History Main / PlagueDoctor

* ''Film/{{Prometheus}}''. The bisuit helmets used by the Engineers have this appearance. As they're handling a deadly alien pathogen, it's likely for RuleOfSymbolism.

* ''WebOriginal/{{Mortasheen}}'' features a family of monsters that are avian and heavily based in appearance on the plague doctor. This being Mortasheen they spread plague.
* French Youtube documentary channel ''[[https://www.youtube.com/user/notabenemovies/ Nota Bene]]'' (focused on history and mythology) has a 8-bit like plague doctor drawing as its logo. A more detailed one also appears in the opening title of early videos.

* The Russian ''Major Grom'' comic book series features a recurring SerialKiller character who wears a plague doctor mask.

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[[folder: Video Games]]

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} [[https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Spritzee Spritzee]] from ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' is a small pink bird who happens to be based on a plague doctor; its face resembles the iconic mask, it has the Healer ability (which lets it heal an ally's StatusEffects), one of its moves is Aromatherapy, and it's known as the Perfumed Pokemon. Its evolved form, [[https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Aromatisse Aromatisse]], does not continue this motif, however, instead resembling a [[StandardSnippet/TheCancanSong cancan dancer]] with [[MasqueradeBall a bird mask]].
* In ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' the guards of the city of Geffen [[http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRofF3aYcDF2iwddL2LO2yDe22cS_ow93oMbNgDO3O4Z-TBHhcl_syvH3g- have a uniform]] heavily based on the plague doctors, sans hat. There is, however, no plague. Note that the plague doctors' outfits in real life are themselves based on military uniforms.
* In ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'':

[[folder: Visual Novels]]
* In ''VisualNovel/TheArcana'', Julian, Valdemar, and [[spoiler: the Apprentice]] all worked as plague doctors. Julian's first appearance has him wearing the iconic mask.
* Twilight foot soldiers in ''VisualNovel/CodeRealize'' wear a black uniform with a raven's head mask, rather appropriate for an intelligence organization run by [[spoiler: an alchemically-created ArtificialHuman with an agenda related to chemical weapons and the Philosopher's Stone.]]
* In VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney, TheCoroner Dr. Maria Gorey wears a Plague Doctor-esque mask when first introduced.
* In ''VisualNovel/HavenfallIsForLovers'', Frankenstein wears the full getup, which he very likely adopted back when such suits were in common use given that he's several centuries old by the time of the visual novel.
* [[BigBad Zero II]]'s outfit in ''VisualNovel/ZeroTimeDilemma'' is based off of a plague doctor, although obviously more for fashion than for function, judging by the frilly cravat and butterfly pin they also adorn. It is also symbolic of [[spoiler:him being the {{Plaguemaster}} who unleashes the Radical-6 virus on the world, which kills 6 million people]].

[[folder: Webcomics]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'' the captain of the ''Latihan'' wears a microbial isolation suit modeled after [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20180809.html a plague doctor's outfit]] for the intimidation value. It's even worse after he pumps the atmosphere full of [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20180820.html hallucinogens]].

[[folder: Web Original]]
* In Franchise/TheFearMythos, one of the Fears is known as the Plague Doctor. It looks like the historical doctor, but instead of treating disease, [[WalkingWasteland it spreads it.]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', the [[{{Mooks}} various members]] of the Emperor's Coven all wear uniforms reminiscent of plague doctors. In an interesting touch, the type of bird your mask is styled after seems to represent your rank; the town guards look like ravens, [[WardensAreEvil Warden Wrath]] wears a classic ibis mask, Coven Witches have parrot-like helmets, we briefly see a musician wearing a [[VisualPun songbird]] variant, [[TheDragon the Golden Guard]] has an owl helmet, and [[BigBad Emperor Belos]] himself wears a golden helm that kind of resembles a vulture head (with horns).

[[folder: Real Life]]

* The ''Website/SCPFoundation'' has [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-049 SCP-049]]. [[{{Creepypasta}} This being the Foundation]], naturally he's a horrifying DeadlyDoctor. He also doesn't seem to be aware that he is one, and [[ObliviouslyEvil genuinely thinks that he's helping to treat the Plague]]. He actually isn't a man wearing plague doctor clothes but a humanoid entity which skin and face that are identical to plague doctor's garb and mask. It is never made clear if the pestilence he claims to cure is a real disease threatening humanity or he is just delusional. There's also an AffectionateParody of him in the form of [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-049-j SCP-049-J]], which is basically the original SCP-049 played for BlackComedy. SCP-049 also has an alternate universe counterpart in the Aces & Eights canon who is a more normal plague doctor, and also female, except instead of wearing the outfit to protect herself from disease, she wears it to make sure she doesn't spread the disease she is carrying to the people around her.

