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1->''"Creator/StephenKing once wrote that 'Nightmares exist outside of logic, and there's little fun to be had in explanations; they're antithetical to the poetry of fear.' In a horror story, the victim keeps asking 'Why?' But there can be no explanation, and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest, and it's what we'll remember in the end."''
2-->-- ''VideoGame/AlanWake'', "[[Recap/AlanWakeEp1Nightmare Nightmare]]"
3
4Tropes that are associated with {{Horror}} stories, from any medium.
5
6A SubGenre of SpeculativeFiction as many contain supernatural elements.
7----
8!!Subcategories and Trope Indexes
9+ '''{{Horror}}''': The whole genre itself.
10+ FridgeHorror: FridgeBrilliance meets NightmareFuel.
11+ NightmareFuel: Scary moments to be found in any work of media.
12+ PlayedForHorror: A trope is used for scary effect.
13+ RuleOfScary: Something doesn't have to make much sense as long as it's creepy.
14
15!!Genres/types
16+ ActionHorror: Horror meets the ActionGenre, in which terrifying monsters are confronted by well-armed, well-equipped protagonists who the audience knows are capable of fighting back.
17+ AlienWorks: Stories themed around extraterrestrial life.
18+ AnalogHorror: Horror in the format of TV broadcasts and VHS tapes (with occasional film reels).
19+ BodyHorror: Horror derived from disturbing disfigurement or alteration of someone's body.
20+ CosmicHorrorStory: A sub-genre popularized by Creator/HPLovecraft, which revolves around [[EldritchAbomination mysterious, terrifyingly powerful entities]] that cannot be safely understood by human beings.
21+ {{Creepypasta}}: Works of horror fiction that are posted and spread on the Internet, typically written in a first-person narrative to give the appearance of being a report on events that actually happened and therefore make things especially scary.
22+ DarkFantasy: {{Fantasy}} stories that are played for horror, often involving the use of occultist dark magic and malevolent supernatural beings.
23+ DemonWorks: Stories themed around [[OurDemonsAreDifferent creatures spawned from Hell]].
24+ DigitalHorror: Horror utilizing digital media.
25+ DragonWorks: Stories themed around [[OurDragonsAreDifferent giant reptilian beasts]].
26+ GhostFiction: Stories themed around [[OurGhostsAreDifferent the spirits of dead people]].
27+ GothicHorror: A classic horror sub-genre mostly associated with {{Romanticis|m}}t literature of the 19th century.
28+ HorrorComedy: {{Comedy}} stories which parody horror tropes for laughs ([[BlackComedy often in a very morbid manner]]).
29+ {{Horrorcore}}: Horror-themed HipHop.
30+ MedicalHorror: Horror derived from terrible physical illnesses or injuries being inflicted on living beings.
31+ MonsterMedia: Stories featuring [[OurMonstersAreDifferent miscellaneous or multiple types of monsters]].
32+ MummyMedia: Stories themed around [[{{Mummy}} gauze-wrapped Egyptian corpses]].
33+ PsychologicalHorror: Horror derived from the abuse of someone's fragile mind and unstable emotions, rather than threats from more physical forms of danger.
34+ PsychosexualHorror: A subgenre that explores psychosexual development as a subject matter, including themes of sexual development and sexual activities.
35+ ReligiousHorror: Horror derived from theological or mythological themes.
36+ SciFiHorror: ScienceFiction stories that are played for horror, often involving the use of futuristic technology and space/time travel gone horribly wrong.
37+ SlasherMovie: A very popular sub-genre of horror films, involving some sort of monster or villain hunting down and killing people in incredibly gruesome ways.
38+ SplatterHorror: Scary stories that use explicit blood, gore, and violence for shock factor.
39+ SpookyKidsMedia: Horror aimed at children.
40+ SuperheroHorror: When SuperheroTropes are played for horror. Expect the {{superhero}}es in this story to face off against some unusually terrifying {{supervillain}}s.
41+ SurvivalHorror: Mostly a video game genre, in which the protagonist must try to ''survive'' encounters with enemies rather than directly fighting them head-on.
42+ VampireFiction: Stories themed around [[OurVampiresAreDifferent immortal blood-drinkers]].
43+ WerebeastWorks: Stories themed around [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent people who transform into beasts]].
44+ WerewolfWorks: Stories themed around [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent people who transform into wolves, specifically]].
