History Main / CreepyCentipedes

* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'', Randall Boggs is a lizard/snake-y creature with a long body and multiple pairs of legs. Basically, his design is a hybrid of Creepy Centipedes and ReptilesAreAbhorrent.
* Dean Hardscrabble from ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'' has a centipede bottom half, her top half is somewhat draconic, so she is a hybrid of Creepy Centipedes and OurDragonsAreDifferent. Downplayed, though, in that she's not so much evil as just strict.

* Music/KnifeParty has a song called "Centipede" which first opens with a nature documentary narration that explains their hunting abilities, and [[{{Dubstep}} wobbling basslines]] that couldn't be any dirtier if they tried.

* There is an Oumukade boss called Kudara in Sega's ''VideoGame/OtogiMythOfDemons'' for UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}. Though referred to as a "giant insect," the "foul creature" resides in the "floating tomb." This recent desecration of "a holy graveyard of Sorcerers" tasks Raikoh to "expel the demon." In the first game it's an optional boss that will eventually leave the stage, in the second is fought alongside his mate Adara.

* ''VideoGame/EldenRing'' features some centipede-inspired monsters. The most notable among them are the Kindred of Rot, beings of pestilence and decay who resemble a cross between men, centipedes, and termites; and Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, who usually has a snake motif but by the time you meet him has so many writhing limbs along his torso (the limbs of his [[AndIMustScream undying victims]]) that he also resembles a centipede. Even his ''sword'' looks like a centipede. Fittingly, both the Kindred of Rot and Rykard are associated with impurity and defilement, fitting the Japanese mythological motif also present in From Software's ''Bloodborne'' and ''Sekiro'', the latter also sharing an association with unnatural immortality. The Cursemark of Death also looks like a centipede, something called out in-universe, and like the Rot and Serpent it afflicts the land with decay and a form of perverse, unnatural immortality.

* The Oomukade (Great Centipede) from Japanese Folklore was said to prey on dragon's hatchlings and being as large as a mountain. It was slain by Hidesato Tawaratota who pierced his eye with an [[WeaksauceWeakness arrow made wet with drool]] and was rewared by Ryuujin himself for it.

* In general, large centipedes (in particular the Mukade, see Real Life below) are considered symbols of evil and decay in Japan.

* ''VideoGame/{{Contra}}: Hard Corps'' features a centipede monster early in the first level with really tall legs; only the head is vulnerable to damage.

* ''VideoGame/EldenRing'' features some centipede-inspired monsters. The most notable among them are the Kindred of Rot, beings of pestilence and decay who resemble a cross between men, centipedes, and termites; and Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, who usually has a snake motif but by the time you meet him has so many writhing limbs along his torso (the limbs of his [[AndIMustScream undying victims]]) that he also resembles a centipede. Even his ''sword'' looks like a centipede. Fittingly, both the Kindred of Rot and Rykard are associated with impurity and defilement, fitting the Japanese mythological motif also present in From Software's ''Bloodborne'' and ''Sekiro.'' Both the Kindred and Rykard are also associated with unnatural immortality, as in Sekiro. The Cursemark of Death also looks like a centipede, something called out in-universe, and like the Rot and Serpent it afflicts the land with decay and a form of perverse, unnatural immortality.

* ''VideoGame/AlteredBeast'' (the remake), has massive, mutated Centipedes living inside the abandoned mines. They're as long as Luke's tall, and can attack either by spitting poison or by forming a ring and slash at the enemies with their legs.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}'' and its sequel ''Bug Too!'' had caterpillar and centipede enemies respectively:

[[quoteright:400:[[{{Anime/BayonettaBloodyFate}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tscolopendrabloodyfates.png]]]]

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars'' game features a buildable centipede unit for the Scrin in the KanesWrath expansion where the owner can customize the centipede by making each section a different type of weapon system.

* ''VideoGame/ContraHardCorps'' for UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis also features a centipede monster early in the first level with really tall legs, only the head is vulnerable to damage.

* The Chinese fantasy-action film, ''Candle In The Tomb:The Wrath Of Time'': the titular tomb is infested with swarms and swarms of deadly centipedes, which devours numerous RedShirts in a treasure hunting party when they attempt to infiltrate the underground mausoleum (in a scene ripping off the scarab bits from ''Film/TheMummy''). Later in the climax, the surviving heroes have to do battle against the tomb's guardian, a ''massive'' winged centipede.

For many people, {{spiders are scary}} and disgusting. For many other people, [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent snakes]] are scary and disgusting. For others still, it's [[CreepyCockraoch cockroaches]]. So, what happens when you combine the three?

For many people, {{spiders are scary}} and disgusting. For many other people, [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent snakes]] are scary and disgusting. So, what happens when you combine the two?

