Line #25 Main/EyeAmWatchingYou


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4	[[quoteright:329:[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/headband_avatar.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:329:"[[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1 Always watching.]] ''[[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1 Always.]]''"]]
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10
11	So there's something ''off'' about the new guy. You want to keep him on his toes, let him know that he can't be at home just yet. You want him to know that ''you'll be watching him''.
12
13	The wonders of [[BodyLanguage nonverbal communication]] make saying all this without wasting your breath possible. Just perform these two simple gestures. Point to your eyes, preferably using the backward VSign: '''"I AM WATCHING"''' and point to your target: '''"YOU."'''
14
15	Details can vary, using different fingers when pointing at different things, but this is how you generally tell someone that you are watching them. Though generally a threatening gesture, it is known to have at times been used in a friendly or reassuring manner as well; communicating something to the effect of "I'll be seeing you", "I've got your back" or such. In many sign languages, the same gesture from one side of the face (not centered) translates as "see" or "I see you."
16
17	----
18	!!Examples:
19
20	[[foldercontrol]]
21
22	[[folder:Advertising]]
23	* The E-Trade Baby makes the gesture, possibly a reference to ''Film/MeetTheParents''.
24	* Advertising/TheBurgerKing does this in one commercial during a news conference, while his spokesperson dismisses every question. The last question gets this response from the King.
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
28	* ''Animation/{{Mechamato}}'': After the Cone Konchos are defeated and forced to clean up their mess, their boss expresses that they're still a threat by pointing at his own eyes and then pointing at Amato, glaring at him all the while.
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Comic Books]]
32	* In the ''ComicBook/TinyTitans''/''[[ComicBook/ArchieComics Little Archie]]'' crossover, Robin speculates (correctly) that Mrs Grundy is married to Solomon Grundy. Later Solomon Grundy shows up and [[BlatantLies claims to have no idea what Robin is talking about regarding supervillainy]]. On his way out of the classroom he gestures at Robin angrily.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Fan Works]]
36	* ''Fanfic/{{Boldores and Boomsticks}}'': Tapu Koko takes a moment to make this gesture at Casey and Lillie before zooming away.
37	* [[Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers Belgium, Holland, and Ukraine]] collectively give America one when they think he's picking on Canada in the fan comic ''[[http://thelosthype.deviantart.com/art/APH-Ungrateful-Children-pg-19-283021786 Ungrateful Children]]''. Korea gets in on the act as well, just for fun.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
41	* One of the possum brothers gives Manny this in ''WesternAnimation/IceAgeTheMeltdown'' when they notice that he's growing interested in their "sister", Ellie.
42	* A thug does this in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'' during the "Baby Hunt".
43	* Officer Devereaux from ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'' does a funny variant of this trope:
44	-->'''Officer Devereaux:''' This contact lens represents you! [[ShapedLikeItself And my eye represents my eye]]! ''[puts on contact lens]'' I've got my ''eye'' on ''you''!
45	* Monkey from ''WesternAnimation/KuboAndTheTwoStrings'' is mistrusting of the new crew member Beetle and does this gesture to him to send a message.
46	* ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' has the Wolf putting two gold coins on his eyes before doing this to Puss. It's also a {{foreshadowing}} for those who know a little about history; [[spoiler:[[CoinsForTheDead the Ancient Greeks placed coins over a corpse's eyes before burying them]], as they believed that the dead needed the coins to pay for the services of [[TheFerryman Charon]], who ferried them to the afterlife. This foreshadows that the Wolf isn't any ordinary wolf, but ''[[TheGrimReaper Death himself]].'']]
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
50	* Seen in ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' (latest version), with two soldiers.
51	* Robert De Niro's character does this to Greg Focker in ''Film/MeetTheParents'' and its sequels. It even provides the page quote at the top.
52	* One of the Homeland Security agents does this repeatedly to the title characters in ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 2016}}''. The fact that the gesture comes after the man's made a complete ass of himself, multiple times, prompts some wicked snark from Jillian and Abby.
53	* In ''Film/TheOogielovesInTheBigBalloonAdventure'', Lero Sombrero gives this gesture to Ruffy (the Oogieloves' pet goldfish) when Lola kisses him for good luck before sending him off to retrieve the last of their balloons.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
57	* Barney from ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' uses this gesture to encourage his friends to "focus on the prize". Which is usually casual sex and/or hijinks.
58	* Shirley on ''Series/{{Community}}'' does this when she and Annie are deputized to [[AprilFoolsPlot monitor April Fools' Day]].
59	* In ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'', Vice-Principal Crubbs does this to Ned from time to time.
60	* Doakes does this to Dexter in ''Series/{{Dexter}}''.
61	* ''Series/{{Glee}}'':
62	** Mike Chang does this to Coach Shannon Beiste after his girlfriend Tina mentions Beiste's name at an... inappropriate moment. While completely ignoring the fact that if he hadn't told Tina about how some of the other boys were using Beiste to, erm, cool off, she would never have used the method herself and therefore never mentioned the name...sometimes Mike's not all that bright, really.
