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[[quoteright:300:[[Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Helena02.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300: [[FailedASpotCheck We sense no danger.]]]]

->"''Hair black like night, skin white as snow...''"
-->-- [[AuthorAppeal A trope by]] '''Creator/TimBurton,''' [[ProductionPosse starring]] Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter.

The Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette is a character not just with [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs mere brown hair and light skin,]] but [[RavenHairIvorySkin hair as black as midnight and skin pale as a ghost]] -- possibly because they ''are'' [[UndeathlyPallor a ghost,]] though it's not required. This [[DeliberatelyMonochrome black and white]] complexion contrasts visually and is interesting to look at, serving as a cue to a high contrast or even [[HiddenDepths duality]] about the character and setting them apart from their peers. And it's dirt common among villains, creepy characters (especially vampires), and {{Goth}}s.

The reason is that pale is sickly, tanned is healthy. The paleness wouldn't be as visible without dark hair as a contrast. It's enough to suggest [[JustForFun/TVTropesAdditionalEvilOverlordVows a tanning bed]] to would-be world conquerors. Who knows? Maybe regular trips to the beach might dissuade the OmnicidalManiac from his schemes?

Sometimes {{justified|trope}} by VictorianNovelDisease, which practically codified the trope, hence its popularity in {{Goth}}ic fiction.

That said, this is still something of an alignment neutral trope. On the DarkIsNotEvil side of the equation, there's the {{Goth}}, [[TheTrickster Trickster,]] and AntiHero. Still, some of the more memorable examples of this trope are the likes of TheVamp, BloodKnight, and WickedWitch. Oddly enough, the Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette is hardly ever TheBigGuy or a bruiser, as most villains with this complexion complement it with [[CreepyShadowedUndereyes haggard, sleep deprived eyes]] and [[LeanAndMean near starved frames,]] perhaps to send the message that evil takes a physical as well as [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil moral toll.]] If they ''are'' on the side of good, though, they'll usually be of TheLancer or TheSmartGuy type.

This is somewhat ironic, as OnceUponATime, pale skin symbolized wealth and education, as the privileged could afford to work indoors rather than in the fields. (Also, it's very easy to tell if a pale person is sick; with a "healthy tan," one can hide it more easily.) While a DiscreditedTrope for quite some time, the increased popularity of the "natural beauty" and "1950's pin-up" in modeling means that the attraction to pale skin and dark hair is [[CyclicTrope lately coming back into fashion.]]

One thing worth noting is that, since only albinos can have ''pure'' white skin in RealLife (if you want to get really technical, they can't either, since the blood under their skin will tint it very slightly), having a character whose skin is literally milk white may land them in the UnintentionalUncannyValley unless it's part of a highly stylised art style. Comics and cartoons have also been known to tint characters' skin tones pale ''green,'' violet, blue, or grey, as a variation on this aesthetic. Even in live action, a yellowish, or "sallow," tinge is not unknown.

Very common among [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires.]] Often, these people [[LooksLikeCesare look like Cesare,]] especially if they apply ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow or have natural CreepyShadowedUndereyes, and wear similarly monochromatic outfits along the GrayscaleOfEvil.

Related to CreepyLonerGirl. Compare and contrast AloofDarkHairedGirl, RavenHairIvorySkin, and StringyHairedGhostGirl. Not to be confused with UndeathlyPallor.

[[noreallife]]
----

!! Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* The title character of ''Manga/BlackButler'', Sebastian Michaelis, is a demon who takes the form of a handsome man with black hair and pale skin.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Ulquiorra Schiffer has bone-white skin and jet black hair and his colouring stands out from all other characters around him as a result. He's a symbol of nihilism and his lifeless pallor is part of his theme of not truly understand what it means to live.
** Zaraki's idol Yachiru, the very first Kenpachi and founder of the 11th Division, was an AxCrazy BloodKnight whose viciousness in battle was something Zaraki aspired to emulate. In battle, her long hair flowed free and her face would take on an eerie expression that would switch from unnaturally detached to psychopathic depending on how the fight was progressing. [[spoiler:However, in later years she became the 4th Division CombatMedic Captain Unohana, famed for her [[RavenHairIvorySkin beauty]] in-universe and viewed as the perfect YamatoNadeshiko, and who always kept her hair neatly bound. WordOfGod stated Unohana was Soul Society's most beautiful woman and that he wanted there to be a shocking contrast between the two faces of her personality.]]
* The titular ''Manga/BlueExorcist'', Rin Okumura, is Satan's son who wants to [[AntiAntiChrist defeat his demon father]]. The black hair and pale complexion are more obvious in the manga than anime version, as the anime gave him some color in his skin and changed his dark black hair into a navy blue.
* In ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'', the Port Mafia assassin Akutagawa is sickly and pale, with jet-black hair.
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has a few:
** L, the HeroAntagonist, is nonetheless a creepy, ruthless, and almost amoral character who is drawn with messy black hair and (at least in the anime) extremely pale, almost grayish skin. His appearance is likely caused by a lack of personal grooming, a terrible diet, and the fact that he rarely goes outside.
** Beyond Birthday from ''Literature/AnotherNote'' is also this by virtue of going out of his way to look like L. [[spoiler: He's even creepier than L, skittering about on all fours, sniffing a girl's panties, and being a deranged serial killer.]]
** Teru Mikami, one of Kira's disciples, is an insane mass murderer who has long black hair and very pale skin. However, he subverts the "sickly" part of this trope, as he is very strict about keeping a healthy lifestyle.
** Ryuk, a god of death, is an inhumanly tall and skinny monster with bluish-gray skin and dark blue-black hair.
* ''Anime/DeathParade'' has [[TheNameless The Dark-Haired Woman]] who [[ZigZaggingTrope zig-zags this trope]]. Considering her MysteriousPast and her role as an assistant to a {{Psychopomp}}, she certainly falls into this trope in the early episodes, and likely comes across this way to the human guests as well. However, DarkIsNotEvil, and as the show progresses she cements herself as being a NiceGuy and much more down to Earth than the rest of the cast…until her flashback sequence in episode 11, where this trope gets played straight again after her [[spoiler:DespairEventHorizon renders her an EmptyShell]]. The scenes become very monochromatic during this sequence, she’s constantly shrouded in darkness, and the bags under her eyes coupled with her ThousandYardStare really help to emphasize this trope.
* Emma from ''Manga/EmmaAVictorianRomance'' gives off vibes like this to those around her, which led a few men to court her, but is often considered aloof by her peers.
* Re-l Mayer from ''Anime/ErgoProxy'', whose pure white skin, pitch black hair, and liberal amounts of blue eyeshadow make her rather striking and creepy.
* The dreaded immortal mage Zeref from ''Manga/FairyTail''. He's black-haired and pale-skinned, despite the fact that he's seemingly spent a very long period of time living outdoors in an area with a tropical climate, and ought to be well tanned.
* The villain from ''Manga/FoodWars'', Azami Nakiri, has black hair and unhealthy-looking skin.
* In ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', Saki Hanajima is a black-haired and pale-skinned {{goth}}, complete with creepy tendencies and an unflattering reputation.
* ''Franchise/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Solf J. Kimblee, who has black hair and unhealthy-looking skin because of his prison time.
** Izumi, though she has an incurable illness as an excuse, and is one of the heroes.
** Lust, as well as most of the other homunculi. Especially notable in the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003 2003 anime version]], [[spoiler:since the human body she was created from was Ishbalan, meaning she would have had ''significantly'' darker skin.]]
* Yuno Morino from ''Manga/{{Goth}}''. The contrast of the scars on her wrists atop her pristine white skin is what drew the attention (and obsession) of the NightmareFetishist narrator.
* ''Anime/{{K}}'': Fushimi Saruhiko is extremely pale, bordering on gray actually, and has the dark hair to match. Misaki even comments on how unhealthy pale he is in a side story featuring their early life together.
* ''Franchise/KagerouProject'':
** Haruka Kokonose. It serves as a visual reminder that he is ill, and is justified by his frequent trips to hospital and the fact that he cannot participate in physical activity. He is actually a [[NiceGuy very nice person]] (if [[CloudCuckooLander somewhat spacey and odd at times]]).
