History Main / ToughArmoredDinosaur

Similarly to [[TemperCeratops ceratopsians]], the thyreophoran dinosaurs (the stegosaurs and ankylosaurs) have a reputation of a tough prey for big theropods, often being referred to as the "tanks" of the dinosaur world.

* ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'': [=BioStegomon=] and [=BioSpinomon=] have large blades on their backs, which they can fire at the enemy. The real Stegomon and Spinomon naturally have those blades, too.

* Like Url from the Animated Film folder, Bumpy from ''WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous'' averts this trope by virtue of being an atypically cute and shy ''Ankylosaurus'' who doesn't do much in the way of fighting. [[spoiler:Played straight in Season 2, where she is now fully-grown and able to defeat Toro the ''Carnotaurus'' with ease. Season 4 introduces Pierce the ''Kentrosaurus'' who is strong enough to hold his own in a fight with Big Eatie the ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' before standing his ground against several mind-controlled dinosaurs in Season 5.]]

** Ankylomon being based on the ''Ankylosaurus'' has strong armor that protects him attacks from higher-level Digimon, although he can't withstand them completely. When Knightmon hits him repeatedly with its {{BFS}}, Ankylomon doesn't suffer any injuries from it, but it still hurts him nonetheless.

* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'': Ankylomon being based on the ''Ankylosaurus'' has strong armor that protects him attacks from higher-level Digimon, although he can't withstand them completely. When Knightmon hits him repeatedly with its {{BFS}}, Ankylomon doesn't suffer any injuries from it, but it still hurts him nonetheless.

Like ceratopsians, ankylosaurs and stegosaurs will often be depicted [[AnimalJingoism facing off against the resident big theropod of their time period]] -- for example, ''Stegosaurus'' is often shown battling ''Allosaurus'', while ''Ankylosaurus'' often does this with ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' ([[AnachronismStew and so does]] ''[[AnachronismStew Stegosaurus]]'' [[AnachronismStew on occasion, for that matter]]). In older portraits, armored dinosaurs were usually depicted as too slow to defend themselves against carnivores, particularly ''Stegosaurus'', but after the "Dinosaur Renaissance" occurring in the 1970s, they are more than likely to win fights.

* Both the original ''VideoGame/ZooTycoon'' game and it's sequel have ''Ankylosaurus'', ''Stegosaurus'' and ''Kentrosaurus'' when the prehistoric animals expansion pack has been installed. They are dangerous to human guests and regular zoo animals however due to lazy programming they are also very easy prey for any carnivorous predatory dinosaur such as a ''T.rex'' or a ''Velociraptor'' which instantly kill and eat them if they are placed in the same exhibit.

* ''Series/JurassicFightClub'' has one ''Stegosaurus'' stuck in a swamp that nonetheless manages to kill a predatory ''Allosaurus'' with its thagomizer, hitting it in the head to death when it seemed already hopeless and destined to die for starvation. The series also has a ''Gastonia'' fighting against a giant ''[[RaptorAttack Utahraptor]]'', winning the battle by using its stingy tail as a [[WhipItGood weapon]].

* ''Literature/Prehistoria'': Averted heavily with the ''Tarchia'' featured... As a corpse. It apparently had a bad encounter with a territorial ''Deinocheirus'' and its tail club nor armor saved it from getting stomped on and crushed to death by the much larger herbivore.

* ''Prehistoria: The Raptor's Tail'': Averted heavily with the ''Tarchia'' featured... As a corpse. It apparently had a bad encounter with a territorial ''Deinocheirus'' and its tail club nor armor saved it from getting stomped on and crushed to death by the much larger herbivore.

Like ceratopsians, ankylosaurs and stegosaurs will often be depicted [[AnimalJingoism facing off against the resident big theropod of their time period]] -- for example, ''Stegosaurus'' is often shown battling ''Allosaurus'', while ''Ankylosaurus'' often does this with ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' ([[AnachronismStew and so does]] ''[[AnachronismStew Stegosaurus]]'' [[AnachronismStew on occasion, for that matter]]).

* ''Literature/RaptorRed'' features ''Gastonia'', though in the book it's [[ScienceMarchesOn erroneously]] described as having a club tail. ''Gastonias'' are generally left alone by Red and other ''Utahraptors'', though her mate is from a family that figured out a way to successfully hunt them and he teaches her. Another scene sees a young ''Acrocanthrosaurus'' try to take a bite and [[TeethFlying lose a tooth]] to its tail club, convincing it to go hunting for less tenacious prey.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** StarterMon Turtwig from ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' becomes Torterra in its final evolution, a turtle/ankylosaur hybrid with TurtleIsland motifs. It's a GentleGiant, but is fearsome-looking and is rather tough with its high attack and defense.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' feature the ability to revive fossils as is usual in the series, and one of them is some sort of [[DinosaursAreDragons Dragon-type stegosaurid...]] the back half of one, anyway. [[PlayedWith By carelessly combining it]] with the front half of a ''Velociraptor'' or ''Dunkleosteus,'' the player winds up with the rather goofy-looking Dracozolt or Dracovish respectively, both of whom are described as having difficulty existing in general -- despite the resident paleontologist [[MeaningfulName Cara Liss's]] claims otherwise.