45+ WitchWorks: Stories themed around [[OurWitchesAreDifferent female magic-users]].
46+ ZombieStories: Stories themed around [[OurZombiesAreDifferent corpses that walk as if they live]].
47
48!!Stock characters
49+ AlienTropes: Tropes about extraterrestrial beings, which are often depicted as [[AliensAreBastards malevolent invaders]], mindless savage beasts, or BodyHorror [[TheAssimilator assimilators]], usually thanks to their BizarreAlienBiology. These monsters are common in SciFiHorror stories.
50+ DragonTropes: Tropes about [[OurDragonsAreDifferent giant reptilian beasts]], which have often been depicted as dangerous man-eating predators, thus making them fairly common monsters in horror stories that may lean more towards DarkFantasy.
51+ EldritchAbomination: A bizarrely horrifying, otherworldly monster that is beyond human understanding. Traditionally associated with Lovecraftian-style CosmicHorror, now found in a wide variety of horror, fantasy and science fiction settings.
52+ HauntedIndex: Tropes about the [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ethereal spirits of dead people]].
53+ HunterOfMonsters: A professional who knows how to fight and kill evil monsters. They are usually the main hero of any ActionHorror story.
54+ InfernalTropes: Tropes pertaining to {{hell}}ish realms, along with the damned souls and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent devilish beings]] who reside there.
55+ MummyTropes: Tropes about [[{{Mummy}} undead corpses preserved in gauze]].
56+ TropesOfTheLivingDead: Tropes about those [[OurZombiesAreDifferent generic walking corpses]].
57+ UndeadIndex: Tropes about [[TheUndead all kinds of monsters which are supposed to be dead but won't stay dead]].
58+ VampireTropes: Tropes about [[OurVampiresAreDifferent undead people with an addiction to blood]].
59+ WerebeastTropes: Tropes about [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent shapeshifting monsters who switch between human and animal forms]].
60+ WitchesAndWizards: Tropes about human magic users, with [[EvilSorcerer wicked wizards]] and [[WickedWitch witches]] being fairly common villains in horror stories that may lean more towards DarkFantasy.
61
62!!Other categories
63+ AbandonedArea: Buildings and places which are (mostly) empty of people will make good stock settings for scary stories.
64+ AdultFear: Tropes tied to realistic fears an adult could have.
65+ ApocalypticIndex: TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt will always involve mass death and destruction on a grand scale, and thus is never a pleasant event to experience (if you can even survive it, that is).
66+ BloodyTropes: Whenever you see this precious body fluid getting spilled, it means bad things have or will happen.
67+ DarknessAndShadowsTropes: The absence of light is often feared to be where danger is lurking.
68+ DeadBodyIndex
69+ DeathTropes: Obviously enough, the end of anyone's life is not something you really wish to witness (or experience directly).
70+ EvilIsVisceral
71+ EvilMusicIndex: The typical soundtrack associated with any horror movie/show/game.
72+ EvilTropes: All competent villains can invoke great terror from their sinister behavior and cruel actions.
73+ FearTropes: The emotions of horror and terror itself.
74+ HalloweenTropes: Tropes related to the holiday of UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve, or Halloween, which in modern times has basically become a secular pop-cultural celebration of the horror fiction genre, along with all of its associated tropes and cliches.
75+ IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes
76+ LovecraftianTropes
77+ MadnessTropes: Tropes about extreme mental illnesses and insanity in general.
78+ ParanormalTropes: Tropes about the paranormal and supernatural, or unexplainable phenomena beyond our (safe) understanding of reality. Often invokes our fears of unknown and unusual things.
79+ ScaryAnimalsIndex
80+ ScreamingTropes: Yelling out a loud shriek is an appropriate response to feeling truly terrified.
81+ SkeletalTropes: Since it takes a long time for bones to decompose, skeletons are often associated with long-decomposed corpses and by extension death.
82+ SubvertedInnocence: When horror is derived from something that's (seemingly) nice, sweet, and wholesome getting twisted into a malicious mockery of itself.
83+ ViolenceTropes: Direct physical conflict between two or more characters can result in very disturbing injuries and consequences.
84+ YouWouldNotWantToLiveInDex: Locations and settings that are inherently bad places to ever visit.
