History Main / HonorableElephant

->''I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.''
-->--''[[Creator/DrSeuss Horton Hatches the Egg]]''

* In [[Fanfic/ThisBites]], Funkfreed (the sword-turned-elephant belonging to Spandam of CP9) comes into the possession of [[SelfInsert self-insert]] hero Cross. He proves to be quite a friendly individual when he's working with the Straw Hats, if a bit of a bruiser, which is why he was never satisfied with having [[DirtyCoward Spandam]] as a wielder.

* ''Animation/ThirtyEightParrots'': Elephant is {{Adorkable}}, shy, bookish and [[ApologizesALot constantly apologizing]].

* In ''Anime/AggressiveRetsuko'', the president of [[WhatExactlyIsHisJob whatever company the characters work at]] is an elephant. He's kinda forgetful and a little incompetent, but he's a NiceGuy and a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, especially when compared to folks like [[StayInTheKitchen Hog Honcho]]/[[DubNameChange Director Ton]], [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent Scatherine/Tsubone]], and [[CloudCuckoolander Boss Buffalo/Yagyū]]. It should be noted, though, that [[NobleBirdOfPrey Eaglette/Washimi]], one of Retsuko's best friends, is the President's [[VisualPun personal secretary]], so how much of this is his normal behavior and how much of this is Eaglette pulling strings to help her friend have a good time at work is unknown.

* ''VideoGame/FarCry4'': In a franchise known for EverythingIsTryingToKillYou when it comes to wildlife, elephants stand out for being the one animal that won't try to harm Arjey unless he attacks them- the only humans that they attack unprovoked are Royal Army troops. With the right skill, it's even possible to ride on their backs and deliver a FoeTossingCharge at enemies and vehicles.

Thanks to its size, the movements of an elephant tend to be slow and ponderous. While it's impossible to know whether an elephant's inner life is more somber and dignified than, say, that of an [[PlayfulOtter otter]], it certainly ''looks'' that way. This impression of elephants is compounded by the fact that elephants are observed engaging in what appears to be reverence for their dead. It seems likely that they are aware of their own mortality. The prodigious memory of elephants also makes it seem that their lives must be more burdened by history and the past than animals with less powerful memories, which exist more "in the moment".

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Behemoth -- who resembles a cross between a mammoth and a ground sloth -- plays with this; he's portrayed as destructive under Ghidorah's command, but [[spoiler:later proves to be a docile and beneficial creature once Godzilla takes charge, [[FertileFeet restoring much of the Amazon rainforest just by walking around]]]].

* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'': The Elephants from the elephant village notably subvert the "elephant never forgets" stereotype, since while they're wise they also have [[ForgetfulJones very poor memories]], which they are apparently infamous for. They're also pacifistic to the point that they prefer to solve their problems by meditating until the answer comes to them rather than act straight away. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheNiceOnes But that doesn't mean they're complete pushovers]].]]

* In ''Anime/SandsOfDestruction'', hospital administrator [[MeaningfulName Elephas Rex]] refuses to turn away patients.
** It turns out that he is [[spoiler:a former war criminal who [[TheAtoner hopes to die having saved more lives than he took]]]].
* [[Anime/BeastWarsNeo Big Convoy]], [[Anime/BeastWarsII Santon]], and the toy-only Ironhide.
* In ''Anime/TheJungleBook'' Hathi the elephant like his book counterpart is the temperate but righteous leader and lawgiver of the jungle.

* Master Paopao from ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' is an anthropomorphic elephant who loves to advocate peace, is known for his fairness when holding court trials, and is all-around friendly.

[[folder:Audio Drama]]
* ''Benjamin Blümchen'', the hero of the eponymous UsefulNotes/GermanLanguage audio drama series for kids, is a [[TalkingAnimal talking elephant]] with a strong sense of justice and a GentleGiant personality.

* In ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', elephants (including the [[BeastMan loxodon]]) are usually Green or White, the colours most invocative of honour. Still, as LightIsNotGood, the loxodon of Mirrodin were brute bigots [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity incapable of acknowledging moral complexity.]]

