[[SaintSeiya http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/golden2.jpg]]
[[caption-width:300:My armor glows with sheer POWA!]]

->''"This hand of mine glows with an '''awesome power'''!"''
--> -- '''Domon Kasshu''', ''GGundam''

->"Might makes light. And I feel ''mighty''!"
--> -- '''Doom Guy''', ''Doom Comic''

Power glows. The more power, the more glow. So, anything that glows is [[PowerMakeover automatically presumed to be superior]] to otherwise identical things that don't glow, and more glow is better. This is closely related to the RuleOfCool because glowing is cool, so things that glow automatically get more WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, allowing them to be more unrealistically powerful. They're often ColourCodedForYourConvenience, too. For example, evil glows bright red, good glows blue or gold, and [[ILoveNuclearPower radioactive materials glow green]].

GlowingEyesOfDoom? Inherently superior to ordinary, everyday, garden-variety eyes. Glowing BattleAura? Opponents who don't glow won't stand a chance! Any physical object that glows will also be powerful somehow. [[LaserBlade Glowing sword]] vs. boring sword? Glowing sword wins, every time. [[StuffBlowingUp Explodey things]] that emit a [[PreExplosionGlow glow first]] are bigger, louder and/or do more damage, and if they were SuckingInLines first, they're even more so. The most powerful magical potions will also glow to signify their superiority over ordinary, non-glowing magical potions. And don't forget the inherent awesomeness of the PillarOfLight, which is Glow going to Heaven just to show how overwhelming it is.

SuperTrope to BattleAura and HolyHalo. See also: PowerCrystal, PowerEchoes, PowerFloats, PureEnergy and WhereDidTheyGetLasers. PreExplosionGlow StarSpangledSpandex, and SuckingInLines are special cases of this trope.

If only certain people are aware of the glow you could be looking at EditorialSynaesthesia or even AuraVision.
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime ]]

