History Main / TripodTerror

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'', also taking place on Mars, features the Mobile Workers, small, futuristic tanks with the legs ending in wheels. The 'terror' goes in two directions here, though -- while Mobile Workers are notorious for their ability to shred infantry and break up riots, they're little more than tin-plated coffins if a [[HumongousMecha mobile suit]] shows up. [[spoiler:However, they're surprisingly effective for anti-personnel purpose, as shown by how Gjallarhorn dispatch the Dort protestants via a CurbStompBattle.]]
** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'''s hotly ContestedSequel ''Frozen Teardrop'', also taking place on the red planet, gets in on the act with an upgraded version of Epyon [[TransformingMecha that turns into a]] ''[[MultipleHeadCase three headed]]'' dragon.

%% Image restored per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1400631415019645300
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.

* The Dark Nebula Empire has these in the ''Anime/UchuuSenkanYamato'' spin-off film ''Be Forever Yamato''
%%* ''Anime/SpaceRunawayIdeon''
* The Olmecs' three-legged flying machine in ''Anime/TheMysteriousCitiesOfGold'', which is also capable of walking.
* The Invaders in ''Anime/OccultAcademy'' '''will''' use them to crush Mankind.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'', also taking place on Mars, features the Mobile Workers, small, futuristic tanks with the legs ending in wheels. The 'terror' goes in two directions here, though - while Mobile Workers are notorious for their ability to shred infantry and break up riots, they're little more than tin-plated coffins if a [[HumongousMecha mobile suit]] shows up. [[spoiler: However, they're surprisingly effective for anti-personnel purpose, as shown by how Gjallarhorn dispatch the Dort protestants via a CurbStompBattle.]]

* The Deucalion Kataphrakt in ''Anime/AldnoahZero'' was a three-legged machine, though it preferred to float thanks to its [[ArtificialGravity anti-gravity]] engines.

* ''ComicBook/ScarletTraces'', being a fansequel to ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898''.
* The Dark horse comic version of ''The War of the Worlds'' made the tripods more fearsome than the previously known (such as the page image).

* When Martians from ''ComicBook/{{Killraven}}'''s reality invade the mainstream ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'', they arrive in giant tripods.

* Lightning [=McQueen=] has a dream where he stars in a movie about spark plug tripods (actually "quads", as they have four legs) destroying the city in ''WesternAnimation/Cars1''.

* Even the [[HoverTank "floating" Martian war machines]] from ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds1953'' have, if you look closely, ''three'' repulsors keeping it hovering in the air. (They were originally planned to have the usual tripod legs when Creator/RayHarryhausen was attached to bring the tentacled Martians and their machines to life via stop motion animation, but the amount of money available and the limited technology of the day led them to be changed to fit a FlyingSaucer motif.)
* ''Film/ScaryMovie4'' attempts to spoof ''The War of the Worlds'' with the triPods, which resemble an iPod on three legs with a "Destroy Humanity" playlist.

* ''Film/LostInSpace'' features a race of insectoid creatures with this flaw. The [[WordOfGod DVD commentary]] acknowledges this, admitting that nature would never design anything like this because of the off-balance problem.

* The tripodal war machines that lead the Martian invasion in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898'' are the {{Trope Maker|s}}, and arguably the TropeCodifier as well.
* ''Literature/TheTripods'' features, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what you might expect]]. (The aliens that pilot them also have three legs.) Creator/JohnChristopher essentially [[CaptainErsatz filed the serial numbers]] off of [[Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898 Wells' Martians]] and depicted what the world might be like if their initial invasion had been successful. He also does a fair job of justifying the impracticality of the 3-legged design; the number 3 appears to be integral to the culture of the Masters, presumably as a consequence of their biology (as well as 3 legs they also have 3 tentacles and 3 eyes), and as well as the tripodal design of their vehicles, they also incorporate triangles and pyramids into their architecture and technology at every opportunity.

