Line #53 Main/GhastlyGhost


1	%%
2	%% The examples on this page have been sorted alphabetically. Please help keep this page tidy by adding new ones in order. Thank you!
3	%%
4	%% Zero-context examples are not allowed on wiki pages; all such examples have been commented out.
5	%% Please add proper context before uncommenting them -- a good example should explain how it's an example.
6	%%
7	%% Image chosen via crowner in the Image Suggestions thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/ImageSuggestions138
8	%% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700
9	%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
10	%%
11	[[quoteright:300:[[Literature/ScaryStoriesToTellInTheDark https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/haunted.png]]]]
12	[[caption-width-right:300:"[[https://aiptcomics.com/2011/12/18/scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-gammell-vs-helquist/ There she is, boys]]: The [[NightmareFace face]] that shat a thousand pants."]]
13
14	Perhaps among the scariest beings to ever be imagined in human culture, ghosts are no joking matter when it comes to dispensing NightmareFuel. There's a reason they're a common element of horror movies.
15
16	There are three types of the Ghastly Ghost:
17
18	# Some are primarily [[BodyHorror just plain not pleasant]] [[NightmareFace to look at]], with grotesque, unnatural facial and body appearances. Alternately, they might still look quite human but [[JacobMarleyApparel their ghostly state]] reflects the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath exceptionally gruesome and violent way by which they died]]. Even worse, [[GameFace they may not look like this all the time]], meaning that the people they interact with are unaware that the CuteGhostGirl interacting with them has a horrifying actual appearance. On the plus side this type includes DarkIsNotEvil or NonMaliciousMonster, when ''only'' the appearance is unsettling and it's actually a FriendlyGhost. On the bad side just look at type 3.
19	# Some of them are malevolent and can actually harm anyone that do get too close- or spirits forbid, it's a VengefulGhost with a goal of inflicting general mayhem to avenge a (real or perceived) wrongdoing done unto it. Type 2 Ghastly Ghosts invoke BeautyIsBad or FaceOfAnAngelMindOfADemon, when it's particularly pleasant to look at but is all but pleasant in actions.
20	# A combination of the two aforementioned types; they're both horrifying in appearance and malevolent in deed. This type of ghost can be a KnightOfCerebus that turns any work much darker than it normally is, if it isn't the main subject of the work to begin with.
21
22	{{Poltergeist}}s are typically this, though they run the gamut from mildly annoying to terrifying. A StringyHairedGhostGirl is this most of the time, particularly if we [[NothingIsScarier do not know what she looks like under the face-covering hair]]. If the ghost is only nightmarish when it wants to be, that's GameFace. MurderIntoMalevolence is when a murder victim turns into this, or MaddenIntoMisanthropy if it goes badly enough. This ghost regardless of type will [[EvilTaintedThePlace taint their home area]], sometimes turning it into UnholyGround. Or worse, they do it to [[{{Curse}} people]].
23
24	The HeadlessHorseman is usually a variant of this, a malicious ghost (or otherwise undead being) who either scares people or even kills them by beheading. {{Ghost Pirate}}s are also often villainous, haunting the sea and attacking sailors.
25
26	Contrast FriendlyGhost, CuteGhostGirl, or SillySpook; this trope's subversions.
27
28	SubTrope to OurGhostsAreDifferent.
29
30	----
31
32	!!Examples
33
34	[[foldercontrol]]
35	[[folder:Fan Works]]
36	* ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'': From [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/dungeon-keeper-ami-sailor-moon-dungeon-keeper-story-only-thread.30066/#post-6355677 "Captured!"]], with someone who was turned into a ghost:
37	--> The ghost had the features of the dead body it was hovering over, twisted into a death mask of torment and all-consuming hatred.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
41	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}'': The "Night on Bald Mountain" segment plays this trope completely straight. You have hordes of spirits that ride [[HellishHorse skeleton steeds]] and some [[BedsheetGhost flying shrouds]] with [[GlowingEyes glowing eyes on the inside]].
42	* ''Anime/FinalFantasyTheSpiritsWithin'': The Phantoms, noncorpreal alien beings that can rip out the souls of humans and have killed off most of humanity, are revealed later in the film to actually be ghosts of alien warriors that were killed when their homeworld was destroyed during a civil war. Their assumed "ship" is little more than a piece of their destroyed planet, and their actions are purely driven by their confusion, rage, and lunacy.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
46	* In ''Film/{{Casper}}'', Casper's three uncles [[LeanandMean Stretch]], [[FatBastard Fatso]], and [[EvilSmellsBad Stinky]] are mainly just pranksters, but they also try to kill Dr. Harvey.
