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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|''It'th a pleathure to be commanded in a clear, firm, authoritative voithe, mithtreth.''
|'''Igor''', ''[[Carpe Jugulum]]''}}
▲{{quote|''It'th a pleathure to be commanded in a clear, firm, authoritative voithe, mithtreth.''|'''Igor''', ''[[Discworld/Carpe Jugulum|Carpe Jugulum]]''}}
''And he has a way of finding pretty things and bringing them to me.
|'''[[Jonathan Coulton]]''', "Skullcrusher Mountain"}}
'''Igor''' is the [[Sidekick]] and manservant to a [[Mad Scientist]]. He's an absolute toady, loyal to a fault, and has no problem doing unsanitary scut-work (such as [[Grave Robbing]]) for his genius master, who is always addressed as "[[The Master (trope)|Master]]," sometimes with an impressive lisp. He'll typically be a hunchback, dwarf, or even some small variety of monster. [[Evil Sorcerer
▲{{quote|Welcome to my secret lair on Skullcrusher Mountain.<br />
▲I hope that you've enjoyed your stay so far.<br />
▲I see you've met my assistant Scarface.<br />
▲His appearance is quite disturbing,<br />
▲But I assure you he's harmless enough.<br />
▲He's a sweetheart, calls me master,<br />
▲And he has a way of finding pretty things and bringing them to me.|'''[[Jonathan Coulton]]''', "Skullcrusher Mountain"}}
▲Igor is the [[Sidekick]] and manservant to a [[Mad Scientist]]. He's an absolute toady, loyal to a fault, and has no problem doing unsanitary scut-work (such as [[Grave Robbing]]) for his genius master, who is always addressed as "[[The Master|Master]]," sometimes with an impressive lisp. He'll typically be a hunchback, dwarf, or even some small variety of monster. [[Evil Sorcerer|Evil Sorcerers]] can substitute a tiny imp or demon. A vague European accent and/or a Peter Lorre impression (despite Lorre's not having played that sort of role until late in his dotage) round out the vocal category.
Igor can't fight (usually), and if encountered by the hero in a combat situation, will high-tail it out along with his master, unless the master tries to sacrifice him to enhance his own chances. [[I Have You Now, My Pretty|Abduction of young screaming ladies]], however, is within Igor's power.
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A very stylized, specialized, and specific variant on [[The Renfield]]. Is often [[Working for a Body Upgrade]]. Can overlap with [[Satellite Character]]. Compare to [[Battle Butler]], [[Crusty Caretaker]] and [[Professional Butt-Kisser]].
{{examples}}
▲== Anime & Manga ==
* Jaken, Sesshomaru's servant in ''[[Inuyasha]]''.
* Nemu Kurotsuchi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's servant in ''[[Bleach]]'', though she lacks many of the physical traits specified above and calls Mayuri by his name with a -sama honorific (which is often used by servants to their masters).
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* Toad plays the Igor role to Magneto in early ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X-Men]]'' comics.
* In ''[[Little Gloomy]]'', [[Mad Scientist]] and jilted boyfriend Simon von Simon employs the hunchback Boris as his assistant. Boris, however, bears no real allegiance to Simon and only works for him because, as a hunchback, he doesn't have any other job opportunities. Boris is also somewhat explicitly much more sensible if not in fact smarter than Simon.
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* ''[[Godland]]'' features Eghad, the simple assistant to criminal mastermind Friedrich Nickelhead. Eghad's intelligence is extremely lacking, and he knows little but undying loyalty to his master. Unusually for this trope, he's also Nickelhead's bodyguard and packs a frankly ridiculous amount of power in his tiny frame.
== [[Fan Works]] ==
* In the ''[[Worm]]/[[Luna Varga]]'' crossover ''[[Taylor Varga]]'', Taylor playfully adopts this role -- complete with lisp, hunch and dragging leg -- whenever Amy sets about on a new biosculpting project.
== [[Film]] ==
* The trope makers were Fritz, Frankenstein's sidekick in Universal's ''[[Frankenstein (1931 film)|Frankenstein]]'' and [[Bela Lugosi|Ygor]], the [[The Man They Couldn't Hang|broken-necked]] character from the sequel, ''[[Son of Frankenstein]]''.
