History Main / TheMarvelousDeer

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}'': The large (to the characters) deer that Nod and MK take a romantic sunset ride on.

* ''Fanfic/TheAlarmaverse'': The ''fia sídhe'' are the Equestrian equivalent of TheFairFolk, modeled after fairies from Celtic lore. They live in their own dimension, the ''sídhe'', which can only be entered at certain points where it intersects with Equestria’s reality, and cannot normally be seen by ponies.
* In ''FanFic/ItsADangerousBusinessGoingOutYourDoor'', the Deer of Shimmerwood are the setting's equivalent of [[OurElvesAreDifferent wood elves]]. In [[Fanfic/BesidesTheWillOfEvil the sequel]], the elf parallel is stronger, with different deer races once being capable of using an aspect of the Elements of Harmony. Now, the deers' connection is superficial at best.

* ''FanFic/TheGodEmpressOfPonykind'': The sequel uses deer as an elf equivalent. Unfortunately, that equivalent is also based on [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 the Eldar]], and several of the deer are xenophobic pricks.
* In ''WebAnimation/ToBelong'', Charming's [[{{Animorphism}} animal form]] is a regal-looking deer. It fits his wealthy background and NiceGuy personality. [[spoiler:Subverted when it turns out in the past he was a PrinceCharmless, preferring to [[TheAlcoholic drink]] and ignore his duties. He's on the run for murdering his [[SiblingMurder brother]] and his fiancee, though it's hinted that he was forced to do so]].

* ''Podcast/WelcomeToNightVale'': Deer are a recurring motif, and seem to be a symbol of the alien and the other. [[TheNarrator Cecil]] has this to say about them;

** Stantler, from ''Videogame/PokemonGoldAndSilver''. It's said to be able to hypnotize and psychologically affect people and Pokémon with its antlers, which give the illusion of two large eyes in the center of each side.
*** ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' gives Stantler an evolution in the Hisui region, the Normal/Psychic-type Wyrdeer, which uses its antlers like radar antennae via space-distorting psychic energy and is viewed as indispensable by the people of Hisui for the garments that can be made from its fur.
** Deerling and Sawsbuck from ''Videogame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' also seem to be based on this concept, being the only Pokémon that change forms with the seasons. Sawsbuck's antlers particularly are marvelous as they're tree branches with leaves that grow and die throughout the year.

** Deerling and Sawsbuck from ''Videogame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' also seem to be based on this concept, being the only Po&kacute;emon that change forms with the seasons. Sawsbuck's antlers particularly are marvelous as they're tree branches with leaves that grow and die throughout the year.

** Stantler, from ''Videogame/PokemonGoldAndSilver''. It's said to be able to hypnotize and psychologically affect people and Pokemon with its antlers, which give the illusion of two large eyes in the center of each side.
** Deerling and Sawsbuck from ''Videogame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' also seem to be based on this concept, being the only Pokemon that change forms with the seasons. Sawsbuck's antlers particularly are marvelous as they're tree branches with leaves that grow and die throughout the year.

* Among certain online communities, a cryptid known as the [[https://sarkos.tumblr.com/post/190157869353/what-do-you-mean-by-thats-not-a-deer-in-the "Not-Deer"]] has gained notoriety through posts starting in 2020. The creature is native to the foothills of Virginia and is described as looking like a deer but with some [[AnimalisticAbomination details off]], such as possessing weirdly jointed legs, canine-like teeth, or a mouth that is a little too large. It is sometimes linked to the Native American SkinWalker or {{Wendigo}} to give it a bit of credibility -- although neither creature (as mentioned under the Mythology and Religion heading above) had any real connection to deer in the mythology, and the SkinWalker comes from the lore of a people -- the Navajo, specifically -- who don't even traditionally live on that side of the continent.

* Among certain online communities, a cryptid known as the [[https://sarkos.tumblr.com/post/190157869353/what-do-you-mean-by-thats-not-a-deer-in-the "Not-Deer"]] has gained notoriety through posts starting in 2020. The creature is native to the foothills of Virginia and is described as looking like a deer but with some [[AnimalisticAbomination details off]], such as possessing weirdly jointed legs, canine-like teeth, or a mouth that is a little too large. It is sometimes linked to the Native American SkinWalker or {{Wendigo}} to give it a bit of credibility - although neither creature (as mentioned under the Mythology and Religion heading above) had any real connection to deer in the mythology, and the SkinWalker comes from the lore of a people - the Navajo, specifically - who don't even traditionally live on that side of the continent.

* Among certain online communities, a cryptid known as the [[https://sarkos.tumblr.com/post/190157869353/what-do-you-mean-by-thats-not-a-deer-in-the "Not-Deer"]] has gained notoriety through posts starting in 2020. The creature is native to the foothills of Virginia and is described as looking like a deer but with some [[AnimalisticAbomination details off]], such as possessing weirdly jointed legs, canine-like teeth, or a mouth that is a little too large. It is sometimes linked to the Native American SkinWalker or {{Wendigo}} to give it a bit of credibility - although neither creature (as mentioned under the Mythology and Religion heading above) had any real connection to deer in the mythology, and the SkinWalker comes from the lore of a people - the Navajo, specifically - who [[BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins don't even live on that side of the continent.]]

