History Analysis / OurWerewolvesAreDifferent

** A werewolf will according to Swedish legends be able to be cured in three ways. One method is to call the wolf by its human name or to tell the human that it is a werewolf. You might however be "rewarded" for breaking the curse by becoming a werewolf yourself for the same period of time as the guy you just helped had been one... Method number two is safer, be nice to the werewolf while it is in wolf form and give it some food. Cure number three is more macabre. The werewolf has to rip an unborn child from its mother's womb and eat its heart/drink its blood. This method leaves you cured, but with a one-way ticket to Hell for two murders and preventing a child from ever getting baptized (and thereby entering heaven).

* Unless they simply transform into a normal wolf, werewolves are almost always extremely physically strong. Sometimes this is no more than [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower what you'd expect]] from a huge beast, sometimes they possess truly supernatural strength. Most of the time, werewolves with a great deal of invulnerability or HealingFactor will have supernatural strength as [[RequiredSecondaryPowers part of the package]]. If werewolves square off against vampires, werewolves will almost invariably be depicted as the physically stronger of the two.

* A dislike of being treated like a pet. A werewolf would, for example, most likely object to being scratched behind the ears, having his belly rubbed, etc. by a human companion. If he ''doesn't'', it's probably because the companion is a very close friend or lover.

** This was almost averted in the popular ''[[ComicBook/TheSandma1989 Sandman]]'' werewolf story "The Hunt", in which a panel showing the story's werewolf protagonist in near-human form having sex with his lover in full wolf form was reportedly subject to ExecutiveVeto on taste-and-decency grounds.

* [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Completely at will]]: This is usually limited to members of separate werewolf species (where shapeshifting is their natural ability) or those possessing magic spells. These werewolves may sometimes also experience an involuntary transformation at full moon. Werewolves who transform through magic rites, such as those in medieval folklore, fall under this kind.
* Transformation occuring on a nightly basis (human by day, wolf by night) is another viable option, especially in VideoGames with an InUniverseGameClock.

* {{Metamorphosis}}: In some cases, such as ''Film/{{Wolf}}'' and ''Film/GingerSnaps'', the transformation may be a singular, one-way process that ends with the afflicted individual transformed into a wolf forever. Often characterized by gradual changes, such as more assertive and aggressive behavior, unusual hair growth and, usually in later stages, an urge to kill, that occur over the course of a specific timespan, such as a singular lunar cycle. The oldest progenitors of the werewolf myth, from classical Greece and Rome, all fall in this category -- rather than being shapeshifters, their subjects are wicked humans turned into wolves as punishment by the gods.

** This was almost averted in the popular ''[[ComicBook/TheSandman Sandman]]'' werewolf story "The Hunt", in which a panel showing the story's werewolf protagonist in near-human form having sex with his lover in full wolf form was reportedly subject to ExecutiveVeto on taste-and-decency grounds.

* [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Completely at will]]: This is usually limited to members of separate werewolf species (where shapeshifting is their natural ability) or those possessing magic spells. These werewolves may sometimes also experience an involuntary transformation at full moon.

* {{Metamorphosis}}: In some cases, such as ''Film/{{Wolf}}'' and ''Film/GingerSnaps'', the transformation may be a singular, one-way process that ends with the afflicted individual transformed into a wolf forever. Often characterized by gradual changes, such as more assertive and aggressive behavior, unusual hair growth and, usually in later stages, an urge to kill, that occur over the course of a specific timespan, such as a singular lunar cycle.

** The claws/fangs of fellow Werewolves/other Werebeasts, [[FurAgainstFang Vampires]], or other supernatural beings.

* This transformation may be total, turning the human into an actual wolf; or partial, turning the man into a BeastMan with wolf features, but retaining human proportions. With the advent of more sophisticated make-up and visual effects (especially computer imagery), techniques have been developed that allowed more wolflike features on humanoids, such as giving a character a wolf's muzzle and ears. The [[BodyHorror human-to-werewolf transformation]] in the movie ''Film/AnAmericanWerewolfInLondon'' is generally considered to be the standard to which all others are compared, quite remarkable for a movie now more than 30 years old and from the pre-CGI era.
** ''WolfMan'': In [[TheForties '40s]] horror films, the transformation usually took the form of a [[BeastMan hairy humanoid]] with a scattering of animal features, such as pointed ears, fangs, claws, and maybe a more canine nose or even a tail, but otherwise remaining almost entirely human, like LittleBitBeastly (The "classic" Wolf Man appearance is not entirely dissimilar to the symptoms of a rare genetic disorder, hypertrichosis.) Commonly leads to ClothingDamage, and often seen wearing MagicPants. May be used as a GameFace to intimidate, or a PartialTransformation between full man and full wolf.

