Animalistic Abilities

She's Super Fly!

"Then one day, a lawman appeared
With powers of hawk, wolf, puma and bear"

— Lyrics from the Title Theme Tune of BraveStarr

This is when a character is able to use the powers and abilities of one or more animals without needing to change into them.

The way this power is depicted varies. Some may have this as their default powerset (this is often the case if the powers are derived from one animal). Other cases have the user able to copy the abilities of animals either within their vicinity or just in existence. A mystical variation of this power may have characters invoking animal spirits to empower themselves. At its strongest, this power grants a character the abilities of the entire morphogenetic field, allowing them even copy human powers. Expect Animal Themed Superbeings to have these powers.

Some cases of this trope are when the powers are based on superstitions or beliefs about certain animals i.e a character possessing the nine lives of a cat or Self-Duplication based on certain creatures that breed very fast.

Not to be confused with Animorphism which is about physically transforming into animals. Characters who are Beast Men or Little Bit Beastly do not qualify for this trope.

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Examples:

Anime & Manga

• Get Backers: Shido Fuyuki has the ability to take on the abilities of about 100 different types of animals, such as a bat's echolocation abilities, or a wolf's strength and claws.

Comic Books

• Archie Comics: The Jaguar has all the powers of the animal kingdom amplified a thousandfold. For instance, summoning the toughness of a rhino's hide grants him invulnerability comparable to Superman.
• The DCU:
  • Animal Man: Originally believed to have gained his animal mimicry abilities from alien experiments, Animal Man was retconned into being an avatar for The Red, the mystical representation of the earth's morphogenetic field. Initially, Animal Man could only copy the powers of animals within his proximity but later gained the ability to use any animal ability just by tapping into the morphogenetic field, regardless of if he was in proximity to an animal or not.
  • Freedom Fighters (DC Comics): The original version of the Black Condor gained the power of flight by studying the birds that raised him.
  • Superman issue #689 has Mon-El teaming up with superheroes from around the world. One of them is King Billy, a Cajun trapper from Louisiana who can channel the powers and properties of swamp plants and animals.
  • Vixen wears a magic totem which allows her to use the abilities of any and all animals. The totem was created by the spider god Anansi and given to Vixen's ancestor Tantu, whose family has passed it down from generation to generation. Vixen has also been able to mimic the abilities of extinct animals, mutated animals like Gorilla Grodd, mythical beasts and even sapient creatures like Kryptonians.
  • Wildcat/Ted Grant possesses the nine lives of a cat. His successor Yolanda Montez possesses retractable cat claws and cat-like agility.
• Marvel Universe:
  • Ka-Zar: Kevin Plunder, the second Ka-Zar, can mimic the aspects of various Savage Land animals, usually by perfectly imitating their calls to command them but sometimes going further into outright superhuman feats.
  • Marvel Boy: Noh-Varr has the ability to scale walls and ceilings thanks to cockroach genes being merged with his DNA.
  • Spider-Man:
    • Peter Parker possesses the proportional strength, speed, and agility of a spider. He can also scale walls and ceilings and has a Spider-Sense that alerts him of hidden or incoming danger, loosely inspired by how many spiders have peripheral vision (especially the jumping spider) and can sense subtle environmental shifts and vibrations through their webs or sensitive hairs. While he did temporarily gain the ability to produce organic webbing during the Straczynski run, Peter normally doesn't have this power — instead, he usually employs a synthetic compound that mimics the properties of spider silk.
    • Various other members of the Spider family have spider-related abilities similar to Peter's while also possessing ones he doesn't. Silk has organic webbing, Jessica Drew's flight and electric blasts are based on how some spiders can fly using the planet's electric field and Miles Morales can use camouflage-based invisibility.
    • The Black Cat initially didn't have superpowers. She later gained the ability to alter probability based on the superstition of her animal namesake's ability to cause bad luck. After Dr. Strange removed these powers due to them affecting Spider-Man, she was left with cat-like strength, speed, agility, and Innate Night Vision. She lost these powers as well and has since regained her bad luck powers.
  • Sub-Mariner: For a time during the Silver Age, Namor could use the abilities of any sea-dwelling creature such as the electric volts of an electric eel, the radar sense of a cave fish and the body inflation of a puffer fish. Namor has since lost these abilities.
• The Leopard from Lime Street: The titular hero was scratched by a radioactive leopard, granting him a leopard's strength, speed, reflexes, agility and "sixth sense".
• Shaman's Tears: As The Chosen One of Wakan Tanka, Joshua Brand can use the ability of any animal in the world.

