Line #69 Main/OminousOperaCape


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4	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
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8	[[quoteright:310:[[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evilqueencape1.png]]]]
9	[[caption-width-right:310:Who wears the most sinister cape of all?]]
10
11	Villains love to wear a long, dark cape.
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13	In the 19th century, the opera cape was a fashion accessory that upper class men wore AtTheOperaTonight. It was grand, but not too flashy, and went great with a top hat, white tie and tails. But fashion changed, and the cape went out of style, destined to fade into the kind of outfit you would see only in {{Period Piece}}s.
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15	But then ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'' was adapted into a hit stage play, and an even bigger hit film. Creator/BelaLugosi used his old-fashioned cape, and turned it into something iconic, giving the garment a sense of grandeur and menace, especially as he flourished it whenever possible.
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17	Since then, any similar cape has become an iconic accessory for major villains everywhere, from TheDragon to the EvilOverlord. Also a standard outfit of the ClassicalMovieVampire. Even DastardlyWhiplash has been known to twirl one.
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19	But all have to fit these three criteria:[softreturn]
20	* Long (at least knee length)
21	* Flowing
22	* Dark-colored ([[EvilWearsBlack not necessarily black, but it wouldn't hurt]])
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24	A SisterTrope to HighCollarOfDoom (which is often paired with this trope, and was also codified by Lugosi's performance), BlackCloak.
25
26	Compare CapeSwish, BadassCape, SpikesOfVillainy, SuperheroesWearCapes (which ''can'' include villains), PimpedOutCape, SimpleYetOpulent. AllEncompassingMantle is when this trope goes overboard.
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28	----
29	!!Examples:
30	[[foldercontrol]]
31
32	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
33	* UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga from ''Anime/BattleGirlsTimeParadox''.
34	* ''Manga/BattleRoyale'': Kazuo Kiriyama's CoatCape looks so much like this you'd think it was this to begin with.
35	* [[Characters/CodeGeassLelouchLamperouge Zero's]] cape in ''Anime/CodeGeass'', even though he is supposed to be a good guy. The show is full of BlackAndGrayMorality though. And Zero sees himself as [[NecessarilyEvil doing evil for the greater good]].
36	* The Count from ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}''.
37	* Van Augur wears one in ''Manga/OnePiece''.
38	* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', Oktavia Von Seckendorff wears one [[spoiler: to complement Sayaka's BadassCape]].
39	* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', the Endless Magician, [[spoiler:Battler Ushiromiya]], wears one of these from Episode 6 onward.
40	* Mushiban, the main villain in the ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Gogo'' movie, wears a cape like this. It also has that high collar.
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Comic Books]]
44	* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'', who uses his cape in a very Dracula-like fashion. [[WordOfGod Bob Kane]] himself cited Lugosi's Dracula as one of Batman's inspirations.
45	* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'':
46	** Judge Fear, the largest and most imposing of the four Dark Judges, is also the only one who wears a huge black cape.
47	** Judge Death himself adopts a black cape after repairing his body in the hospital on Dominion.
48	* In the ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' story ''Comicbook/DemonSpawn'', villain Nightflame wears a long, flowing, black cape which has a high collar.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
52	* Alligators from ''Fantasia'' during the Dances with the Hours segment, wears all of red cape.
53	* Jafar from ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''. He wears a black opera cape, with red inside, like a Dracula-esque.
54	* Queen Narissa from ''Enchanted'', She wears a black hem, and her high matching black and purple collar, similar to a vampire top collar.
55	* Captain Crocodile from ''Robin Hood'', wears all red opera cape.
56	* Cat R. Waul from ''An American Tail Fievel Goes West'', wears a red opera cape with a light coral red tuxedo.
57	* Professor Ratigan from ''WesternAnimation/TheGreatMouseDetective'' wears an outfit similar to Count Dracula's.
58	* Mr. Darling from ''Peter Pan'' wears a top hat, tuxedo, cane, and black-red cape, an outfit similar to Count Dracula's.
