History Main / GreatGazoo

* ''Franchise/CthulhuMythos'': Nyarlathotep is basically what happens when this role is played [[DarkerAndEdgier dead serious]] by [[EldritchAbomination an atrocious space god]] [[ForTheEvulz who enjoys tormenting the insects called "humans"]] as versus [[BlueAndOrangeMorality being too busy not caring]] like most of his peers.

* Labra from ''Franchise/{{Jewelpet}}'' is an immature baby polar bear whose magic is powerful enough to screw up the laws of the universe. And since she is a baby, this means she'll use it either to have fun or when she's upset.

* According to ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars''' [[AllThereInTheManual copious fluff]], the polytheistic [[TheReptilians Tarka]] have one called Sardo Kal. He is also the pantheon's WarGod. [[CombatPragmatist This says a lot about the Tarka]].

%%* Bricriu from ''Series/SoWeird'' definitely qualifies, although he leans more towards the menacing side of the scale.

->''"The Trickster figure is deeply rooted in the folklore and mythology of every culture; a cosmic jester, a wise fool, a mysterious, mischievous creature, fun-loving and rebellious, and unconstrained by the laws which bound normal men. Sound familiar?"''

* Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog'', at least before the CerebusSyndrome.

A Great Gazoo is similar to a TricksterGod, and possesses similar powers, but does not come from a pantheon. Their pranks/trolling are either due to a need to satisfy their own boredom (and torturing helpless savages will solve that) or they have an earnest desire to help their less-powerful friends, but their [[AmusingAlien alien background]] causes them to provide completely inappropriate solutions to the problem. Getting the second one to ''stop helping'' is usually as difficult as getting the first one to stop {{Troll}}ing. The problems they cause have to be solved by the protagonists' wits because they [[StoryBreakerPower don't have enough power]] to just {{Counterspell}} or DispellMagic.

** To elaborate, Attea reveals that he is a Pugnavore, a type of alien that subsists on drama and conflict (as in literally feeding on it, hence why his show is called "The Most Delicious Game.) As such, the whole thing is PlayedForDrama given he runs the show to kidnap people to "feed" on in the off-season, stranded in a dangerous place like the Null Void. Fortunately, Ben quickly figures out his (and presumably that of the rest of his kind's) weakness. ''Boredom.'' Cue Ben turning into [[LethalJokeCharacter Pesky Dust]] to put him to sleep and trap Zenith in an intensely boring dream... That of Rook going into a long and detailed lecture on his peoples' agricultural haibts.

** From the series' primary CreationMyth, Lorkhan. He was one of the et'Ada ("original spirits") who convinced/tricked some of his fellow et'Ada into sacrificing large portions of their divine power in order to create Mundus, the mortal plane. The [[OurElvesAreBetter races of Mer (Elves)]] generally view this as a [[GreaterScopeVillain malevolent]] act which robbed their divine ancestors of their pre-creation immortality and forced them to experience mortal suffering and loss. The races of Men, however, view this as a [[GreaterScopeParagon benevolent]] act which freed the spirits from the [[HellOfAHeaven "prison" of pre-creation unchanging stasis]]. In both cases, Lorkhan is still viewed as a trickster figure.

* Discord, the spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, opening baddie of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''[='s=] second season, zigzags this trope like no tomorrow. A RealityWarper, Trickster Villain, he uses his powers to screw with the mane cast. He seems at first like he'll be a classic example, dancing inside stained glass windows and summoning chocolate rain, but when he starts using MindRape and MoreThanMindControl to turn Twilight's friends against her, [[SubvertedTrope he turns out to be a fair bit nastier than is the norm for this type]]. By Season 3, [[HeelFaceTurn he has reformed]], but his mischievous nature goes untamed, making him a straight example -- he's still a {{Jerkass}} but in a far more lighthearted way, and his antics -- [[TricksterMentor intentionally or not]] -- end up teaching the main characters valuable lessons. [[FaceHeelTurn Then he temporarily goes back to being evil]] when he's manipulated by [[BigBad Tirek]], who betrays him once he [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlives his usefulness]], so he [[HeelFaceTurn reforms]] '''[[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor again]]''' and starts playing the trope straight once more.

** The Superman/ComicBook/SilverSurfer crossover was a stealth Mr. Mxyzptlk/Impossible Man crossover, highlighting the differences between the post-Crisis Mxy and Impy. Impy is in it for the ''fun'', while Mxy is in it for the ''mischief'' (and a sociopathic one at that, which presses Imp's BerserkButton.)

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1582473991057872800 under discussion]] in the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13222107430A61495000 Trope Repair Shop]].]]]]]]

A good-natured weirdo with (effectively) magical powers, often in the form of a SufficientlyAdvancedAlien. The Great Gazoo allows for nearly any number of other plots, thereby guaranteeing high drama or [[HilarityEnsues ensuing hilarity]].