63	** Coach Sylvester does this too to Rachel after leaving Principal Higgins' office.
64	* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'':
65	** An episode with Zachary Quinto promoting ''Film/StarTrek2009'' has a Star Trek fan do this to him with his fingers in the Vulcan salute.
66	** A 2018 episode features Robert Mueller doing the gesture toward Creator/AlecBaldwin's Donald Trump.
67	* In ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', Creator/JohnCleese does this to Creator/TerryJones after he says the word [[http://youtu.be/rGEeLtqtNvU mattress...]] '''twice.'''
68	* On ''Series/SomeGirls'', Holli does this at a school function to one of the nuns who had taken all the Hawaiian pizza slices. The nun repeats the gesture in kind.
69	* A suspicious Clara does this to the Doctor on ''Series/DoctorWho'' (in "The Caretaker") when he cancels their weekly adventure for something else he came up needing deep cover for. Naturally, she turns out to be right when the Doctor shows up at her school posing as the new caretaker.
70	* In ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' episode "Hotel Inspector" when hotel inspector Ilsa Shickelgrubermeiger becomes the Tipton Hotel's new manager after firing Mr. Moseby, she does this to bellhop Esteban after making him [[KickTheDog remove his war hero great grandfather's pin from his uniform]].
71	* ''Series/MimpiMetropolitan'':
72	** In episode 2, the local parker threatens Bambang this way to show he will watch Bambang if Bambang try to park people on his spot again.
73	** In episode 61, Melani does this to Pipin after Pipin babbles to Melani's mother that Melani and Bambang were arguing last night. Pipin's body language shows that she doesn't get what pointing-to-the-eye means.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
77	* On Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s fifth NXT season, when Maxine tried to marry Derrick Bateman, Bateman's disapproving mother gave her this gesture.[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
80	* In the opening fiction of ''TabletopGame/{{Scion}}: God ([=1E=])'', one of Sun Wukong's monkey guards does this to a visiting god from the Japanese pantheon.
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Theater]]
84	* Edward gives this gesture to Bella in ''Theatre/TwilightTheMusical''.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
88	* A gag in Ride/UniversalStudios' ''[[Theatre/UniversalsHorrorMakeUpShow Horror Make-Up Show]]'' has one of the hosts doing this several times to one of the kids in the audience, due to them believing that the kid threw a rock at their invention.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Video Games]]
92	* ''VideoGame/DaveTheDiver'': After his first encounter with [[AnimalWrongsGroup Sea Blue]], when they (rightly) suspect him of setting off explosives underwater, Dave gets this gesture from Sea Blue's leader John Watson.
93	* Drebin in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' does a variation of this to Snake called "EYE HAVE YOU", which starts at the "eye" step, then he clenches a fist, then points to Snake.
94	* In ''VideoGame/OfficeJerk'' and ''Office Zombie'', the Jerk and Zombie both do this as taunts. The Jerk does the standard version. The Zombie takes his right eye out, points at it, points at you, and then sticks the eye back in the socket.
95	* The Sniper has this as one of his taunts in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''.
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Webcomics]]
99	* The trope image comes from [[http://www.theaterhopper.com/2005/12/05/im-watching-you/ a strip]] of ''Webcomic/TheaterHopper''.
100	* ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'':
101	** A young Doctor [=McNinja=] does this to Frans Rayner when the latter is getting laughed at by the ninja guild for his neckbeard.
102	** And in a later arc, [[spoiler:in the BadFuture]], to King Radical.
103	* [[http://timeslikethis.com/?id=547 Nicki to Philip]] in ''Webcomic/TimesLikeThis''.
104	* [[http://www.commanderkitty.com/2009/10/25/im-watching-you-butterball/ Done by CK to Mittens]] in one ''Webcomic/CommanderKitty'' episode.
105	* ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}'':
106	** After getting sussed out as a spy, Sara'hilana has this gesture directed at her by Sal'bara [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10014 here]] after they're forced to release her.
107	** Occurs again [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10424 later]] when Tebryn does a variation with the index and pinkie fingers pointed at Zala'ess, this time to indicate that she "saw what you did" [[spoiler:aka saw the corpse of her mother, whom Zala helped murder]].
108	* ''Webcomic/{{Outsider}}'': As the Loroi are preparing for a possible boarding action by their archenemies, [[https://well-of-souls.com/outsider/outsider203.html Fireblade does this toward Jardin]]. Jardin responds by [[FlippingTheBird flipping her off]].
109	* In ''Webcomic/{{Rhapsodies}}'', Tara [[http://rhapsodies.wpmorse.com/comic/big-sister-is-watching-2/ does this]] to [[{{Main/Troll}} play on]] her brother's paranoia. It works.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Web Original]]
113	* The [[http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/007/195/im%20watching%20you%20-%20copia.jpg I'm watching you]] rage face, which is of the third phase of the motions.