* In ''{{Akira}}'', at the moment of the greatest release of energy, everything is reduced to a bright white. Maximum glow for maximum power.
* Gourry in ''TheSlayers'' has an extremely powerful Sword of Light, much better than any other regular swords. He can chop through ''trees'' with his sword, and we're not talkin' fist-width saplings, either.
* Everything that has some sort of spiritual nature in ''EarthMaidenArjuna'' gives off an awesome glow. Including Juna's MagicalGirl transformation, as well as her energy bow Gan Deeva.
* ''FateStayNight'' has Excalibur, the "ultimate weapon of humanity", able to convert the user's {{Mana}} into light energy and fire it as a destructive wave. Since it takes in the user's own power, it also [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience changes color according to alignment]].
* Some ''Initial D'' characters can tell roughly how good another driver is by the glowing aura around the driver and by extension, his car when the person is driving it.
* Many attacks in ''Pokemon'' glow (insert color here) before making things explode and blast off (Iron Tail, Focus Punch, Bubblebeam, etc).
* The 2003 series of ''AstroBoy'' [[JustifiedTrope justifies]] this by giving the titular robot a kind of surge-protector that somehow converts excess electricity into photons.
* Used in the ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'' Brigade-movie "The Adventures Of Mikuru Asahina", just like any other cliche-trope. When Koizumi's power is released, he glows blue-ish. Interestingly though, it does not appear to be the comically used SpecialEffectFailure, like with the Mikuru-Beam.
* If you notice yourself being bathed in a soft, pink light in ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', that is your signal to run fast, and run far, as that soft light won't stay soft for long for it comes from the massive pink glow that precedes Nanoha's [[WaveMotionGun Starlight Breaker]].
** If you find yourself in a similar situation in DragonballZ, you're about to be blown up by Majin Buu. Generally speaking, soft, pink light is best avoided in Anime.
* Performing alchemy causes stuff to glow in ''FullMetalAlchemist''. This is actually use as a small plot point when Ed realises that he and Al cant use alchemy to sneak into the fith laboratory as the gaurd would see the glow.
* In the first few story arcs of ''{{Bleach}}'', Ichigo's eyes/body glow a faint blue when he's harnessing a particularly high amount of 'spirit energy'. He later acquires a black/red glow upon achieving bankai. We see a few other characters with an aura as well, including Kenpachi (yellow) and Yachiru (pink). This seems to have been largely dropped by the Arrancar arc, however.
* GetterRobo has this for Getter Rays use. Most designs of Getter-1 even include several clear panels on the face and some on the chest and limbs so they can light up when it's time to kick ass.
* ''DragonballZ'' may not be the [[UrExample oldest example]], but it might be the definative one.
** Actually subverted in the Android saga. The titular androids - cyborgs more powerful even than Frieza - are shown as extreme threats, despite their lack of any glow at all. In fact, Androids 17 and 18 are for a short time the two strongest beings in the DBZ universe, the latter totally trouncing the very glowy, newly Super-Saiyan Vegeta.
* The finale of the third arc of ''{{Robotech}}'' and during ''RobotechTheShadowChronicles'', where Ariel glows whenever she's using creepy Invid powers.
* [[OnePiece Luffy]]'s Gear Second gives his body a bright red glow. Yeah it's high-pressure blood in his body but it's still glowing. Also, Sanji's Diable Jambe (Devil's Leg) makes his foot glow a bright red.
* The "Shining Finger!" attack from ''GGundam''.
* Once every 22 years in ''MahouSenseiNegima'', the WorldTree in Mahora glows with a brilliant light. This is from the magical energy within accumulating to the point where it overflows. When it's like this, it could grant wishes of the heart, from something as simple as making someone fall in love with you to [[spoiler:[[TheUnmasquedWorld convincing the entire world that magic exists]]]].
* The ''[[NeonGenesisEvangelion Rebuild of Evangelion]]'' movies introduce this in spade. The most obvious example is what happens to Unit-01 at the end of the second movie: it starts going berserk and gets the usual GlowingEyesOfDoom. But so does its pilot. And the mecha's fluorescent green parts starts glowing sickly red. As well as the inside of its maw. [[spoiler: Then it rebuilds its amputated arm as a glowy, proteiform appendage, grows a halo, shoots EyesBeam left and right and lose its armour only to reveal glowing white patches beneath it. By the time the credits flash, it has become a giant glowing figure of pure white.]] Unsurprisingly, its opponent is [[CurbStompBattle unable to resist such a brilliant display]].
* ''DarkerThanBlack'' is rather fond of this trope. Contractors using their powers glow blue, and their [[GlowingEyesOfDoom eyes]] start shining [[RedEyesTakeWarning red]]. Even more extreme when [[spoiler:Hei gets a bit upset near an AmplifierArtifact]], which makes the entire ''neighborhood'' glow.
* In ''Naruto'', the titular character, as well as his fellow [[SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan jinchuuriki]], are engulfed in a glowing aura of chakra when in their demon forms (except Gaara, he gets covered in sand). This [[DemonicPossession takes the form of the jinchuuriki's demon]] after the initial stage, at which point it is often time to [[UnstoppableRage run]] [[SuperpoweredEvilSide away.]] Of course, there IS a threshold past which the aura disappears in exchange [[BodyHorror for]] [[OneWingedAngel something]] [[http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/439/14-15/ worse]]...

