History Main / BasiliskAndCockatrice

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': A cockatrice ([[MixAndMatchCritter having the head and feet of a chicken, lizard body, and bat wings]]) is the main threat of the episode, "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E17StareMaster Stare Master]]".

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'', both are two of the weaker(and Ill-tempered) species' of Dragon. The Basalisk is more serpentine, and can petrify their victims with EyeBeams. The Cockatrice, conversely, has a Bird-like beak and feathers, a deadly noxious breath attack, and can wither nearby plants with their mere presence.

** Cockatrices are also mentioned a few times as a separate creature. We never see them or learn anything about them, other than that they are extremely dangerous. Enough that one was responsible for suspending the Triwizard Tournament for a few centuries.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' split this creature into two versions. The basilisk is a large lizard-like creature. Meeting its gaze causes the viewer to turn to stone. The cockatrice is a chicken-like creature: being hit by its beak causes petrifaction.

* In the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' series, Basilisks are common monsters, who are, however, more reptilian than serpentine in appearance. Basically, they look like Labrador-sized short-tailed lizards with giant eyes (even though those aren't really eyes). They do, however, share the most important attribute with classical basilisks -- turning people into stone. Thankfully, petrification occurs not through their stare, but through giant clouds of poisonous gas they exhale when attacked.

The two creatures are often interchangeable in classical folklore, though some modern incarnations (generally inspired by RolePlayingGame/DungeonsAndDragons), set them more apart. The Basilisk tends to be far more serpentine in appearance, with an elongated body shape and a chicken-like head crest and beak, although in some works it depicted as purely reptilian, with few or none avian features. By contrast, the Cockatrice is more distinctly avian, with a largely birdlike body bearing a snake tail, bird legs, and wings capable of flight.

The two creatures are often interchangeable in classical folklore, though some modern incarnations (generally inspired by RolePlayingGame/DungeonsAndDragons,) set them more apart. The Basilisk tends to be far more serpentine in appearance with an elongated body shape and a chicken-like head crest and beak whereas the Cockatrice is more distinctly avian with a snake tail, bird legs, and wings capable of flight.

* In ''Literature/LoyalEnemies'', the heroes help a dwarven community which is being terrorized by a house-sized basilisk demanding to be given fifty virgins. Since basilisks don't actually grow that big and cannot speak, they become suspicious and Shelena and Veres set out to investigate disguised as virgin nuns. They discover a group of thugs hired by the villains, who pretend to be the basilisk by magically projecting the illusion of a giant one onto the road, while the real basilisk is held in a cage -- it's in a sorry state, about wolf-sized and makes a dash for the nearest wood when released.

** The basilisk is a fifty-foot snake that uses the school plumbing system to get around. It attacks several times, but the insta-death gaze apparently needs to be direct, or else the victim will merely be Petrified, which is reversible. Ghosts who see it get Petrified by default, since they're already dead. Miraculously, the victims in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' all manage to escape death this way: one saw it reflected in a puddle, one was already a ghost, one saw it through the ghost's translucent form, and two saw it in a mirror.

** The basilisk is a fifty-foot snake that uses the school plumbing system to get around. It attacks several times, but the insta-death gaze apparently needs to be direct: the victims escape death by seeing it through a ghost (the ghost was already dead), camera, mirror or reflected in a puddle: They get petrified instead.

** The basilisk is a giant snake the size of several buses that uses the school plumbing system to get around. It attacks several times, but the insta-death gaze apparently needs to be direct: the victims escape death by seeing it through a ghost (the ghost was already dead), camera, mirror or reflected in a puddle: They get petrified instead.

Basilisks are reputed as the king of serpents (the name comes from the Greek for "king"), and some bestiaries depicted them with crowns, if not with crown-like features such as a cock's comb. They are often extremely venomous and can cause instant death or [[TakenForGranite petrification]] to anyone who [[BrownNote looks directly at them]]. [[WickedWeasel Weasels]] are its natural enemy, not unlike the mongoose and cobra.