85
86!!Individual Tropes
87[[foldercontrol]]
88[[folder:A]]
89* AbandonedCampRuins: The people who camped here probably didn't count on this place having something dangerous in it.
90* AbandonedHospital: Definitely not a place that one wants to visit when feeling unwell.
91* AbandonedHospitalAwakening: A hospital patient wakes up to find the building empty of all other life.
92* AbandonedPlayground: Something is inherently spooky about a former play-place for children.
93* AbandonedWarehouse: This building is probably storing things that are best left alone.
94* AbsurdlyIneffectiveBarricade: The threat is able to break through a barricade near-effortlessly.
95* AbsurdlySharpClaws
96* TheAdjectivalMan: A character named after an adjective, often NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast
97* AdorableAbomination: An EldritchAbomination that looks cute. Their cuteness may either be a [[CuteIsEvil deceptive facade]], or an indication that they're [[BenevolentAbomination genuinely harmless]].
98* AfterlifeExpress
99* AfterTheEnd: What the world looks like in the aftermath of a terrible disaster.
100* AlienAbduction: A human gets kidnapped by extraterrestrial beings, often for creepy or sinister purposes (usually involving very invasive, torturous medical experiments).
101* AlienBlood: Creatures bleed unusually colored blood.
102* AlienGeometries: An area, being or object with impossible dimensions, common in CosmicHorror.
103* AlienInvasion: Extraterrestrials attack Earth with the goal of [[KillAllHumans destroying]] or [[FateWorseThanDeath enslaving]] all of humanity.
104* AliensAreBastards: Aliens are [[AlwaysChaoticEvil evil and malevolent]] towards humans, often [[AlienAbduction kidnapping people]] to do terrible things to them, or [[AlienInvasion attacking Earth]] just because they can.
105* AllInTheEyes: A character is in darkness except for their illuminated eyes.
106* AllMythsAreTrue
107* AllWebbedUp: Someone is trapped in a giant (spider) web, ready to be devoured by whatever spun it.
108* AloneWithThePsycho: A defenseless character is alone with a murderer who wants to kill them.
109* AlwaysNight: A location -- or story in general -- is in constant and unending darkness.
110* AmputationStopsSpread: An infection can be stopped by amputating the infected limb.
111* AmusementParkOfDoom: A dangerous amusement park where oblivious families and tourists visit at their own risk.
112* AncientEvil: An evil force that is thousands of years old or even older
113* AncientTomb: Old tombs and crypts, invariably filled with TheUndead.
114* AndIMustScream: A person is trapped in a terrifying condition where they can't move or escape, they can't communicate to anyone around them, and they are unable to die, all while suffering in pain or fear the whole time.
115* AndShowItToYou: A character has their organs removed and shown to them.
116* AngelsDevilsAndSquid
117* AnimalisticAbomination: An eldritch abomination with animal traits.
118* AnkleDrag: A character is dragged by their ankles by the threat.
119* AnomalousArt: Works of art that possess strange, paranormal powers.
120* AnotherMansTerror: A character goes through the experiences of a dead character.
121* TheAntichrist: A supernatural human/entity meant to bring about the Apocalypse.
122* AnyoneCanDie: Not even the main protagonists are safe from mortal doom.
123* ApartmentComplexOfHorrors: Getting trapped in an apartment with evil and/or sinister forces.
124* ApocalypseCult: An underground religious sect which is obsessed with a [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt doomsday prophecy]], either trying to help jumpstart the process of destroying our own world or doing terrible things to others in selfish hopes for their own survival.
125* ApocalypseHow: All the various ways in fiction that a doomsday event can happen.
126* ApocalypticLog: A diary, journal, or other records made by someone which details how something they witnessed went terribly wrong. It may even end just before their own demise.
127* ArtifactOfDeath: An object that inevitably cause the death of its owner.
128* ArtifactOfDoom: Supernatural objects that are cursed or can cause terrible things to happen when (ab)used.
129* AttackOfTheKillerWhatever: Something that would not usually be dangerous becomes a monster.
130* AttackOfTheMonsterAppendage: A limb, often independent of a body, is a dangerous monster.
131* AttractiveZombie
132* AtrocityMontage: A sequence of horrific events portrayed graphically.
133* AxCrazy: Someone who is violently insane.
134[[/folder]]
135
136[[folder:B]]
137* BackingIntoDanger: Backing into the very thing you were watching out for.
