History Main / TotallyNotAWerewolf

* ''TabletopGame/WorldOfDarkness'': Vampires, werewolves, Pooka changlings, Devourer demons and mages all had powers which could let them turn into wolves. So what happened if you put one of each on a stage to perform this trick in front of mortal witnesses? The vampire gets the expected mundane reaction (and the vampire MenInBlack on his tail, most likely), the werewolf drives witnesses into hallucinations and denial, the changeling leaves all but the least banal of viewers remembering it as a vague dream, the demon won't be able to pull it off because the collective disbelief of the viewers blocks the use of the transformation and the mage explodes because the universe doesn't like people turning into wolves.

** This tends to happen pretty often in ''TabletopGame/HunterTheVigil''. Hunters are for the most part poorly informed about the supernatural, many of them have completely incorrect belief on it ([[ChurchMilitant The Malleus Maleficarum and the Long Night]] are both convinced [[{{Demonization}} every single supernatural creature is either a demon or connected to the Demons]], and Les Mysteres believe them to all be connected to spirits), and there are plenty of monsters who don't even fit any of the established categories, so confusion between multiple types is common occurrence.

*** It doesn't help either that most supernatural species [[VampireVarietyPack come themselves in a wide variety of subspecies]], and an archetypal mythological monster can sometimes match the descriptions of several subspecies from different species at the same time.

*** Want a traditional devil? Aside from demons, you have the [[TabletopGame/HunterTheVigil Luiferge]] (who are explicitly descended from demons, but ''not'' the ones ''Demon/TheDescent is about), some Beasts, some Darkling changelings, the Maeljin spirits, Abyssal entities, and vampires can pull off a good impression if they need to.
*** Want a mummy? You don't even need [[TabletopGame/MummyTheCurse Arisen]]- Osirians are basically mummy Prometheans.

** Heroes from ''TabletopGame/BeastThePrimordial'' have a similar problem to Hunters; seeing how they usually have to learn about the supernatural from scraps, and the creatures they hunt, Beasts, can appear as any form of mythological monsters, many of them initially assume ''all'' supernaturals are Beasts. One of the Heroes provided in ''Conquering Heroes'', Micheal Bellinger, occasionally hunts down supernaturals who turn out to be unrelated to the Begotten, usually causing him to leave disappointed in the middle of the fight.
** Amusingly enough, fangame ''TabletopGame/DragonTheEmbers'' has the Werewolves, of all people, being the one ''making'' this type of mistake. A frequent reason they end up fighting Dragons is because they mistake them either for spirit invaders or people possessed by them, [[TabletopGame/WerewolfTheForsaken both things they fight on regular basis]]. The game also mentions that more than once Hunters have mistaken a Dragon for a Vampire and tried to KillItWithFire - a good tactic against Vampires, who burn like dry kindling, but just an annoyance to Dragons.
** In other fangame ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful'', it's very common for [[TabletopGame/HunterTheVigil Hunters]] to mistake [[MagicalGirl Princesses]] for another kind of "[[TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening witch]]". ''TabletopGame/HunterTheVigilDarkAndLight'' reveals its still subject to debate amongts hunters if they even are just another subtype of witch or another kind of supernatural being entirely.
*** An example can also be found on the antagonist lists for Princesses. Among the differents Creatures of the Darkness the Hopeful fight, there are two kinds, the Mnemosyne[[note]]humans who lost their last shred of integrity while [[TheCorruption Darkened]] but didn't have their body warped enough to become mindless monsters[[/note]] and the Cataphractoi[[note]]sentient Darkspawns born from the death of someone who crossed the DespairEventHorizon[[/note]], who frequently get mixed up because they are both [[HumanoidAbomination completely human-looking]] and capable of [[MonsterLord controlling lesser Darkspawns]]. Making such a mistake actually is quite dangerous, since a key difference between the two is that Mnemosyne are {{Squishy Wizard}}s, while Cataphractoi have a ''very'' powerful OneWingedAngel form.
** In other fangame ''TabletopGame/GeniusTheTransgression'', one of the main reason [[MadScientist Geniuses]] have a hard time dealing with supernaturals is because of this trope: Mania, the energy they get their power from, occasionally ends up creating beings called Manes, which are physical manifestations of discredited theories, and can occasionally give birth to strange creatures such as dinosaurs, nazi sorcerers, aliens and even a specific representation of angels and demons. Because of this, it is somewhat difficult for them to figure out which supernaturals are Manes, and which ones are entirely different creatures born from another source.

