History Main / Medusa

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. Oh, and [[LogicBomb don't look]] at the illustration to the left!

* ''ClashOfTheTitans'' (2010) was a bit unusual in that its Medusa was not humanoid. Instead, she was a huge snake with a somewhat humanoid torso on it.

-> (MEDUSAAA!) She is staring at you, (MEDUSAAA!) with her eyes...

* [=~Rosario+Vampire~=] has Hitomi Ishigami, a MadArtist who turns unsuspecting people to stone for her private collection. Her snake hair bites people and the venom slowly petrifies them.

* [[PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians Percy Jackson]] faces Medusa (or [[spoiler: Aunty Em, as she's called]]) as one of the monsters he battles in PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians (both the film and the book).

* Medusa heads are a recurring enemy in the ''{{Castlevania}}'' games. SymphonyOfTheNight also has a full-body medusa who is depicted as a SnakePerson.

* She's a boss in ''GodOfWar''.

[[quoteright:350:[[DungeonsAndDragons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg]]]]

[[DungeonsAndDragons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg]]

* Medusa heads are a recurring enemy in the ''{{Castlevania}}'' games. SymphonyOfTheNight also has a full-body medusa whose upper body is a woman's and lower body is a snake's.

* Medusa heads are a recurring enemy in the ''{{Castlevania}}'' games.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg

[[quoteright:350:[[DungeonsAndDragons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350: [[LogicBomb Don't look at this picture.]]]]

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face.

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'' editions 3 and 3.5, Medusa is an AlwaysFemale species with a humanoid body but serpent skin. Petrifying Gaze attack as well as poison bites from the hair snakes come with the package. It is mentioned that Medusas can procreate with any humanoid species, the offspring normally becomes Medusas. There is no official cure for the petrification, but advanced magic can do the job.

* Medusa from ''SoulEater'' is a witch with a pronounced snake theme (includng having magical snakes stored in her body and a snake-like "vector arrow" attack). Even though she still looks "human" she still [[AnimalMotifs strongly resembles a snake]].

* MarvelUniverse used to feature a supervillain/superhero named Medusa. Her suprpower was long hair that could be used as tentacles to grab people. She was in the Comicbook/FantasticFour for a while. She was eventually PutOnABus to go and live in space with her fellow Inhumans, and mostly appears in Marvel Cosmic books these days.

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'' editions 3 and 3.5, Medusa is an AlwaysFemale species with humanoid body but serpent skin. Petrifying Gaze attack as well as poison bites from the hair snakes come with the package. It is mentioned that Medusas can procreate with any humanoid species, the offspring normally becomes Medusas. There is no official cure for teh petrification, but advanced magic can do the job.

* ''Heroes of Might and Magic III'' (and ''IV'', I think) had Medusas as minions of the Dungeon faction.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' games with medusas as monsters include ''Curse of the Azure Bonds'', ''Gateway to the Savage Frontier'', ''Pool of Radiance'', ''Pools of Darkness'' and ''Secret of the Silver Blades''

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg
[[caption-width:351: [[LogicBomb Don't look at this picture.]]]]

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. The image to the left shows a DungeonsAndDragons 3.5 Medusa, one of the settings where Medusa is [[AKindOfOne a species rather than an individual]].

** The Spanish name for this species ''is'' Medusa.

The other origin is that Medusa was a normal human until she got raped by Poseidon. As a human, Medusa was a priestess of Athena -- who required her priestess to remain virgins. In some versions of this Origin, Medusa actively sought refuge from Poseidon in Athena's temple. In either case Athena did nothing to stop the rape, choosing instead to punish Medusa for being violated by turning her into her new hideous form.

* ''FateStayNight'' features the actual Medusa (or, more precisely, her Heroic Spirit, i.e. superpowered ghost) as the Servant [[spoiler:Rider]]. While her eyes still turn people into stone, her "snake hair" is explained to be an exaggeration of her PrehensileHair magic that allows her to fight using her long hair as weapons.

