History Main / TotallyNotAWerewolf

Examples of being mistaken for other monsters:

!!Examples:

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* The ''MarvelUniverse'' has plenty of vampires. Most are undead Dracula types, but then there's [[{{Morbius}} Morbius the Living Vampire]], who is of scientific origin and not actually dead.
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* The ''{{Animorphs}}'' are [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Voluntary Shapeshifters]] via alien technology and in Megamorphs #3, Cassie is mistaken for a werewolf by a German soldier.

* The old WorldOfDarkness had...well, to quote PowerCreepPowerSeep, "vampires, werewolves, Pooka changlings, 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, the werewolf drives witnesses into hallucinations and denial, the changeling leaves all but the least banal of viewers remembering it as a vague dream, and the mage explodes because the universe doesn't like people turning into wolves."

* Inverted in ''ElGoonishShive'': [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2002-03-16 Sarah]] (because of her own bitter experience) and Elliot assume that Grace's transformation is the result of some [[MadScientist Tedd]]'s [[TransformationRay experiments]]. [[ShapeshifterDefaultForm Oops]]... Later a straight variant, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-05-21 when we learn why]] Susan [[http://www.egscomics.com/egsnp/?date=2009-10-29 despises]] "[[{{Twilight}} vampire romance]]":
--> '''Susan''': ''No, not really'', but it was a monster that used to be human, hypnotized young women and sucked blood out of their necks.

When a VoluntaryShapeshifter's animal form is mistaken as an ''actual'' monster by other humans.

The [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent myopic lore behind werewolves]] are a MostTriumphantExample: Some werewolves are literally just {{Voluntary Shapeshifter}}s to begin with, but more often the werewolf is an individual afflicted with some manner of InvoluntaryShapeshifting {{Curse}}. Thus, it's easy to assume that if you see any character working and living a human life by day, but running through the woods and howling at the moon by night, then you should at least pack a SilverBullet in case you run into them on a full moon ... right?

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Holo [[InsistentTerminology the Wise]] in ''SpiceAndWolf'' can turn back and forth from a ''huge'' wolf to a CuteMonsterGirl with a fluffy wolf tail and ears. But that's because she's a goddess.
* ''ZettaiKarenChildren'' also featured a couple of psychic kids with shapeshifting powers. One of them can turn into any bird (but only birds, for some reason), while the other one can turn into a wolf - and displays some fairly wolf-like characteristics even when in human form.
* Zoan-class [[AppliedPhlebotinum Devil Fruits]] from ''OnePiece'' allow their users to assume specific animal forms as well as human/animal hybrid forms. Jyabura, a minor villain, has a Wolf model; other similar fruits include Chaka's Jackal model and an unnamed Vice Admiral's Dalmatian model. Then, of course, there's the gun that ate the Dachshund model fruit, but that assumes a gun/Dachshund form rather than a human/Dachshund form.
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* Wolfsbane from the ''XMen'' can take on both a wolf and a hybrid shape, but this is a mutant ability, and not actual lycanthropy.
* The ''MarvelUniverse'' has plenty of vampires. Most are undead Dracula types, but then there's [[{{Morbius}} Morbius the Living Vampire]], who is of scientific origin and not dead.
* Snowbird from ''AlphaFlight'' can turn into an Arctic wolf, though she doesn't do this often.

* The Quilute wolf pack from ''{{Twilight}}''.
* The Alphas in ''TheDresdenFiles'', despite calling themselves werewolves, are actually closer to this. They're essentially one-trick wizards-- wave a silver spoon at them or say something about the full moon and they'll just give you a weird look. For that matter, the Dresdenverse has [[FantasyKitchenSink at least 4 more]] [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent types of werewolf]], and only one of those has anything like the normal weaknesses.

* ''TrueBlood'': [[spoiler:Sam]]'s not a werewolf. Werewolves are dangerous. He's a ''shifter'', thank you so very much. This is important, because werewolves genuinely exist--and yes, [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent they're different]].
* ''{{Supernatural}}'' introduced "skinwalkers", who can transform into wolves (or dogs, at least) but are unaffected by lunar cycles and retain their minds. Actual werewolves do transform with the moon, and they don't turn into wolves, their nails just turn into claws and teeth sharpen, and they go into a berserk rage. They both infect people by biting them, and they're both killed by silver. Not very surprising that the brothers thought they were hunting a werewolf when they started looking into the skinwalker really.