138* BackstoryHorror: Something horrifying happened in a character's backstory.
139* BadBlackBarf: Black vomit is a sign of oncoming BodyHorror or BloodyHorror.
140* TheBadGuyWins: The villain/monster wins at the end of the story.
141* BadHumorTruck: An ice-cream van is a mortal threat.
142* BadSanta: When jolly old [[SantaClaus Saint Nick]] gets a terrifying dose of AdaptationalVillainy.
143* BalloonOfDoom: Either when a party balloon is used as a symbol of evil or an anthropomorphic balloon is villainous.
144* {{Baphomet}}: A goat-headed demon with both male and female features.
145* BarredFromTheAfterlife: A character cannot enter the afterlife, often resulting in AndIMustScream or WalkingTheEarth.
146* BarrierBustingBlow: A single blow is enough to break past a barricade.
147* BatOutOfHell: A monstrous and/or abnormally large bat.
148* BatPeople: Humans with bat-like traits or humanoid bats who, depending on the work, may be connected to vampires.
149* BatScare: A jump scare involving bats flying out of a dark space.
150* BattleaxeNurse: An evil nurse.
151* BearTrap: A character is caught in a sharp trap activated by stepping on it.
152* BeastInTheMaze: A monster dwells inside a maze.
153* BeastOfTheApocalypse: A monster that brings on the end of the world.
154* BeastWithAHumanFace: An otherwise clearly non-human creature has a human face.
155* BeatStillMyHeart: A heart is ripped or cut out of a chest and continues to beat.
156* BedlamHouse
157* BedsheetGhost
158* BehavioralConditioning: Someone is brainwashed into certain behavioral patterns.
159* BellyMouth: A creature has a mouth on their stomach.
160* BewareOfHitchhikingGhosts: Ghosts masquerade as hitchhikers and get inside cars.
161* BewareOfViciousDog: A vicious dog.
162* BigCreepyCrawlies: Giant bugs.
163* {{Bizarrchitecture}}
164* BlackDudeDiesFirst
165* BlackEyesOfCrazy: The dangerous psychopath with black eyes
166* BlackEyesOfEvil: Dark, pitch-black eyes which give off evil and soulless vibes.
167* BlackMagic: Magic used for evil/demonic purposes.
168* TheBlank: A being without any visible facial features is quite disturbing.
169* BlindWithoutThem: Most nearsighted or blind victims (mainly females) meet their unfortunate fate (mostly after finding their glasses) or (rarely) survive.
170* BlobMonster: A monster made of slime.
171* BloodBath: A character (often a vampire or sorcerer) bathes in blood.
172* BloodForMortar: Human remains are used in the construction of buildings.
173* BloodFromEveryOrifice
174* BloodFromTheMouth
175* BloodIsSquickerInWater
176* BloodMagic: Blood is used for occult purposes.
177* BloodSplatteredInnocents
178* BloodSplatteredWeddingDress
179* BloodyHandprint: A handprint in blood is seen, usually used to imply a bloody killing.
180* BloodyHorror: Blood and violence are used to generate horror.
181* BlueCollarWarlock: A working-class enchanter.
182* BodyAndHost: The relationship between a spirit or parasite and the person they inhabit.
183* BodyInABreadbox
184* BodyOfBodies: A being made out of the bodies of many smaller beings.
185* BodySnatcher
186* BotanicalAbomination: An eldritch abomination plant.
187* BrainFood: A character eats brains.
188* BrainInAJar: A brain in a jar.
189* BreakingAndBloodsucking: Vampires break into bedrooms to attack women.
190* BrokenHeel: A character trips, breaks their heel or stops running for some other reason.
191* BrownNote: Seeing, hearing, or otherwise directly sensing this object can be very harmful to one's mind and/or body.
192* BrownNoteBeing: A person, creature, or [[EldritchAbomination thing]] that will make you regret ever meeting and witnessing them up-close.
193* BunkerWoman: A DamselInDistress is imprisoned underground.
194* BuriedAlive: A live person, usually after being mistaken for a dead body due to unconsciousness, gets dumped into a grave and sealed inside. Should they fail to escape in time, they'll run out of oxygen and become corpses for real.
195* BurnTheUndead: When fire is effective at destroying vampires or other undead creatures.
196* TheButcher: Anyone nicknamed “The Butcher” is evil.
