History Main / Unicorn

* In ''VideoGame/EternityTheLastUnicorn'', unicorns are enchanted creatures bestowed upon elves by their Goddess to grant them immortality, until they were stolen by the Dark Valkyries, save for the titular character Eternity who's stripped of it's magic after [[AimForTheHorn losing it's horn]]. The player is an elven warrior trying to restore Eternity's horn for most of the game.

** ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' also features a rare Unicorn summon that increases the party's Magic Defense.

* ''VideoGame/RobotUnicornAttack'' seems to be a take of "unicorns are aggressive", yet also throws in a heaping helping of rainbows and sparkles.
* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'': Unicorns are part of the fauna in good lands , and are occasionally ridden by elves. Their horns pack a mean punch if you get in a fight, but goods and food made from [[OrganDrops their remains]] can fetch a very nice price.
* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'': Unicorns date back to ''Warcraft II'', where they're featured as the emblem on Elven Destroyers. Actual appearances by unicorns are pretty rare, but still show up on [[ContinuityNod Quel'thalas' old naval flag]].
** ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' had a few, but none referred to as unicorns, including the stripy Zhevras (actually a zebra analog) and the Quel'dorei Steeds.
** Proper unicorns were added in ''Legion'', which the nightborne refer to as '[[InsistentTerminology monohorns]]'. They also have lion tails and goat beards like the traditional medieval unicorns, but crescent-shaped horns.
* ''VideoGame/VivaPinata'': [[PunnyName Chewnicorns]] are symbols of rarity, as they are very rare in the game. They don't represent any kind of purity since they don't get along with and will fight other horse-like pinatas. That said, they will heal any sick pinata, so there's that. Their encyclopedia entry also jokes that they can only be seen by innocent maidens.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pryzm}}'': The main character and BigBad of ''Chapter One: The Dark Unicorn'' are both unicorns. Instead of working with some {{Virgin Power}}ed maiden, however, Pryzm has to [[WunzaPlot work together]] with Karrok, a sarcastic old troll mage.
* ''VideoGame/FantasyQuest'': You meet unicorns in both games, luring them with carrots.
* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'': The Hallow biome spawns unicorns. They are your traditional horse-with-a-horn variety and are invariably hostile. Killing them for their horns is the only purpose they seem to have, at least until the 1.3 patch where they can drop Blessed Apples which give you the ability to ride an unicorn of your own.
* ''VideoGame/TheSims'':
** ''VideoGame/TheSims3'': In the Pet expansion, they added rare unicorns that you can catch by either being super nice to animals and having one come visit you, or by going to a sparkly rainbow that appears on the overmap and luring one. Virginity not required in either case.
** ''VideoGame/MySimsKingdom'': You first hear about unicorns when Princess Butter loses and King Roland wants to buy back her happiness with a pony. They're said to be very rare, but the king says he knows a couple of elves. Later, you meet said elves, and indeed bring them back... with ThePowerOfRock!
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'': Meet [[http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h318/Shipwreck1/Meet%20the%20Pyro%20Wallpapers/lalalalalaIloveunicorns.png Mayor Balloonicorn]] of [[spoiler:Pyroland]]! He's cute! He rides around on [[spoiler:Pyro]]'s shoulder! He... has an anger problem, is a chain smoker, his wife's cheating on him, and he's an alcoholic. Oh well, at least he's adorable. [[http://store.valvesoftware.com/product.php?i=ATF005T And now you can buy one of your very own!]]
* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'''s Undead Nightmare: The Unicorn is a mythical creature you can come across (in Mexico) and claim as a mount. It has cloven hooves and emits rainbows (when running) and butterflies (when idle). It also has unlimited stamina and very high health. Of course if it DOES die, the ragdoll transforms into an EldritchAbomination that flies spastically around the map. But I'm sure that is just a glitch. [[UnicornsAreSacred Or is it?]]
* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'': The Electricorn Dream Eater is this with [[ShockAndAwe electricity powers]], as the name implies.

* ''Videogame/DragonAgeInquisition'' has the "Bog Unicorn" as a pre-order bonus. It's an [[HellishHorse undead horse with a sword through its skull]].
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'' : Unicorns are neutral and Life sphere summon creatures and occasionally mounts for elven units. Their most common trait is the Phase ability, a limited, once-per-battle teleportation ability.
* ''VideoGame/MoCreatures'': This ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' mod includes unicorns as a type of breedable horse made by using an essence of light on a [[HellishHorse nightmare]]. They float when falling to avoid fall damage and can charge at mobs for extra damage. You can also make a zombie unicorn with an Essence of Undead, which will rot into a skeletal unicorn over time.
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter2004'' introduces the Kirin, a unicorn-like Elder Dragon with powerful electric attacks.
* ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer'': Unicorns are available as mounts for Bretonnian Prophetesses and Wood Elf Spellsingers. The Fay Enchantress, one of Bretonnia's unique characters, rides a unique unicorn named Silvaron.
* ''VideoGame/GoingUnder'': Metaphorically. The "Chasing unicorns" LoadingScreen message for Fizzle.
* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'': Both the unicorn and the bicorn have made multiple appearances. Unicorn is usually associated with the elements of [[LightEmUp Hama]], but sometimes has an affinity to [[ShockAndAwe Zio]] instead or in addition, as well as a focus on buffs and curative powers. Bicorn tends to be a physically-orientated bruiser.
* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'': The unicorn is the Principality of Gallia's national animal, which is seen decorated in its flag and military insignia. Its horn resembles the Valkyrur's lance, which denotes the Gallian royal family's connection to the Valkyrur [[spoiler:or so they claim]]. In addition, the northwestern part of their country resembles an unicorn's head.