47	* The ghosts in ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' are particularly horrifying to look at, resembling bloodied or burned skeletons and still bearing the wounds that killed them. [[spoiler:However, they're all [[DarkIsNotEvil completely benevolent]], and are just trying to warn the heroine of the ''real'' villain.]]
48	* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'': Ghosts are typically very destructive, and can vary from simply malevolent spirits to monstrous and aggressive entities to borderline {{Eldritch Abomination}}s, depending on their individual power and origin. A given ghost's rampage may be limited to annoying pranks, or it may involve violent mayhem or the very real threat of a localized apocalypse.
49	* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'' portrays the Army of the Dead as a horde of green, intangible ghosts whose faces look like living corpses. They are first hostile, but Aragorn shows them the sword that proves he's the heir to the throne of Gondor and promises to release them once they fulfilled their oath by joining him for the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
50	* ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'': The main antagonist of the series is Freddy Krueger, a burnt-skinned ghost who invades people's dreams [[NeverSleepAgain to kill them in their sleep]] in a terrifying fashion. He was a SerialKiller [[WouldHurtAChild of children]] in life, and continues to spread fear and death as a spirit.
51	* ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'': When the Ark of the Covenant is opened, Indy warns Marion and the audience not to look just before spirits come out of the Ark. Indeed, no sooner has Belloq said "It's beautiful!" than the spirits reveal [[NightmareFace they're anything BUT]].
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Literature]]
55	* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
56	** The Bloody Baron fits this trope aesthetically, being a howling, chain-rattling, sword-swinging ghost. His ghastliness is limited to merely mirroring how he was in life however. Most ghosts in the series, however, fall into the FriendlyGhost category, with [[ThePrankster Peeves]] being the most malicious, and he's more of a [[MeaningfulName peeve]] than an actual threat.
57	** This trope is downplayed for Nearly-Headless Nick, who is friendly and doesn't usually look gruesome, but he is partially-decapitated (which was how he died) and can almost remove his own head, which grosses out some students.
58	* ''Literature/PrincessesOfThePizzaParlor'':
59	** ''Grandmothers and Other Fearsome Encounters'':
60	*** Ghost dancers consist of a gentleman with only half a head upon his shoulders, or some young lady whose throat was graced with a necklace of her own blood.
61	*** A ScaryLibrarian ghost has [[WordsCanBreakMyBones mind-affecting magic based on the literacy of the target]] to enforce silence, whose writing is in SelfDemonstrating/{{Zalgo}} text, and is uses her own eye sockets as inkwells.
62	** ''Banquets and Other Social Disasters'': An "enraged phantom"'s head is a bare skull with a fringe of hair like fire around the edges and empty eye sockets.
63	* Creator/JamesHerbert:
64	** ''Literature/Haunted1988'': [[spoiler: Siblings Christina, Simon]] and [[spoiler: Robert]] Mariell, in Edbrook Manor, conspire with the [[VengefulGhost vengeful ghost]] of Juliet Ash, whose bullied younger brother David, as a child, accidentally [[spoiler: contributed to her drowning]]. Adult David, now a parapsychologist, seeks to disprove the existence of ghosts - and is in for a terrifying surprise.
65	** ''Literature/TheGhostsOfSleath'': [[UsefulNotes/TheCrusades Crusades]] veteran Sir Gareth Lockwood, [[ImmortalitySeeker in search of immortality]], founded in the village of Sleath a centuries-spanning tradition of [[HumanSacrifice murderous ritual]], some of whose victims appear in gruesome phantasm. Many later amass in [[MergerOfSouls an amorphous haze]], able to form lethal claws.
66	** ''Literature/TheSecretOfCrickleyHall'': The ghost of [[spoiler: Augustus Cribben, who, with sister Magda, brutalised several BlitzEvacuees]], appears in sinister silhouette; wields a phantom cane, and freezes bathwater to ice.