** [[spoiler:Haruka's alternate self, Konoha, becomes this when he is [[DemonicPossession possessed by the Snake of Clearing Eyes]]. Clearing Eyes, in contrast to the above, is much more in-keeping - to the point that his arrival in any given adaptation is almost always signaled by a shot of his face with HiddenEyes, a SlasherSmile, or both]].
* Sawako from ''Manga/KimiNiTodoke'', whose creepy looks have had her nicknamed [[Film/{{Ringu}} Sadako]]. She's actually very nice, very naive, and really lonely (since her looks and her (mostly untrue) reputation tends to scare off potential friends).
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Orochimaru goes beyond simply having pale skin -- his is flat-out white, paired with [[StringyHairedGhostGirl long black hair]].
** In a similar vein to Orochimaru, Sai has completely white skin and black hair. [[FridgeLogic Quite a doozy]], since Sai spends most of his time baring his midriff and his shirt is short-sleeved too. They make for a nice contrast to Naruto's blond hair and tanned skin, though.
** Most of the Uchiha clan have pale skin and dark (most often black, though brown or even blue-haired Uchiha exist) hair.
* ''Manga/NuraRiseOfTheYokaiClan'': Hagoromo-Gitsune has a monochromatic appearance; she has black eyes, [[CurtainsMatchTheWindow black hair]], wears black serafuku with a white ribbon and has pale white skin that would make Literature/SnowWhite look tan.
* The DarkMagicalGirl Homura Akemi from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. She's dark-haired and so pale her skin tone is closer to gray than mere white, which is notable compared to the rest of the cast who have a healthy tan or blush. [[spoiler: Justified by her half a year hospitalization.]]
* The surreal OVA ''Anime/RadioCityFantasy'' involves an artist who is in love with his muse who fits this trope, her white skin and black hair being visually interesting to him.
* Hotaru Tomoe from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' is a CreepyChild who has both a planet-destroying soldier spirit and a demon bent on bringing [[ApocalypseMaiden "silence" to the world]] sealed inside her. Despite all this, when depowered, she's just a sweet girl who is misunderstood due to her fainting states and creepy looks.
* Momoko of ''Manga/{{Saki}}''. This, combined with her ~su VerbalTic, her power to [[{{invisibility}} disappear from sight]], and the black smoke effect used to portray those powers, makes her seem like a ghost.
* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'': Kiri Komori fits this trope pretty much to a T, being a {{Hikikomori}} who, by nature, doesn't go outside much.
* Masami Eiri from ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain'' is this, with long, dark hair and pale skin. This complexion, combined with his slightly feminine face and use of female speech, makes him all the creepier.
* Death the Kid from ''Manga/SoulEater''. He's a nice enough if eccentric chap, but he ''does'' have black-and-white hair, slightly creepy yellow eyes, and comes across as eerier than is the norm even for this series when he fights 'properly' or talks about gods, life, and death. And that's before you factor in his [[BrainwashedAndCrazy temporary]] insanity.
* ''Manga/TalentlessNana'' has Shinji Kazama, a necromancer who looks like a corpse himself with his unhealthily pale skin, black hair, and the permanent dark rings under his eyes that make them look sunken in. [[spoiler:It turns out to be quite justified as he's actually the zombie, not the necromancer.]]
* Sunako from ''Manga/TheWallflower''. The boys in charge of making her into a lady initially mistake her for [[{{Film/Ringu}} Sadako]] thanks to the general aura of creepy she constantly emanates.
* Yuuko Ichihara of ''Manga/XXXHolic''. Most color illustrations depict the rest of the main cast as these, too. All the main characters have pasty skin and, sans Kohane, dark hair in the manga, due to the way the art was stylized. The anime and official crossover illustrations depict both Doumeki and Himawari with healthier complexions, but Watanuki and Yuuko both remain very pale.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Audio Plays]]
* ''AudioPlay/ExitTunesPresentsACTORS''' Mitsuki is one of these - he has brown hair, fair skin, and an overall mysterious aura. His SlasherSmile makes people want to run for the hills.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Creator/GrantMorrison's run on ''ComicBook/AnimalMan'' featured Buddy Baker encountering an AuthorAvatar of the writer, who was depicted with dark hair and pale skin for no apparent reason other than making them appear mysterious and otherworldly.
* Bêlit in ''ComicBook/ConanTheBarbarian''. While she was described as very pale in the [[Literature/QueenOfTheBlackCoast original book]], she really fits this trope in the Dark Horse adaptation where she is white as a ghost and very creepy. This look became so striking that it was used by [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/belit_6.jpg Marvel Comics]] when the rights transferred to them from Dark Horse.
* Cassie Hack from ''ComicBook/HackSlash''. Probably best shown in [[http://www.boomvavavoom.com/image/hack/SliceHard07.jpg a panel]] from ''Slice Hard Prelude'', where she and [[MonsterOfTheWeek the Acid Angel]] are staring each other down.
* [[WellIntentionedExtremist H'el]], the main antagonist from ''ComicBook/HelOnEarth''. Flashbacks reveal that he wasn't always so pale, but how he got his current complexion is a mystery even to him.
* The Bride of Nine Spiders from ''ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist''. Fittingly, her main power is the ability to summon hordes of spiders.
* Due to his blood disease ComicBook/{{Morbius}} was pale even before the scientific accident that transformed him into a living vampire, but after it he became outright creepy. The lack of melanin in his skin makes it pure white, while his hair has remained completely black.
* Moon from ''ComicBook/PocketGod'' is a {{goth}} girl who is fascinated by death and likes doing fatal stunts for the thrill, knowing that she will always [[ResurrectiveImmortality resurrect]] if she does die. Her paleness is especially noticeable because the other pygmies have dark skin.
* ''ComicBook/{{Raptors}}'': Camilla, a beautiful vampire, has noticeably pale skin and dark hair because of her Spanish heritage.
* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'':
** Death and Dream of the Endless, though the former is a much cheerier PerkyGoth to her brother's somber disposition. The Endless can change their appearance; Dream appears African to one of his Girlfriends.
** Desire and Despair.
* The Nagai from ''ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977'' are a whole species of this, being portrayed as an antagonistic extra-galactic force with vampiric features and pure white skin. WordOfGod explained that their designs were influenced by early 80's anime and manga aesthetics.
* Post-transformation, Rhona Burchill from ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'' is a creepy-acting, black-haired woman with a sick-looking pallor to her skin.
* Laura Kinney a.k.a. ComicBook/{{X 23}} crosses this over with RavenHairIvorySkin. She's most commonly drawn with black hair and very fair skin and is often depicted as a {{goth}}. One of the other prostitutes in ''ComicBook/{{NYX}}'' specifically calls her "the creepy one" since no one knows her name, which certainly qualifies her for the "eerie" part.
* Neena Thurman a.k.a. Domino from ''ComicBook/XForce'' has dark hair and literally white skin.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fairy Tales and Folklore]]
* ''Literature/SnowWhite'': Back in the day, unnatural paleness was the epitome of feminine beauty, since tanned skin was associated with commoners who worked outside all day. Snow White looks gorgeous after her death, but the paleness=corpse=unnatural association wasn't present in the original story.
* The legend of the YukiOnna, or Snow Lady, in Japanese mythos. Exceptionally pale and beautiful, but her eyes can be terrifying. She may also lack feet.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Harry, who's got solid black hair (except for the skunk stripe at the front), and naturally pale skin that only gets paler in the sequel after his run-in with the Red Room [[spoiler: (6 months of captivity and use as a brainwashed Winter Soldier type assassin will do that to you)]]. He's also got an increasingly eerie sense of being a little too graceful, a little too aware, a little too everything, in fact, to be human - and that's ''before'' the traumatic experiences and proclivity for radiating ominous psychic power are taken into account.
* Melanie Sampson, [[Literature/TheTwilightSaga Embry]]'s OC imprint, in ''Fanfic/ForYouIWill''. Even though Embry liked blondes before, the imprint forces him to see this as beautiful.
* ''Fanfic/HowFriendshipAccidentallySavedMagicalBritain'': OriginalCharacter Elestren Parkinson is described by Fred Weasley as looking like a creepy porcelain doll, with milk-white skin, jet black hair, and oddly petite proportions, combined with the standard Slytherin deviousness.