* ''VideoGame/LobotomyCorporation'': One of the [[EldritchAbomination abnormalities]] you have to manage is a plague doctor who appears to have a pair of large crow wings.

** In the short story "The Triple Knife" from ''The Legends of Ashildr'', London during the Black Death is visited by three alien Scientists who resemble leathery bird-men. Ashildr first thinks they're trying to cure the plague, but it turns out they just see the infected as useful lab animals. She's later astonished to find that the idea they were doctors has resulted in genuine plague doctors copying the look.

** In the short story "The Triple Knife" from ''The Legends of Ashildr'', London during the Black Death is visited by three alien Scientists who resemble leathery bird-men. Ashildr first thinks they're trying to cure the plague, but it turns out they just see the infected as useful lab animals. She's later astonished to find that the idea they were doctors has resulted in genuine plague doctors copying the look (somewhat ahistorically, since this is the 14th century outbreak).

* ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse:
** Literature/NewSeriesAdventures'' novel ''Plague City'' the Doctor, Bill and Nardole meet a female plague doctor in 17th century Edinburgh, who takes advantage of the mask to avoid the prejudices of the era. There is also the Night Doctor, a mysterious figure in a plague doctor outfit who visits those who are doomed to die. [[spoiler: It turns out to be Anabelle's outfit animated by an alien intelligence]].
** In the short story "The Triple Knife" from ''The Legends of Ashildr'', London during the Black Death is visited by three alien Scientists who resemble leathery bird-men. Ashildr first thinks they're trying to cure the plague, but it turns out they just see the infected as useful lab animals. She's later astonished to find that the idea they were doctors has resulted in genuine plague doctors copying the look (somewhat ahistorically, since this is the 14th century outbreak.)

* In the ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse Literature/NewSeriesAdventures'' novel ''Plague City'' the Doctor, Bill and Nardole meet a female plague doctor in 17th century Edinburgh, who takes advantage of the mask to avoid the prejudices of the era. There is also the Night Doctor, a mysterious figure in a plague doctor outfit who visits those who are doomed to die. [[spoiler: It turns out to be Anabelle's outfit animated by an alien intelligence]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'': ** There is a set of quests set in West Ardougne collectively named the Plague City Quests where a half of a city has been affected by a plague and the people are being treated by plague doctors known as the Mourners. As the player investigates it is discovered that the plague is actually a hoax and the Mourners are actually evil elves in disguise who are taking humans as slave labor under the guise of taking them to be treated.

* In ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'': ** There is a set of quests set in West Ardougne collectively named the Plague City Quests where a half of a city has been affected by a plague and the people are being treated by plague doctors known as the Mourners. As the player investigates it is discovered that the plague is actually a hoax and the Mourners are actually evil elves in disguise who are taking humans as slave slave labor under the guise of taking them to be treated.

* In ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'' there is a set of quests set in West Ardougne collectively named the Plague City Quests that live this trope to a T. You learn to love Ye Olde Worlde hazmat suits.

* The ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'' has [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-049 SCP-049]]. [[{{Creepypasta}} This being the Foundation]], naturally he's a horrifying DeadlyDoctor. He also doesn't seem to be aware that he is one, and [[ObliviouslyEvil genuinely thinks that he's helping to treat the Plague]]. He actually isn't a man wearing plague doctor clothes but a humanoid entity which skin and face that are identical to plague doctor's garb and mask. It is never made clear if the pestilence he claims to cure is a real disease threatening humanity or he is just delusional. There's also an AffectionateParody of him in the form of [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-049-j SCP-049-J]], which is basically the original SCP-049 played for BlackComedy. SCP-049 also has an alternate universe counterpart in the Aces & Eights canon who is a more normal plague doctor, and also female, except instead of wearing the outfit to protect herself from disease, she wears it to make sure she doesn't spread the disease she is carrying to the people around her.

