History Main / GentleGiantSauropod

* ''WesternAnimation/Primal2019'': The episode "Plague of Madness" features a herd of ''Argentinosaurus'' that gently graze on the vegetation and care for their nestlings, without minding other animals' business. [[spoiler:Until, that is, one of them gets bitten by a small hadrosaur infected with the eponymous plague of madness -- a flesh-eating super-rabies. What results is a horrifying aversion of this trope: a ferocious TechnicallyLivingZombie sauropod that attacks anything in sight, slaughtering its entire herd and [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness horrifying the otherwise battle-hardened Spear and Fang]] as it then pursued both with an [[TheDeterminator utterly unnatural]] level of persistence, survived through multiple potentially lethal injuries (some of which were self-inflicted), and was only stopped by [[KillItWithFire falling into lava]]]].

* ''Literature/JurassicPark'' features an ''Apatosaurus'' herd, which are one of the more peaceful and sociable dinosaurs, as they simply mind their own business and don't pose a threat to the main characters.

* In an odd aversion, a group of aliens in ''Manga/{{Gantz}}'' disguise themselves as dinosaur statues in a museum. ''UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex'' and ''[[RaptorAttack Velociraptor]]'' are assumed forms, but it turns out that the most dangerous of them all is a ''Brachiosaurus''.

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': During his training set up by Piccolo, Gohan manages to find and nurse a wounded ''Apatosaurus'', eventually befriending it. Unfortunately, a ''[[{{Whateversaurus}} Ferocisaurus]]'' that had been hounding Gohan since his training began attacks. The ''Apatosaurus'' defends Gohan, but is killed and eaten by the ''Ferocisaurus'', leaving Gohan to mourn for his fallen friend.

Contrast PredatorsAreMean and RaptorAttack, with the latter also serving as a stereotypical depiction of maniraptorian dinosaurs, in addition to the obvious inaccuracies like exaggerated size and constantly-aggressive nature towards its surroundings. Also contrast HeadbuttingPachy, TemperCeratops, and ToughArmoredDinosaur, for herbivorous dinosaurs portrayed as dangerous and aggressive. Compare SocialOrnithopod for another type of dinosaur typically depicted as a gentle (and social) herbivore, and HonorableElephant and GenialGiraffe for the modern-day equivalents. For another stereotype commonly associated with this group of dinosaurs, see AquaticSauropods.

Contrast PredatorsAreMean and RaptorAttack, with the latter also serving as a stereotypical depiction of maniraptorian dinosaurs, in addition to the obvious inaccuracies like exaggerated size and constantly-aggressive nature towards its surroundings. Also contrast HeadbuttingPachy, TemperCeratops, and ToughArmoredDinosaur, for herbivorous dinosaurs portrayed as dangerous and aggressive. Compare SocialOrnithopod for another type of dinosaur typically depicted as a gentle (and social) herbivore, and HonorableElephant and GenialGiraffe for the modern-day equivalents. For another stereotype commonly associated with this group of dinosaurs, see AquaticSauropod.

Sauropods are frequent victims of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, for example grinding and chewing leaves as they browse the treetops, which their jaws were incapable of doing[[note]]They actually seem to have swallowed pebbles, called gastroliths, to help grind up their food[[/note]]. As they became extinct millions of years before the first humans, we can only make educated guesses about what sort of behavior sauropods displayed in real life; their popular image as friendly animals mainly stems from the fact that they were herbivorous (and to a lesser extent the somewhat debatable idea that they had no natural predators, and thus little need to be all that aggressive). This also falls into AnimalStereotype, given the usual depiction of sauropods as friendly and non-territorial animals. Also a subtrope for HerbivoresAreFriendly. On the rare occasion when sauropods ''are'' portrayed as hostile, it's usually when they're fighting off a predator. In stories where [[PrehistoricMonster dinosaurs as a whole are shown to be violent and aggressive]], sauropods are often the exception.

Contrast PredatorsAreMean and RaptorAttack, with the latter also serving as a stereotypical depiction of maniraptorian dinosaurs, in addition to the obvious inaccuracies like exaggerated size and constantly-aggressive nature towards its surroundings. Also contrast HeadbuttingPachy, TemperCeratops, and ToughArmoredDinosaur, for herbivorous dinosaurs portrayed as dangerous and aggressive. Compare SocialOrnithopod for another type of dinosaur typically depicted as a gentle (and social) herbivore, and HonorableElephant and GenialGiraffe for the modern-day equivalents.