67	** ''Literature/Ash2012'': One of Comraich Castle's inmates, the bodily and mentally disabled daughter of [[spoiler: Unity Mitford]] and [[spoiler: Adolf Hitler]], [[MagneticMedium aids]] hauntings which include malignant spectral orbs; a [[{{Poltergeist}} poltergeist]]-induced act of grievous bodily harm, and an [[HatePlague atmosphere which veers occupants to violence]].
68	* ''Literature/ScaryStoriesToTellInTheDark''
69	** The haunt in "The Haunted House", despite being a [[DarkIsNotEvil benevolent entity]] who just wants her killer brought to justice, is portrayed in the illustration with an absolutely horrific NightmareFace, with [[EyelessFace empty]] [[EyeScream rotting eye sockets]], no nose, and a lipless mouth that weakly hangs open. This illustration is the most infamous in the series for a reason.
70	** There's also "Thup-p-p-p-p-p!", one of the "funny" stories, which features a young girl who is stalked by an eyeless ghost that appears in her room and disappears whenever her parents appear. The story ends with the ghost [[spoiler:simply BlowingARaspberry [[PokeThePoodle at the girl]]]], but the illustration still falls into SurrealHorror territory, depicting the ghost as a bizarre creature almost resembling melting wax.
71	* In Aidan Chambers' short story "Dead Trouble", the ghost protagonist is trying to contact someone in the living world to let them know where his body is buried. At one point he tries to manifest himself to his former workmate as a faintly glowing figure, but in his haste he botches it and appears as a distorted monster surrounded by a hideous corpse-light. His colleague, and his colleague's date, unsurprisingly flee in terror.
72	* ''Literature/LockwoodAndCo'' pretty much runs on this, featuring many, many ghosts of varying levels of grotesquery and malignance, but special mention must go to the one that manifests itself as a man being eaten alive by a plague of spectral rats, writhing and dancing until there is [[TheWormThatWalks nothing left but rats]].
73	** The bloodstained, jawless witch who only appears in mirrors and the ghost animating its own wax-encased bones deserve mention as well.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
77	* Maude Pearson from ''Series/{{Angel}}''. She wants to haunt single women who moved into her own home.
78	* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'': Senkhara is an evil ghost woman who stalks, torments, and curses Nina and her friends. Due to being intangible, Nina and her friends can't do anything to hurt her, and being made of what looks like black smoke contrasts her with the far friendlier ghost of Sarah Frobisher-Smythe. Her introduction ramps up the stakes and the dark tone of the series, and every character who met her -- student or adult -- is terrified of her from the get-go.
79	* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' got violent spirits and vengeful ones.
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Mythology/Religion]]
83	* In Japanese folklore, [[StringyHairedGhostGirl Onryo]] (which, for bonus points, means "VengefulGhost" [[BilingualBonus in Japanese]]), are a definite case of Type 2: they are ghosts of people who died with such strong passions- jealousy or anger, typically- that their soul, unable to pass on, turns into a wrathful, vengeful spirit hellbent on inflicting as much harm as possible. They are powerful enough to kill any person swiftly, but rarely do so, preferring to let their target suffer as long as possible. Their taint on a person or place is contagious and indiscriminate, and the taint itself lasts long after the ghost itself is laid to rest (if it was ever). For these reasons, they're this trope to Japanese people, being TheDreaded of all supernatural beings.
84	* In Jewish folklore a dybbuk is the malicious spirit of a deceased human with a tendency to possess the living. The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dybbuk_box dybbuk box]] is the subject of many urban legends that suggest it to be a real life instance of SealedEvilInACan.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
88	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
89	** In early editions of the Advanced version, ghosts are LawfulEvil undead who are so terrifying that they cause their victims to suffer RapidAging: ten years just for seeing them, ten to forty by being touched by them.
90	** Wraiths are incorporeal undead born from hatred and darkness, and deeply despise all living things. Their touch alone is enough to drain the life from their victims, and all creatures they slay rise as new wraiths enslaved to their killer's will.
91	** Spectres [[MurderIntoMalevolence arise from murder victims]], their souls given unlife by their rage at their fate. They hate all living things, haunting the sites of their deaths and killing anyone who comes close. Like wraiths, they are repulsed by light and raise their victims as more of their kind.
92	** 5th edition gives ghosts the Horrifying Visage ability, which terrifies anyone looking at it (and if they're particularly badly frightened, ages 10-40 years). They can also possess people ([[AndIMustScream who remain aware of everything happening to them)]]. Both these abilities can only work once a day on the target, but the RapidAging can only be cancelled within 24 hours as well.
