Line #1 NightmareFuel/CourageTheCowardlyDog


1	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1637963167087818000&page=1
2	%% Previous thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1589948861098075400
3	%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
4	%%
5
6	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_tumblr_lrjh9sdk661qlyejg_6485.jpg]]
7	[[caption-width-right:350:Sorry, is this a bad time?]]
8	%%
9	%%Caption chosen per above Image Pickin' thread. Please don't change or remove without approval from the Caption Repair thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1404492079030138900
10	%%
11	For a Creator/CartoonNetwork series, ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'' is one of the most ''[[NightmareFuel terrifying]]'' animated shows ever made, and is one of the pioneers of animation scaring the piss out of children and adults alike. A lot of times, the show is so chock-full of disturbing content and imagery that it would've been a good fit on Creator/AdultSwim.[[note]]It did end up airing on Adult Swim in 2023 as part of their "Checkered Past" block, with the commercials even mentioning that ''Courage'' will probably "still scare the snot out of you."[[/note]] Need we say more?
12
13	Shake, Courage... shake.
14
15	----
16	[[foldercontrol]]
17
18	!!General:
19
20	[[folder:General]]
21	* Though they mostly happen in Courage's head, we see Muriel get decapitated not once, not twice, but three times over the course of the series, complete with detailed insides (with the role of the feared culprit being covered by Schwick, by Kitty and once for real by the Shadow who goes the extra mile and displays Muriel tearing out her own head). Eustace gets bitten in half by the imaginary Kitty at one point as well.
22	* Some of Courage's screams can be very terrifying for younger viewers, especially when [[WildTake some of his body parts are deformed or his organs come outside]]. Watch it, if you dare. By far, the scariest is the scream from "Car Broke, Phone Yes", where Courage utters an [[HellIsThatNoise unholy banshee-esque high-pitched screech]].
23	** Another one of his most [[HellIsThatNoise grotesque screams]] is one from "Courageous Cure", where, upon seeing the two aliens for the first time, all his organs explode out of his body as ''[[BodyHorror he turns inside out]]''.
24	** In that same episode, when Courage sees Eustace and Muriel being experimented on by the two aliens, as he screams he sticks out his tongue, [[BodyHorror and various, smaller tongues are seen popping out of it]].
25	** "Night of the Scarecrow" has one scene where Courage literally ''screams'' his heart out of his mouth upon seeing an alien about to attack the farm.
26	** In "Dome of Doom", Courage's scream cause his intestines come out of his body.
27	** There are plenty more, such as him screaming hard enough to either break to pieces or cause his skin to fly off his body, leaving behind his still-screaming skeleton.
28	* Even the Stretch Films VanityPlate that appears after the credits isn't safe from NightmareFuel territory. While it's not as bad as the violent and graphic a.k.a. Cartoon logo seen after ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'', it is still pretty creepy, as the logo is literally just a disembodied, grungy, laughing SlasherSmile in the middle of a pitch-black void. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EGojNJyV4U Take a look for yourself here...]]
29	** It's especially creepy in Season 1, where the mouth's animation is delayed - it smiles at us for a few seconds before letting out the laugh we all know and dread! Brrrr...
30	** On the other hand, the logo can be NightmareRetardant for those who find the goofy tone of the mouth's laugh amusing.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	!!Specific recurring characters:
34
35	[[folder:The Chicken from Outer Space]]
36	* The freaking pilot episode was already filled with terrifying scenes such as the Chicken from Outer Space '''snapping the neck''' of one of the farm's chickens (with a bunch of already dead chickens lying around) and Eustace's slow transformation into a chicken (and he's LaughingMad throughout the entire process).
37	** Also, when Courage brings Muriel, the alien chicken is somehow all by himself. The bodies of all the dead chickens (including the one he '''personally''' killed) [[NeverFoundTheBody had all mysteriously disappeared.]] We never find out what the chicken did to them, as Courage frantically looks for them in the hay.
38	** The transformation is especially terrifying; what with Eustace's [[RedEyesTakeWarning glowing red eyes]] throughout, and constantly losing his clothes all while laughing the whole time. Making this even worse is the UnintentionalUncannyValley that is the pilot's animation, which seems to linger on the transformation every other scene.
39	** Even more unsettling is its pretty apparent implication of TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody, where Eustace clearly is not himself anymore by the transformation's end, having no reservations about whatever he intended to do to Muriel once he's got her cornered.
40	** [[HereWeGoAgain Then there's the ending]], where an innocent mouse unwittingly sets off his own transformation by ''nibbling on chicken Eustace's ashes''.
41	* The Chicken makes a surprise return in the episode "The Revenge of the Chicken from Outer Space", alive but now a ''cooked and headless corpse'' as a result of Courage blasting him with his own ray gun in the pilot. He intends to tear off Courage's head and replace his own with it, and while this fails, he ends up doing it to Eustace instead. It happens off-screen, but we still get the lovely experience of hearing the struggle, and then Eustace's voice just cuts off...
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Katz]]
45	* Any episode featuring [[CatsAreMean Katz]]. Katz is a SerialKiller who has no qualms about killing Courage or anyone in horrifying ways, and he has no traces of comedy whatsoever. His {{Leitmotif}} might be as equally creepy accompanying his appearances.
46	* Most of his episodes imply the Bagges are only the latest in a long line of victims to fall into his traps... and the only ones to survive.
47	* "A Night at the Katz Motel" is arguably his worst appearance, as his monstrous schemes at its worst take place in the middle of the night in a rundown motel. This episode is definitely not for arachnophobes.
48	** Two of the spiders in the episode glow green, which means that those spiders might be ''radioactive'', or at the very least venomous. The scariest moment is when one of the glowing spiders sneaks into the bathtub with Muriel bathing inside of it. Being bitten by a spider is bad enough, but being bitten by a radioactive spider is even ''worse'', since it could kill someone even quicker because of radiation poisoning in real life. Thankfully, Muriel defeats the spider and flushes it down the toilet, but imagine what would've happened if she hadn't fought back or the spider had bit her. She wouldn't have been Spider Woman, that's for sure!
