| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1615091280078983600 |
| 2 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | [[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/simpsons_eyes_black.png]]]] |
| 5 | [[caption-width-right:350:"Why would you cut the power at night? That's when we need it the most!"]] |
| 6 | %% |
| 7 | ->''"A blackout? Oh, Perry the Platypus, isn't this wonderful? Now people can't see anything but my pitiful eyes!"'' |
| 8 | -->-- '''Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz''', ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' |
| 9 | |
| 10 | Whenever it is pitch dark, characters' open eyes are always visible. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | The same applies, eventually, to [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily any great big teeth]] which something lurking in the darkness may possess. A common shot is to have a nervous character scared in the dark as a variety of seemingly glowing teeth gather around them. In some cartoons, a character's eyes can just wander around ''independently'' from each other for maximum meta-humor. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | In live-action, it is usually used to spooky effect. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | By the Lights of Their Eyes seems like it should always go with GlowingEyes, but it really doesn't. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | This is generally a form of HollywoodDarkness, and may immediately precede a NuclearCandle as part of TheReveal. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | More justified forms can occur with robots or characters of mechanical nature, who can shine lights from their own optival sensors like headlights. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | Depending on how it is drawn, can be LazyArtist. While it can take as long as normal, when a cartoon simply shows the character's eyes in pitch black it saves a lot of animation time. Then again, the eyes are very good at reflecting light in dim environments, as anybody who's been around a black cat in the dark can tell you, [[note]]Cats have more reflective eyeballs than humans, but the concept still applies to humans[[/note]] and eyes can easily convey a ''lot'' of emotion quickly. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | A SisterTrope of TheDarknessGazesBack and SuperTrope to FadeAroundTheEyes. JustForFun/NotToBeConfusedWith SeeTheWhitesOfTheirEyes, which is a figurative expression for getting close to your enemy. Nor EyeLightsOut, which is a death trope. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | ---- |
| 27 | !!Examples: |
| 28 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 29 | |
| 30 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 31 | |
| 32 | * ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' does it in Season 2 Episode 20 of the remake series, when Yuki is locked in a closet. The door shuts behind him leaving him in pitch darkness for a moment complete with him blinking before shifting to HollywoodDarkness for the rest of the scene. |
| 33 | * ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'': In Episode 2, when the eponymous character trips on a car while giant and flies face-first into a subway entrance. |
| 34 | * ''Manga/KonohanaKitan'': In Episode 6, as soon as Satsuki mentions she's afraid of the dark, a ghost leaves her and Natsume in complete darkness with only Satsuki's eyes visible for a moment. |
| 35 | * In the ''Manga/NinjaHattori'' episode "A Day Without Electricity", both times that the electricity goes out in Hattori's house, everything goes completely dark for a couple of seconds, leaving only characters' eyes visible. |
| 36 | * This is a pretty common occurrence in ''Manga/OnePiece'' and is the go-to way to show to the reader or viewer that a pitch-dark place has someone there. Though some instances are TheDarknessGazesBack, characters don't necessarily have to look into the darkness for these eyes to appear, nor are they necessarily adversarial. |
| 37 | * In the ''Anime/{{Pecola}}'' episode "Hide n' Go Sleep", the mysterious alligator hides from Pecola by jumping into a mailbox. Right before he lights up the inside and finds Rory the lion is hiding in there for the hide and seek competition, the only thing visible in the mailbox's dark interior is the alligator's eyes. |
| 38 | [[/folder]] |
| 39 | |
| 40 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 41 | * ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': In Episode 5, after [=BoBoiBoy=] [[BuriedAlive buries Adu Du and Probe with a landslide after trapping them in a pit]], Adu Du's eyes are visible despite them being underground (Probe's red glowing eyes don't count since he's a robot). |
| 42 | * In episode 8 of ''Animation/HappyHeroes'', Big M. and Little M. are trapped in a big pipe by a robotic guard dog. The dog nails some planks of wood onto the open end of the pipe to keep them from getting out; when the inside of the pipe gets dark from this, Big M. and Little M.'s eyes are visible, but nothing else. |
| 43 | * In the ''Animation/{{Lamput}}'' episode "Cast Away", Lamput's and Fat Doc's eyeballs can be seen bouncing around in the dark interior of the cargo crate as it's floating away. |
| 44 | * ''Animation/{{Mechamato}}'': When they're stuck in a pitch black room, the eyes of Amato, Deep and Mara are visible in the darkness, along with Deep's teeth, not counting [=MechaBot=]'s robotic GlowingEyes. For added effect, Amato's white hair streak is just as visible as his eyes. |
| 45 | * ''Animation/MotuPatlu'': |
| 46 | ** In "Scooter Race", Dr. Jhatka turns off the lights in his workshop, leaving Motu and Patlu's eyes as the only visible objects. |
| 47 | ** In "Motu Banega Don", Motu and Patlu hide from John the Don and his goons in a container they find in a container yard, and Inspector Chingum goes in as well, with their eyes being visible in the otherwise dark interior of the container. They start to beat each other up and produce little stars that light up the container just enough that it's possible to notice their eyes are the only parts of their bodies that are animated in this scene, with the rest nowhere to be found. |
| 48 | * In Episode 3 of ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf: Marching to the New Wonderland'', the lights are turned off completely, leaving only the Spider of Justice's eyes and Mr. Slowy's glasses visible. |
| 49 | * In the ''Animation/SimpleSamosa'' episode "Sollid Survival", Sollid starts the competition on an episode of the ShowWithinAShow ''Sollid Survival'' by snapping his fingers. When he does this, all of the lights go out, leaving Samosa's eyes as the only visible object on-screen for a few seconds. |
| 50 | [[/folder]] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 53 | * ''ComicBook/AngelCatbird'': In the first book of the series, Count Catula spends the night in Cate's closet. When he's in there, only his eyes are visible. |
| 54 | * ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'' has [[http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20080913 mysterious creatures that talk to the hero in the dark.]] Given ''what'' those critters turned out to be, may be but a minor side effect of their physiology. |
| 55 | * Laura at the end of Issue #5 in ''ComicBook/TheWickedAndTheDivine''. [[spoiler:Because Luci gave her her powers, and her eyes glow faintly red with her cigarette]]. |
| 56 | * ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons:'' Just like the show (see Western Animation), character's eyes tend to be the only thing visible in the darkness. Like in the show, this is frequently mocked, for example in issue #100, Bart asking Lisa how that's even possible. |
| 57 | -->'''Lisa:''' That's what you get when you're exposed to radiation for years. |
| 58 | * In the ''ComicBook/{{Marsupilami}}'' book "The temple of Boavista", a pair of kids notice a pair of eyes under a bush. The marsupilami punches, only for the eyes to ''spread apart'': A few seconds later, the two eyepatch-wearing henchmen jump out of the bush and run away. |
| 59 | * ''ComicBook/{{Saga}}'' uses glowing red eyes to foreshadow the Horrors behind Marko and Alana at the end of the first issue. |
| 60 | * ''ComicBook/SupermanSupergirlMaelstrom'': As ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} wanders deeper into an alien night jungle, she starts being followed by growing numbers of threatening, glowing green eyes whose owners are lurking in the shadows. |
| 61 | * The alien Natives of ''ComicBook/{{Copperhead}}'' are revealed by their eyes seconds before they attack Zeke and Annie. Possibly justified by the Natives' alien biology. |
| 62 | * ''ComicBook/UltimateFF'': There is a pair of such eyes in the cover of the first issue, for the mystery 5th member of the team. |
| 63 | * ''ComicBook/SensationComics'': When Nero's Legionaries are creeping up on the Holliday Girls from the dark forest they are first seen as frowning eyes in the darkness. |