197* BystanderActionHorrorDissonance: An action sequence shifts to a much darker tone when we see how it's affecting those who aren't part of the fight.
198[[/folder]]
199
200[[folder:C]]
201* TheCallsAreComingFromInsideTheHouse: When you pick up a stranger's call on your phone and realize that they're even closer than you thought...
202* CampbellCountry: Creepy communities in the British Isles.
203* CampUnsafeIsntSafeAnymore: A seemingly safe site is actually dangerous.
204* CannibalLarder: A kitchen stocked with the other white meat.
205* CantMoveWhileBeingWatched: A supernatural being is incapable of movement while being watched.
206* CastsNoShadow
207* CatapultNightmare
208* CatScare: A JumpScare involving a cat.
209* CeilingCorpse: A corpse is suspended from the ceiling unnoticed.
210* TheChainOfHarm (especially #4 and #5)
211* ChestBurster
212* ChildEater: A villain that eats children/babies.
213* ChillOfUndeath
214* ChineseVampire: An undead hopping corpse from Chinese folklore that drains life force.
215* {{Chupacabra}}: A legendary monster (of wildly varying descriptions) that is said to prey on livestock.
216* CircusOfFear: A circus is a place of evil and malevolence.
217* CityOfTheDamned
218* CivilizationDestroyer: A species, creature, group or EldritchAbomination capable of destroying a civilization.
219* ClassicalMovieVampire: In some fiction, vampires are pale people in evening dress.
220* ClingyCostume: Clothes that are impossible to remove.
221* CobwebJungle: An AncientTomb, HauntedCastle or other old location has to be full of cobwebs.
222* ColdBloodedTorture: People getting subjected to extreme pain and torment by other people; either as a means of interrogation, punishment, or just out of sheer sadism.
223* CompleteMonster: A character who is pure evil. In horror stories, these villains are usually the ones who produce the most NightmareFuel through incredibly cruel and sadistic acts against others.
224* ConnectTheDeaths: TheReveal involves a character working out the connections between deaths.
225* CorpseLand: A location made of or covered in corpses.
226* TheCorruption
227* CouncilOfVampires
228* CrapsaccharineWorld: A seemingly nice, pleasant place that only appears to be this way on the surface. In reality it's hiding some very awful secrets...
229* CrapsackWorld: The story's setting is a terribly nightmarish dystopia full of misery and suffering.
230* CreepilyLongArms: A character or monster has eerily long arms.
231* CreepyAsymmetry
232* CreepyBallet: A ballet -- or the events backstage -- are spooky.
233* CreepyBasement: A basement in which horrific or supernatural events occur.
234* CreepyCamelSpider: Solifugids portrayed as hyperaggressive desert terrors, often well beyond what they are in reality.
235* CreepyCathedral: Religious buildings played for horror.
236* CreepyCatholicism: Catholicism is portrayed as sinister.
237* CreepyCave: Caves are dangerous, unsettling, and scary.
238* CreepyCemetery: Graveyards are homes or hunting grounds for TheUndead.
239* CreepyChangingPainting: A painting that supernaturally alters itself.
240* CreepyChild: A child who has something odd or disturbing about them.
241* CreepyChildrenSinging: We hear children sing in an unnerving manner.
242* CreepyCircusMusic: Circus music is used for a spooky effect, often in a CircusOfFear.
243* CreepyCleanliness: A place is clean to a disconcerting degree.
244* CreepyCrows: Crows and ravens often appear in spooky places.
245* CreepyDoll: A doll which is malevolent or just spooky.
246* CreepyDollhouse: The natural habitat of the above.
247* CreepyFamily: A family has something sinister about them.
248* CreepyGasStationAttendant: This man will give you petrol and ''very'' bad directions or may be intentionally malevolent.
249* CreepyGood: Characters who, despite their frightening/disturbing/generally really creepy capabilities or mannerisms, still manage to be effective forces on the side of good.
250* CreepyHousekeeper: The women who keeps your HauntedCastle spick and span and scares off arrivals.
251* CreepyLongFingers: A villain has eerily long fingers.
252* CreepyMascotSuit: A person in an animal suit or mask is scary, if not evil.
253* CreepyMonotone: Monotone talking played for horror.
254* CreepyMortician
255* CreepyOldFashionedDivingSuit: Old model diving suits are disturbing.
