History Main / OpenTheIris

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** "The Desert"

** "Lake Laogai"

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' short "Chicken Scratch" Dee Dee sees Dexter with chicken pox and this happens to her.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' episode [[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS2E4TaskForceX "Task Force X,"]] Plastique's iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.

** One episode crossing over with ''Series/TheXFiles'' has a glowing alien with huge eyes spotted in Springfield. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXW_O67MGS0 It's actually]] [[spoiler:Mr. Burns whacked out of his gourd on painkillers.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', Gary gets this when Spongebob informs him it's time for a bath...though in his case, his pupils growing bigger means he's ''[[OhCrap scared]]''.

** Zeke's irises tend to enlarge when he's really excited about something, like when Malik lets him play with a rubberband in "Brother Day."
** In "Gift For a Fish," Mr. E expands his irises and gets shines in his eyes after [[LoveInterest Ellie]] dries him off.

* In J.R.Ward's ''Literature/BlackDaggerBrotherhood'' paranormal romance series, the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] {{seer|s}} [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast character]] [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Vishous]] has this happen to his left eye whenever he deliberately tries to look into someone's future or to [[LaserGuidedAmnesia bury their memories]].

Opening the [[TeleFrag iris]] in ''Series/StargateSG1'' has nothing to do with this trope. See DilatingDoor for doors like that. It also has nothing to do with the EldritchAbomination [[WebVideo/GeminiHomeEntertainment of a planet]].

* In ''Webcomic/RustyAndCo'', [[http://rustyandco.com/comic/level-6-25/ even in minature, we can see how white Madeline's eyes get what she sees what Cube is doing.]]

* It happens occasionally to Sousuke from ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', though not too often, considering how normally [[TheStoic unphasable]] he is. He's shown doing this more often during ''TSR'', and it's noticeable in the ''Sigma'' manga as well.

* Happens to [[EverythingsEvenWorseWithSharks Bruce]] in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' as a result of him suddenly reverting back into "a mindless eating machine" after accidentally [[GRatedDrug sniffing Dory's blood]].

Opening the [[TeleFrag iris]] in ''Series/StargateSG1'' has nothing to do with this trope. See DilatingDoor for doors like that.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': This trope has been done a few times in South Park.
** In [[Recap/SouthParkS19E1StunningAndBrave "Stunning And Brave"]], one of the PC Bros falls off the balcony and hits his head during the fight against them, when he hits his head his pupils become very dilated.
** In [[Recap/SouthParkS20E4WienersOut "Wieners Out"]], when Sheila walks in on Gerald in the bathroom at night, he hisses at her with light shining on his face and very small pupils.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' plays with the trope. Curt Connors' iris ''narrows'' to a vertical slit, then opens back up to a normal human one. Well, sort of. None of the people in this AnimatedSeries ''have'' pupils, just irises.

* It happens occasionally to Sousuke from ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', though not too often, considering how normally [[TheStoic unphasable]] he is. He's shown doing this more often during ''TSR'', and it's noticeable in the ''Sigma'' manga [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/full_metal_panic_sigma/v02/c007/21.html as well]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', this is one of Homer's reactions as he chows down on Krusty Burger's barbecue sandwiches, repeated along with the action itself and fat and suchlike flooding into his system (a ShoutOut to ''Film/RequiemForADream''). In another episode, it happens when he [[ToadLicking licks hallucinogenic toads]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', Gary gets this when Spongebob informs him it's time for a bath...though in his case, his pupils growing bigger means he's [[OhCrap ''scared'']].

* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', Gary gets this when Spongebob informs him it's time for a bath...though in his case, his pupils growing bigger means he's ''scared.''

* ComicBook/{{Concrete}} can actually do this with his eyes, dilating them until there's nothing but the black of the pupils visible in order to see in the dark. According to ''Under the Desert Stars'' his eyes "dilate enormously, adding light-gathering power to their high resolution", though in a later story Maureen described his night-vision as being similar to that of a cat or dog (which doesn't explain at all why they turn black), so the original explanation of how they work may or may not have been [[RetCon retconned]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', this is one of Homer's reactions as he chows down on Krusty Burger's barbecue sandwiches, repeated along with the action itself and fat and suchlike flooding into his system (a ShoutOut to ''Film/RequiemForADream''). Also, when he [[ToadLicking licks hallucinogenic toads]] in another episode.