[[caption-width-right:524:Pictured: [[NobleWolf The Prince of Wolves]] and a {{Mutant}}. No werewolves here.]]

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': In "The Little People of Killany Woods", Liam O'Shaughnessy claims that he has seen {{Leprechaun}}s in Killany Woods. Mike Mulvaney later learns that they are [[LittleGreenMen three foot tall green aliens]] from a distant galaxy who enlisted Liam's help to repair their ship, which is shaped like a toadstool.[[/folder]]

* In Creator/BruceCoville short story "Little Monsters," the protagonist finds little statuettes of monsters that turn out to be real creatures TakenForGranite. The one that looks like a werewolf, however, is actually their pet dog. During the full moon, he turns into a vaguely humanoid "wolf-man" creature.

* The mutant Wolfsbane from ''Comicbook/NewMutants'', who had to be reassured she was not a werewolf, as they were considered to be demons where she was from and her wolf-like appearance caused her much self loathing.
* ''Franchise/SpiderMan''. John Jameson, J. Jonah Jameson's son, may occasionally turn into a ferocious Man-Wolf, but he's not a werewolf. He's a guy who found an alien gem on the moon that's supposed to turn the bearer into a lupine PhysicalGod, but it doesn't work very well in our dimension, making him lose control. He's also explicitly not bothered by silver, as one WrongGenreSavvy opponent found out the hard way.
** {{Inverted|Trope}} on one occasion in ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'', when Cap, in the process of searching for the missing John Jameson (who'd been working as his pilot), assumed reports about a wolf-man in rural New England were about John and went to find him. It turned out to be an entire town of actual werewolves, resulting in the notorious [[AudienceAlienatingEra Cap-Wolf story]].
* The ''ComicBook/XMen'' once fought an entire team of wolf-like mutants calling themselves the Dominant Species, and managed to stop them from forcefully recruiting a teenage mutant named Wolf Cub. Unsurprisingly, Wolfsbane ended up mentoring him at the Xavier School.

* In one arc in ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'', the characters' {{Masquerade}} is threatened by a journalist who, being WrongGenreSavvy, assumes that their near-immortality means that they must be vampires.

* The Franchise/MarvelUniverse has the mutant Wolfsbane from ''Comicbook/NewMutants'', who had to be reassured she was not a werewolf, as they were considered to be demons where she was from and her wolf-like appearance caused her much self loathing.
* The X-Men once fought an entire team of wolf-like mutants calling themselves the Dominant Species, and managed to stop them from forcefully recruiting a teenage mutant named Wolf Cub. Unsurprisingly, Wolfsbane ended up mentoring him at the Xavier School.
* Franchise/SpiderMan. John Jameson, J. Jonah Jameson's son, may occasionally turn into a ferocious Man-Wolf, but he's not a werewolf. He's a guy who found an alien gem on the moon that's supposed to turn the bearer into a lupine PhysicalGod, but it doesn't work very well in our dimension, making him lose control. He's also explicitly not bothered by silver, as one WrongGenreSavvy opponent found out the hard way.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

* In ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'', a local group of {{Magical Native American}}s[[note]]from the Quileute ethnic group, an actual Native community in [[UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest Washington State]] ([[CaptainObvious though they can't shapeshift]] in RealLife)[[/note]] can turn into wolves [[VoluntaryShapeshifting at will]] (or [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting accidentally]] when under emotional stress), during which they keep their human minds. They're called "werewolves" through three different books, but near the end of the final one, Edward suddenly explains that they're actually "shape-shifters," while this world apparently includes actual "werewolves" who fit the modern perception (full moons, etc.) more closely. Arguably comes off as an AssPull, since this basically just makes it so that a werewolf-hating member of the BigBadDuumvirate doesn't have an excuse to kill them all.
* ''Literature/MercyThompson'': The titular character is a ''walker'', not a werewolf. Even if she does hang around with them a lot.