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* ''{{Doom}} [[SoBadItsGood Comic]]'': "''[[MightMakesRight Might makes]] light.'' '''*BLAM!*''' *CLA-CLACK* ''And I feel mighty!'' '''*BLAM!*'''
* ''ImmortalIronFist'': the titular characters fist's glow when he summons his chi.
* The constructs of the ''{{GreenLantern}}s'' are all made of glow.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* The lightsabers in ''StarWars'' are the logical conclusion of this phenomenon. No other weapon can beat a sword that's actually ''made'' out of glow!
* In the 1985 film ''The Last Dragon'', there is The Glow: when a fighter's hands glow, he is among the best in the world - when his entire body glows, he IS the best. Sho'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, demonstrates the former towards the end of the movie, but Leroy "Bruce Leroy" Green demonstrates the latter after a beatdown.
* Not sure about the comics, but Tony Stark's miniature arc reactor in the ''IronMan'' movie glows very blue. Justified in that it is producing visible electricity.
* In ''PulpFiction'', the suitcase that serves as MacGuffin for much of the movie, seems to actually CONTAIN Glow.
* In the Lugia themed ''Pokemon'' movie, to save him, the three legendary bird pokemon, and resolve all conflict, one of the main charecters had to play a tune on what looked like some sort of ocarina. The stones she played it next to glowed depending on what note she used, and then glowing water came out from nowhere and entered into the sea.
* Inverted in ''IndianaJones and the Last Crusade'', where the actual Holy Grail is the most mundane-looking wooden cup. Although the gold-colored lining of the True Grail makes it appear to glow from the ''inside''.
** And before that, played straight in TempleOfDoom with the stones of power that glow when they are together. (And get very hot, by the way)
* This happens to Cartman in ''South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut'' once he harnesses the power of his malfunctioning V-chip.
* The reagent in ''ReAnimator'' is not only a fine example of TechnicolorScience, but also glowy.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* In ''The ChroniclesOfThomasCovenant'' magical PowerGlows ColourCodedForYourConvenience.
* JRRTolkien's ''LordOfTheRings'': orc-hating elvish swords and entire tower of Minas Morgul.
* Mocked in ''ASongOfIceAndFire'' when Stannis gets Lightbringer, a literal glowing sword, but despises it because it doesn't do anything else better than most swords.
** It is speculated that this is because it isn't the true Lightbringer, which would probably glow, but would actually be hot as well. So PowerGlows, but so does a cheap glamour. Although it's worth noting that so far none of the actually superior swords have glowed.
* In the WhateleyUniverse, Tennyo's 'sword' that can cut through anything glows a bright blue, but it ''ought'' to since it's anti-matter. Still, when Tennyo really gets mad, sparks fly off her and her eyes glow a fierce red in a 'run for the hills' warning.
* Subverted several times in the {{Discworld}} series. Because of the world's narrative causality, mundane items wielded with true conviction are often stronger than fancy magic weapons.
** Justified in the case of Death's scythe and sword, since these are so sharp, they cut up the air molecules that happen to bump against them. This, of couse, causes lightning-like ionization.
* In JamesSwallow's {{Warhammer 40000}} BloodAngels novel ''Deus Encarmine'', the Spear of Telesto.
** And then the tomb of Sanguinius in ''Red Fury''.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* In ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'', the glowiness of a power source is directly proportional to how powerful it is. The most powerful, Project Arcturus, creates a giant glowy ball of pure energy.
** Lampshaded in a later episode where, when asked how he thinks that a super powerful artifact is "off", Daniel helplessly offers, "Well, it's stopped glowing, so..."
* In ''MadanSenkiRyukendo'', the Ultimate form of the title hero is ridiculously shiny, and his final attack even moreso.
* In ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', the Warp Core of the ''Enterprise'' has a band of glow running down it. The faster the Warpspeed, the faster-moving the glow. ''StarTrek'' does this a lot to show that things have power behind them.
** That could simply be an indicator light.
** It appears that electrical machinary also has an electromagnetic aura when viewed through Geordi's VISOR, as we got to see in one episode which gave us a perspective that went -quite literally- through his eyes. This includes the android, [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Data]]. Geordi is rather surprised to find that nobody but him can see this aura.
*** Then later Geordi [[FridgeLogic fails to realize]] that another android built by the same guy who built Data isn't a human.
* In the pilot for ''TheSarahConnorChronicles'', the crude EnergyWeapon Cameron assembles in the safe of the bank only has enough power to kill Cromartie when the "isotope" powering it begins to glow.
* In ''Toku'', a basic rule is "if you make your [[SuperSentai sword]] or [[KamenRider foot]] glow, it will gain the power to explode rubber monsters."
* When a magical ChekhovsGun is found in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' the following conversation is held:
--> '''Giles:''' It appears to be paranormal in origin.\\
'''Willow:''' How can you tell?\\
'''Giles:''' Well, it's so shiny.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Videogames ]]