* ''Webcomic/SkinDeep'': Unicorns follow the classical model, with cloven hooves, flowing fetlocks, leonine tails and goatish beards. There are none present in the current setting, however, as they were hunted into extinction during the middle ages.
* ''Webcomic/HoovesOfDeath'': The Unicorns are the only things standing between humanity and [[ZombieApocalypse the hordes of the undead]]. They all have magic powers, are naturally [[TheImmune Immune]] to the zombie plague, and have horns sharp enough to cut a zombie in two. Visually they take after classical unicorns, with equine heads on elk-like bodies, leonine tails, white coats and majestic manes (though the protagonist Glitter keeps hers in a fauxhawk), but unusually for the trope, every one of them is CoveredInScars from years of combat against the zombies.

%%* The [[http://www.flickr.com/groups/700unicorns/ 700 Unicorns]] art project.

* Website/DeviantArt: Unicorns are ubiquitous enough that many artists use other animal templates beyond that of equine models. [[http://birvan.deviantart.com/art/Unicorns-437098471 Behold! The unicorn antelope, yak and rhino.]]

* Uni, the TeamPet from ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983'' had the teleportation power of D&D unicorns (see above), but was too young to travel more than a few feet with it. She communicated in goat-like bleats, understood human language, and was smart enough to operate Presto's hat in a pinch.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheUnicornInTheGarden'': A man discovers a unicorn in his front yard, but fails to convince his domineering wife, who insists that it's a "mythical beast".

* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'': In one episode, the Nerd is visited by a Unicorn who invites him on an "adventure" and makes some rather unusual requests. Of course the Nerd never suspects a thing.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}},'' the London Clan all resemble heraldic creatures, with their leader, Una, looking like a humanoid, winged unicorn. Ironically, her mate Leo looks like a lion.
* ''WesternAnimation/ItsPony'': In the same episode name as this trope, Pony slips on a marshmallow that gets stuck to his head, making him believe he's magically transformed into a unicorn.
* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'': Twinkles the Terrible, who just happens to be an OmnicidalManiac that [[CutenessProximity no one takes seriously]].
* ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'': When Lazlo manages to call a llama to camp and, in an effort to get rid of it, sticks an ice cream cone on its head and calls it a unicorn. Somehow, the Squirrel Scouts believe it.

* Even the three guardsdogs WesternAnimation/YippeeYappeeAndYahooey, (known under the ''WesternAnimation/PeterPotamus'' cartoon umbrella) had a run-in with a unicorn, one with a detachable horn who skillfully fenced them all off.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Celestabellebethabelle, from "[[Recap/GravityFallsS2E15TheLastMabelcorn The Last Mabelcorn]]", seems to play with the stereotypical modern-day [[PurityPersonified pure and innocent portrayal]] of the unicorn a bit: [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Mabel]] has to get some hair from a unicorn, but C-belle keeps insisting that she's isn't [[OnlyThePureOfHeart pure of heart]] enough to do it. This sends Mabel into an identity crisis, since [[CheerfulChild goodness is sort of her thing]]. [[spoiler:It turns out unicorns can't see into people's hearts anyway; they're just {{Jerkass}}es. Mabel and her friends [[GoodIsNotSoft punch them into submission]] and get the hair]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' had an episode called "A Hard Knight's Day" where the unicorns on the tapestries in The Cloisters came to life. They had solid hooves, fin-like manes and their horns were long, slender, slightly curved yet strong enough to turn aside a lance. Ray and Winston rode on them. (Winston mentioned having a girlfriend in another episode. Jury still out on Ray's virgin status.) Earlier in the ep, Peter describes unicorns as "ponies with candles growing out of their heads."
* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': Unicorns are kept at stables on the grounds of Foster's. Although they look the stereotype, they are actually tough dudes who don't take kindly to being considered cute and girly.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Unikitty}}'', a spin-off of ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'' character. It also introduces her brother Puppycorn, a puppy with a horn.

* ''WesternAnimation/DrDimensionpants'' has Phillip, a rather flamboyant, talking, intelligent unicorn who acts as the title character's mentor. And he's not alone; there is a whole dimension filled with unicorns.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Freaktown}}'': Taylor the Barbaricorn is an anthropomorphic [[NinjaZombiePirateRobot unicorn barbarian]] who serves as the muscle for Princess Boo-Boo's projects in cutifying Freaktown.

