History Main / BraidsOfBarbarism

* During the climax of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Thor's usage of [[DropTheHammer Mjolnir]] and Stormbreaker at the same time mystically turns his BeardOfSorrow into a much tidier beard with elaborate braids fitting a Viking warrior.

* In the Qing dynasty, all men were required to shave their forehead and wear the rest of their hair in a braid down their back. Cutting the braid was considered an act of treason and punishable by death. (A famous edict early in the Qing dynasty was: "keep the braid or lose your head".) It may be noted that the Qing dynasty was founded by Manchus, who from the Han Chinese perspective were "barbarians" from the north. Even before then, Han people ''never'' cut their hair, preferring buns or more complex styles: they believed their hair and body was a gift to them from their parents, so purposely harming their body was an insult to them.

* In ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', the rude, crude and bellicose Vikings seem to love braiding their hair and beards. In the sequel, even [[GadgeteerGenius Hiccup]] is sporting some in his hair--although it seems they're something his girlfriend, Astrid, likes to do when they talk rather than being a deliberate decision by him.
** Indeed, WordOfGod claims that Hiccup doesn't actually like the braids in his hair--he just puts up with them for his girlfriend's sake.

* During the climax of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Thor's usage of [[DropTheHammer Mjolnir]] and [[AnAxToGrind Stormbreaker]] at the same time mystically turns his BeardOfSorrow into a much tidier beard with elaborate braids fitting a Viking warrior.

* Vikings and other Germanic varieties of... well, barbarian.

* Many of the ProudWarriorRaceGuys from the ''Literature/MalazanBookOfTheFallen'' sport variations of BarbarianLonghair, BraidsOfBarbarism and [[DreadlockWarrior Dreadlocks]]. Among the Tiste Edur, when a warrior is cast out from their tribe, his head gets [[TraumaticHaircut shaved completely]] and treated magically so that the hair will never grow back again.

* Old Germany/Germania/[[FanNickname Legolas]] in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' has braids, and since he represents the Germanic Tribes he would definitely count.

* In ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', the rude, crude and bellicose Vikings seem to love braiding their hair and beards. In the sequel, even [[GadgeteerGenius Hiccup]] is sporting some in his hair - although it seems they're something his girlfriend Astrid likes to do when they talk, rather than a deliberate decision by him.

* [[NobleSavage Venn]] men in ''Literature/TheWolfhound'' wore their long hair (and [[BadassBeard beards]]) in braids, usually woven top-to-bottom, and [[OhCrap woe unto you]] if a Venn warrior (especially [[MemeticBadass Wolfhound himself]]) decided to [[SignificantHaircut unbraid]] [[ThisMeansWar his hair]] due to your action.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'': King Vendrick sports these, along with a BadassBeard. These (along with the fact that [[DeathWorld Dranleic, his kingdom, went to hell after a war with the Giants]]) [[BloodKnight paint a]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy clear picture]] of what [[KingmakerScenario you're up against]]. [[spoiler: ...and then you find out [[TheReveal a whole lot of things that turn your previous assumptions on their heads]]. Despite the [[DarkIsNotEvil barbaric appearance]], Vendrick [[PosthumousCharacter was]] [[TheGoodKing a well-spoken, kindly man]] left with an [[YouCantFightFate unwinnable situation]] who learned [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone far too late]] that he'd taken some terrible advice from [[TheVamp his wife]] and [[MadScientist brother]].]]
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', the [[HornyVikings Nords]] show to be very big on braids in their culture. Both women and men sport them, with the men also frequently having braids in their {{Badass Beard}}s. While more than just the [[BarbarianTribe Barbarian]] [[TheHorde Horde]] other cultures (especially their long-time rival[[OurElvesAreDifferent theMer/Elven races]]) would have you believe, the Nords still have and even venerate some of their BarbarianHero aspects, such as being {{Boisterous Bruiser}} {{Screaming Warrior}}s adorned in [[FacialMarkings war paint]] while often displaying BloodKnight and HonorBeforeReason traits as they try to get into their WarriorHeaven of Sovngarde. ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', which is set in their homeland, reveals that Nords will even use braid styles in their [[SigilSpam Hold symbols]]. (Such as in the horse's mane in the Whiterun symbol and in the crown of the Winterhold symbol.)

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* During the climax of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Thor's usage of [[DropTheHammer Mjolnir]] and [[AnAxToGrind Stormbreaker]] at the same time mystically turns his BeardOfSorrow into a much tidier beard with elaborate braids fitting a Viking warrior.