* Brother Warth in the ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' series is a member of [[HopeSpringsEternal the Blue Lantern Corps.]], hand picked by its leader.

* Elephant from ''ThirtyEightParrots'' is {{Adorkable}}, shy, bookish and [[ApologizesALot constantly apologizing.]]
* Hatkhi from the Soviet ''JungleBook'' adaptation is a very respected and dignified authority figure, akin to a lawkeeper, and with none of the goofy traits of his Disney counterpart.

* The title character in ''WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}}'' is playful but never malicious. The Matriarch invokes this trope ("We elephants have always walked with dignity.") but is actually a CruelElephant behind her dignified facade.
** [[MamaBear Mrs. Jumbo]] plays it straighter, [[HumansAreBastards not that it helps her]].
* Manny from ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' is an honorable mammoth. He feels morally obligated to return a human baby to his family even though he knows that the child could one day grow up to be a mammoth-killer.

* Tantor, the African Elephant from ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'' may be a [[CowardlyLion coward]], but when his friends are in danger he [[LetsGetDangerous overcomes his fear]] and helps them.

* Behemoth - who resembles a cross between a mammoth and a ground sloth - from ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' plays with this; he is portrayed as destructive under Ghidorah's command, but [[spoiler:later proves to be a docile and beneficial creature once Godzilla takes charge, [[FertileFeet restoring much of the Amazon rainforest just by walking around]].]]
* ''Film/{{Mowgli}}'''s incarnation of Haithi is more true to his book counterpart, being a benevolent ruler of the jungle. He saves Mowgli from a tiger pit and later gathers the other elephants to help the boy defeat Shere Khan [[spoiler:in return for showing him the hunter who shot part of his tusk off]].

* Polite Elephant in the works of Creator/RichardScarry.
* Creator/DrSeuss wrote of Horton, an elephant who was always faithful, 100%: He both [[Literature/HortonHearsAWho safeguarded the Whos]] and [[Literature/HortonHatchesTheEgg incubates an egg in his custody]].
* The ''Literature/{{Tarzan}}'' novels feature an elephant named Tantor.
* In ''Literature/TheJungleBook'', Hathi is a wise (and honorable) Lord of the Jungle, who follows orders from nobody. [[spoiler:Except for Mowgli, sending him on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.]]
* ''Elmer the Patchwork Elephant'' which is about [[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin an elephant named Elmer]] who for some reason [[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife is colored like a rainbow patchwork quilt.]]
* Bill Peet's ''Literature/TheAntAndTheElephant''.
* In Creator/RoaldDahl's ''The Enormous Crocodile'', the eponymous CardCarryingVillain's attempts to prey on children are all foiled by four friendly animals, the fourth one being Trunky the Elephant, who gets rid of him once and for all by grabbing him with his trunk and [[HurlItIntoTheSun hurling him into the sun.]] (It's a kids book; CartoonPhysics apply.)
* OlderThanFeudalism example: In ''Literature/ReynardTheFox'', a [[OlderThanTheyThink 12th century parody]] of [[TheLowMiddleAges Medieval Feudalism]] where [[AnimalStereotypes carnivores are nobles and herbivores are peasants]], the elephant was allowed to join the royal court because of his great intelligence.

* Mammoths and other prehistoric proboscideans are all portrayed this way in ''Literature/{{Dinotopia}}''. One particular mammoth, Bigtusk, is one of the leading Habitat Partners.

* Not an anthropomorphized example, but ''Series/PrehistoricPark'' features Martha the mammoth.
** She first appears unsuccessfully trying to aid her sister, who has died falling in a pit trap made by early humans.
** Though an outcast from the African elephant herd, [[spoiler:it is Martha who stands up to Matilda, a young T. Rex, when Matilda targets the matriarch's calf]].

