome]] does this, you KNOW something is about to go down.
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* Puck from ''[[Glee]]'' has a habit of this as well.
** Finn does the same thing, albeit more out of confusion than anything.
* ''[[The Amazing Race]]'' Host Phil Keoghan does this all the time, usually in the midst of a [[Dramatic Pause]].
* David Tennant's Doctor in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' tends to do this a lot.
** To the point where someone made a parody tribute about his eyebrow, his left [http://youtu.be/FBgn4PIFzxw one]
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== Professional Wrestling ==
* [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]] brought the eyebrow to the people.
** Parodied by [[Triple H|HHH]] when he dressed up like The Rock in order to mock him, painting on an exaggerated eyebrow in pencil.
** Possibly the [[Trope Codifier]]? It is the PEOPLE'S eyebrow, after all.
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** {{spoiler|Legion}} also does this when you tell the customs officer that the two asari are not Geth because they don't have flashlights in their heads.
* [[Mega Man (video game)|Dr. Wily]] has turned this taunt into a running gag, though he also combines it with a weird sort of eyebrow-wiggle.
* Mr. House of ''[[Fallout: New Vegas]]'' is doing this on the picture displayed on his monitor. Since said picture is static, it means he's constantly making this expression.
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== Web Originals ==
* MasakoX, co-creator of ''[[Naruto the Abridged Series]]'' and anime reviewer at [[That Guy With The Glasses]], does this very often. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks8hcDdFZIw Observe.]
* Quite a few people of [[That Guy With The Glasses]] are capable of pulling this off. Notable examples: [[The Nostalgia Critic]] adds one to his "scheming face" at the end of [[Suburban Knights]], [[Phelous]] pulls quite the dangerous-looking one in [[Kickassia]], and Linkara's "I am not amused by this" face comes with it as well.
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* In ''[[Transformers Prime]]'', with the somewhat more emotive movie based altmodes, [[The Comically Serious|Optimus Prime]] does this, when {{spoiler|Miko and Raf lie to him about Bots being involved in street racing}}.
* Used one time by a car dealer on ''[[Futurama]]'' upon Amy mentioning how rich her parents were. He had to physically restrain it.
* In ''[[Superman/Batman: Public Enemies]]'', [[Lex Luthor]] did quite an impressive version of this when Power Girl walked into his office with "something to talk about." Given that Power Girl, is, erm, [[Most Common Superpower|powerful]] even by [[DC Comics|DC's]] standards, one can't help but be suspicious of his intentions.
* In ''[[Fireman Sam]]'', Station Master Steele's face appears to be stuck this way.
* Princess Celestia of ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' does this near the end of "Lesson Zero", as Twilight's friends are taking the blame for her casting a spell that makes the entire town fight over a doll so that she could learn some sort of lesson about friendship to send her for that week.
** Octavia, one of the ''many'' fan-favourite background characters, pulls this expression in "The Best Night Ever" when Pinkie makes a request. [http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Octavia Even her wiki page uses it].
** Well, well, well. It seems we have some [[Incredibly Lame Pun|neigh-sayers]] among the Tropers! Even if Celestia and Octavia can pull off the [[Fascinating Eyebrow]], the fact remains that [[Large Ham|THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE]] can [http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/File:Trixie_eye_close_up_E6-W6.png do it] better! In fact, she does it at ''least'' one time other than this, along with the standard >=D look during [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic/Recap/S1
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* Jeremy Irons' eyebrows will often outact him (the same way as he [[Large Ham|outacts the rest of the cast]]).
* [[Julie Benz]].
* Comedian Andy Hamilton complains that he can't get his eyebrow ''not'' to do this, so everyone always thinks he's being sarcastic.
* Comedian Angus Deayton had this pretty much wherever he appeared, really.
* Richard Speight Jr doesn't only use this on ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]''.
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