* In ''Series/Merlin2008'', one episode, "The Labyrinth of Gedref", has Prince Arthur hunting down and killing a unicorn. Although at first praised by Camelot (where the law and common belief is that all magic is evil and dangerous), his act [[UnicornsAreSacred causes the kingdom to be cursed]], unless Arthur can prove he's pure of heart. [[spoiler: He is, of course, as he's the future Myth/KingArthur]].
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': J.D.'s girlishness is emphasized by his drawing of a unicorn on his journal in the episode "''My Unicorn''"
-->'''J.D.:''' It's not a unicorn. It's a horse with a sword on its head that protects my hopes and dreams.\\
'''Imaginary Unicorn:''' You know I'm a Unicorn, why can't you just say it?
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Doctor Jamie and Zoe encounter a unicorn in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E2TheMindRobber The Mind Robber]]". It attacks them on sight.

* ''Series/AllyMcBeal'': In one episode, Ally defends a client who was fired for claiming to have seen a unicorn. During the episode it's revealed that she saw one as a child also at the end she sees one. [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane It's implied that unlike most of her visions this one might be real.]]
* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'': One episode has unicorns being used as mounts. No indication is given as to whether or not they're sapient.

* ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' had a unicorn themed monster, the Monoceros Zodiarts (Greek for unicorn and the name of the constellation the particular monster was based off).
* ''Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver'': John Oliver brings out two guys dressed up as a unicorn (Scotland's national animal) while trying to woo Scotland back to remaining part of the United Kingdom in his segment talking about the Scottish independence referendum.
* ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'': According to [[TheDitz London Tipton]], "everyone knows unicorns live in Australia."
* ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'': In "[[Recap/LegendsOfTomorrowS4E1TheVirginGary The Virgin Gary]]", a unicorn at Woodstock is the cause of the end of the hippie movement. It's revealed to actually be a demon using a glamour to appear harmless and likes to nosh on human hearts. It also shoot a rainbow "musk" out of its horn which has hallucinogenic effects.
* ''Series/GoodOmens2019'': A scene at Noah's Ark shows that unicorns originally existed before the flood, but Noah lost one, so there was no chance of them breeding back up to stable numbers again.
-->'''Crowley:''' Oi, Shem! Your unicorn's run off! ''[beat]'' Nah, it's gone now. But you've still got the other one.
* ''Series/OddSquad'': Unicorns are a very common oddity in the show. All of them originate from Cloud Town, which is powered by a magical orb (essentially functioning as a mythical equivalent of oil) and is ruled by a unicorn king that gives fish and chips to those that visit (although one unicorn, seen in "How to Interrogate a Unicorn", resides in Far-far-nia). They can also grant wishes to those that do favors for them. Some unicorns, such as the aforementioned king, can also speak coherent English. On the other, more morbid side of the coin, however, agents have been known to eat unicorns, and also drink their tears in addition to using them for curing odd diseases.
* ''Series/LostGirl'': When Bo is about to confront the [[PeoplePuppets Mesmer]] Vex, Trick gives her a sword he claims is made from unicorn horn. Bo chuckles before asking if he's serious. Whether he is or not, using it lets her negate his powers.
** Towards the end of the series, Kenzi is estactic to learn that the horse she's currently riding is the last unicorn in existence, albeit one whose horn had been cut off by poachers. Unlike most depicitions of unicorns, this one is small and spotted. Its also a {{Gasshole}}.

* [[Music/{{Kesha}} Ke$ha]]: In the video for "Blow", unicorns are [[FunnyAnimal bipedal, wear clothes]] bleed rainbows when shot and, since they're hanging with Ke$ha apparently have no hangups about the state of one's virginity.
* Also apparently with no hangups about virginity is the [[CoolHorse incredibly badass-looking black unicorn]] ridden by Music/{{Voltaire}} on the cover of the album "Riding a Black Unicorn Down the Side of an Erupting Volcano While Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children" (and yes, that's the full title).
* "The Unicorn" by Shel Silverstein, sung by the Irish Rovers, is the tale of how the unicorns did not join the other animals aboard Noah's Ark and thus met their extinction in TheGreatFlood.

* Gian Carlo Menotti's ''The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore'' uses the three fantastic creatures to represent an artist and his works. Unicorn, the first, is pleasing and accessible but frivolous. Nevertheless, unicorns become a must-have accessory until the poet at the center of the piece appears with a gorgon instead, causing everyone to abandon their unicorns and acquire a gorgon.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'': Unicorns, which unusually enough for the thoroughly DarkFantasy setting play most of the associations with purity and goodness entirely straight, are available as steeds for Wood Elf, Bretonnian and High Elf lords. They're especially common as the mounts of female mages, and are drawn to magic like moths to flames.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Earthdawn}}'': Unicorns are vicious, dangerous monsters, whereas those in ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' are benign Awakened horses with an extreme sensitivity to pollution. It's implied that the Horrors' influence corrupted the Fourth Age unicorns, while those of the Sixth Age are free of this taint. ''Shadowrun'' also has greater unicorns, a larger and stockier variant without the pollution allergy and possessing empathic powers. Regular unicorns live among regular horses and only breed with them; only about a third of their foals grow into unicorns, while some unicorns are born to horse parents. Greater unicorns instead live and breed amongst their own kind. Both versions are often hunted for their horns. There are also unicorn-like creatures Awakened from water buffalos and red deer; the former have chitinous armor, while the latter associate with regular deer like unicorns do with horses.