In fiction, centipedes, caterpillars, and similar creatures are sometimes used as a fancy alternative for the everyday GiantSpider or ScaryScorpions, and even more so in eastern fiction. Sometimes, a human-centipede hybrid will appear, usually sporting [[MultiArmedAndDangerous multiple limbs]] and a [[PoisonousPerson venomous bite]]. In VideoGame settings, expect to see it [[ArtisticLicenseBiology detach its own body parts]] and/or remove one body segment at time, as if it's some kind of organic train. Another apparent power is their ability to curl up like a ball and roll over their foe. They are particularly prevalent in Japanese media, due to centipedes being a common problem there, as well as being generally regarded as a symbol of impurity and uncleanliness. Other Asian cultures depict centipedes as a symbol of hidden danger (think of a centipede crawling in a shoe) and fear.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Arduin}}'' RPG, ''The Compleat Arduin Book 2: Resources''. The Yellow Peril is a bright yellow centipede up to 27 feet long. It can have up to 63 HitPoints and its bite can inject venom doing up to 126 HitPoints of damage. It can spew out a SuperSpit acid spray up to 30 feet long that does up to 31 HitPoints of damage.
* ''TabletopGame/BossMonster'' features a Room Card called the Centipede Tunnel, a lair with an enormous centipede with the power to swap the location of two rooms in any dungeon. This makes it quite painful when played against you as it can completely destroy the synergy of your dungeon.

** Another D&D classic is the Remorhaz, a forty-foot-long centipede-like monster found in polar regions that has a body temperature rivaling ''molten iron'' and eats nearly any living creature it can find, up to and including frost giants and woolly mammoths. When you get SwallowedWhole by this thing (one of its favourite tactics), you're not only digested by its acids, but burned by its scalding insides.
** The ''TabletopGame/DarkSun'' settings has a couple.

** A special four-part episode called "[[LongTitle The Day the Night Stopped Beginning to Shine and Became Dark Even Though it Was the Day]]" featured the punk band Music/FallOutBoy being transformed into a CombiningMecha in order to fight a giant [[MechaMook mechanical]] centipede.

* ''VideoGame/AkaManto'': A centpiede the size of a snake you need to avoid crawls throughout the vents in the school.

* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' has Crawltipedes fought at the Solar Pillar. They fly around, ignoring grounded players, but [[AntiAir as soon as a player goes airborne]] they rapidly home in like a missile on crack, dealing incredible CollisionDamage to them ''per hit''. And like [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Moldorm]], their only weak spot is [[AttackTheTail the tail]].

* Chimera Sylvia from ''LightNovel/{{Konosuba}}'' is a wicked general of the Demon King who's trying to wipe out an enitre village of mages and has a crush on the hero (who was enamored with her features before learning that, as a Chimera, [[{{Hermaphrodite}} she has male genitals as well]]) When she finally merges with the wizard-killing weapon, her entire lower body turns into the one of a rounded, plated centipede.

** Another episode called "Nature" had Beast Boy looking to go back to his roots in the forest, only to find a cute little bug on his ear. The bug suddenly shows its pincers before turning sideways and revealing itself to be a large centipede that burrows in and out of Beast Boy's ear canals, then turning to burrow up into his nose instead. Eventually Beast Boy had to reach into his own throat to eject the insect from his body.

* A special four-part episode of ''Westernanimation/TeenTitansGo'' called "[[LongTitle The Day the Night Stopped Beginning to Shine and Became Dark Even Though it Was the Day]]" featured the punk band Music/FallOutBoy being transformed into a CombiningMecha in order to fight a giant [[MechaMook mechanical]] centipede.

In fiction centipedes, caterpillars, and similar creatures are sometimes used as a fancy alternative for the everyday GiantSpider or ScaryScorpions, and even more so in eastern fiction. Sometimes, a human-centipede hybrid will appear, usually sporting [[MultiArmedAndDangerous multiple limbs]] and a [[PoisonousPerson venomous bite]]. In VideoGame settings, expect to see it [[ArtisticLicenseBiology detach its own body parts]] and/or remove one body segment at time, as if it's some kind of organic train. Another apparent power is their ability to curl up like a ball and roll over their foe. They are particularly prevalent in Japanese media, due to centipedes being a common problem there, as well as being generally regarded as a symbol of impurity and uncleaniness. Other Asian cultures depicts centipede as a symbol of hidden danger (think of a centipede crawling in a shoe) and fear.

Compare ScaryScorpions, SpidersAreScary, CreepyCamelSpider, BigCreepyCrawlies, AttackOfTheKillerWhatever and SegmentedSerpent. Also BugWar if they come in mass.

* ''Manga/AstroBoy'' goes up against a robot monster known as Gadem in various continuities. He's usually a CombiningMecha made out of 47 headless androids, but in the 2003 series he was redesigned as a collection of gold and jewels morphed into the shape of a centipede by a powerful electromagnet.

* The very first {{Youkai}} appeared in ''Manga/InuYasha'' was the Mukade Joro (Mistress Centipede), who was a woman from the wais tup, and ahuge centipede from the waist down. Several huge centipedes appear as recurring CannonFodder among Naraku's hordes. The sequel features a similar mukade youkai with three eyes.

** The very first giant insect encountered by Jinbee resembled a huge, plated, black caterpillar with a triangular head full of sharp teeth and long spidery legs. [[spoiler: We later learn that a huge amount of these Black Bugs destroyed the home town of the Mushikari and that they were spawned en mass by the Eternal Bug specifically to chase the Mushikari.]]