49	* "Club Katz": Courage, Muriel, and Eustace get stranded on an island, only for Katz to appear and invite them to his resort. The twist? Katz is using the resort to [[BodyHorror forcibly turn people into appliances]] and put them in a coliseum where they fight for his amusement. This ends up backfiring when Eustace (who's been turned into a wrecking ball) realizes that Katz has taken his beloved armchair.
50	* "Katz Kandy" has Katz target Muriel directly as revenge for her repeatedly taking first place in the town's annual sweets contest [[EvilIsPetty (he always gets second place)]]. He creates a mutant jam monster that kidnaps Muriel and Courage and takes them to Katz's factory, where Katz threatens to [[DisproportionateRetribution toss Muriel into a taffy-pulling machine]] if she doesn't reveal the secret ingredient of her caramel apples. Thankfully, [[BigDamnHeroes Eustace (of all people) saves the day]].
51	* In "Katz Under the Sea," Katz was willing to trap [[LackOfEmpathy a submarine full of people]] deep underwater in order to discredit the sub's cruise line and make his look better by comparison. Although Katz escapes the sinking sub himself, Courage manages to save all the passengers, and Katz himself is immediately hit with {{Laser Guided Karma}} when he gets eaten by a shark.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Le Quack]]
55	* A subtle one, but Le Quack. At the end of the first episode featuring him, he is arrested by a police officer in a blue uniform and thrown into the back of an armored police truck. Cut to a few seconds later and we see him walking along a desert road alone, wearing the police officer's uniform. The hat, the pants, everything. The truck? On fire beside him, implying that he somehow managed to crash the car and kill the officer in the process. He walks up to the screen and says [[CharacterCatchphrase "They have not seen the last of Le Quack."]] Scary?
56	* It happens in another episode. Within minutes of Le Quack being defeated yet again by Courage tossed into a penitentiary, we cut to Eustace throwing his TV out in frustration. It's supposed to no longer be functioning properly at this point, just a screen full of static... and then... WHAM!!! The static suddenly cuts to Le Quack who is casually walking out of the penitentiary while it's ablaze in the background and he says his catchphrase. Does he even add a little maniacal laughter to take the edge off? No. That was all you needed to know. He's done talking to you now in his [[EvilSoundsDeep creepy voice]]. And he just gets a little laugh in before the screen cuts back to static, ending the episode.
57	[[/folder]]
58
59	!!Episodes:
60
61	[[AC:Season 1]]
62
63	[[folder:"The Demon in the Mattress"]]
64	* In "The Demon in the Mattress", Muriel gets a new mattress that's... not quite right. Later that night, she gets [[DemonicPossession possessed]] by it, and turns into a green-skinned EvilRedhead with a [[VoiceOfTheLegion horrifying voice]].
65	** Plus, when the two rats are delivering the haunted mattress, the mattress gets a NightmareFace for a split-second, followed by one of the rats screeching in Courage's face.
66	* Whatever Eustace was going to do to Muriel after the demon left Muriel and possessed him.
67	* When Courage demands to know what the demon did with Muriel, the Demon just smirks and says "She's in here, with us!" Cue Muriel suddenly returning and crying out "Courage [[AndIMustScream HELP ME!]]" before the Demon retakes control of her body. [[NothingIsScarier We never find out what he means by "in here" or what Muriel's going through during this time.]]
68	* There is NightmareRetardant in the form of the episode's funniest moments though:
69	** "It would be lovely if I could have a cup of... [[CatScare TEA!]]"
70	** "[[WhoWritesThisCrap Kick 'em in the dishpan, hoo hoo hoo?]]"
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:"Freaky Fred"]]
74	There are plenty of scary episodes, but [[http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/Freaky_Fred_(episode) "Freaky Fred"]] stands out. The episode's titular antagonist is obviously not right in the head, and he has sharp pointy objects within reach.
75	----
76	* What makes Fred stand out from the rest of Courage's RoguesGallery is that [[HarmlessVillain he has zero malicious intent with any of his actions]]. He's just a fairly amiable but very mentally unwell man with a borderline fetishistic obsession with shaving people bald. Despite his urges ruining his only relationship, his career, and his life in general, he shows no remorse for what he's done, though he knows it's wrong. He can't (or perhaps doesn't want to) stop himself because '''it's''' what makes him ''happy''. And the worst part is that he's probably the only Courage villain to "win", succeeding in shaving Courage bald, save for his tail (because to him, that would be ''weird'').
77	* The choir of children that can be heard singing when Fred starts shaving Courage... shudder
78	** As a GeniusBonus, it's fairly clear that Fred is an {{Expy}} of Theatre/SweeneyTodd.
79	* This episode is also unique in that it is told from Fred's point of view, so the viewer gets a better look inside Fred's mind.
80	-->'''Freaky Fred''': [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou Hello new friend]], my name is Fred. The words you hear are in my head. I say, I said my name is Fred, and I've been... very naughty...
81	* Eustace spends the entire episode calling Fred a "freak" - [[JerkassHasAPoint and for once, he's absolutely right.]]
82	* Fred is essentially [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything like a sexual predator or serial killer in everything BUT action]]. He isn't actually dangerous, thank God, because his compulsion isn't lethal, but there '''are''' people like him in the real world, with the same lack of restriction, and THEIR impulses aren't harmless. Fred isn't exactly evil, he isn't a villain in the traditional sense. He isn't Katz, a cruel, sadistic bastard of a cat who enjoys tormenting those weaker than him. He isn't Le Quack, a criminal mastermind. He isn't even the Queen of the Black Puddle, a supernatural aquatic predator. Fred is, for all intents and purposes, somewhat like your friends, your neighbors, your family; and you never know, because most of them are never caught. They don't want to hurt you, they know it's wrong; [[ReluctantPsycho but they have to, because it's what their brain tells them to do]].
