History Main / TheDeadHaveEyes

* Death from ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' is another example of a skeleton ''without'' eyes, merely with two blue points of light in his eyesockets. Probably because Death is not supposed to be a horrible monster, but a main character. Much of the [[CoversAlwaysLie cover art]] by Josh Kirby (falsely) depicts him with normal eyeballs, though.

* Lampshaded in ''Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant''. The titular character is a skeleton who can not only see without having eyes, but can also hear, speak, think, etc. without the necessary organs. When questioned about this, his answer is essentially AWizardDidIt.

* WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas: Jack Skellington can see and hear just fine without eyes and ears. In the commentary, Creator/TimBurton mentions that Disney wanted him to add eyes for more expression, [[AvertedTrope but]] [[UncannyValley luckily]], Jack's eyesockets were expressive enough to not need them.

* The movie poster for ''Film/EvilDead2'', as [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evil-dead-2-horror-movie-poster.jpg shown here]].

* Averted in the 1972 Creator/AmicusProductions film version of ''[[Film/ECComics Tales From The Crypt]]''; the two times we see characters who have been dead for a while, their eyes are completely gone (Creator/PeterCushing's character is the most memorable example).

* Averted in ''Film/TheMummy1999'', the eponymous mummy has to [[EyeScream borrow eyes]]. Though for some reason, he borrows them from someone who can [[BlindWithoutEm barely see]]. Their myopia somehow doesn't affect him.

* Even the most thoroughly decayed zombies from Romero's later zombie films (''Film/DayOfTheDead'' and ''Film/LandOfTheDead'') have totally intact eyes.

'''[[OracularHead Murray:]]''' How can ''you'' walk around without a brain? Some things no-one can answer.

This manifests in different ways in different media. Decades old zombies fresh out of their graves will have gorgeous (or more likely horrifying) functional eyes despite [[SlidingScaleOfUndeadRegeneration the rest of their body being a decayed mess]], as demonstrated by the gentle-person in the picture. On the other extreme, lacking sensory organs is no impediment for animated skeletons, who will be able to see and hear humans as if they still had those fleshy bits. At times, they will have GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath in their eyesockets.

Interestingly, the undead may even develop SuperSenses in the form of superior smell, hearing, or even "[[VeinOVision living radar]]". The page image, specifically, of skeleton/zombies [[EyesAreUnbreakable with still-intact eyes]], is probably a modern trope. As modern horror movies and CGI have blurred the line between rotting zombie and skeleton with bits of flesh and organs still hanging on, for increased "yuck" factor. So while it makes sense for recently deceased zombies to have functioning eyes, and older stop motion polished skeletons not to, there are now those that toe the line. Historically, this may have to do with the SpecialEffects and makeup needed for eyeless sockets being difficult or impractical to use, since it would potentially blind the actor and remove some of their ability to emote[[note]] (well, emoting that they don't emote, anyway)[[/note]].

* Subversion: The movie ''Tombs of the Blind Dead'', they hunt you by sound alone.
** Also played straight, in that it doesn't bother to explain how their eyes managed to rot away while leaving their eardrums perfectly intact.
*** The zombies in that movie are the Knights Templar. Their eyes were pecked out by crows after they were accused of heresy by the church.

[[quoteright:232:[[Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDead http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/BlueZombEyes.jpeg]]]]

* The pic is from ''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'', by the way. ''It's time to paaaaaaaaaaaarty!''

* Justified in ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'' with undead Duane's eyes actually being pyramic replacements. The eyes he was born with were actually stabbed out before he died.

* Anyone who has seen ''TalesFromTheCrypt'' can never forget the Crypt Keeper's beautiful blue eyes... and spleen, and liver, and collection of hearts.

* The 3.5 ''DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Libris Mortis'' stated that skeletons and other undead without normal visual sensory organs have "Lifesense". That is they can see as if living creatures gave off light in a 20 foot radius that illuminates the environment for them and everything else is total darkness.
** Also from ''DungeonsAndDragons'', the Demiliches don't have eyes per se but instead, two large red jewels that [[RedEyesTakeWarning work just as well]].
** Another ''DungeonsAndDragons'' example: the 1st edition adventure L1 ''The Secret of Bone Hill'' had two undead skeletons with eyes: the skelter and the remains of a high level magic user.

* The zombies in ''SluggyFreelance'' have human intelligence and who can pass for humans... under medium/heavy zombie makeup. One even mentions they need to eat the tissue they want to repair/maintain for it to stay "healthy". So most zombies who only eat muscle go blind and deaf (and very dumb) after the first few years.

* [[TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Jack Skellington]] can see and hear just fine without eyes and ears. In the commentary, Creator/TimBurton mentions that Disney wanted him to add eyes for more expression, [[AvertedTrope but]] [[UncannyValley luckily]], Jack's eyesockets were expressive enough to not need them.

* One of JeffDunham's characters, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, has [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] (and eyebrows, and a [[BeardOfEvil goatee]]), even after being reduced to a skeleton.

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', [[spoiler: Barragan Luisenbarn's [[OneWingedAngel Resurrecciòn]] is a plain skeleton- no eyes ([[GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath glowing]] or real) what so ever (although "plain" isn't exactly the right word, taking into account the cool clothes he gets by transforming). Despite this, he's perfectly able to see, not to mention talk, hear, etc.. Then again, he's not an undead- it's simply his natural Hollow form, so he probably doesn't count]].