* In ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', Red is described by the narration as having very dark hair and pale skin. [[TheQuietOne Due to his rather quiet and subdued nature]], he tends to unsettle most people he meets.
* [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Evelyn Trevelyan]] in ''Fanfic/WalkingInCircles'' has dark hair and is pretty pale from years living mostly inside the tower, but once she [[spoiler: becomes Tranquil]] and her diet suffers for it, she turns even more paler and thinner. That, combined with her attitude during that time, causes most people to find her very creepy to look at.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* The entirety of ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' (except Pugsley, who's just as pale but has brownish hair) in the films, as a physical sign of their, er, 'difference'. Gomez is somewhat less pale than the others, but still qualifies especially with the contrast to his completely jet-black hair. Morticia and Wednesday though are very much classic examples of the trope. (This doesn't include the whole extended family, as Itt has lighter hair and we...don't really see his skin--assuming he has any--and the party scenes include blonde characters, redheads, and at least one Black person. Though of course many of those people might simply have married in.)
* ''Film/AllCheerleadersDie'': Leena, a goth girl, has dark brown hair and nearly alabaster skin. She stalks her ex-girlfriend Maddy at first while practicing Wicca magic in a rather creepy fashion. It turns out that she's CreepyGood though, with her saving Maddy and the other girls who Terry had killed.
* ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'': This is amped up particularly in the beginning with Wanda Maximoff before she's humanized a bit. She spends a lot of time in dark areas that exaggerate her pale skin and dark hair and make her movements and actions creepier. By the time she's a good guy, she's a great deal healthier looking, dyes her hair red, and dresses in brighter clothing.
* ''Film/TheBoyWhoCriedWerewolf'': Madame Varcolac is pale-skinned with dark brown hair and very creepy at first, as the caretaker of Wolfsberg Manor. However, she turns out to [[CreepyGood be good]].
* [[http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb58377/narnia/images/7/78/Edmundpevensie.jpg Edmund Pevensie]] from the movie version of ''Film/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', due to the actor's natural, dark looks, which easily made him look like the [[TheMole bad one]] in the first movie and the AntiHero in the next ones.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'', Victor Van Dort has dark hair and his complexion is nearly white (along with every other living character in the film).
* ''Film/DarkTouch'' has the dark hair and the pale skin, as well as psychokinetic powers and a viewpoint that all adults in the world are potential abusers and must be stopped now.
* ''Film/FrightNight2NewBlood'': Gerri is very pale with midnight black hair, and a vampire. Jaime Murray's trademark looks were certainly put to good use.
* The Thermians in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', done to emphasize that they are aliens who have disguised themselves as humans in accordance with the film's plot.
* ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
** Bellatrix Lestrange, and a couple other Death Eaters, as well as young Lord Voldemort are villainous examples.
** Antiheroic examples exist through Severus Snape and Sirius Black, as well as a heroic example in Harry himself.
** This appearance is a plot point, just not in the way you'd expect. All the characters who have it are distant relatives of each other: their gothic looks show this connection. Notably though, while the Weasleys and the Malfoys are also distant relatives since both have ties to the House of Black, they have very different looks. The Malfoys are pale blondes bordering on albino and the Weasleys are redheads.
* Louis of ''Film/InterviewWithTheVampire'', as mentioned below under Literature. The film both increased it by letting us see his veins through his skin and generally putting us outside his own narration, and decreased it by [[AdaptationDyeJob turning his jet-black hair brown.]] It also turned Armand into this, where he was a cherubic young redhead (though no less creepy) in the books.
* ''Film/KillList'' has Fiona, Gal's new girlfriend. There's something distinctly off about her and her appearance and strange actions during Jay's dinner party are one of the first major hints that something is very wrong here.
* ''Film/LetMeIn'':Owen is incredibly pale with black hair.He actually looks more gothic than the vampire Abby.
* ''Film/LisaFrankenstein'': The Creature has dark hair and pale sickly skin, due to being a reanimated corpse.
* In ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'', the title character's raven Diaval is given a human form, who dresses all in black, complete with dark hair and eyes. [[DarkIsNotEvil He's one of the nicest characters in the movie]].
* ''Film/{{Mythica}}'': Not most of the time, but when using her necromancy powers Marek's eyes [[BlackEyesOfEvil go black]], looking even creepier with her pale skin and dark brown hair.
* Anton Chigurh from ''Film/NoCountryForOldMen'' fits this trope very well. Movies seem to like making Javier Bardem's villains much paler than the man himself.
* ''Film/TheProfessional'' has Mathilda Lando, the pre-teen protege of Leon Montana. To say that she is quite "Eerie" would be quite an understatement as she does plenty of TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior from smoking cigarettes to openly cursing at her half-sister and Leon as well as having a sexual interest in the latter.
* Sadako/Samara from ''Film/{{Ringu}}'' and ''Film/TheRing'', the famous StringyHairedGhostGirl with black hair and ghostly white skin.
* ''Film/{{Scream}}'':
** In ''Film/Scream4'', [[spoiler:Jill's dark hair and pale skin are initially meant to evoke the image of an archetypal FinalGirl, particularly with her similarities to her cousin Sidney. But after TheReveal that she's the Ghostface killer, an AxCrazy AttentionWhore willing to go to any lengths to become famous, she rapidly reveals herself to be this.]]
** ''Film/Scream2022'' does something similar with [[spoiler:Amber, the FalseFriend of the heroine Tara who is revealed to be one of the killers. While her partner Richie, the leader of the murder plot, comes off as more genuinely angry and aggrieved, Amber is presented as AxCrazy, clearly relishing getting to kill people. (Appropriately enough, her actress Mikey Madison previously played a member of the [[UsefulNotes/CharlesManson Manson family]] in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInHollywood''.)]]
* Selene from the ''Film/Underworld2003'' movies. Being a vampire and all, this shouldn't come as a surprise.
* ''Film/VampireDiary'': Vicki has pale skin and dark brown hair, which helps to sell her claim that she's a vampire, as she looks very creepy (though still also beautiful).
* ''{{Film/Vamps}}'': Stacy (as Krysten Ritter plays her, whose look really is this), and it makes the elder Van Helsing suspicious that she's really a vampire. At first, Dan just thinks they're paranoid, but of course it's true.
* In ''Animation/WaltzWithBashir'', the director portrays his ex-girlfriend, who dumped him the same week he shipped out, as one of these. He has fantasies of her as a ghostly presence on the battlefield. In an interview, the director stated that his wife objected to how attractive he made her in the film.
* Amy in ''Film/WouldYouRather''. As played by Sasha Grey, her sullen, sarcasm-heavy behavior borders on the [[{{Goth}} Gloomy Goth]] archetype.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/TenThingsToDoBeforeIDie'': Ted refers to Nikki's black eyes as "alien" frequently, as she always seems calm and all-knowing.
* Mei Misaki from ''Literature/{{Another}}''. She's a mysterious and somewhat creepy girl with black hair and pale skin. She's initially [[MistakenForUndead mistaken for a ghost]], but it's revealed fairly quickly that she's alive and rather nice.
* ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'': Definitely on the DarkIsNotEvil side of this trope: Stephen Maturin, co-protagonist of the series. His hair is black, of course, and his skin tone is almost invariably described as "pale" or "sallow".
* ''Literature/BooksOfTheRaksura'': The Ruler [[HiveCasteSystem caste]] of the AlwaysChaoticEvil Fell have a distinctive appearance -- black hair, bone white skin, and eerie beauty. They're also [[TheSociopath utter sociopaths]] with [[BadPowersBadPeople mind-control powers]].
* Jadis the White Witch from ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' became this way as a side effect of [[spoiler:gaining immortality from ForbiddenFruit]].
* Gavriel from ''Literature/TheColdestGirlInColdTown'' is this in spades. Not only does his vampiric pallor and wild black tangles make him look haunted, but his off-kilter personality - [[CloudCuckooLander his scattered thoughts, erratic behavior, poetic way of speaking, and unnerving way of moving]] - intensifies his eerie looks.
