Good Hair, Evil Hair: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''"Under the nightmare of Communism, moustaches were, of course, compulsory."''|''[[Tomorrow Stories]]'', written by [[Alan Moore]]}}

 

 

 

By default [[Heroes]] tend towards clean shaves, whether it's because of artistic inertia or simple cultural popularity is up for grabs.<ref> It is worth noting that the last United States President with any facial hair whatsoever is William Howard Taft, meaning our last century of Presidents has been clean-shaven.</ref> Sometimes movies made in countries or/of eras that are friendlier to facial hair have a higher number of heroes and extras with beards and mustaches, though it is still very common to find anachronistically clean shaven male main characters. A full, thick, and above all '''well trimmed''' beard is almost always a sign of the good guys (Dwarfs, Santa, mentor characters, etc). [[The Obi-Wan]] often has one. You will never, ever see a good character with a [[Yellow Peril|Fu Manchu]] mustache, nor one with a pencil thin moustache, unless you are watching an Errol Flynn movie, or in fact any movie from the 1930s or 40s. [[Perma Stubble|Stubbles]] are an exception, as they're usually a sign of [[Anti-Hero|Antiheroism]] and [[Badass|Badassitude]].

==== [[Film]] ====

* Obi-Wan Kenobi of ''[[Star Wars]]''.

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* Another professor, Maximilian Arturo in ''[[Sliders]]''.

* [[Cool Old Guy|Bobby]] [[Only Sane Man|Singer]] on ''[[Supernatural]]''.

 

* The entire [[Our Dwarves Are All the Same|stock fantasy race]] of Dwarves, usually ''priding themselves'' on the fullness and thickness of their beards and sometimes styling them elaborately.

* [[Older Than Print]]: The first example is Merlin, King Arthur's famous advisor, who is always drawn/filmed/described as having a long beard, which was copied by Gandalf and Dumbledore.

* Popular depictions of [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] typically portray him with a thick beard and [[Wild Hair|long hair]].

 

 

==== [[Video Games]] ====

* ''[[Dragon Age]]: Origins'' recruiting Warden, Duncan.

* [[Half Life|Gordon Freeman]] rocks a goatee so badass that the [[Eldritch Abomination|G-Man]] thought it was cool enough to keep, despite being a cold, logical person, and practically ''owning Gordon's soul''.

 

==== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ====

* [[Private Defective|Kogoro Mouri]], [[The Lestrade|Juzo Megure]] and [[Da Chief|Heizo Hattori]] in [[Detective Conan]]. Also Yusaku Kudo, [[Subverted Trope|despite not being a policeman and only VERY rarely acting as a detective]].

 

* Detective Walsh from ''[[Strangers in Paradise]]''.

* Commissioner Gordon in most versions of ''[[Batman]]''.

 

 

* Captain Bosch from ''C.H.U.D.'' had a moustache.

* Captain Gordon from ''[[Godzilla]]: Final Wars'' sported a badass moustache, which suited a character so awesome he only spoke English in a Japanese movie (that and he was willing to take on Godzilla in a ''fistfight'').

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* Rembrandt "Crying Man" Brown from ''[[Sliders]]'', a musician with more soul than any mere soulpatch could carry.

* ''The'' [[The Brigadier|Brigadier]], in ''[[Doctor Who]]''.

* ''[[Monk]]'''s Captain Stottlemeyer sports this distinctive mustache.

* In keeping with some of the more "mildly trustworthy" points on the scale illustrated, Ray Carling from ''[[Life On Mars]]'' and ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' has a droopy moustache which could either be full or the "RS Jake" horseshoe, and he is often rather more on the [[Cowboy Cop]] end of things for Sam Tyler or Alex Drake's comfort.

 

 

==== [[Video Games]] ====

* Kai Kitamura from ''[[Super Robot Wars]] Original Generation''. The [[Super Robot]] Soulgain also sports a metal moustache, though its pilot Axel Almer doesn't sport one. And yes, he's still a military man.