* Creator/LarryNiven's ''Rainbow Mars'' features creatures with these -- they are meant to be roughly the Martians from ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898'', had they lived on the same Planet Mars as the Martians from ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'', the Martians from "Literature/AMartianOdyssey", the Martians from ''Literature/OutOfTheSilentPlanet'' and the Martians from ''Franchise/FlashGordon''. Niven calls them the Softfingers or Astronomers, depending on who is talking about them.
%%* Kevin J. Anderson's ''The Martian War''%%Administrivia/ZeroContentExample
%%* ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes' War of the Worlds'' by Creator/ManlyWadeWellman%%Administrivia/ZeroContentExample
* In ''{{Warstrider}}'', the tripods are actually the humans' titular mecha.
* ''Literature/TheDayOfTheTriffids'' goes into a bit of detail about how the titular walking plants move, comparing them to a man on crutches and specifically noting that it's not an especially fast or stable method of locomotion. Being plants, of course, they don't really need to move very often or over a great distance.
* ''Literature/{{Expedition}}'' has a number of tripodal creatures, including the Sac Back, Beach Loper, and the Groveback (a gigantic animal that goes about on two legs and a massive supporting tail).
* In ''Literature/AlienInASmallTown'', the Jan and most of the animals from their world have trilateral symmetry. The Jan are cone-shaped, with three stumpy legs underneath and three arms sprouting out the top, two ending in hands and one in an eye. Like ''[[Literature/RendezvousWithRama Rama]]'''s biots, they revolve as they walk.
* The Idirans in ''Literature/ConsiderPhlebas'' have three legs.

* The album cover for Music/DoctorSteel's album, ''People of Earth'', shows an attack by giant tripod robots reminiscent of ''The War of the Worlds'' - only in the foreground it shows Dr. Steel controlling them. (A similar tripod is seen in the background of the album art for ''The Dr. Steel Read-A-Long''.)

* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' advanced to the point where the 135 ton Ares, and its slightly smaller precursor, the 125 ton Poseidon, have been added to the game as the first two tripod mechs. Players have yet to decide if the advantages they have in firepower, armor, and their three-person cockpits make up for their [[MightyGlacier extremely low speed]]. Beyond those two monsters, though, there are rules for constructing tripodal mechs (as well as one canon design that's a mere 75 tons, the Triskeleon). They get bonuses to stability and can easily change direction compared to standard designs, but with the added tonnage cost of the extra leg and the parts needed to control it they're a bit more limited in overall firepower than a standard bipedal mech of the same size and speed would be.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Monsterpocalypse}}'', the Martian Menace faction has some figures based on the tripods from ''War of the Worlds'': the monsters Deimos-9 and Phobos-7, and the Reaper and Despoiler units.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'': The Combine Striders and Hunters both posses three legs. The Striders are much taller, being about two stories tall, while the hunters are smaller and about human-sized. As with all Combine tech, they are made of OrganicTechnology.
* Scrin Annihilator and Reaper Tripods from ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars''. The aliens just ''love'' these things.

* ''VideoGame/Pikmin3'' has a biological variant in the Quaggled Mireclops, the largest boss in the game (and indeed the whole series) which resembles a chunk of earth walking on three hoofed legs with a fruit-like head at the top. Its three legs are also its weak point, attacking them will cause the Mireclops to fall over, leaving its fruit-like head within reach of your Pikmin.
* ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'': Colossi may have four legs, but they are otherwise totally in fitting with the spirit of the trope. They fry stuff at extreme long range with sweeping heat rays, and have very long stilt-legs that let them stride over any terrain with ease.
%%* ''VideoGame/UniverseAtWar'': The Hierarchy Science Walkers, and Defilers, and Detection Drones, ''and'' Reaper drones. Honestly, the Hierarchy ''is'' this trope.
* ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'': Darkwalkers and Scavengers. The Darkwalker is the classical HumongousMecha variant of this trope, armed with a dual laser cannon. It is one of the stronger vehicles of the game. The Scavenger is a small but fast vehicle that runs on three tentacles. One of its attacks is turning into an electrified ball and roll into enemy players.
* ''VideoGame/Crysis2'' has tripod drones known as Pingers, who substitute the death ray for [[YourHeadAsplode powerful]] sonic weaponry.
* The boss Tripod Sardine from ''[[VideoGame/{{Darius}} G-Darius]]''. See Real Life entry below.

