Snake People: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}} |
{{trope}} |
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[[File:alumni marilith FC1 7743.jpg|link=Dungeons and Dragons|frame|Who are you calling limbless?]] |
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A Snake Person, Naga, or Lamia is a liminal being usually depicted with a human head, arms and torso with the added twist of a snake's tail similar in many respects to a [[Our Mermaids Are Different|mermaid]], [[Our Centaurs Are Different|centaur]], and [[Fog Feet|some]] [[Our Genies Are Different|genies]]. Beings like this can also involve more exotic bodily configurations such as [[Winged Tropes|wings]] or changing the ratio of snake to human. Also, for some reason<ref>the reason is breasts</ref> |
A Snake Person, Naga, or Lamia is a liminal being usually depicted with a human head, arms and torso with the added twist of a snake's tail similar in many respects to a [[Our Mermaids Are Different|mermaid]], [[Our Centaurs Are Different|centaur]], and [[Fog Feet|some]] [[Our Genies Are Different|genies]]. Beings like this can also involve more exotic bodily configurations such as [[Winged Tropes|wings]] or changing the ratio of snake to human. Also, for some reason,<ref>the reason is breasts</ref> most examples are female. |
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Most of the time such Snake People are depicted as slithering upright like a cobra (as in, a cobra who's about to strike) instead of slithering face-down with their whole body. |
Most of the time such '''Snake People''' are depicted as slithering upright like a cobra (as in, a cobra who's about to strike) instead of slithering face-down with their whole body. |
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Medusa is [[Ray Harryhausen|occasionally]] depicted this way. |
Medusa is [[Ray Harryhausen|occasionally]] depicted this way. |
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Snake People may have some aquatic ability as well, either being superior swimmers or actually able to breathe underwater, in which case they would be a subtrope of [[Unscaled Merfolk]], with the best of both worlds. They may or may not talk in [[Sssssnaketalk]]. Similarly, They are often evil because [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent]], but like many other [[Cute Monster Girl |
Snake People may have some aquatic ability as well, either being superior swimmers or actually able to breathe underwater, in which case they would be a subtrope of [[Unscaled Merfolk]], with the best of both worlds. They may or may not talk in [[Sssssnaketalk]]. Similarly, They are often evil because [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent]], but like many other [[Cute Monster Girl]]s, [[Dark Is Not Evil]] may come into play. Or they were already villains who just [[Scaled Up|turned into snakes]]. |
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Traditionally, Lamia was a Lybian queen who ate children, but [[John Keats]] might have turned her into a snake woman even though she wasn't [[Sadly Mythtaken|originally]], possibly combining her with Lilith, who was associated with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. |
Traditionally, Lamia was a Lybian queen who ate children, but [[John Keats]] might have turned her into a snake woman even though she wasn't [[Sadly Mythtaken|originally]], possibly combining her with Lilith, who was associated with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. |
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* ''[[Inuyasha]]'' has the twins Kinka and Ginka, who have human-looking torsos and very long snake tails which end up [[Conjoined Twins|encircling each other's]]. They are from a species of [[Youkai]] always hatching with two heads, but usually with the stronger one devouring the other head early on. |
* ''[[Inuyasha]]'' has the twins Kinka and Ginka, who have human-looking torsos and very long snake tails which end up [[Conjoined Twins|encircling each other's]]. They are from a species of [[Youkai]] always hatching with two heads, but usually with the stronger one devouring the other head early on. |
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** The early villainess Mistress Centipede was a [[Creepy Centipedes|centipede]] variation |
** The early villainess Mistress Centipede was a [[Creepy Centipedes|centipede]] variation |
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* In ''[[Pet Shop of Horrors]],'' one of the very first "pets" was a basilisk that looked like a beautiful snake woman. This particular variety was |
* In ''[[Pet Shop of Horrors]],'' one of the very first "pets" was a basilisk that looked like a beautiful snake woman. This particular variety was albino—but looking into her eyes meant instant death. |
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* In ''[[Claymore]]'', Ophelia's Awakened form looks like one of these, only she has what are like gigantic blades coming out of her human-looking back. |
* In ''[[Claymore]]'', Ophelia's Awakened form looks like one of these, only she has what are like gigantic blades coming out of her human-looking back. |
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* In ''[[Naruto]]'', Orochimaru, {{spoiler|and later Kabuto as well.}} |
* In ''[[Naruto]]'', Orochimaru, {{spoiler|and later Kabuto as well.}} |
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== Literature == |
== Literature == |
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* A naga-like one of these (called "Man-Serpents", having human heads with snakes for hair on purely serpent bodies, to differentiate themselves from "Serpent-Men", who have scaly human bodies with the heads of snakes) appears in the ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' story "[[The God in the Bowl]]," sent in a large jar to a man who dabbled with secrets he shouldn't have touched. |
* A naga-like one of these (called "Man-Serpents", having human heads with snakes for hair on purely serpent bodies, to differentiate themselves from "Serpent-Men", who have scaly human bodies with the heads of snakes) appears in the ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' story "[[The God in the Bowl]]," sent in a large jar to a man who dabbled with secrets he shouldn't have touched. |