** ''Wolf'': The basic no-frills transformation is [[{{Animorphism}} man into wolf]], ending up looking just like what you'd see in the woods or a zoo.
** ''Dire Wolf'': like the above, but either ''much'' bigger, or far more muscular, often with long, rather un-lupine claws, and a grizzly-bear physique.
** MultiformBalance: A werewolf might be able to assume more than one of the forms listed above, each with its own advantages. For example in 3rd Edition ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', lycanthropes can either take either a full animal form or a hybrid, more humanoid form. The image used above shows the five separate forms used in ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse''. A simple version of this variant can be found in wolflike forms that merely alternate between walking on their hind feet and on all fours.

** ''Heredity'': Some werewolves are simply born that way to begin with: They either belong to a distinct species, or lycanthropy is a genetic condition (or hereditary curse) that was passed down through their family line, often manifesting around the DangerousSixteenthBirthday (give or take a few years). In SpeculativeFiction, the werewolf is often neither really wolf nor man, but some [[IntelligentGerbil species of alien]].
** ''Circumstance'': Some werewolves are born that way because of some special circumstance related to their parents, or the date of their conception or birth was WhenThePlanetsAlign or similar cause.
*** One werewolf legend says that if a person is born on the 24th of December or conceived on the night of a new moon, he will become a werewolf. For this reason the historical King John of England was accused of having become a werewolf after his death (though, as Montague Summers says, with splendid insanity, "It is very curious that King John should become a werewolf after death, and one suspects there may be some confusion here, and that he became a [[FurAgainstFang vampire]].")
** ''Disease'': Lycanthropy is an [[ViralTransformation infectious condition]], passed on (like [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires... maybe]]) to any surviving victim of a werewolf attack (usually a bite). Rarely is it explicitly established that disease-style Lycanthropy isn't also hereditary, though it often is. This is a [[NewerThanTheyThink fairly new addition]] to werewolf lore.
** ''Magic'': Becoming a werewolf is the result of [[AWizardDidIt magical forces]] or AppliedPhlebotinum at work. It could be due a BlackMagic ceremony or making a DealWithTheDevil, or it could be the result of a {{Curse}} placed on the person by some EvilSorceror or whatnot -- other popular causes may include typical MadScientist experiments, DemonicPossession, exposure to GreenRocks... the list goes on. Certain magicians (particularly Druids) have learned to [[VoluntaryShapeshifter change their form at will]] -- they may insist they are TotallyNotAWerewolf, and rightly so.

* The underlying cause of one's lycanthropic condition. Technically, a number of variations are possible: in some mythologies, a werewolf is an ''actual wolf'' who can [[HumanityEnsues assume human form]] rather than the other way around (we call that kind of creature a wolfwere nowadays). However, far and away the most popular concept is that a werewolf is a human who has somehow acquired the ability to transform ([[VoluntaryShapeshifter willingly]] or [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting otherwise]]) into a wolf. Popular methods include a ViralTransformation after being bitten by a previous werewolf, but there are many possible causes:

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/forms2_copy_2079.jpg]]

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/werewolfmoon_4581.jpg]]

[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_bullet_5637.png]]

[[quoteright:213:SilverBullet https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_bullet_5637.png]]

[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_bullet_5637.png]]

[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_bullet_5637.png SilverBullet]]

[[SilverBullet quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_bullet_5637.png]]

[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_bullet_5637.png]]

** Sometimes werewolves can simply join wolfpacks without the wolves noticing a difference, or at least without reacting. (Although in real life, wolfpacks are highly territorial and will usually attack non-member wolves on sight.)

* A werewolf may maintain their human mind while transformed, or they may [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody receive the mind of that animal]]. Or end up somewhere in between. Or [[UnstoppableRage they may just go crazy]]. In either case, they may also be subject to an [[HorrorHunger irresistible urge to dine on human flesh]]. As a general rule, the more voluntary their transformations, the more control the individual retains in their wolf-shape -- it wouldn't make much sense to voluntarily choose a transformation that requires going nuts, would it? Sometimes this is subverted and the shapeshifter might voluntarily enter this form knowing they'll lose control, but in these cases the shapeshifter will almost always turn out to be unrepentantly and totally evil and get a thrill off this much like a serial killer. In fact, some anthropologists believe werewolf lore was in part a way of the ancients explaining serial killers who horribly mutilated their victims.

** MultiformBalance: A werewolf might be able to assume more than one of the forms listed above, each with its own advantages. For example in 3rd Edition ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', lycanthropes can either take either a full animal form or a hybrid, more humanoid form. The image used above shows the five separate forms used in ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse''.

