History Main / NeverSmileataCrocodile

Worthy of note is the earlier comparison to the ThreateningShark. Whereas anyone knowledgeable about sharks can tell you how little TruthInTelevision there is in the way they're usually depicted in media, this trope is a bit more realistic, at least for a few notable crocodilian species (like with sharks, most crocodilian species rarely or never attack humans aside from in self defense). Unlike sharks, these certain species of large crocodilian (mostly the nile and saltwater crocodiles) will actively hunt people as a food source, and have no aversion to the taste of human flesh; in fact, most crocodilian species aren't picky at all, and will eat (and, with the most acidic stomachs of any animal, can digest) just about ''anything'' that moves. [[RuleOfCool Works of fiction will still inevitably find ways of]] [[SuperPersistentPredator exaggerating these attributes]], [[RuleOfDrama of course]]. In addition to their bite, their tails are strong enough to break bones when swung (though it is debateable if they ever intentionally use their tails as weapons) and they can use the rigid sides of their snouts as sledgehammers to deter aggressors and duel other crocodiles.

Worthy of note is the earlier comparison to the ThreateningShark. Whereas anyone knowledgeable about sharks can tell you how little TruthInTelevision there is in the way they're usually depicted in media, this trope is a bit more realistic. Unlike sharks, some species of large crocodilians will actively hunt people as a food source, and have no aversion to the taste of human flesh; in fact, crocodiles aren't picky at all, and will eat (and, with the most acidic stomachs of any animal, can digest) just about ''anything'' that moves. [[RuleOfCool Works of fiction will still inevitably find ways of]] [[SuperPersistentPredator exaggerating these attributes]], [[RuleOfDrama of course]]. In addition to their bite, their tails are strong enough to break bones when swung and they can use the rigid sides of their snouts as sledgehammers to deter aggressors and duel other crocodiles.

* ''VideoGame/{{Smite}}'': The Egyptian crocodile deity Sobek is a Guardian type God excelling in crowd control and can summon a mobile mini pool full of crocodiles to dive into for quicker mana regeneration and slowing down enemies and massive [=AoE=] damage when re-emerging. As far as personality goes, while he can be ruthless, Sobek is stated more as a neutral God.

* ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'' shows a giant albino alligator, which the elves refer to as the ''swamp dragon''. He lives below a big city where he hunts goblins. It later turns out that he is the holy guardian of a deity.

* In ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'', oversized alligators the size of a bus are among the monsters prowling the wastelands. They can charge at surprising speeds and easily swallow someone whole if they aren't careful. Akira also encounters a building-sized, armored, two-headed crocodile with cannons growing from its back on one mission. Its HealingFactor forced him to use expensive CWH ammo to put it down.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', while in the swamp, a convoy truck is chased by a hungry alligator, whom Sonic fends off by feeding him some chili. The spiciness of the chili causes the alligator to propel himself back and land on Scratch and Grounder.

* The crazy hotel owner in ''Film/EatenAlive'' feeds customers to his pet crocodile Rocky. BasedOnATrueStory, by the way (see ''Real Life" below).

* ''Film/{{Crocodile|2000}}'' and [[Film/Crocodile2DeathSwamp its sequel]] both feature giant crocodiles killing those responsible for messing with their young. The first film is directed by Creator/TobeHooper, who was also behind ''Film/EatenAlive.''

See also ThreateningShark, SharkPool, and ReptilesAreAbhorrent. If you want their older cousins oft-compared to them, see SavageSpinosaurs.[[note]]It's worth noting that being archosaurs, crocodilians are more closely related to dinosaurs and birds than they are to other reptiles like lizards and snakes (lepidosaurs).[[/note]] Sometimes dealt with via PalatePropping. Most instances of SewerGator fall under this trope as well.

* [[https://youtu.be/pRxZ-uvyog0 French-speaking 13ème Rue]] had made a seemingly kid-friendly muppet-like "show", acting like you would expect of one.... except that the titular character, an alligator himself, goes in a bloody rampage against other animals.

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* [[https://youtu.be/pRxZ-uvyog0 French-speaking 13ème Rue]] had made a seemingly kid-friendly muppet-like show, acting like you would expect of this kind of show.... except that the titular character, an alligator himself, goes in a bloody rampage against other animals.

Crocodiles in fiction (as well as alligators, caimans, and gharials) tend to be huge, {{green|Gators}} monsters always looking for the next meal, lurking in rivers, swamps and sometimes [[RuleOfCool in castles' moats]] or {{sewer|Gator}}s. They have the most powerful bite force of any modern animal,[[note]]Extinct crocodilians such as ''Deinosuchus'' have the most powerful bite-forces of any animal ever.[[/note]] and armored scales which make them hard to hurt. They also appear to be perpetually grinning, so they evoke the SlasherSmile. Furthermore, they're {{reptiles|AreAbhorrent}}, which tends to make them even more despicable if possible.