59	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': The Black Mambaaaaaaaaaa. Yes, there are that many A's in the name.
60	* Jenner wears one in ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh''.
61	* Honest John from ''Pinocchio'', wears a blue opera cape, with red inside.
62	* Maleficent from ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty''. Bonus points for the flame-like fringe.
63	* Mother Gothel from ''Tangled'', She wears a black long cape.
64	* The Evil Queen of ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' wears a black cape, but with white trim, just for [[ErmineCapeEffect a touch of grandeur]] (as pictured above).
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
68	* In ''Film/TheButchers'', UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper wears an opera cape and top hat (which he almost certainly didn't in RealLife). Later used for some SexyCoatFlashing (ItMakesSenseInContext).
69	* Subverted in ''Film/DonJuanDemarco.'' Nobody finds the title character's cape frightening; on him it looks [[http://www.deppimpact.com/gallery/albums/pub_djd/djdcape.jpg more dashing than sinister.]]
70	* ''Film/{{Dracula 1931}}'' is the TropeCodifier from the aforementioned adaptations.
71	* In ''Film/TheHandsOfOrlac'': Vasseur wears an opera cape to conceal his sinister [[ArtificialLimbs metal hands and forearms]].
72	* Parodied in ''Film/NightAtTheMuseumBattleOfTheSmithsonian'', when Khamen Ra pokes fun at Darth Vader. "And what's with the cape? Are we going to the opera? I don't think so."
73	* ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' wears one.
74	* In ''Film/ThePinkPantherStrikesAgain'', Dreyfus wears an opera cape while making his threat to destroy the world. Doubles as an ActorAllusion, as Creator/HerbertLom had played [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1962 the Phantom of the Opera]].
75	* Dr. Frank N. Furter is introduced in one of these in both ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'' and almost every stage adaptation. Throwing it off to reveal his risque outfit underneath is a key piece of the choreography for his entry song.
76	* Darth Vader of ''Franchise/StarWars''.
77	[[/folder]]
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79	[[folder:Literature]]
80	* In the {{Mind Screw}}y ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' pastiche ''[[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/sherlock/deerstalker1.shtml The Deerstalker]]'' by Creator/PaulCornell, a group of fictional and historic characters who have ascended to popular mythology try to shift Holmes from Doyle's character to the one that exists in the public conciousness by giving him a deerstalker. It's mentioned that for Moriarty, the equivalent item was an opera cape.
81	* ''De rigeur'' for ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' vampires, along with every other ClassicalMovieVampire trope. According to Arthur Winkings, Count Notfaroutou, this is because you need something flappy to [[CapeWings transform into wings]] when you [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn into a bat]].
82	* ''Literature/TheShadow'' wore one in his books to help him blend into the shadows.
83	* In ''The Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy'' by Avram Davidson, Eszterhazy's attention is attracted to Milord Sir Smith, the English Wizard (George Marmaduke Pemberton Smith, master of the Odyllic Forces) because the latter wears a long black cloak lined with brown silk -- not, as one would expect, red.
84	[[/folder]]
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86	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
87	* ''Series/ChouseiKantaiSazerX'': [[LargeAndInCharge Garade]] wears a wide black cape that covers his lower body, which he discards whenever he enters direct combat.
88	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
89	** The Master wears one in [[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors "The Five Doctors"]], which is ironic because, [[NotMeThisTime for once]], he ''isn't'' the villain of the story.
90	** He does it again in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E12TheSoundOfDrums "The Sound of Drums"]], this time in a red-lined black cloak which doubles as a direct reference to the Third Doctor's fashion sense.
91	* ''Series/KamenRider'' villain Dr. Shinigami wears a long black Dracula-esque cape over his [[VillainInAWhiteSuit white suit]].
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Music]]
95	* Florence Welch of Music/FlorenceAndTheMachine wore a large, black cape while performing on various stages, to compliment her macabre tone of song.
96	* Adam Sandler was Opera Man from ''Saturday Night Live'' character wears his outfit cape similar to Count Dracula's. He was an operatic singer, and He sang the Italian words in his songs.