* [[{{Tsundere}} Heleth]] from Douglas Hill's ''Literature/TheColSecTrilogy'' is an Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette with [[FacialMarkings facial tattoos]]. Justified in that she was raised underground (the tattoos help camouflage her in shadows). And she sunburns ''badly''.
* Literature/{{Coraline}}'s [[WickedStepmother Other Mother]] fits the sinister aspects of this trope. In the animated movie, her original form also fits RavenHairIvorySkin.
* In ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', Edmund Dantes is one of these, having dark hair and extremely pale skin. This is called attention to on several occasions, in which, as the Count, he's described as handsome but with an unsettlingly pale skin tone. The narrator explains that the years he spent in prison made Dantes very pale and prevented him from ever returning to his original tan skin tone.
* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': Rhysand has jet black hair and is noted to be unusually pale from his time Under the Mountain - with his shadow based powers, this just makes him more intimidating. In the second book on, though, this is averted as he's regained some color from being in the sun again.
* In ''Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths'', Kolkhis has black hair and very pale, bluish skin that makes her "look like the world's most beautiful corpse." She's also the go-to person if you want an assassination in the city of Melusine, and is in league with a [[spoiler: blood witch]]. Vincent looks remarkably like her and has an unsettling tendency to get distracted by ghosts in the middle of conversations.
* ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'': Two of Dracula's vampire brides are brunettes and Lucy, when she turns, has her hair color change from blonde to brunette as a sign of her corruption. Naturally, being undead, they all have pale skins.
* House Raith of the White Court in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' - a clan of psychic vampires that feed on lust and all look like this.
* ''Literature/EmilyOfNewMoon'' has very pale skin (to the point that, especially when she's a child, most people who meet her assume she's delicate and will likely die of tuberculosis) and black hair. It contributes to most people seeing her as a borderline CreepyChild.
* Juliet Salazar from Mike Carey's ''Literature/FelixCastor'' series, who has black hair, "black-on-black" eyes, and pure white skin: "the undiluted white of snow or bone rather than the muddy pink-beige mix that passes for white according to normal labelling conventions." {{Justified|Trope}} in her case, as she's a demon from Hell whose body isn't, technically speaking, an actual body. And in something of a subversion, she's not necessarily an ''evil'' demon from Hell, when she chooses not to be.
* Belinda Contague from the ''Literature/GarrettPI'' novels plays up this image to make herself more intimidating as the ''capa'' of the [=TunFaire=] mob.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** Sirius Black fits this for most of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban''. When it's revealed that [[spoiler: he's actually good]], the characters basically stop mentioning his pale, waxy complexion. It's safe to assume that Sirius's skin lost its waxy look after he'd been [[spoiler: out of Azkaban]] for a while. Considering he was also dirty and emaciated at the time, it was probably caused by his poor health more than actual paleness.
** Severus Snape. Harry always makes note of the man's greasy, black hair, sallow complexion, and hooked nose. Even as a child he was a [[CreepyChild scrawny, greasy-haired kid with pale skin and a natural talent for the Dark Arts]]. While in [[Film/HarryPotter the films]], he's depicted as pale skinned thanks to being played by Creator/AlanRickman, in the books, he may actually have been of a darker skin complexion. Historically throughout classic English literature, particularly Gothic fiction and Gothic romance fiction, "sallow skinned" was often used as an euphemism to refer to characters with a darker skin complexion (usually Italian or Eastern European or generally non-white in contrast to British "proper" pale skin), often used to describe the "demon lover" trope commonly found in Gothic fiction from the mid-18th century to the early 20th century. Given how consistently Snape in the books has been described as sallow skinned, and how sallow skinned was how a lot of the Eastern European students from Durmstrang were described as, particularly Viktor Krum who's described with features that striking resemble Snape's looks, it is a fair implication that Snape in the books was dark haired but also darker skinned as well.
** Bellatrix, who, in the movies, is played by the pictured Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. And the rest of the Black family except Narcissa, who looks more like her husband for some reason.
** Tom Riddle was one [[IWasQuiteALooker in his youth]], laminated by Frank Dillane and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin's portrayal of him in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'', as a sixteen-year-old Tom and eleven-year-old Tom respectively. Both actors crank Tom Riddle's creepiness up. This, in turn, creeps Harry out, as he looks a bit like him. Rowling loves this trope.
* In Creator/WilkieCollins' ''The Haunted Hotel'', the first thing anyone notices about Countess Narona is the unnatural ('corpse-like') pallor of her skin. She puts it down to an attempted poisoning in her childhood, and is (by her own account) allergic to makeup, so she can't make herself look more conventional.
* The Daemon from ''Literature/TheHeartsWeSold''. He's an aloof, unreadable demon who makes everyone around him nervous without doing a thing, who appears as a handsome man with pale skin and dark hair. Dee notes that he's simultaneously unusually attractive, and creepy as hell.
* ''Literature/InCryptid'': The entire [[BackstoryInvader Johrlac]] ''species'' looks like this. Since their telepathy makes humans think they belong (and allows them to tell each other apart), the entire species is made up of InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals. And most humans would only ever see one at a time anyway, since they're a very antisocial species.
* Naichoryss from "Mirage" of the Literature/KaneSeries. Her skin is pale, her wavy hair black and long--and she's a vampire living in a ruined fortress.
--> A study of eerie beauty, cold and aloof as an exquisitely carven masterpiece of gem-set ivory and jet.
* In ''Literature/{{Kurozuka}}'', Kuromitsu is pale and with dark hair. He's a beautiful immortal vampire.
* The title character of ''Literature/{{Maledicte}}'' is an extremely pale, dark-haired, dark-eyed young woman disguised as a man... who also happens to be an amalgam of human and vengeance god. An unusual example, in that Mal, thanks to obsessive training and superpowers, actually is a top-notch physical fighter.
* Lilith from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'' is raven-haired, pale-skinned, and very creepy.
* The main villain of ''Literature/OctoberDaye'' is the firstborn known as Eira Rosynhwyr better known as [[spoiler:Evening Winterrose]]. Eira is the inspiration behind the fairy tale of Snow White. Her true appearance is revealed in the novel ''The Winter Long'', her skin is pale to such an extent that it appears to be almost bloodless compared to her dark hair which contrasts with it.
* In ''Literature/TheOldKingdom'' series, this is a characteristic of the Abhorsen bloodline, who all have night-black hair and eyes and skin that is variously described as "paper-white" and "deathly pale". They are {{necromancer}}s, and regular trips into [[AfterlifeAntechamber Death]] exaggerate their natural pallor.
* Isa, from ''Literature/OnlyEchoesRemain'', is preternaturally [[RavenHairIvorySkin pale and beautiful]], with extremely long and lustrous ebony hair. Despite her protests, the look ''does'' suit her, as she is [[spoiler: a spirit being specifically designed as a (relatively minor) manifestation of darkness and death.]]
* Dr. Maura Isles of the ''Literature/RizzoliAndIsles'' series is described as having pale skin and jet black hair. The eeriness is heightened by the fact that she's a coroner.
* Magiere from ''Literature/TheSagaOfTheNobleDead'' straddles the line between this and UndeathlyPallor. At her most normal, she has a chalk-white complexion (impossible given the amount of time she spends outdoors) and [[RedRightHand blood red highlights]] in her otherwise black hair (when her SuperpoweredEvilSide comes out, so do the fangs). [[SarcasmMode Oddly enough]], [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer she had a rough childhood]] and developed a thing about superstitious peasantry.
* ''Literature/TheScholomance'': Liu's minor use of BlackMagic is {{implied|trope}} to have had this effect. When she's healed of its influence, characters notice that highlights appear in her black hair and her complexion gets more tan (and less {{undea|thlyPallor}}d).
* The Eubian Aristos in Creator/CatherineAsaro's ''Literature/SkolianSaga'' are an entire race of these with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] added for flavor. They are also mind-raping slavers.
* While Literature/SnowWhite in the original fairy tale is far too nice to be this, her colouring has inspired several writers to [[{{Grimmification}} depict her as a vampire]], for example, Creator/TanithLee in ''Red as Blood'' and Creator/NeilGaiman in ''Literature/SnowGlassApples''.
