Line #37 Main/GemTissue


1	%%%
2	%%
3	%% The examples section has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct place in accordance with Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings.
4	%%
5	%%%
6
7	[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gem_tissue.png]]]]
8	[[caption-width-right:350:Those gems are her actual body, and the body [[HardLight is a projection of the gems]].]]
9
10	Entities that have gems or crystals that make up at least part of their own [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissue_(biology) body tissue]]. In various works of fiction it sometimes appears as some sort of [[OurMonstersAreDifferent monster]], [[SiliconBasedLife alien]] or even on occasion a MineralMacGuffin. It may even be some sort of PowerCrystal (especially if they're mechanical in nature). The [[GlowingGem gem(s) or crystal(s) may even glow]] at times in the entity's life to show a reaction towards events going on in its life. Of course it's even more likely to be used due to RuleOfCool.
11
12	Subtropes include CarbuncleCreature, for creatures based on, or which are, carbuncles; CrystallineCreature, where a creature is composed solely of crystal and nothing else; and GemHeart, where the mineral component is a single large gem somewhere in the being's body.
13
14	Compare with SiliconBasedLife, BodyToJewel and RockMonster.
15	----
16	!!Examples:
17
18	[[foldercontrol]]
19
20	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
21	* ''Anime/DigimonFusion'': Blastmon is a humanoid porcupine whose spines are gigantic diamonds.
22	* ''Anime/FutureCardBuddyfight'' has Athora, a dragon whose body is partly covered with crystal growths that form very colorful natural plating.
23	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': The core found on angels and some Evas resembles a sort of red crystal and behaves like various other crystalline materials.
24	* ''Manga/OnePiece'': "Jewelry" Bonney gets her epithet from jewel-like studs growing on her skin. These are remnants of [[spoiler:a nearly fatal disease that made sunlight deadly to her, but was cured by Vegapunk]].
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Comic Books]]
28	* ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
29	** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
30	*** The All-American Boy was part of a black-ops project by the US to create a team capable of stopping Superman. He started as a normal human soldier, but was modified with Doomsday's DNA and Kryptonite, creating [[http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/a/l/All_American_Boy.jpg a monster with spikes of the radioactive mineral growing in place of Doomsday's bone plates]].
31	*** ''ComicBook/TheKillersOfKrypton'' has Empress Gandelo, who has multi-faceted crystals protruding all over her skin.
32	*** In ''ComicBook/DeathAndTheFamily'', one ancient, cursed jewel belonging to Silver Banshee's clan becomes embedded in Inspector Henderson's hand.
33	** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': It is unclear just what "Andro's" true body is actually made of, but it looks like clear, faceted crystal and explodes when struck by lightning.
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Fan Works]]
37	* ''Fanfic/JudgeLuna'': In "[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/109174/10 Case #9: Puppet]]", it's mentioned that unicorns have a gem called a carbuncle within the base of their horns, which is the source of their magic.
38	* ''Fanfic/OversaturatedWorld'': Gems become embedded into [[spoiler:Unicorn Aspects']] foreheads as part of becoming the human equivalent of [[spoiler:unicorns, with the gem representing the horn and allowing for spellcasting]].
39	[[/folder]]
40
41	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
42	* ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'': Contact with a PowerCrystal changes Commander Rourke's flesh to the same glowing blue crystal. This doesn't seem to interfere with his bodily functions, as he shows no signs of ill health [[spoiler:until Milo [[TurbineBlender hoists him up to the blimp propellers]], [[LiterallyShatteredLives shattering Rourke to a million pieces]]]].
43	* ''Anime/FairyTailDragonCry'' has [[spoiler:the dragon Animus]], whose horns and claws look like great masses of crystal growing out of his body.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
47	* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'': [=SpaceGodzilla=] has large crystals on his shoulders and several running down his back.
48	* ''Film/TheLastJedi'' depicts the Vulptex, fox-like animals with fur made out of crystalline bristles.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Literature]]
52	* ''Literature/TheCampHalfBloodSeries'':
53	** Festus has ruby eyes.
54	** Aurum and Argentum both have rubies for eyes.