| 64 | * An infamous issue of ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' had Sonic fall into in a dark cave, [[LazyArtist with Sonic's eyes and speech balloons being the only things visible for four pages.]] Reception was so negative that a later comic retold the story with Sonic actually visible. |
| 65 | [[/folder]] |
| 66 | |
| 67 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 68 | * {{Parodied}} in ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'' when Beetle is the only character who's invisible in pitch darkness because he always wears his cap over his eyes. |
| 69 | * ''ComicStrip/SnarfQuest'' in Dragon magazine #105. When Telerie, Snarf and Aveeare are exploring a cave in the dark, you can see their eyes in the darkness. Then another pair of eyes appears and a growling noise comes from them. Snarf starts stabbing at them, and when Telerie lights a torch they see that he has killed a monster. |
| 70 | * ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'': |
| 71 | ** The monsters under Calvin's bed usually are only heard and not seen, but in a few strips their eyes were visible this way. |
| 72 | ** Hobbes occasionally has his eyes glow in the dark when hunting Calvin, crossing this over with GlowingEyesOfDoom. (Vaguely justified in Hobbes's case, as feline eyes actually have a layer of shiny reflective cells to help them see in the dark -- see Real Life below.) |
| 73 | * An entire week of ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' strips took place during a blackout once, with only Jon's and Garfield's eyes visible. |
| 74 | ** One week of strips from late July 1982 follows Garfield as he goes prowling around the neighborhood; the arc features this trope quite heavily. |
| 75 | * ''ComicStrip/FredBasset''. In [[http://assets.amuniversal.com/880519d085c90132c101005056a9545d the strip for February 19, 2015,]] Fred is in the dark with his eyes showing, looking for his friend Yorky. Another pair of eyes appears and Fred says worriedly "That isn't you, is it Yorky?" (He knows it isn't Yorky because Yorky is shorter than he is but the other eyes are above his). |
| 76 | * ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' uses this from time to time, with Bill Amend often playing around to poke fun at his simplistic, cartoony artstyle. For example, in one strip we see two circles in a series of black panels, alternating between being at the bottom of the panel and the top. The punchline? Jason being told to stop jumping on his bed and go to sleep. |
| 77 | * In ''Nilus'' (an Italian comic strip series themed on ancient Egypt): one strip has a badly-wounded guard telling his friend how he met, in the total darkness, two shining lights denoting the eyes of a desert lion. When his buddy asks him why he didn't threw his spear right between them, the guard replies that he did... [[ContrivedCoincidence but it was two tigers with one eye each]]. |
| 78 | * ''ComicStrip/BroomHilda'': Grelber's eyes are only seen from his shadowy log home and sometimes his smirk. |
| 79 | * In ''ComicStrip/ScaryGary'', the SecretSquatter in Gary’s house lives in the shadows under the stairs to the basement, and the only part of them ever visible are their eyes as they silently watch people going up and down the stairs. |
| 80 | [[/folder]] |
| 81 | |
| 82 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 83 | * ''WebAnimation/ReturnToKrocodileIsle'': Even while the rest of his face is a silhouette obscured in shadow, Donkey Kong's eyes are still visible. |
| 84 | * ''Fanfic/YesterdayUponTheStair'': Izuku has ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum tapetum lucidum]]'' (see RealLife below), which makes his eyes glow in the dark. |
| 85 | [[/folder]] |
| 86 | |
| 87 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 88 | * ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman''. In the "Chase Me" short, Batman chases Catwomen into a zoo, enters a dark corridor and sees her eyes staring at him in the darkness. He charges towards her, only to face a panther that Catwoman has released from its cage. |
| 89 | * Although common enough in Creator/{{Disney}}'s short films, this trope is rarely used in the [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon feature films]], perhaps because they generally try for a more realistic tone. A few exceptions: |
| 90 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', when Yzma and Kronk are locked in a closet. |
| 91 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', when B.E.N. accidentally cuts off the power on the ship. {{Justified}} in that his eyes are actually light displays. |
| 92 | ** ''WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland'': When Alice is looking at the Tulgey Wood sign, a number of eyes appear in the dark above it. One pair is revealed to be a "glasses bird", which hops onto Alice's head. |
| 93 | ** PlayedForHorror in ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''. When the title princess runs in panic into the forest, some yellow glowing eyes seem to stare at her. They actually belong to friendly cute animals, but Snow White's imagination makes them look evil and demonic. |
| 94 | * In the CGI feature ''WesternAnimation/{{Robots}}'' the characters have actual headlights for eyes -- possibly a {{Reconstruction}}, although it may not have been intentional. |
| 95 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler'': The end scene where Zig-Zag [[spoiler:is eaten by crocodiles]] is a wonderful example of playing with this trope, especially [[spoiler:the final scene, where Zig-Zag's eyes are first encircled then blacked-out by white teeth]]. |
| 96 | * In ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'', Fievel is chased into a hole by a hawk, and we only see his eyes... accompanied by evil glowing eyes that belong to a scorpion. |
| 97 | * [[MegaNeko The Catbus]] from ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'', whose eyes serve as headlights, and has small mice on its roof and lower body whose eyes serve as the destination sign backlights and taillights, respectively. |
| 98 | * Justified in ''WesternAnimation/WallE'', as the robots' eyes are actual lights. |
| 99 | * WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck does this in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers''. |
| 100 | * As does Ratigan in ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective''. |
| 101 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheBoxtrolls'' eyes glow in the dark. |
| 102 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TheTwelveTasksOfAsterix'', Asterix and Obelix spend some time as eyes in the Beast's lair. At some point, another pair of eyes appears, only to pop when they look at it. |
| 103 | * Happens in ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar1'' when the animals wake up in crates being shipped to Africa. |
| 104 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'': During "Under Your Spell", the Crusaders are shortly back-lighted as dark silhouettes, but their eyes stay visible. |
| 105 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'': |
| 106 | ** During his song, Capper cuts a rope that close several shutters above the narrow street they are in, putting the whole place into darkness until only Capper's green cat eyes stay visible. |
| 107 | ** The alternate opening scene would have introduced Tempest this way, her eyes (including the scar over her right eye) and sparking horn being the only things visible among an otherwise dark screen. |
| 108 | * ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': In the fish tank, Nemo hides in an old-fashioned diver's helmet, where Jacques greets him, startling him. |
| 109 | * In ''WesternAnimation/ScaryGodmother'', Jimmy and his friends hide in a closet after being scared inside the haunted house. |
| 110 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', this is downplayed with Ming's giant red panda form before she enters the [=SkyDome=]. It is not pitch dark but her irises reflect significantly more light than the rest of her. |
| 111 | [[/folder]] |
| 112 | |
| 113 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 114 | * ''Film/TheBribe'': The eyes of Carwood, the villain, are caught by a beam of light from outside after he turns out the lights, plunging the room into darkness. |
| 115 | * When in the sewers in the ''Film/{{Doom}}'' movie, Goat approached a set of eyes in a dark corner after his flashlight dies, while looking for a scientist. When he asks "Doctor Willets?" [[ExtraEyes several other eyes]] [[EyesDoNotBelongThere appear around the main set]], revealing not that there are more of them, but that the transformed Dr. Willets [[BodyHorror has grown several more eyes all over his head]]. The creature then leaps and attack Goat. |
| 116 | * Also done in ''Film/PitchBlack'', where it was a character point. |
| 117 | * When Pee-Wee Herman ends up abandoned in the desert in ''Film/PeeWeesBigAdventure'', after Micky drives off, leaving him in pitch black with only his eyes visible. When he gets his flashlight on, he's not met with [[MatchlightDangerRevelation the happiest sight.]] |