93	* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'':
94	** Wraiths are, much like in ''D&D'', light-hating specters closely connected to the deadly powers of the Negative Energy Plane, and are born from the souls of murderers. They remember little of their lives beyond a powerful sense of hatred and anger, and consequently despise all living things. They victims are raised as more wraiths under their murderer's control, becoming free-willed but no less hateful should their master be destroyed.
95	** Geists are spectral undead created when a humanoid is killed by a haunt -- a non-creature manifestation of the negative emotions created by a great tragedy or loss of life -- and remains shackled to the material plane by its bitterness and anger. They can control existing haunts, and emit horrific laughter capable of sending living creatures into a mindless panic.
96	** Dybbuks are the souls of criminals, sinners or suicides who remain in the world of the living to stave off the judgement that awaits them. They take out their dread and anger at their inevitable doom on the living, spreading death and mayhem wherever they go.
97	* Creator/GamesWorkshop games:
98	** ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'': Ghosts[[note]]4th Edition and before[[/note]] and Spirit Hosts[[note]]5th Edition and after[[/note]] are malevolent spirits summoned and bound by necromantic energies. These tortured ethereal undead creatures typically have a hideous, semi-transparent form that can cause all but the bravest of mortals to be paralysed with fear. On the tabletop, Ghosts and Spirit Hosts have the Fear special rule that makes it more difficult for enemies to attack them as they cower from the horrific spirits.
99	** ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'': The lesser Malignants known as Spirit Hosts are the souls of damned that have been stripped of their identity and merged into a cloud of ethereal energy. These spectral creatures often accompany Legion of Nagash and Nighthaunt armies in their campaigns across the Mortal Realms, frightening the life from the mortals that they encounter.
100	** ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'': Spectres and wraiths both have a [[BrownNoteBeing sanity-damaging]] aura of [[SupernaturalFearInducer terror]] and a TouchOfDeath. Most spectres have been driven "mad, evil, or both" by being BarredFromTheAfterlife, while wraiths are universally malevolent {{Omnicidal Maniac}}s. By contrast, ghosts and poltergeists have a weaker fear effect and are often benign.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
104	* Franchise/TheHauntedMansion: While many of the ghosts can be frightening to look at, a few stand out as particularly terrifying:
105	** Unlike the other playful ghosts of the mansion, [[SerialKiller Constance Hatchaway]] is an AxeCrazy [[BloodSplatteredWeddingDress ghostly bride]] with an obsession with [[OffWithHisHead removing her husbands' heads]] with her hatchet.
106	** The Hatbox Ghost has an "evil, grinning face" and a head that disappears from his shoulders and reappears in his hatbox, and he cackles as people pass by him. In the comics, he is actually responsible for murdering the Ghost Host's bride on her wedding night just to spite her groom, and the second film adaptation made him into the BigBad.
107	** The Ghost Host is an omnipresent spirit in the mansion who laughs and makes creepy threats as he follows people throughout. He revels in being a scary spirit, showing off a painting of him decaying and his hanging corpse in the rafters.
108	** Disneyland Paris has the Phantom Manor and its titular Phantom, the local version of the Ghost Host. He's heavily implied to be the father of this ride's version of the Ghost Bride who was ''very'' possessive of her in life and murdered her fiancee on their wedding day, tricking her into thinking he left her at the altar.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Video Games]]
112	* ''VideoGame/AMCSquad'' has the Losts, which are evil spirits that resemble the upper half of a human skeleton, and they are one of the creepier and more dangerous enemies in the game because of their ability to remain invisible to the naked eye, their unsettling "wind in a tunnel" noise that signals their presence, and their method of attack is to [[JumpScare scream at the player]], which not only hurts them, but if they don't have Spirit Armor to protect themselves, then the scream also scrambles their textures [[SensoryAbuse while a loud static noise blares into their ears]]. Thankfully, like most supernatural enemies, Losts can be killed with [[SilverBullet silver ammunition]].
