%%%
%%
%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!
%%
%%%

[[quoteright:300:[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ep24_468.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Listen, spooky eyes]], why don't you take a picture? [[ShutUpScaryThing It'll last longer!!]]]]

A common {{Horror Trope|s}}. A character is surrounded in darkness, aware that there's something lurking just in the shadows. They stare inquisitively into the abyss... and then a pair of eyes appears and returns the favor.

Usually, this is used for RuleOfScary, but there's many other uses. For example, a [[PlayedForLaughs comedic effect]] could be that the entity shrouded in shadow could be invisible ''except'' for their eyes.

ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes is a SisterTrope. A typical trait of ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight. Compare GlowingEyesOfDoom.

The trope title refers to one of the many philosophies of the eternally quotable Creator/FriedrichNietzsche, featured as the page quote for HeWhoFightsMonsters.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* [[https://www.c64-wiki.com/images/6/6f/Gatewaytoapshaiadvert.jpg An old ad]] for VideoGame/TempleOfApshai showed a little bit of a dungeon tunnel that quickly became shrouded in darkness, with the darkness filled with glowing eyes. Very creepy looking, and then you read the caption: "Welcome to Apshai. [[MoodWhiplash You're just in time for lunch..."]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* A heroic example in ''Anime/KemonoFriends''. When [[spoiler:[[GondorCallsForAid everyone arrives to help Serval fight the Black Cerulean]]]], the first thing we see is dozens of eyes lighting up in the surrounding dark forest.
* Another heroic example is displayed in the final episode of ''Anime/MekakucityActors''. [[spoiler:Just as it seems Kuroha has succeeded and Marry will reset time again, all of the lights in the lab's other end cut out, and [[RedEyesTakeWarning a single pair of glowing red eyes gaze back at him]]. [[BigDamnHeroes It signals the arrival of Ayano and Shintaro]], the only two capable of stopping the reset]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/SensationComics'': In "In the Clutches of Nero" ComicBook/SteveTrevor, Etta Candy, Bobby Strong and Glamora Treat's campsite gets surrounded in the dark which is shown as many sets of eyes gazing at them from the darkness as they grab whatever is nearby to act as weapons.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': In this ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' Franchise/MonsterVerse fanfiction, [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonTitansAndOtherCreatures the Many]]'s eyes tend to shine in the darkness, and it's what announces their presence when they attack B3-Golf in Chapter 11.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman''. In the "Chase Me" short, Batman chases Catwomen into a zoo, enters a dark corridor and sees her eyes staring at him in the darkness. He charges towards her, only to face a panther that Catwoman has released from its cage.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', Anna and Kristoff are attacked by a pack of wolves while riding in Kristoff's sled. In the light of the sled's lantern, the first things to become visible are their silhouettes and their reddish, glowing eyes.
* Overlaps with Main/ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes in ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTimeIITheGreatValleyAdventure'' Ozzy is trapped under a large pile of rocks, Strut looks down to see a pair of glowing angry eyes staring back at him.
* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' features this in the opening.
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'':
*** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsLegendOfEverfree'': The intro sequence briefly includes a pair of glowing yellow eyes appearing in the darkness of the forest -- and the camera just zooms on them. No explanation is given, but the shot is used to show that there's something ominous in these woods.
*** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsSpringBreakdown'': When Twilight is very hesitant to enter the jungle on a deserted island with Sunset, her reaction is reinforced by the fact that numerous glowing white eyes can be seen from within said jungle.
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'': When the Ursa Minor that [[spoiler:breaks off Tempest's horn]] first appears, it is shrouded in the darkness of its cave. The first warning of its presence is a pair of glaring yellow eyes appearing in the darkness, the only other visible part of the beast being the glowing star on its forehead.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'': One of the characters in the opening song "This Is Halloween" is the monster devoted to this "job".
-->''I am the one hiding under your bed\\
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red''
* ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'': During Snow White's run in the forest, wild animals' eyes appear from the darkness, made to look inhuman and demonic by Snow White's fear and confusion.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* The 2006 film ''Film/{{Abominable}}'' ends on this, in a combination with BolivianArmyEnding.
* ''Film/ComePlay'': While playing with a face-decorating app alone in his room, Oliver suddenly sees another face appear in the closet. Then Larry speaks through the tablet for the first time.
* Played with in the ''Film/{{Doom}}'' movie, when one of the soldiers sees a pair of eyes in the darkness. He calls out, thinking it's one of the scientists he's looking for... only to see ''all the other'' eyes of the mutated monster opening just before it springs.
* In ''Film/IronMan1'', Pepper Potts and agents of SHIELD are looking for BigBad Obidiah Stane in his darkly-lit workshop. Pepper notices a suspiciously-large shadow and cautiously stares into it, only for the Iron Monger to power up and two glowing mechanical eyes to stare back at her.