83	* For extra creepiness, there's the [[SlasherSmile large, unnerving grin]] Fred has [[FrozenFace glued on his face]], which just makes him all the more terrifying. [[https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3419260095_bc137c21ec.jpg Just see it for yourself]].
84	* Fred's flashbacks on his pet hamster and girlfriend being shaved by him also have a very creepy tone to them, mainly due to the [[CreepyChangingPainting sudden changes to angry expressions in their portraits]] and the musical stings.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:"Night of the Weremole"]]
88	* In "Night of the Weremole", Muriel is [[JumpScare bitten]] by a [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent Weremole]], eventually causing her to {{transform\|ation horror}} into another one.
89	* The scene with Courage checking on Muriel and finding her eating his food is pretty chilling. Especially when she turns at him and growls, her mouth seems as if it's covered in blood.
90	* Right after this, Courage almost dies from an ''actual, legitimate heart attack'', requiring [[AmbulanceCut an ambulance visit]] to save him.
91	* Muriel's gradual transformation into a Weremole makes her look even more terrifying as her body gets furry, her hands turn into claws and her hair goes red. To make matters worse, the episode is filled with jumpscares of her coming out of the ground.
92	* Courage trying to cure Muriel by disguising himself as a rabbit and having the Weremole attack him. You can just feel the tension as he gets out of the suit and sneaks up on it to pull out one of its hairs.
93	* As Weremole Muriel is about to get to Eustace, we see a closeup to her fang-filled mouth.
94	* The piano-driven soundtrack of the episode is pretty reminiscent of classic horror movies.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:"King Ramses' Curse"]]
98	* "Retuuuuurn the slaaaab... or suffer my cuuuuurse...", [[http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/King_Ramses King Ramses]]. To some, it's not even so much the voice, or his equally creepy {{Leitmotif}}, but the way he ''moves''. The manner in which he's animated plunges him right into the UncannyValley (not helping matters was that as opposed to the 2D animated characters, he's animated in CGI) with the way his arms just flail and wiggle this way and that, ''far'' beyond the limitations of the musculoskeletal system. And he just stood out in front of their house the whole time, never moving from that spot, but always watching them.
99	** In the same vein, near the end of the episode the size of King Ramses is shown to be... large. More specifically, comparing the size of him to Eustace near the end shows that King Ramses is about ''four times'' the size of Eustace.
100	* His voice sounds like someone who shouldn't be anywhere near kids.
101	* On the other hand, the [[LoudOfWar really bad disco music]] in the second curse could be considered memorable for giving something of a MoodWhiplash to an otherwise terrifying episode. So is "Oh, come on..." and Muriel making food as the locusts approach the farmhouse.
102	* At the beginning of the episode, a police helicopter chases the thieves who stole the slab. They bury it just in time before the heat can reach them. They both think that they'll actually get away with getting rich off the slab, with the police powerless to stop them... until Ramses gets to them first. When Ramses summons [[TheSwarm a giant black swarm]] to punish the thieves, [[GoryDiscretionShot the camera pans to the side as they scream while the proverbial cloud of doom begins to lower down on them]], and when it pans back, ''[[DeaderThanDead there's nothing left of the thieves or their car]]'' for the police to find.
103	* How about the ending? Eustace still refuses to give up the slab, and [[TooDumbToLive tries to extort Ramses]] to return it. The episode ends with a TV interview with an archaeologist saying that the slab has been returned to Ramses' tomb, only for the camera to show that ''EUSTACE'' has now been imprisoned within it as an image on the slab.
104	-->'''Eustace''': [[AndIMustScream AAAAAHHHHH!!!!]] What's your offer?
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:"The Clutching Foot"]]
108	* The entire hook of the episode revolves around Eustace getting assimilated by a sentient fungus. Eustace decides to take a nap to get rid of what he believes is a foot fungus rather than going to the doctor like a sensible person (granted Dr. Vindaloo is explicitly a quack, so maybe avoiding him is a sensible action), and wakes up the next day feeling refreshed and healthy... [[OhCrap then he glances downwards]]...
109	* At the end of the episode, [[HopeSpot Courage seems to have destroyed the fungus by licking it off Eustace's body after the Computer told him dog saliva would cure his infection.]] Then he's cleaning his teeth until he hears a familiar voice and opens his mouth, ''[[HereWeGoAgain only to discover that the organism has spread to his tongue.]]''
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:"The Hunchback of Nowhere"]]
113	* "The Hunchback of Nowhere" features the titular Hunchback, who is implied to be homeless and seeks a place to stay... and he is constantly rejected because looks are definitely NOT on his side here. Ironically, his character is more NightmareRetardant as he's one of the most innocent characters in the series... which makes it all the more saddening when Eustace (the latest person who turns away the Hunchback) gets angry about the Hunchback not only being allowed in by Muriel but befriending Courage...
114	** Which leads to the climax. As Courage and the Hunchback put on a show for Muriel on the barn rooftop, Eustace tries to ruin it. While trying to drive the Hunchback away, he yells at Courage saying that everything is always Courage's fault before demanding that Courage looks at him... at which point, Eustace is covering his eyes suspiciously for a second... and then... [[JumpScare BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!!!]] Eustace straight-up pops his eyeballs out in a creepy fashion, scaring Courage to the point where he almost falls off the roof... ''right in front of Muriel''.
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	[[folder:"Queen of the Black Puddle"]]
118	* [[TheVamp The Queen of the Black Puddle]], a deep-sea demoness who can use ''any'' source of water as a doorway to Earth, seductively hypnotizing Eustace so she can take him back to her underwater castle, where she [[GameFace turns really hideous]] and [[ToServeMan tries to eat him alive]]. Human beings seem to be the one and only thing she's capable of eating, as her domain is ''littered'' with the bones of her previous victims.