113	* In ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieGruntysRevenge'', the ghost of [[BigBad Gruntilda Winkybunion]] controls the [[RobotMe Mecha Grunty]] suit that Klungo makes for her. During the final battle, Banjo must first hit Mecha Grunty to expose Grunty's ghost, then hit said ghost to damage it. When the Mecha Grunty suit is destroyed, the last phase of the battle involves Grunty summoning two clones of her ghost. Banjo must hit the real ghost (indicated by the shadow below it) twice to defeat Grunty and win the game. If Banjo hits one of the clones, he takes damage.
114	* ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'':
115	** The Blind Specter, the first thing you meet on the [[GhostTrain Phantom Express]], is a ghost who can shoot [[EyesDoNotBelongThere eyes from his hands]] -- his real "eye" is only a [[EyelessFace socket]].
116	** The Specter Syndicate [[NightOfTheLivingMooks roam the Mausoleum capturing souls]].
117	* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest'':
118	** The Kloak enemies are ghostly waistcoats who cackle and throw basic objects at Diddy and Dixie.
119	** In "Haunted Hall", Diddy and Dixie are [[MineCartMadness riding a roller coaster through a giant library]] inhabited by a ghostly crocodile pirate named Kackle, who chases them down. As Kackle chases them, a [[TimedMission time limit]] appears at the top of the screen. If time runs out, then Kackle catches Diddy and Dixie, costing them a life, and [[MeaningfulName cackling as he does so]]. Collecting Green '''+''' Barrels adds more time to the time limit, but collecting Red '''-''' Barrels takes time away.
120	** The boss of Gloomy Gulch is Kreepy Krow, the ghost of Krow, a giant Mini-Necky who served as the game's first boss. Kreepy Krow is trying to kill Diddy and Dixie as revenge for killing him, and [[FlunkyBoss he summons ghostly Mini-Neckies to attack them]]. By killing the living Mini-Necky, a barrel appears, which Diddy and Dixie can use to attack Kreepy Krow with.
121	* ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'': Ghosts are found throughout the series, as it's of a ghost-fighting SurvivalHorror nature. Most of them are hostile and won't hesitate to kill the humans who are unlucky enough to cross their paths, the ghosts that are actually helpful are few and far between, and BodyHorror galore in appearance for most of them, whether hostile or not.
122	* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': Ghosts appear as enemies that are represented as skeletons that lack legs and a pelvis in favor of an extended spine, and have enlarged hands to give the impression of huge claws. The KingMook variant has [[MultiArmedAndDangerous extra arms]] and the skulls and rib cages of multiple humans stuck in its torso.
123	* ''VideoGame/LethalCompany'': The Ghost Girl is a rare enemy that spawns, only being able to be seen by one target at a time. If she touches you, YourHeadAsplode, and she moves on to the next worker.
124	* In ''VideoGame/MoshiMonsters'', the mission "Monsters vs. Ghosts" features some evil ghosts who trap [[ScienceHero Tamara]] and the ghost of the main villain Dr. Strangeglove's missing hand.
125	* ''VideoGame/PacMan'': Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde are a quartet of ghosts who serve as the main enemies of the games. They spend their time chasing Pac-Man around the maze, trying to prevent him from eating all the Pac-Dots that send him to the next level. If they touch Pac-Man, he loses a life. When Pac-Man finds a Power Pellet, it temporarily turns the Ghosts blue, allowing him to eat them. Once eaten, the Ghosts' eyes retreat back to the Ghosts' Nest so that they can respawn.
126	* The ghosts of ''VideoGame/{{Phasmophobia}}'' are all actively malevolent and will kill the ghost hunters if they are provoked enough. Each of them also look like mutilated corpses.
127	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': While most Ghost-types are not, strictly speaking, spirits of the dead, several of them still fit this trope:
128	** This goes all the way back to the original Ghost-type Pokemon Gengar, whose personality has been expanded from being a simple prankster to being actively murderous. In fact, until you acquire the [[SeeThruSpecs SilphScope]], you're unable to perceive the true form of any of its evolution line, and your Pokémon are too scared to attack them.
129	** Banette, [[PerversePuppet a cursed doll]] looking for revenge on its former owner.
130	** Spiritomb, who is made up of the souls of [[Mystical108 108]] criminals and is part-[[DarkIsEvil Dark type]].
131	** Froslass, a YukiOnna who freezes attractive men and displays them as trophies.
132	** The Litwick line, [[WillOTheWisp ghostly flames]] that lead unsuspecting travelers astray while burning their souls as fuel.