| 118 | * In ''Film/ThreeHundred'', the emissary of Xerxes bribes the priests of the oracle, then fades to a silhouette with only his eyes remaining. |
| 119 | * Emperor Palpatine from ''Franchise/StarWars'' usually keeps his hood pulled forward enough to cast a dark shadow on the upper half of his face, but occasionally the light glints off his eyes creating a very spooky effect. |
| 120 | * In ''Film/ForAFewDollarsMore'', when Manco is creeping around the room where El Indio hid the [[MacGuffin cabinet]], this effect is achieved by painting Eastwood's face dark brown, so his eyes glow out. |
| 121 | * ''Film/AsterixAndObelixMissionCleopatra'' has a sequence with the main characters stuck in one of the Pyramids of Gizah. When their torches go out, they suddenly turn into cartoon eyes floating in the dark (and stay that way until Dogmatix leads them out). |
| 122 | * In the 1974 ''Film/{{Black Christmas|1974}}'', the "Prowler" is never truly seen out of shadow. The only scene in which you view him, is where he is peering from behind a door. Ominously, all you see is an eye, the rest hidden in shadow. |
| 123 | * In ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'', Oscar, Finley and China Girl are spied on by a whole lot of pairs of gleaming eyes when they enter [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Dark Forest]]. Several times they turn around suspiciously, but are an instant too late to spot the eyes [[spoiler:until the snappy animated plants they belong to are ready to attack]]. |
| 124 | * ''Film/TheIncredibleMrLimpet'', in the animated portion of the film. After Henry Limpet goes into a cave, his eyes can be seen in the dark. The hermit crab Crusty is introduced when his eyes appear. |
| 125 | * In ''Film/{{Nightlight}}'' (2015), the dog's eyes reflect as twin circles of light whenever the flashlight glints off them in the dark. [[spoiler:That's all we see of it - points of light being violently yanked off-camera in the blackness - when it dies.]] |
| 126 | * A trailer for ''Film/StrangeBedfellows2004'' had the eyes of the two main characters in the dark while Creator/PaulHogan's character persuades his friend to [[FakeRelationship pose as his gay boyfriend]] for a tax dodge. After assuring the friend that [[TemptingFate no-one else in their small town will know about them being 'gay']], a whole bunch of other eyes suddenly appear in the dark and stare at them. |
| 127 | [[/folder]] |
| 128 | |
| 129 | [[folder:Game Shows]] |
| 130 | * In ''Series/BrainSurge'', there are some puzzles where the contestants keep track of each pair of eyes in the dark, and count how many [[ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight monsters are under a bed]]. |
| 131 | [[/folder]] |
| 132 | |
| 133 | [[folder:Logos]] |
| 134 | * The dragon from TSR Games logo [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM3Yxwd-DEo does this.]] |
| 135 | * The horse from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Z0wJhjm3I (2nd) Barnholtz Entertainment]] logo. |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 139 | * In ''The Alchemist'' by Ken Goddard, a couple of undercover cops are thrown into a dark room by TheDragon. All they can see are what appear to be a couple of eyes staring at them, which suddenly rise up to head height. TheDragon then turns on the lights to [[OhCrap reveal it's a large venomous snake rearing up at them]]. |
| 140 | * ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'' describes the Cheshire Cat appearing first as a pair of eyes and a gigantic grin, which disappear last when he leaves. |
| 141 | * ''Literature/CarsonCrossesCanada'': Early in the book, while Annie and [[TheProtagonist Carson]] are on the road, a pair of glowing yellow eyes can be seen in the shrubbery they just passed by. |
| 142 | * The alien ''atevi'' of the ''Literature/Foreigner1994'' series have reflective retinas (just like real-life cats), causing their pupils to shine in dim light; this unnerves a lot of humans. Conversely, the fact that the eyes of humans ''don't'' shine in dim light unnerves a lot of atevi. |
| 143 | * In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' manga "Shattered Peace", Ravenpaw and Barley go underground into the Moonstone cave. All that is visible is their silhouettes in the tunnel and their eyes glowing white. |
| 144 | * ''Literature/TheHobbit''. When the party is sleeping in pitch dark Mirkwood Forest at night and Bilbo is on guard duty, he sees the eyes of multiple forest creatures glowing in the dark, watching them. |
| 145 | [[/folder]] |
| 146 | |
| 147 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 148 | * Done rather creepily in the (live-action) ''Series/{{Dune}}'' miniseries: all the Fremen have '''glowing''' blue eyes. In the sequel miniseries the brightness is pulled back a little. (In the books, the eyes of spice addicts are so dark-blue they appear nearly black.) |
| 149 | * ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. In "Look at the Princess", John Crichton and the eponymous princess are locked in a room being filled with DeadlyGas. Suddenly they see [[RedEyesTakeWarning glowing red eyes]] advancing on them through the cloud of white gas, but instead of an assassin it turns out to be the princess's alien servant, who guides them to safety. |
| 150 | * The South-African episode of ''Series/TheGoodies''. |
| 151 | -->'''Tim:''' Look at those stars. They look like hundreds of tiny little eyes.\ |
| 152 | '''Graham:''' They ''are'' hundreds of tiny little eyes... |
| 153 | * ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}''. A Cylon Heavy Raider crashes into Galactica. We see the [[RedEyesTakeWarning glowing red eye]] of a Centurion in its dark interior, then it and several other Centurions [[{{Cliffhanger}} step out onto the hanger deck]]. |
| 154 | * ''Series/MeetTheBrowns'', in the episode "Meet the Deception." When Mr. Brown is harassed by an overzealous bill collector for the power company that provides the house's electricity, he ultimately fails to pay the bill and the electricity gets turned off at the end of the episode. Mr. Brown and Cora then shine dimly lit flashlights in their faces in the dark, and only the top half of their faces are illuminated. |
| 155 | * Done rather creepily on ''Series/TheXFiles'' with Eugene Victor Tooms, the liver-eating mutant whose eyes glow a dull yellow. |
| 156 | * The Goa'uld of ''Series/StargateSG1'' do GlowingEyesOfDoom. It is done in the dark on occasion, and once by a villain as he stepped ''into'' the dark, so his eyes are the last thing we saw of him as he entered the shadows. |
| 157 | * ''Series/PeeWeesPlayhouse'': The host and gang with their animated eyes in the dark, followed by the ''Main/GlowingEyesOfDoom''. |
| 158 | [[/folder]] |
| 159 | |
| 160 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 161 | * A rather unsettling number of examples come from Chromeo's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkbpfPmqqbw music video for "Don't Turn the Lights On,"]] at the end culminating in the lights coming back on showing [[spoiler:''just'' the lead singer's floating eyes.]] Which, given the rest of the video, is a bit more humorous. |
| 162 | * In the music video for Music/SecondPerson's "Wood", when the girl and monkey first land in the dark cave, only their eyes can be seen. Then [[TheDarknessGazesBack the eyes of a bunch of creatures appear around them]]. When the dragon shows up, its eyes are also the only part of it visible at first. |
| 163 | [[/folder]] |
| 164 | |
| 165 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
| 166 | * When night falls on ''Film/MuppetTreasureIsland'', the characters' eyes glow. As do the eyes of the wild boar tribesmen sneaking up behind them... |
| 167 | * ''Series/SesameStreet'' |
| 168 | ** When Maria has to go into Oscar's [[BiggerOnTheInside trash can]], in order to hide what the actual interior looked like. Oscar's glowing eyes were identical to his normal ones, though Maria's were clearly Muppet approximations. Done in another episode when Abby Caddaby magics herself into the trash can. |
| 169 | ** In one classic sketch, Ernie and Bert run so many appliances in their apartment that it blows a fuse, and the blackout is presented with their eyes floating around in complete darkness. |
| 170 | ** In one sketch, Forgetful Jones and Clementine arrive home to find their cabin dark because Forgetful needs to be reminded to turn something on. After Forgetful turns on the faucet, fan, and radio to no avail he remembers that the right thing to turn on is the light. Until he turns on the lights his eyes, Clementine's eyes, and Buster's eyes and teeth are all floating around in the darkness. |
| 171 | ** In the ''Elmo's World'' segment on farms Elmo goes inside Oscar's trash can to film him feeding his farm animals. Oscar's glowing yellow eyes and Elmo's glowing eyes are the only things that are visible on screen. |