119	** While ''she'' can use any water source as a portal, getting one of her victims back seems to require using the water she used to bring them to her realm, which otherwise serves as a SealedRoomInTheMiddleOfNowhere; the rain water puddle the Queen used to grab Eustace slowly evaporates, and disappears completely after Courage saves Eustace and tries to escape, leaving them trapped. Luckily, the puddle left by Muriels tears over her husband provides a secondary exit, and even then, they only barely manage to get out before that disappears too. The Queen was right on their heels, and slams into the dimensional wall as the puddle vanishes.
120	* As if to add insult to injury, a dog version of the Queen appears right at the end of the episode right as Courage is taking a bath. Oddly enough, he reacts not with a scream of terror, but rather a confused stare at the viewer.
121	* Her {{Leitmotif}} has an unearthly, unsettling feel to it, fitting for her nature as a demonic, aquatic being.
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:"Everyone Wants to Direct"]]
125	* The entirety of "Everyone Wants to Direct". This episode has a dark, tense atmosphere with barely any humor, and the plot involving ''[[SnuffFilm actually killing someone in a movie]]'' is all too real. Also, the undead antagonists turn out to be {{serial killer}}s who managed to slay a dozen people. This is all mentioned ''[[WhatDoYouMeanItsforKids on a kids' show]]''.
126	* At least Benton Tarantella has his face covered by the goofy fake nose and glasses for most of the episode. His partner, Errol Van Volkheim, on the other hand, is visible in all of his disturbing, rotting glory. With stringy hair, decayed and sharp teeth, bones poking through his skin, and missing his left eye while his right eye looks like it's about ready to pop out of its socket at any second. Oh, and let's not forget that shrieking noise he makes when he first rises from the grave. Seriously, all that shown on daytime Cartoon Network.
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:"The Great Fusili"]]
130	* "The Great Fusilli" is not just about an EvilPuppeteer. It's worsened by his CreepyCircusMusic leitmotif.
131	* But more specifically, [[DownerEnding the ending]]. In it, Courage fails to stop Muriel and Eustace from being turned into puppets. Well, thank God that this show has a NegativeContinuity. However, this was originally going to be the last episode... There's also the nonexistent crowd, Fusilli being turned into a puppet as well and the countless victims beforehand. Seriously, Fusilli's puppet storage looks like a CannibalLarder... [[AndIMustScream but what if his "puppets" were still alive?]]
132	* Courage reenacts his usual situation with the puppets that were once Eustace and Muriel, implying that he had gone through some serious SanitySlippage by the episodes' end.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[AC:Season 2]]
136
137	[[folder:"The Magic Tree of Nowhere"]]
138	* The commercial promoting "The Magic Tree of Nowhere" only featured Eustace sharpening an axe, laughing maniacally, and occasionally cut to Courage cowering in the corner, giving the viewer the impression that he was preparing to murder his dog with an axe.
139	* The titular tree is animated with SynchroVox, which makes it really UncannyValley, but it's quickly offset by the fact the tree is one of the nicest characters in the entire series.
140	[[/folder]]
141
142	[[folder:"Courage in the Big Stinkin' City"]]
143	* There's the nightmare factory of an episode that is "Courage in the Big Stinkin' City". The whole episode is creepy, but it really cranks it up to eleven when Courage enters the condemned apartment building to retrieve a package. The first two doors are rather silly, but when he opens the third door, he sees [[http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/The_Violin_Girl a girl playing the violin]], which Courage likes. She soon turns around and goes scary bitch mode on Courage, revealing a freaky demonic face with a massive toothy mouth and veiny eyeballs way too big for their sockets, letting out a bellowing ''roar'' at him the entire time. No wonder why this is the page image.
144	** It doesn't help that she's animated in a claymation style instead of the normal 2D art. When they decide to change the animation style for a character, they do ''not'' mess around.
145	* The FridgeHorror that is the monster behind the door. Complete with skeletons around the room and a "help me" message written on the window. [[NothingIsScarier Even worse,]] ''[[NothingIsScarier we never find out what the monster looks like]].'' Also, the whole entire reason Shwick sent Courage to get the package with a squeegee inside was only because he needed to remove the "help me" message. Possibly to lure more victims without suspicion.
146	-->'''Shwick''': You wanna know what made these bones? [[YouDoNotWantToKnow You don't wanna know what made these bones.]]
147	** The fact that Shwick is a giant cockroach is really nightmare fuel; cockroaches are nasty enough to begin with, and Shwick is [[BigCreepyCrawlies five feet tall]]. His eyes do not help.
148	* Although probably one of the least frightening "residents" of the building, there is {{Franchise/Godzilla}}'s arch-nemesis, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Ghidorah King Ghidorah]], who appears suddenly and utters a deafening roar. For {{Kaiju}} buffs, this is often seen as a clever reference, but it was probably startling to many kids who watched the episode when it first aired.
149	[[/folder]]
150
151	[[folder:"Human Habitrail"]]
152	* ''It's Doc Gerbil's World, It's Doc Gerbil's World...'' For those who don't know, in the episode "Human Habitrail", Courage ends up in the horrible cosmetics-themed version of "It's a Small World". [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned And it is creepy.]]
153	** Near the end of that scene, Courage was so fed up with listening to the song over and over again that Courage stood up from the boat and was getting ready to dive into the river to get the song out of his head, almost like he was going to kill himself! It's a good thing Courage found the window where Muriel and Eustace where or otherwise the episode would've ended in the dark tone.
154	* Doctor Gerbil himself is probably one of the most frightening characters to ever appear on the show. Masquerading as a kindly vacuum salesman and SouthernGentleman, he's really a deranged scientist who kidnaps his customers and performs all kinds of sick experiments on them to test out his products (which leads to all kinds of BodyHorror). Let's also not forget the horrifying EvilLaugh he lets out whenever he experiments.