* Parodied in ''[[Young Frankenstein]]'' by Marty Feldman as "Igor" ([[It Is Pronounced "Tro-PAY"|pronounced "Eye-gore"]]).
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* Count Rugen's assistant [[Evil Albino|the Albino]] in ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]''.
* The 2008 movie ''[[Igor]]'' not only has every [[Mad Scientist]] have their own Igor...but one Igor (played by John Cusack) decides to become a [[Mad Scientist]] himself and win the Evil Science Fair.
* Also parodied in ''[[Return of the Killer Tomatoes]]'', sequel to ''[[Attack of the Killer Tomatoes]]''. Dr. Putrid T.
{{quote|
'''Igor''': Sorry, Doc. Maybe if I walked with a hunch? }}
* [[Mad Scientist]] Doctor Finkelstein has one of these in ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]''. He likes doggy treats.
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* Krull of ''[[Mr. Sardonicus]]'' is more well-spoken and normal looking than your typical Igor, but is still a good fit. He's Sardonicus' main servant/doer of dirty work, and has a deformity in having an eye missing (because Sardonicus [[Eye Scream|ripped it out]]). While Sardonicus is the more villainous of the two, Krull is shown to be fairly sadistic himself, and ultimately gets revenge in a cruel [[The Dog Bites Back]] moment.
== [[Literature]] ==▼
* Literary example: Terry Pratchett's [[Discworld]] distills the trope by featuring an entire clan of these types, all named Igor (except female Igors, who are named Igora or Igorina). They all have their own unique pattern of scars and deformities (except for the female Igors, who are oddly enough [[Cute Monster Girl|very attractive]], although they usually keep a stitch somewhere as a sign), and all of them incredibly skilled surgeons, chemists and inventors. When they work for [[Our Vampires Are Different|Vampires]], [[Our Werewolves Are Different|Werewolves]] and [[Mad Scientist
▲== Literature ==
** Furthermore, they rarely have any qualms about who they work
▲* Literary example: Terry Pratchett's [[Discworld]] distills the trope by featuring an entire clan of these types, all named Igor (except female Igors, who are named Igora or Igorina). They all have their own unique pattern of scars and deformities (except for the female Igors, who are oddly enough [[Cute Monster Girl|very attractive]], although they usually keep a stitch somewhere as a sign), and all of them incredibly skilled surgeons, chemists and inventors. When they work for [[Our Vampires Are Different|Vampires]], [[Our Werewolves Are Different|Werewolves]] and [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]], they often double as a butler. They also have a tendency to replace parts of their own bodies with bits from other people which are no longer in use by their former owners. Often an Igor will accept as payment for a surgery a promise that they can help themselves to the patient's body (for themselves and other patients) when they eventually die -- a promise they take very seriously. They also hand down useful organs; when an Igor says "I have my grandfather's hands", he is NOT being metaphorical.
▲** Furthermore, they rarely have any qualms about who they work for -- they don't work for Vampires and Werewolves and [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]] because [[Evil Feels Good]], but because "Insanity gets the job done." An Igor would never do to another living person something that they wouldn't be willing to try first on themselves, though that doesn't necessarily narrow it down much. Even (relatively) sane and non-evil organisations (such as the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, The Free Hospital and a bank) recognise the value of an Igor and employ one or more.
** Igors of Discworld are eerily good at:
*** [[Stealth Hi Bye|Turning up behind you]] when you need them but don't expect them. (This might be a tribute to Eye-gor from ''[[Young Frankenstein]]'', who went from the roof to right behind Dr. Frankenstein in less than a second.)
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*** [[Planet of Steves|Knowing exactly which Igor]] you're talking about.
*** [[A Storm Is Coming|Knowing when a lightning storm is coming]], and using said lightning to power whatever mad invention they've been asked to create.
*** [[The Medic|Surgery]]
*** [[Fell Off the Back of a Truck|"Acquiring"]] materials for their master's latest deranged scheme.
*** [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here|Quietly exiting]] just before [[Torches and Pitchforks|the angry mob]] arrives.
** Interestingly, the Barman at Biers ''is'' named Igor, but is ''not'' a member of the clan
* Subverted in James Blaylock's ''Homunculus'', where the hunchback creeping around the spooky laboratory actually '''is''' the [[Mad Scientist]], Ignacio Narbondo.