 

 

==== [[Web Comics]] ====

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* On ''[[Smallville]]'' every single one of Clark's love interests have long hair, Lana in particular; contrast with his [[Childhood Friend Romance|Unlucky Childhood Friend]] Chloe, whose hair never goes past her shoulders.

 

 

==== [[Video Games]] ====

* In [[Role Playing Game|RPGs]], it's usually the [[White Magician Girl]] who has the longest tresses.

 

 

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

 

 

==== Multiple ====

* Tarzan is usually portrayed as having long hair due to living in the wild, though curiously he rarely has a beard.

 

 

 

==== [[Comic Books]] ====

* [[Doctor Strange]] occasionally sports a goatee. All his incarnations (except for a [[Dork Age]] version best forgotten) have had some variety of 'stache.

* [[DC Comics]] hero [[Green Arrow]] has a big bushy goatee (but he was clean-shaven on ''[[Smallville]]'', where only Lionel Luthor may have facial hair).

* Can we count [[Discworld|Lord Vetinari]] as on the Hero team?

** No, but you can count the heroes on the [[Magnificent Bastard|Vetinari Team]]...

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* Telemachus Rhade from ''[[Andromeda]]'' is another [[Warrior Poet]] who carried a goatee.

* Ronon Dex of ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'' is another goateed [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]].

* Gordon Freeman of ''[[Half-Life]]'' fame mixes the mentor's full beard with a more compact cut when battling oppression and [[Eldritch Abomination|Eldritch Abominations]].

* The Prince in the ''[[Prince of Persia]]'' series sports a goatee, but is a fairly classic hero much of the time.

 

 

==== [[Web Comics]] ====

 

 

 

==== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ====

 

 

* [[Fu Manchu]], obviously, has the Fu Manchu moustache (but only since the film adaptations, not in the original books)

* [[Big Trouble in Little China|David Lo Pan]] had the stereotypical Asian long and wispy beard.

* Pai Mei in ''[[Kill Bill]]'' is one of the few Asian heroes with one. Granted, he ''was'' a dick.

** And in his original appearances in 60s kung fu flicks, he was an outright villain.

 

==== [[Literature]] ====

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

 

 

 

==== [[Web Comics]] ====

** Played straight, however, with [[The Evil Prince|scheming noble]] Daimyo Kubota.

*** Even [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] by Vaarsuvius in [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0596.html this comic].

 

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

** Scourge from the original [[Transformers Generation 1]] has a metal Fu Manchu, as do his clones (made by Unicron).

** Averted as well with Wreck-Gar, however.

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* The Master from ''[[Doctor Who]]'' sports a goatee in the incarnations played by both Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley.

* In the ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' episode "Point of View", Apophis in the [[Alternate Universe]] had a goatee, as did Teal'c (who, in this universe, was still his First Prime). In the fourth season, "our" Teal'c himself sported a goatee (actually it was more like a chin caterpillar) for a short while.

 

==== [[Web Comics]] ====

* Dave Davenport of ''[[Narbonic]]'' had one, blurring the line due the the main characters being [[Villain Protagonist|villain protagonists]].

* In [http://www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0039.html this] ''[[Darths and Droids]]'' webcomic, Governor Sio Bibble, Queen Amidala's trusted advisor, is described as having a goatee, although it actually seems to be just a beard. Based the description, the players immediately decide he can't be trusted. Bonus points for linking to both this page and [[Evil Chancellor]].

 

 

 

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

* This was subverted in ''[[Futurama]]'', when Bender's goateed twin Flexo turned out to be the good Bender, while Bender was the evil Bender.

* Likewise, everyone from the evil parallel dimension in the ''[[South Park]]'' episode "Spookyfish" has a goatee, including the alternate version of Cartman, who is much nicer than the normal Cartman.

* In ''[[Megas XLR]]'''s yet-another-parody-of the-Star-Trek-episode episode "Rearview Mirror Mirror", the evil alternate Coop has, you guessed it, a goatee.

** Then again, so does regular Coop. Evil Coop's primary difference was that he was ''skinny''.

* In one episode of ''[[Sushi Pack]]'', the Pack was sent to a mirror universe where all the males had goatees and all the females had heavy eyeshadow, regardless of whether they were good or evil.