114	* The website ''Kisscartoon'' has a waiting screen during which the system checks out if the visitor isn't a bot. This features a cartoon cat animated to do the gesture directly toward you with its paw.
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	[[folder:Web Videos]]
118	* ''Series/FlandersCompany'': In Season 4, Armand Trueman makes the gesture toward Dr. Shredder in a video-conference, noting that he's suspiciously always back for the season's climax.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Western Animation]]
122	* Happens a few times in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. Apparently in the Avatarverse, instead of using the index and middle fingers to point to their eyes, they use [[WardingGestures the index and pinky fingers]], which has a considerably more badass "mess with the bull, get the horns" connotation added on.
123	** Katara does this in "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheBlindBandit The Blind Bandit]]" to the bully earthbender students.
124	** Katara also does it to Jet in "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderLakeLaogai Lake Laogai]]".
125	** A bully does this to Aang in "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheHeadband The Headband]]" when [[CrazyJealousGuy he thinks Aang is trying to steal his girlfriend]], although he uses his index and middle fingers.
126	* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'':
127	** Parodied in "O.T.: The Outside Toilet". Max Flush, the shady man looking for the high-tech toilet Gene is hiding from him, does this gesture while standing outside the Belchers' restaurant. Gene [[ComicallyMissingThePoint thinks he's plotting to steal Gene's eyes and swap them with his own]].
128	** In "Tweentrepeneurs", Tina ends up owing money to Edith Cranwrinkle for a shipment of googly eyes for the student-run business. She sees Edith standing outside the playground of Wagstaff Elementary, where she makes this gesture with her own eyes, then with a pair of googly eyes stuck to her hand.
129	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': "Let's use our eyes...to see..."
130	* An Oktoberfest beer-guard does this to Fry in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}.''
131	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' inherits the index-and-pinky version of the gesture from [[SequelSeries its predecessor]].
132	** Chief Lin Beifong does this to Korra as she's leaving the police interrogation room. [[http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m12oemvw7L1qhapkxo1_500.jpg Korra does the same back]], wearing an exaggerated angry expression.
133	** She later does this to some thugs in "The Stakeout", complete with the same "Water Tribe" gesture Sokka does in the previous series.
134	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
135	** In "28 Pranks Later", Rainbow Dash gets this treatment from Harry the Bear, who is still mad about Rainbow playing a mean-spirited prank on Fluttershy earlier in the episode.
136	** "Sparkle's Seven": Shining Armor lacking fingers, he cannot make the gesture toward Twilight after finding her "sniffing the flowers" in the castle's courtyard... but his body language conveys the message pretty well, with him walking backward while glaring at his sister, and then his head poking right back on the frame with his horn pointing at her.
137	* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
138	** In the episode "No More Bunny Business", Perry the Platypus does this to Dennis the Bunny.
139	** In the episode "One Good Turn," Stacey does this to her little sister, Ginger. Ginger doesn't quite get it.
140	--->'''Ginger:''' That's our secret sign for "I love you, sis"... I think.
141	** In the GrandFinale "Last Day of Summer", Candace gives one to the boys as they all go inside at the end. This is later followed by a smile and a point.
142	* In various episodes of ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', [[ConspiracyTheorist Sticks]] has a tendency to do this if she thinks someone is untrustworthy. For example, in ''Two Good To Be True'', Eggman [[VerbalBackspace backspaces]] before he says outright that he's going to attack them next Tuesday, cueing this reaction from her.
143	* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': Happens a few times.
144	** After already mocking Chef's dress once and getting tied down for it in "[[Recap/TotalDrama310ToCrazytown 3:10 to Crazytown]]", Chris does it again during the award ceremony. This time, Chef curtly answers by pointing two fingers at his own eyes and then to Chris. Chris takes the hint and backs off.
145	** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaDialMForMerger Dial M for Merger]]", Courtney suspects that Beth stole her PDA when she hands it back, to which Beth replies she only found it. Courtney's reply is to gesture from her eyes to Beth.
146	** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaWalkLikeAnEgyptianPartTwo Walk Like an Egyptian, Part 2]]", Chris comes running when he hears Duncan sing, but Duncan insists he was hearing things and that Chris'll never get him to sing. Chris performs the eye-to-eye gesture to indicate he knows Duncan is lying.
147	** After Scuba Bear attacks Sugar and Samey in "[[Recap/TotalDramaABlastFromThePast A Blast from the Past]]", it turns to both teams each, points at its own eyes, then at them. Once they got the message that Scuba Bear is a threat during the challenge, it goes back in hiding underwater.
148	* Agent/Headmaster Phil Coulson does this to Spider-Man in ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012''.
149	* ''WesternAnimation/WordGirl'': One episode had [=WordGirl=] herself appear on TV to give a rather intimidating message to any bad guys out there wanting to possibly commit crimes while she's taking some much-needed recreation time, ending it by her doing this before leaving.
150	[[/folder]]

Context Main / EyeAmWatchingYou