Film — Live-Action

• The Animal: Marvin Mange gains the abilities of various animals after an operation that involves putting the organs of several different animals inside of him.
• Catwoman: Midnight resurrects Patience with the strength, speed, agility and senses of a cat.
• Kung Fu Hustle: The Beast's "Toad Style" technique allows him to mimic a toad's stance, headbutting force and leaping ability.
• Superhero Movie: Rick Riker, a.k.a. the Dragonfly has the strength, reflexes, wings and durability of a dragonfly.

Literature

• The Beginning After the End: Beast wills are abilities that are derived from the mana core of any given mana beast that allow a mage to draw upon the beast's abilities in combat, and mages who have a beast will are known as beast tamers. They can be acquired either by slaying a mana beast and extracting its core or by having the beast impart its own core onto the bearer, the latter of which allows for greater insight into the beast's abilities. There are two stages regarding one's assimilation of their beast will. These are the acquire phase - in which they are able to borrow their beast's inherent strengths - and the integrate phase - in which they can truly harness their beast's unique abilities. A few notable characters in the story are beast tamers.
  • Arthur himself has the beast will of the dragon Sylvia, who passed it down onto him before she sacrificed herself to save him. Whenever he uses it, it dyes his hair white and his face gains the same golden Facial Markings Sylvia had. It gives near-superhuman physical capabilities and a Healing Factor, which are derived from Sylvia's asuran nature. It also allows him to partially manipulate time and space due to her inherent connection to aether, though the backlash from using such powerful abilities often cripples him in the short term, rendering it a Dangerous Forbidden Technique.
  • Arthur's Love Interest Tessia has the beast will of an elderwood guardian, which she had received from him as a present. Like Arthur, using her beast will dyes her hair dark green and causes her face to display emerald facial markings. It allows her to conjure swathes of vines in combat which synergizes well with her affinity for plant magic. However, unlike the other examples listed here, Tessia frequently experiences much difficulty when trying to assimilate the beast will and suffers instances of Power Incontinence, which also forces her to treat it as a Dangerous Forbidden Technique. As it turns out, this is because the elderwood guardian Arthur slew was a failed Vritra experiment.
  • Tessia's grandfather Virion is perhaps one of the most experienced beast tamers in the setting given how he has had decades to study his beast will. His beast will is derived from that of a shadow panther, and whenever he uses it he turns into a near-featureless black humanoid with long hair and vaguely feline features. The only flaw that holds him back compared to his younger compatriots is of course his age, which has rendered him a Retired Badass and eventual Supporting Leader.
  • Prince Curtis of Sapin has a beast will of a world lion he named Grawder, which he received from his father after he won it in an auction. When using it, his face assumes leonine features evocative of his bond, and it allows him to breath fire just like him. Despite having the beast will imparted onto him, Curtis has not progressed much in terms of his assimilation.
• Campione!: As a Campione, Godou has access to the "Ten Incarnations", ten different divine powers. Most of these powers are named after and based on an animal:
  • The Bull grants Godou Super-Strength rivaling that of Hercules.
  • The White Stallion allows Godou to shoot a spear of light.
  • The Camel increases Godou's combat abilities, leg strength, defense, battle instincts, and self-recovery.
  • The Boar summons a giant boar to trample anything in its path. While in use, Godou gains increased speed, defense, and strength, but it can only be used in a direct charge.
  • Bird of Prey (Raptor) makes Godou superfast and extremely light in weight.
  • The Ram grants Godou a Healing Factor powerful enough to revive him from the dead.
  • The Goat grants Godou control over lightning, allows him to listen to people's hearts, and bestows to him priestly authority, great magical power and wisdom.
• Overlord (2012): A bandit with the Shamanic Adept class calls out the names of different animals (which manifest as glowing tattoos) to give him corresponding stat boosts. Unfortunately for him, he's dealing with Sebas, one of Nazerick's Elite Mooks who are magnitudes more powerful than even the best the world has to offer. The bandits abilities prove useless.
• Patternist: As the undisputed master of Voluntary Shapeshifting and Biomanipulation, Anyanwu can analyze an animal's entire genome from a small tissue sample and adopt useful traits at will. For example, after spending some time as a dolphin, she incorporates its ability to conserve oxygen into her human form.
• Problem Children are Coming from Another World, aren't they?: Yo Kasukabe can communicate with animals and use the abilities of any animals she has befriended.
• Shadows of the Apt: The story takes place in a world where humans have developed powers based on particular totem arthropods. Ant-kinden are peerless soldiers with a Hive Mind, Beetle-kinden are tough and enduring, Wasp-kinden can fly and shoot "stings" from their hands, Spider-kinden are alluring schemers, etcetera. These powers aren’t always consistent between individuals; some Beetles are capable of flight or night vision, a few Wasps have the hive mind ability, not all Mantids have forearm spikes, and so on. They're also passed down genetically: each kinden is effectively a Human Subspecies, and "halfbreeds" have randomized mix-and-match powers.