| 172 | ** In an animated sketch we see two characters talking about how it's dark and that even though one of them knows there is a light switch, it is too high to reach. Naturally, we only see their cartoon eyes. After the two cooperate and turn on the light we see that the two characters are a man and a monster. Surprised that the man has been lifted by a monster he turns off the light again, this time ending the sketch on a black screen. |
| 173 | ** In another sketch, Kermit tries to demonstrate "light" and "dark" by showing that the single source of light in his room is a lamp. Right as he turns it off Grover opens the door and comes in causing light to come in through the door. When Grover closes the door at Kermit's direction the entire room becomes pitch black and we only see their eyes floating around as they scramble to fill the room with light. Grover eventually finds the door and opens it only to find that, in their scramble, they've trashed the whole room. Kermit ends the sketch by [[LampshadeWearing having the lamp shade stuck on his head]] when he tells Grover to leave since he's "helped enough today". |
| 174 | ** In ''Film/TheAdventuresOfElmoInGrouchland'', Elmo enters a dark cave and all the viewer can see are his eyes. |
| 175 | [[/folder]] |
| 176 | |
| 177 | [[folder:Software]] |
| 178 | * The "Nocturnes" screensaver included on some editions of ''[[VideoGame/AfterDarkBerkeleySystems After Dark]]'' depicted many pairs of eyes popping up on a black background. |
| 179 | [[/folder]] |
| 180 | |
| 181 | [[folder:Theme Parks]] |
| 182 | * During one of the animated sequences in the show ''Theatre/{{Fantasmic}}'', a late night performance at one of the Ride/DisneyThemeParks, the character Mickey, during a voiced version of the sequence from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", goes down a whirlpool, after which you see his eyes appear in a dark place for a couple seconds as he tries to figure out where he is. (Reused from ''Brave Little Tailor''.) |
| 183 | * In ''Ride/MenInBlackAlienAttack'' at Ride/UniversalStudios, there are a few aliens in the ride that can be seen hiding in the bushes, where only their glowing eyes are visible. |
| 184 | [[/folder]] |
| 185 | |
| 186 | [[folder:Toys]] |
| 187 | * One of the early ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' animations showed this when a bunch of Onu-Matoran were trapped by a cave-in. Possibly a JustifiedTrope, since most incarnations show the characters' eyes having some sort of glow, even in daylight. |
| 188 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Mixels}}'' has the Glowkies. As they are nocturnal and themed around bioluminescence, their eyes have glow-in-the-dark abilities, both in-show and in toy form. |
| 189 | [[/folder]] |
| 190 | |
| 191 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 192 | * ''VideoGame/DareToDream'': Sometimes dark doorways show the eyes of someone looking back at Tyler, even thought there's absolutely no-one there when he goes through. |
| 193 | * ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'': Occurs a few times in the series. |
| 194 | ** ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIV'': Rosella at one point must navigate a pitch-black cave with a resident troll and a chasm opening into a BottomlessPit... all without any light for the player to see by. |
| 195 | ** ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVI'': In the large labyrinth, one room is so dark that all the player can see of Alexander is his white eyes against the black surroundings. If the player doesn't have a source of light, rumbling noises and a growl are heard as the Minotaur enters the room, while Alexander's eyes are lifted up, shaken, and... well, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN8_cUuSaSU that's gotta be painful.]] |
| 196 | * ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': |
| 197 | ** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': In the FinalBoss battle, the battlefield has very low lighting, yet Ganon's eyes are always visible. |
| 198 | ** ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': Midna's eyes are unaffected by lighting, so they often seem to glow in dark areas. |
| 199 | ** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': You can see the eye of the Hinox while fighting him in the pitch black forest. |
| 200 | * ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'': |
| 201 | ** In ''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape'', there are several instances in which there are inaccessible pitch-black rooms, holes in the walls and half-closed coffins where if you look into them, you're sure to see a pair of eyes looking back at you. |
| 202 | ** ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and ''VideoGame/RaymanLegends'' also use this trope: The former in the introduction to the game, and the latter on the silhouetted loading screens. |
| 203 | * ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'': |
| 204 | ** ''VideoGame/WarcraftIITidesOfDarkness'' uses this in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CRawxPZNbk the Tomb of Sargeras scene.]] |
| 205 | ** ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': In ''[[ExpansionPack The Burning Crusade]]'' trailer, the first thing you see of Vindicator Maraad is his eyes. However, that's [[GlowingEyesOfDoom justified because he's a draenei]]. |
| 206 | ** In ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone}}'', the game table for the first adventure, ''Curse of Naxxramas'', has a dark passage with a GiantSpider hiding inside. The spider's many eyes can be periodically seen from the entrance. |
| 207 | * ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'': This is utilized during the final battle in that one of the attacks of the BigBad is to cloak the battlefield in darkness, and his glowing eyes are the only way to find him, attack him until he's stunned, and then bring the light back. |
| 208 | * In ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}: Shadow of Chernobyl'' (including Anomaly and Gunslinger modification), ALL of the mutant's eyes glow. No matter what. Even AFTER they're dead. |
| 209 | * In ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', both times the player encounters Ridley, his glowing yellow eyes are the first things to appear, before the room lights up and the rest of his body becomes visible. |
| 210 | * ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim''. The secret level "Who Turned Out the Lights?" is pitch black besides the CartoonyEyes of Jim and some otherwise unseen enemies. |
| 211 | * Taokaka from ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' has her face concealed in a hood, showing only nondescript red eyes and a crescent grin with dagger teeth. |
| 212 | * In ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland Chapter 4: The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood'', one of the buttons on De Singe's Auto-Trepanation Helmet causes the entire "laboratorium" to go dark temporarily, with only Guybrush's eyes visible when he says, "Ack! I'm blind!" Thankfully the lights turn back on. |
| 213 | * ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfKyrandia'': |
| 214 | ** Stepping into an unlit room in the caves will cause Brandon's death by a horde of glowy-eyed monsters. |
| 215 | ** Parodied in ''Malcolm's Revenge''. Leaving Darm's Hut at nighttime will cause red eyes to appear behind Malcolm... and step out of the shadow to reveal squat imp-like creatures holding signboards depicting glowing red eyes. They smack Malcolm in the head with a signboard. |
| 216 | * ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' and its sequel have a few eye choices that do this. |
| 217 | * The player in the 1982 Platform/{{Atari 2600}} game ''VideoGame/HauntedHouse'' is only visible by his eyes and a lit match. |
| 218 | * ''VideoGame/{{Zork}}'' is infamous for Grues -- creatures that will kill you in the darkness, yet you never ever see or hear a description of what they look like as they seem to only exist within darkness. In ''VideoGame/ZorkZero'', though the game is still all text like previous games, you get snippets of images now and then. Such as you can play a card game with The Jester, one of the cards is "Grue" which shows nothing more than a pair of eyes in the darkness). |
| 219 | * ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has this in the Tomb of the Giants, in which there is a supernatural darkness that severely limits your sight range. If you look, though, you can see the skeleton enemies' GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath in the darkness. There is also Manus in the ''Artorias of the Abyss'' DLC, whose (many) eyes can be seen in the distant dark from outside the boss room if you look in ''just'' the right place. |