The costume itself was associated with death (where there's plague, commonly known as the black death, there's the beak doctors), which has become deeply ingrained in popular culture. Thus, a plague doctor's outfit is a typical go-to [[RuleOfScary creepy]] costume, the resemblance to both TheGrimReaper and CreepyCrows doing this effect no harm at all. It is particularly used when the setting has TheBlackDeath or [[ThePlague its equivalent]] featured. Another common interpretation of this trope is to make the Plague Doctor ''[[{{Plaguemaster}} spread]]'' [[DeadlyDoctor plague]] instead of treating it.[[note]]There's probably some TruthInTelevision to this: the lax hygiene standards of the period meant that the coats they wore were probably washed infrequently at best (and most certainly weren't sterilized to modern standards), and thus some would literally carry the plague, or any other nasty and opportunistic hitchhiker, with them wherever they went. Say, anthrax. Or smallpox. Or measles. Or typhoid. Or salmonella. Or 'flu. Or a complex blend of ''whatever else'' mixed in with the ''Yersinia pestis'' that'll keep you up at 03:00.[[/note]] The plague doctor's costume is also very often associated with the Middle Ages, [[AnachronismStew despite they only being used in the 17th century]], quite long after what is considered to be the end of the medieval period — likely because the deadliest and most recognizable plage pandemic happened in the 12th century.

The costume itself was associated with death (where there's plague, commonly known as the black death, there's the beak doctors), which has become deeply ingrained in popular culture. Thus, a plague doctor's outfit is a typical go-to [[RuleOfScary creepy]] costume, the resemblance to both TheGrimReaper and CreepyCrows doing this effect no harm at all. It is particularly used when the setting has TheBlackDeath or [[ThePlague its equivalent]] featured. Another common interpretation of this trope is to make the Plague Doctor ''[[{{Plaguemaster}} spread]]'' [[DeadlyDoctor plague]] instead of treating it.[[note]]There's probably some TruthInTelevision to this: the lax hygiene standards of the period meant that the coats they wore were probably washed infrequently at best (and most certainly weren't sterilized to modern standards), and thus some would literally carry the plague, or any other nasty and opportunistic hitchhiker, with them wherever they went. Say, anthrax. Or smallpox. Or measles. Or typhoid. Or salmonella. Or 'flu. Or a complex blend of ''whatever else'' mixed in with the ''Yersinia pestis'' that'll keep you up at 03:00.[[/note]] The plague doctor's costume is very often associated with the Middle Ages, [[AnachronismStew despite they only being used in the 17th century]] — quite long after what is considered to be the end of the medieval period —, likely because the deadliest and most recognizable plage pandemic happened in the 12th century.

The costume itself was associated with death (where there's plague, commonly known as the black death, there's the beak doctors), which has become deeply ingrained in popular culture. Thus, a plague doctor's outfit is a typical go-to [[RuleOfScary creepy]] costume, the resemblance to both TheGrimReaper and CreepyCrows doing this effect no harm at all. It is particularly used when the setting has TheBlackDeath or [[ThePlague its equivalent]] featured. Another common interpretation of this trope is to make the Plague Doctor ''[[{{Plaguemaster}} spread]]'' [[DeadlyDoctor plague]] instead of treating it.[[note]]There's probably some TruthInTelevision to this: the lax hygiene standards of the period meant that the coats they wore were probably washed infrequently at best (and most certainly weren't sterilized to modern standards), and thus some would literally carry the plague, or any other nasty and opportunistic hitchhiker, with them wherever they went. Say, anthrax. Or smallpox. Or measles. Or typhoid. Or salmonella. Or 'flu. Or a complex blend of ''whatever else'' mixed in with the ''Yersinia pestis'' that'll keep you up at 03:00.[[/note]]

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Spritzee from ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' is a small pink bird who happens to be based on a plague doctor; its face resembles the iconic mask, it has the Healer ability (which lets it heal an ally's StatusEffects), one of its moves is Aromatherapy, and it's known as the Perfumed Pokemon.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', the [[{{Mooks}} various members]] of the Emperor's Coven all wear uniforms reminiscent of plague doctors. In an interesting touch, the type of bird your mask is styled after seems to represent your rank; the town guards look like ravens, [[WardensAreEvil Warden Wrath]] wears a classic ibis mask, Coven Witches have parrot-like helmets, and [[BigBad Emperor Belos]] himself wears a golden helm that kind of resembles a vulture head (with horns).

* The ''Toys/{{Squishables}}'' plush line has the "Plague Doctor" line of characters. Originally planned for a Halloween release, it was released at a different point that coincided with the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. The main character of the series is a black cloaked vulture-like bird wearing a white plague doctor mask and hat, along with holding a lantern. Eventually, a white-clad Plague ''Nurse'' was released in the series as well, holding her lantern in the opposite hand so the two of them can hold hands.

* Behold, [[https://www.instagram.com/mysteriousdrplague/ the Mysterious Dr. Plague]], an official blog for a line of stuffed animals based off of the traditional plague doctor and his DistaffCounterpart, the Plague Nurse.