History Main / SinisterSilhouettes

* The ending credits for ''Anime/IronMan'' showed all of the enemies as sinister silhouettes with glowy red eyes, up to and including the BigBad.

** A particularly funny shot is when Doflamingo warns Tsuru about the increasing number of pirates who seek to take control of the world in the place of World Government. On [[https://www.opbforums.com/manga/One-Piece/chapter-801/page-8 the depiction of potential enemies of the world]], there is [[IdiotHero Luffy]] at the center, wearing his trademark stupid grin. In the shade that all the pirates are in, [[SlasherSmile Luffy's grin]] [[AccidentalNightmareFuel ends up making him look like the creepiest one of the lot]].

* Every suspect gets one of these in ''Manga/CaseClosed'' if the ColdOpen decides to show the crime in progress. Hilariously parodied in ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' where the principal suspect is a sinister silhouettes that is revealed be an alien and the silhouette its true appearance.

* Various openings of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' do this for Gym Leaders or Frontier Brains. Because, you know, the gym leader is totally the one you fight...

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' does this a lot, [[TerrorHero on purpose]].

* ''Film/KingOfTheRocketMen'' (1949). The sinister [[BigBad Dr Vulcan]] is only shown as a shadow on the wall [[MurderByRemoteControlVehicle taunting his victims]] and instructing his {{mooks}} via radio, before his real identity is unmasked by the JetPack-wearing hero. Unfortunately he lacks an [[EvilSoundsDeep appropriately sinister voice]] to go with his shadow.

* The Guyzoch Space Pirates are introduced this way in ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'', with their leaders, Prince Vorkken and Chewgi, shown as silhouettes illuminated only by the red TronLines and GlowingEyesOfDoom on their suits. The GEATHJERK Federation's commanders later get the same treatment [[spoiler:in the flashback detailing Vorkken's tragic backstory. Notably, it is the only time we get to see Second Officer Heyorgah, who Vorkken kills prior to his boss fight and is left as a grave.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' features "The Light", an TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness who are nothing but sinister silhouettes on a set of screens till TheReveal of their identities near the end of season 1. For an added touch, the silhouettes are ''white'', running with the team's name.

* Played with in "Amateur Night" in the horror anthology film ''Film/{{VHS}}''. Two college students have an OhCrap moment when a FaceRevealingTurn shows the woman their friend [[HornyDevils is having sex with has suddenly grown fangs]]. They flee into the bathroom, but since there's only one door in the hotel room have to go out and confront her. In the dimly lit room she appears in silhouette as a shadowy EldritchAbomination, but it turns out she's just holding her hands over her head. [[spoiler:Then she morphs into a OneWingedAngel and kills them all.]]

* ''Film/KingOfTheRocketMen'' (1949). The sinister [[BigBad Dr Vulcan]] is only shown as a shadow on the wall [[MurderByRemoteControlVehicle taunting his victims]] and instructing his {{mooks}} via radio, before his real identity is unmasked by the JetPack-wearing hero. Unfortunately he lacks an [[EvilIsHammy appropriately sinister voice]] to go with his shadow.

* About half the cast of ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' were introduced with silhouettes. The comic seems to have retired the practice, however, in recent years, [[JustForFun/TropeOverdosed likely to make room for other tropes]].
* The Creature Counsil in ''[[Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures DMFA]]'' meet as a cabal of sinister silhouettes... except the Phoenix representative ''who has an open flame on her head, and cannot lurk in shadows''.
* Loki in ''Webcomic/TheKamics'' likes to appear as a shadowy figure.
* The Speaker in ''Webcomic/{{Harkovast}}'' spent the first part of the comic appearing only as a silhouette, while making ominous statements.
* The Feline Emperor in the ''Webcomic/BladeOfToshubi'' has only been seen in silhouette.

* In this Website/SmackJeeves comic [[http://randomchaos.smackjeeves.com/comics/750327/the-start-of-chaos/]]and it's the ''first'' comic.
* Jack Noir often does this in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''. Granted, it's not hard to do, since he has a shiny black carapace. [[spoiler: But then he leaps over the MoralEventHorizon. After that, the sight of his shadow flying overhead is enough to elicit a mass OhCrap.]]