* Played for humorous effect (along with everything else) in ''[[Bring Me The Head Of Prince Charming]]''. The demon Azzie Elbub is aided in his plan by his hunchbacked assistant Frike, who proves himself the man for the job by slaying ([[Offstage Villainy|off-stage]]) the other applicants for the job. Frike is quite a good Igor, except for his habit of breaking into Azzie's alchemical supplies [[Fantastic Drug|in order to get drunk or high on them]].
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* In the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]], Onimi is the Igor to Supreme Overlord Shimrra, the leader of the Yuuzhan Vong. {{spoiler|The very last book reveals however, that Onimi is actually the mastermind behind the Yuuzhan Vong invasion and that Shimrra was actually a puppet being telepathically controlled by Onimi.}}
== [[Live-Action TV]] ==▼
* ''[[Good Eats]]'' recently introduced the dungeon under AB's kitchen, wherein his toadying Dungeon Master (
▲== Live-Action TV ==
▲* ''[[Good Eats]]'' recently introduced the dungeon under AB's kitchen, wherein his toadying Dungeon Master ([[The Igor]] in all but name) supplies him with painful kitchen appliances, such as a steak cuber and tortilla press. Yes, it's a cooking show; it's just not a normal cooking show.
* Amusingly parodied on ''[[SCTV]]'' with actor Woody Tobias, Jr., who actually was an ugly hunchback and thus was pretty much confined to this role (named "Bruno") as sidekick to 3-D filmmaker Dr. Tongue, who usually played [[Mad Scientist]] roles. Both were "serious" actors, to the point they attempted a remake of ''[[Midnight Cowboy]]'' in 3-D, but they didn't have much range...
* TV's Frank was one of these to Dr. Forrester, on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''.
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* ''[[Gilligan's Island|Gilligans Island]]'' did two episodes with mad scientist Boris Balinkoff; Both times he had an assistant named Igor, the first time played by a human, the second by a monkey. (Considering the things Balinkoff got up to, it's even possible they were the same character..)
* Both Jesse and Gale act as Igors to "Heisenberg" on ''[[Breaking Bad]]''.
* Condo to [[Mad Scientist]] Dr Solon in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[Doctor Who/Recap/S13
== Music ==
* The evil genius of [[Jonathan Coulton]]'s "Skullcrusher Mountain" has his assistant Scarface, whose description is pretty much textbook Igor.
== Newspaper Comics ==
*
== [[Radio]] ==
* ''[[The World Domination Hour]]'' [http://worlddominationhour.podbean.com/ found here], broadcast from Emerson College, features the villainous Baron and his resentful assistant Freegor, whose duties include being [[The Woobie|beaten, tormented, and harassed]] on a regular basis.▼
==
* The
▲* [[The World Domination Hour]] [http://worlddominationhour.podbean.com/ found here], broadcast from Emerson College, features the villainous Baron and his resentful assistant Freegor, whose duties include being [[The Woobie|beaten, tormented, and harassed]] on a regular basis.
== Tabletop Games ==▼
▲* The [[Table Top Role Playing Game]] ''[[My Life with Master]]'' casts all the players as Igors.
* In the fan-made [[New World of Darkness]] gameline ''[[Genius: The Transgression]]'', Beholden fill this role. Beholden are otherwise ordinary people who see the world exactly as the [[Mad Scientist|Genius]] sees it and thus can handle [[Weird Science|Wonders]] without wrecking them, help build them, and do all sorts of dirty work for their masters. In fact, "Igor" is a slang term for a Beholden. It's not very pleasant being one. Beholden lose their ability to form any beliefs or meaningful opinions beyond copying those of a Genius, and if they're without a master for too long, they either go mad or die. They also have a tendency to experience a Breakthrough in certain conditions and become a Genius themselves.
** Fan made game ''[[Hunchback:
* Dr. Mordenheim is ''[[Ravenloft]]''{{'}}s [[Expy]] of Dr. Frankenstein, so naturally he has an Igor: a hunchback named Horg, whom he's re-created via cloning each time his assistant gets killed. Robbing graves in Ravenloft isn't the safest vocation, so he's on his third or fourth Horg by now.
== [[Toys]] ==▼
▲== Toys ==
* Vican, a mutated [[Little People|Matoran]], fills this role for Mutran in ''[[Bionicle]]''.
