'''Basic Trope''': An animate, quasi-sapient plant that, nine times out of ten, hungers for your nutrient-rich flesh.
* '''Straight''':
** Myth/PaulBunyan is beset by deadwoods, undead walking trees that use their many flailing limbs and woody toughness in an attempt to beat the crap out of him.
** Or he is attacked by the mobile [[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Lernaean]] cactus, with quills so poisonous even their vapor trail can kill.
* '''Exaggerated''':
** [[WorldTree Yggdrasil uproots itself and tries to smash Bunyan into bits.]]
** Not only is [[MeaningfulName the Lernaean cactus]] mobile, huge, and multi-limbed, it can shoot its quills with [[{{Pun}} pinpoint]] accuracy, has explosive fruit, and can regrow from a single chunk of its flesh.
** The entire forest charges at Paul Bunyan.
* '''Downplayed''': The trees attempt to slowly grow and choke Paul Bunyan while he sleeps.
* '''Justified''':
** It’s not a tree, just something that looks like one.
** [[MemeticMutation Paul is in]] [[RussianReversal Soviet Russia, where tree chops you!]]
** The trees fight for their mistress/creator [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]].
* '''Inverted''': Paul attacks the trees. Well, he is a Lumberjack!
* '''Subverted''': An inordinate amount of focus is given to a gnarled, evil-looking tree in a field… which never gets up to attack Bunyan.
* '''Double Subverted''': The grass, on the other hand…
* '''Parodied''':
** The trees are attacking...very slowly.
** Bunyan is beset by the legendary [[PunnyName AmBush!]]
** The trees are dressed in lumberjack outfits and swing axes and wield chainsaws.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Some trees attack; some do not.
* '''Averted''': No walking trees appear, evil or otherwise.
* '''Enforced''': The director is phobic of trees, and wants to inspire this fear in the viewer.
* '''Lampshaded'''
** “…I’m beginning to think that trees hate me.”
** “…This is karma for becoming a lumberjack, isn’t it…”
** “MAKE LIKE YOURSELF AND LEAF!”
* '''Invoked''': [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} A general makes his solders carry cabers decorated like trees in order]] to hide their numbers and scare the crap out of [[NoManOfWomanBorn the resident lord, knowing the prophesy around his death.]]
* '''Exploited''': Emperor Evilz directs his leafy minions to attack Paul Bunyan while he’s in the forest, knowing that the camouflage from the backdrop will mean he won’t be able to see [[{{Pun}} the deadwoods for the trees.]]
* '''Defied''': [[KillItWithFire Paul fries the trees before they can get to attack.]]
* '''Discussed''': "Relax, trees can't directly hurt you. Even if they ARE sapient, they have no muscles with which to move."
* '''Conversed''': “What sort of tree do you think would be the most dangerous should it become animate?”
* '''Deconstructed''': [[GaiasVengeance The combined assault from all the world’s trees results in a genocide against their kind,]] which ends up starving the world of oxygen and permanently destroying the ecosystem.
* '''Played For Laughs''': Knock-wood is a goofy super-villain that bases his crimes entirely around this trope and horrific puns.
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[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick Th’ trees are coming! TH’ TREES ARE COMING!]] Hide back at [[WhenTreesAttack th’ page while ye still can, laddie!]]
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Reconstructed''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???