This character is typically based on TheTrickster (i.e. one of many "gods of mischief" from mythology, from Loki to Coyote to Puck). Often they are ThePrankster or an AmusingAlien whom the heroes often regard (usually with an irritated FacePalm at his return) as more like a pest than a serious menace. Sometimes the mishaps he causes are in fact a result of his BlueAndOrangeMorality. Sometimes he's an outright {{Jerkass}} {{Troll}}, in which case the heroes eventually get enough of his pranks and set out to stop him, but he can still be dangerously destructive if confronted improperly. The powers the Great Gazoo commands are by definition plot-breaking, so he usually has to be outsmarted or outwitted in order to be defeated. A direct assault never works. [[StoryBreakerPower Don't count on his abilities to resolve the story either]].

Takes its name from the Great Gazoo from ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', a little green alien that [[NotSoImaginaryFriend only Fred, Barney and small children can see]]. Not to be confused with Music/TheGrandWazoo.

See Also: TheFairFolk and RealityWarper.

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'' and ''VideoGame/Persona2'' has [[BigGood Philemon]] and [[BigBad Nyarlathotep]]. Notably, while Nyarlathotep [[MoralEventHorizon is a total]] [[ForTheEvulz ass about it]], Philemon [[BlackAndGrayMorality isn't really that much better]]. [[spoiler: [[HumanityOnTrial Agreeing to a stakes-free bet with Nyarlathotep about whether humans will break reality if they were given a way]], then [[TrueNeutral doing nothing to stop Nyarlathotep from cheating]] was kind of a dickmove.]]

* Tom Bombadil, in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Tom is so powerful that he is able to wear the One Ring and give it up freely without a thought, but spends most of his time wandering in the Old Forest and whimsically singing about himself, and is said by Gandalf to be capable of withstanding an assault by any force of the world, unless they were [[GonnaNeedMoreTrope all allied against him]]. He provides a convenient plot device to allow the hobbits to escape the Barrow Wights and take their swords (which later prove [[ChekhovsGun essential to the story]], since the swords are the only thing deadly to Nazgûl). Let's just say that Bombadil ''really'' doesn't fit neatly into Tolkien's larger backstory and there's a ''lot'' of fannish speculation about who or what he really is. Gandalf implies that Bombadil being unaffected by the Ring is just that Tom doesn't ''care'' about the Ring (beyond a brief passing interest in it as a pretty shiny thing), so it has no power over him one way or the other.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'' has [[TropeNamer Gazoo himself, of course]], a scientist sent into exile on prehistoric Earth for inventing a DoomsdayDevice.

** Gargoyles had quite a few demigods and deities, thanks to its [[FantasyKitchenSink setting]]. Some of those characters might qualify as Great Gazoos, such as Coyote. Loki did not appear, but it seems likely he would have been under consideration at some point given the wide variety of mythologies in play.
** Actually, WordOfGod is that Loki (and Thor) [[BusCrash died in Ragnarok]] specifically because they wanted to focus on lesser–known characters.

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E7AmysChoice "Amy's Choice"]]: The Dream Lord, an intangible, teleporting super-being who invades the [=TARDIS=] and forces the heroes to choose between two different realities. [[spoiler: It turns out the whole thing is a shared dream, and he's just a manifestation of the Doctor's self-loathing.]]

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E7AmysChoice "Amy's Choice"]]: The Dream Lord, who [[spoiler:turns out to be a manifestation of the Doctor's dark side.]]

** The Doctor himself — a rare example where the Great Gazoo is the main character. His personal abilities aren't at the normal level of this trope, but he can turn up anywhere in time and space and seriously enjoys messing with people.

* Franchise/{{Disney|AnimatedCanon}}'s ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' has the zany Genie. Virtually ''any'' good magical character in Disney is typically pretty wacky (the Three Good Fairies, the Fairy Godmother, Peter Pan, etc.), but the Genie takes the cake, breaking even the Fourth Wall.
* Maui of ''Disney/{{Moana}}'' is explicitly stated to be a trickster demi-god, and his EstablishingCharacterMoment is his IAmGreatSong; He pulls the titular character into a DisneyAcidSequence to distract her from the fact that he's stealing her boat and leaving her trapped on the FarSideIsland where he was himself stuck.

* In ''Franchise/DragonAge'', the Dalish remember one of their gods, Fen'Harel, as being very much this in the vein of Coyote or Loki, fond of CruelMercy and BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor and responsible for sealing away the Elven Gods ForTheLulz. [[spoiler: And then it turns out to be averted outside of in-universe legend. Turns out he's a decent and well-intentioned non-trickster guy who simply had a NiceJobBreakingItHero moment, and a mix of WrittenByTheWinners and NeverLiveItDown took care of the rest.]]