* In ''SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', characters will obtain a [[BattleAura glowing aura]], along with [[GlowingEyesOfDoom yellow eyes]] when they break a Smash Ball, an item that gives them the capacity to perform a personalized FinishingMove.
** Lucario has a constant purple glow around his hands, representing his Aura powers. And he glows more as he takes damage, representing increased power.
* In ''Ultima 6 and 7'', every single magical item glows brightly, using palette cycling. This is spoofed in various fanfics.
* In ''NeverwinterNights'' magical weapons are also good light sources.
* The player of ''DeusEx'' gets a glowing nano sword. It is otherwise perfect for sneaky silent kills, but the bright glow tends to draw attention.
* In ''WorldOfWarcraft,'' enchanters can put a glow on any weapon. Typically, the more powerful enchants glow brighter, and the color of the glow determines the type of enchant.
** This troper was excited to learn she could eventually put glow on her weapons... until she realized that some 100% of the higher-level characters have glowy weapons. Kinda like finding out that every kid in school bought that same cool hat.
** In the Burning Crusade expansion to [=WoW=], Blizzard one-upped themselves by enabling enchanters to apply a glow to weapons that's actually a complex graphical animation. The Mongoose enchant causes your entire weapon to crackle with lighting, while the Savagery enchant makes your weapon drip blood.
*** While the primary theme of The Burning Crusade was "[=WoW=] [[/folder]]