* This is how Williams's face is kept hidden in ''Webcomic/{{Remus}}'' once he pulls off his mask. We see eyes, teeth, and knives - that's it.
* Some silhouetted character seems to be stalking the main character in Webcomic/SurprisingOcteal while she's practicing with her powers in a pool.
* Early in ''Webcomic/EarsForElves'', [[http://www.earsforelves.com/archives/185 a black elf shape]] is seen (by readers only) sitting in a tree, watching Tanna after Rolan [[CrashIntoHello crashes into her]]. This conceals his identity until much later, after he's become a major and frequent character, when he confesses to chaperoning Rolan at that time.
* In ''WebComic/{{Precocious}}'', Ivy Pingo pulls this off rather formidably at the end of Kaitlyn's birthday party...[[http://www.precociouscomic.com/archive/comic/2011/02/12 or so we were led to believe.]]

** Eggman himself gets one in Issue 50.

* ''Webcomic/{{TREVOR}}'': Light from the hallway behind [[spoiler: Trevor]], as he [[PuppeteerParasite detaches himself]] from [[spoiler: Terry’s]] [[ParasiteZombie body]] at the doorway to the safe room, casts them both in shadow.

** The villainous [[CanonForeigner Dr. Starline]] also does this, often with a [[SlasherSmile devilish grin]] on his face to match.

* ''Film/InTheCut'': The man and blow job recipient that Frannie observes in the bar basement is shrouded in shadow, with the only identifying detail being his wrist tattoo. [[Later, Frannie learns the woman who was giving the blow job was murdered]].

* ''King of the Rocket Men'' (1949). The sinister [[BigBad Dr Vulcan]] is only shown as a shadow on the wall [[MurderByRemoteControlVehicle taunting his victims]] and instructing his {{mooks}} via radio, before his real identity is unmasked by the JetPack-wearing hero. Unfortunately he lacks an [[EvilIsHammy appropriately sinister voice]] to go with his shadow.

* A really creepy example concludes Issue #25 of ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW''. It involves all of the heroes who fell victim to [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]]'s [[TheVirus Metal Virus]] bioweapon and were [[UnwillingRoboticization roboticized]] into [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie "Zombots"]]. The infected characters' silhouettes have beady GlowingEyesOfDoom and jagged mouths, giving each of them a NightmareFace.

* Every suspect gets one of these in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' if the ColdOpen decides to show the crime in progress. Hilariously parodied in ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' where the principal suspect is a sinister silhouettes that is revealed be an alien and the silhouette its true appearance.

* The Ginyu Force from ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. Silhouettes of Vegeta and Nappa in the first opening sequence are shown doing a PowerWalk with fire and lightning in the background.

** Double Dealing Character: Shinmyoumaru Sukuna

** Hidden Star in Four Seasons: [[DualBoss Mai Teireida, Satono Nishida]] and Okina Matara [[spoiler:in her BonusBoss form]]
** Violet Detector: Sumireko Usami again, now as the main character
** Wily Beast and Weakest Creature: Saki Kurokoma, Keiki Haniyasushin and Yachie Kicchou, the game's BigBadEnsemble

* About half the cast of ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' were introduced with silhouettes. The comic seems to have retired the practice, however, in recent years, [[TropeOverdosed likely to make room for other tropes]].

* [[MoeAnthropomorphism The Netherlands]] of ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' was first depicted as one, until his design was revealed.

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'': Starting from the sixth installment, Touhou games have an important (typically last boss) character appear silhouetted in the cover of the game. [[WildMassGuessing These typically provides speculation fodder about who is the woman and what the game is about.]]

* In ''Manga/FutureDiary,'' the Future Diary holders (aside from the main two characters and Third, [[SacrificialLamb who dies before the scene takes place]]) are introduced this way when Deus announces the Survival Game.

* Played for drama in ''Comicbook/ThePulse''; when Lucia attacks Luke, all Jessica sees is her standing in front of the setting sun.

** The legendary Digidestined from ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' is another heroic case, although they don't show up later on.

[[folder:Pinball]]
* The "Luci" limited edition of ''[[Pinball/{{ACDC}} AC/DC]]'' reduces the band members to silhouettes while prominently showing off Luci herself.
* The backbox for ''VideoGame/GhostbustersPinball'' doesn't show the Ghostbusters themselves, but they are featured as silhouettes in front of the logo.
[[/folder]]