* Both Coira and Arpazia in the "Literature/SnowWhite" retelling ''Literature/WhiteAsSnow'' alternate between this and RavenHairIvorySkin depending on how creepy they are at the moment. Both women are acknowledged to be very beautiful—Arpazia before she somehow becomes a thirty-year-old crone and Coira after she turns eighteen and comes into her own—but the mother's flares of temper and the daughter's talent for complete stillness and silence frighten people to the point that their beauty almost isn't worth it.
* Ashara Dayne from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' is almost always described as a "haunting" woman with dark hair and violet eyes.
** [[MagnificentBastard Littlefinger]] apparently thinks he is one of these, as his only response when Tyrion threatens to send him to the Night's Watch, was to complain that the black uniform would only enhance this.
** Seems to be a genetic trait of House Bolton, as well. Their [[IcyBlueEyes freakishly pale]], [[CreepyBlueEyes milky eyes]] combine with this to make them about as scary looking [[TortureTechnician as they really]] [[TheSociopath should be]].
* Xanatos, ManipulativeBastard and BigBad of the Literature/JediApprentice novels in the ''Franchise/StarWars EU'', is more or less described as looking like a vampire.
* The sinister Odd Sisters of ''Literature/ATaleOf'' adopt this look: their hair is naturally black with the odd white streak, styled into ringlets, but they use white makeup on their faces. With their red, red lips, they get compared to {{Creepy Doll}}s more than once.
* ''Literature/TalesOfTheKettyJay''. PirateGirl Trinica Dracken has [[WhiteHairBlackHeart white hair]] but otherwise plays this straight; her white skin and hair contrasted with her [[EvilWearsBlack black clothing]] and [[BlackEyesOfEvil contact lenses]] gives her an UndeathlyPallor that strikes fear into her crew, let alone her enemies. It's an InvokedTrope as she was once a great beauty, but having clawed her way up from being a SexSlave Trinica thinks she's SoBeautifulItsACurse, and would rather be TheDreaded.
* Louis of ''Literature/TheVampireChronicles'' has jet-black hair and piercing green eyes, and his skin became white with the transformation into a vampire. He's the narrator of the first book, and the narrator of most of the rest has a big [[HoYay soft spot for him]], so he tends to come off as more [[TheWoobie pitiable]] than creepy to the reader, but in-universe he's certainly this-- especially to mortals.
* In ''Literature/VillainessLevel99'', Yumiella's black hair and pale skin are part of her design as a villainess in a video game and user of dark magic. However, after a GamerChick [[NextLifeAsAFictionalCharacter transmigrated as her]], she becomes more stoic and odd rather than eerie.
* ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'': Valerie, who's from a dark elf-like race, is an evil sorceress with pitch black hair and pure white skin, as her kind lived in the subterranean underdark, while also being a cannibal/man eater as is the norm for her people. Her appearance adds to her creepiness.
* Gregor Vorbarra from the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'' is described as being like this - as well as being tall and thin and dressed in dark clothing - so it shouldn't be surprising that he's TheEmperor of a multi-planetary, extremely militaristic empire. Except that he's also one of the good guys.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'': Morticia Addams fits the physical description, but is a very nice person. She just has some unusual hobbies and a slightly odd outlook on life. Same thing with her husband and daughter.
-->'''Cosmetics Saleswoman:''' What kind of powder does your mummy use?
-->'''Wednesday:''' Baking powder.
-->'''Cosmetics Saleswoman:''' No, honey, I mean on her face.
-->'''Wednesday:''' ...Baking powder.
* ''Series/AlexRider2020'': Kyra, with overtones of punk. Her look is clearly meant to contrast with blond, tan, clean-cut Alex.
* Merton J. Dingle from ''Series/BigWolfOnCampus'', since he's a goth.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** Willow at the end of season 6. Justified in that, by that point, she's become completely taken over by grief, revenge lust, and black magic. She gets better.
** Drusilla - a MadOracle who Angelus put through every variation on BreakTheCutie before making her immortal so she'd suffer forever. This doesn't stop her from being as dangerous as the rest of the Fanged Four.
* Zoe Graystone from ''Series/{{Caprica}}'' has very dark (nearly black) hair and very light (as close to white as possible without albinism) skin. Particularly noticeable in the ads, in which she is stark-naked and holding [[TemptingApple a bright-red apple with a bite taken out of it]].
* In season 2 of ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', Dexter's girlfriend Lila is a pale-skinned brunette. Because they're all in sun-filled Miami, this leads Deb to speculate that she's "a gross English titty vampire". And when Lila [[spoiler:turns out to be [[{{Yandere}} nuts]]]], Deb describes her to the other cops as "[[SirSwearsALot pale as a fucking corpse]]."
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** The Fourth Doctor LooksLikeCesare and behaves in an ''[[NightmareFetishist extremely]]'' [[BlueAndOrangeMorality alien]] [[CuteAndPsycho manner]].
** The Seventh Doctor ''also'' LooksLikeCesare and is an enigmatic MagnificentBastard hidden under the veneer of an eccentric old dodderer.
** The Eighth Doctor - less in his live-action media and more in the ExpandedUniverse novels, where he ForgetsToEat and borders on TheOphelia.
** The Ninth Doctor. Creator/ChristopherEccleston [[DyeingForYourArt dyed his hair black]] to invoke this trope. Notably, his most basic personality is [[CozyVoiceForCatastrophes Northern and chirpy]], so the eerie appearance reminds the audience that he isn't human at all.
** The [[WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka alternate-continuity Ninth Doctor]], who has a PerkyGoth-influenced look - complete with dramatic cape.
* [[TheWoobie River Tam]] of ''Series/{{Firefly}}''. Kinda justified on the pale-skinned part, as she doesn't leave the ship much. And she's pretty [[MysteriousWaif eerie]].
* Janette in ''Series/ForeverKnight'', although most of her relationship stuff with Nick was in flashbacks. Justified since she’s a vampire.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** Northerners are known for their dark, almost black hair and pale skin and have a grim reputation among southerners.
** Lyanna Stark as an adult. Oberyn Martell even describes her in the Blu-ray lore as a "pale northern girl with ice running in her veins like all her people". Though beautiful, she comes off as eerie.
** Arya Stark has the Stark look, including fair skin and brown hair. Due to having the slightly unnervingly pale skin and dark hair of Northerners, she is regarded as less attractive than her red-haired sister, Sansa. However, with time, her appearance becomes the least eerie thing about her, as her behavior verges on CreepyChild territory, as she keeps a list of those who have wronged her and takes a sadistic pleasure in causing their deaths.
** Myranda, Ramsey Bolton's lover, has dark brown hair, is very pale and ''very'' crazy and sadistic.
* Oswald Cobblepot from ''Series/{{Gotham}}''. He LooksLikeCesare with his chalky-pale skin and greasy black hair, and is undeniably eerie-looking, but is still mostly CreepyCute in a weird way.
* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' has Adar, a Corrupted Elf of the First Age. His physical features, having raven hair, FacialHorror and being sickly pale, are a testimony of what Morgoth did with the enslaved Elves of Beleriand. They were turned into Orcs.
* Kenzi from ''Series/LostGirl'' is very pale, has long, black hair, and bright blue eyes. Not very "eerie" as much as "comical", though.
* The loyal warlock Merlin and the king's ward Morgana, from the BBC's ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''. Though Morgana is a better fit for this trope than Merlin, since she's definitely paler-skinned (Merlin doesn't really have that "ghostly" complexion), as well as conveniently [[spoiler:turning into a near-psychopathic villainess hellbent on dramatic angst and sorcerous revenge]].
* Lily Munster of ''Series/TheMunsters'' also looks like this and would probably get along very well with Morticia if they met.
* Red Riding Hood, better known as Red, having dark hair in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' is a contrast from the original storybook version. The change makes sense, because [[spoiler: Red is also TheBigBadWolf that has been terrorizing the town]].
* In ''Series/PennyDreadful'', one of the main characters, Vanessa Ives, carries this trope along with its associated dualities.
* In the series finale of ''Series/{{Poirot}}'' ("[[Recap/PoirotS13E05CurtainPoirotsLastCase Curtain]]"), Stephen Norton is a bird-watcher with raven-black hair and a quiet disposition. If this, along with his pale, white skin, doesn't sound eerie, then [[spoiler:his {{Manipulative Bastard}}ry and MindOverMatter techniques that can cause people to kill each other]] add to his eerieness and creepiness. In fact, this is an AdaptationDyeJob of the original novel ''Literature/{{Curtain}}'', where Norton has grayish silver hair, [[spoiler:[[WhiteHairBlackHeart but with a black heart]].]]
* ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'' has Jughead Jones. He has light skin, dark hair and [[CreepyShadowedUndereyes dark circles under his eyes]] to suit his loner attitude.
* ''Series/{{The Sandman|2022}}'': The protagonist, Morpheus, is a supernatural AnthropomorphicPersonification who usually appears as a pale-skinned young man with untidy black hair.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** Lt. Cmdr. Data in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' was [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot designed to be a bit eerie]] on purpose to keep him on the left side of the UncannyValley. Amusingly, some aliens think he's just a weird-looking human. [[ShoutOut In homage]] to Kirk's "rice-picker" in The Original Series and {{Blatant Lie|s}} regarding Spock in ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome'', they tell some past humans in "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E26S6E1TimesArrow Time's Arrow]]" that he's a "Frenchman". In at least one holodeck episode, he passes himself off as South American.
** Spock and most Vulcans (barring Tuvok and the reddish-haired T'Pol) in general fit this trope.
** Weyoun of [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine DS9]], or every Vorta, for that matter.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** While haunting a hospital as a spirit, Dean meets a beautiful, black-haired, pale-skinned female spirit named Tessa, [[spoiler: who turns out to be a grim reaper.]]
** The angry spirit who attacks a philandering professor in "[[Recap/SupernaturalS02E15TallTales Tall Tales]]" is this.
** The episode "[[Recap/SupernaturalS03E05BedtimeStories Bedtime Stories]]" gives us two: the MonsterOfTheWeek Callie, and the latest [[DemonicPossession vessel]] of recurring villain [[DealWithTheDevil the Crossroads Demon]].
** Ruby 2.0 and Meg 2.0 are both demons, occupying pale-skinned, dark-haired female vessels.
* Jade from ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' seems to be invoking this trope as part of her gothic persona. She has pale skin, black hair, and a creepy, hostile attitude.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Märchen from the Music/SoundHorizon RockOpera of the same name. [[UndeathlyPallor Being dead might have something to do with it.]]
* [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loqoxciE4N1qb4lmh_1311345930_cover.jpg Annie Clark]], better known as Music/StVincent. Before the release of ''Strange Mercy'', she was just RavenHairIvorySkin, but since then she has shifted hard into this trope.
* Gerard Way of Music/MyChemicalRomance is this by default with his natural paleness and accord with the supernatural, and has played it up further by usually dyeing his hair an even deeper black[[note]]although he hasn't been averse to blinding white or fiery-red locks either[[/note]].
* Music/TarjaTurunen, [[Music/{{Flyleaf}} Lacey Sturm]], [[Music/WithinTemptation Sharon den Adel]], [[Music/{{Tristania}} Vibeke Stene]], [[Music/{{Nightwish|Band}} Anette Olzon]], Manuela Kraller[[labelnote:*]]formerly of Xandria[[/labelnote]]... needless to say, they're ''everywhere'' in gothic and symphonic metal.
%%* Music/ChelseaWolfe.
* Music/AliceCooper, who also [[FollowTheLeader inspired thousands of imitators]] and influenced Goth and Industrial fashion aesthetic.
* Music/AmyWinehouse also had this look throughout her short and troubled life.
* This is [[Music/{{The Cure|Band}} Robert Smith's]] trademark look.
* David Vanian from Music/{{The Damned|Band}}.
* Music/TheAquabats describe an entire subculture built around this look in their song "Fashion Zombies!".
-->And this horror-like production\\
Takes total dedication\\
Of black clothes and pale complexions\\
Rock jet black hair to match their makeup
* [[Music/NineInchNails Trent Reznor]], especially during the ''Broken''/''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'' eras. The manic stage presence, macabre lyrics and penchant for [[CarefulWithThatAxe blood-curdling screams]] accentuates the effect.
* [[{{Music/Evanescence}} Amy Lee]] is a particularly striking example - her wild raven locks are offset by ghostly-pale skin and [[IcyBlueEyes startling blue eyes.]] Her operatic style of vocals, gothic-influenced style choices and fascination with death definitely help.
* This is [[{{Music/Muse}} Matt Bellamy]]'s default appearance. With his gaunt, pale features, spindly frame, unruly black hair, piercing tenor voice and an affinity for the theatrical and doom-laden, he can often be downright banshee-like.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* The default appearance of the [[Wrestling/DaffneyUnger Scream]] [[Wrestling/MsChif Queens]], though as a {{goth}}, Daffney's appearance is always subject to change. Prior to the team, Wrestling/{{WCW}} often used Daffney as the crazy screaming obsessive but also put her in {{fanservice}} roles too. [=MsChif=] more so enforced the trope just through raw abrasiveness. Draculletta and White Magic, Wrestling/{{Wrestlicious}}'s Ghouls Gone Wild, are an even straighter case.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* Harriet from ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'' has ratty black hair, pasty white skin, and deep bags under her eyes to mark her as unwell and [[TheEeyore depressed]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Creator/BillEngvall has a bit where he meets his daughter's {{Goth}} friend Lucy who exemplifies this trope and considers holding her down and squirting Coppertone Insta-Tan on her face. He then imagines the reactions of everybody at school the next day:
--> "Did you hear what happened to Lucy? ''*gasps*'' She got color!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Moon elves, or Silver elves, in ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' usually have black to blue hair and pale to icy-blue skin. At least one novel even {{lampshaded}} that the subrace visually is a [[{{Foil}} perfect contrast]] to dark-skinned blond drow. They look the weirdest of whole elvenkind (except [[WingedHumanoid Avariel]]), but tend to be the most human-like mentally (approachable, curious, and active) and the least decadent.
* Ubiquitous in ''TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness'' with its Gothic aesthetic design. Open a rule book and you will see this trope.
* Due to flaws in various implants of ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'', all Raven Guards have dark hair and pale skin, regardless of what they looked like pre-surgery.
** Night Haunter also looked like this, as did [[Literature/NightLords his legion]], [[JustifiedTrope being recruited from a world in perpetual darkness]].
** [[TheFairFolk Dark Eldar]] look like this. Again, [[JustifiedTrope justified]]: they live in another dimension where there is apparently no sun. They're also [[OurVampiresAreDifferent space vampires]].
* Dark Elves in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'' are almost all pale and black-haired, though no actual reason is given. Perhaps that was just a major dominant trait among the Nagarytheans.
** Nothing in official books, but various pieces of fluff and the occasional WordOfGod in articles and video-game material state that, yes, Nagarytheans tended towards this aspect. That, and millennia of using dark magic probably hasn't helped matters any...
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* The title character of ''Theatre/{{Elisabeth}}'', who was a real person with black hair in braids that fall to her waist, and pallor because she was royalty.
* Creator/LaurenceOlivier played Shakespeare's ''Theatre/RichardIII'' as one of these [[http://meandrichard.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/laurence-olivier-richard-001.jpg onstage]]; when he recreated his performance for film, the makeup was toned down and Richard's skin tone was Olivier's own. (Ironically, [[UsefulNotes/RichardIII the real Richard]] was, according to his surviving portraits, of middling complexion and with light brown hair.)
* The Japanese production of ''Theatre/TanzDerVampire'' made Herbert von Krolock [[https://new.vk.com/photo-22442239_278506939 into one of these]]. Western productions tend to go the other route and gives him white hair.
* In TheMusical version of ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'', Nessarose is almost always one of these, no matter the actress (the exceptions being when she is played as a washed-out-looking dishwater blonde or the actress is simply not of an ethnicity that makes this feasible). It makes sense, considering that she's fairly sickly and, being crippled, is confined to bed, and also [[LawfulNeutral sees the world in terms of black and white]]. Later, when she turns evil, she [[EvilCostumeSwitch exchanges her blue-and-white outfit for a black one]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Viola Cadaverini from the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series. She's meant to be creepy and sickly looking, and it works.
* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'', to go along with the rest of her great looks package.