* In ''Film/TheNeverendingStory'', Atreyu stares into a dark corner to find his nemesis Gmork, the large wolf beast that had been stalking him the entire story, eyeing him back.
* ''Film/Suspiria1977'', in all its Technicolor, trippy glory, plays this trope straight.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gamebooks]]
* ''Literature/LoneWolf'': An interesting variation occurs in ''The Kingdoms of Terror''. Lone Wolf is being attacked by a very fast monster with glowing eyes in a pitch-black castle. If you choose to fire an arrow at its eyes you actually get a bonus to your success roll since, because they're glowing, they're ''an easier target.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/TheAlchemist'': Two federal agents are thrown into a dark room and see two eyes looking at them. The eyes then rise up to facial level. Then the BigBad turns on the lights [[OhCrap and they find themselves facing a large deadly snake]].
* ''Literature/TheHouseWithAClockInItsWalls'': When Lewis and Tarby accidentally [[spoiler:release Selenna Izard from her tomb]], "two small spots of freezing gray light" can be seen peering out of the darkness at them. The editions of the book with Edward Gorey's illustrations milk this scene for all it's worth.
* ''Literature/LifeTheUniverseAndEverything'': Arthur Dent finds himself in a completely dark cave. He turns around several times, convinced that something may be behind him, and the third or so time he sees the compound eyes of a giant fly staring back at him.
* ''Literature/TheLivingDead'': After the zombified Chief is shot in the middle of Slowtown, the group sees hundreds of zombie eyes peering out from the darkness of buildings that they had once thought all but empty. [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere The quickly decide to vacate the area.]]
* ''Literature/TheTerror'' features an inverted example of this. While Sir John and the marines are hiding in a hunting blind waiting to ambush the monster, he notices a pair of dark circles on the ice. While he is contemplating what they could be, they blink, revealing themselves to be the eyes of the monster that has been watching them the whole time.
* ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium'':
** ''Literature/TheHobbit'': The impenetrable darkness that is [[EnchantedForest Mirkwood]] at night is broken only by the countless eyes that can be seen watching from the shadows. In Bilbo's opinion, the worst are the ones that look more like insect eyes than animal eyes -- and he's proven right, though it might be better to call those eyes [[GiantSpider arachnid]]...
** ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'':
*** Frodo keeps seeing Gollum's eyes at night when he's following the heroes.
*** During Frodo and Sam's first encounter with Shelob, all they can see of her are her eyes advancing on them, before Frodo drives her away with the light from the Phial of Galadriel.
* ''Literature/SoYouWantToBeAWizard'': The tunnel where the MacGuffin is hidden is infested with little creatures that skitter through the shadows and watch the protagonists with glowing eyes. Nita's wizard manual explains that their eyes glow because their main food source is the [[FantasticLightSource convenient glowing fungus that grows on the walls]].
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "The Riddle of the Crypt", the first time that Irene Morrow sees yellow eyes in the darkness it turns out to be a large owl, which attacks her. The second time it's a vampire that wants to drain her blood.
* ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance'': The human army can at first only see the Voidbringers by their glowing red eyes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho''
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E4PlanetOfTheDaleks Planet of the Daleks]]", the beasts around the campfire, when the Doctor and Jo land on a jungle planet. Unfortunately, [[NoBudget they are obvious pinlights]].
** PlayedForLaughs in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E2TheWitchsFamiliar The Witch's Familiar]]" when Missy relates how the Doctor [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat escaped from android assassins]] only to "fall into a nest of vampire monkeys". Cue this trope.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': In "[[Recap/TheXFilesS05E04Detour Detour]]", the MonsterOfTheWeek can't be seen except for their glowing red eyes, given that their bark-like skin enables them to blend in with the trees. As a result, this trope comes up a couple of times, [[spoiler:including the end which reveals one of them hiding under Scully's hotel room bed (fortunately, she's left just in time)]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Subverted in Music/KatyPerry's "Roar" when the jungle night full of eyes turns out to be a swarm of fireflies. When Perry's DamselInDistress realises this, she stops being afraid of everything and [[TookALevelInBadass begins her transition]] to a JunglePrincess.
* In the music video for Music/SecondPerson's "Wood", when the girl and monkey find themselves in a dark cave, eyes belonging to unknown creatures appear in the darkness around them. As the girl and monkey make their way forward by the light of a match, another pair of eyes appears behind them, soon revealed to belong to the dragon living there.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* A good share of this to be seen in the corridors of the ''TabletopGame/{{Atmosfear}}'' DVD game.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theme Parks]]
* In the Disney World version of ''Ride/TheHauntedMansion'' there is a point where the Doom Buggy is surrounded by demonic eyes that look around and blink. As it moves to an area with better lighting, these eyes are revealed to be designs in the wallpaper. What makes this especially strange is that some of the eyes in the dark section are closer than other nearby ones, and a few are even moving in 3D space.