* Megaleg (a giant planet-sized robot built by [[OverlordJr Bowser Jr.]]), the first boss of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''.

* A particularly gigantic instance of this trope in the form of the [[FinalBoss Teraformer]] in ''VideoGame/Jak3Wastelander''. The thing is so big, that after you take it down with a vehicle, you have another fight on its wreckage with plenty of room to maneuver around.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' has Sentry Bots, which are one of the game's most fearsome enemies. Also, Mister Handy/Gutsy, which resembles the aforementioned ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' tripod bots.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' ''Automatron DLC'', you can build your own Sentry Bots at a Robot Workbrench.
* {{Invoked}} in ''VideoGame/ThirteenSentinelsAegisRim'': the gargantuan Hi-Quad robots, though four-legged in design, are likened to the Tripods from ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'', complete with the book's name dropped and a quote from its pages.
* In ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'', as a possible {{shoutout}} to the aforementioned Droidekas, the Convoy drones roll into battle before deploying tripod legs. Luckily, they don't have {{deflector shields}}.
* The battle with Princess Shroob in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime'' has her battle the brothers in a three-legged robotic throne that [[EnergyWeapon shoots huge lasers]] and [[DeflectorShields protects her with a force field]].
* The early Creator/{{Psygnosis}} game ''Terrorpods'' has the titular alien craft, which were based on Creator/RogerDean artwork originally designed for ''Music/JeffWaynesMusicalVersionOfTheWarOfTheWorlds''.
* Speaking of the Jeff Wayne version, most Martian units in ''VideoGame/JeffWaynesWarOfTheWorlds,'' although they have a few quadropods, a bipod, and even a pentapod (five footed) walker, a mighty can of BeamSpam called the ''Tempest''.

* Some clanks in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' have this design, [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040804 like this one.]] Also, on [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091014 "My vacation"]] picture, evidently left from one of older Heterodynes. The tripods on [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160422 this filler page]] seems to be a more direct reference to Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds.
* Ahem from ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' is basically shaped like a biological version of an H.G. Wells tripod.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* The Wellsians from ''Website/TheCrewOfTheCopperColoredCupids'' (slightly parodical versions of Wells's original Martians) are shown to have devised the Tripods ''on Earth'' as a last-minute solution when they realized Earth's gravity made it nearly impossible for them to move on foot. This might explain the rather slapdash engineering.
* The tribbetheres of ''Website/{{Serina}}'' are tripedal mammaloid vertebrates descended from mudskipper-like ancestors that modified their pectoral fins and tail into three walking limbs. One group, the canitheres, become fierce hyena-like top predators of the plains, with some ArtisticLicenseBiology being made in the assertion that their three-legged gait made them more efficient to the other quadrupedal bird-descendants they preyed upon (which is clearly a very unlikely case.)

* Black Manta mans a giant tripod in order to steal an armored car in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''.
** "Mystery In Space" features Invaders on Rann in Tripods

* The Martians in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy''
* Jimmy dreams up invading tripods in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy''
* Referenced in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', where Dr Venture transforms HELPER into a classic tripod "walking eye." When asked what they're good for, Venture is at a loss, apparently convinced by popular sci-fi that they're simply a requirement. Random scenes of destruction also occasionally show a tripod terror running amok.

* ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898'' is the {{Trope Maker|s}}, and arguably the TropeCodifier as well.

* [[http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Scarab Dwarf Gekko]] from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4''.

* ''VideoGame/Pikmin3'' has a biological variant in the Quaggled Mireclops, the largest boss in the game which resembles a chunk of earth walking on three hoofed legs with a fruit-like head at the top. Its three legs are also its weak point, attacking them will cause the Mireclops to fall over, leaving its fruit-like head within reach of your Pikmin.

* Speaking of the Jeff Wayne version, most Martian units in ''VideoGame/JeffWaynesWarOfTheWorlds,'' although they have a few quadropods, a bipod, and even a pentapod (five footed) walker, a mighty can of BeamSpam called the ''Tempest.''