* ''Literature/BookOfImaginaryBeings'': The unicorn has been known since the time of the Greek writer Ctesias, who reported it as wild ass with a white coat, a purple head, blue eyes and a pointed horn that is white at its base, black in the middle and with a red tip. Pliny described it as a horse with the tail of a boar, the feet of an elephant, the head of a stag and black horn three feet long. In modern depictions it is typically white, with legs like an antelope's and a beard like a goat's. It's often described as a fierce creature impossible to capture alive, which can kill an elephant with one strike of its horn and which is a mortal enemy of lions. It can be caught and rendered tame by a virgin maiden, which according to Leonardo da Vinci is due to the unicorn's lust overpowering its fierceness.
* {{Demythification}} in ''En busca del unicornio'' ("In search of the unicorn") by Juan Eslava Galán. A Spanish expedition travels to Africa in the mid-15th century to find a unicorn for King Henry IV of Castile; they expect it to be as in the legends, but are disappointed when they find a rhinoceros and realize that this is what the mythical beast actually was.
* ''Literature/{{Dracopedia}}'': Unicorns are depicted in ''Dracopedia: The Bestiary''. While pretty standard in appearance, these denizens of European woodlands are highly territorial and extremely ferocious when cornered or provoked. Hunters frequently pursued them for their horns, believing they had magical properties.

* ''Literature/{{Nerdycorn}}'': The vast majority of the characters in the book are unicorns that can walk on their hind hooves, including [[TheProtagonist Fern]]. The exceptions are Fern's robot, and a goose.
* ''Literature/TheSpiderwickChronicles'': In the third book, the siblings come across a unicorn that is portrayed in the illustrations as a strange goat-like creature. It grants Mallory a vision of one of its fellows being hunted in the typical way (lured by a young girl). When animal-lover Simon acts peeved that the unicorn seems more interested in Mallory than himself, she points out that it's because she's a girl.
* ''Literature/SummerKnight'', the fourth in Creator/JimButcher's ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', features a creepy, almost H.R. Giger-esque entity Harry believes is a Unseelie unicorn that's so aggressive, it could give Pliny's unicorn a run for its money. It's described as having a mane like rotted cobwebs, and instead of fur it has a green-black, chitinous carapace, plates of which completely cover its eyes. Its horn is wickedly pointed, its spirals are serrated and stained, and it has a second set of ram-like horns. A typical fairytale unicorn this is ''not''. [[spoiler:It's also not a unicorn at all, but a centaur in magical disguise.]]
* ''Literature/{{Spellsinger}}'' has a minor subversion: although the male unicorn character is drawn to human virgins and somewhat protective of them, he's both gay ''and'' mainly interested in other equines (although he implies that he'd make an exception for Mudge the otter), so attempting to distract him with virgin human females simply doesn't work.
* ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'' contains a unicorn. They, like Yvaine, are the Moon's children.
* In ''Literature/{{Elidor}}'', by Creator/AlanGarner, the four children are instructed to track down the unicorn Findhorn.
* ''Literature/ForestKingdom'': Book 1 (''Blue Moon Rising'') features Prince Rupert's unicorn steed, Breeze, who was captured when young and [[MadeASlave sold as a slave]]. He's freed by Rupert about halfway through, but opts to stay with his human friend to fight the demonic invaders.
* In P.C. Hodgell's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'', rathorns (pronounced ''rath-orn'', not ''rat-horn'') are somewhat unicorn-like, in that they are horned equines. However, they are carnivorous, with fangs and sharp dew-claws, and ivory armor that covers their head, neck, chest and forelegs. Their eyes are red, and they are very violent and vicious, to the degree of being notorious for man-eating.

* In ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', unicorns are otherwise normal white horses with tricolor horns. They also speak, and it's mentioned at one point that they have slightly sloping backs, whereas horses' backs are flat, which makes them harder to sit on. They only allow people to ride them as a sign of great respect or in emergencies. King Tirian's best friend in ''Literature/TheLastBattle'' is a unicorn named Jewel.

