->''"It'th a pleathure to be commanded in a clear, firm, authoritative voithe, mithtreth."''
--->-- '''Igor''', ''[[{{Discworld}} Carpe Jugulum]]''

Igor is the {{Sidekick}} and manservant to a MadScientist. He's an absolute toady, loyal to a fault, and has no problem doing unsanitary scut-work for his genius master, who is always addressed as "Master", sometimes with an impressive lisp. He'll typically be a hunchback, dwarf, or even some small variety of monster. Evil wizards can substitute a tiny imp or demon. A vague European accent and/or a Peter Lorre impression (despite Lorre's not having played that sort of role until late in his dotage) round out the vocal category.

Igor can't fight, usually, and if encountered by the hero in a combat situation, will high-tail it out along with his master, unless the master tries to sacrifice him to enhance his own chances. Abduction of young screaming ladies, however, is within Igor's power.

This character is completely defined by Fritz, a character added for the 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of ''Frankenstein''. The name "Igor" comes from a similar character named Ygor (played by [[{{Dracula}} Bela Lugosi]]) who appeared in the second sequel, ''Son of Frankenstein''. Most modern uses and references include at least a [[SubvertedTrope subtle twist]].

A very stylized, specialized, and specific variant on TheRenfield. Can overlap with SatelliteCharacter. Compare to BattleButler, CrustyCaretaker and ProfessionalButtKisser.
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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Jaken, Sesshomaru's servant in ''InuYasha''.
* Nemu Kurotsuchi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's servant in {{''Bleach''}}. In fact, Nemu often gets physically abused by Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

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[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* The Toad plays the Igor role to Magneto in early ''{{X-Men}}'' comics.
* In ''LittleGloomy'', MadScientist and jilted boyfriend Simon von Simon employs the hunchback Boris as his assistant. Boris, however, bears no real allegiance to Simon and only works for him because, as a hunchback, he doesn't have any other job opportunities. Boris is also somewhat explicitly much more sensible if not in fact smarter than Simon.
* Grimer from ''SonicTheComic'' is the Igor to BigBad Dr. Robotnik, incorporating shades of the HypercompetentSidekick (when everyone thought Robotnik was dead and Grimer was jailed, he proved he was a [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] ChessMaster and managed to manipulate the heroes easily from his prison).

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[[folder: Film ]]