* In P.C. Hodgell's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'', the Merikit tribesmen wear their hair braided, with one braid on the left-hand side for every man killed, and one on the right for every child fathered. When heroine Jame is adopted into the tribe, Gran Cyd braids her hair as a warrior woman and smears it in the blood of her kills.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the Dothraki men wear their hair in long braids, usually decorated with bells. The braid is cut when the warrior loses a battle. Notably, Khal Drogo's braid has ''never'' been cut. [[spoiler:Even when he dies from an infected wound, he still WON the fight where he received it.]]
* This trope is played with in the Literature/{{Deryni}} works:
** Braids and braided sidelocks are worn by eleventh-century Torenthi men. In addition to signalling an exotic otherness, they are menacing by association since Torenth has menaced Gwynedd for centuries. In earlier periods (tenth century particularly), such sidelock braids are also worn by noblewomen in Gwynedd (Camber's daughter Evaine is shown wearing them); these are often women descended from the Torenthi conquerors of the ninth century.
** In eleventh-century Gwynedd, borderers are depicted wearing braids, and this style is considered a fashion cue for barbarism (along with the tartans/tweeds) by lowlanders. [[ExpositoryHairstyleChange When Kelson adopts the braid]] and Dhugal joins him at court, he seems to take on some of the "barbaric" power, much as he openly uses his "forbidden" Deryni powers. Notably, the male Servants of Saint Camber, a quasi-religious order devoted to a famous mage and a throwback to the tenth century, wear the braid and call it the ''g'dula''. It also marks the contrast between Kelson and Conall (who retains the short-cropped style of his father's generation). Conall's younger brothers and other young men of Kelson's court actually adopt the braid themselves as a tribute to their young sovereign and his popular foster brother.
* Thomas in ''Literature/SomeoneElsesWar''.
* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', the Rohirrim wear their hair in long plaits. At least some other cultures seem to have long-haired men too, though, so there may not be any particular cultural implication.

* Many of the ProudWarriorRaceGuys from the ''Literature/MalazanBookOfTheFallen'' sport variations of BarbarianLonghair, BraidsOfBarbarism and [[DreadlockWarrior Dreadlocks]]. Among the Tiste Edur, when a warrior is cast out from their tribe, his head gets [[TraumaticHaircut shaved completely]] and treated magically so that the hair will never grow back again.
* Cap'n Tramun Clogg from the ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' novel ''Martin the Warrior'', who is described as having many braids in his hair and beard, may or may not be a subversion of the 'barbaric' part of this trope. On one hand, he is a villainous pirate who [[spoiler: goes through a SanitySlippage by the end of the book.]] On the other hand, he is MUCH more AffablyEvil than [[WickedWeasel Badrang]], the BigBad of the book.
* BarbarianHero Rom from ''Literature/TheBarbarianAndTheSorceress'' has his BarbarianLonghair and BeardOfBarbarism braided.
* Floki from ''Literature/TheMonkAndTheViking'' wears his long red hair in braids. He prides himself on them.

* ''Series/HorribleHistories'''s portrayal of Gaulish leader [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h214xRwk7j8 Vercingetorix]] wears his braids in a way that somehow manages to be at once badass and {{camp}}. "So deadly, he could wear pigtails and still look hard!"

* The Tau in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' usually wear helmets, but some characters are seen with just a lock of hair.
** For the Imperium, the Space Wolves chapter of SpaceMarines commonly employ this to their hair and beards when not wearing helmets too. Not too unsurprisingly, they are based on [[HornyVikings vikings]] in style and culture. This is not uncommon for Imperial Guard regiments from several feral worlds too.
* In the ''Shards of Alara'' block of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', the human warriors of Jund wear a braid for each major victory in battle. The legendary [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=174876 Kresh the Bloodbraided]] is renowned for possessing the most braids.
** There's also [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=29947 Braids, Cabal Minion.]] Though whether she's barbaric or just borderline psychopathic is up for some debate....