* ''[[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]'': Buzz's evil twin.

 

==== [[Comics]] ====

 

 

==== [[Film]] ====

* In Hitchcock's ''Topaz'', most Cubans had Fidel Castro's beard, and even uniform, maybe suggesting a personality cult or anything. They were sometimes hard to differentiate: the main villain, fortunately [[Colour-Coded for Your Convenience|was red-bearded]]. Fortunately, female Cubans did not sport beards.

 

 

==== [[Film]] ====

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* Every Romulan, female or male, in the entire Star Trek universe

 

 

==== [[Comic Books]] ====

* Many characters in the [[Anthology Comic]] [[The Beano]] have toothbrush moustaches including the Teacher from Bash Street Kids, [[Dennis the Menace UK|Dennis the Menace's]] Dad and Minnie the Minx's Dad. All of these characters originated from the 1950s and nothing is often said about these moustaches they are just there.

 

 

* Zorg in ''[[The Fifth Element]]'' takes the Hitler 'stache and puts it on his chin.

* [[Laurel and Hardy|Oliver Hardy]] had a mustache like this.

 

 

* The website, [http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/cgi-bin/seigmiaow.pl?6687 Cats That Look Like Hitler], features cats and kittens that look like [[Adolf Hitler]], or at least have toothbrush moustaches.

* In China, a trimmer version of this moustache is viewed as a stereotype of Japanese people, especially of Japanese soldiers from [[World War II]].

 

 

* Captain Zog from ''[[Sidekick]]''.

* The [[Adolf Hitler]] caricature duck from the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' [[Wartime Cartoon]] "Ducktators".

* Sam Waldron, the mobile shop owner from ''[[Postman Pat]]''.

* [http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50254_40232688710_441162_n.jpg Roger], the skinny cat in the two ''[[Open Season]]'' sequels, looks like he has an off-center variant of this kind of moustache.

 

==== [[Film]] ====

* Two of the villains played by Harvey Korman in [[Mel Brooks]]' movies have thin mustaches: Hedley Lamarr in ''[[Blazing Saddles]]'' and Dr. Montague in ''[[High Anxiety]]''.

 

 

==== [[Literature]] ====

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

** This is further inverted by [[Harmless Villain]] Robbie Rotten, who is clean shaven to the point you wonder if the actor isn't wearing a rubber mask (actually, he kind of '''is'''). His otherwise meticulous good grooming is also a bit off on the [[Evil Makeover|evil-dress-o-meter]], but being in a [[Color Coded for Your Convenience|dark purple color scheme]] helps.

* Schneider on ''[[One Day At a Time]]''.

 

==== [[Video Games]] ====

 

 

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

** Also the Hook from the [[World Masterpiece Theater]]'s [[Peter Pan]]. Oddly, the Hook from ''[[Peter Pan and The Pirates]]'' was clean-shaven.

* [[Morally-Ambiguous Doctorate|Dr. Scientist]] from ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'' has a pencil-mustache.

 

 

 

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

 

 

* Averted to a degree by Cleric Preston from ''[[Equilibrium]]'': he starts out as a bad guy with slicked hair, {{spoiler|does a [[Heel Face Turn]], and keeps his [[Badass]] hair.}}

* Hannibal Lecter in ''[[The Silence of the Lambs]]''. In the books his hair is even described as "otter-like."

* Matt Dillon in ''My Bodyguard''

* James Spader's drug dealer character in ''Less Than Zero''.

 

 

==== [[Literature]] ====

* In Louise Marley's ''The Maquisarde'', the dictator of the Northern Hemisphere, a Card Carrying Villain, has hair that is described as "plastered to his skull."

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

** Not to mention Angel/Angelus. Angelus has...More menacing hair.

 

 

==== [[Video Games]] ====

** On the topic of ''[[Ace Attorney]]'', Manfred von Karma's Beethoven-ish hairstyle probably counts.

* Seifer of ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'', a [[Rival Turned Evil]].