* Played entirely straight in Hindu Mythology, with elephants often symbolizing wisdom, grace, power and kingliness. Eight divine elephants carry the world on their backs, and a white four-tusked elephant is the mount of the storm god Indra. The elephant-headed god Ganesha, one of the most popular gods in Hinduism, removes obstacles and gives people good luck, as well as protecting children.
* Another Indian example, this time from Buddhism. The Buddha was an honorable elephant in several of his previous lives, and the popularity of white elephants in Thailand has to do with Buddha taking the form of a six-tusked white elephant.
* A likely candidate for the Behemoth, a biblical creature mentioned in ''Literature/BookOfJob'', is the now extinct giant Syrian Elephant. Described to show the limits of man's power against God's nature, Behemoth is described as the most powerful land animal on the planet. In particular, the wording used to describe its greatness imply both physical and intellectual might. It's so big it has to use trees for shade and has giant horns/tusks it can gore the Leviathan with- certainly a beast that shouldn't be trifled with. Yet it spends its days peacefully in the fields and swamps, eating grass as the smaller beasts play around it, showing it's a GentleGiant herbivore if left in peace.

[[folder:Music]]
* Inverted in the comic song "The Elephant" by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, which starts, "An elephant's life is tedious, laborious, and slow. / I've been an elephant all me life, so I bloomin' well ought to know!" The elephantine narrator then describes how he avoids the dutiful life of the typical elephant by shamming amnesia. "Me mind's a perfect blank. / Now life is very much easier. Amnesier's to thank."
* The British folk song ''Nellie the Elephant'', which later received an AnimatedAdaptation.
[[/folder]]

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Donphan is known for clearing roads after disasters, while Cufant and Copperajah are both known to help humans with heavy lifting. Copperajah is even [[WellIntentionedExtremist Chairman]] [[WealthyPhilanthropist Rose's]] signature Pokémon.
* The title character of ''VideoGame/ElephantQuest'' is both stoically determined to regain his hat, and loyally prepared to undergo {{Side Quest}}s for his friends while he does so. Averted with the other elephants, who are excitable ApatheticCitizens.
* The aforementioned Ganesha in Mythology section is featured in ''VideoGame/{{Smite}}'' and is a guardian that shares his kill benefits even better to his nearby teammates. He's also able to slow down while granting protections to his teammates.

* Woolie from ''WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance''.
* Subverted with Stampy from ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. As Bart's pet, he was surly and destructive, so the family sends him to a sanctuary, thinking that he would be more peaceful among his own kind. But once there, he started being the same way toward the other elephants, causing the caretaker to remark that some elephants are just jerks.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' cartoon "Jerry and Jumbo", an elephant loyally defends Jerry from Tom after [[AndroclesLion Jerry pulls a nail from the elephant's foot]].
* Dolores from some of the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts.
* In the Disney short ''[[WesternAnimation/SillySymphonies Elmer Elephant]]'', the title character is a heroic anthropomorphic elephant who saves his LoveInterest Tilly Tiger from a fire.
* The short ''WesternAnimation/GoliathII'' is about a [[AnimalsNotToScale mouse-sized]] elephant who wants to get the respect of his pompous father.
* Lumpy from ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' and his mother are both kind and heroic Heffalumps (elephant-like creatures) - in stark contrast with the other, villainous Heffalumps of the franchise.
* Raj from ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo''.
* Mama Mirabelle and her son Max from ''WesternAnimation/MamaMirabellesHomeMovies''
* Ellivan from ''WesternAnimation/JungleJunction''.
* The WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes short ''Hobo Bobo''.
* The Elephants from the elephant village in ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} [=ThunderCats (2011)=]]]'' . These elephants notably subvert the "elephant never forget" stereotype, since while they are wise, they have [[ForgetfulJones very poor memories]] which they are apparently infamous for. They're also pacifistic to the point that they prefer to solve their problems by meditating until the answer comes to them rather than act straight away. [[spoiler:[[BewareTheNiceOnes But that doesn't mean they're complete pushovers]].]]
* Lotsa Heart elephant in ''Franchise/CareBears''
* WesternAnimation/TheLargeFamily, a slice of life show focusing on a town full of antropomorphic elephants.
* ''WesternAnimation/EllaTheElephant'', based on the books by Carmela D' Amico and Steven Henry.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys'', every elephant which Eliza befriends has played this trope straight.