* Sexism is rampant in the werewolf world. Female werewolves [[note]]Who were never called "wifwolves" despite what some pedants claim. "Were" means "man" as a unisex term for human, not specifically a male human. A lady werewolf wishing to differentiate from her male counterparts is more likely to call herself a "werebitch" instead.[[/note]] are less often depicted than males, which makes some sense since werewolves are arguably a metaphor for male aggression. When lady werewolves ''are'' depicted, it's especially rare to see one as alpha; there may even be an explicit rule that females are not allowed to lead. This aspect of the mythos is edging into {{discredited| trope}} territory though, with gender equality being the norm in modern speculative fiction. In visual media, female werewolves are [[BeautyIsNeverTarnished still rare]], and onscreen transformations are just about non-existent due to censorship reasons (her clothes being shredded in the process of transformation). Of course, there are a lot of female werewolves in works by the UsefulNotes/{{furry fandom}} [[CuteMonsterGirl because]], [[AmazonianBeauty um]], [[RuleOfSexy well...]]

* Although actual wolves are rather slender, many werewolves will be depicted as [[MusclesAreMeaningful large and muscular]], usually to emphasize their physical superiority to human, Although that’s not always [[Hunk the]] [[AmazonianBeauty only]] [[YouSexyBeast reason.]]

* Sexism is rampant in the werewolf world. Female werewolves [[note]]Who were never called "wifwolves" despite what some pedants claim. "Were" means "man" as a unisex term for human, not specifically a male human. A lady werewolf wishing to differentiate from her male counterparts is more likely to call herself a "werebitch" instead.[[/note]] are less often depicted than males, which makes some sense since werewolves are arguably a metaphor for male aggression. When lady werewolves ''are'' depicted, it's especially rare to see one as alpha; there may even be an explicit rule that females are not allowed to lead. This aspect of the mythos is edging into {{discredited| trope}} territory though, with gender equality being the norm in modern speculative fiction. In visual media, female werewolves are [[BeautyIsNeverTarnished still rare]], and onscreen transformations are just about non-existent due to censorship reasons (her clothes being shredded in the process of transformation). Of course, there are a lot of female werewolves in works by the UsefulNotes/{{furry fandom}} [[CuteMonsterGirl because]], [[RuleOfSexy well...]]

* The extent of their vulnerabilities and/or their resistance to everything else, varies. Sometimes, they can be ''hurt'' by mundane means, but it takes their weakness to ''kill'' them. Or they may be completely invulnerable otherwise. Alternately, Silver may only negate their invulnerablity/kill them, or they could have an adverse reaction (mystical or chemical) to simple contact with silver.

** ''Man-Wolf'': PettingZooPeople with a fur-covered humanoid body and a fully lupine head. Man-wolves seem to have become more popular than wolf-men recently, likely due to increasing special effects technology; the old wolf-man design was purely for the purposes of suggesting wolfishness while remaining within the limits of latex applications. It might also involve a GrowingMusclesSequence and sometimes MonsterModesty.

** MultiformBalance: A werewolf might be able to assume more than one of the forms listed above, each with its own advantages. For example in 3rd Edition ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', lycanthropes can either take either a full animal form or a hybrid form resembling PettingZooPeople. The image used above shows the five separate forms used in ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse''.

*** One werewolf legend says that if a person is born on the 24th of December or conceived on the night of a new moon, he will become a werewolf. For this reason the historical King John of England was accused of having become a werewolf after his death (though, as Montague Summers says, with [[CrazyAwesome splendid insanity]], "It is very curious that King John should become a werewolf after death, and one suspects there may be some confusion here, and that he became a [[FurAgainstFang vampire]].")

** ''WolfMan'': In [[TheForties '40s]] horror films, the transformation usually took the form of a [[BeastMan hairy humanoid]] with a scattering of animal features, such as pointed ears, fangs, claws, and maybe a more canine nose or even a tail, but otherwise remaining almost entirely human, like LittleBitBeastly (The "classic" Wolf Man appearance is not entirely dissimilar to the symptoms of a rare genetic disorder, hypertrichosis.) Common with ClothingDamage. May be used as a GameFace to intimidate, or a PartialTransformation between full man and full wolf.

*** There are some folktales where the absence of this trope is actually very important. The story usually involves a hunter critically injuring a werewolf, and then discovering the werewolf in human form with the exact same wound.

** ''Magic'': Becoming a werewolf is the result of [[AWizardDidIt magical forces]] or AppliedPhlebotinum at work. It could be due a BlackMagic ceremony or making a DealWithTheDevil, or it could be the result of a {{Curse}} placed on the person by some EvilSorceror or whatnot -- other popular causes may include typical MadScientist experiments, exposure to GreenRocks... the list goes on. Certain magicians (particularly Druids) have learned to [[VoluntaryShapeshifter change their form at will]] -- they may insist they are TotallyNotAWerewolf, and rightly so.

* A werewolf normally loses their clothing when they shift; either it falls off when they turn into a normal wolf, or it's shredded when they grow in size. But in some stories, they may have a [[MagicPants special outfit]] that withstands the shift, or their human body is displaced when they transform and they get it back--along with their clothing--when they revert back to human. Interestingly, werewolves are far more likely to have the "naked shapeshifter" problem than vampires or witches.