| 220 | * PlayedForHorror in the first ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys1'' game. If Freddy isn't on stage or at your door, he's only visible by the glow of his eyes on camera, which is pretty hard since they're only visible as tiny white little pinpricks. Freddy can also be seen by the glow of his eyes when he's outside your office during [[YouAreAlreadyDead a blackout]], this time with the friendly cartoony eyes he's normally seen with. What makes it creepy this time around is that they flicker to the beat of an OminousMusicBoxTune. |
| 221 | * In both ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' games, the [[{{Mooks}} regular zombies]]' eyes glow in the dark. It's generally not noticeable because [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the environments as reasonably well lit up]] and any idle ones that can be observed are at a distance away, but it gets very noticeable when you're swarmed in a dark area and you can see the eyes of those in your field of view that aren't being lit by your flashlight. It helps a lot since it tells you where to shoot to break free. |
| 222 | * ''VideoGame/Doom3'' does this a lot. Zombies and melee-oriented demons[[labelnote:+]]ranged ones dish out very bright fireballs that give away their exact location[[/labelnote]] who tend to appear in especially dark areas have glowing eyes, both for RuleOfScary and as a gameplay trait that, as in the ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' example above, marks the thing that you want to unload on without forcing you to illuminate it with your torch. |
| 223 | * In ''VideoGame/JimmyAndThePulsatingMass'', monsters in dark areas are obscured on the first turn of battle -- except for their eyes. |
| 224 | * At one point in the third trial of the third ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' game, there is a power outage, and you can see Phoenix's and Godot's eyes (though, given the fact that Godot's "eyes" are an illuminated visor, it's probably justified). In fact, this is foreshadowing of the fifth case, in which [[spoiler:Godot's illuminated visor becomes vital testimony for a murder which took place in pitch darkness. Phoenix's eyes, not so much.]] |
| 225 | * Downplayed example in ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'': Though the game rarely actually reaches complete darkness, there are some places where the characters are in shaded or low-light conditions. In these cases, the sprites are darkened or shaded accordingly, but their eyes will always remain a bright white (or red, in the case of Painwheel). One of Valentine's cinematic moves has one shot from the perspective of an operating table, however, in which the only visible things are the lights on the ceiling and Valentine's eyes. |
| 226 | * It's subtle, but [[HumanoidAbomination Mr. X's]] pupils have white glow in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake''. |
| 227 | * ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' has this in a more realistic manner for E-102 (a robot) and in a more cartoonish manner for Big (a cat); their eyes are unaffected by lighting and so appear to "glow" in dark rooms. Only in the Platform/{{Dreamcast}} version, though. |
| 228 | * This [[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1997453273&searchtext= Cartoon Cat SNPC mod]] for ''VideoGame/GarrysMod'' does this, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chGSGKry4D4=953 seen here.]] |
| 229 | * In ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoFever'', Popoi appears in a dark room with only the glow of his eyes to indicate where he is. This might make sense since he's a black cat... but then Amitie is in the same room while the lights are out and the player can see her just fine - she's not even darkened to match the dim room. |
| 230 | * ''VideoGame/{{Basingstoke}}'': You can tell where the PlayerCharacter, and the zombies, are by seeing their eyes in the darkness. |
| 231 | * ''VideoGame/AndysAppleFarm'': Once Andy's friends lock him in the barn, his glowing eyes become the only thing visible. The ensuing minigame involves navigating the barn while avoiding other disembodied glowing eyes. |
| 232 | * ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'': The effect is utilised with the Ride Pokemon [[spoiler:Sneasler]]. Since her main utility is to climb walls, she carries the protagonist in a barrel, which has a peephole for them, the peephole only showing a pitch-black inside and the protagonists eyes, which are rendered in a more simplified style than the rest of the game. |
| 233 | * ''Videogame/{{Inscryption}}:'' Your game master keeps himself ''just'' far enough out of sight that you can only see his eyes (and sometimes hands) throughout most of the game, and he's good enough at it that you don't see his face even when he reaches out to strangle you. [[spoiler:This is deliberate; he's doing it to keep things atmospheric, and will let himself be seen in other situations]]. |
| 234 | * ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' introduces Slim Cognito, a FriendInTheBlackMarket who only ever appears as one of these, peeking out through the opening to whatever shelter he's hiding in. |
| 235 | * In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'', certain levels (and areas of levels) are so dark that your character is only visible as a silhouette with bright white eyes (even the Toads and Toadette, who ordinarily have BlackBeadEyes). Curiously, certain enemies in these areas emit light, so getting near them causes your character to smoothly fade from fully rendered to glowing-eyed silhouette and back. |
| 236 | [[/folder]] |
| 237 | |
| 238 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 239 | * Shows up on ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' in the WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail [[Recap/StrongBadEmailE197YourEdge "your edge"]], providing an unusually detailed look at Strong Bad and The Cheat's eyes. |
| 240 | -->'''Strong Bad:''' Whoa, where are we? I suddenly feel so... easy to animate. |
| 241 | * In the ''WebAnimation/BarbieLifeInTheDreamhouse'' episode "Closet Princess", when Teresa and Nikki slide through a dark passageway, they look like eyeballs floating against a dark backdrop. |
| 242 | * When Vivi, Arthur and Mystery first enter the dark haunted mansion in ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' their eyes are visible in the otherwise black darkness watching as a single magenta flame floats by and starts lighting the candles. |
| 243 | * ''WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions'': Happens to Blue when he gets locked in a room a la Literature/TheCaskOfAmontillado as punishment for going on tangents by Red in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4da1S6moF2Q&list=PLDb22nlVXGge8g-zuhd2Ts9b7_ln5JQSJ&index=25 this video.]] |
| 244 | * In ''WebAnimation/AngelHare'', Gabby's eyes remain visible while she's demonstrating how to hide in a closet. However, the rest of her body is also animated as a silhouette which can be seen against the slightly lighter background. |
| 245 | [[/folder]] |
| 246 | |
| 247 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 248 | * ''Webcomic/{{Project 0}}''. Cleverly coupled with GlowingEyesOfDoom [[http://centralcitytower.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d5miak2 when Ciro and Kareem go into shadow mode.]] |
| 249 | * ''Dreamleak'' (which appears to have been taken down) subverted it: what looked like the protagonist's eyes in the dark turns out to be a "novelty torch" shaped like eyes. |
| 250 | * ''Webcomic/FeyWinds'': In episode 180 [[http://www.feywinds.com/feywinds/fw180/the gang enters a dark place and the fire goes out.]] |
| 251 | * ''Webcomic/FreddyFox'': In [[https://www.furaffinity.net/view/15555329/ the 64th strip]], the only part of Cathy the cat that can be seen during her nocturnal prey hunt is her eyes for three panels... until she gets her tongue caught in a mousetrap, waking up Angie in the process. |
| 252 | * ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': |
| 253 | ** In the flashback showing Zeetha destroying her pirate captors her eyes are the only thing visible in the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20041103 dark behind the bars where she was kept imprisoned.]] |
| 254 | ** When Norville and Krosp are [[https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20240308 vorped together to who-knows-where,]] the place is so dark that only their eyes and teeth are visible for the next few strips. |
| 255 | * ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'': Reynardine's eyes in his wolf form. Not only glow in the dark but [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=414 act as a light source if he wants them to.]] |
| 256 | * Shows up in ''Webcomic/BreakpointCity''. During a [[http://www.breakpointcity.com/archives/2005/02/20/twenty-two/ power outage]], Sofia's eyes are visible as usual. Ben's glow blue, which he explains is because of lights in his glasses. Then Dan comes in, with regular eyes -- and glowing green teeth. |
| 257 | -->'''Ben:''' For the love of God, Dan, brush your teeth. |
| 258 | * Done and lampshaded in the ''Webcomic/{{Insecticomics}}''. This causes confusion at once point, where Tarantulas mistakes the snake-handed Quickstrike for being two mechs because he sees two pairs of optics. |