155	* How about the implication that he thinks he's being GOOD? He thinks that kidnapping humans and subjecting them to horrible experiments is payback for humans doing the same to animals, nevermind that the humans he's doing this to has no involvement in animal research and never did. And then there's the little old lady he's driven insane and [[BodyHorror given suction-cup hands and feet too.]] What could Dr. Gerbil have done to destroy her sanity like that?!
156	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOKYwnpe57A boat chase down the river]] has an eerie feel to it, namely because [[NothingIsScarier there's no sound but the haunting wailing of an opera singer and Courage's few screams of fright.]]
157	[[/folder]]
158
159	[[folder:"The House of Discontent"]]
160	* "The House of Discontent" is about as intentionally scary as the above examples. The premise involves an UncannyValley Spirit of the Harvest Moon with a [[http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4660441418_443e5147d4_m.jpg creepy live-action human face and dark, shadowy pits for eyes]] trying to forcibly evict the Bagges from the farmhouse because Eustace hasn't grown a single plant to ensure his farmer status. And when Eustace proves too stubborn and defiant, the angry spirit tries to entrap and ''melt'' both Eustace and Muriel. Again, like Ramses, [[http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/The_Spirit_Of_The_Harvest_Moon the Spirit of the Harvest Moon]]'s {{Leitmotif}} is quite creepy.
161	-->[[GetOut '''Geeeeeet... Oooouuuuutt...''']]
162	* Its voice is surprisingly deep and ominous as well, but the real thing that makes the Spirit of the Harvest Moon terrifying is that this is an eerily-out-of-place live-action head interacting onscreen with Courage and his owners. The fact that they are shown onscreen at the same time just seems to add to the guy being convincingly scary, and the different styles are even more dissonant than the UncannyValley-CGI Ramses, who never shares the screen with any other characters.
163	* How about the fact that the Spirit of the Harvest Moon tries to '''KILL''' Eustace, and by extension Muriel, for not only not honoring their land properly, but refusing to accept the spirit's assurance that Eustace is NOT a farmer? Yeah, turns out that the reason the Bagges' property looks like a wasteland is because Eustace is a selfish, cruel, and stubborn old crank who is too broken to properly understand the symbiosis of a farmer and his land.
164	-->'''It's not the soil. Because you don't respect your land, you must leave it.'''
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Other Episodes]]
168	* There's the moment in the episode "Courage the Fly" where Eustace is chasing Courage after the latter ends up transforming into a housefly. At one point, he gets Muriel's face stuck on flypaper and while trying to remove it, accidentally ''tears it off,'' exposing her skull. It's probably a good thing ToonPhysics were in effect and Eustace was able to reattach Muriel's face, or else things would've gotten yucky.
169	* "Bad Hair Day" has a sequence where Courage goes into a building that farms humans for hair, and he sees dozens of humans hanging from harnesses on the ceiling... Most of whom have their eyes closed and are not moving, though they probably aren't dead, as human hair stops growing after death, aside from a minor post-mortem burst.
170	* "The Transplant", where Eustace [[TransformationTrauma turns into a giant kangaroo monster]]. Although the climax of that episode, where Courage decides to become a monster as well and he fights Eustace in Paris, is a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome and reminiscent of ''VideoGame/PrimalRage''.
171	* Similarly to Shwick the cockroach, Jeeves from "Evil Weevil" is a human-sized insect. To make things worse, he literally starts sucking the lives out of Eustace and Muriel, and in the former case, he succeeds.
172	* The titular "MacPhearson Phantom" stages multiple accidents in order to make Eustace believe that Muriel is trying to ''kill'' him, as the Phantom believes that Muriel's great-great aunt [[TheLostLenore fed her husband]] to the Loch Ness Monster.
173	* In "The Tower of Dr. Zalost", the titular doctor (who has, at this point, forcefully [[HatePlague made all of Nowhere depressed]]) chokes Courage onscreen. Later, after Courage creates an antidote for Zalost's cannonballs and destroys the fortress, a scorched, seething Zalost chases Courage back into the house, forcing Courage and a newly cured Muriel to hide in the kitchen. Thankfully, Zalost [[TookALevelInKindness gets better]] immediately afterward.
174	** There's also his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBPUDxke1b8&ab_channel=Micha%C5%82Cie%C5%9Bliczka haunting theme.]] It plays ''very'' regularly throughout the episode, and is arguably one of the most oppressive songs written for the show.
175	[[/folder]]
176
177	[[AC:Season 3]]
178
179	[[folder:"Conway the Contaminationist"]]
180	* "Conway the Contaminationist" features the titular Conway, an incredibly old man so warped by his disgusting and polluted methods of living that he [[AmbiguouslyHuman looks more like he has a turtle head.]] The episode drives home the fact that living with filth, trash, and other things can be ''lethally'' unhealthy if given the opportunity to fester, as Muriel and Eustace become sickly and shriveled up caricatures of themselves.
181	* There's also the fact that Courage basically sucks Conway and all of his filth into a balloon and then just.. lets him float on out over the horizon. To a kid, one might worry that he'll spread that mess elsewhere whenever he gets out of that balloon, [[KarmaHoudini as he quite liked it in there and wasn't really punished]]. Older and more cynical viewers might ponder what will happen if that balloon ever pops while Conway's at a fatal height...
182	[[/folder]]
183
184	[[folder: "Dome of Doom"]]
185	* The climax of "Dome of Doom," where the mutant plants that were terrorizing the Bagges for a good chunk of the episode ''start violently cannibalizing each other'', and when all is said and done, Eustace immediately begins to eat their pulpy corpses until he's obese. NauseaFuel doesn't even begin to describe it.
186	* Earlier in the episode, Courage brings a cow to eat the monstrous vegetables, but it ends up being eaten instead, leaving only the cow's bones behind. And it's still laughing after turning into a skeleton!