* In ''Anime/AggressiveRetsuko'', the president of [[WhatExactlyIsHisJob whatever company the characters work at]] is an elephant. He's kinda forgetful and a little incompetent, but he's a NiceGuy and a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, especially when compared to folks like [[StayInTheKitchen Hog Honcho]]/[[DubNameChange Director Ton]], [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent Scatherine/Tsubone]], and [[CloudCuckoolander Boss Buffalo/Yagyū]]. It should be noted, though, that [[NobleBirdOfPrey Eaglette/Washimi]], one of Retsuko's friends, is the President's [[VisualPun personal secretary]], so how much of this is his normal behavior and how much of this is Eaglette pulling strings to help her friend have a good time at work is unknown.

* In ''Anime/AggressiveRetsuko'', the president of [[WhatExactlyIsHisJob whatever company the characters work at]] is an elephant. He's kinda forgetful and a little incompetent, but he's a NiceGuy and a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, especially when compared to folks like [[StayInTheKitchen Hog Honcho]]/[[DubNameChange Director Ton]], [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent Scatherine/Tsubone]], and [[CloudCuckoolander Boss Buffalo/Yagyū]]. It should be noted, though, that [[NobleBirdOfPrey Eaglette/Washimi]], one of Retsuko's friends, is the President's [[VisualPun personal secretary]], so how much of this is his normal behavior and how much of this is Eaglette pulling strings to help her friend is unknown.

* [[Anime/BeastWarsNeo Big Convoy]], [[Anime/BeastWarsII Santon]], and the toy only Ironhide.

* A likely candidate for Behemoth, a biblical creature mentioned in ''Literature/BookOfJob'', is the now extinct giant Syrian Elephant. Described or presented to Job by God as a means of showing the limits of man's power against God's nature, Behemoth is described as the most powerful land animal on the planet. In particular the wording used to describe it's greatness imply might beyond the physical but also in intelligence, echoing this trope further. It's also noted to be so big it has to use trees for shade and has giant horns or tusks it can gore its rival the Leviathan with in battle, most certainly a beast that shouldn't be trifled with. Yet it peacefully spends it days in the fields and swamps, eating grass as the smaller beasts play around it, showing its a relatively a GentleGiant herbivore if left in peace.

** In "Mammoth Journey", female woolly mammoths and their young live in family groups that stick together and quietly help each other when facing predators and climatic hardships. The most unprovoked aggression seen consists of an adult male on heat chasing a bison herd away with a mildly threatening trotting and an old male scaring two cave lions out of his way when he migrates south. Said lions are feeding on a human carcass.

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Donphan is known for clearing roads after disasters, while Cufant and Copperajah are both known to help humans with heavy lifting.

* The title character in ''WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}}'' is playful but never malicious. The Matriarch seemingly plays the trope more straight: "We elephants have always walked with dignity."
** The Matriarch would be a subversion who invokes this trope instead because she ostracizes Dumbo for his big ears.

* Behemoth from ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' plays with this; he is portrayed as destructive under Ghidorah's command, but [[spoiler:later proves to be a docile and beneficial creature once Godzilla takes charge, [[FertileFeet restoring much of the Amazon rainforest just by walking around]].]]

* The title character in ''Disney/{{Dumbo}}'' is playful but never malicious. The Matriarch seemingly plays the trope more straight: "We elephants have always walked with dignity."

* In ''Disney/TheJungleBook'', elephants are like honorable, respectable (if not too bright) [[StiffUpperLip British army officers]].
* Tantor, the African Elephant from ''Disney/{{Tarzan}}'' may be a [[CowardlyLion coward]], but when his friends are in danger he [[LetsGetDangerous overcomes his fear]] and helps them.

* The short ''Disney/GoliathII'' is about a [[AnimalsNotToScale mouse-sized]] elephant who wants to get the respect of his pompous father.

* Mammoths and other prehistoric proboscideans are all portrayed this way in ''Literature/{{Dinotopia}}''. One particulary mammoth, Bigtusk, is one of the leading Habitat Partners.

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Donphan is known for clearing roads after disasters.