| 259 | * ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes'' makes use of this trope [[http://eheroes.smackjeeves.com/comics/1990911/alls-well-until/ in a flashback]] with the bad guys sneaking in the dark. |
| 260 | * ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'': When a character is seen in silhouette, you can generally see their eyes, mouths, significant scars, and occasionally magical effects. In general, their major identifying marks -- you see Chief's tattoo, for instance, or Kore's helm's eye-hole. |
| 261 | * [[http://www.sdamned.com/2008/12/12142008/ Used]] in ''Webcomic/SlightlyDamned'' -- switching on the eye glow improves a Demon's night vision ([[MST3KMantra do not think about it too much]]). |
| 262 | * In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', this is all that is ever seen of the Monster in the Darkness. Because he's in the darkness. |
| 263 | * {...} of ''Webcomic/HannaIsNotABoysName'' can read books by the light of his eyes. |
| 264 | * ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'': [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/020305c Cool! I'm just a pair of glowing floating eyeballs!]] |
| 265 | * ''WebComic/RustyAndCo'' [[http://rustyandco.com/comic/level-4-3/ Monsters]] sneaking behind Stabbs Doogan are hinted by their eyes (some of them multiples), and the occasional weapon, tentacle of fang-filled mouth. |
| 266 | * ''Webcomic/{{Underling}}'': Done for effect [[http://underlingcomic.com/page-one/ in the intro]] or with the Lilitus [[http://underlingcomic.com/page-one-hundred-seventy/ in a dark cave.]] |
| 267 | * ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'': |
| 268 | ** This was used in [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2046 comic #2046]] albeit unexpectedly, as the power had gone out on the Northeast coast of the U.S. and Jeph wasn't able to draw more. |
| 269 | ** Also occurs in the last panel [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1236 here.]] |
| 270 | * ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' uses this [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-02-23 to avoid revealing the appearance]] of villains too soon. |
| 271 | * In ''Webcomic/NoRestForTheWicked'', [[http://www.forthewicknet/archive/02-30.html the Beast and November]] get this treatment in his shadow. |
| 272 | * In ''Webcomic/BlueYonder'', [[http://www.blueyondercomic.net/comics/1510611/blue-yonder-chapter-2-page-7/ Jared's eyes are still bright when his face is shadowed.]] |
| 273 | * Done with [[http://mansionofe.comicgenesis.com/d/20070729.html this strip]] in ''Webcomic/TheMansionOfE''. |
| 274 | * [[http://thespecialistscomic.com/page-120 Hartmann's,]] in ''Webcomic/TheSpecialists''. |
| 275 | * In ''Webcomic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'', [[http://www.rhjunior.com/QQSR/00006.html Quinn's eyes as he lurks in the underbrush.]] |
| 276 | * In one ''Webcomic/RankAmateur'' filler strip, [[http://rankamateur.thecomicseries.com/comics/25/ Sekhmet's eyes]] are the only thing visible in the background. Possibly subverted, as A-001 is fully lit, and Sekhmet has black fur. |
| 277 | * In ''Webcomic/FauxPas'', [[http://www.ozfoxes.net/cgi/pl-fp1.cgi?666 it shows that something is under the brush while they speculate about possibilities.]] |
| 278 | * ''Webcomic/{{Precocious}}'': This is the only way Myra [[Main/TheFaceless is ever seen]]. |
| 279 | * ''Webcomic/TiffanyAndCorey'': One cartoon shows [[https://tiffanyandcorey.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-dark.html several eyes in the dark]] looking at Tiffany as she turns on a light. |
| 280 | * ''Webcomic/DaughterOfTheLilies'': Thistle is always InTheHood with impenetrable shadows [[HideYourOtherness hiding her face]], but her eyes and eyebrows remain visible. [[BonusMaterial Bonus comics]] explain that, in-universe, it's {{Justified|Trope}} by the darkness being magical in origin, and out-of-universe, the visibility helps portray Thistle's emotions. |
| 281 | * Parodied in [[http://wondermark.com/c1460/ one strip]] of ''Webcomic/{{Wondermark}}''; four characters experience a power outage, three of whom have their eyes show up in the dark. The fourth person promptly starts freaking out about why people have glowing eyes. |
| 282 | [[/folder]] |
| 283 | |
| 284 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 285 | * [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] and played straight as an example by the WebVideo/AngryVideoGameNerd during his ''Halloween'' review when discussing ''Boo! Haunted House''. |
| 286 | * ''WebVideo/CrossedLines'': In Episode 8, Kindred Spirits, when Ferrus is talking in his first scenes, we see his eyes glowing in the darkness of the building he was relegated to as a pumping engine. |
| 287 | * Dr. Rex during the FinalBattle of ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'', as a homage to [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ganon]]. |
| 288 | * ''Roleplay/FenQuest'': all kobolds have eyes that glow in the dark, and Fen makes note of the repercussions on stealth while stalking through an underground battlefield. |
| 289 | [[/folder]] |
| 290 | |
| 291 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 292 | * This happens all the time in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', though 90% of the time it is Batman himself doing it. He was often drawn so that the only thing visible in his silhouette is his eyes. The former trope picture was from the opening sequence, where a couple of {{mooks}} [[OhCrap see Batman arrive]]. |
| 293 | * ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'': In "Cheap Show", Bill forces his family to stay home instead of going to a street fair in an attempt to get them to save money. Near the end, the power goes out, leaving the whole house dark except for the Greens' eyes, because Bill went too far and cut the power to save money himself. Naturally, this was all due to the low-budget nature of the episode. |
| 294 | * ''WesternAnimation/BigTim'': After Tim gets sent to the sheds for Kid Friction causing him to wreck his first train, all we see of him is his eyes in the darkness. The other engines open their eyes to signify they're there when talking to Tim. |
| 295 | * ''WesternAnimation/BountyHamster'': Spoofed in "Gone Fishin", where Cassie and Marion are SwallowedWhole along with the VillainOfTheWeek who is trying to kill our heroes with a LaserBlade, the only thing visible except for their eyes. At one point the villain appears to have cut Cassie in half, but then two pairs of eyes appear in place of the two detached eyes. Turns out it was just two people standing together with one eye shut. |
| 296 | * ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': |
| 297 | ** One episode of does this with the [[CreepyChild Delightful Children's]] eyes. |
| 298 | ** In ''WesternAnimation/OperationZERO'', with Wally and Kuki hiding inside a closet. |
| 299 | * Whenever ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' was in the dark you could see [[EyepatchOfPower his single, yellow eye]] (a bit creepy for a good character). |
| 300 | * ''WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts'': Mickey Mouse himself in his pie-eyed days. While at face value his eyes seem to be the two black inkblots on his face, in the dark (and in the way these inkblots move around his head and in some colorations of the comics) it's revealed that they're actually two pupils in a merged set of giant eyeballs that take up half his face. His design from ''Plane Crazy'' without the eyes outlined. That, or maybe they just couldn't think of any other way to make those black eyes to show up in the dark. |
| 301 | * ''WesternAnimation/DadX'': Gouly gets his head stuck in a post box, and just before Gadget and Love-Love pull on him from behind, his eyes are seen in the darkness of the post box. |
| 302 | * Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'', when Captain Hero and Unusually Flexible Girl have sex. The lights go off leaving just their eyes visible as they go through various positions. The positions start off reasonably enough, getting more and more unusual until their eyes are going through a Newton's Cradle type motion. |
| 303 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': The episode "Lights Out" is based around this trope. The episode takes place in complete darkness for a good chunk of the episode, with no filters whatsoever. |
| 304 | * Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'', where his SUNGLASSES glow white in the [[SunglassesAtNight pitch dark]]. |
| 305 | * In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/HandyManny'', while playing a game of hide-and-seek, Rusty goes inside a dark closet where you can see only his eyes. |
| 306 | * ''WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas'': When the Grinch reaches the bottom of the chimney in the first house, his yellow-pupiled eyes are seen staring out of the fireplace. |