* ''Journey into the Dark'' is an attraction from the Ride/{{Futuroscope}} that put you into the shoes of blind people. The only thing you'll ever see in the darkness is [[spoiler:the glowing eyes of the [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Yeti]] at the end of the walkthrough]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/BugFables'': Once Team Snakemouth enters [[spoiler:[[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon the Giant's Lair]]]], they are terrorized here by a giant creature that patrols the area, with its glowing yellow eye being one of its only visible features. Every time it notices the main trio, it immediately drops [[spoiler:Dead Lander Gamma]], an extremely powerful creature that is very hard to defeat, on them, [[JustToyingWithThem just to see how long they will fare against it]].
* ''VideoGame/CubeEscape'': The Corrupted souls, who are [[spoiler: [[CameBackWrong zombies]] that appear when someone [[HumanResources steals their memories]], whether the host is dead or alive.]] Many of them appear in broad daylight, though.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls1'': If you look into the pitch-black chasm near the boss fog gate to Manus, Father of the Abyss, you can see his [[ExtraEyes many red eyes]] down there. The Abyss gazes back indeed. [[spoiler:However, [[CombatPragmatist you can actually shoot those eyes with a bow]] and kill Manus before even entering the arena. It will take hundreds of arrows but will spare you from a ''brutal'' {{Superboss}} fight.]]
* ''Videogame/DeepSleepTrilogy'': The shadow people are pitch-black except for their large glowing eyes, and generally only appear in the darkness.
* ''VideoGame/DontStarve'': This occurs as your character's sanity decreases. Unlike most examples, the eyes themselves are actually harmless... though getting insane enough gives you [[EldritchAbomination plenty of other things to worry about]].
* ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim'': In the hidden level "Who Turned Out The Lights?", plenty of creatures lurk in the darkness. The most dangerous one on the bottom floor...well, we don't know what it is, all we see is a monstrous pair of giant orange eyes that chase Jim as soon as he sees them, and instantly kill him if they catch him.
* In ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4'', [[spoiler:[[BearsAreBadNews Nightmare's]]]] [[JumpScare kill screen]] is nothing but its piercing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth illuminating from darkness. This is fitting, given that its body is [[DarkIsEvil pitch black]] (or, rather, translucent). [[NightmareFuel Fail your objective and you get to see this for five straight seconds before the game reboots.]]
* ''VideoGame/LakeviewValley'' has ''something'' that seems to be peering out of practically every tree hollow and sewer grate, offering your protagonist advice... such as encouraging you not to trust any of the locals, and tempting you to turn against your new neighbors [[DealWithTheDevil in exchange for various perks]].
* ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame LEGO Adaptation Games]]'': Used for gameplay; areas that need to be illuminated by a specific character have eyes in them so that the player doesn't confuse them with ordinary dark areas of the level.
* ''Videogame/{{Scratches}}'': Happens in the climax of when [[spoiler: Michael enters the hidden part of the basement and peers though a dark hole in the wall and glimpses a pair of GlowingEyes staring back at him... and then the creature jumps at him]].
* ''VideoGame/ShantaeAndTheSevenSirens'': The cutscene before the Tubeworm Siren boss battle has the presumably-tubeworms gazing at Shantae out of a shadowed cave, with only yellow circles representing their eyes being visible.
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': [[spoiler:once Galeem is busted, Dharkon, his umbral counterpart]], launches his own attack from the shadows, and emerges from the darkness once the invasion is underway.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/AliceAndTheNightmare'', Jabberwocky's appearance of pitch-black forms with glowing white eyes makes them look like this when they appear in greater numbers.
* In ''Webcomic/TheGlassScientists,'' [[http://www.theglassscientists.com/?comic=page-01 the darkness gazes back]] on the very first page, courtesy of a nestful of soot-mice.
* ''Webcomic/{{Huckleberry}}'' introduces an evil mummy this way, with red eyes shining inside an underground cavern.
* Hibachi the Dragon made his [[http://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/31/ debut]] this way in ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob''
* This is the appearance of the aptly named The Monster In The Darkness of Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick, Xykon's ultimate weapon of terror and destruction which behaves like an innocent little kid. Despite being dragged all over the world, Xykon insists that [=TMitD=] stay hidden in shadow to preserve its mysterious appearance until the time comes for the big dramatic reveal, necessitating the use of a pink umbrella whenever they're out in the sun.