Live-Action TV

• Dark Angel: Max is infused with the DNA of a cat granting her superior strength, speed and senses to that of a normal human. Unfortunately, this also causes her to go into heat like a cat.
• Kamen Rider Wizard: Kamen Rider Beast fights with magical animal-themed mantles that grant him different powers. Falco Mantle grants him flight, Chameleo Mantle grants him Chameleon Camouflage, Dolpi Mantle allows him to swim and gives him Healing Hands, and Buffa Mantle enhances his strength.
• Smallville: One of the first "Meteor Freaks" Clark ever faced was Greg Arkin, a socially awkward kid who gained various insect and arachnid abilities after being bitten by Kryptonite-infected insects. These included enhanced strength, agility, speed, Projectile Webbing, Wall Crawling and the ability to shed his skin.

Tabletop Games

• Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition: Barbarians who choose to follow the Path of the Totem gain a spirit animal that they can commune with, and which grants them various abilities:
  • The Bear grants strength and endurance, making the barbarian resistant to most forms of damage and granting extra strength when carrying, pushing, pulling or lifting. It also grants protection for the barbarian's allies, by allowing the barbarian to impose disadvantage on an enemy's attack rolls, making their attacks less likely to hit.
  • The Eagle grants swiftness and perception. Barbarians who follow this path can dash as a bonus action and are harder to hit with attacks of opportunity, have improved eyesight at long range, and can mimic an eagle's flight for short periods of time.
  • The Elk grants mobility. Barbarians who follow this path gain a bonus to movement speed when their Barbarian Rage ability is used, the ability to cover more ground when travelling long distance on foot, and a charging attack that can knock enemies prone.
  • The tiger grants survival, and abilities that mimic the pounce of a hunting cat. Barbarians following the path of the tiger have increased jumping distance, proficiency in extra skills, and can make extra attacks if they move in a straight line towards an enemy as part of their turn.
  • The wolf grants tactical combat and hunting abilities. Barbarians of this path can use pack tactics to increase the chance of their allies' attacks being successful, travel at greater speed while tracking prey or moving stealthily, and knock their opponents off their feet as part of an attack.

Toys

• BIONICLE: The Mask of Kindred allows its wearer to copy the abilities of any Rahi in the same environment.