| 307 | * Virtually every ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon that includes a dark scene; the odds of them [[MatchlightDangerRevelation striking a match inside a dynamite shack]] are quite high. |
| 308 | ** A particularly notable example is the WesternAnimation/BugsBunny cartoon ''Hyde and Hare'' (1955), where Bugs locks himself in a dark closet with Dr. Jekyll to protect them from "the maniac". Jekyll, naturally, transforms into Hyde -- and it's ''only'' seen by the animation of his eyes turning huge, red, and monstrous. |
| 309 | ** Parodied a ton in the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunesCartoons'' episode "Dummies in the Dark" with Daffy and Porky during a blackout. |
| 310 | * Likewise virtually every episode of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo''. |
| 311 | * ''WesternAnimation/RazzberryJazzberryJam'': This trope is played completely straight when the power goes out in “Jazzberries Unplugged”. Interestingly, as the Jazzberries normally have BlackBeadEyes, their eyes appear as solid white discs in that scene. |
| 312 | * Spoofed in the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' episode "Gang Busters", where Buster and Plucky get put in "The Hole" while in prison. They pass the time by using their illuminated eyeballs [[SuddenVideoGameMoment to play Pong and Pac-Man]]. Then one of them lights a match, and when the room was lit ''all that remained were their eyeballs'', prompting them to escape before they get any more stir-crazy... and save more animation money. |
| 313 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 314 | ** Lampshaded in "A Fish Called Selma" when Homer asks, "Marge, could you close your eyes? I'm trying to sleep." |
| 315 | ** Spoofed in the final scene of "The Last Temptation of Homer". Homer and Marge are in a hotel room, and after he turns off the lamp for some happy time, a third set of eyes appears, those of the creepy bellman from earlier who starts cat-calling. Homer's eyes become angry and he punches the bellman, and one of his eyes disappears. |
| 316 | ** In the ''Treehouse of Horror XIII'' segment "The Island of Dr. Hibbert": Two pairs of eyes peer out from under some bushes. One pair turns into a set of fangs and devours the other pair. |
| 317 | ** In "Mother Simpson", after the power is cut from the house, Marge scolds Homer for faking his death, in pitch blackness. Her emotions and body language are wonderfully portrayed through only her eyes. |
| 318 | ** There's another episode where not only Homer's eyes are visible in the dark but also his teeth. |
| 319 | ** One CouchGag shows the family's eyes rushing to the couch in darkness, and then the lights turn on, revealing that they're all just eyes, and then the (eyeless) family joins in, at which their eyes immediately place themselves onto their faces. |
| 320 | ** "A Test Before Trying" has one of the rare (or maybe not -- see pic above) examples where the scene isn't completely pitch dark. |
| 321 | ** Lampshaded in "The Man Who Grew Too Much," when Marge tells Homer that the brightness of his eyes is keeping her up. |
| 322 | ** The episode "The Springfield Connection" Marge tells Bart and Lisa to go to bed. The light from the bedroom turns off and as Marge resumes climbing the tree, Bart and Lisa's eyes become visible. |
| 323 | * Parodied in the WesternAnimation/{{Roger Rabbit|Shorts}} cartoon ''Roller Coaster Rabbit'', where at one point the eyes are running around on little legs. |
| 324 | * Used in ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'' when the members of Dethklok sneak into a closet to eat food because they are supposed to be on diets. |
| 325 | * The eyes at the very end of the last ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'' episode. True, they are only part of a cliffhanger that was never expanded upon outside of WordOfGod because the show was ScrewedByTheNetwork, but still... |
| 326 | * Seen also in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Super Mario World|1991}}'' cartoon after Yoshi swallows Mario in the "Mama Luigi" episode. [[MemeticMutation "Ugh, now I know how a meatball feels."]] |
| 327 | * ''WesternAnimation/RubyGloom'' has fun with the characters' distinctive eyes. They cheat a little with Misery's inverted eyes (white pupils, black sclera) by turning them gray. |
| 328 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheHerculoids'' episode "The Lost Dorgyte": the eyes of the monsters of the Stone Forest. |
| 329 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'' (1973/74) episodes. |
| 330 | ** "The Power Pirate". When Wendy and Marvin are trapped in a dark room, initially all the audience can see is their eyes. |
| 331 | ** "The Planet Splitter". When Doctor [=LeBon=]'s assistant closes the observatory's door and shuts off the outside light, we see Wendy's eyes floating in the darkness. |
| 332 | ** "The Shamon U". While Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog are hiking up Mystery Mountain in the dark they see two pairs of glowing eyes approaching them. The eyes turn out to belong to Batman and Robin, who were following them. |
| 333 | * It happens in ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' when Jimmy and Co. are stuck in a tomb. You could tell which pair of eyes belonged to which character because they all looked different. |
| 334 | * Used in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yH4FNWL-XQ an animated]] ''Series/SesameStreet'' sketch in which two people work together to turn on a light in a dark room. When the light is turned on, the first person sees that the second person is a repulsive-looking creature, and turns the light back off. |
| 335 | * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9dbAQJIu1o The opening]] of ''WesternAnimation/TheTrapDoor''. |
| 336 | * The lions in the ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'' version of [[Literature/TheBible "Daniel and the Lions' Den."]] |
| 337 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''. Fin inside the [[BagOfKidnapping sack being kidnapped]] by Reef, Broseph and Emma is depicted as her eyes. |
| 338 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' episode "Knock Knock", the Ghostbusters enter the lightless Place of Lost Souls. First we see the Ghostbusters' eyes...then we see the eyes of the dozens of beings surrounding them. We never do find out what any of them look like. |
| 339 | ** Cleverly subverted in a sequence where they board a possessed underground train. The inside is pitch black, so only four pair of eyes can be seen. However, when the lights come back, we see that they were actually surrounded by a group of skeletal passengers with no eyes in their skulls. |
| 340 | * Done rather nicely on ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' when the Titans fight a bunch of machines in a dark sewer-like area. Starfire's green energy bolt is the only source of light. Beast Boy, in human form, is cornered by a machine. When the light goes away, his pupiless eyes remain. When the light comes back, it's revealed he turned into a gorilla and crushed the machine. |
| 341 | * ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': |
| 342 | ** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] and [[ExploitedTrope Exploited]] in the episode "Blackout", where Doofenshmirtz makes himself have sad puppy-dog eyes so as to make everyone give him give him whatever he wants. |
| 343 | --->'''Phineas:''' Hey Ferb, isn't it cool how you can still see people's eyes in -- Ferb? Where'd you go?\ |
| 344 | (''Ferb opens eyes'')\ |
| 345 | '''Phineas:''' Oh-hoh, you prankster! |
| 346 | ** Also appears during another episode, "One Good Scare Ought to Do It!" |
| 347 | ** Played straight in "The Klimpaloon Ultimatum". |
| 348 | * Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/WhoKilledWho'' when the eyes visible beyond a door peephole are left shut out when the peephole closes abruptly, forcing them to knock on the door to be let back in. |
| 349 | * Done in ''WesternAnimation/TheMrMenShow''. |
| 350 | * ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyTest'' used it twice, with the family hiding in the closet in "Johnny Zombie Tea Party" and in "Johnny Trick or Treat" when Johnny, Dukey and Jillian fall into a pitch-dark basement, with their eyes visible. |
| 351 | * ''WesternAnimation/UglyAmericans'' has an example in "Better Off Undead". |
| 352 | * ''WesternAnimation/WestAndSoda'' by Italian animator Bruno Bozzetto uses it a few times... but just when the big shootout in the dark cave happens and one expects this trope, no eyes at all. |
| 353 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': In episode "The Six Million Dollar Mon", Hermes' new robo-eyes are glowing. (And not only them... Insert "third eye" pun here...) |
| 354 | ** This also happened in A Clockwork Origin and the Jimmy Neutron example above you can easily identify each character based on their eyes (or in Leela's case eye) |
| 355 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': |