* The animation style of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' usually shows an all-black pupil/iris with the anime-standard lens flare and a cresent of color near the bottom of the eye. When a character is shocked, scared, or incredibly pissed off, you can see the iris all the way around. [[WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises Their eyes kind of shrink, too.]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

--> '''Kageyama''': "...you like Takasaki-san, don't you!?"
--> '''Eiichirou''' (his irises shrinking to tiny dots): "EEEEEEEHHHHHH!?!?!"
--> '''Kageyama''': "What's with that reaction?"
* [[Manga/ChisSweetHome Chi]]'s irises got HUGE when she saw a shopping bag filled with kitty toys. Of course, [[KidsPreferBoxes she went straight for the bag.]]

[[folder:Comics]]

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]

* In the pilot of ''Series/{{Sense 8}}'', when Riley inhales from the drug pipe, we get a close-up on her iris widening.

[[folder:Music]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''WebComic/{{Homestuck}}'': In the end-of-Act-5 flash, Rose comes to a sudden realization about [[BatmanGambit the nature of The Tumor]]. Her eyes widen as the camera zooms in on them for dramatic effect, and then everything goes ''wrong''.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' uses this most memorably when Lrrr ("Ruler of the planet Omnicon Persei VIII!") eats a hippie and then addresses an audience.

[[folder:Film]]
* Tweaked in 2004's ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004''. When the anonymous woman reanimated, we got a closeup shot of her eye turning from normal human green to that freaky occluded color.
* Happens a lot in horror movies, when a person who's a vampire/possessed/under a spell goes from looking normal human to looking like they're a vampire/possessed/under a spell.

* Common trope in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents''.

---> '''Long Feng:''' [[ManchurianAgent The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai.]]
---> '''Jet:''' I am honored to accept his invitation.
* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible: So The Drama'', Kim's iris and pupil go bigger, then smaller when she is shocked [[spoiler: by her android boyfriend who works for Drakken and Shego]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' plays with the trope. Curt Connors' iris ''narrows'' to a vertical slit, then opens back up to a normal human one. Well, sort of. None of the people in this AnimatedSeries ''have'' pupils, just irises.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', this is one of Homer's reactions as he chows down on Krusty Burger's barbecue sandwiches, repeated along with the action itself and fat and suchlike flooding into his system (a ShoutOut to ''Film/RequiemForADream'').
** Also, when he [[ToadLicking licks hallucinogenic toads]].
** In general, this is the way Simpsons characters show that a psychoactive drug/medication is kicking in. ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' uses the trope in the same way.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' provides the page image. The animation uses eye tropes heavily to convey emotions, and Open the Iris is used to show, just for example, epiphany, wonder, greed, insanity, terror, emphasis of a key phrase, and the sensation of [[ItMakesSenseInContext burping up a scroll]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', Gary gets this when Spongebob informs him it's time for a bath...though in his case, his pupils growing bigger means he's ''scared.''
* Happens to [[EverythingsEvenWorseWithSharks Bruce]] in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' as a result of him suddenly reverting back into "a mindless eating machine" after accidentally [[GRatedDrug sniffing Dory's blood]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'' this happens to many of the characters at times, but for the most part everyone's eyes are already so huge that this trope is almost unnecessary.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS2E4TaskForceX Plastique’s iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.
* ''WesternAnimation/SantaClausIsCominToTown'': Kris gets these when he sees the Winter Warlock for the first time.

The opposite, when the irises are drawn in a shrunken state to indicate fear, pain, or shock is WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises. Compare ExpressiveMask. Not to be confused with IrisOut.

Common emotions this is meant to covey include love, (pleasant) surprise, desire, or awe. Animated characters experiencing the MushroomSamba almost always get a [[CloseUpOnHead close-up of their eyes]] showing this, just before reality goes sideways for them. Those effected by a {{Glamour}}, LovePotion, or LoveIsInTheAir effect may also get this, though those may be indicated with MindControlEyes instead.

Common emotions this is meant to covey include (pleasant) surprise, desire, or awe. Animated characters experiencing the MushroomSamba almost always get a [[CloseUpOnHead close-up of their eyes]] showing this, just before reality goes sideways for them. Those effected by a {{Glamour}}, LovePotion, or LoveIsInTheAir effect may also get this, though those may be indicated with MindControlEyes instead.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimited[[{{S2E4TaskForceX}}]] Plastique’s iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimited[[S2E4TaskForceX]] Plastique’s iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS2E4TaskForceX Plastique’s iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' Recap/S2E4TaskForceX: Plastique’s iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.

* WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited S2E4TaskForceX: Plastique’s iris narrows every time she has a OhCrap moment.