* ''Webcomic/{{Precocious}}'':
** Cole in "The Inferior Lake" arc is first introduced as a pair of eyes huddled under a blanket saying "I want to go home" repeatedly, scaring a couple of other campers. When the blanket's [[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2014/09/12 finally removed]] he turns out to be a coal-black cat with no other discernible characteristics.
** The "It's All Fun and Games" arc introduces Myra, a messenger of the Guild of Eyes who always appears peering through a shadowed alcove, though the effect is somewhat ruined by her over-enthusiasm. Fittingly, she turns out to be [[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2017/06/14 Cole's mother]].
* ''Webcomic/RustyAndCo'': In Level 3, the woods the party is crossing [[http://rustyandco.com/comic/level3/level-3-1/ have plenty yellow eyes staring at them from the shadows]]. Roxy starting to sing, however, seems to dissuade them from attacking.
* ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'': Invoked and heartwarmingly subverted [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2011-07-20 here]] as part of the Criminy-Fuchsia romance:
-->''When you look into the abyss...\\
the abyss also looks\\
into you.\\
And then you spend the afternoon together.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** This scene pictured above is from episode "The Swamp", when the gang realizes they're NOT alone.
** Done earlier in the series when [[spoiler:Avatar Roku]] acts through Aang to drive off a large firebending force.
* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'': Every season has Shendu do this to end the first part of the two-part finale.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** In one Sylvester and son cartoon, Sylvester corners the mouse he's chasing into a dark room and sees a pair eyes staring back. Thinking it's the meek rodent, he charges inside to attack--only to get his ass kicked by the boxing kangaroo.
** Subverted in "WesternAnimation/ScrapHappyDaffy". Daffy sees a pair of eyes in the darkness and starts threatening whoever's back there, only to find out it was a mirror and he was talking to himself.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E17StareMaster Stare Master]]": A large number of white eyes in the darkness appear as the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Fluttershy walk through the [[EnchantedForest Everfree Forest]].
** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E26ToWhereAndBackAgainPart2 To Where and Back Again]]": When Trixie [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices herself]] to spring a changeling trap when the main characters are infiltrating their hive, the darkness of the unlit tunnel she's in suddenly fills with slitted, glowing blue eyes, at which point dozens of changelings come boiling out of the darkness and overwhelm her.
** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E22WhatLiesBeneath What Lies Beneath]]": The spiders are first visible as clusters of glowing red eyes in the darkness of the tunnels that Yona is lost in.
** PlayedForLaughs on two occasions:
*** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E20ItIsntTheManeThingAboutYou It Isn't the Mane Thing About You]]": When Rarity and Pinkie are walking through the Everfree Forest to reach Zecora's home, Rarity's fears about the dangers of the forest are highlighted by the glowing, slitted yellow eyes of unknown forest creatures appearing in the shadows around them and looking back at them. These eyes keep appearing as Rarity and Pinkie walk along the path -- up until Rarity snaps and yells at them, at which point the creatures scamper off.
*** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E8Frenemies Frenemies]]": Chrysalis is observed by numerous eyes peering from the trees, after which a mass of shadow comes up behind her, swallowing the path, and two massive orange eyes open within it to look at her... until Chrysalis roars at it and sends all the eyes' owners running away, smugly remarking that there's nothing around scarier than ''her''.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' uses this trope in the episode "Storm the Castle." Star reaches into the orifices on a sleeping monster's back to get a sandwich and eyes stare at her arm from the darkness. Apparently the monster's body makes sandwiches in addition to being full of glowing eyes.Talk about [[{{Squick}} disgusting]].
* Subverted in the opening title of the original (1973-74) ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}''. When Wonder Dog looks into the darkness he sees a pair of eyes. However, they're quickly revealed to be a reflection of Wonder Dog's eyes in a mirror.
* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'':
** "[[Recap/TotalDramaUpTheCreek Up the Creek]]": As the campers rush into the forest of Boney Island, they are met by eyes glowing up from the flora's shadows. The eyes turn out to belong to woolly beavers, which are hostile, carnivorous, and give chase.
** "[[Recap/TotalDramaFindersCreepers Finders Creepers]]": As the Mutant Maggots try to break free from the branches of a bush, Brick has a good look at the dark forest surrounding them. His eyes land on a tree hollow from which ten pairs of eyes gaze back at him. He screams, picks up the bush with his entire team, and runs away.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Animals with a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum tapetum lucidum]] can produce this effect in RealLife: if there's a dim light source (like a campfire) behind the person peering into the darkness, it may be bright enough to reflect off the tapetum and reveal the animal's eyes but not bright enough to make the whole animal visible. Nearly all nocturnal predators have a tapetum lucidum, because it improves their night vision, including all the ones that you really don't want to have lurking around your campfire...
[[/folder]]

----