* In ''Literature/{{Rampant}}'', by Creator/DianaPeterfreund, unicorns are stone-cold killers with poisonous horns, and only virgin descendants of Alexander the Great can kill them.
* In Literature/ThievesWorld, one of the major social crossroads and {{Truce Zone}}s of [[WretchedHive Sanctuary]] is the [[AdjectiveAnimalAlehouse Vulgar Unicorn]], a tavern with a mascot whose [[DependingOnTheWriter exact description varies]], but can best summarized as [[SomethingElseAlsoRises horny in two senses]]. In one of the tales, via an ill-advised act of drunken magic said mascot is unintentionally brought to life as an avatar of the city's darkest aspects, at which point it rampages through the streets as strong example of the "corrupted and violent" variety of unicorn.
* ''Literature/TheFirebringerTrilogy'', which has unicorns as protagonists, is ''made'' of this trope. The unicorns as a species have considered themselves at war with [[GiantFlyer gryphons]] and wyverns for the past four centuries. Their society is rigidly controlled, and it is believed that any unicorn who leaves or is exiled will turn into a horse. This turns out [[spoiler:not to be true, of course... in fact, it's revealed that drinking from a magical pond will change a horse into a unicorn.]]
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** Unicorns, like the fairies, adhere to the more classical myths of vicious supernatural creatures (though they are still subject to VirginPower). As in RealLife, people have misremembered unicorns and fairies as cutesy magical pals for little girls.
** In ''Literature/GuardsGuards'', a group of professional monster hunters are conversing about their previous successes. One talks about the difficulty of capturing unicorns and the need to use virgins, followed by an old joke:
--->I thought they were quite rare these days.\\
Yep, and the unicorns are hard to find too.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' unicorns are just about the least threatening thing you'll find in the Forbidden Forest. The foals are golden, but they turn silver when they're about two, and of course white as adults. Hagrid mentions that adult unicorns don't like boys, but foals don't mind them. They're described as being "pure", and to kill one and drink its blood (which the movies portray as [[AlienBlood silver, resembling mercury]]) will save your life from anything, but [[UnicornsAreSacred the act is so evil]] that you are doomed to 'a half life... a cursed life.' Unknown what that actually meant. Unicorn parts have other uses without the drawback as they don't require killing unicorn to get them. For example, the hairs are used for wand cores, as well as rope. You can also apparently get a bit of horn without killing the unicorn, as there are no qualms about using unicorn horn in potions.
* ''Literature/TortallUniverse'': They never have a major appearance, but there are both regular and "killer" unicorns, the latter of which have claws and fangs and are sometimes a threat to people. ''Literature/TortallASpysGuide'' goes into a bit more detail, mentioning that they shed outer casings of their horns, as cats shed fragments of claws, which have special properties, and that they love and protect [[FriendToAllChildren children]], who are sometimes used as virgins are in some media as bait to hunt them. Even killer unicorns, while they don't protect children, won't harm them and prefer to leave the area.
** The most skilled of the Shang warriors take the names of magical creatures; there's a short story in ''Literature/TortallAndOtherLands'' about the girl who eventually becomes the Shang Unicorn.
* ''Literature/UnicornsOfBalinor'': Unicorns are horses with horns, but Celestial unicorns are immortal and only they and the Royal unicorns possess magic. They also come in literally every color of the rainbow -- except shadow unicorns, which are completely black and [[RedEyesTakeWarning red-eyed]]. Notably, the only pure white unicorn is the Old Mare of the Mountain (possibly the first unicorn to exist).
* ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'': Unicorns, which are basically horned horses that speak and seem to be very narcissistic, appear from time to time.
* In ''Literature/TerraMagica'', Mandicardo and Calypgia encounter a monocerous (unicorn) that adheres to Pliny the Elder's description, being very similar to a rhinoceros. It's still tameable by a virgin, though.
* In ''Literature/{{Grailblazers}}'' by Creator/TomHolt, the heroes at one point have to find a unicorn in order to use it as bait to capture a virgin. It turns out that modern unicorns are scruffy and unpleasant feral critters.
* In ''Literature/GarrettPI'', unicorns are carnivorous pack hunters who are smart enough to breed and train hunting dogs.
* The Creator/TheodoreSturgeon short story ''The Silken-Swift'' plays with this: there are two women in the story -- one is spiritually and physically virginal, and the other is a physical virgin but a total bitch. [[spoiler: The total bitch torments and temporarily blinds the male protagonist. The other, nice woman comes upon him and he -- thinking this is the bitch -- rapes her.]] Guess who the unicorn approaches.
* ''Literature/TheUnicornChronicles'': The VirginPower part is never explicitly mentioned, but unicorns are still instinctively drawn to "maidens".
%%* Creator/JamesThurber's ''The Unicorn in the Garden''
* ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'': The Forestmaster turns out to be a unicorn; she speaks to the party, provides them with food and instructs several pegasi to serve as temporary mounts for them, and appears to be at least somewhat aware of the ultimate fate of at least one person there.