55	** Alcyoneus, the bane of Hades, is made up of various precious stones and metal. His own heart is stated to be composed of raw diamonds.
56	* ''Literature/ChrysalisRinoZ'':
57	** The golgari, as they mature, choose a type of rock to permanently bond to their skin, imbuing a measure of life into the stone to form their "true skin". Granin chooses a [[BoringButPractical cheap but plentiful]] material, making repairs easy, but it's not unknown for extremely wealthy individuals to use diamond.
58	** Anthony chooses mutations that gradually turn more and more of his carapace into diamond, until eventually the whole thing is sparkly and glittery and yet still flexible (the supporting underlay helps).
59	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': In general, all [[AllTrollsAreDifferent trolls]] have diamond teeth -- it's the only material strong enough to grind and break down [[EatDirtCheap the rock that they eat]]. In addition, the Diamond King of the Trolls is made entirely out of diamond.
60	* ''Literature/TheElricSaga'': The Chaos Lord Pyaray is a giant red octopus who stores his soul in a blue crystal embedded in his forehead.
61	* ''Literature/IveBeenKillingSlimesFor300YearsAndMaxedOutMyLevel'': "Monsters" are distinguished from other creatures by the small gems within their bodies, which the AdventureGuild trades for coin. One dragon refuses to attack some [[FullBoarAction giant boars]] until she learns that they're not monsters, as she doesn't want to eat the gems by mistake.
62	* "The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles": The hideous and misshapen titular creatures have brilliant green multi-faceted eyes which look like emeralds. Mortensen, the cordage salesman, dooms himself when he tries to take the Head Gnole's spare set of eyes from a display cabinet as payment for the Gnoles' rather abundant order.
63	* ''Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan'': Dragons have a red oval stone inside their brain and the stone appears to be particularly gemlike on the covers of some books. [[spoiler:The Stone of Blood is one.]]
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
67	* ''Franchise/UltraSeries'': A few Ultramen are adorned with crystals which serve as sources of their energy, notably [[Series/UltramanGinga Ultraman Ginga and his partner, Ultraman Victory]]. The body crystals are later carried over whenever Ginga and/or Victory lend their powers to another Ultra, such as when Series/UltramanOrb borrows Ginga's powers to create his Lightning Attacker mode, or when Franchise/UltramanZero uses both Ginga's and Victory's powers for his Zero Beyond form.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Mythology & Folklore]]
71	* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grootslang The Grootslang]], a creature from South African folklore, is described as a forty- to fifty-foot-long serpent with diamonds for eyes.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
75	* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': When the legendary magus Quendalon [[{{Metamorphosis}} transformed]] into a faerie (or was [[KillAndReplace replaced by one]]), his eyes were replaced with faceted rubies. He claimed that they improved his vision.
76	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''
77	** The dagorran from ''TabletopGame/DarkSun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors beyond Tyr'' is a giant frog-like creature with green crystals growing out of the top of its back, under the neck. These crystals are the source of the creature's tracking and psionic abilities. The leader of a pack of dagorran has a larger growth of crystals than the other pack members.
78	** Some earth genasi -- {{Uneven Hybrid}}s of humanoids and earth {{Elemental Embodiment}}s -- have crystals growing out of an otherwise humanoid body, or geode-like fissures in their flesh.
79	** Part of the process for a [[OurLichesAreDifferent lich]] to transform itself into a demilich is to create eight soul gems and incorporate them into its body, empowering it to [[SoulEating consume people's souls]]. The most famous demilich, Acererak, appears as a skull with gemstones for its teeth and "eyes".
80	** A gem stalker's skin is studded with bright crystals that pulse with psychic energy, which allow it to communicate telepathically and which can be [[GemstoneAssault fired as a ranged attack]] after being imbued with various magical effects.
81	** The gnomish deity Garl Glittergold is commonly depicted as a dapper gnome with gemstones for eyes, symbolizing his affinity for all mineral wealth.
82	* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' setting of Autochthonia, people have 'soulgems' implanted on their foreheads at birth. Souls are a finite and vulnerable resource in Autochthonia, so their [[{{Reincarnation}} passage into a new body]] is assured by the living recycling the soulgems of the deceased. Another reason for the practice is that a soulgem's type indicates the caste of the person it belongs to, enabling the higher castes to more efficiently oppress the lower.
