History Leitmotif / WesternAnimation

** Rat King has a RottenRockAndRoll music, to establish that he's a {[jerkass}} macho [[YouDirtyRat rat]].

* Megatron of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' has a hard, militaristic drumline. The Decepticons as a whole also seem to have a theme, consisting of severe, drawn-out strings.

** Meanwhile, [[PsychoForHire Lockdown]] has an utterly metal guitar chord.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' has leitmotifs for various characters, including Candace (a variation on the "universal taunt" melody and a takeoff on the Witch's theme from ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''), Perry (a James Bond-inspired jazz theme), and Dr. Doofenshmirtz ("Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.!").

** Jeremy as a sappy jazz theme.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', an absurdly dramatic theme song always accompanies Dr. Byron Orpheus's theatrical outbursts, which comprise a majority of his dialogue. The Monarch has similar dramatic music that plays whenever he's being particularly commanding or villainous: "MINIONS!"
** A particularly ludicrous example of the use of Orpheus' leitmotif can be seen/heard when he's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vlxIevVp4Y complaining about his junk mail.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'': [[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck Donald]], WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, [[WesternAnimation/PlutoThePup Pluto]], WesternAnimation/{{Pete}}, Willie the Giant and Toodles have a respective leitmotif whenever they appear on screen.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', rather than just giving characters single themes, gives every major character and many supporting characters specific ''instruments''. For example, [[TheSmartOne Pearl]] is represented by classical piano, [[BigFun Amethyst]] is accompanied by hip-hop and synth drums, and [[TheReliableOne Garnet]] is followed by a bass synth. What's even cooler is that, when the characters [[FusionDance fuse]], their themes combine.

* In ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'', sinister music will play whenever Swiper shows up. This is always started by a sound that sounds like three maracas shaking, which always clues Dora in that he’s approaching.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Garfield}}'' TV specials and shows would mark the entrance of Odie with a brief motif based on a hunting charge.

* [[DarkChick Ravess]] from ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'' has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PklzS0BS7v4 short string leitmotif]] whenever she and her squadron attacks. Since their weapons are violins, [[SourceMusic they're also the ones playing it]].

** Bismuth's associated instrument is a heavily distorted metal guitar, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRRb9QJvjRI which goes really well with her]] ContraltoOfDanger.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'' uses leitmotifs extensively. Each major heroic character has one (Panthro sharing his with the Thundertank[[note]]They have different arrangements, however.[[/note]]), as well as having leitmotifs for danger, warnings, certain locations, and battle. [[BigBad Mumm-Ra]] also has his own creepy tune.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' Kid Flash and Artemis have one in Season 2 to signify their relationship.

* In ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67CAgARLviQ the spy-esque opening theme]] with variations becomes the music for the greater KND organization as a whole. In addition, [[PsychoRangers The Delightful Children from Down the Lane]] have an eerie theme of their own, and the "Rainbow Monkey jingle" pops up whenever [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter said mascots]] are involved. Most of the show's soundtrack also features a few xylophone instrumentals, in order to accentuate the themes of childhood.

* In ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67CAgARLviQ the spy-esque opening theme]] with variations becomes the music for the greater KND organization as a whole. In addition, [[PsychoRangers The Delightful Children from Down the Lane]] have an eerie theme of their own, and the "Rainbow Monkey jingle" pops up whenever [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter said mascots]] are involved.

** [[BigBad Plankton]] had [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYfxyNJNJHk at]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lETeE6-8PA least]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXMfVZ9Hal4 three]] in his Season 1 appearances, all of which were performed by surf punk band The Surfdusters. He also has an ''in-universe'' example to accompany his EvilLaugh: ''He actually pulls out a record player to provide villainous music as he laughs maniacally''.

** Various locations have leitmotifs, most notably Mrs. Puff's boating school, the Barg'n'Mart, and the Krusty Krab. A smaller number of characters, most notably Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy, have their own themes as well.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7tQSRxDaTg This theme]] tends to get associated specifically with Squidward.

** The song called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLXyCF32CP0 "The Lineman"]] existed before ''[=SpongeBob=]'', but kids have it embedded in their heads as the "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy theme."
** A theme called "Grass Skirt Chase" tends to play in suspenseful and/or chaotic scenes.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' fans probably remember Flintheart Glomgold's leitmotif.
** And when it was used, but not as his theme, it usually played whenever Scrooge gets the upper hand on the villain of the week in a comedic way.

** Also parodied when Stewie follows Peter around playing a tuba whenever he walks anywhere.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Humph}}'': One episode had a certain tune play whenever Humph and his dad found that another character wasn't at home.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Humph}}'' had a certain tune that played whenever a character was not at home.

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' has Stan's high school bully [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSzSWfu-4xY Stelio Kontos,]] who not only has a distinctive theme song played over every scene he appears in, he also carries a stereo around with him so that he can play his own theme song in place of actually speaking.