** Averted with Banjo's adorable crocodile transformation - though it is the only transformation that can attack enemies, perhaps making him a heroic version of this trope.
* In ''VideoGame/TheBlackCauldron'', the Horned King's castle is surrounded by a moat full of killer crocodiles. One of the ways to get in is to swim around them and climb the wall.
* In ''VideoGame/BrainDead13'', if you go to the kitchen in another way, there is a crocodile [[HalfDressedCartoonAnimal wearing chef's garb]] and holding a meat cleaver. And it can [[OffWithHisHead chop off Lance's head]] and make it fly and land on his neck in an upside-down position in one death scene.
* The little-known fighting game ''VideoGame/BrutalPawsOfFury'' gives us Karate Croc. He invited himself to the fighting tournament that makes up the game's plot, and if you beat the game as him he rudely gloats about his victory.

* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIQuestForTheCrown'': Castle Daventry has a crocodile-filled moat in the original version. In the remake, these have been replaced by serpentine "moat monsters".
* In ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'', one of the enemies is a crocodilian who gnashes at Kirby from the water.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' adds [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIXFamilies Fuecoco]], a fire-type croc, that averts the "perpetually angry" part of the trope by being TheDitz.

* In an episode of ''Series/TheXFiles'', Mulder and Scully were hunting The StockNessMonster, but it turned out to be just an [[{{Mundanger}} everyday, run of the mill]] killer crocodile. However, at the end of the episode, it is revealed that [[spoiler:the monster is real, but it's not a threat.]]

** One of the two antagonists of ''The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through The Mists'' is a half-blind ''Deinosuchus'' named Dil. Despite the mutual hatred (their VillainSong is titled "Who Needs You?") between her and her ''Ichthyornis'' (a prehistoric seagull-like bird) partner-in-crime, Ichy, the two stick together, with Ichy having grown dependent on Dil's macropredatory status, and Dil having grown dependent on Icky's keen eyesight. At the end of the film, Dil finally gets fed up with Ichy and forcibly dismisses him -- [[LaserGuidedKarma only to immediately collide with an irritable plesiosaur and be chased away as she calls for Ichy's help]].
** Another prehistoric crocodile, presumably a ''Sarcosuchus'', appears in ''The Great Longneck Migration'', where it almost eats an inattentive Littlefoot. Fortunately, a ''Supersaurus'' rescues him. Later, it tries to eat Littlefoot's friends, but it fails yet again.

** Alligator or crocodile MonstersOfTheWeek have also appeared, including Crocodile Nezire 1 and 2 from ''Series/DenjiSentaiMegaranger'' (Crocovile in ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'') and Niwa from ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'' ([[NamesTheSame Crocovile]] in ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury''). There's also Trinoid 12: Yatsudenwani from ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger'' (Croco D'Vile in ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder''), who becomes one of the series' recurring villains, albeit an ineffectual one [[spoiler:who eventually turns to the Abarangers' side]].

The trope is sometimes subverted by making the croc a comedic glutton or a CoolPet or even a GentleGiant. Alligators are more likely to be portrayed in a positive light than crocodiles are, possibly due to the fact alligators are comparatively less aggressive towards humans and also slightly less threatening looking (gators are [[EvilIsBigger smaller]] and have more rounded features and overbites, while many crocs are [[ThinChinOfSin very angular]] and all of them have [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily toothier]] [[SlasherSmile grins]][[note]]which is ironic considering gators have more teeth than crocs[[/note]]), though they are still prone to this trope.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'':

See also ThreateningShark, SharkPool, and ReptilesAreAbhorrent. If you want their older cousins oft-compared to them, see SavageSpinosaurs. Sometimes dealt with via PalatePropping. Most instances of SewerGator fall under this trope as well.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' has two species that appear to be based on crocodilians: Ludroth and Lagiacrus. The female Ludroths are about the size of real life crocodiles, and aren't too dangerous. The male Royal Ludroth on the other hand, is about the size of a truck, and hits like one. Lagiacrus is a massive sea monster that can sink ships. One serves as the reason for you coming to Moga Village in Monster Hunter 3U, because the village needs someone to kill it before the village's fishing industry is ruined.

** Several seasons later Archer, Cyril and Ray are stuck on a raft in South America with two unconscious prisoners. Archer is very wary of local crocodiles, and insists on being prepared despite the others' incredulity. Crocodiles then climb onto the raft and eat the unconscious prisoners.

* When the monsoon floods Alan's house in ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'', the protagonists are attacked by a crocodile, so Alan fights it and miraculously survives. It's sucked out into the street when the front door is broken up and swims past Carl and Aunt Nora, scaring them to no end.

Crocodiles in fiction (as well as alligators, [[SeldomSeenSpecies caimans, and gharials]]) tend to be huge, {{green|Gators}} monsters always looking for the next meal, lurking in rivers, swamps and sometimes [[RuleOfCool in castles' moats]] or {{sewer|Gator}}s. They have the most powerful bite force of any modern animal,[[note]]Extinct crocodilians such as ''Deinosuchus'' have the most powerful bite-forces of any animal ever.[[/note]] and armored scales which make them hard to hurt. They also appear to be perpetually grinning, so they evoke the SlasherSmile. Furthermore, they're {{reptiles|AreAbhorrent}}, which tends to make them even more despicable if possible.