History Main / SkeleBot9000

* ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'' features ISIC, an insane robot who tried to crash reality with a LogicBomb and now takes out its anger on the invading HordeOfAlienSpaceLocusts. Its avatar is a floating SkullForAHead.

* ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'': The T-800, [[Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines T-850, T-X]], [[Film/TerminatorSalvation T-600, T-700]], and [[Film/TerminatorDarkFate Rev-9]] endoskeletons. While the endoskeleton is designed for [[JustifiedTrope a reasonable purpose]] -- to be [[MeatSackRobot a framework on which to grow human flesh]] to better disguise the Terminators -- [[RuleOfScary the real reason]] is the horrific image (one of them ''really'' illustrates the NightmareFuel page) of implacable metal skeletons coming after you. The fact that they are also terrifying has another in-universe reason: they're built for warfare and the psychological effect on the enemy would be rather potent (the Website/{{Cracked}} [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/a-series-of-emails-from-cyberdynes-tech-guy/ article]], while amusing, relies on the premise that Cyberdyne created the Terminators before Judgement Day, which they did not). Not for nothing did Creator/JamesCameron base them on an actual nightmare he had while filming ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning''.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Contra}} Contra III: The Alien Wars]]'' features a giant one named Big Fuzz as a bossfight. It breathes fire, fires homing eye beams and throws time bombs around the room. Eventually it will lose its grip on the doors it was holding open, [[OffWithHisHead cutting off its head]]. Big Fuzz reappears in ''Contra 4'' with the same fire breath attack and this time, you must close the doors on its neck to kill it in similar fashion.

** The mid-80's version of ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}.

* The Skeletron Prime boss in ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' is basically a giant floating robot skull with four skeletal limbs equipped with weapons.

* [[spoiler:Olympia]] from ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey III'' is a rare RobotGirl version of this trope. [[spoiler:She conceals it with a cloak most of the time as her head is able to convincingly pass as human.]] The normal female Yggdroid's are a partial example as they conceal some of it with a plate at the abdomen though [[https://imgur.com/UwEjZ6Y official art reveals that there is nothing else behind that to conceal it]].

* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWallTheMovie'': [[spoiler: Mechakara peels off his face before his final confrontation with Linkara, revealing a robotic skull hiding underneath. After being shot in the back by the Magic Gun, the resulting blast burns away Mechakara's flesh and clothes, revealing a metallic skeleton underneath]].

* ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'': The T-800, [[Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines T-850, T-X]], and [[Film/TerminatorDarkFate Rev-9]] endoskeletons. While the endoskeleton is designed for [[JustifiedTrope a reasonable purpose]] -- to be [[MeatSackRobot a framework on which to grow human flesh]] to better disguise the Terminators -- [[RuleOfScary the real reason]] is the horrific image (one of them ''really'' illustrates the NightmareFuel page) of implacable metal skeletons coming after you. The fact that they are also terrifying has another in-universe reason: they're built for warfare and the psychological effect on the enemy would be rather potent (the Website/{{Cracked}} [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/a-series-of-emails-from-cyberdynes-tech-guy/ article]], while amusing, relies on the premise that Cyberdyne created the Terminators before Judgement Day, which they did not). Not for nothing did Creator/JamesCameron base them on an actual nightmare he had while filming ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning''.

[[quoteright:350:[[http://pavuk.cgsociety.org/art/rpbpt-3ds-max-photoshop-project-david-friends-2d-703045 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/skele_bot_9000_5.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:My Nightmare Buddy.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:My Nightmare Buddy]]

* The animatronic endoskeletons in ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys''.
** Followed by [[spoiler:an Actual Endoskeleton Character (''Animatronic?'') in ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2''. He only appears in 2 rooms, doesn't attack the character, and is a complete mystery]].

* The [[spoiler:Simon]] animatronic in ''VideoGame/{{POPGOES}}'' is a purple skeleton, presumably possessed by the [[spoiler:Purple Guy of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'']].

* The Skullgunners from ''Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner'' are AI-controlled MechaMooks which communicate with each other through a HiveMind for ruthless efficiency.

%% [[folder:Pinballs]]
%% * The T-800 endoskeleton from ''Pinball/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', prominently featured on the playfield between the flippers.
%% * The T-X from ''Pinball/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines''.

%% [[folder:Tabletop Games]]

* The MMORPG ''VideoGame/ToontownOnline'' has Skelecogs in-game which you will most often find in cog factories, during HQ raids, and in high level buildings (but sometimes, also during district invasions). Not only do they look creepier than their regular cogs counterpart (which already hang around the border of UncannyValley), but they're almost always more powerful as well.

[[caption-width-right:350:My [[UncannyValley Nightmare]] Buddy]]

* The creepy baby bot in Music/DaftPunk's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoPplpBPQxQ "Technologic"]] video.
* The Music/LouReed robot in [[http://www.metacafe.com/watch/sy-36166905001/lou_reed_no_money_down_official_music_video/ "No Money Down"]] goes from UncannyValley to this.
* Music/DoctorSteel's iconic robots are built this way.
* Protoman is designed this way on the cover of Music/TheMegas' ''History Repeating: Red''. It's not clear how much of this is because of Wily's repairs and how much is just the parts actively rusting.

[[folder:Pinballs]]
* The T-800 endoskeleton from ''Pinball/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', prominently featured on the playfield between the flippers.
* The T-X from ''Pinball/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]

This trope also makes quite a bit of sense from a pure engineering standpoint: the bipedal human skeleton is a rather efficient infrastructure. Placing processing power and sensors in a compact, heavily armored box at the top of the body minimizes lag and provides the best vantage point possible, the ribcage centralizes and protects important components, and an upright bipedal stance allows both great strength and dexterity in the upper limbs[[note]]By placing the arms directly over the feet, the upright stance ensures that the weight of any object being held by the arms is as close to being directly over the base of support as possible. This greatly increases balance when holding heavy objects, allowing for greater feats of strength and precision.[[/note]] while also making us one of the few animals that can survive prolonged high-speed travel. [[note]]Two legs are always more efficient than four, provided you have the brainpower and coordination to use them. For instance, an average horse would either lose an ultramarathon to an average human or die winning.[[/note]] Eliminating excess weight by replacing muscle with systems of cables or servo motors and organs with compact power supplies would let you strip the body down to, well, the bare bones essentials.

* Transmutate from ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars''.

** The Santa-NK1 doesn't seem to fit this trope at first, but once half of its health is depleted, its face tears off, revealing a mechanical skull.

** [[spoiler:The Human Reaper larva]] in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', often called the [[spoiler:Reapernator]] [[FanNickname by fans]]. To make it even scarier, it's ''huge'' (just one eye is bigger around than an adult human) and it's incomplete; basically just a skull, a spine, a ribcage and two handless arms. Nonetheless, it's capable of moving, attacking, and obliterating potential threats with lasers.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Contra}} Contra III: The Alien Wars]]'' features a giant one named Big Fuzz (or "[[FanNickname Robo-Corpse]]") as a bossfight. It breathes fire, fires homing eye beams and throws time bombs around the room. Eventually it will lose its grip on the doors it was holding open, [[OffWithHisHead cutting off its head]]. Big Fuzz reappears in ''Contra 4'' with the same fire breath attack and this time, you must close the doors on its neck to kill it in similar fashion.