* In ''Literature/ProsperosDaughter'', the Lady Miranda serves is a unicorn, Miranda keeps unicorn pets, and one historical band of evil-doers hunted unicorns.
* ''Literature/ThursdayNext'': In ''The Well of Lost Plots'', Perkins complains of how many unicorns careless writers of fantasy produce, which he has to retrieve when unpublished stories are broken down for scrap. Consequently, his FantasticNatureReserve of fictional beasts is filled with them. Thursday suggests cutting off their horns and recycling them in stories with horses; Perkins isn't amused.
-->''A unicorn isn't for page twenty-six, it's for eternity.''
* ''Literature/HardBoiledWonderlandAndTheEndOfTheWorld'': The "Hard-Boiled Wonderland" segments has the protagonist encounter a unicorn skull, while "The End of the World" segments has the protagonist read old dreams from a unicorn skull. There are also unicorn-like creatures that reside outside the Town.
* ''Literature/ReturnToNeverend'': The unicorns are the guardians of Neverend. They have the ability to [[PlayingwithFire conjure/control fire]], and one doesn't need to [[VirginPower be a virgin]] in order to ride one (although [[ChivalrousPervert Sage]] seemed awfully happy to meet one).
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': Unicorns are described as shaggy goat-like animals, and like most magical creatures their numbers are in decline. In modern times they're only found on the island of Skagos, although it's implied some survive in the far east on the island of Ibben. In ''Literature/ADanceWithDragons'', Jon has a wolf vision of Shaggydog killing a unicorn on Skagos. According to ''Literature/TheWorldOfIceAndFire'', they are separate from narwhals, and dishonest traders sometimes pass off narwhal tusks as unicorn horns for profit.
* In ''Literature/ThreeHeartsAndThreeLions'', Alianora has tamed a unicorn for a while.
* In ''Literature/SirAproposOfNothing'', Apropos and Princess Entipy come across an entire herd of unicorns. Since Apropos and Entipy are [[spoiler:half-siblings, the unicorns don't take Entipy's sexual advances toward Apropos very well]].
* ''Literature/ImagineSomeday'': Anu the unicorn is a major character. He has cloven hooves and is described as more closely resembling a deer than a horse. As a matter of fact, he dislikes horses tremendously.
* ''Literature/MediochreQSethSeries'': Unicorns are implied to exist. In the first book, some bad guys set a trap by pretending to be unicorn hunters.
* ''Literature/TheLaundryFiles'': Charlie Stross has an EldritchAbomination interpretation of unicorns in ''Equoid''. The title refers to how they resemble equine horses but ''aren't'', the same way "humanoid" compares to "human". The spiral horn and the vicious carnivorous horse-thing are separate organisms, but males and females of the same species, and when they mate and merge into a horned horse-thing (the way male anglerfish fuse themselves to females). The result is something far worse than either, and far more intelligent. A young girl is mind-controlled and used as a lure by the creature, rather than being used to lure the unicorn (virginity is apparently not a requirement).
* ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'': In the second book, ''The Queen of Air and Darkness'', Gawaine and his brothers Agravaine, Gaheris and Gareth use the kitchen maid Meg as bait for a unicorn, tying her pigtails round a heather root. It ends... badly.
* ''Literature/TheSecretLivesOfPrincesses'': Unicorns are only seen by princesses.
* In ''Literature/WarOfTheDreaming'' there were only two unicorns in existence and their job was to guard the Tree of Life. The male is killed by Azrael when he steals one of the fruits. Their offspring are not other unicorns but [[{{Pegasus}} dreamcolts]]
* ''Literature/UnicornU'', by Esther Friesner, has {{Fluffy|TheTerrible}} ([[InMyLanguageThatSoundsLike it means]] "Immortal Shining Spear of Light that Brings Destruction Unto Her Enemies," so laugh at your own risk). She has a bright pink mane and is [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter excessively]] [[BadassAdorable cute]] [[spoiler:until she's returned to her true form—less "cute" and more "[[InhumanlyBeautifulRace so beautiful as to beggar description]]" at the end]]. She's also [[HotBlooded temperamental]], [[SophisticatedAsHell foulmouthed]], and [[KnightInSourArmor snarky]].
* ''Literature/TheDreamOfPerpetualMotion''. [[MadScientist Prospero Taligent]] tells [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter his daughter Miranda]] that she can have anything she wants for her tenth birthday. She asks for a unicorn and (as her father is an expert in building robots) asks for a flesh-and-blood "real" unicorn. She gets it. Later in the book we discover Miranda was ForcedToWatch as her father punched a hole (without anesthetic) in the skull of a white horse and inserted an ivory horn, just to teach her that every miracle has its price. Prospero is also fixated on his daughter's virginity and when he realises SheIsAllGrownUp it doesn't end well.
* ''Literature/TheOrphansTales'': The third book introduces a unicorn, which tells its tale, "A Tale of Harm". The tale relates how unicorns are savage and destructive, and are only attracted to innocence because it is their opposite. This particular unicorn was lured into a trap by a virgin boy -- who stole its horn with a calm smile, having now completed his collection of poisons and antidotes. Subverting IncorruptiblePurePureness is a big part of ''The Orphan's Tales'' ' MO.
* In ''Literature/SweetPickles'', there are twenty-six characters each with an AlliterativeName representing a letter of the English alphabet. One of these characters is named "Unique Unicorn".
* ''Literature/MythAdventures'': Quite to the chagrin of Skeeve, unicorns in the worlds of the series are not only partial to virgins, but also attracted by them and will follow them even across dimensions. Of course, Skeeve's special unicorn friend tends to show up mostly when he's bragging about his prowess...
* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'' Unicorns are revered by medical mages like Nolien because they are natural healers. Their horns, for instance, could purify tainted water. In ''Mana Mutation Menace'', he mutates into a brand new breed of unicorn that has bird-like talons in addition to hooves, a single useless wing, and patches of scales. Given that he becomes a ''monster'' unicorn, he is not gentle, unless he is around his LoveInterest, Tiza.
* ''Literature/JoeLedger'': In ''Literature/TheDragonFactory'', the second novel, the discovery of a video of an apparently real unicorn being hunted for sport is the first indication that someone has invented a potentially dangerous form of genetic engineering.