* Wolf from the ''Wolf & Raven'' TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}} short stories was originally intended to be a werewolf, until the author was told that Weres in that Verse are animals who assume human form, not vice versa. The character was therefore re-written as a human physical adept with an intense -- [[JekyllAndHyde sometimes too intense]] -- spiritual bond to the Wolf totem.
* ''Literature/DivineBloodNovels'': As one of the ridiculous questions she has to discuss with her opponent Eija Semezou is asked whether she prefers vampires or werewolves. She protests that the layman's terms are too vague for a response. Some of the local goths mistake Eija and Hel for various supernatural creatures. They're actually underestimating.
* In ''Wolf in Shadow'' Rhian can transform into a wolf and people assume that she is a werewolf. Actually, her ability comes from an ancient Celtic brooch which is infused with the power of the sorceress/goddess Morgan le Fay who was the queen of shapeshifters. A character more familiar with supernatural matters concludes that this more closely resembles demonic possession and derives from ancient elf/fae magic. Werewolves are said to exist in that universe but their characteristics are not discussed. Ironically, a Totally Not a Vampire character assumes that she is a powerful witch who found a way to use wiccan magic to shapeshift. Totally Not Vampires are referred to as "suckers". While they feed on life energy contained in human blood and are damaged by sunlight, they are quite different from stereotypical fictional vampires. The people who have to fight them use [[InsistentTerminology insist on the name "sucker"]] to remind everyone of the differences.
* Oddly inverted in ''Literature/AWolfInTheSoul''. Greg fits the standard werewolf tropes a lot more than do the species of werewolves described in the mythology, of which he is not a member.

* Bligh from ''Literature/TheDogs'' objects to be called a werewolf, preferring to be thought of as a kind of "half-dog" (or "dawg," [[FunetikAksent as he says it]]. The other characters that are changed into this form, Andrew and Cody, acquiesce to the title. {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d when Stephen, Andrew's brother, asks them if they changed because of a full moon. [[spoiler:(They didn't.)]]

* ''Literature/ThisIsNotAWerewolfStory:'' Raul knows a magic formula to [[VoluntaryShapeshifting voluntarily]] change into a wolf. As the title suggests, he hates the term "werewolf," because in his mind that implies tropes that don't apply to him (like being a WolfMan with no control over himself, the full moon thing, etc.) There are no "real" werewolves to compare him to, though we eventually learn that [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent there are various other shapeshifters]] who turn into different animals.
* ''Literature/TheCloakSociety'' has Kirbie, who is often referred to as a "werewolf," though technically it's just that {{Animorphism}} is her power and "wolf" happened to be the first transformation that she got. She can also turn into a bird, with [[SupermanSubstitute Lone Star]] theorizing that she'll get more forms as time goes on. She did find herself InvoluntaryShapeshifting a lot when she was younger, though.
* Played with but mostly averted in ''Literature/InCryptid''. Waheela transform into giant wolflike monsters (or transform from that into human, depending on your point of view), but they are definitely ''not'' werewolves (for one thing, they're a separate species, and can't turn people by biting them), and aren't mistaken for werewolves (since the protagonists by and large know the difference). Actual werewolves (which appear in a later book) are caused by TheVirus and can infect any mammal.

* ''Series/TrueBlood'': [[spoiler:Sam]]'s not a werewolf, he's a [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shifter]], thank you very much. Werewolves genuinely exist--and yes, [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent they're different]]. He's not a big fan of [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent werecats]] either.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' introduced "skinwalkers", who can transform into wolves (or dogs, at least) and are distinct from the ''actual'' werewolves who do transform with the lunar cycle, but into humans with evil eyes and bad teeth. However, they do share a number of characteristics, including the ability to [[ViralTransformation infect people by biting them]], and an allergy to silver. Not very surprising, then, that the brothers thought they were hunting a werewolf when they started looking into the skinwalker.