187	[[/folder]]
188
189	[[folder:"The Quilt Club"]]
190	* In "The Quilt Club", Muriel wants to become a part of a quilt club run by ConjoinedTwins, so she works herself into a HeroicRROD by knitting a football field-sized quilt. Turns out becoming part of the club means that you are ''[[AndIMustScream literally sewn into the club's special quilt for all eternity]]'', and the twins start to do that to Muriel. Muriel is [[DissonantSerenity smiling the entire time]] before she is magically turned into fabric, her smile plastered on as she is completely sewn into the quilt. And Muriel seems to only be cognizant at the last moment as she screams for Courage to help her. Luckily, Courage is able to free her even after she's sealed inside.
191	* Watching Muriel attempt to impress the Stitch Sisters (and, unwittingly, the quilt) is both this and a {{Tear Jerker}}, as all she wanted was to be a part of the club. The Sisters are essentially [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything brainwashing Muriel into a cult]].
192	-->'''First Sister:''' How badly do you want to belong?\
193	'''Muriel:''' (''frazzled and desperate'') Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh!\
194	'''Second Sister:''' More than you belong with Eustace?\
195	'''Muriel:''' [[WhamLine Who?]]
196	* Worse yet, this is ''exactly'' [[ShownTheirWork how many cults operate in reality]]:
197	** 1) Make the club/group look important to join to your victim.
198	** 2) Alienate the victim from their loved ones in favor of your cult.
199	** 3) Physically separate said victim from everything except the cult.
200	** 4) Constantly reinforce the cult's mantra until they're fully brainwashed. ("Be, Believe, Belong... Be, Believe, Belong... Leave The Circle Never, Weave The Quilt Forever!")
201	* The quilt lets out a demonic BigNo at the end once it loses its power thanks to Courage. Despite the Stitch Sister's confidence that once sewn in, Muriel would lose her memories forever, Courage succeeds in freeing Muriel, which causes the quilt to tear itself apart, freeing the other victims as well.
202	* To top it all off, the Stitch Sisters are [[LaserGuidedKarma magically entrapped into a piece of fabric]] that Eustace (who was sick at the time) mistakes for a tissue [[NauseaFuel AND blows his nose into]]. {{Squick}}!
203	* Just how old the Stitch Sisters are could count, since they were able to get away with their actions since at least the [[OlderThanDirt Stone Age]].
204	[[/folder]]
205
206	[[folder:Other Episodes]]
207	* "Curtain of Cruelty" is definitely scary. An entire town turning from kind-mannered and polite into rude and hateful in the blink of an eye is already a horrific thing to think about, but to make things worse, Muriel is dragged off for not being ''mean'', and is forced to undergo re-education, where she is forced to watch a video of dolls being broken by a fist, and eventually told to [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten smash a hamster with a mallet]]. Thankfully, she resists the brainwashing. Then at the end of the episode, the hamster is now smiling, only for it to turn out that Eustace is now being put through re-education to be [[GoodIsNotNice GOOD]] by the voice and the hamster, who hits him with the same mallet with a ''god-awful'' SickeningCrunch as the screen turns black.
208	* "Tulip's Worm" offers an image of getting SwallowedWhole if there ever was one, with Muriel and the teddies as the receipants, and ''also'' gives them a tour into the insides of the titular worm that look like a Sarlacc pit.
209	* "Mondo Magic" features a handsome-looking magician named Mondo, who reveals himself to be a hideous reptilian monster, and forces Muriel to [[AndNowYouMustMarryMe become his bride]] by turning her into another one of his kind.
210	* "Angry Nasty People" is ''exceptionally'' hard to watch, especially if you've been the victim of verbal abuse. What's especially scary is that [[HumansAreBastards the general public]] has no problem at all with slinging insults at Muriel and Courage. Then, when it looks like Courage is going to throw a broken Muriel into [[ItMakesSenseInContext a quicksand pit]], there's a shot of viewers ''cheering''.
211	* "Muriel Meets Her Match" provides a dose of {{Realism Induced Horror}}. It features a husband and wife criminal duo who park their RV next to the farmhouse, effectively becoming the Bagges' new neighbors. The wife proceeds to "befriend" Muriel in order to get access to all of Muriel's personal belongings and steal her identity, resulting in Muriel taking the fall for the couple's crimes. It's saying something that the fact that the husband is ''a disembodied hand'' is the least creepy thing about the episode.
212	[[/folder]]
213
214	[[AC:Season 4]]
215
216	[[folder:"Windmill Vandals"]]
217	* In "Windmill Vandals", the farm's windmill stops working, causing the undead spirits of four vandals to rise from the grave and attack the Bagge family, and the only way to stop them is to fix the windmill in time.
218	* The ominous blood-red sky, coupled with the episode's soundtrack are terrifying enough and give a rather apocalyptic vibe, but the vandals themselves are basically skeletal warriors who decapitate their victims and make haunting wails, possibly based on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. You know, just stuff for kids...
219	* The computer's relating of the vandals' legend is also rather chilling, as it implies that the windmill must never stop, or else their spirits will return to haunt the farm.
220	-->'''Computer:''' [[HopeSpot Lucky for us, it's just a]] stoo[-ooooorrry...-] (''[[OhCrap power immediately shuts down]]'')
221	* The first appearance of the vandals themselves is executed in a pretty scary manner. First teasing the audience with a mere dark green fog, then returning said fog with their silhouettes, and finally having their skeletal figures emerge out of it and wail at the sight of Courage, immediately surrounding him and the windmill.
222	* The vandals ''explicitly [[OffWithHisHead decapitate the heroes]]'' and carry around their severed heads! It's all BloodlessCarnage and always given a GoryDiscretionShot, as they're perfectly alive and talking likely due to the vandal's magic, but it's probably one of the bleakest of things to happen on children's television at the time.
223	* The episode's climax, with the Bagges rebuilding the windmill just as the vandals rise once more. The windmill itself began spinning a mere second before Muriel could be killed.