Contributing to their popularity, the largest sauropods, such as ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentinosaurus Argentinosaurus]]'', comprise all the current contenders for largest land animal to have ever lived. As a result, they tend to be featured a lot in numerous forms of media, usually as very docile and [[GentleGiant friendly]] animals that spend their time migrating from one land to another in search of trees. This perception often comes from the assumption that they were so big as to have no predators and had such abundant food that they wouldn't need to be territorial, leaving them with little reason for aggression. In reality, some sauropods (especially as babies) ''were'' small enough to be preyed on by large theropods, and elephants (their modern-day counterpart as the largest land animal) are in a similar situation yet can be ''very'' territorial and aggressive.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': In "The Impossible Summit of Mount Neverrest!", one of the things on Webby's bucket list is to high-five a ''Brontosaurus''. ''30 Things With [=DuckTales=]'' shows her actually high-fiving a ''Brontosaurus''.

* ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponATime'': In one episode of ''Once Upon a Time...Space'', "Land of the Dinosaurs", Pierrot and Psi befriend a baby ''Brontosaurus'' and return it to its herd. The adults, however, become aggressive when they get attacked by the big theropods.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': In "It's About Time!", the step-brothers and Candace escape from a pursuing ''T rex'' by grabbing onto some reeds dangling from the mouth of an ''Alamosaurus'', who places the three siblings onto safety once Phineas tells it they're made of meat.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the "Geriatric Park" segment of "Treehouse of Horror XXIX", the senior citizens are transformed into dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles, most of them turning violent. The seniors taking the form of sauropods remain docile, although one of them accidentally steps on Hans Moleman (who is transformed into a ''Compsognathus'').

* ''Film/JurassicPark'':
** The ''Brachiosaurus'' in the earlier parts of the film were the defining moments of wonder and awe for the main characters. Later on, another ''Brachiosaurus'' approaches Alan, Tim and Lex on a treetop as she sneezes onto the latter whilst she was trying to give it leaves to eat. A modern TropeCodifier as well as what bought ''Brachiosaurus'' into SmallTaxonomyPools territory.

* ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10639175/ Phineas and Ferb's Dinosaur Adventure]]'', the ''Apatosaurus'' and ''Brachiosaurus'' are depicted as docile and majestic creatures, with the former not minding the time-travelling human cast observe them up close, with one of them giving Phineas a ride on its head. However, the ''Apatosaurus'' show off their less gentle side when the ''Allosaurus'' attack later on.

* Subverted in The Geeky Zoologist's [[Fanfic/JurassicWorld2020 reimagining of Jurassic World]]. While the appearing sauropod species (''Apatosaurus'' and ''Mamenchisaurus'') doesn't show any kind of gratuitious agressivity towards the humans, they can pose a huge threat if they panic, knocking down fences and trampling people. It also seems that ''Apatosaurus'' doesn't follow this trope since a subadult male attack the Indominus for territorial reasons. Things doesn't end well for him though...

** On his journeys over the series, Littlefoot meets numerous other sauropods, with the most notable being Ali in the fourth movie and his father Bron in the tenth movie, who has adopted a ''Brachiosaurus'' named Shorty during the time he was away. Although all of the sauropods in the series are depicted as friendly to the main characters, they can be incredibly aggressive towards predators.

** The ''Brachiosaurus'' in the earlier parts of the film were the defining moments of wonder and awe for the main characters. Later on, another ''Brachiosaurus'' approaches Alan, Tim and Lex on a treetop as she sneezes onto the latter whilst she was trying to give it leaves to eat. A modern TropeCodifier as well as what bought ''Brachiosaurus'' into StockDinosaurs territory.

Compare StockDinosaurs, due to sauropods being one of the most recognizable types of dinosaurs in popular culture.

** Later films, such as ''[[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark The Lost World]]'' and ''Film/JurassicWorld'' showcase ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Mamenchisaurus]]'' and ''Apatosaurus'' respectively, with the latter being listed as ''low'' in its aggression index. ''Brachiosaurus'' does however make appearances in ''Film/JurassicParkIII'' and ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'' and remains among the most popular dinosaurs in the franchise. ''Dreadnoughtus'' was added in '' Film/JurassicWorldDominion''.