* In ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', Tyler notices Caroline's abnormal strength and speed and accuses her of being a werewolf like he is. She laughs and reveals that she's a vampire instead.

* One Halloween episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' had a mysterious wolf-like animal roaming through the city every night, and Goliath is seen researching werewolves as a possible cause. It turns out it's actually [[DarkActionGirl Fox]], whose [[UnholyMatrimony engagement present]] is an ArtifactOfDoom. Her fiance [[XanatosGambit Xanatos]] has no fewer than ''[[CrazyPrepared four]]'' plans to get it off of her.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' episode "Benwolf", Ben is attacked by a Loboan alien named Yeenaldooshi (After the Navajo word for a SkinWalker) matching the description of a legend from a local Navajo community, and the previously unknown [[PowerCopying "collect DNA"]] function of his [[TransformationTrinket Omnitrix]] activated, slowly transforming him into a duplicate of it. The cast drew the obvious false conclusion.

* ''Manga/ShamanKing'' has Boris Tepes Dracula, a descendant of the original Dracula whose family use shaman powers to mimic vampires. Specifically he uses blood as a medium to channel bat spirits, forming a cloak which can split into bats. When he bites someone he absorbs more blood into the cloak while injecting some back in - since this blood is still under his control he can then use the victims as PeoplePuppets.

* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', witches are humans with the power to change into animals. Blair is an animal with the power to change into a human. It actually makes a huge difference, as Maka and Soul just needed Soul to eat one witch's soul to become a Deathscythe, but eating Blair's soul instead made them lose all the progress they'd made so far.

* In one arc in ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'', the characters' {{Masquerade}} is threatened by a journalist who, being WrongGenreSavvy, assumes that their near-immortality means that they must be vampires.
* DC comic ''ComicBook/TheMovement'' had Christopher, AKA Burden, a young gay man whose extremely religious parents thought he was possessed, resulting in his emerging shapeshifting powers creating him a demon-looking alt form. It took a while before before he accepted the fact that neither his shapeshifting or his orientation made him possessed.
* ''ComicBook/StreetFighterVsDarkstalkers'': Rashid enters Anakaris' tomb believing it to be an alien ruin, and mistakes him for an alien despite him being actually a mummy. Donovan Baine also mistakes Akuma as just another Darkstalker, but he is just a superpowered human martial artist that looks demonic.

* In ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', the large majority of super-powered people were either Gifted people, the Avengers, and Inhumans. Because of this, when Ghost Rider is introduced in season 4 as the very first supernatural being of the show, people initially assume he is an Inhuman, and are sceptical when he insists he actually got his powers from a DealWithTheDevil.

* A werebat from ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'s Children of the Night: Werebeasts'' made a point of dressing and acting like a vampire to throw off potential monster-hunters.

* A frequent point of comedy (and irritation) for Lady Zozo in ''VideoGame/CodeOfPrincess'', who gets called a "zombie" by just about every bad guy she meets. She constantly has to remind them that she's {{not a zombie}}, but a {{necromancer}}.

WRONG. They're not ''that'' kind of werewolf. The UniverseBible defines the rules and requirements for being a "werewolf," and this individual doesn't fit the description of the creatures that bible ascribes the terminology to. But at least they'll forgive you--they must deal with this confusion all the time. Depending on the individual's demeanor, some may even play off the confusion.

* Happens all the time on ''Series/DoctorWho'', although it is possibly a subversion. The Doctor has admitted to making up some of the technobabble because they don't want to say "It's magic", so a "Lupine Wavelength Hamaevoform" fits the NotUsingTheZWord aspect of this trope in "Tooth and Claw".

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Sorcery 101}}'' distinguishes werewolves from ''wolf-demons'', which are sort of the opposite: supernatural wolves that can assume a mostly-human form.