->''And this Thing! How can I describe it? A monstrous tripod, higher than many houses, striding over the young pine trees and smashing them aside its wallowing career; a walking engine of glittering metal, reeling now across the heather, articulate ropes of steel dangling from it, and the clattering tumult of its passage mingling with the riot of the thunder.''

* The tribbetheres of ''WebOriginal/{{Serina}}'' are tripedal mammaloid vertebrates descended from mudskipper-like ancestors that modified their pectoral fins and tail into three walking limbs. One group, the canitheres, become fierce hyena-like top predators of the plains, with some ArtisticLicenseBiology being made in the assertion that their three-legged gait made them more efficient to the other quadrupedal bird-descendants they preyed upon (which is clearly a very unlikely case.)

* The pilot of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' features invading tripods from Mars, and a heap of ''War of the Worlds'' in-jokes. The instability of this method of locomotion is shown when Wonder Woman and the Flash work out ways to trip them up.

* Lightning [=McQueen=] has a dream where he stars in a movie about spark plug tripods (actually "quads", as they have four legs) destroying the city in ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}''.

* ''Literature/TheTripods'' features, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what you might expect]]. (The aliens that pilot them also have three legs.) Creator/JohnChristopher essentially [[CaptainErsatz filed the serial numbers]] off of [[Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898 Wells' Martians]] and depicted what the world might be like if their initial invasion had been successful. He also does a fair job of justifying the impracticality of the 3-legged design; the number 3 appears to be integral to the culture of the Masters, presumably as a consequence of their biology (as well as 3 legs they also have 3 tentacles and 3 eyes) and as well as tripodal design of their vehicles they also incorporate triangles and pyramids into their architecture and technology at every opportunity.

* Even the [[HoverTank "floating" Martian war machines]] from ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds1953'' have, if you look closely, ''three'' repulsors keeping it hovering in the air. (They were originally planned to have the usual tripod legs when Creator/RayHarryhausen was attached to bring the tentacled Martians and their machines via stop motion, but the amount of money available and the limited technology of the day led them to be changed to fit a FlyingSaucer motif.)

* Even the [[HoverTank "floating" Martian war machines]] from ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds1953'' have, if you look closely, ''three'' repulsors keeping it hovering in the air. (They were originally planned to have the usual tripod legs, but the amount of money available and the limited technology of the day led them to be changed to fit a FlyingSaucer motif.)

* In ''Machinima/WarOfTheServers'', the Mingepods aren't even really tripods. They have two front wheels, and a third "leg" with another two wheels on it. Thus, while they're technically tripods (three 'legs') they still have four points of contact.

* Mr. Hyde {{lampshade|Hanging}}s the design of the Tripods during the Martian Invasion in ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen Volume 2''. He then proceeds to {{deconstruct|edTrope}} the trope by commenting how there's a good reason no ''animals'' have only three legs, and demonstrates this reason by breaking one tripod's legs, causing the thing to fall over. He then breaks the cockpit open and '''eats''' the horrified Martian inside.

* Even the "floating" Martian war machines from ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds1953'' have, if you look closely, ''three'' repulsors keeping it hovering in the air. (They originally planned to have the usual tripods, but the amount of money available and the limited technology of the day led them to change it to more fit a "Flying Saucer" motif)

** [=R2-D2=] himself is tripodal, although his supporting struts don't bend, and he rolls rather than walks.

* ''Literature/TheTripods'' features, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what you might expect]]. (The aliens that pilot them also have three legs.) Christopher essentially [[CaptainErsatz filed the serial numbers]] off Wells' Martians, and depicted what the world might be like if their initial invasion had been successful. He also does a fair job of justifying the impracticality of the 3-legged design; the number 3 appears to be integral to the culture of the Masters, presumably as a consequence of their biology (as well as 3 legs they also have 3 tentacles and 3 eyes) and as well as tripodal design of their vehicles they also incorporate triangles and pyramids into their architecture and technology at every opportunity.