The Basilisk is a mythological creature which has shown up in many bestiaries and fantasy works. Described as being hatched from the egg of a snake (or a toad) by a cockerel, it is generally portrayed with a [[MixAndMatchCritters mix of reptilian/amphibian and bird features]]. This makes it similar in appearance to its cousin the Cockatrice, a [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon with birdlike features]] which is said to be hatched from a chicken egg by a snake. The two creatures are often interchangeable in classical folklore, though modern incarnations have tended to set them more apart. The Basilisk tends to be far more serpentine in appearance with an elongated body shape and a chicken-like head crest and beak whereas the Cockatrice is more distinctly avian with a snake tail, bird legs, and wings capable of flight.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'''s basilisk is a giant snake the size of several buses that uses the school plumbing system to get around. It attacks several times, but the insta-death gaze apparently needs to be direct: the victims escape death by seeing it through a ghost (the ghost was already dead), camera, mirror or reflected in a puddle: They get petrified instead.

The '''Basilisk''' is a mythological creature which has shown up in many bestiaries and fantasy works. Described as being hatched from the egg of a snake (or a toad) by a cockerel, it is generally portrayed with a [[MixAndMatchCritters mix of reptilian/amphibian and bird features]]. This makes it similar in appearance to its cousin the '''Cockatrice''', a [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon with birdlike features]] which is said to be hatched from a chicken egg by a snake. The two creatures are often interchangeable in classical folklore, though modern incarnations have tended to set them more apart. The Basilisk tends to be far more serpentine in appearance with an elongated body shape and a chicken-like head crest and beak whereas the Cockatrice is more distinctly avian with a snake tail, bird legs, and wings capable of flight.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* In [[Literature/TheWitcher the Witcher cycle]], these are two separate creatures. A basilisk is a venomous reptile with an extremely potent neurotoxin, while a cockatrice is an avian-reptile hybrid (the description brings to mind an evolutionary missing link) that hunts by [[StealthExpert stalking]] its prey and attacking a weak point. Basilisk leather and cockatrice feathers are considered prime quality by, respectively, fashionistas and scribes. Also, both can be killed with a mirror -- if hit square in the head, of course.

[[folder:Mythology]]

[[folder:TabletopGames]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': A cockatrice ([[MixAndMatchCritter having the head and feet of a chicken, lizard body, and bat wings]]) is the main threat of the episode, [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E17StareMaster "Stare Master"]].

Basilisks are reputed as the king of serpents (the name comes from the Greek for "king"), and some bestiaries depicted them with crowns, if not with crown-like features such as a cock's comb. They are often extremely venomous and can cause instant death or petrification to anyone who [[BrownNote looks directly at them]]. [[WickedWeasel Weasels]] are its natural enemy, not unlike the mongoose and cobra.

* The Cockatrice and Basilisk both appears as monsters in the second and third gmae of the [[VideoGame/{{Disgaea}}]] series. They appear as fat, giant chickens with snake as a tail, and are in the same class of monsters. Their most distinctive ability is disabling skills for any enemies standing right next to them.

Basilisks are reputed as the king of serpents, are often extremely venomous and can cause instant death or petrification to anyone who [[BrownNote looks directly at them]]. [[WickedWeasel Weasels]] are its natural enemy, not unlike the mongoose and cobra.

* In [[Literature/TheWitcher the Witcher cycle]], these are two separate creatures. A basilisk is a venomous reptile with an extremely potent neurotoxin, while a cockatrice is an avian-reptile hybrid (the description brings to mind an evolutionary missing link) that hunts by [[StealthExpert stalking]] its prey and attacking [[ForMassiveDamage a weak point]]. Basilisk leather and cockatrice feathers are considered prime quality by, respectively, fashionistas and scribes. Also, both can be killed with a mirror -- if hit square in the head, of course.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'''s basilisk is a giant snake the size of several buses that uses the school plumbing system to get around. It attacks several times, but the insta-death gaze apparently needs to be direct: the victims escape death by seeing it through a ghost (the ghost was already dead) ,camera, mirror or reflected in a puddle.

----

!!Indices: IndexOfFictionalCreatures, ReptileAndAmphibianTropes, AvianTropes, DragonTropes