Game Face: Difference between revisions

Most supernatural monstrosities and [[Scale of Scientific Sins|scientific sins]] against nature that maintain a [[Masquerade]] can hide their [[Red Right Hand|true nature]] with a glamour, or otherwise [[Shapeshifting|Shape Shift]] into a [[Glamour Failure|nearly]] seamless human disguise.

 

 

This is a common trick for [[Our Vampires Are Different|vampires]], [[Our Demons Are Different|demons]], [[Our Werewolves Are Different|werewolves]], and other [[Our Monsters Are Different|monsters]]. Think of it as a super-fast [[One-Winged Angel]] act, but with typically less power than a full transformation.

 

Compare [[Demon Head]].

 

* ''[[Dragon Ball]] Z'' abused this trope from the Namek Saga onward.

* In ''[[Bleach]]'', the Vizards can put their Hollow masks on as a definite Game Face.

* In ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei|Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei]]'', Chiri Kitsu normally looks [http://mundonoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/chiri.jpg like this]{{Dead link}}. However, when she shows her [[Ax Crazy]] side, she looks like [http://lh3.ggpht.com/_o8ElMaP74s4/SeoDkl7GfcI/AAAAAAAAEEg/lTqtdATIMts/chirizetsubou110.jpg this].

* A rare heroic case in ''[[Humanoid Monster Bem]]'', where all three heroes keep a third of their power locked while in human form.

* What occasionally happens to Haruko's face in ''[[FLCL]]'' during fights could be described as this. She gets huge, alien-like eyes and sharp teeth, which may or nay be closer to her original alien appearance.

* In ''[[Fairy Tail]]'', whenever he gets [[Unstoppable Rage|angry]], Natsu has two veins that bulge in a diagonal slant above his eyebrows and his eyes change in to pale yellowish color with slit-like pupils.

** A Full-Body Take Over gives Elfman and {{spoiler|Mirajane}} this effect.

 

* In ''[[Excalibur (Comic Book)|Excalibur]]'', [[Fiery Redhead|Rachel Summers]] ([[Lamarck Was Right|avatar of the]] [[Battle Aura|Phoenix Force]]) gets scary-looking lines on her face when she gets serious. They're actually scars that are always there, and she uses her telepathy to make others see an undamaged face. When she has to use her full power for butt-kicking, she can't spare any for the illusion and lets it drop. Or sometimes she's just too [[Hot-Blooded|pissed off]] to concentrate on it.

* [[Marvel Comics]]' nearly-omnipotent pseudo-villain Molecule Man has something (very) similar: a pattern of lightning-shaped scars (caused by the accident which gave him his powers) across his face which seem to appear or disappear when he is either relaxed and mentally balanced, or furious and/or about to break down and cry. As the scars also make his lips appear serrated, it is a pretty creepy game face considering he normally looks rather nerdy.

* Somewhat toned down in [[Les Legendaires]], where villain Abyss, when revealing his true identity {{spoiler|after posing as Profesor Kallisto Vangelis}}, gets [[Red Eyes, Take Warning|Red Eyes]], [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette|pale skin]] and a [[Slasher Smile]], but otherwise remains quite human-like.

 

* ''[[Fright Night]]'': The vampires Jerry Dandridge and Amy Peterson.

* The vampires in ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]''.

* In ''[[The Devil's Advocate]]'', several characters associated with [[Lou Cypher|John Milton's]] law firm torment Mary Ann Lomax by revealing their [[Nightmare Face|true faces]].

* In the Brazilian film ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCmtXs5GCZI O Auto da Compadecida]'', Satan stops using his human face and goes into a devilish face (as well as a [[Evil Sounds Deep|deep voice]]) after the protagonist angers him enough.

* ''[[Beetlejuice]]'': If you ever meet Beetlejuice, be sure to ask him "Can you be scary?"

* ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit?]]'': "Remember me, Eddie? When I killed your brother, I talked [[Punctuated! For! Emphasis!|Just.]] LIKE. THIIIIIIS!"

* In ''[[Clash of the Titans]]'' (the 2010 version), [[Gorgeous Gorgon|Medusa]] normally looks [[Cute Monster Girl|very attractive]], but, when using her stone gaze, her face becomes demonic and hideous.

* Senator Palpatine in ''[[Star Wars]]: [[Revenge of the Sith]]'', after using his Force Lightning.

 

* ''[[Needful Things]]'': Leland Gaunt. He looks like a charming and handsome man, but he's actually a demon with claws, and a face that is "a horror of eyes and teeth".

* The trolls from ''Twilight Eyes''. They can switch between horror and looking like ordinary humans at will, and to detect them while they look like humans, you need twilight eyes.