* In the game ''[[Psychonauts]]'', Sheegor is a [[Distaff Counterpart|female Igor]] [[
▲* In the game ''[[Psychonauts]]'', Sheegor is a [[Distaff Counterpart|female Igor]] [[Reluctant Mad Scientist|forced to work]] for [[Depraved Dentist|Dr. Loboto]] to save her captured pet turtle Mr. Pokeylope. She switches over to your side when you retrieve him; she's scary at first, but actually sort of a [[The Woobie|Woobie]].
* The game ''[[Brain Dead 13]]'' has Fritz (most likely named as a [[Shout-Out]] to Universal's ''Frankenstein''), an imp with hooks for both hands who pursues the protagonist throughout the game.
* Dr. N. Gin in the newer ''[[Crash Bandicoot]]'' games. Actually, he was an Igor in the earlier games too. But one with a [[Humongous Mecha]]. In the first game, N. Brio was ''almost'' this, but eventually became a self-reliant [[Mad Scientist]] himself.
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* Igor makes an appearance in ''[[Castlevania]]'' as an invincible fleaman that assists Frankenstein's monster in battle in the first game, thus subverting the usual idea that Igor doesn't participate in combat.
* This trope has actually been reversed in ''[[Annyseed]]'' where our hero's are greeted at the door by a cute, defiant little Monkey.
* [[Web Comics|Webcomic]] example: Doctor Germahn of ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'' has an Igor of identical function but vastly different flavor. Her name is Amanda, and she's [[The Ditz|quite blonde]].
* Another webcomic treatment: In the current ''[[Girl Genius]]'' storyline, Agatha finally makes it to her ancestral keep, only to find {{spoiler|the entire TOWN surrounding it is populated with
** This is a thing with Sparks in general. When in the madness place, they tend to drag others along in their fervor, with those who are exposed long enough becoming highly conditioned to serve Sparks (not exclusive to their original master).
*** One charachter suggest this is an evolved survival trait.
** And von Zinzer, Agatha's follower whose reluctance to fall into "minion" routine, while useful in itself, [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080324 produces] hilarious [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20101203 scenes].
* ''[[Order of the Stick]]'' has [[Significant Anagram|Giro]] as assistant to a [[Mad Scientist]] type wizard who makes [[Frankenstein's Monster]]-style flesh golems [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0575.html here]. Giro isn't even a real hunchback; he wore a fake hump to get the job.
* ''[[Pokémon-X]]'' ([[Better Than It Sounds]], honest) parodies this with Professor Birch's assistant, named Igor, who is a perfectly normal lab assistant aside from the name and all the jokes he is subject to because of it.
* In ''[[Narbonic]]'', most respectable mad scientists have henchmen. It's just the way things are done. Dave even jokes that his boss should call him [https://web.archive.org/web/20120207231034/http://www.webcomicsnation.com/users/narbonic/120104had_their.jpg Igor]. Later, the henchmen [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic/series.php?view=archive&chapter=10203 unionize].
* ''[[Nosfera]]'' has the adorible Iggy, the man-flea.
== [[Web Original]] ==
▲== Web Originals ==
* [[Doctor Steel]]'s robot servants are all hunchbacks.
* [[The Cinema Snob]] notes in some of his reviews that he wants to know how the hunchbacked assistant ended up with the doctor. At least one, ''Blood-Sucking Freaks'', explains that Ralphus is just a sadist who does it for free.
== [[Western Animation]] ==▼
▲== Western Animation ==
* ''[[ReBoot]]'': In later seasons, [[Mad Scientist]] "Herr Doktor" is Megabyte's top man. The doc has an unnamed assistant who is a heavily disfigured "one" binome.
* In the ''[[Timon and Pumbaa]]'' series, the local [[Mad Scientist]] instead has "Shegor" because he's an equal opportunity employer.
* In the ''[[Beast Wars]]'' episode "Feral Scream", Waspinator fills in the role of
* ''[[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]]: the Series'': Aside from being a magical flying eel, the evil sorcerer Mozenrath's sidekick Xerxes fits this trope to a T.
* Lugnut in ''[[Transformers Animated]]''.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Servant Tropes]]
[[Category:Characters As Device]]
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[[Category:Make My Index Live]]
[[Category:Villains]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Igor, The}}
▲[[Category:The Igor]]
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