History Main / ShouldersOfDoom

This is most common in fantasy or science fiction: fantasy armor can easily have huge pieces of armor on the shoulders, and science fiction can easily create a future costume (or armor) with huge shoulders. They may also come with a [[HighCollarOfDoom ridiculously high collar]], or SpikesOfVillainy.

There are both artistic and function-related reasons that this trope existes: Artistically, the inverted triangle (ie one point pointing down) generally conveys a more sinister form, and shoulder pads help the torso form a triangular image. From a distance, you may also be fooled into thinking you're fighting some undead headless monster. And, as the picture of the SpaceMarine shows... it looks quite intimidating. Also, large shoulder pads add additional mass to the upper torso and create a tapering body shape, which instinctively registers as a fit, muscular build. i.e. a do-not-mess-with-me-physique.

** Averted to date in the series when it comes to the BigBad of each game's main quest. They've so far been an EvilSorcerer, a [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]][[note]]''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall'' lacks a true BigBad, but Mannimarco is easily the most outright ''evil'' leader of the competing factions in the game's MultipleEndings[[/note]], a PhysicalGod WalkingShirtlessScene, a likewise shirtless MultiArmedAndDangerous BigRedDevil DestroyerDeity (though he does have some [[SpikesOfVillainy spikes]] on his shoulders), and a [[DragonsAreDemonic draconic]] BeastOfTheApocalypse.

* After power armor got an overhaul in ''Fallout 4'', the shoulders are now bulkier than ever. Especially the T-60.

* ''Fanfic/Plan7Of9FromOuterSpace''. The atire of a [[ZeeRust typical gentleman of the early twenty-first century]] includes "the flared shoulder-yoke that required all doorways to be two yards wide."

* Lots of them in ''Series/{{Dynasty}}''.

* The Heathers (and Veronica) in Film/Heathers, as the overlords of an 80s high school, all wear color-coordinated 80s power suits, complete with the shoulder pads.

* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series. Not villains ''per se'', but the [[MightyGlacier General]] class has shoulder armor ''larger than the helmet''. And several baddies are Generals, as it is arguably one of the strongest classes in the game.

** The design of the pauldrons in Space Marine power armor is actually much more practical than it looks at first glance. The pauldrons will shift when the marine tries to look over them so they don't actually block his vision but otherwise, between the pauldrons on the sides and the large reactor at the back, the only way to get a clear shot at a marine's comparatively vulnerable helmet is to stand directly in front of him, which is the worst possible place to be for someone tackling a space marine.

** In the [[OurElvesAreBetter Retribution]] [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters of Scryah]], the Sentinels, Destors and Scyir of the Dawnguard sports some epic ones. [[https://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/Dawnguard_Scyir.jpg/82877311/Dawnguard_Scyir.jpg Example]]

** Samus Aran's Power Suit. The giant shoulders appear starting with the Varia Suit, which has increased shielding as well as the ability to function perfectly in more extreme temperatures, [[{{Fanon}} causing many players to suggest that some of the components for these features are housed in the shoulders]]. The giant shoulders came to be because in ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'', the Game Boy didn't have color, so the developers drew the Varia Suit with big shoulder pads to show the player that they got a new suit.

* Jafar from ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' has some of the biggest shoulder pads in the business.

* Dr. Robotnik from the ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'' cartoon has massive shoulder pads and a [[BadassCape cape]] for obvious EvilOverlord effect.
* [[BigBad Baron Dark]] from WesternAnimation/SkeletonWarriors

* Franchise/WonderWoman villain Queen Atomia has always worn curved decorative green shoulder pads over her dress, giving her incredibly tall pointed shoulders in silhouette.

* The Romulans from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' wore truly fugly military tunics with massive shoulder padding, resembling a cross between a [[TheEighties 1980's]] women's business suit and a quilted bedspread. Mercifully toned down on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' (though Creator/JonathanFrakes would describe [[BigBad Shinzon]]'s outfit as "a reject from ''Film/{{Rollerball}}''.")

** Actually, while the Silver Centurion armor is the most well-known version of Iron Man's ShouldersOfDoom, it was back during the ComicBook/SecretWars (when Jim Rhodes was subbing for Tony Stark) that first gave him his shoulder pads. His armor was damaged in a fight against the villains and Reed Richards had to rebuild it for him with the technology from their base. Richards decided that as long as he was fixing up the armor, why not give it moar powah?

* Many of Ghaleon's designs in the ''Franchise/{{Lunar}}'' series (and he gets rather a lot of costumes) have big shoulder guards. [[spoiler:The Magic Emperor armor]] is an obvious example, but his [[spoiler:final boss]] design in [[VideoGame/LunartheSilverStar Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete]] takes it to a whole other level -- it almost looks like some sort of architectural model sprouting off of him.

* The Romulans from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' wore truly fugly military tunics with massive shoulder padding, resembling a cross between a [[TheEighties 1980's]] women's business suit and a quilted bedspread. Mercifully toned down on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' (though Creator/JonathonFrakes would describe Shinzon's outfit as "a reject from ''Film/{{Rollerball}}''."

* The Romulans from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' wore truly fugly military tunics with massive shoulder padding, resembling a cross between a [[TheEighties 1980's]] women's business suit and a quilted bedspread. Mercifully toned down on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis''.

* Dr. Robotnik from the ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'' cartoon has massive shoulder pads and a cape for obvious ''EvilOverlord'' effect.

* In ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' Mr. Bighead is running for dog catcher against Rocko. The Chameleon brothers give him a cardboard-cutout a suit with huge shoulders to "wear" because it'll make him look more authoritative. [[spoiler: It works, he wins, but the job isn't all it's cracked up to be.]]

** Especially the Black Knight from [[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius 9 and 10]], who [[spoiler:is a good guy in the latter... kind of.]]

** Millennia from ''Toys/{{Slizers}}'' in his "rider" form

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', with [[PoweredArmor Power Armor]] - and Advanced Power Armor, which actually has a smaller helmet ''and'' bigger shoulders. Not to mention most of the other armor's shoulder spikes (metal, tesla). ''And'' [[http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Frank_Horrigan Frank Horrigan]].

** Interestingly, in New Vegas, the strength of a power armor is apparently inversely proportional to the doominess of its Shoulders of Doom - the t-45d, with its ridiculous duck fin shoulderpads, is the weakest; the T-51b Power armor is the middle of the road, with oversized Knight Armor shoulderpads; the Enclave Remnants (Advanced) Power Armor and Gannon Family Tesla Armor are the strongest, and the shoulders themselves are fairly small. Though in the case of the Advanced and Tesla armors, it has traded the ShouldersOfDoom for a massive hunchback.

*** Some folks, dissatisfied with Obsidian's "skinny tin can" rendering of the Remnants Power armor[[note]]since the Fallout 2 sprite looked at least as bulky as thte T-51b power armor[[/note]], have made [[http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/47681/ a]] [[http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/42867/ few]] [[http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/41298/ mods]] that give it back the bulk, and put the doomy size back in the shoulders. Bethesda themselves brought back the doominess with ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'''s equivalent, the X-01.

* After power armor got an overhaul in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'', the shoulders are now bulkier than ever. Especially the T-60.

* Superman's nemesis Dooms''day'' , however, has possibly the most impressive Shoulders of Doom anywhere in comicdom, despite the fact he doesn't even ''wear'' armor - the ginormous, razorsharp crystalline spikes that sprout from his shoulders are part of his skeleton.
* The minor Wolverine villain called Genesis was actually known in fan forums as "Shoulderpad Guy".