* Kimahri in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has these.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', the [[HornyVikings Nords]] show to be very big on braids in their culture. Both women and men sport them, with the men also frequently having braids in their {{Badass Beard}}s. While more than just the [[BarbarianTribe Barbarian]] [[TheHorde Horde]] other cultures (especially their long-time rival[[OurElvesAreDifferent theMer/Elven races]]) would have you believe, the Nords still have and even venerate some of their BarbarianHero aspects, such as being {{Boisterous Bruiser}} {{Screaming Warrior}}s adorned in [[FacialMarkings war paint]] while often displaying BloodKnight and HonorBeforeReason traits as they try to get into their WarriorHeaven of Sovngarde. ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', which is set in their homeland, reveals that Nords will even use braid styles in their [[SigilSpam Hold symbols]]. (Such as in the horse's mane in the Whiterun symbol and in the crown of the Winterhold symbol.)
* The Orcs, Vrykul, Dwarves, and Tauren of the VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} universe are often seen with braided hairstyles, usually with their facial hair.
* Videogame/{{League of Legends}} champion, Rengar, has several long braids with what appear to be large fangs woven onto the ends.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'': King Vendrick sports these, along with a BadassBeard. These (along with the fact that [[DeathWorld Dranleic, his kingdom, went to hell after a war with the Giants]]) [[BloodKnight paint a]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy clear picture]] of what [[KingmakerScenario you're up against]]. [[spoiler: ...and then you find out [[TheReveal a whole lot of things that turn your previous assumptions on their heads]]. Despite the [[DarkIsNotEvil barbaric appearance]], Vendrick [[PosthumousCharacter was]] [[TheGoodKing a well-spoken, kindly man]] left with an [[YouCantFightFate unwinnable situation]] who learned [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone far too late]] that he'd taken some terrible advice from [[TheVamp his wife]] and [[MadScientist brother]].]]
* Sabrewulf's redesign in VideoGame/{{Killer Instinct}} has him sporting these around his facial fur, implying an odd degree of dexterity for a werewolf.

* In the Qing dynasty, all men were required to shave their forehead and wear the rest of their hair in a braid down their back. Cutting the braid was considered an act of treason and punishable by death. (A famous edict early in the Qing dynasty was: "keep the braid or lose your head".) Even before then, Han people ''never'' cut their hair: they believed their hair and body was a gift to them from their parents, so purposely harming their body was an insult to them.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/{{Asterix}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_asterix_vikings_7050.jpg]]]]

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* Old Germany/Germania/[[FanNickname Legolas]] in ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' has braids, and since he represents the Germanic Tribes he would definitely count.

* Some of the dwarves in Peter Jackson's adaption of ''[[TheHobbitFilmTrilogy The Hobbit]]'' have braided their beards in various different styles.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', the [[HornyVikings Nords]] show to be very big on braids in their culture. Both women and men sport them, with the men also frequently having braids in their {{Badass Beard}}s. While more than just the [[BarbarianTribe Barbarian]] [[TheHorde Horde]] other cultures (especially their [[ScrewYouElves long-time rival]] [[OurElvesAreBetter Mer/Elven races]]) would have you believe, the Nords still have and even venerate some of their BarbarianHero aspects, such as being {{Boisterous Bruiser}} {{Screaming Warrior}}s adorned in [[FacialMarkings war paint]] while often displaying BloodKnight and HonorBeforeReason traits as they try to get into their WarriorHeaven of Sovngarde. ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', which is set in their homeland, reveals that Nords will even use braid styles in their [[SigilSpam Hold symbols]]. (Such as in the horse's mane in the Whiterun symbol and in the crown of the Winterhold symbol.)

[[caption-width-right:350:We shall pillage and plunder... then braid each others hair while painting our nails!]]

* ''DarkSoulsII'': King Vendrick sports these, along with a BadassBeard. These (along with the fact that [[DeathWorld Dranleic, his kingdom, went to hell after a war with the Giants]]) [[BloodKnight paint a]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy clear picture]] of what [[KingmakerScenario you're up against]]. [[spoiler: ...and then you find out [[TheReveal a whole lot of things that turn your previous assumptions on their heads]]. Despite the [[DarkIsNotEvil barbaric appearance]], Vendrick [[PosthumousCharacter was]] [[TheGoodKing a well-spoken, kindly man]] left with an [[YouCantFightFate unwinnable situation]] who learned [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone far too late]] that he'd taken some terrible advice from [[TheVamp his wife]] and [[MadScientist brother]].]]

[[folder:Film]]

* Some of the dwarves in Peter Jackson's adaption of ''[[TheHobbitFilmTrilogy The Hobbit]]'' have braided their beards in various different styles.
* Orc warchief Durotan from ''Film/WarCraft2016'' has his hair in two long braids. Played with in that he's the most ''civillized'' of all orcs.

* [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas Ulysses]], the other Courier, sports dreadlocks and is the last member of a tribe called The Twisted Hairs. One of his audiologs implies that the braids were indicative of the wearer's accomplishments. He was deeply insulted by the White Legs adopting them without any real understanding as to the meaning behind them.