* The trope makers were Fritz, Frankenstein's sidekick in Universal's ''{{Frankenstein}}'' and Ygor, the [[TheManTheyCouldntHang broken-necked]] character from the sequel, ''Son of Frankenstein''.
** Considering the absence of such a character in the novel, both were likely inspired by Rotwang's nameless hunchbacked dwarf assistant in ''{{Metropolis}}''. After all, it certainly wouldn't be the [[MadScientist first]] [[MadScientistLaboratory thing]] they borrowed.
*** The dwarf manservant is not yet an Igor, though; he's never shown helping Rotwang in the lab.
* Parodied by Marty Feldman as "Igor" (pronounced "Eye-gore") in ''YoungFrankenstein''.
* Riff-Raff of ''{{The Rocky Horror Picture Show}}'' is a parody Igor.
** Considering his odd manner of talking, frequent references to "The Master", and insistence that his house does not have a telephone, he also looks like a parody of [[ManosTheHandsOfFate Torgo]], who was originally going to be named "Igor".
* In ''{{Flesh Gordon}} and the Cosmic [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders Cheerleaders]]'', Emperor Wang has an Igor-like {{Mad Scientist}} henchman named Bator.
** Bator actually has his own underlings, but doesn't like them to address him as "Master"; "That's ''Mister'' Bator!"
*** For [[StealthPun obvious reasons]].
* TheIgor was actually named Igor in the movie ''VanHelsing'' (a film not long on subtlety).
** Well, come on. ''VanHelsing'' also featured Dr. Frankenstein, the Monster, and Dracula. This would clearly be the original Igor.
** Igor, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, Dracula... it's a wonder they didn't find room for a mummy.
*** They made up for that by squeezing JekyllAndHyde in.
* Count Rugen's assistant [[EvilAlbino the Albino]] in ''ThePrincessBride''.
* The 2008 movie ''{{Igor}}'' not only has every MadScientist have their own Igor...but one Igor (played by John Cusack) decides to become a MadScientist himself and win the Evil Science Fair.
* Also parodied in ''ReturnOfTheKillerTomatoes'', sequel to ''AttackOfTheKillerTomatoes''. Dr. Putrid T. Gangrene the MadScientist (portrayed most lovingly by John Astin) is annoyed by the mere presence of his assistant Igor, who is a blond, buff, and tanned surfer-dude who wants to be a TV News Anchor.
--> '''Dr. Gangrene:''' It's insulting for a misanthrope of my stature to have an assistant as good-looking as you!
--> '''Igor:''' Sorry, Doc. Maybe if I walked with a hunch?
* MadScientist Doctor Finkelstein has one of these in ''TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. He likes doggy treats.
*Both films of {{Count Yorga}} had Brudah, a deformed shambling man who serves as the Count extremely tough servant. He has been showed to defy his master once though [[spoiler: in the first movie. Where he rapes the damsel after Yorga controls her to come to his mansion during the day time. He later seen shameful of the act and begs Yorga to forgive him]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Literary example: Terry Pratchett's {{Discworld}} distills the trope by featuring an entire clan of these types, all named Igor (except female Igors, who are named Igora or Igorina), all with their own unique pattern of scars and deformities (except for the female Igors, who are oddly enough very attractive, although they usually keep a stitch somewhere as a sign), and all of them incredibly skilled surgeons, chemists and inventors. When they work for [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolves]] and [[MadScientist Mad Scientists]], they often double as a butler. They also have a tendency to replace parts of their own bodies with bits from other people which are no longer in use by their former owners. Often an Igor will accept as payment for a surgery a promise that they can help themselves to the patient's body (for themselves and other patients) when they eventually die - a promise they take very seriously. They also hand down useful organs; when an Igor says "I have my grandfather's hands", he is NOT being metaphorical.
** Igors of Discworld are eerily good at:
*** [[StealthHiBye Turning up behind you]] when you need them but don't expect them.
*** [[DoorJudo Opening the door]] exactly as you're raising your hand to knock.
*** [[IfYouDieICallYourStuff Turning up]] at the moment of death.
*** [[SpeechImpediment Lisping]] (although this is done deliberately; "modern" Igors sometimes "Forget to lisp." On one occasion, before delivering a somewhat longwinded explanation, the Igor in question asked if he could drop the lisp, to make it easier to understand)
*** [[PlanetOfSteves Knowing exactly which Igor]] it is you're talking about.
*** [[AStormIsComing Knowing when a lightning storm is coming]].
*** [[TheMedic Surgery]]- in particular, they can re-attach lost limbs and perform transplants using only needle and thread, and also completely suppress the patient's immune system incompatibility with the donor organ through means unexplained. They may also have the ability to bring back people who have actually died, if it's recent enough -- according to "Lord Vetinari's rules: If it takes an Igor to bring you back, you were dead. Briefly dead, it's true, which is why the murderer will be briefly hanged."
*** [[FellOffTheBackOfATruck "Acquiring"]] materials for their master's latest deranged scheme.
*** [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere Quietly exiting]] just before [[TorchesAndPitchforks the angry mob]] arrives.
** Furthermore, they rarely have any qualms about who they work for - they don't work for Vampires and Werewolves and {{Mad Scientist}}s because EvilFeelsGood, but because "Insanity gets the job done." An Igor would never do to another living person something that they wouldn't be willing to try first on themselves, though that doesn't necessarily narrow it down much.
*** And even (relatively) sane and non-evil organisations (such as the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, The Free Hospital and a bank) recognise the value of an Igor and employ one or more.
*** In ''Going Postal'' an Igor ''did'' [[EvenEvilHasStandards have qualms]] about working for [[BigBad Reacher Gilt]] and quit as soon as he could.
**** More like he realized that the midden was about to hit the windmill, if you know what I mean...
** The Barman at Biers is named Igor, but not a member of the clan - it's just a coincidence, which is odd as the bar is frequented mostly by the undead. He apparently finds [[NeverHeardThatOneBefore comments about the incongruity of this]] rather irritating.
* Subverted in James Blaylock's ''Homunculus'', where the hunchback creeping around the spooky laboratory actually '''is''' the MadScientist, Ignacio Narbondo.

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[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* ''GoodEats'' recently introduced the dungeon under AB's kitchen, wherein his toadying Dungeon Master (TheIgor in all but name) supplies him with painful kitchen appliances, such as a steak cuber and tortilla press. Yes, it's a cooking show; it's just not a normal cooking show.
* Amusingly parodied on ''{{SCTV}}'' with actor Woody Tobias, Jr., who actually was an ugly hunchback and thus was pretty much confined to this role (named "Bruno") as sidekick to 3-D filmmaker Dr. Tongue, who usually played MadScientist roles. Both were "serious" actors, to the point they attempted a remake of ''{{Midnight Cowboy}}'' in 3-D, but they didn't have much range...
* TV's Frank was one of these to Dr. Forrester, on ''MysteryScienceTheater3000''.
** In the first season, it was Dr. Ehrhardt (despite being nominally a MadScientist himself).
* On ''BlackBooks'', Bill Bailey turned into an Igor briefly. Complete with lisp and hunch.
* Despite being Topher's assistant on ''{{Dollhouse}}'' Ivy is a complete subversion of this trope being female, quite attractive and anything but slavish in her attitude towards him.