83	* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': [[PowerCrystal Ioun stones]] usually [[AntiGravityClothing orbit their user's head]], but characters can permanently incorporate them into their bodies through a combination of psychic attunement and surgery. Afterwards, the stone counts as a part of the user and can't be targeted separately by attacks or effects.
84	* ''Franchise/{{Warhammer}}'':
85	** ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': The book ''Xenology'', while largely moved away from, details the biology of several Xenos races. It implies that anything that would clot or solidify in a human physiology crystallizes in an Eldar.
86	** ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'': The Chaos {{muta\|nts}}tion "Mindless" transforms the victim's brain into [[GreenRocks warpstone]], reducing them to an EmptyShell who can do nothing but obey simple orders from spellcasters.
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Video Games]]
90	* ''VideoGame/{{Arknights}}'': Originium is known to cause an incurable disease called Oripathy, where the mineral assimilates into living cells and turns them into more Originium. Oripathy often manifests as patches of Originium crystals visible on the skin, and the body of Oripathy sufferers can dissolve into active Originium dust upon death to infect even more people.
91	* ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'' is set in a world where a widespread demonic affliction causes the victims' flesh to randomly crystallize, often forming unsettling stained glass-like shapes. The heroine of the game is also afflicted and has multiple patches of crystal on her body, most prominently a rose-like one over her heart.
92	* ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'': The Caustic Caverns are the habitat of creatures known as Crystalisks, huge tripedal animals with valuable crystals growing in their flesh.
93	* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer''
94	** ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRenegade'': Initiates have a few tiberium crystals growing out of their shoulders.
95	** ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun'':
96	*** The Forsaken are {{Mutants}} who have been altered by exposure to Tiberium to the point they have Tiberium crystals growing out of their skin.
97	*** The Tiberian Fiend [[NeutralsCrittersAndCreeps neutral unit]] is a huge dog with tiberium crystals growing out of its back. It can shoot them at your troops as well.
98	** ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars'': In the ''Kane's Wrath'' expansion, Scrin Ravagers have a cluster of Tiberium crystals growing out of their backs.
99	* ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'': The Thing From the Stars, a boss monster added in the ''Color of Madness'' DLC, is composed of multiple human corpses and at least one deer corpse, and filled with growths of aquamarine-colored crystal. The crystal protrudes out as spines and forms a blade sticking out of one of its mouths.
100	* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'' has the semi-crystallized undead populating the (mainly) Duke's Archive, who have magical crystals sticking out of their bodies that give them various sorcerous abilities. Across the franchise's three games, Crystal Lizards have also been a source of rare Titanite crystals, being tiny {{Fragile Speedster}}s... until the third game had some consume souls and grow enormously into crystalline monsters with an appetite for souls.
101	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'':
102	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'': While the physiology of this process is never exactly explored in detail, when the l'Cie in the ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' mythos make their FaustianBargain, a small crystal forms somewhere inside their bodies that allows them to manifest their superpowers and grows larger as they become stronger (this serves as the in-universe justification of the [[SkillScoresAndPerks Crystarium]] [[CharacterLevel subsystem]]). Eventually, when the l'Cie fulfill their end of the deal they made, the crystal grows so large that it completely encases them, freezing them in an eternal stasis.
103	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'':
104	*** The full-blooded Garleans have a small pearl-like growth in the middle of their forehead, called a Third-eye.
105	*** The Crystal Exarch in the ''Shadowbringers'' expansion is slowly turning to crystal due to his affinity with the Crystal Tower of the Allagans. One arm, most of his neck, and part of his cheek are already converted -- any other parts are hidden under his robe. His mobility is unaffected.
106	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'': Those capable of naturally using magic suffer "the Crystal Curse". The more they use their magic in life, the more [[TakenForGranite parts of their bodies turn to pale crystal]]. In its advanced stages, entire limbs become useless and the afflicted suffer constant, agonizing pain until they finally die from organ failure or use so much magic that they crystalize completely.