[[caption: [[LogicBomb Don't look at this picture.]]]]

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. The image to the left shows a DungeonsAndDragons 3.5 Medusa, one of the settings where Medusa is [[AKindOfOne a species rather then an individual]].

The other origin is that Medusa was a normal human until she got raped by Poseidon, As a human, Medusa was a priestess of Athena - who required her priestess to remain virgins. In some versions of this Origin, Medusa actively sought refuge from Poseidon in Athena's temple. In either case Athena did nothing to stop the rape, choosing instead to punish Medusa for being violated by turning her into her new hideous form.

* RobotWars once had a robot called Medusa 2000; the design spec called for a flail at the back, to look rather like snake hair. Unfortunately, the weapon idea fell through, so all that was left was the name and the picture on the top of the robot, which never was shown clearly on TV.

* ''OrderOfTheStick'' has been known to throw in Medusas in the background, so far without ever being part of the plot. There is one standing in line for the ladie's bathroom in the first dungeon the [=PCs=] explore.

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. The image to the left shows a DungeonsAndDragons 3.5 Medusa, one of the settings where Medusa is a species rather then an individual.

!!!Examples

* MarvelUniverse used to feature a supervillain/superhero named Medusa. Her suprpower was long hair that could be used as tentacles to grab people. She was in the Comicbook/FantasticFour for a while. She was eventually PutOnABus to go and live in space with her fellow Inhumans, and very rarely appears these days.

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face. The image to the left shows the DungeonsAndDragons 3.5, one of the versions where Medusa is a species.

[[quoteleft:350:[[DungeonsAndDragons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg]]]]
Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life of her own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy — sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main characteristics are snakes for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face.

[[quoteright:350:[[DungeonsAndDragons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg]]]]

Originally a character in ClassicalMythology, Medusa has taken a life if it's own, and now exists in all kinds of fantasy - sometimes as a person, sometimes as an entire species. Medusa's main charecteristics is snake for hair and that people turn to stone just by seeing her face.

In almost all versions, Medusa is fully humanoid and AlwaysFemale. In some versions, her hair-snakes are poisonous. In others, they are not literal snakes but rather hair that supernaturally behaves as if it was made of living snakes. When a version contain a male Medusa, it's usually some SpearCounterpart with some other name.

The most likely oldest story with Medusa in it is the adventures of Perseus. In this story she is merely a BossMonster who Perseus defeats by decapitating her (and later using her head to petrify enemies) without looking at her - he sticks to looking at her shadow or looking through a mirror, depending on the version.

Myths and stories with background for Medusa was added later. There are two different such prequel myths regarding the origins of the original Medusa. When Medusa is used in fiction as an individual rather then as a species, she is typically given either one of these two origins, or no origin at all.

Medusa is the trope namer to GorgeousGorgon. Some of her depiction make her one of the SnakePeople.

** Another FarSide cartoon has Medusa growing up (her snake hair becoming GirlishPigtails, braids, beehive...).
* MarvelUniverse used to feature a supervillain/superhero named Medusa. Her suprpower was long hair that could be used as tentacles to grab people. She was in the fantastic four for a while. She was eventually PutOnABus to go and live in space with her fellow Inhumans, and very rarely appears these days.
* HeMan featured a male medusa-like character with snakes popping out of his eyes rather then hair. The main power, turning people to stone, was the same.
* Wonder Woman fought "Medousa". [[spoiler:WW protected herself by blinding herself, and then decapitated Medousa.]]

* ClashOfTheTitans (2010) was a bit unusual in that it's Medusa was was not humanoid. Instead, she was a huge snake with a somewhat humanoid torso on it.

* In Dante's ''[[DivineComedy Inferno]]'' Dante and his guide Virgil are initially barred from entering Lower Hell at the Gate of Dis in Circle Six. Those at the gate threaten to bring out Medusa to turn Dante to stone; Virgil, not trusting Dante to keep his own eyes closed, covers Dante's eyes with his own hands while they wait for divine aid to come to let them pass through.