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Theatre]]
100	* ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' sports one of these in most of his scenes, and uses it to very spooky effect indeed, usually sweeping it around himself before vanishing, right until the very end.
101	* At 2023 Mark Twain Prize in Kennedy Center, where Idina Menzel, honoring to Adam Sandler, She's a Opera Man to Opera Woman, wears Sandler's SNL cape but somewhat we had a Dracula-esque in appearance. Idina Menzel but She's like an Italian operatic singer, and similar to Pavarotti handkerchief in her hand.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:Video Games]]
105	* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'': Per his love of opera, Relius Clover wears one all the time.
106	* [[spoiler: Gehrman]] in ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' normally does not have cape, [[spoiler: but when you finally get to fight him or submit your life, he wears a long cape to bid a farewell to you.]]
107	* Pretty much every villain in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''. Namely, Garland, Emperor, Cloud of Darkness (it being [[{{Stripperiffic}} all she wears]]), Golbez (who has the option of stripping down to just the cape, too), Ex-Death and Gabranth. Note that, subtracting The Emperor and the Cloud, these guys also get the [[TinTyrant Evil Overlord Armor]], to boot.
108	* Subverted by Siegfried in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'', but played straight by Nightmare. Those familiar with the series' storyline will get why this is funny.
109	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros''
110	** In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', [[spoiler:Princess Peach receives one along with the standard high collar as part of her EvilCostumeSwitch when the [[BigBad Shadow Queen]] [[DemonicPossession possesses]] [[FightingYourFriend her body]].]]
111	* The Hammerites in ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'' have armor like this, making it much harder to knock them out with a blackjack.
112	* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': The Lich King, to EPIC effect...in the opening cutscene. Model limitations prevent this from being achieved in-game.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Webcomics]]
116	* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': Damien's fireproof black cape. Also Pandora's cape [[spoiler: while she served as an antagonist.]]
117	* [[spoiler:The members of the Society of the Free Mind]] in ''Webcomic/AnEpicComic'' wear these [[spoiler:with the Society's symbol on the back]].
118	* Drake from ''WebComic/GoldCoinComics'' is a villain with a dark cape to match.
119	* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Subverted with [[RoyalBrat Eridan Ampora]]. He has a purple, [[HighCollarOfDoom high-collared]] opera cape to compliment his high status and goes to great lengths to try and portray himself as a MagnificentBastard, but ends up more of a clingy, self-conscious IneffectualSympatheticVillain. He gets rid of the cape just before he [[spoiler:[[NotSoHarmlessVillain destroys the Matriorb (the thing that was supposed to repopulate his dying race), kills Kanaya and Feferi, and blinds Sollux]]]].
120	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': In keeping with his nature as a Darth Vader {{Expy}}, [[MagnificentBastard General Tarquin]], [[spoiler:Elan's father]], wears one of these, along with [[SpikesOfVillainy other]] [[TinTyrant notable]] [[ShouldersOfDoom accessories.]]
121	* Bun-Bun from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', after suffering burn wounds, [[http://sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20090813 wears one of these]] as part of a ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' theme he's got going on.
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Web Original]]
125	* In ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', Linkara was reviewing ''The Others'' [=#1=], and thought it was silly that a wolfman (not a werewolf though) would wear one of these.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Western Animation]]
129	* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Dipper (or rather, [[DemonicPossession "Bipper"]]) wears one in "Sock Opera".
130	* Doc Ock and Vulture wore those in an opera-themed episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan''.
131	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', an Ominous Opera Cape and a MysticalHighCollar are the signature of Dr. Orpheus, who is largely an homage to Marvel's ComicBook/DoctorStrange. It took Hank and Dean some time to stop calling him "a Dracula". Dermott once joked that on Halloween he expected to see Dr. Orpheus in sweatpants.
132	* In the Mickey Mouse short ''Lend A Paw'', where Pluto's devil wears his black cape and red underside and top of vampire collar, very similar to a Count Dracula's.
133	[[/folder]]

Context Main / OminousOperaCape