* The term "werewolf" originates from Old English "man" (wyr) + "wolf" (wulf). In some legends, werewolves were actually just {{Voluntary Shapeshifter}}s to begin with.
* [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]] may possess the ability take the shape of a wolf.

* ''Sorcery101'' distinguishes werewolves from wolf-demons, which are sort of the opposite: supernatural wolves that can take a mostly-human form.

* One episode of ''{{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 Fox, whose [[UnholyMatrimony engagement present]] from [[XanatosGambit Xanatos]] is an ArtifactOfDoom.

By day, they look like any other human. They work a normal human job and live a normal human life.

By night, they run around in the woods on pawed legs and howl at the moon. They may even kill a rabbit, sheep, or deer for a midnight snack.

We know what you're thinking: OurWerewolvesAreDifferent, so you should at least keep a SilverBullet or sprig of Wolfsbane on hand just in case you happen to run across them on a bad night, correct?

Except for one problem: They're actually just a VoluntaryShapeshifter who happens to take the form of a wolf. They're not really a werewolf at all, and they'll probably feel insulted that you mistook them for one. But at least they'll forgive you: They must deal with this confusion all the time.

This trope applies to anybody who (whether through magic, AppliedPhlebotinum, or [[AWizardDidIt what have you]]) can willingly shapeshift into the form of a wolf (or whatever etc.) but isn't actually a werewolf ''by the mechanics of their universe.'' If there are actual werewolves in their world (and there usually are, or else the application of this trope would make no sense), these shapeshifters will be very much distinct.

This means that, although they may be confused for such monsters, they are exempt from virtually all of the normal werewolf tropes. They cannot [[ViralTransformation spread their "condition" to other people]] (because there is none!), they are not a separate "species" of werewolf (just a human shapeshifter), and they will not be affected by the phase of the moon or an allergy to wolfsbane or silver. (Though getting shot with an actual SilverBullet would probably still be a fatal wound; guns are sorta meant to do that.)

This can be expanded to shapeshifting into other species of creatures as well, but the myopic lore behind werewolves make it the MostTriumphantExample.

A specific SubTrope of VoluntaryShapeshifting that is nonetheless related to OurWerewolvesAreDifferent; sometimes it even plays off the confusion.

Contrast to NotUsingTheZWord, where the individual ''actually is'' a werewolf, but nobody wants to use that term.

If someone has to actually keep ''saying'' that they're "TotallyNotAWerewolf", [[TemptingFate beware]]: They may also be MostDefinitelyNotAVillain.

In logical terms, this trope makes no sense. A werewolf is by definition ''any'' human being who transforms into a wolf or wolf-like creature. The distinction between "werewolves" and "shapeshifters" is a purely arbitrary construct of the author of the work in question.

This trope applies to anybody who (whether through magic, AppliedPhlebotinum, or [[AWizardDidIt what have you]]) can willingly shapeshift into the form of a wolf (or whatever etc.) but isn't actually a werewolf by the mechanics of their universe. If there ''are actual werewolves'' in their world, these shapeshifters will be very much distinct.

* Timberwolf from the LegionOfSuperHeroes cartoon is one of these, especially when first captured. Lampshaded by Bouncing Boy:

* The ''MarvelUniverse'' has plenty of vampires. Most are undead Dracula types, but then there's Morbius the Living Vampire, who is of scientific origin and not dead.

* In ''SpiceAndWolf'', the goddess of wheat, "Holo the wise wolf" is said to be like this. [[spoiler: and she shows up in person and demonstrates this ability to the protagonist.]]

* {{OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]] may possess the ability take the shape of a wolf.

* When the game's 2005 trailer for the game first depicted Link's transformation into a wolf, fans and reviewers quickly attached a "werewolf" label to it; Nintendo countered that only the "wolf" part was accurate.

This means that, although they may be confused for such monsters, they are exempt from virtually all of the normal werewolf tropes. They cannot [[ViralTransformation spread their "condition" to other people (because there is none!), they are not a separate "species" of werewolf (just a human shapeshifter), and they will not be affected by the phase of the moon or an allergy to wolfsbane or silver. (Though getting shot with an actual SilverBullet would probably still be a fatal wound; guns are sorta meant to do that.)

By night, they run around in the woods on four pawed legs and howl at the moon. They may even kill a rabbit, sheep, or deer for a midnight snack.