[[caption-width-right:350:The KingOfTheDinosaurs gets a club invitation.]]

Like ceratopsians, ankylosaurs and stegosaurs will often be depicted [[AnimalJingoism facing off against the resident big theropod of their time period]] -- for example, ''Stegosaurus'' is often shown battling ''Allosaurus'', while ''Ankylosaurus'' often does this with ''[[KingOfTheDinosaurs Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' ([[AnachronismStew and so does]] ''[[AnachronismStew Stegosaurus]]'' [[AnachronismStew on occasion, for that matter]]).

* ''Anime/YouAreUmasou'': Umasou the ''Ankylosaurus'' naturally starts off as naive about the world's dangers, due to being recently hatched, but teachings from his adoptive ''[[KingOfTheDinosaurs Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' father Heart causes him to gradually become tougher and wiser.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}'': A ''Stegosaurus'' fights and loses a battle against a ''[[KingOfTheDinosaurs Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' because it's too slow-running, while ceratopsians and hadrosaurs, both faster, flee the predator. The stego, however, before losing and dying, hits and wounds the ''rex'' [[BewareMyStingerTail with its tail]]. It's shown as a sluggish creature unable to run because of its stubby legs, but this is due to [[ScienceMarchesOn the film being made in 1940]].

* ''Franchise/WalkingWithDinosaurs'': ''Stegosaurus'' and ''Ankylosaurus'' appear in the second and sixth episodes. Both are portrayed as large, dim-witted, aggressive herbivores that will attack anything that they see as a threat, and are depicted as facing off against the setting's large theropod. This is largely averted with the ''Polacanthus'', who are portrayed as more docile.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}:

** ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'': The eighth generation games feature the ability to revive fossils as is usual in the series, and one of them is some sort of [[DinosaursAreDragons Dragon-type stegosaurid...]] the back half of one, anyway. [[PlayedWith By carelessly combining it]] with the front half of a ''velociraptor'' or ''dunkleosteus,'' the player winds up with the rather goofy-looking Dracozolt or Dracovish, both of whom are described as having difficulty existing in general -- despite the resident paleontologist [[MeaningfulName Cara Liss's]] claims otherwise.

** Snarl the Dinobot transforms into a ''Stegosaurus.'' Like all the Dinobots, his intelligence varies considerably depending on the continuity, but even in the cartoon, where the Dionobots genuinely are idiots he's not the dumb one of the team (that honor goes to Sludge the ''Brontosaurus''). He is, however, exceedingly tough and very mean and aggressive regardless of the continuity.

* ''Literature/RaptorRed'' features ''[[SeldomSeenSpecies Gastonia]]'', though in the book it's [[ScienceMarchesOn erroneously]] described as having a club tail. ''Gastonias'' are generally left alone by Red and other ''Utahraptors'', though her mate is from a family that figured out a way to successfully hunt them and he teaches her. Another scene sees a young ''Acrocanthrosaurus'' try to take a bite and [[TeethFlying lose a tooth]] to its tail club, convincing it to go hunting for less tenacious prey.

* Like Url from the Animated Film folder, Bumpy from ''WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous'' averts this trope by virtue of being an atypically cute and shy ''Ankylosaurus'' who doesn't do much in the way of fighting. [[spoiler:Played straight in Season 2, where she is now fully-grown and able to defeat Toro the ''Carnotaurus'' with ease. Season 4 introduces Pierce the ''Kentrosaurus'' who is strong enough to hold his own in a fight with Big Eatie the ''Tyrannosaurus rex''.]]

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'': The eighth generation games feature the ability to revive fossils as is usual in the series, and one of them is some sort of [[DinosaursAreDragons Dragon-type stegosaurid...]] the back half of one, anyway. [[PlayedWith By carelessly combining it]] with the front half of a ''velociraptor'' or ''dunkleosteus,'' the player winds up with the rather goofy-looking Dracozolt or Dracovish, both of whom are described as having difficulty existing in general -- despite the resident paleontologist [[MeaningfulName Cara Liss's]] claims otherwise.

* Like Url from the Animated Film folder, Bumpy from ''WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous'' averts this trope by virtue of being an atypically cute and shy ''Ankylosaurus'' who doesn't do much in the way of fighting. [[spoiler:Played straight in Season 2, where she is now fully-grown and able to defeat Toro the ''Carnotaurus'' with ease.]]

* ''[[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Banjo-Tooie]]'': The common baddy of Terrydactyland are small stegosaurs called the Bargasaurus, which attack Banjo on sight by [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin barging into him]]. When Banjo turns into a Baby ''T. rex'' the Bargasaurus do not attack (although they can still damage him) and will even teach him how to roar.