* Among certain online communities, a cryptid known as the [[https://sarkos.tumblr.com/post/190157869353/what-do-you-mean-by-thats-not-a-deer-in-the "Not-Deer"]] has gained notoriety through posts starting in 2020. The creature is native to the foothills of Virginia and is described as looking like a deer but with some [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimalisticAbomination details off]], such as possessing weirdly jointed legs, canine-like teeth, or a mouth that is a little too large. It is sometimes linked to the Native American SkinWalker or {{Wendigo}} to give it a bit of credibility - though those two creatures come from the lore of tribes who didn't live in that region, and neither creature had much of a connection to deer in the mythology (see Mythology and Legends, above).

* Among certain online communities, a cryptid known as the [[https://sarkos.tumblr.com/post/190157869353/what-do-you-mean-by-thats-not-a-deer-in-the "Not-Deer"]] has gained notoriety through posts starting in 2020. The creature is native to North America and is described as looking like a deer but with some [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimalisticAbomination details off]], such as possessing weirdly jointed legs, canine-like teeth, or a mouth that is a little too large. It may overlap with the Native American SkinWalker or {{Wendigo}}.
* The Edmonton Elks football team has a horned elk as their logo.

* Modern pop culture often treats the {{wendigo}} as an inversion of this, portraying it as a hideous monster with the [[HornedHumanoid antlers]] or [[NonHumanHead head]] of a stag (or sometimes a stag's SkullForAHead). However, the original [[Myth/NativeAmericanMythology Algonquian and Athabaskan mythology]] was actually more of an ''aversion'', since their wendigo had no particular connection to deer, though it was occasionally associated with [[OwlBeDamned owls]].

* In Medieval Times' dinner theatre shows, the emblem of the Green Knight is a stag, and his helmet often has a stag's antlers.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Harry's Patronus is a stag, to symbolize his father's animal form and that he's still watching over him. The seventh book also prominently features a mysterious silver doe that leads Harry to the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Gryffindor]]. [[spoiler:It's actually Snape's Patronus, and represents Lily, the woman he loved.]]

* ''Literature/TheHobbit'': While Bilbo and the dwarves are in the Mirkwood, they encounter a black hart that knocks Bombur into a river whose waters cause a supernatural sleep. Thorin kills it. Later, they see a shining white doe and fawn -- unfortunately, by that time the dwarves are mostly starved, half-mad, and try to shoot them.

* In ''Literature/TheWhiteStag'', by Kate Seredy, pne such stag leads them onward at various times.%%Leads WHO onwards?

** In "[[https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/episode-1-witch-woods-2021-09-02 The Witch of the Woods]]", the werewolf Planeswalker Ayrlinn Kord recalls a time when she and her pack hunted a pure white deer with a smell she found strangely bewitching. They chased it for two days before cornering it at a cliff, but after that they let it go -- according to Kord, "sometimes just laying your eyes on something's gift enough".

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}}''. Bambi's father is the Great Prince of the forest who guards the woodland creatures against the dangers of hunters.

*** This also present on the plane of Tarkir: according to the card [[https://magiccards.info/ktk/en/62.html Wetland Sambar]], part of the initiation process for Jeskai monks involves approaching one such stag while holding a lotus flower. They can only proceed to the next part of their training if the stag eats the flower from their hand.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': The magical, deer-like Lord of the Mountain is the best mount in the game but can't be registered at stables, because the stable manager is scared that he'll be cursed for daring to stable a god. It's said to be the reincarnation of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoru_Iwata benevolent sage]] who watches over Hyrule and its wildlife.

* In ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/aulnoy/1892/hindinwood.html The Hind in the Wood]]'', by Madame d'Aulnoy, Princes Desiree is turned into a white doe when she is exposed to sunlight by an evil lady-in-waiting (as per a curse). Her fiance, not knowing that she is his bride-to-be, becomes fascinated with her and pursues her through the woods.

* Myth/CelticMythology: White stags were associated with the otherworld, and sometimes considered to be messengers from its inhabitants. They would make their appearance in situations where it was possible to enter the otherworld, or when humans broke supernatural taboos -- for instance, Pwyll's trespass into the lands of Arawn, the lord of the otherworld, is marked by Pwyll finding and chasing a stag while in Arawn's hunting grounds.

* Among certain online communities, a cryptid known as the [[https://sarkos.tumblr.com/post/190157869353/what-do-you-mean-by-thats-not-a-deer-in-the "Not-Deer"]] has gain notoriety through posts starting in 2020. The creature is native to North America and is described as looking like a deer but with some [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimalisticAbomination details off]], such as possessing weirdly jointed legs, canine-like teeth, or a mouth that is a little too large. It may overlap with the Native American SkinWalker or {{Wendigo}}.