 

 

 

==== [[Comic Books]] ====

 

 

==== [[Film]] ====

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* Tommy Oliver, the most renowned [[Sixth Ranger]] from ''[[Power Rangers]]'' history, who through the early seasons went back and forth between good and evil, also sports an anti-heroic soul patch.

 

 

 

==== [[Web Comics]] ====

** White Noise sports an impressive tuft himself, but it just seems to highlight his [[Badass Grandpa]] qualities.

 

 

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

 

 

==== [[Film]] ====

* [[Indiana Jones]] apparently shaves when lecturing students but gets instant perma-stubble when adventuring.

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* The titular character from ''[[The Adventures of Brisco County Jr]]'' always had a five o'clock shadow. In fact, it was once included in his description on a wanted poster.

* Dr. Cox of ''[[Scrubs]]'' sometimes falls into this one. Usually head first.

* Jack Shepherd, from ''[[Lost]]'', not only has five o'clock shadow, it DOESN'T GROW FOR [[108|108 DAYS]]. After he leaves the island, though, he is shown with a [[Beard of Sorrow]] after three years. Think of all the money he saves on razors.

** They did actually show him shaving with scavenged razors at least once while on the Island. Most of the men of the show had surprisingly permanent shadows for a long time, although some did advance into full on beards.

==== [[Video Games]] ====

* The legendary Solid Snake, from ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' is known for his excellent five o'clock shadow.

* Averted with Henry of ''[[Silent Hill 4]]'', whose perma stubble just makes him look sloppy, and Walter's unshaven mug adds to the [[Ax Crazy]].

* [[Parental Abandonment|Jecht]] from ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'' and ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy]]'' bears heavy facial stubble throughout both games.

==== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ====

* Yusuke and Kuwabara in ''[[Yu Yu Hakusho]]''

* Ditto Amamiya Ryu aka Bokuto no Ryu from ''[[Shaman King]]'', who not only has a six-foot pompadour, but also a six-foot-long pompadour-shaped ''motorcycle helmet''. He's also [[Unstoppable Rage|VERY pissed off]] when one of his rivals cuts his pompadour in half.

* Hanamichi Sakuragi from ''[[Slam Dunk]]'' has one of these in the first part of the series. {{spoiler|He [[Important Haircut|shaves it later]] as self-punishment for the loss against Kainan.}}

* Inverted by Franky from ''[[One Piece]]''. It also functions as [[Expressive Hair]].

** Aizawa also sports a smaller version.

 

 

 

==== [[Film]] ====

 

 

==== [[Video Games]] ====

* [[Katamari Damacy|The King of All Cosmos]] had a pompadour as a teenager, as do most of the teenage boys you roll up in the game.

* Winston Payne, of all people, has a pompadour in the flashback chapter of ''[[Ace Attorney]]'' (but loses it in spectacular fashion).

* Some of the Date soldiers from ''[[Sengoku Basara]]'' have pompadours. It should be noted that this is [[Anachronism Stew|feudal Japan]] we're talking about.

 

==== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ====

* Or [[Ronin Warriors|Ryo or Shin/Cye]]. If you are the latter, you can actually make it look cute.

 

 

==== [[Film]] ====

 

 

==== [[Live Action TV]] ====

* Or [[MacGyver]]

 

 

 

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

* Or [[Regular Show|Mordecai and Rigby]].

* Or [[The Venture Bros|Brock Samsom]].

=== None at all ===

* [[Bald of Awesome]]

 

* [[Bald of Evil]]

===== [[Literature]] =====

* According to Tolkien's Appendices to ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', almost all [[Hobbits]] have curly hair.

 

 

 

===== [[Film]] =====

* Magenta, ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'', is a spectacular example.

** Likewise, [[Tim Curry|Dr. Frank N Furter]] himself has curly hair. In one scene, we even see his hair in curlers.

** In the film, becoming a vampire actually causes Claudia's hair to curl itself.

 

===== [[Literature]] =====

* [[The Prisoner of Zenda|Rupert of Hentzau]]

* Claggart in ''[[Billy Budd]]'' is described as having "silken jet curls". You can tell he's [[Chaotic Evil]].

 

 

===== [[Web Comics]] =====

 

 

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

 

{{reflist}}