Line #43 Main/Phlegmings


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7	[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/{{Pitt}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/phlegmings_large.jpg]]]]
8	[[caption-width-right:350:Oral hygiene is for chumps!]]
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10	In comic books and animated works, one way to demonstrate that a character is a no-nonsense badass, [[DefangedHorrors creepy]] or just [[UnstoppableRage plain pissed]] is to show them with strands of saliva, phlegm, drool, or some other mucus dangling between their teeth. Popularized by the various Creator/RobLiefeld [[FollowTheLeader clones]] during MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, but examples predate that period.
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12	This occurs because drooling and oral messiness tends to invoke a {{Squick}} response in many people, making phlegmings a convenient visual shortcut for invoking PrimalFear. For instance, it may show anticipation of a good meal (''e.g.,'' the heroes/villains) in predator characters. Or, it may be a sign of disease, like rabies.
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14	In comic book images like the one shown, a saliva trail between upper and lower jaws works as a visual shorthand, indicating that the mouth has ''just now'' been opened (since such trails would be expected to disappear after a moment). Thus their use helps create a feeling of immediacy, that what you're seeing is a "snapshot" rather than a posed image.
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16	A common trope for characters with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily. Contrast with {{Gonk}}, the blatant uglification of a character. See also DroolHello, PervertedDrooling and SpitTrailKiss for other tropes involving high-viscosity saliva.
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18	[[SarcasmMode Cookie for you]] [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant if you thought this was a trope about]] [[BlobMonster snot-based video game enemies]]. Or to do with a language spoken in UsefulNotes/{{Belgium}}.
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20	Trope originally identified by [[http://www.heromachine.com/2008/01/04/phlegmings/ the HeroMachine blog.]]
21	----
22	!!Examples:
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24	[[foldercontrol]]
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26	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
27	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Gaara uses a combination of [[SlasherSmile psycho smile]] and, when he ''really'' loses it, [[https://pm1.narvii.com/7022/f5b9d311383fb5ab8cfec8a253cfd4487f1952d4r1-554-448v2_hq.jpg this]].
28	* ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'': Whenever Son Goku takes off his tiara-limiter and goes AxCrazy, he has this problem.
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Comic Books]]
32	%%* ''ComicBook/AgeOfReptiles'' has every character displaying this trope all the time.%%Displaying what? How?
33	%%* ''ComicBook/ConanTheBarbarian'': Seen on [[https://i.redd.it/lahv8996ooo71.jpg this]] cover.
34	%%* Creator/ECComics: The {{Horror Host}}s are big on this. EC artist Graham "Ghastly" Ingels was particularly fond of them, as is his SpiritualSuccessor Berni Wrightson.%%ZCE. Fond of what?
35	%%* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': Modern artists draw the Hulk with this.
36	* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyGenerations'': When the shriek-yowls are shown shrieking in anger, the tops and bottom of their beaks are connected by long strings of saliva.
37	* ''ComicBook/{{Norby}}'': In the last panel of chapter twelve in the ''Literature/NorbyTheMixedUpRobot'' adaptation, Zi's mouth is watering as she says Jeff and Norby are unwelcome aliens. Combined with Jeff's speculation that the baby's mother would eat him and Norby, the page ends with the implication that the two are about to be snacks.
38	%%* ''ComicBook/{{Pitt}}'': The trope illustration is from the cover of #2.
39	* Creator/RobLiefeld came up with ''blood'' phlegmings [[http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1185176/warchild4_medium.jpg once]].
40	%%* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Spider-man's collection of symbiote villains (Comicbook/{{Venom}}, Carnage, et al.) have this in spades.%%Have what?
41	%%* ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'': Quite common with the Sith. Cade will get this too at the times he's leaning more towards the dark.%%What is common? What does Cade "get"?
42	* ''ComicBook/TalesOfTheJedi'': Ubiquitous in any issue illustrated by Dario Carrasco Jr. It's the "sense of immediacy" type; anyone whose teeth aren't clenched is probably displaying this.
43	* ''ComicBook/TransformersGeneration2'': Megatron is somehow able to produce these despite being a robot.
44	* ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'': When Wolverine goes into a berserker rage, he often has either this or flying spittle.
45	* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Used frequently for the overmuscled villains during Mike Deodato's time as an artist to show that they'd just opened their mouths, especially during ComicBook/{{Artemis}}'s stint as Wonder Woman.
46	%%* ''ComicBook/XMen'': The Brood. Not surprising, since they're {{expy}}s for the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' xenomorphs.
47	[[/folder]]
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49	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
50	%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': The hyenas, as they're always depicted as ravenously hungry.
51	* In the first ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'' movie, the title character lets out a bloodcurdling roar that shows off just how good the computers were at rendering flying spittle. Several members of the angry mob have slimy faces in the next shot.
52	[[/folder]]
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54	[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
55	* ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'': The xenomorphs often have mucus dripping from their teeth and mouths.
56	* ''Film/BatmanReturns'': The Penguin has a perpetual trickle of an oil-like bile running down his chin.
57	%%* ''Film/DeepRising'': The sea monsters.
58	* ''Film/TheFly1986'': Brundlefly constantly excretes a sticky white liquid from his mouth, which he uses to dissolve and digest his food.
59	%%* ''Film/FromBeyond'': Every monster, but particularly the bat creature at the end.
60	* ''Film/TheFunhouse'': The killer is constantly drooling due to his deformed features.
61	%%* ''Film/{{Hatchet}}'': Victor Crowley.
62	* ''Film/HomeSweetHome'': Jay drools a lot.
63	%%* ''Film/InTheMouthOfMadness'':
64	* ''Film/MeanMachine'': Nitro is constantly drooling and spitting to bolster up his loony appearance.