224	[[/folder]]
225
226	[[folder:"The Mask"]]
227	* "The Mask", which features a cat girl in a flowing white dress wearing a giant creepy mask (and a terrible, raspy voice) who beats the shit out of Courage due to a hatred of dogs and spies on his family to look for any sign of hypocrisy. The backstory about her best friend's [[DomesticAbuse mistreatment]] by her ''horrible'' boyfriend and his gang of dogs is a (not even thinly veiled) startlingly realistic depiction of domestic abuse and forced prostitution. ''Courage The Cowardly Dog'', a children's cartoon series with an episode revolving around [[DarkerAndEdgier an inner-city gangland drama]].
228	* But by far the episode's ''ghastliest'' scene is one that makes ''effective'' use of FridgeHorror and frightening symbolism. When Bunny tries to escape Mad Dog's apartment, she runs into his goons and is heard screaming for them to let go of her. [[NothingIsScarier Whatever they're doing to her isn't shown]] but the next time she's seen, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Bunny's buried up to her neck in a large plant pot]]... almost as if she's been ''deflowered.''
229	** Alternatively, it could be seen as [[NightmareRetardant a humorous subversion of an earlier line of Mad Dog's.]]
230	--->'''Mad Dog:''' If I even smell Kitty, [[LiteralMinded I'll bury the two of ya!]]
231	** It could also just be a joke on her being ''grounded.''
232	[[/folder]]
233
234	[[folder:"Courageous Cure"]]
235	While not as iconic as a lot of scares and villains on the show (heck, the antagonists were just [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well-Intentioned Extremists]]), the episode "Courageous Cure" is outright disturbing in its handling of BodyHorror and InvoluntaryShapeshifting.
236	----
237	* The [[DroneOfDread unnerving low piano music]] that plays not only in the episode's title card, but through nearly the entire ''episode''.
238	* By the end of the episode, Eustace ends up stranded on a distant planet, and to add insult to injury, he's still hideously mutated beyond recognition and he ''doesn't get better at all'' or find a way back to his homeworld. It's probably a good thing he has one of the planet's inhabitants to take care of him for the time being.
239	[[/folder]]
240
241	[[folder:"Ball of Revenge"]]
242	* The episode "Ball of Revenge." It features six of the most terrifying villains in the show, united under a common goal: ''completely annihilating Courage''. But the worst part? Eustace is the one who brings them together. Now he isn't just an annoyance and a jerk, he is a true antagonist to Courage. Even dedicated viewers likely didn't expect him to go this far in his hatred. [[EvilIsPetty And it was all because Muriel treated Courage better than him, with a freaking blanket being the final straw!]]
243	* Freaky Fred's short cameo at the end, notably his first appearance in the show since his introduction, counts as well. All the villains have been defeated, Eustace is punished, and everything seems to be going well- until Courage turns on the TV and Fred suddenly appears, calling Courage's name with his shaver at the ready. ''[[FridgeHorror Fred is still out there]], [[ParanoiaFuel and he's not done with Courage...]]''
244	[[/folder]]
245
246	[[folder:"Remembrance of Courage Past"]]
247	* The Cruel Veterinarian. Despite his ForScience demeanor, he [[ForTheEvulz just seems to enjoy being evil]]. He's the one who not only directly traumatized Courage as a child, but was also responsible for [[ParentalAbandonment the disappearance of his parents]] and Courage ending up as an orphan until Muriel rescued him. Any villain from the show pales in comparison to the Cruel Vet.
248	* A particularly chilling part of the episode is when Courage first remembers what happened to his parents. Usually, when something scares him, he screams in a comedic manner, but this time? He sits in silence staring into space. Even Eustace's mask doesn't get a reaction out of him - he's completely numb to the outside world during this entire revelation. It says a lot when Courage is so traumatized by something that ''[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he basically goes catatonic]]''.
249	[[/folder]]
250
251	[[folder:"Perfect"]]
252	The series finale [[http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/Perfect "Perfect"]] has some ''remarkably'' chilling moments. It's likely the producers were saving the scariest for the last, and it ''damn well'' shows.
253	----
254	* Courage's first NightmareSequence. A deformed blue creature, rendered in CGI, floats towards the camera in a void. It locks eyes with Courage - [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou and the viewer]] - whispers "You're not perfect", and then looks away from the camera while smiling weakly. The word "perfect" then echoes in the background. Referred to by fans as a fetus, the [[FanNickname Perfect]] [[UncannyValley Trumpet]] [[BuffySpeak Thingy]], or the Bugle Monster (believing it to be a warped version of Eustace's broken bugle from early in the episode), this thing has scared many during its few seconds of screentime.
255	** The creature's disfigurements are horrific. It has a misshapen head, a flabby limb with a rectangular "hand", and [[BodyHorror a long tube-like arm that spirals into the top of its head and reemerges from the side]]. Its body is nothing more than a stump. If this thing is a bugle, then it appears to be some bizarre amalgamation of the instrument and a human being.
256	** Like Ramses, the creature's CGI animation plunges it into UncannyValley territory. It moves in a surreal manner, as if floating in liquid, and its eyes seem to imply that [[HypocriticalHumor it is somewhat of an incomplete experiment]], waiting for someone to [[DrivenToSuicide put it out]] [[DeathByDespair of its misery]]. The abstract foggy background and ominous aura of white light on the creature don't help.
257	** The sequence [[JumpScare begins without warning]], and is accompanied by terrifying distorted music.
258	** Another creepy factor (which extends to the episode as a whole) is the recurring theme of imperfection, as it is - especially counting the "it's your fault"-ish way the line is delivered by the bugle. It doesn't help much that the way the dream is presented makes it appear as if it's [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou directly addressing the viewer]], rather than Courage.
259	** Some people also interpret this scene as the creature being disappointed, given its forlorn expression and way it looks downwards and away from the camera as if rolling its eyes.
260	* The Perfect Trumpet Thingy is only the first in five nightmares Courage has to endure, the other four ranging from being genuinely creepy to [[TearJerker downright saddening]].