** "The Unquiet Dead" and "The Haunting of Villa Diodati" feature alien/futuristic threats mistaken for ghosts. (Though in the latter case, [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane there may have been an actual ghost as well]]).
** In "The Witchfinders", the Doctor herself, an alien, is mistaken for a witch, while in "The Shakespeare Code" another alien race (who essentially use a scientific form of witchcraft) become the inspiration for Shakespeare's witches from ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}''.
** Various so-called Vampires who turn out to be aliens appear in "Curse of Fenric", "Smith and Jones", "Vampires of Venice", "State of Decay", etc.
* Olivia Moore, the protagonist from ''Series/IZombie'', justifies her ability to sense how people were killed by telling her partner she is a [[PsychicPowers psychic]]. This is actually a lie to cover the much [[DarkSecret darker]] truth on the matter- she actually is a [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombie]] whose precognitive flashes are [[EatBrainForMemories memories from the brains she eats]] at the morgue.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': The monster in the black and white episode "Monster Movie" was actually a shapeshifter, but the boys kept confusing it for other monsters because it emulated all of them because of its love for the universal horror classics, to the point that it seemed like a straight-up MonsterMash before it turned out to just be the one monster. What clued them in that something was up is because its appearances didn't fit the "real" versions of the other monster species at all, such as a ClassicalMovieVampire instead of the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent savage, but otherwise able to pass for human vampires]] they're used to (which ironically made witnesses identify it right away as a vampire).

[[folder:Web Comics]]

-->-- {{Literature/Mercy Thompson}}

* In the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' Saga, a local group of {{Magical Native American}}s [[note]]from the Quileute ethnic group, an actual Native community in [[UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest Washington State]] ([[CaptainObvious though they can't shapeshift]] in RealLife)[[/note]] can turn into wolves [[VoluntaryShapeshifting at will]] (or [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting accidentally]] when under emotional stress), during which they keep their human minds. They're called "werewolves" through three different books, but near the end of the final one, Edward suddenly explains that they're actually "shape-shifters," while this world apparently includes actual "werewolves" who fit the modern perception (full moons, etc.) more closely. Arguably comes off as an AssPull, since this basically just makes it so that a werewolf-hating member of the BigBadDuumvirate doesn't have an excuse to kill them all.

** Later, a straighter variant comes up [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-05-21 when we learn a big part of why]] Susan [[http://www.egscomics.com/egsnp/?date=2009-10-29 despises]] "[[Literature/{{Twilight}} vampire romance]]". Although "vampire" is eventually [[RetCon retconned]] into being an acceptable term, the being in question [[OurVampiresAreDifferent isn't exactly a traditional one]]... but it does sound a lot like one:

* [[ComicBook/XMen Mutants]] in the Marvel Universe frequently end up being mistaken for various supernatural creatures. For example, ComicBook/{{Nightcrawler}} may have a forked tail and his teleports smell of sulfur, but he's no demon. Storm and her tribe thought she was a goddess until Professor Xavier found her and explained what mutants were. The more recent character Oya was nearly killed for being a witch when her temperature manipulation powers emerged.
** The inverse happens as well, with anyone with super powers being mistaken for a mutant until their origin is known to the public. You'd think it wouldn't matter that the guy who set you fire with his mind got his powers from [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks mongoose blood]] instead of [[SuperpowerfulGenetics genetics]], but [[FantasticRacism it apparently does]].

* DC comic ''Comicbook/TheMovement'' had Christopher, AKA Burden, a young gay man whose extremely religious parents thought he was possessed, resulting in his emerging shapeshifting powers creating him a demon-looking alt form. It took a while before before he accepted the fact that neither his shapeshifting or his orientation made him possessed.

* Literature/MercyThompson is a ''walker'', not a werewolf. Even if she does hang around with them a lot.