* ''Creator/BioWare'' franchises:
** Bastila from ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''. [[spoiler:Her physical appearance definitely works when she joins TheDarkSide]]. Satele Shan, Bastila's descendant who appears in ''The Old Republic'', also fits this trope.
** As well as Morrigan from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' and Miranda from ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''. Creator/BioWare seems to have a thing for this trope.
*** Also, ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'''s Merrill. Serves to support her AllTheOtherReindeer story that the rest of the nomadic Dalish are mostly dark-skinned blondes (or just dark-skinned in general) whilst she is this trope.
* Eleanor Lamb from ''VideoGame/BioShock2''. Living in an underwater city will probably do that to one's complexion.
%%* Your "Guardian Angel" in ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}''.
%%** The Siren playable character in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', Maya, as well. She's also the only playable character of the game that is clearly Good aligned, the other three being some form of Chaotic, or even [[TokenEvilTeammate Evil]].
* In ''VideoGame/CastleOfIllusion'', Mizrabel's transformed form is a haughty, evil sorceress who looks like the Evil Queen in ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''.
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow'':
** {{Dracula}} has pale white skin and dark brown hair that is almost black. He's feared by practically every character in the setting, including ''The Devil himself'', and for ''very'' good reason.
** {{Satan}} is also an example. He's as pale as Dracula, has long onyx black hair, and dark veins covering his body. In the sequel, it gets even worse, where he becomes an eight-foot tall hulking brute of an angel riddled with scars.
** Satan's daughter, Raisa Volkova, takes after her father with pale skin, dark hair, and a disturbing appearance.
* [[TheGrimReaper Death]] in ''VideoGame/DarksidersII'' has skin so pale it's only a few shades darker than his own WhiteMaskOfDoom, and depending on the lightning it actually looks like his skin is changing color.
* As the resident FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire of ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 4|A Promise Unforgotten}}'', Valvatorez naturally has this hair color and complexion.
* ''VideoGame/FearAndHungerTermina'':
** Samarie has extremely dark hair coupled with a sickly pale skintone. She is also an [[{{Yandere}} obsessively devoted]] StalkerWithACrush [[spoiler:and potential murderer, albeit [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone she quickly regrets it]]]].
** Caligura also sports a rather pale skintone and quite dark, if graying hair. He's the MoreHateableMinorVillain who almost immediately decides to participate in [[DeadlyGame Termina]] by murdering anyone he can get his hands on, and is not above committing sexual violence as well.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII's'' Vincent Valentine fits this trope quite well, although more in the AntiHero sense. This doesn't stop people from thinking of him as TheVamp, though...
** Apparently, Kuja in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' was originally envisioned to be of this trope, but it was changed to make him look like a mini-Sephiroth.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'':
** Soren from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn''. He's one of the protagonists, but his cynicism and utter lack of idealism occasionally puts off his allies.
** Noticeably, Karla of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'' is the only (female) ally with black hair in the entire game. Mind, this is a series with a ''tradition'' of having at least ''thirty-odd characters'' on the allies' side alone, and they are all very pale. Upon supporting, her personality is revealed to be an equal mix of CloudCuckooLander and LadyOfWar. Strangely for female characters in this trope, she is an undefeated fighter known as the Princess of Swords as well as TheRival to [[BoisterousBruiser Bartre]] [[HotBlooded the Fighter]], and there are absolutely no allusions to her being sickly or weak, [[spoiler:though she ''does'' die of an illness years after the game ends]]. In the previous game, her daughter Fir continues the trait of having dark hair along with a few others--though, for some strange reason, Fir's hair is ''purple''.
** Morphs all have dark hair, pale skin, and [[SupernaturalGoldEyes golden eyes]]. This unnatural appearance highlights their status as [[ArtificialHuman artificial beings]].
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'''s Tharja is a Dark Mage with dark hair, who loves to dabble in curses and actively stalks the Avatar (regardless of the Avatar's gender). She is said ([[{{Bowdlerize}} in the American version anyway]]) to have the darkest thoughts. Bonus points for having the pale skin despite hailing from a desert nation. Her daughter Noire can qualify thanks to her negative outlook on life and her BloodKnight split personality, but only if she has a dark-haired father, as her hair color's determined by the father.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'':
*** On the ''Conquest'' side of things, there's Nyx, a shaman cursed into a child's body. She prefers living by herself and acts aloof to distance herself from people. [[spoiler: Her backstory reveals that the reason she's cursed is that she was quite an EnfanteTerrible in her childhood]].
*** On the ''Birthright'' side of things, there's Hayato's daughter Rhajat, a Dark Mage fond of curses and actively stalks the Avatar (regardless of gender, unless she's her mother). She's said ([[{{Bowdlerize}} in the American version anyway]]) to have the darkest thoughts. If you noticed the similarities to Tharja, that's not a coincidence. [[spoiler: Rhajat and Tharja are hinted to be part of the same reincarnation cycle, though who reincarnates into who is up for debate.]] Like Noire, though, she only qualifies if she has a dark-haired mother, as her hair color is determined by her mother. [[spoiler: And yes, Tharja's hair color is an option, but only on the ''Revelations'' route where Nyx can marry Hayato.]] Her 'default' appearance (and the one she uses in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'') also has dark hair.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriorsThreeHopes'', Hubert is the main instance of this trope. Depending on the route and game taken he can be an enemy, ally, or playable character, but he will always play up other's perception of him as this trope for his own amusement. That said, he does make a note to drop the act around some allies, such as Bernadetta. In ''Three Hopes'', [[FieryRedhead Monica]] suggests his conformity to this trope gives him "the complexion of a coffin dweller."
* Though '''heavily''' downplayed in the games themselves because we never see his face, the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' novels describe the Master Chief as this. As a consequence of spending most of their time in their armor, the Spartan- [=IIs=] are described as almost painfully pale, and John himself happens to have brown hair. [[spoiler: Completing ''VideoGame/Halo4'' on Legendary provides our one and only glimpse at an adult John's face, although only the area around his eyes are visible.]]
* Vanitas from ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', once you finally see his face. [[spoiler:He looks like a pale Sora with darker hair and gold eyes, due to their mutual connection with Ventus.]]
* Ashei from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' fits this trope physically, with her black braided hair and almost paper-white skin (complete with under-eye dark circles). She's one of the good guys, however.
* In ''[[VideoGame/MarySkelterNightmares Mary Skelter 2]]'', Jack gains access to the form of [[SuperpoweredEvilSide "Ripper Jack"]] after becoming a Nightmare, and while that way, it turns his eye bright pink ala the Blood Maidens' eyes, while the leaves on his hear turn white and all the vines/beanstalks all over him turn black. However, at the end of the game, Jack ends up creating a Marchen copy of his original Blood Youth form [[spoiler:so that the Blood Team, and especially the Alice they have, still have a Jack to protect them while he teams up with the original Alice, now also a Nightmare]], and when ''it'' goes into Ripper Mode, it becomes a far straighter example of this trope.
* ''VideoGame/NosferatuTheWrathOfMalachi'': All Vampires who aren't monstrous and don't [[LooksLikeOrlok look like Orlok]] have this look.
* In ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'' the Witch has this look and is the most mystically inclined of the characters, levitating in her selection screen where the rest flaunt weapons. She's almost the most sinister and prone to use spells that involve draining life force, cursing enemies, and summoning undead minions.
* Alex Mercer from ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' fits the trope well enough, though [[InTheHood the only time you can really tell he has brown hair]] is when you see old pictures of him.
* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'', [[spoiler:Arthur Morgan turns white as a ghost and gets sunken, bloodshot eyes after his tuberculosis enters the later stages. Eventually the lung infection ends up killing him.]]
* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'':
** Eveline in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'', prior to her RapidAging.
** Billy Coen from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil0''.
* Glory in the Dragonfall campaign of ''VideoGame/ShadowrunReturns'' is this to a T. Long black hair, sickly pale skin, red-rimmed eyes... giant metal arms equipped with razor sharp claws... Fortunately, she's on your side.
