History Main / BenevolentMonsters

* HunterOfTheirOwnKind: Sometimes, a [[HunterOfMonsters monster hunter]] happens to be [[{{Irony}} the same kind of monster they hunt]], fighting off more malevolent members of their kind to protect humans.

* AscendedDemon
* BigHeartedBigfoot
* ChummyMummy
* DelightfulDragon
* FriendlyGhost
* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire
** VegetarianVampire
* FriendlySkeleton
* FriendlyZombie
* WonderfulWerewolf

* BenevolentAbomination

All of the above types of monsters are usually depicted as being evil and scary. Also closely related to the ReluctantMonster, which is a monster that may look frightening, but has no actual desire to harm people. Also see DarkIsNotEvil, where characters themed around dark or terrifying things are actually benevolent or at least not malicious, and FaceOfAThug, which has the same general "looks scary but is actually nice" dynamic as this trope without necessarily being about monsters specifically. See also DomesticatedDinosaurs, where this trope applies to prehistoric animals. See the "Meta" section on this page for other related tropes.

[[folder:Meta]]
* MonsterTown: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Which is a functional village of monsters]]. Usually, the inns and shop prices are heightened to encourage you to leave them alone, but the fact that they help at all, as opposed to taking revenge for you smushing their cousins, puts them here.
* MonsterAllies: A monster who joins as a party member. This may result from DefeatMeansFriendship or, well, this trope.
* CuteMonsterGirl and GorgeousGorgon: They often range from neutral to outright benevolent, often dealing with some manner of prejudice or unsavory legends about them caused by their [[FreakinessShame "monstrous" appearance]].
[[/folder]]

Naturally, this is the super-trope of the following:

All of the above types of monsters are usually depicted as being evil and scary. Also closely related to the ReluctantMonster, which is a monster that may look frightening, but has no actual desire to harm people. Also see DarkIsNotEvil, where characters themed around dark or terrifying things are actually benevolent or at least not malicious, and FaceOfAThug, which has the same general "looks scary but is actually nice" dynamic as this trope without necessarily being about monsters specifically. See also DomesticatedDinosaurs, where this trope applies to prehistoric animals. See the "Meta" section on this page for other related tropes.

Compare this trope with HumansAreTheRealMonsters, which is this trope's [[SisterTrope blood brother]]; after all, if the monsters aren't evil, then ''somebody'' else probably is. Compare and contrast with the NonMaliciousMonster, which is a monster that really ''is'' very dangerous, but is ''not'' consciously evil or malevolent; it is simply acting out of animalistic instinct (i.e. killing and eating people just to survive). Lastly, there's NotAlwaysEvil, which would be when the monsters in question have other interests besides being villains all the time.

'''Warning: Since this trope is often the end result of a reveal, expect spoilers.'''

* ''Series/SesameStreet'' has long made a point of featuring the cuddliest of monsters, from Elmo to [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire the easily-amused Count]], to the [[BigEater ever-hungry Cookie Monster]]. The worst of the lot is usually Oscar, who's just [[GrumpyBear the Grouch.]] Indeed, some of the nicest monsters are the toughest, scariest-looking, like Herry and Frazzle. In many of Herry's early appearances, he appears to be mean or frightening, but ends up showing his friendly side (often after he unintentionally scared others off).

* In ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', despite the dragons menacing Berk, [[SubvertedTrope stealing their sheep and burning down their homes]], it turns out that they do this at the behest of a colossal dragon queen. On their own, [[DoubleSubverted they integrate with such ease into Viking life]] that it boggles the mind. Indeed, as far as the movie is concerned, the Dragon Manual listing the threat of some dragons is a string of {{Informed Attribute}}s.
* In ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2'', the entire weight of dragon villainy rests on the shoulders of [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters one man]], BigBad [[MeaningfulName Drago]]. In ''this'' movie, dragons only do bad things when made to do so by a bad man.

** Most "bad" Pokémon have the most justifiable of motives (like stealing food to support themselves or their pack members in desperation). Taken UpToEleven in the movies, where almost every Pokémon that causes a problem does so completely on accident (Palkia and Dialga would simply be content to fight amongst themselves in AnotherDimension except they keep accidentally intersecting the heroes' world), or because a human interfered with them or put them up to it.

* ''Manga/HeterogeniaLinguistico'': The [[WolfMan werewolves]], LizardFolk, [[OurMinotaursAreDiifferent minotaurs]], and so on are just as sapient as humans, they just communicate in different ways. And far from being "monsters", they all have their own complex cultures and customs, which Hakaba has to learn to navigate. No one has been actively malicious to him, though some behaviors can seem rude or hostile to those unfamiliar with the culture.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'': Your job is to hunt monsters who've been terrorizing a remote city, and most of whaat you find (including the humans) will attack on sight, but there are a few creatures who are quite friendly.

* In ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'', [[spoiler:Serini Toormuck]] has assembled a group of unusal non-humanoid monsters that even humans who might consider orcs and goblins to be people would probably see as abominations (in some cases because that's literally their creature type), apparently just by [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe being nice to them]]. In particular, a beholder who sees her as a parental figure, and who really doesn't want to hurt anyone. This is in keeping with [=OotS=]'s thesis that the AlwaysChaoticEvil races are only that way because everyone ''expects'' them to be, and won't give them a chance to be anything else. [[spoiler: Except vampires. Those guys are very specifically created to be irredemably evil, and also utter jerks about it.]]