* ''Literature/RoguesOfTheRepublic:'' Unicorns are shapeshifting magical parasites with mind control powers. And yes, they really like virgins... but virgins don't stay that way for long around them.

* Literature/OlogySeries: ''Monsterology'' describes unicorns as white, one-horned equines that are docile around girls but nervous and agitated by boys. They are mortal enemies of lions, which when fighting unicorns try to do so close to a tree, at which point they dodge and feint until the unicorn gets its horn stuck in the tree and becomes a sitting duck.
** Four variants exist: Arabian and Indian unicorns are the traditional lithe, graceful type, being distinguished by the Arabian variant's longer mane and short beard; Sumatran and Serican unicorns are squat, bulky, piglike animals with small horns on their foreheads. Serican unicorns even have small tusks.
** A phylogenetic tree in the book's introduction shows both the Arabic-Indian species and the Sumatran-Serican species as having evolved from a short-horned, prehistoric unicorn named ''Plinoceros'', itself descended from the real-life prehistoric horse ''Miohippus'' and named after Pliny the Elder.
* ''Literature/PrincessesOfThePizzaParlor'': They seem to exist, in the game's world, as Gwen thinks about them when she hears deer.

* Kim Newman's Franchise/{{Warhammer}} novella "Unicorn Ivory", collected in the book ''Literature/GenevieveUndead'', has a rather darker depiction of unicorns than the current lore described in the "Tabletop Games" section. In this story, they are vicious, predatory animals with a matriarchal social structure, herds consisting of a single dominant female with a harem of males. They are hunted for their ivory, but only the females' horn can be taken as a trophy as the bodies of males decompose with extreme speed after death.
* ''Literature/UnicornWestern'': Edward is a talking unicorn that his rider Clint uses.
* ''Literature/TheReluctantKing'': In ''The Unbeheaded King'', Jorian and Karadur runs into a wild Unicorn, which is, essentially, a giant woolly rhino with a misplaced horn and a very bad temper, forcing them to run up a tree.
* ''Literature/AcrossTheGreenGrassFields'': A unicorn is the first animal Regan sees upon [[TrappedInAnotherWorld entering the Hooflands]], to her delight. They're unearthly beautiful with deer-like heads, star-flecked black eyes, shining white fur, and golden hooves. They're also exceptionally stupid animals, kept as livestock for their milk and meat.
* ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'': The villains encounter a male unicorn which instantly attacks them. He's muscular, tough and very [[LargeHam hammy in his speech]]. They manage to trap him when his horn gets stuck in a tree trunk when he's dodged and Kaylana (a {{druid}}) makes the wood grow into place, keeping the beast in place (to his rage).

* ''Literature/WasteOfSpace'': Kira hacks Roddy's alien video game so Violet can crash it, riding in on a flying unicorn.
* ''Literature/XanaduStoryverse'': One story briefly mentions a unicorn penned outside Xanadu Hotel alongside other animals. Another character is turned into a unicorn himself, with his mind largely being subsumed by the creature's new consciousness.

[[folder:Arts]]
* One of Lisa Frank's most well-known motifs is the rainbow unicorn, and it's one of the few "classic" designs that has not been retired. Rainbow unicorns appeared on school supplies, bedding, etc. back in TheNineties, and were very popular with (and marketed towards) elementary-and-middle-school-aged [[AllGirlsLikePonies girls]].
* In medieval art, the Unicorn was used as a very specific representation of purity and of Christ, hence quite a few depictions of unicorns being murdered (which is reprised, at least for the purity and murder, in ''Film/{{Legend|1985}}''). The unicorn was also a good representation of the just, honest side of a king's reign, hence its appearance in the royal coat of the Stuart kings (and thus the current British Monarch). In the Royal Arms, it was depicted in chains (because it's honest but it's still wild and likely to kill you -- pretty apt for a Scottish king). In Stirling Castle, you can actually find both making it seem like the king was recording his own likelihood of being killed (again, it was a [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} Scottish King]]).
** The most famous works of medieval art featuring unicorns are two series of tapestries. One, ''The Hunt of the Unicorn,'' depicts a group of hunters chasing down and killing a unicorn. The last tapestry depicts the unicorn chained to a tree in a garden. They are displayed in the Met Cloisters in New York City. The other, ''The Lady and the Unicorn,'' depicts a noblewoman, a lion, and a unicorn in a courtly setting. They are displayed in the Cluny Museum in Paris. Both sets of tapestries have appeared in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' films.
* Unicorns (or unicorn-like creatures) have been found depicted on the walls of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux Lascaux Caves]], in what's called the Hall of Bulls.
[[/folder]]