* in ''LandOfTheLost'' "Meddie," a version of Medusa, appears as a beautiful young woman at first, before her hideous true form is revealed.

* Another origin is that Medusa and her sisters were so beautiful that they angered Athena/ bragged about being more beautiful than the goddess, in any case, Athena turned them into monsters so hideous men would turn to stone if they looked at them.

* One development stage of Jellyfish in named after Medusa.

* In DungeonsAndDragons 3 and 3.5, Medusa is an AlwaysFemale species with humanoid body but serpent skin. Petrifying Gaze attack as well as poison bites from the hair snakes come with the package. It is mentioned that Medusas can procreate with any humanoid species, the offspring normally becomes Medusas. There is no official cure for teh petrification, but advanced magic can do the job.
** In Savage Species, several intelligent monsters including Medusas was made into playable classes: If you wanted to play a Medusa under the standard rules you had to start at at least level 10, but with Savage Species you could start as a level 1 immature Medusa who had not yet developed her full potential.

* In DungeonsAndDragons 4:th edition, Medusas are a species in the usual sense, with both males and females. The female are the classic medusa, pretty much the same as in the previous edition except that she can now un-petrify her victims by applying a drop of her own blood. The males have different powers. Having male medusas with different powers have existed in DungeonsAndDragons before, but this is the first time the concept made it into a core book.
* In the DungeonsAndDragons setting ScarredLands, the Medusae species was created by the titan Mormo. In this setting, pretty much everything was created by the Titans, including the Gods. Two centuries ago the Gods rose up against them in what came to be known as the Titanswar or The Divine War. The Medusae was initially an important force at the titan's side, but they switched side to serve the Gods - particularly the neutral evil goddess Belsameth.

* KingsQuest III features a Medusa antagonist in the desert. The character need a mirror to defeat her. He also need to face away from her, or else he's petrified instantly. If he has the mirror and the player types "use mirror" fast enough, the Medusa see herself and is turned to stone. If he don't have it, or don't use it quickly enough, she will catch up and force him to look at her.
* Heroes of Might and Magic III (and IV I think) had them as minions of the Dungeon faction.

* ''FateStayNight'' features the actual Medusa (or, more precisely, her Heroic Spirit, i.e. superpowered ghost) as the Servant [[spoiler:Rider]]. While her eyes still turn people into stone, her "snake hair" are explained to be an exaggeration of her hair manipulation magic that allows her to fight using her long hair as weapons.
* Medusa appears as a lower-level boss in FinalFantasyIII.
* She's a boss in GodOfWar.

* The game RingsOfMedusa does not feature any character with any traits of the mythological Medusa. While "Medusa" is the main villain, she never comes into play herself, and she doesn't have any traits beyond being evil in a strictly ProtagonistCenteredMorality sense of the word.

* The ''AdventuresOfLolo'' games have a bust of Medusa as an enemy. It paralyzes and kills Lolo if he steps into its line of sight. The only way to get past them is to block their line of sight with an egg or Emerald Framer.

[[AC:WebComics]]

* OrderOfTheStick has been known to throw in Medusas in the background, so far without ever being part of the plot. There is one standing in line for the ladie's bathroom in the first dungeon the PCs dungeoncrawl through.

* ''TheWotch'' has Scott, who perennially finds himself getting petrified (and transgendered). On one occasion this happened when his girlfriend was temporarily changed into a Medusa and looked at him, after ''he'd'' been turned into a female elf. They both got better.

* CelebrityDeathmatch has Steve Irwin fighting against a Medusa. The fight ends with a ShoutOut to the ending of the original ''ClashOfTheTitans''.
* The episode of FairlyOddparents where Timmy, Cosmo, and Wanda visit ancient Greece and go to a party at Mt. Olympus features Medusa as a party-crasher.
* In ''{{Disney/Hercules}}'', Medusa was TheWoobie, who makes a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with Hades]] to make herself look like a regular girl.

Medusa is the trope namer to GorgeousGorgon.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/medusadod_7792.jpg

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