* A non-evil variant in ''[[Akata Witch]]'' by [[Nnedi Okorafor]]. In it, all Leopard People (people with special magical abilities) have a "spirit face", that is almost like their true form. Seeing another person's spirit face is seen as almost the same as seeing them naked. However, Sunny plays this straight when she gets in a fight with another student and shows them her spirit face to scare them.

 

* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''

** Vampires have a human face, and a demonic face. The demonic face has bumps along their foreheads, yellow eyes, and of course, fangs. Some vampires were [[Shapeshifter Mode Lock]]ed into their demon face, such as The Master and Kakistos, presumably because of their extreme age (the Master being identified as the oldest known vampire at the time of his introduction). It's implied that their demon face is stronger, given Xander told Angel to put his Game Face on during the Season One Finale (quoting the Trope name directly), and it's confirmed in the spin-off (see below).

* It's pretty rare when a [[Humongous Mecha]] can do this, but in ''[[Power Rangers Wild Force]]'', the [[Damn, Nature! You Scary| Wild Force Megazord]] does just that, it's human-like face turning feral and ferocious, baring fangs, right before it unleashes divine fury upon a foe.

 

* In ''[[Candorville]]'', {{spoiler|vampires}} have several levels of Game Face. The lowest has [[Cute Little Fangs]]. The highest {{spoiler|[[Looks Like Orlok]]}} and has [[Red Eyes, Take Warning]]. Incidentally, this seems to differ from one character to another—it may be that the oldest are the ugliest, or that {{spoiler|Saxon's [[Dhampyr]] status is why he gets [[Milky White Eyes]] instead of red ones.}}

 

 

* ''[[The World of Darkness]]'' games are full of monsters that look like normal humans until it's time to [[Let's Get Dangerous|get dangerous]].

** Werewolves and other shapeshifters have several Game Faces somewhere between man and their animal form, up to the ultimate Crinos (or [[Werewolf: The Forsaken|Gauru]], or whatever) man-wolf (or whatever half-animal) form. But in ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'' they can't display the Game Face to ordinary humans—there's a thing called Delirium, which instinctively makes the human explain away or forget what they saw, and potentially go a little insane as well.

* Lahmian- and Von Carstein-clan Vampires in ''[[Warhammer Fantasy]]'' are often said to be extremely beautiful and/or handsome. You would never tell this by the models, because they're always sculpted with their Game Faces on.

 

* The killer in ''[[Persona 4]]'' does this when you've figured out who he is. The change in his expression as he gleefully and self-righteously reveals his true personality is... unnerving, to say the least.

* ''[[BlazBlue]]'': The main villain in once his identity is revealed. {{spoiler|With [[Compressed Hair]]!}}

== [[Visual Novels]] ==

* Members of the Berserker class in ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' have a Game Face applied as part of their Mad Enhancement. Case in point: [http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111103162904/typemoon/images/7/71/MadEnhancement.jpg fourth Grail War Berserker (spoilers)].

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

* In ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court]]'', Jeanne's ghost, despite superficially resembling her living self most of the time, has a rather terrifying visage while she's in killing mode. She's been down there so long that her ''ghost'' has started to rot.

* At least some vampires in ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' can switch between normal human and pale, pointy-eared, glow-eyed appearances. Hell Mouth and Vrykolakas vampires seem to look unusual all the time, but at least Lysinda Circle vampires have this power.

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

* There is a meme called "Show Me Your War Face," which is quite close to this. It became deadmeme when the faces chosen were just derpy enough to miss the target for over-the-top-haminess, and people left it alone. There were some good ones, though, and they were ususally screen caps of a Game Face. Others just ''were.''

 

* [[Primal Stance|Hunch over. Bare your teeth. Raise your hands up in position that makes you look like you're about to grab whatever's in front of you.]] Watch pets ''and'' people cower and run as you approach them.

** A more subtle version is for people to hold up their heads, puff out their chests, and hold their arms out slightly in a sort of body builder pose. There is a whole stereotype about short people who use this to try and compensate around taller people, to varying degrees of success.

* An excellent juxtaposition between Game Face (predation front) and play face (social front) can be seen [http://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_says_play_is_more_than_fun_it_s_vital.html seen at TED] during Stuart Brown's lecture on ''Serious Play'' in the interactions between a polar bear and a wolf. The scenario is at 00:01:27.

* Behold the [http://youtu.be/xVevkHXzy3Y Eastern Hognose Snake], a harmless, even comical-looking serpent that puts on a heck of a show if anyone tries to eat it.

 

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