| 356 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E1MareInTheMoon Friendship is Magic, part 1]]": Downplayed; Twilight and Spike, when they're standing in the near-total-dark library, have clearly visible eyes, although the rest of their bodies can still be seen in the obscurity. |
| 357 | ** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E6BoastBusters Boast Busters]]", when Snips and Snails enter the cave, only their eyes are visible until Snails lights up his horn. |
| 358 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E4OneBadApple One Bad Apple]]": In the beginning of the "Bad Seed" song, when the CMC try to sneak around. |
| 359 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E3CastleManeia Castle Mane-ia]]": Rarity's eyes are briefly visible when she's stranded in the dark. |
| 360 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E11PartyPooped Party Pooped]]": |
| 361 | *** When Pinkie stumbles upon a cave in the mountains by Yakyakistan, the first sign she gets of the yeti living in it are its eyes, standing out clearly and alone in the pitch darkness of its lair. |
| 362 | *** Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow's eyes are seen in the dark before they discover Pinkie's secret room. "I can't tell if my eyes are open or closed," says Fluttershy. Oh, they're open, all right. |
| 363 | ** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E15ScareMaster Scare Master]]": When Rarity and Spike venture into a very dark part of the corn maze, only their eyes stay visible in the darkness until Rarity lights her horn. |
| 364 | %%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': A frequent occurrence. |
| 365 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': |
| 366 | ** In "The Nobody", Gumball and Darwin stumble into a darkened basement [[FailedASpotCheck they didn't know they had]] while looking for an intruder. At first, Gumball apparently has a third eye but then the torchlight shows that it's just a reading lamp. Nevertheless, the apparent extra eye turns out to be a bit of {{Foreshadowing}} once they discover that [[spoiler:Rob, a {{Cyclops}}, is the intruder]]. |
| 367 | ** There is also a minor character which owns a van, and only his eyes can be seen from there. He has sold things like an evil turtle, a cursed console, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Darwin]]. |
| 368 | ** A shadow person steals Gumball's wallet in the episode "The Comic", and tries to steal the Wattersons' car tire, but Nicole punches him. However, it's unclear if he is really a shadow person, or his real appearance is obscured. His eyes are different than the van owner's, so it is known they are not the same person. |
| 369 | * This happens in the ''WesternAnimation/ChalkZone'' episode "French Fry Falls" when Rudy, Penny, and Snap end up inside Biclops' mouth. |
| 370 | * Happens in ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatiansTheSeries'' episode "Coup De Vil" when the main puppies and Spot are hiding in Rolly's "fritter hole". |
| 371 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' episode "Why June Refuses To Turn The Page", this happens with June when Henry leaves her alone on the set at the end of the episode as the lights get shut off. |
| 372 | * It's nearly averted in the ''WesternAnimation/FraidyCat'' episode "It's a Dog's Life", by not having the eyes move at all. In the episode, some dog show contestants chase Fraidy into a cellar. Cue a crash sound, and we see just the contestants eyes. Then, a dog turns on the light, resuming the chase. |
| 373 | * At the end of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' episode "Doug Out In Left Field", Doug is practicing batting in his room when he accidentally breaks his lamp, causing him to be surrounded by darkness except for his eyes. Interestingly, his typical BlackBeadEyes are swapped out for cartoony white eyes with a pupil for this one scene. |
| 374 | * Dr. Viper is introduced this way in the ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'' episode "The Giant Bacteria," with his glowing yellow eyes peering out of a drain pipe at Morbulus. |
| 375 | * Seeking shelter on a coral reef, Chris and Martin on ''WesternAnimation/WildKratts'' are joined in a pitch-black rock crevice by a ''huge'' pair of eyes. This is all the more alarming in that they're miniaturized at the time, hence ''very'' vulnerable to predators. [[spoiler:Fortunately, it's just a harmless blowfish.]] |
| 376 | * ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' |
| 377 | ** In [[BizarroEpisode "One + One = Ed"]], following a transition to black, the Eds' eyes and teeth appear on the dark screen. The blackness then zooms out to reveal they're inside Kevin's pupil. |
| 378 | ** Throughout "A Case of Ed", Ed and Eddy taunt Kevin from outside his house when he gets grounded. One moment involves a scene fading to black, followed by Kevin's eyes appearing in the dark; the scene then cuts to reveal that Ed and Eddy had built a brick wall around his house. |
| 379 | -->'''Kevin:''' Okay, ''now'' I'm mad. |
| 380 | * This happens in a Season 2 episode of ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender''. Keith and Lance get stuck in an elevator when the power goes out, and their eyes are still visible for a few seconds before the scene cuts away from them. |
| 381 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Moonbird}}'': The boys are shown this way, with only their eyes discernible, when they are huddled in their hole waiting to catch the moonbird. |
| 382 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': Whenever it gets dark, the only things that can be seen are a character's eyes and teeth. |
| 383 | * ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': In "Jet Can't Sleep", there's a brief black out and only the Propulsions' eyes are visible in the dark. |
| 384 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode 'The Time Traveler's Pig', when Dipper and Mabel are going through a rapid sequence of time jumps, the time machine starts to spark and overheat, eventually stranding them in an empty black void with this trope. Dipper speculates that they've been vaulted forward to the end of the universe, but it turns out they're just [[spoiler:inside a porta-potty not far from the time and place they originally left.]] |
| 385 | * Occurs in the ''WesternAnimation/CraigOfTheCreek'' episode "Camper on the Run", but J.P.'s SkintoneSclerae leave him completely nonvisible, making Kelsey wonder where he is. |
| 386 | -->'''J.P.:''' I'm right here. Sorry, [[MediumAwareness I don't have eye whites]]. |
| 387 | * ''WesternAnimation/JourneyThroughTheJungleOfWords'': We see this happen to [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Groucho Barx]] and Olivia Ostrich when they, along with [[JunglePrincess Dualot]] and Seealot, get shut into the cave of King Solomon's Mind. |
| 388 | * ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': When Gwen hides under some grass in "Hide And Be Sneaky" and again when she gets stuck in a cave with Heather, Duncan, and Owen in "Are We There Yeti?" |
| 389 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'': in the original opening (with Wendy, Marvin and Wonderdog), while the trio are introduced in the opening credits, Wendy shhs Marvin, who turns and shhs Wonderdog. When he turns around and shhs behind him, there is a pair of glowing eyes, mimicking his movements (nearly). WD panics and runs into Marvin, causing both to fall. Lights come on and we see he was reacting to a mirror. |
| 390 | * In ''WesternAnimation/FudencioESeusAmigos'', whenever the characters appear in the dark, their eyes are the only things seen. [[FatIdiot Popoto]], whose eyes are usually covered by his hair, is shown to have crossed eyes in these. |
| 391 | * ''WesternAnimation/RosiesRules'': Used in the [[https://youtu.be/kDJublWuYpg Electricity Song]] in "Lights Out Rosie" to show how there used to be no electricity. |
| 392 | [[/folder]] |
| 393 | |
| 394 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 395 | * This can happen when using a webcam in a dark room, when the only light sufficient enough for the webcam to pick up is bounced off the person's eyes and teeth. |
| 396 | * Nightvision makes people's eyes seem to glow in the dark in an otherwise murky green haze. |
| 397 | * Many animals, especially deep sea and nocturnal animals (including felines and possums), have what is called the ''tapetum lucidum,'' a layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball that reflects light, improving the animal's vision in dim conditions. This can make the eye appear to glow if a light shines directly at it. The reflector "eyes" of a bike work and the "Cat's eye" for roads function about the same way. |
| 398 | * Possibly inspired by this is that it used to be believed that light came from someone's eyes and that was how they saw but this an old (500 BCE old) theory, discarded in Early Modern Age except as a poetic conceit. |
| 399 | [[/folder]] |
| 400 |
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