133	** Trevenant, [[WhenTreesAttack a treant]] who traps people in their forests to be eaten.
134	** Palossand, a haunted sandcastle literally built on the bones of the dead.
135	* ''VideoGame/PorkyPigsHauntedHoliday'': Spooky Sid, a giant ghost, serves as the boss of [[TheLostWoods the Haunted Woods]]. He attacks Porky by summoning smaller ghosts from his hat. His weak point is his head, which can only be damaged when he removes his hat.
136	* ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIV'': Wraiths are the malevolent ghosts of greedy and cruel individuals unable to pass on after death, and harbor a deep hatred for the living. Just being ''near'' one without some sort of protection will sap the Hero's strength so long as they are on the screen, if not kill him outright. They are among the toughest enemies to fight in the entire game (''especially'' the [[BossInMooksClothing Master Wraith]], [[HeroKiller which slew the Paladin Piotyr]] prior to the events of the game). Fortunately, they're bound to either the place where they died or their grave, so while extremely dangerous, they ''can'' be avoided.
137	* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
138	** In ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'', Act 2 of [[ShiftingSandLand Sandopolis Zone]] takes place in a pyramid. Sonic accidentally opens up a capsule filled with ghosts that start off harmless, but become more threatening [[BlackoutBasement the darker the pyramid gets]]. Pulling light switches temporarily turns the light back on and scares the ghosts away, but the ghosts come back when the pyramid gets darker again.
139	** In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'', ghosts, known as Boos, are common enemies in Pyramid Cave, Egg Quarters, and Death Chamber. They can grab the player, stopping them in their tracks and leaving them vulnerable to enemy fire. In the same game, King Boom Boo is a giant ghost who [[KingMook serves as their leader]] and a boss. Knuckles fights him, and King Boom Boo is [[WeakenedByTheLight weakened when he is exposed to sunlight]]. He has a small ghost following him around to hold an hourglass that temporarily lets light into the arena.
140	** In ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', [[PumpkinPerson Pumpkin Ghosts]] appear as common enemies in [[BigBoosHaunt Hang Castle and Mystic Mansion]]. They can usually be found in confined spaces, such as behind unlockable doors, near switches, or in corridors. They can randomly appear and vanish at any time, and laugh wickedly at the player when they touch them, removing their shields or making them lose rings.
141	* In ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', the Boos are villainous ([[AdorableEvilMinions yet adorable]]) ghosts who dwell in haunted houses and ships and attack Mario when he enters these places. However, they are extremely shy and will cover their faces when Mario looks at them, only [[CantMoveWhileBeingWatched creeping up on him when he's turning away]].
142	* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'':
143	** Banshees are the ghosts of High Elves slaughtered by the undead Scourge and raised up by the Lich King, who gave them voices to avenge themselves on his enemies by [[SuperScream shrieking at them]] (and going by their voicelines, also a literal case of AndIMustScream). Their ultimate ability Possession kills them in exchange for permanently controlling an enemy unit.
144	** Ghosts, Wraiths and Specters are the neutral monster version, having similar spells (including Possession). However, they don't have voices, only sad moans.
145	** Shades are unarmed ghosts used as scouts for the Scourge, made by sacrificing an [[WorkerUnit acolyte]].
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:Western Animation]]
149	* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': Scrooge's ghostly butler Duckworth usually just looks like a transparent butler. However, whenever the occasion warrants, he can transform into a very frightening demonic apparition.
150	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyAndFriendsE11TheGhostOfParadiseEstate1 The Ghost of Paradise Estate]]", a monstrous and malevolent ghost chases the ponies around the Estate, turning itself into horrifying shapes and stalking them through their house in order to scare them into fleeing it.
151	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''
152	** A recurring character is the Flying Dutchman, a ghostly pirate who enjoys scaring Bikini Bottom residents and sometimes threatens to steal their souls. In some episodes, he's portrayed more sympathetically however.
153	** In the episode "Graveyard Shift", Squidward makes up a story about a murderous ghostly fry cook with a [[HookHand spatula hand]] called the Hash-Slinging Slasher to scare [=SpongeBob=]. At first, it looks like the Slasher was RealAfterAll, [[spoiler:but it turns out to just be a new employee who just so happened to be hidden in the shadows. And that ol' rascal Nosferatu.]]
154	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GhastlyGhost