[[folder: In Space ]]
!!!", the secondary theme was "glowing stuff is really awesome. Seriously. Just look at most of the new areas - they're glow-tastic. Also, both of the new races have [[{{GlowingEyesOfDoom}} glowing eyes]].
**** Burning Crusade? The multi-colored glowy-LiteBrite-Crystal cave in the original Un'Goro Crater was simply power-glow-tastic.
**** Wrath of the Lich King too, the whole nexus which is Malygos' lair is really one hell of a glow-tastic SceneryPorn
* In ''Dragon Quest 8'', Once a character reaches maximum tension, that character will glow until they attack or use magic that has a quantifiable effect, be it damage, healing or a stat buff. They'll also stop glowing if a boss nullifies their tension with a [[StatusBuffDispel wave of ice]].
* In ''FinalFantasy'', any place with a constant glow to it (such as the Mako Reactors in ''VII'' and Bahamut's hideout in ''VIII'') is very important place with lots of either magical or technological power hidden from mortals. An interesting example is in VI, where Kefka is surrounded by a sphere of magic before the final fight. In addition to showing his immense magical powers, this sphere shows his emotions. When he gets angry, it turns red. Emotion Glows.
** In ''FinalFantasy VI'', Terra has a pink glow in her esper form, which boosts her power in battle.
* ''CityOfHeroes'' (And [[CityOfVillains Villains]]) doesn't shy from this, either. By hitting Level 30, characters gain the ability to attach an Aura of his choice to every costume. Most of these simply Glow (although some get creative and ''crumble'' instead), and none of them does anything other than ''being awesome''.
** Even without the lvl 30 auras, most melee characters have a set of glowy auras from a variety of defensive powers (and even being able to run fast causes your feet to glow)
* In ''Fable'', your tattoes and hands glow with high enough magic levels.
* In the first ''MegaManBattleNetwork'' game, Mega Man glows when[[spoiler: his program is being rewritten after Hub.bat is installed.]]
** The anime also does this with [[WaveMotionGun Program Advances]]. Especially the first few times they're used.
** Later games in the series implement [[{{Synchronization}} Full Synchro]] as an effect you can get in battle if you're skilled. It's depicted by Rock glowing (his color becomes light) and a pink halo spinning about his body. Very powerful NPCs and enemies in cutscenes also flash with light, notably Gospel in the second game, Proto (Alpha) in the third game and the Cyber Beasts in the sixth.
** Every version of Megaman who can charge up usually glows while doing so. X was the first to glow different colors depending on how much he's charged. With the double-shot and Zero's Z-Saber in ''X3'', he glows blue, yellow, pink, and finally green to indicate he can fire two fully-charged shots and the Z-Saber. Zero glows these same colors when he charges up his Z-Buster, but ''X3'' is the last game where Zero can use his Buster the same way, and X one-ups him for once by launching an energy wave when he swings the Z-Saber, assuming he has the double-shot.
* ''TheElderScrolls III: Morrowind'' tried and failed to utilize this. The glowing magical items came off [[{{Narm}} looking like they were covered in plastic-wrap.]]
* The old Magic Knight game ''Spellbound'' for the ZX Spectrum featured the spell Armouris Photonicus, which if cast in the right place would make your armour glow sufficiently to traverse two darkened rooms safely, making this OlderThanTheNes.
* [[{{Zork}} "Your sword is blowing glue!]] Wait, let me try that again."
* DragonBallZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2: low-ranking characters might glow faintly when summoning ki; high-ranking characters glow with intense brightness at all times, and even the simplest moves look like a fireworks display crashing into a laser light show.
* Any SonicTheHedgehog character with a [[SuperMode super form]] when in said form.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* As ''QuestionableContent'' reveals, even [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=717 bourbon whisky will glow]] if [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=718 it's good enough]].
* In ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'', Art asks, "Why is it that big, ominous tomes always glow so bright?!" [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=298 Good question.]]
** Because they're ''illuminated texts!'' [[JustForPun Ha!]]
* ''GunnerkriggCourt'': One of Eglamore's {{BFS}}es glows; presumably this makes it more effective against Shadow men. Also, antigravity glows [[TechnicolorScience purple]].
* As demonstrated [[http://www.rhjunior.com/NT/00474.html here]] in ''[[http://www.rhjunior.com/NT/ Nip & Tuck]]'', particularly sexy lingerie glows, too. (Obviously a reference to the ''PulpFiction'' example mentioned above.)
* In ''SluggyFreelance'' Gwynn tends to glow and [[PowerFloats float]] when she starts really channeling her witchy powers.
** Also happens to Horribus when he's getting ready for his grudge match with Torg. And, of course, Torg's sword glowing is the sign that it's awakened its sentient, kill-anything-in-one-strike mode.
* ''OrderOfTheStick'' takes this to its logical conclusion; if one high-level spellcaster's power glows, then the combined effects of ''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html four]]'' of them glow even more.
* In ''ElGoonishShive'', magic and Ki users can glow to indicate that they are using their powers. For Nanase's Fairy doll spell, this has practical uses. For martial arts, it's RuleOfCool.
* The river [[GirlGenius Dyne]] glows blue, of course this might be because it is Radioactive.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In ''BeastWars'', Sparks glow, which makes sense because they are powerful. So do many of the things belonging to the aliens.
* In ''TransformersCybertron'', when using great amounts of power a character will glow. Used most dramatically in the FinalBattle of [[spoiler: [[{{CrowningMoment/Transformers}} Optimus Prime and Galvatron]]]]
* In ''TransformersAnimated'', the [=AllSpark=] glows. So do all its pieces, and Sari's key when it's near them.
* In AvatarTheLastAirbender, Aang's eyes, mouth and [[MarkedChange tattoos]] do this when he activates the [[{{UnstoppableRage}} Avatar State]]
* [[{{Sealab2021}} "You see this, you see how my body's glowing like that? Yeah, a lot of people can't do that."]]
* In ''KimPossible'' Shego had glowing gloves that were sharp, that was it. Then it was [[{{RetCon}} retconned]] into being her own super-power, with the rest of the Team Go family also displaying the "Go Team Glow" . And she started firing "plasma" from her hands.
** A fair amount of the {{Doomsday Device}}s and {{McGuffin}}s in the show glow too.
* The human members of the titular [[TheSecretSaturdays Saturday]] family each have a weapon with some sort of glow, and then Zak's eyes glow when he uses his powers.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Unlike the ones in TV, real nuclear reactors glow [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherenkov_radiation blue]].
* The popular idea of green radioactivity dates back to radium paint, which was used for clock dials and glow-in-the-dark signs in 1920s. Later when the hazardous effects of radiation were discovered, the green glow got its new meaning. Oxidising white phosphorus, also quite nasty material, glows green too.
** Tritium, a hydrogen isotope, has replaced radium in all applications of RealLife PowerGlow. It is still radioactive, but emits relatively harmless beta particles, helium-3, and faint green glow.
*** In most cases, the tritium isn't glowing - it's been mixed with phosphorus, and it's the ''phosphorus'' that's glowing because it's reacting to the beta radiation.
*** Unfortunately, tritium is so rare that there are only a few kilograms of it in the entire world ([[CriticalResearchFailure according to]] ''{{Spider-Man}} 2'').
*** [[JustifyingEdit Maybe makes a bit more sense when you think about how light hydrogen is?]] ...[[SubvertedTrope Yeah, I wasn't buying that, either.]]
* For the record, credit for the ubiquity of the idea that Power Glows must be given to the two [[OlderThanDirt most primal sources]] of glowing power: the sun and [[KillItWithFire fire]]. Honorable mention goes to [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning]].
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