* Literature/DivineBloodNovels: As one of the ridiculous questions she has to discuss with her opponent Eija Semezou is asked whether she prefers vampires or werewolves. She protests that the layman's terms are too vague for a response. Some of the local goths mistake Eija and Hel for various supernatural creatures. They're actually underestimating.
** For those who are curious...there are three types of werewolves.
** Dabblers; Shapeshifters who use transformative magics to turn themselves into a wolf, or wolf-like being. This is considered INSANELY dangerous, and stupid. It causes severe mental and physical stress,
** Therianthropes: A race of non-humans, who naturally have the ability to turn into a perfectly normal wolf. Or, rather, wolves who evolved the ability to turn into a human, and eventually reached the point where they are more human then wolf. Natural mimics, they are indistinguishable from humans. Some can turn into things OTHER then a wolf.
** Cursed. People under a curse to turn into a ravenous wolf-monster every full moon. So...basically, your standard werewolf.

** Berserkers, people who can channel animal spirits but don't actually transform. BadassNormal and crazy, but basically human.

** In "The Witchfinders", the Doctor herself, an alien, is mistaken for a witch, while in "The Shakespeare Code" another alien race (who essentially use a scientific form of witchcraft) become the inspiration for Shakespeare's witches from ''Theatre/Macbeth''.

** {{Inverted|Trope}} on one occasion in ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'', when Cap, in the process of searching for the missing John Jameson (who'd been working as his pilot), assumed reports about a wolf-man in rural New England were about John and went to find him. It turned out to be an entire town of actual werewolves, resulting in the notorious [[DorkAge Cap-Wolf story]].

*** Want a HornyDevil? Daeva, Fairest Changelings, some Spirits, Galateids, siren-like Beasts, and some demons.

* In [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/28244649/chapters/69213237 this]] ''Literature/GoodOmens'' fanfiction, the demon Crowley is mistaken for several supernatural creatures.

* [[Manga/RurouniKenshin Hiko]] in Creator/{{Vathara}}'s ''Walk Through the Valley'' was mistaken for a werewolf by a member of LaResistance working with him at night because that's when he has EyeColourChange change from blue to [[GlowingEyesOfDoom amber]]. He also possessed AbsurdlySharpClaws, which he used to tear apart the people who'd conquered Kwannon and their {{Mind Control}}led collaborators, when he wasn't hacking them apart with a sword. Hiko wasn't a BalefulPolymorph or a {{Voluntary Shapeshift|ing}}er, though; instead, he underwent a {{Metamorphosis}} into one of the more human-looking [[CatGirl Catboys]] in fiction, leaving him with no tail or any visible changes to his ears. Oh, and werewolves were ''not'' said to be real in this universe.

** There are also the rougarou. In RealLife they're considered a variant of the werewolf legend[[note]]The word is derived from "loup-garou," the French term for a werewolf[[/note]], but the comic treats them as different from animal people. They're created through a curse, ''do'' lose their human minds, and [[BalefulPolymorph they're stuck as monsters forever]].

* Lugh Beowulf from ''VisualNovel/MahouTsukaiNoYoru'' is a nature spirit who can transform into a golden wolf. He was discovered by a tribe of werewolves who saw him as a saviour who would revive their race. When they discovered that he was not a werewolf, he was ostracized and sold to Touko Aozaki.

* In ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', Tyler notices Caroline's abnormal strength and speed and accuses her of being a werewolf like him. She laughs and reveals that she's a vampire instead.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': The monster in the black and white episode "Monster Movie" was actually a shapeshifter, but the boys kept confusing it for other monsters because it emulated all of them because of its love for the universal horror classics, to the point that it seemed like a straight-up MonsterMash before it turned out to just be the one monster. What clued them in that something was up is because its appearances didn't fit the "real" versions of the other monster species at all, such as a ClassicalMovieVampire instead of the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent savage, but otherwise able to pass for human vampires]] they're used to.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': The monster in the black and white episode "Monster Movie" was actually a shapeshifter, but the boys kept confusing it for other monsters because it emulated all of them because of its love for the universal horror classics, to the point that it seemed like a straight-up MonsterMash before it turned out to just be the one monster. What clued them in that something was up is because its appearances didn't fit the description of the other monster species at all, such as a ClassicalMovieVampire instead of the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent savage, but otherwise able to pass for human vampires]] they're used to.