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[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

* TheIgor appears in a few ''[[TheFarSide Far Side]]'' cartoons. In one of them, the Doctor is scowling at him for having brought the wrong size wrench.

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[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

* The TabletopRolePlayingGame ''My Life With Master'' casts all the players as Igors.
* In the fan-made WorldOfDarkness gameline [[GeniusTheTransgression Genius: The Transgression]], Beholden fill this role. Beholden are otherwise ordinary people who see the world exactly as the [[MadScientist Genius]] sees it and thus can handle [[WeirdScience Wonders]] without wrecking them, help build them, and do all sorts of dirty work for their masters. In fact, "Igor" is a slang term for a Beholden.
** It's not exactly pleasant being one, mind you. Beholden lose their ability to form any beliefs or meaningful opinions beyond copying those of a Genius, and if they're without a master for too long, they either go mad or die. They also have a tendency to experience a Breakthrough in certain conditions and become a Genius themselves.
** It's variable, with the right Genius an Igor can basically have the same role as [[DoctorWho The Doctor's]] companions.
* Dr. Mordenheim is {{Ravenloft}}'s {{Expy}} of Dr. Frankenstein, so naturally he has an Igor: a hunchback named Horg, whom he's re-created via cloning each time his assistant gets killed. Robbing graves in Ravenloft isn't the safest vocation, so he's on his third or fourth Horg by now.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* In the game ''{{Psychonauts}}'', the character Shegor is met near the end of the game [[spoiler:working for the mad dentist Dr. Loboto. But she's not loyal at all - she only fetches brains for him because he keeps her pet turtle hostage and threatens to make soup out of him]].
* The game ''Brain Dead 13'' has Fritz (most likely named as a ShoutOut to Universal's ''Frankenstein''), an imp with hooks for both hands who pursues the protagonist throughout the game.
* There is a character named Igor in the ''{{Persona}}'' games, a hunched man with a rather... [[{{Understatement}} striking]] nose that seems to fit the Igor physical profile. However, this Igor, while ''theoretically'' there to serve you, usually feels like far more of a highly independent TricksterMentor or ally who keeps helping the main characters of the games because they are the only ones who can resolve the incidents satisfactorily - and due to his own curiosity. Unfortunately, his creepy nature and creepy stuff he does has caused him to be labeled a MemeticMolester by the fan base.
** Amusingly, Igor keeps his own assistants. [[{{Persona 3}} Elizabeth]] and [[{{Persona 4}} Margaret]] are somewhat perkier than the norm, but probably qualify; Belladonna, Nameless, and Demon Artist probably don't.
* Dr. N. Gin in the newer {{Crash Bandicoot}} games

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[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* [[{{Webcomics}} Webcomic]] example: Doctor Germahn of ''ElGoonishShive'' has an Igor of identical function but vastly different flavor. Her name is Amanda, and she's [[TheDitz quite blonde]].
* Another webcomic treatment: In the current ''GirlGenius'' storyline, Agatha finally makes it to her ancestral keep, only to find [[spoiler:the entire TOWN surrounding it is populated with [[TheIgor Igors]] subconsciously pining for their masters the Heterodynes... and woe betide pretenders that hang around instead of getting eaten by the Castle]].
* ''OrderOfTheStick'' has [[SignificantAnagram Giro]] as assistant to a MadScientist type wizard who makes FrankensteinsMonster-style flesh golems [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0575.html here]]. Giro isn't even a real hunchback; he wore a fake hump to get the job.
* The Webcomic ''{{Pokemon}}-X'' (BetterThanItSounds, honest) parodies this with Professor Birch's assistant, named Igor, who is a perfectly normal lab assistant aside from the name and all the jokes he is subject to because of it.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''{{Reboot}}'': In later seasons, MadScientist "Herr Doktor" is Megabyte's top man. The doc has an unnamed assistant who is a heavily disfigured "one" binome.
* In the ''TimonAndPumbaa'' series, the local MadScientist instead has "Shegor" because he's an equal opportunity employer.
* In the ''BeastWars'' episode "Feral Scream", Waspinator fills in the role of TheIgor while Megatron is creating [[spoiler: Transmetal 2 Dinobot]]. Waspinator even speaks lines such as "Yes, Master" in a creepy sort of voice.
*''Disney/{{Aladdin}}: the Series'': Aside from being a magical flying eel, the evil sorcerer Mozenrath's sidekick Xerxes fits this trope to a T.
* Lugnut in ''TransformersAnimated''.
* ''{{Toonsylvania}}'' has its Igor as one of the main characters of the show.

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