261	** The second nightmare is essentially a DownerEnding parody of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', with the three main Oz inhabitants --the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow, all portrayed by Courage-- not getting either of the things they desired --to have a heart, to be brave, and to have a brain, respectively--, while the Wicked Witch of the West (also played by Courage) [[TheBadGuyWins watches them from her crystal ball, cackling at them]].
262	** The third nightmare is [[NothingIsScarier a bunch of childish drawings rendered in CGI, fluttering around a blue abstract space, with virtually no sound apart from the sound of the drawings flying around]].
263	** The fourth nightmare (animated in stop-motion, and actually a bit humorous compared to the other nightmares) is Courage on stage juggling pies in front of an audience. The audience begins to laugh at him, upon which Courage realizes [[NotWearingPantsDream the bottom half of his body has been shaved]]. In embarrassment, he tries to cover himself, breaking his concentration and causing the pies to fall down and splatter all over him.
264	** The fifth and final nightmare, depicted in a crudely drawn, cut-out cartoon, is Muriel handing Courage a giant vase. Courage accidentally drops it... which causes Muriel to then ''shatter like glass''. Courage screams in anguish as the entire scene similarly shatters into nothingness.
265	* [[SadistTeacher The Perfectionist]]; not only does she torment Courage and put the poor dog through Hell and back, (and ostensibly give him the aforementioned sequences of nightmares) but when Courage finally accepts himself for who he is, ''she melts while fully conscious the whole time''.
266	** While this can also be seen as a TearJerker, things become even creepier when you recall that the Perfectionist only exists inside of Courage's head. Every time Courage is called imperfect and every time he is told to complete a task to be "perfect", that's all happening ''in his own imagination''. He's constantly beating himself up over his own insecurities throughout the entire episode. The ending becomes more heartwarming because of this fact, but the events in the episode are still saddening and disturbing. Poor Courage...
267	[[/folder]]
268
269	[[folder:Other Episodes]]
270	* "Muted Muriel" for the most part isn't too scary. At least until Courage decides to seek a magical solution to Eustace and Murial's argument. Muriel says she won't speak so what does Courage do? Go to Shirley the Medium for a magic spell that would make Muriel talk again. [[GoneHorriblyRight She casts her spell alright.]] And by that we mean she summons from deep within the earth, a Titanic-sized starfish creature that will crush anything and everything in its path! [[OhCrap And the path is straight towards the farmhouse!]] Oh, and it gets better! Courage brings Murial out to see the starfish and she still does not speak. It takes Courage sacrificing himself lying in front of the monster! Just as the monster is winding up to smash Courage into a bloody pulp, Muriel calls out to Courage stopping it dead in its tracks sending it back into the earth! What makes it real nightmare fuel is we learn nothing about this monster. Not how Shirley controls it, not why it wanted to destroy anything it crossed, and certainly not exactly what it is! Just that it came from "from deep below the planet's shell."
271	* "Cabaret Courage". Getting dropped into [[MeatMoss a room which looks like (is?) the inside of a human body]], meeting a guy that ''looks like an ulcer'' calling himself "The Creature In The Wall", then performing for that guy, getting dropped into some kind of green digestive acid if you fail and actually getting consumed by the guy himself... all because of how he got like this. The Creature In The Wall WasOnceAMan so bitter, so disgusted by people's carelessness, that he somehow became an ulcer in his own stomach. It takes Courage's selflessness in saving Eustace and Muriel from the wrath of The Creature In The Wall, and then saving the Creature himself when he has a serious heart attack, to get him to see the error of his ways and return to his original form.
272	[[/folder]]
273
274	!!Other:
275	[[folder:''The Fog of Courage'']]
276	* If you thought the show was already creepy in 2D, try picturing it entirely in CGI. First of all, the antagonist of the special, Clyde, manifests as a vast fog bank that descends upon the Bagge Farm and attacks in a rage because Eustace won't simply return the necklace that belonged to Clyde's lover. The Fog Spirit definitely came from the Uncanny Valley, He has a giant face with bulging eyes and misplaced teeth and almost all he ever says is chanting the name of his lost love Cariana...
277	-->"''Cariaaaanaaaa, Cariaaaaaaanaaaaa...''"
278	* And it's even creepier when Clyde sprouts ''long, gangly arms'' from his fog-like body and starts crawling across the ground with them. By far, the creepiest scene in the episode is where the Fog Spirit goes into a rage when Eustace refuses to return the necklace unless the spirit makes him an offer. Upon hearing this, Clyde (who seems to despise greed) becomes so angry that he opens his GIANT MOUTH, makes a hissing sound and creates an impending storm that completely surrounds Eustace and Courage.
279	[[/folder]]
280
281	[[folder:Video Games]]
282	Even the flash games on the Cartoon Network site were creepy as well.
283	----
284	* The most well-known was "Pharaoh Phobia", in which you play as Courage and your goal is to save Muriel and Eustace from an Egyptian pyramid. The game has a very unsettling vibe to it, with [[https://youtu.be/dWAYAc4n2jE anxiety-inducing music]], enemies such as bats and mummies that chase you, [[NothingIsScarier and the background which is complete darkness]]. But what's worse is the bonus floor which features snakes and ghosts as the only enemies and replaces [[https://youtu.be/9xo9uU6SP0c the music with]] [[NothingIsScarier really creepy jungle-like sound effects]]. Also you don't have a health meter but rather an insanity meter, and if you touch any of the enemies, it'll slowly drive Courage insane with fear.
285	* "Bogey Nights" ups the creepy factor a bit with its janky animations and utter lack of music. [[NothingIsScarier The only things you hear are coughing, sneezing, and the Bogeyman breathing.]] This is before the Bogeyman's gigantic hand starts reaching out from underneath the bed. If you were a kid playing this, get ready to sleep with your parents for a bit.
286	[[/folder]]

Context NightmareFuel / CourageTheCowardlyDog