We know what you're thinking: OurWerewolvesAreDifferent, so you should at least keep a SilverBullet on hand just in case you happen to run across them on a bad night, correct?

Except for one problem: They're actually just a VoluntaryShapeshifter who happens to take the form of a wolf. And they'll probably feel insulted that you thought they were something else.

This trope applies to anybody who (whether through magic, AppliedPhlebotinum, or [[AWizardDidIt what have you]]) can transform into the shape of a wolf or canid (or some kind of [[PartialTransformation wolf-human hybrid]]), but isn't, technically speaking, an actual werewolf. They can't spread the "condition" to other people (because there is none!), nor are they a separate "species" (because they're a shapeshifter).

And of course, this means they're rarely affected by the traditional werewolf tropes such as the phrase of the moon, an allergy to silver, or wolfsbane.

Such shapeshifters are often mistaken for werewolves, and will sometimes explain how they're not really werewolves at all.

Can be applied to non-werewolves as well. The defining quality for this trope is having the defining qualities of a monster, but for whatever reason not technically being one.

Contrast to NotUsingTheZWord, where the monster ''is'' a werewolf, but nobody wants to use that term, and OurWerewolvesAreDifferent (or perhaps it's a sub-trope) because they are technically not a werewolf. If someone actually ''says'' they're "totally not a werewolf", [[TemptingFate beware]]: They may also be MostDefinitelyNotAVillain.

* Vampires often possess the ability take the shape of a wolf.

* In ''QuestForGlory 4'', you must defend a local gypsy who's been accused of being a werewolf. The gypsy tribe merely posesses ritual magic that allowing them to transform into wolves; they dismiss werewolves as mere superstitious nonsense.
* The [[CityOfHeroes War Wolves]] of [[NoSwastikas Fifth Column and the Council]] were created through scientific means. They are immensely strong, and howl like wolves, but they aren't actually werewolves.
* Inverted in ''WorldOfWarcraft'' with [[NotUsingTheZWord Worgen]] druids. They are, in fact, Worgen. They're ''also'' shapeshifters who can turn into cats, bears, and several other animals, but this is through spells they've learned that are unrelated to their lycanthropic abilities.

If it looks like a werewolf, smells like a werewolf, and bites like a werewolf... it might just be a shapeshifter who happens to turn into a wolf.

This trope applies to anybody who, through magic, science, or whatever can take on the shape of a wolf (or a wolf-human hybrid) but isn't actually a werewolf. They can't spread the disease (because there is none) nor are they a separate werewolf species. They're rarely affected by the moon, silver, or wolfsbane.

Contrast to NotUsingTheZWord, where the monster ''is'' a werewolf, but nobody wants to use that term, and OurWerewolvesAreDifferent (or perhaps it's a sub-trope) because they are technically not a werewolf. If someone actually ''says'' they're "totally not a werewolf", it's more likely a case of MostDefinitelyNotAVillain.

* In ''QuestForGlory 4'' you must defend a gypsy who's been accused of being a werewolf. He's not a werewolf, but the gypsy tribe use ritual magic to take on wolf forms.
* The [[CityOfHeroes War Wolves]] of [[NoSwastikas Fifth Column and the Council]] were created through scientific means. They are immensely strong, and howl, but they aren't werewolves.

* Inverted in ''ElGoonishShive'': [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2002-03-16 Sarah]] (because of her own bitter experience) and Elliot assume that Grace's transformation is the result of some [[MadScientist Tedd]]'s [[TransformationRay experiments]]. [[ShapeshifterDefaultForm Oops]]... Later a straight variant, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-05-21 when we learn why]] Susan despises [[{{Twilight}} vampire romance]]:

* Inverted in ''WorldOfWacraft'' with [[NotUsingTheZWord Worgen]] druids. They are, in fact, Worgen. They're ''also'' shapeshifters who can turn into cats, bears, and several other animals, but this is through spells they've learned that are unrelated to their lycanthropic abilities.

* Special notice goes out to ''TheDresdenFiles'', which has five different kinds of wolf-based magics, three of which include turning into a wolf, and only one of them is actually a werewolf

* Special notice goes out to Dresden Files, which has five different kinds of wolf-based magics, three of which include turning into a wolf, and only one of them is actually a werewolf

* Jacob, from ''{{Twilight}}''.