* In ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'', [[spoiler:Serini Toormuck]] has assembled a group of unusal non-humanoid monsters that even humans who might consider orcs and goblins to be people would probably see as abominations (in some cases because that's literally their creature type), in particular a beholder who sees her as a parental figure, and who really doesn't want to hurt anyone. This is in keeping with [=OotS=]'s thesis that the AlwaysChaoticEvil races are only that way because everyone ''expects'' them to be, and won't give them a chance to be anything else. [[spoiler: Except vampires. Those guys are very specifically created to be irredemably evil, and also utter jerks about it.]]

-->Kong's king around here. He's a pretty good king.

* ''Manga/HeterogeniaLinguistico'': The [[WolfMan werewolves]], LizardFolk, {{minotaur}}s, and so on are just as sapient as humans, they just communicate in different ways. And far from being "monsters", they all have their own complex cultures and customs, which Hakaba has to learn to navigate. No one has been actively malicious to him, though some behaviors can seem rude or hostile to those unfamiliar with the culture.

* ''WesternAnimation/RoswellConspiracies'' has Ti-Yet, a Yeti whose tribe settled in the Himalayas. Although initially antagonistic he is a creature of honor who is only seeking to defend his people who have been safeguarding a DoomsdayDevice from those who might abuse it. He eventually becomes friends with [[TheHero Nick Logan]] and an agent for the Alliance.

* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': In this ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' fanfiction, [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonTitansAndOtherCreatures Monster X]] is essentially this to the human race. Monster X is a gigantic {{Kaiju}} and rather terrifying-looking, but it's overall highly benign and even benevolent to humans who haven't crossed it, and it goes more out of their way than even heroic Titans like Godzilla and Mothra do to avoid human casualties when it can. This trope is particularly prominent when [[PlayedForLaughs Monster X tries asking terrified civilians for directions at one point]].

* Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'s various incarnations have fallen under this as have other monsters in the Toho universe.
** After his HeelFaceTurn, the Showa (1955-1975) incarnation of Godzilla is a more heroic character that protects earth from various evil forces.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E6DemonsOfThePunjab "Demons of the Punjab"]], the Thijarians used to be the universe's foremost assassins, but after the destruction of their homeworld, the survivors took on a mission of witnessing the deaths of people who died alone and unmourned.

Compare this trope with HumansAreTheRealMonsters, which is this trope's [[SisterTrope blood brother]]; after all, if the monsters aren't evil, then ''somebody'' else probably is. Contrast with the NonMaliciousMonster, which is a monster that really ''is'' very dangerous, but is ''not'' consciously evil or malevolent; it is simply acting out of animalistic instinct (i.e. killing and eating people just to survive). Lastly, there's NotAlwaysEvil, which would be when the monsters in question have other interests besides being villains all the time.

** Most "bad" pokemon have the most justifiable of motives (like stealing food to support themselves or their pack members in desperation). Taken UpToEleven in the movies, where almost every Pokemon that causes a problem does so completely on accident (Palkia and Dialga would simply be content to fight amongst themselves in AnotherDimension except they keep accidentally intersecting the heroes' world), or because a human interfered with them or put them up to it.

** There was three Malamar in the X and Y series who, rather than having been psychopaths that sought to TakeOverTheWorld because of circumstance, [[AvertedTrope were simply just evil]]. Unlike the former two they were also quite dangerous.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'': The Beast starts out more or less as a monster in every measure but under Belle's influence he begins to show such qualities as kindness, thoughtfulness, selflessness and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking table manners]] over time.

* ''Film/TheShapeOfWater'' takes this trope even further, with the heroine [[InterspeciesRomance falling in love with]] the [[FishPeople Amphibian Man]] she is trying to save from [[TheyWouldCutYouUp disection]]. And yes, they do have sex.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has gone far, ''far'' out of its way to establish this (despite the fact that the mascot is a footlong rat that can ''shoot lightning from its face''), with the inevitable result of HumansAreTheRealMonsters; no matter how rational any given Pokemon is, you can generally expect the moral weight of its actions to be assigned to the trainer.
** In ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', Elm's aide waxes depressing about the mon stolen by the Jerkass rival, and mentions that Pokemon turn evil when used by evil trainers.
** The main conflict in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' is that people treat Pokemon unfairly by taking them for granted, which would make sense only if the humans assumed they posed no more threat than the average well-kept housepet.
** [[VideoGame/PokemonColosseum Shadow]] [[VideoGame/PokemonXD Pokemon]] are a DoubleSubversion. The main premise of the games is that these are special Pokemon who will attack humans on command (as though they normally ''wouldn't''), but these Shadow Pokemon are created by subjecting normals to what is suggested to be a kind of MindRape. They can be healed by good treatment, companionship, and sometimes even a visit from one of the OlympusMons.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' has one or two officially evil Pokemon, like the absolute ''creep'' of a Gengar from [[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonRescueTeam the first installment]], but they don't count for much since ''all the characters'' are Pokemon. [[spoiler:And Gengar reforms in a bonus quest, which reveals that he was [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters originally a human]] (specifically, the one who abandoned Gardevoir and started the whole Ninetales legend that [[{{Hypocrite}} he was accusing you of perpetrating]])]].

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