* ''VideoGame/StardewValley'': Abigail has pale skin and dark purple hair, and she has an interest in the occult and a possible connection to magic.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series has a rather memorable example in [[VideoGame/SuikodenV the fifth numbered sequel]]. Zerase is altogether too happy to [[DeadpanSnarker deride the hero]] for his quote-unquote "idiocy" while [[SinkOrSwimMentor deliberately withholding useful information]]. For extra tropaliciousness, her pale skin is even [[LampshadeHanging commented on]] in a hidden FuroScene, which implies that she [[spoiler:may or may not be undead, per the page heading]].
* More like [[spoiler:Eerie Pale-Skinned Dark Redhead: Elaine Marley-Threepwood]] from ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland'', [[spoiler:from the time that she willingly becomes [=LeChuck=]'s demon bride up to the time that Guybrush manages to shrink [[MacGuffin La Esponja Grande]].]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'': Sergei Dragunov combines this trope with IcyBlueEyes and CoveredWithScars, and is regarded as a cold and calculating figure that creeps out both enemies and allies alike. His nickname is [[RedBaron "The White Angel of Death"]], likely referencing his pale complexion and incredible skills at hand-to-hand combat.
* Morgana and Abigail in ''Videogame/WitchesLegacy'' both are this with pale skin, dark hair and being powerful witches (albeit ultimately on opposite sides).
* Higashizawa Youdai of ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' is, considering the rarity of even {{Big Guy}}s crossing over with this trope, most likely the only [[TheBrute Brute]] example of a Pale-Skinned Brunette in existence.
** There's another example and that is [[spoiler:Shiki's true self]].
* Venoct from ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'' is a ninja-like {{youkai}} with very pale skin and dark navy hair. He's a powerful fighter, but his {{Perpetual Frown|er}}, [[SupernaturalGoldEyes gold eyes]] and desire for revenge on Rubeus J (whose description is similar to Jibanyan's, no less) make him sinister.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* [[spoiler:Taira no]] Yuki[[spoiler:ri]] from ''VisualNovel/SixRules'''s RavenHairIvorySkin beauty [[spoiler:turns into this when she is revealed to be a cold-hearted CreepyChild who has been planning the death of the protagonist since the beginning. And she's ten years old.]]
* Shiki from ''VisualNovel/TogainuNoChi'' has skin that's practically white and black hair. Were it not for his {{red eyes| take warning}}, in fact, he would have a very monochromatic appearance since he wears black all the time.
* ''VisualNovel/YoJinBo'''s Bo has [[HairColorDissonance dark navy]] blue hair and the palest skintone in the game besides Hatsuhime.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* There are a number of pale brunette undead characters in ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'' including the vampires Charby, Zerlocke and Adria and the zombies Mye and Hex.
* Four out of the six members of the Mouryou family from ''Webcomic/ContemplatingReiko'' are this. Reiko herself, two of her sisters, Shihoka and Shinobu, and her mother Fumiko.
* Toru Akujin from ''Webcomic/DemonKing'', emphasis on the eerie. His dad too, as well as Pit the demon hunter and the human form of the demon Marchosias.
* Julian from ''Webcomic/TheGuideToAHealthyRelationship'' has long black hair and is very pale due to generally working on the night shift and not going out at day unless it's strictly necessary. Being mentally ill and permanently sleepless doesn't help a healthy impression, either.
* ''Webcomic/TheGuyUpstairs'': As attractive as Adam is, one can’t help but feel there’s simply something off about him due to his black hair and eyes.
* This is part of the basic vampire template in ''Webcomic/HannaIsNotABoysName'', along with RedEyesTakeWarning (except for [[AmbiguouslyBrown Casimiro]]). None of the ''specific'' vampires we've met are actually all that eerie, though. Well, maybe [[TheQuietOne Finas]].
* Kit of ''Webcomic/{{Miamaska}}'' is [[http://miamaska.tidalcomics.com/index.php?strip_id=53 very pale]] compared to other Alodian citizens.
* Raizel in ''Webcomic/{{Noblesse}}'' and any Noblesse with black hair fits this because they are mostly centuries-old vampires.
* Umbria/Zaedalkaah from ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'' is a paler and darker haired version of Julie.
* Levana, the titular ''Webcomic/VampireGirl'', is a brunette with pale skin.
* Edwina, from ''Webcomic/VariousHappenings'', whose coloration is completely black and white when compared to the blonde and bronze Cassandra. Her sudden, unannounced [[http://varioushappenings.com/VH001Stripesocks/003.htm appearance]] and intense interest in Cassandra don't help matters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''DerivativeWorks/JeffTheKiller'' has pure white skin and black hair. Combined with his unnaturally wide open eyes, lack of a nose, and GlasgowGrin, he is very creepy. He's also a serial killer.
* ''WebAnimation/TheMusicFreaks'': Combined with her speaking in a CreepyMonotone voice, most of Rosemeadow High is afraid of Sadie.
* Raven Branwen from ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', something that became clearer as the show's animation evolved. While there are plenty of light-skinned and dark-haired characters, Raven's not merely pale but paper-white. She's also one of the most dangerous and enigmatic people on the show, with even her own family being wary of her, and has mysterious and frightening powers.
* Phase (Ayla Goodkind) at the SuperHeroSchool Whateley Academy in the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse''. Her hair is jet-black (it was a sandy blond back when she was a boy before she mutated). She's quite pale (some wavelength of light may be passing through her). She's also very rich and highly educated, which fits the trope too. But she's one of the good guys. A lot of mutants don't believe that, because her family are the most notorious mutant-haters anywhere.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', Marceline the Vampire Queen is pale-skinned and black-haired.
* ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** This appears to be a Fire Nation royal family thing, along with the SupernaturalGoldEyes. True to form, they tend to be RoyallyScrewedUp.
** Mai -- also from a prominent family in the Fire Nation, though not the royal dynasty -- looks like this too, in keeping with her {{goth}}ic EmotionlessGirl aesthetic.
** The fearsome BountyHunter June.
** [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTophBeifong Toph Beifong]] also appears like this when Aang first sees her in a mysterious vision, but when he actually meets her, she [[SubvertedTrope turns out to be]] a tomboyish and non-eerie LittleMissBadass.
** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' -- the SequelSeries -- subverted this once again with [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAsamiSato Asami Sato]]. The creators were initially going for the aesthetic of a mysterious FemmeFatale, but they ultimately decided to make her a permanent addition to the TrueCompanions once she became popular among the fans. Asami then became a LoveInterest for Mako and finally for [[spoiler:Korra herself]].
* Kevin from ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' starts out this way and is quite psychotic. When he [[HeelFaceTurn joins the team]] in the [[TimeSkip sequel]], his skin tone is almost the same as the Tennysons.
* ''Franchise/TheIncredibles'' has Violet Parr who is depicted as gloomy, uncertain and socially withdrawn -- preferring to hide behind her long raven hair.
* [[HeroAntagonist Dib]] from ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' is a male example. His sister [[CreepyChild Gaz]] comes close, except that she has dark ''purple'' hair.
* Shego from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' was designed with this in mind. Her green highlights make her seem poisonous. Oddly (given the suggestion above), she's often seen on a beach, or a tanning bed, with no apparent effects; maybe she wants to differentiate herself from her heroic brothers who follow a similar scheme.
* Creepy Suzie, the {{Goth}} "Clubhouse Kid" from ''WesternAnimation/TheOblongs.''
* Invoked by Lilith Clawthorne from ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' as per WordOfGod. She started out with the skin-tone, but dyed and straightened the curly red-brown mop she had as a teenager (along with [[TheGlassesGottaGo ditching her spectacles]]) for the express purpose of looking more imposing and matching the raven theme of the Emperor's Coven.
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': Mitchell has the palest skin of the entire cast, and has dark brown hair. And he's ''definitely'' more than a little off his rocker.
* Boris and Natasha from ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'' have pale white skin and black hair.
* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' has comments about Velma's pale complexion, but it's very much an InformedAttribute.
* Master Cyclonis from ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'', which makes sense since not only does she spend most of her time indoors in a dark room working on her next world-conquering plot, Terra Cyclonia itself seems to be perpetually shrouded in stormy red clouds with sunlight rarely appearing.
* [[GothGirlsKnowMagic Raven]] from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003''. She's pale as a ghost and half-demon.
* Gwen from various ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' titles, considering on what her name means.
* Triana Orpheus of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers,'' a bit of a PerkyGoth subversion.
[[/folder]]
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