* ''Literature/TortallUniverse'': We never get to see them, but there are killer unicorns. The most skilled of the Shang warriors take the names of magical creatures; there's a short story about the girl who eventually becomes the Shang Unicorn.

* "The Unicorn" by Shel Silverstein, sung by the Irish Rovers.

* ''WebOriginal/LoomingGaia'': Unicorns are the rarest animal species in Looming Gaia due to poaching. They look and act quite different from the typical fantasy unicorns though, with their skull heads and ability to rot anything their horn touches.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Smurfing For Unicorns" featured one, which the Smurfs were looking for to cure Puppy when he drank polluted water and got sick.

* ''WesternAnimation/UniKitty'', a spin-off of ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'' character. It also introduces her brother Puppycorn, a puppy with a horn.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'': Unicorns date back to ''Warcraft II'', where they were featured as the emblem on Elven Destroyers. Actual appearances by unicorns are pretty rare, but still show up on [[ContinuityNod Quel'thalas' old naval flag]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'', the Hallow biome spawns unicorns. They are your traditional horse-with-a-horn variety and are invariably hostile. Killing them for their horns is the only purpose they seem to have, at least until the 1.3 patch where they can drop Blessed Apples which give you the ability to ride an unicorn of your own.

** In the ''VideoGame/TheSims3'' Pet expansion, they added rare unicorns that you can catch by either being super nice to animals and having one come visit you, or by going to a sparkly rainbow that appears on the overmap and luring one. Virginity not required in either case.
** In ''VideoGame/MySims Kingdom'', you first hear about unicorns when Princess Butter loses and King Roland wants to buy back her happiness with a pony. They're said to be very rare, but the king says he knows a couple of elves. Later, you meet said elves, and indeed bring them back... with ThePowerOfRock!

* The ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'' series has them as neutral and Life sphere summon creatures and occasionally mounts for elven units. Their most common trait is the Phase ability, a limited, once-per-battle teleportation ability.

* Both the unicorn and the bicorn have made multiple appearances throughout the history of ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei''. Unicorn is usually associated with the elements of [[LightEmUp Hama]], but sometimes has an affinity to [[ShockAndAwe Zio]] instead or in addition, as well as a focus on buffs and curative powers. Bicorn tends to be a physically-orientated bruiser.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonUranium'', a fan game, has Minicorn, a Fairy-type based on the medieval image of deer-legged, lion-tailed unicorns with curving horns. Its evolution Kiricorn is a {{Kirin}}, and its own evolution Oblivicorn is a dark version of the former.

* Great Indian rhinos and Javan rhinos both possess only a single horn, whereas all other modern rhino species have two. The former is generally believed to have been the inspiration for early accounts of the unicorn as detailed in the trope's description. [[http://www.webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/unicorn As recently as 1828, Webster's Dictionary defined "unicorn" as any one-horned animal, giving the rhinoceros as an example.]]

* ''Animation/ElArca'': A unicorn shows up too late to board Noah's Ark, and consequently drowns in the global flood.

* ''Film/VoyageOfTheUnicorn'': Yhe crew of ''The Unicorn'' must find the real thing, in order to use its tears to restore a fellow shipmate who has been turned to stone. In an interesting variation, the unicorn is portrayed as black with a gold horn. The only two characters who ever ride it are young (and therefore presumably virgin) girls.

*** ''Friendship is Magic'' also has one of the rare cases of an ''ObviouslyEvil'' unicorn, King Sombra, a merciless tyrant who's been described as the [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent pony equivalent]] of [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]]. [[spoiler:The ''[=FIENDship=] is Magic'' comics have him as the long-lost prince of an entire race of {{Eldritch Abomination}}s given a unicorn form, but given the season nine premiere ignoring the comics' portrayal of Sombra almost entirely it's debatable how much this holds in the show itself.]]

* Another Middle Eastern unicorn is the al-mi'raj, which is instead a ''rabbit'' with the horn of a unicorn and usually described as a literal KillerRabbit. Think of it as the Arabian version of the jackalope.

* ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'': Agnes is obsessed with unicorns, and has a plush unicorn that she won at a carnival game in the first movie. In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe3'', she hears about a real one and tries to capture it. [[spoiler:She finds a goat kid with a missing horn instead, which she still insists is the real thing.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' has Una, who is a winged unicorn gargoyle and serves as leader of her clan, the London Clan.