107	* ''VideoGame/FlightRising'':
108	** Skydancer dragons have crystals on their foreheads.
109	** There are several genes that can have this effect on a dragon, such as Gembond (embedded gems all over the dragon), Opal (parts of the body turn into opal), or the paired Crystal and Facet genes (makes the dragon's skin crystalline on either the main body or their wings).
110	* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'': [[spoiler:The Scions, a.k.a. evolved Locust, and Swarmak, an evolved Brumak,]] have crystals of some sort growing out of their bodies.
111	* ''VideoGame/GodzillaUnleashed'': Along with [=SpaceGodzilla=], who has crystals growing out of his back and shoulders, there is also Krystalak, whose entire back is covered in crystals and who also has a beard made out of them.
112	* ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'': Pyrrhon has a green jewel on his forehead.
113	* ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'': The Jumi have cores of gemstone (of varying types), which are their most vital organ. Damage it and you damage them permanently; remove it and you kill them.
114	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': Several examples exist, such as Carbink and Diancie, though the Lake Trio are probably the most famous since their gems are integrated into [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl their games']] story. Others such as Dialga and Palkia have gem-like orbs embedded into their limbs and torsos. Special mention to Sableye, which ''eats'' Carbink and develop their own gem tissues as a result of their diet.
115	* ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' has the gemstone dragons: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin dragons with dragonstone, onyx and hydrix gems naturally embedded into their bodies.]] They were originally born from the eggs of a crystal dragon, which was created by the dragonkin Vicendithas when he magically infused a white dragon with elven crystals. Dragonstone, in particular, was a gemstone not found in the wild, leaving Vicendithas to name it after its source.
116	* ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'': Flashwing is a gem dragon and has wings made of crystal, as well as crystals on her head.
117	* ''VideoGame/SlimeRancher'': Crystal slimes are covered in growths of razor-sharp crystals.
118	%%* ''VideoGame/{{Nioh}}'': Several Yokai have chunks of Amrita growing from their bodies.%%Amrita being?
119	* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'': Any creature with the Mackne, Derma Bark, Baublewarts, Jemite and/or Stealing Crystals parts is partially made of crystal or gems.
120	* ''VideoGame/{{Temtem}}'': This is a common motif among Crystal types, if they're not outright {{Crystalline Creature}}s. Many have crystals on their claws and/or foreheads, but the Lapinite line takes this one step further and have a ridge of crystals down their backs.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Webcomics]]
124	* ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'': The Orrotta have soul gems implanted on their bodies.
125	* ''Webcomic/{{Huckleberry}}'': The Diamondback is a desert snake with [[PunBasedCreature literal diamonds on its back]].
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Web Videos]]
129	* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'': Ashton Greymoore is an earth genasi, an UnevenHybrid of a humanoid and an Earth ElementalEmbodiment. This ancestry gives him green stone skin, purple crystals in place of hair, and an opalescent brain.
130	[[/folder]]
131
132	[[folder:Western Animation]]
133	* ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'': Skalamander has diamond-like crystals growing out of one of his arms, which he can use to [[GemstoneAssault fire pointy shards]] or create defensive constructs.
134	* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
135	** [[HalfHumanHybrid Steven]] has his mother Rose Quartz's gemstone where his belly button would be.
136	** The Gems and Gem Monsters occupy a hazy borderline between this and a fully CrystallineCreature. Technically, their bodies are less "made of gems" and more HardLight constructs ''around'' a central core that ''is'' a gem. As a result, the gemstone embedded in some part of each Gem's anatomy is in a sense their "actual" body.
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	[[folder:Real Life]]
140	* Depending on who you ask, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral coral]] is this.
141	* Trilobites, an extinct class of arthropods distantly related to modern horseshoe crabs, used transparent calcite crystals as lenses in their eyes.
142	* Subverted with the [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histioteuthis_reversa elongated jewel squid]]. At first glance, you'd think it has small jewels encrusted all over its skin, hence the name, but upon closer inspection, you'll see that those "jewels" are actually tiny eye-like lensed apparatuses which, when activated, emit focused beams of [[BioluminescenceIsCool bioluminescent light]].
143	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GemTissue