Video Games

• Disney's Pocahontas: The player can only advance in the game by using the abilites they gain from the animals' spirits:
  • The Deer Spirit grants the running ability.
  • The Otter grants the swimming ability.
  • The Bird helps the player fall from great heights without losing health.
  • The Squirrel allows Pocahontas to climb tree branches and swing between them, although Meeko can climb tree trunks with no effort and the player climbs cliffs in Stage 1.
  • The Fish allows the player to swim faster.
  • The Wolf Spirit allows the player to sneak: Pocahontas crouches and crawls.
  • The Bear allows Pocahontas to project a spirit to scare off the trembling, skinny Englishman in Stage 3.
  • The Owl Spirit grants night vision to the player.
• Far Cry 3: Jason is given a Power Tattoo that is said to simultaneously grant him the power of a shark, a heron and a spider. In game mechanics terms, each animal is associated with a branch of the skill tree: Shark skills grant endurance, toughness and better healing, Heron skills grant better handling of long-range weapons and improve mobility, and Spider skills grant better stealth and the ability to find more items when hunting, foraging or looting.
• Final Fantasy VI: Gau learned to fight by copying the attack patterns and special attacks of the monsters and animals that migrated to Veldt.
• League of Legends: Udyr is a "spirit walker" who has the ability to sense the spirits of the animals around him and then bolster his own power with theirs. When he was first added to the game, he was able to channel the spirits of a tiger (granting him attack speed), a turtle (granting him resilience), a bear (a mighty on-hit stun), and a phoenix (grants him fire magic). With his relaunch in 2022, his repertoire has been expanded to additionally cover the abilities of the animalistic demigods of the Freljord: the lightning claws of the bear demigod of the storms, Volibear, the shielding of the Iron Boar, the fiery implacability of the ram demigod of the forge, Ornn, and the ice powers of Anivia the Cryophoenix.
• Mortal Kombat 11: Nightwolf can borrow power from two animal spirits, the wolf and the bear. The wolf increases his strength and attack power while the bear increases his resistance to damage.
• Street Fighter: According to an older manual, Blanka's ability to generate electricity is something he learned from observing electric eels.
• Super Mario Bros.: There has been lots of animal-based power-ups throughout the series.
  • Super Mario Bros. 3 features 3 power-ups based on animals. The first is Raccoon Leaf, a power-up that makes Mario dons the ears and tail of a raccoon and it allows Mario to glide through the air by using his tail and attack with it. The second is a variant of the previous power-up called "Tanooki Suit" which also allows Mario to turn into a statue. The last is Frog Suit, which transforms Mario into Frog Mario, allowing him to swim efficiently through underwater at the cost of having limited movement on the ground.
  • Super Mario Galaxy features the Bee Mushroom, which transforms Mario into Bee Mario, allowing him to fly and climb honeycombs.
  • New Super Mario Bros. Wii features the Penguin Suit, which transforms Mario into Penguin Mario, allowing him to shoot snowballs that freezes enemies, slide on his belly like real life penguins do and swim better underwater.
  • Super Mario 3D World features the Cat Bell, which transforms Mario into Cat Mario, allowing him to scratch at his enemies and climb to walls.
  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder features the Elephant Fruit, which transforms Mario into Elephant Mario, allowing him to attack enemies with his trunk and store water in it to later shoot it.

Webcomics

• Grrl Power: Supernatural Martial Artist Jazza Ng/"Jabberwokky" has the superpower to copy any animal-based kung fu style, including some made up on the spot. These styles appear to grant her abilities similar to the animal they are based on. For example, her Cheetah style lets her bounce around the room, and her Rhino style lets her tank the attacks of much larger opponents.
• One-Punch Man: Watchdog Man can run on all fours and has dog-like senses of smell and hearing.
• Spinnerette:
  • Being a Spider-Man Send-Up, the titular Spinnerette has the proportional strength and agility of a spider, as well as the ability to scale surfaces and shoot Projectile Webbing out of the base of her spine. She also has eight limbs (six arms and two legs), an enhanced metabolism, immunity to toxins and can heal from wounds in a matter of seconds to minutes.
  • The Spirit of the Tiger grants Jeff Coleman enhanced strength, speed, agility and endurance.

Western Animation

• Ben 10: Ultimate Alien:
  • Eunice, aka the Unitrix, is a living prototype of the Omnitrix. She has the ability to absorb and contain the DNA of various species without changing her form. She has been shown replicating the jumping ability of a rabbit, the strength of a bear and the flexibility of a snake. Eunice has two main weaknesses; she can only possess another animal or alien's ability for ten minutes and she can only absorb one creature's DNA at a time.
  • In "Ben 10,000 Returns", Ben 10,000 reveals a new form called Ultimate Ben which is just human Ben with the ability to use the powers of the Omnitrix's aliens without physically transforming into them.
• BraveStarr: The eponymous character is a Magical Native American who can call upon four animal spirits to grant himself superpowers. He possesses the eyesight of an eagle, the hearing of a wolf, the strength of a bear and the speed of a puma.
• Jackie Chan Adventures:
  • The talismans of Shendu are a set of 12 talismans based on the Eastern Zodiac. Each talisman grants a power based on the animal it represents, i.e. the ox grants strength, the rabbit grants speed, the rooster grants levitation.
  • In "The Amazing T-Girl'', Jade temporarily absorbs the powers of all 12 talismans.
• Miraculous Ladybug: The Miraculouses are based on Zodiac animals and grant the user a power that is somehow connected to the animal they represent. For example, the Ladybug Miraculous grants the power of good luck in the form of Lucky Charm since ladybugs are said to be signs of good luck, while the Black Cat Miraculous grants the power of bad luck in the form of Cataclysm since black cats are said to be omens of bad luck.
• The Simpsons: In "The Man Who Grew Too Much", Sideshow Bob reveals he's been modifying his own DNA and now has, among other things, the strength of a Brahma bull, the thighs of a grasshopper, and the sonar of a killer whale.

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