65	%%* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'': The Kraken takes this to an (intentionally) absurd level.
66	* ''Film/TheReturnOfTheLivingDead'': Wen Freddy finally succumbs to the zombie hunger, he starts foaming at the mouth like he's chewing on Alka-Seltzer.
67	* ''Film/{{Tremors}}'': The creators initially avoided this trope, in order to set their movie apart from the dark, dripping world of ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'', but realised upon watching the rushes that the Graboids didn't look real enough without it.
68	* ''Film/Venom2018'': True to the [[ComicBook/{{Venom}} comics]], the title character often gets these in his [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily fang-filled mouth]] when the {{Symbiot\|icPossession}}e takes over Eddie's body. Particularly noticeable when Eddie transforms into Venom for the first time and [[YouTasteDelicious licks a Mook's face]] while musing about which bits of him to eat first.
69	[[/folder]]
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71	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
72	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. A giant spider demon drools over Buffy in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E5Selfless Selfless]]".
73	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': During his big reveal, Rasilon sprays quite a bit while giving a [[ReasonYouSuckSpeech "the Earth Will Fall" speech]].
74	%%** The Eleventh Doctor gets this quite a bit.
75	%%** The Ninth Doctor prominently does this in his "Why can't you just ''die''?" speech in "Dalek".
76	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Khal Drogo's RousingSpeech where he declares he will [[spoiler:invade the Seven Kingdoms in retaliation for Daenerys' near-assassination]] is accompanied by a lot of spitting. Given that he is one of the most badass and barbaric characters in the series, it seems in-character for him.
77	* ''Series/RedDwarf''. In "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIPsirens Psirens]]", the eponymous MonsterOfTheWeek is a siren that appears to Lister as a LustObject. As Lister snogs the girl of his adolescent fantasies, the audience is given a FanDisservice view of what's ''really'' happening -- Lister smooching a bug-like alien and getting slime all over his face (according to WordOfGod they used [[OffTheShelfFX agricultural jelly for inseminating cows]]).
78	%%* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Fek'lhr, the guardian of the Klingon hell, as seen in "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E13DevilsDue Devil's Due]]".
79	[[/folder]]
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81	%%[[folder:Music]]
82	%%* ''Music/{{Disturbed}}'': Standard fare for [[{{Mascot}} the Guy]].
83	%%[[/folder]]
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85	[[folder:Other]]
86	* The Heromachine blog had a character creation contest based on "The Creator/{{Image}} [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Nineties]]". Lots of contestants gave their entries Phlegmings.
87	* Many images of Komodo dragons show Phlegmings, as they're quite prone to doing it in real life. And for extra creepy points, their saliva is essentially their venom!
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	%%[[folder:Pinball]]
91	%%* ''Pinball/PoliceForce'': The ''UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex'' has these in its teeth.
92	%%* ''Pinball/SpaceInvaders'': Featured on some of the aliens.
93	%%[[/folder]]
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95	[[folder:VideoGames]]
96	%%* ''VideoGame/Doom3'': The Hell Knights have this when they roar.
97	%%* ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'': [[spoiler:Hades]].
98	%%* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': This appears the first time Zant speaks, but not after.
99	* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'': ''Something'' half-glimpsed in the Prothean Cipher does this, contributing to the general message of species-wide trauma and unimaginable suffering.
100	%%* ''VideoGame/{{Parasite}}'': This is one of the standard effects of MindControl. For added force, the drool has a SicklyGreenGlow.
101	%%* ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'': The Werehog has this in the opening cinematic.
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:Webcomics]]
105	* ''Webcomic/KevinAndKell'': R.L.'s drooling jaws are almost all we ever see of him.
106	%%* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': %% displays this [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2008-06-02 here]].%%Weblinks aren't context.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:WesternAnimation]]
110	%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'': Foamy the Freakadog for the rabies version.
111	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': In an episode episode where Quack Quack is deprived of yogurt, a GRatedDrug, he undergoes weird symptoms and goes into a zombie-like state with drool between his teeth ([[SuddenAnatomy the teeth are a side effect of the withdrawal]]).
112	* ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes2006'': Whenever Timber Wolf enters his feral form (and in one instance where he roars in his normal state), expect him to be salivating quite a bit.
113	%%* ''WesternAnimation/MegaBabies'': This trope is ''[[GrossOutShow distressingly common]]''.
114	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
115	** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E7Bats Bats!]]": The extra-creepy version of the vampire bats in Applejack's portion of the song are depicted with strings of saliva connecting their upper and lower jaws.
116	** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E18MaudPie Maud Pie]]": An arthropod variant. When he's introduced, Fuzzy Legs the spider has thick strings of drool hanging between his mandibles.
117	** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E13DoPrincessesDreamOfMagicSheep Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?]]": Monster Angel Bunny has a thick string of drool connecting its upper and lower jaws when he roars.
118	* ''WesternAnimation/MegaBabies'': Every character. And we mean ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis every. Single. Character]]'' has a mouth full of drool whenever they open their mouths.
119	* ''WesternAnimation/ProjectGeeker'': [[spoiler:Noah]] develops this after being hit with a tracking device and turning feral as a side effect. Geeker and all the other G.K.R. projects also exhibit constant drooling, minus the dripping fangs.
120	* While not uncommon among the more monstrous foes ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' fights, a [[https://i.imgur.com/YVniHTO.png particularly thick and nasty example]] comes courtesy of a zombie, freshly raised from the dead, opening its mouth to [[RoarBeforeBeating scream]].
121	%%* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'': Mumm-Ra is a repeat offender.
122	%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'': The Dragon-Pig.
123	[[/folder]]
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Context Main / Phlegmings