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* There are no nagas in ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]''. However, the legend may be |
* There are no nagas in ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]''. However, the legend may be known—Voldemort's snake familiar is called Nagini, which is either a reference to the naga or to Kipling. |
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* ''[[Xanth]]'', [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] that it is, is home to a race of Nagas, the princess of which ends up as a [[Love Interest]] to one of the characters. |
* ''[[Xanth]]'', [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] that it is, is home to a race of Nagas, the princess of which ends up as a [[Love Interest]] to one of the characters. |
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* In the ''[[Star Trek Novel Verse]]'', there's a race known as Resaurians, who are essentially snakes with upper grasping limbs. They're usually quite friendly. |
* In the ''[[Star Trek Novel Verse]]'', there's a race known as Resaurians, who are essentially snakes with upper grasping limbs. They're usually quite friendly. |
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** Then there are the Salamanders, who are a [[Wreathed in Flames|fire-version]] of this (they have arms, reptillian heads however). |
** Then there are the Salamanders, who are a [[Wreathed in Flames|fire-version]] of this (they have arms, reptillian heads however). |
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** The Jarkung in [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] magazine #14 and #37. Snake-like body, 2 arms, long tail with a knob on the end. |
** The Jarkung in [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] magazine #14 and #37. Snake-like body, 2 arms, long tail with a knob on the end. |
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** [[Medusa |
** [[Medusa]]e are fully humanoid Snake People, having no tails, but definately reptilian features, scaly skin and, of course, snakes for hair. |
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* The Followers of Set in ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' acquire the power to become this at advanced levels. |
* The Followers of Set in ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' acquire the power to become this at advanced levels. |
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* ''[[Earthdawn]]'' |
* ''[[Earthdawn]]'' |
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== Web Comics == |
== Web Comics == |
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* Several ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]''-inspired webcomics features the races of |
* Several ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]''-inspired webcomics features the races of Snake People mentionned above. |
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** [http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=767 Kwaii] from ''[[Drowtales]]''. |
** [http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=767 Kwaii] from ''[[Drowtales]]''. |
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** Kia's sister Guinness in the original ''[[Krakow]]'' (she's based on the ''D&D'' marilith). |
** Kia's sister Guinness in the original ''[[Krakow]]'' (she's based on the ''D&D'' marilith). |
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* ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' had an Aesop villian become some kind of naga with stuff added [[It Got Worse|before going]] [[Clipped-Wing Angel]]. |
* ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' had an Aesop villian become some kind of naga with stuff added [[It Got Worse|before going]] [[Clipped-Wing Angel]]. |
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* There was an episode of ''[[Tale Spin]]'' where the villain was a cobra fellow, which was interesting because he was this while clothed, but [[Mobile Suit Human|lost his outfit at the end, and was somehow just a big snake.]] |
* There was an episode of ''[[Tale Spin]]'' where the villain was a cobra fellow, which was interesting because he was this while clothed, but [[Mobile Suit Human|lost his outfit at the end, and was somehow just a big snake.]] |
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* Cedric, [[The Dragon]] from the first season of ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'', is one of these in his true form, though he spends a lot of his time shapeshifted as a human. Interestingly, his race all seem to be shapechangers, but aren't all |
* Cedric, [[The Dragon]] from the first season of ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'', is one of these in his true form, though he spends a lot of his time shapeshifted as a human. Interestingly, his race all seem to be shapechangers, but aren't all Snake People- the only other one shown, [[Creepy Child|Miranda]], changes into an anthropomorphic ''spider''. |
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* In an early episode of ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]'', [[Butt Monkey|Carl]] [[It Makes Sense in Context|picks a mummy's headdress out of the garbage]] and shows it off to the other characters, completely unaware to the fact his legs have turned into a snake's tail. |
* In an early episode of ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]'', [[Butt Monkey|Carl]] [[It Makes Sense in Context|picks a mummy's headdress out of the garbage]] and shows it off to the other characters, completely unaware to the fact his legs have turned into a snake's tail. |
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* Recently the skeleton mooks from ''[[Ninjago]]'' have been phased out in favor of Serpentine, [[Captain Obvious|which the name tells you everything you need to know.]] |
* Recently the skeleton mooks from ''[[Ninjago]]'' have been phased out in favor of Serpentine, [[Captain Obvious|which the name tells you everything you need to know.]] |