* ''Literature/RaptorRed'' has the titular character and her mate hunting an ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Astrodon]]''. The dinosaur, although a herbivore and usually passive, has been described as aggressive when threatened. The raptors manage to kill the ''Astrodon'' by luring it into a trap and slashing the helpless animal until it bleeds to death, but the sauropod's weight also [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard crushes Red's mate into the mud]], suffocating him. Averted ''hard'' later on when the pack encounters a whip-tailed diplodocid that relentlessly fights back when they harass him, [[spoiler:severely wounding Red's sister]].

* ''Series/DinosaurRevolution'' features a ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Dinheirosaurus]]'' named Woodstock as one of the two protagonists alongside, amusingly enough, an ''Allosaurus'' named Broken Jaw in the episode "The Watering Hole" episode. Woodstock thoroughly averts the trope as he gives Broken Jaw a brutal beatdown prior to the episode and kills the ''[[BigBad Torvosaurus]]'' when he attacks his son.

** Subverted with the ''Brontosaurus baxteri'' in the [[Film/KingKong2005 2005 film]]. Though herbivorous, they are very prone to becoming spooked and panicked, which shows when a ''[[RaptorAttack Venatosaurus]]'' pack attacks a herd, prompting them to accidentally trample and kill several members of the S.S. ''Venture''.

* In ''[[https://thelostworldsurvival.freeforums.net/ The Lost World Survival RPG]]'' expansion to [[Fanfic/TheBridge The Amalgam'verse]] averts this is a vengence in regards to the dinosaurs of [[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark Isla Sorna]]. Not only are the herbivores as a whole just as capable of being aggressive as the carnivores, but the most aggressive animal in the play-through was a large male ''Mamenchisaurus''. Prone to attacking intruders to its territory in a manner akin to a hippo, it was directly responsible for killing multiple hunters after crushing several jeeps and was immune to threats by predators. The players weaponized its aggression by getting it to chase them into the hunter's camp, where it went on an rampage as it was far too big for the chaotic rifle fire to actually meaningfully hurt. Fittingly, the players nicknamed it [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk "The Hulk"]].

** Taken UpToEleven in ''VideoGame/JurassicWorldEvolution2'' where unlike the previous game (where every sauropod but the much smaller ''Nigersaurus'' was immune to predation by anything but the ''Indominus rex'') ''any'' sauropod can be hunted by any large carnivore or pack-hunting small carnivore with no ability to fight back, [[TooDumbToLive standing placidly and looking confused as they're torn apart]].

** The [[TheHero central character]] is an infant ''Apatosaurus'' named Littlefoot, whose mother is killed by a [[BigBad Sharptooth]]. He has to trek a desolate world, making new friends along the way, before eventually making it to the Great Valley to be reunited with his grandparents. Littlefoot is consistently shown to be a kind, caring and hopeful child, and it's his optimism that drives much of his successful adventures. Franchise marketing also tend to label him as ''[[AllLovingHero Lovable Littlefoot]]''
** On his journeys over the series, Littlefoot meets numerous other sauropods, with the most notable being Ali in the fourth movie and his father Bron in the tenth movie, who has adopted a ''Brachiosaurus'' named Shorty during the time he was away.

** Later films, such as ''[[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark The Lost World]]'' and ''Film/JurassicWorld'' showcase ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Mamenchisaurus]]'' and ''Apatosaurus'' respectively, with the latter being listed as ''low'' in its aggression index. ''Brachiosaurus'' does however make appearances in ''Film/JurassicParkIII'' and ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'' and remains among the most popular dinosaurs in the franchise.

* Played straight and [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaucers}}''. Two of the dinosaur characters are sauropods; one is an ''Apatosaurus'' named [[AwesomeMcCoolName Bronto Thunder]] and is a member of the heroic Dinosaucers. The second sauropod is a ''Brachiosaurus'' named [[ALizardNamedLiz Brachio]] who works for the villainous Tyrannos led by Genghis Rex. To further the subversion, Brachio has [[FangsAreEvil fangs]].