* In ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl'', the undead pirates are decaying skeletons except for their eyes.

* The movie poster for ''Franchise/EvilDead 2'', as [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evil-dead-2-horror-movie-poster.jpg shown here]].
** Also, the poster for ''DeadAlive''.
** But subverted in ''[[Franchise/EvilDead Army of Darkness]]'' where the Deadite Army (who are mostly just skeletons in armor) have empty sockets.

* Even the most thoroughly decayed zombies from Romero's later zombie films (''DayOfTheDead'' and ''LandOfTheDead'') have totally intact eyes.

** In Lucio Fulci's ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'' (also known as ''Zombie,'' or ''Zombie Flesh Eaters''), the recently undead walk around in a sleepy haze with their eyes closed at all times. Whether or not they have eyes is unclear. The oldest zombies seen, however, seem to be totally without eyes; the ancient conquistador zombie has writhing worms coming from a mostly-decayed eye-hole.

* Averted in ''[[TheMummyTrilogy The Mummy]]'', the eponymous mummy has to [[EyeScream borrow eyes]]. Though for some reason, he borrows them from someone who can [[BlindWithoutEm barely see]]. Their myopia somehow doesn't affect him.

* Justified in ''Unsounded'' with undead Duane's eyes actually being pyramic replacements. The eyes he was born with rotted away with the rest of his soft tissue.

* The ''HighSchoolOfTheDead'' zombies are [[AvertedTrope completely blind]] and in fact won't know you're right next to them as long as you stay completely silent. They hunt via sound only.
* Brook from ''OnePiece'' is a [[DemBones living skeleton]]: he has/had the power to come back to life ''once'', but only managed it after having decayed into a skeleton; thus he is physically (shape, mass) "just bones" but at the same time ''biologically'' fully human; long story short, he can see without eyes (and eat/poop without a GI tract, etc.), a fact he constantly [[LampshadeHanging jokes about]].
* Averted in ''SoulEater'' with Sid. He has no eyes (or lips), but his eye sockets move to help show his expressions.

* In ''PlanescapeTorment'', Morte is physically no more than a speaking, floating skull, but his eyes appear still perfectly functional. He can even roll them despite not having any musculature. Morte [[JustifiedTrope explains that this is because]] he's not really a skull, but a Mimir: A man-made construct (like a golem, but sentient) designed to look like a skull, but with eyes included.

* Oshare Bones of the ''PuyoPuyo'' series has one intact eye. His other eye seems to have rotted away and instead is a [[GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath glowing eyelight of undeath]].
* Gruntilda in ''[[BanjoKazooie Banjo Tooie]]'' spent two years under a giant boulder, arising as a skeleton, and aside from popping out now and again, her eyes are fine. Played with again in ''Nuts & Bolts'', her skull is cracked and bleached after 8 years of hopping back to Spiral Mountain, but her one good eye is perfectly fine and dandy.

* [[TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Jack Skellington]] can see and hear just fine without eyes and ears. In the commentary, TimBurton mentions that Disney wanted him to add eyes for more expression, [[AvertedTrope but]] [[UncannyValley luckily]], Jack's eyesockets were expressive enough to not need them.

* The skeletons in ''DungeonKeeper 2'' have one eye. They can take it out and use it to see round corners in one cutscene.

* Averted in the 1972 [[HammerHorror Amicus]] film version of ''[[Film/ECComics Tales From The Crypt]]''; the two times we see characters who have been dead for a while, their eyes are completely gone (Creator/PeterCushing's character is the most memorable example).

Interestingly, the undead may even develop SuperSenses in the form of superior smell, hearing, or even "[[VeinOVision living radar]]". The page image, specifically, of skeleton/zombies with fully functional eyes, is probably a modern trope. As modern horror movies and CGI have blurred the line between rotting zombie and skeleton with bits of flesh and organs still hanging on, for increased "yuck" factor. So while it makes sense for recently deceased zombies to have functioning eyes, and older stop motion polished skeletons not to, there are now those that toe the line. Historically, this may have to do with the SpecialEffects and makeup needed for eyeless sockets being difficult or impractical to use, since it would potentially blind the actor and remove some of their ability to emote[[note]] (well, emoting that they don't emote, anyway)[[/note]].

* Not a zombie, but ''[[HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse He-Man]]'' arch foe [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Skeletor-spoo.jpg Skeletor]] can see without eyes and talk without lips or tongue.

* The lich and necromancer Xykon from ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has eyes despite being a skeleton. Mainly so that he can have a facial expression.
** Those aren't actually eyes, they're [[GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath glowing points of light]], as liches are supposed to have in D&D. That doesn't explain how he can change the shape of his eyesockets, though.
*** [[AWizardDidIt A Sorcerer did it.]]

Interestingly, the undead may even develop SuperSenses in the form of superior smell, hearing, or even "[[VeinOVision living radar]]". The page image, specifically, of skeleton/zombies with fully functional eyes, is probably a modern trope. As modern horror movies and CGI have blurred the line between rotting zombie and skeleton with bits of flesh and organs still hanging on, for increased "yuck" factor. So while it makes sense for recently deceased zombies to have functioning eyes, and older stop motion polished skeletons not to, there are now those that toe the line. Historically, this may have to do with the SpecialEffects and makeup needed for eyeless sockets being difficult or impractical to use, since it would potentially blind the actor and remove some of their ability to emote[[hottip:*: (well, emoting that they don't emote, anyway)]].