256* CreepyShadowedUndereyes
257* CreepySouvenir: A memento that is either creepy or has a creepy past.
258* CreepyTwins
259* CropCircles: Patterns left in fields by aliens.
260* CruelAndUnusualDeath: The more gory and painful it is, the worse it is to die like this.
261* CrustyCaretaker: The man responsible for cleaning a typical HauntedHouse and intimidating visitors.
262* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: A humanoid eldritch abomination with cephalopod attributes, resembling Cthullu from the ''Franchise/CthulhuMythos''.
263* {{Cult}}: A group of people with sinister customs and goals.
264* CuriosityKilledTheCast: Characters are killed off for getting too curious.
265* CurseOfThePharaoh: If you try to rob the tomb of an {{Ancient Egypt}}ian [[NephariousPharaoh pharaoh]], then you will suffer their posthumous vengeance.
266* CuteAndPsycho: Someone who is as adorable as they are violently insane.
267* CuteCreatureCreepyMouth: An entity that would otherwise be cute but has a horrifying mouth.
268[[/folder]]
269
270[[folder:D]]
271* DangerousKeyFumble: A character gets delayed locking out the impending threat or unlocking the door keeping them in.
272* DangerousWindows: Windows of oddly fragile glass which monsters and villains bust through.
273* DangerTakesABackseat: Something horrifying lurks in the backseat of your car.
274* DangerWithADeadline: The protagonists must avoid the threat until the danger passes.
275* DarkIsEvil: Darkness is associated with evil.
276* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: A villain is mortally wounded and on life support.
277* DarknessEqualsDeath: Shadows are often very ominous. Who knows what they hide?
278* TheDarknessGazesBack: A dark area is full of eyes staring at the protagonists.
279* DarknessVonGothickName: A dark name.
280* DarkWorld: An entire world in constant darkness.
281* DeadAllAlong
282* DeaderThanDead
283* DeadlyBath: A bath that ends in the bather's death.
284* DeadlyBook: A book that has fatal consequences for the reader.
285* DeadlyDoctor: A murderous or simply highly incompetent doctor.
286* DeadlyLunge: Sudden zombie leaping attack.
287* DeadlyPrank: A not-so-harmless prank resulting in someone getting killed.
288* DeadlyRoadTrip: A road trip from which you will not return.
289* DeadWeight
290* DealWithTheDevil
291* DeathByMaterialism: A character's greed results in their death.
292* DeathByMocking: In Horrormovieland, {{Alpha Bitch}}es and {{Jerk Jock}}s cannot expect to live long.
293* DeathByPragmatism: People get murdered for taking the sensible option.
294* DeathOfAChild: The story openly depicts young children dying.
295* DefangedHorrors: Horrors presented in a child-friendly manner.
296* DemBones: Undead skeletons.
297* DemonicDummy: A ventriloquist's dummy that is most certainly not friendly.
298* DemonicHeadShake: A victim of {{Demonic Possession}}s's head shakes furiously.
299* DemonicPossession: When an evil spirit seizes control over someone's mind and body.
300* DepravedDentist: A dentist who gets off on hurting their patients.
301* DevelopingDoomedCharacters: We get to know the cast just before they start dying.
302* DevilInDisguise: Satan or someone working for him living amongst humans.
303* DevouredByTheHorde: A character is torn to pieces and eaten by a horde of antagonists.
304* {{Dhampyr}}: The offspring of a vampire and a human.
305* DigitalAbomination: A digital eldritch abomination.
306* DisguisedHorrorStory: Starts off as cute and/or innocent, then becomes scary and/or macabre.
307* DistressCall: Emergency communications made by people in trouble, which may become especially worrisome if any potential rescuers find that they have arrived too late to help save anyone...
308* DoctorsDisgracefulDemotion: A MadScientist lost their medical license for performing horrible experiments.
309* DontGoInTheWoods: Forests are full of all kinds of scary and dangerous things hiding between the trees, so one must be careful to never get lost in them.
310* DoorHandleScare: ''Something'' pulls down the handle of a door.
311* DownerEnding: The story ends sadly.
312* DraggedOffToHell: A character is taken to Hell.
313* TheDreaded: A character everyone else is scared senseless of.
314* DroneOfDread
315* DroppedGlasses: Most nearsighted or blind victims (mainly females) lose their seeing ability (mostly by running and tripping over something) as their glasses fall off their face and increases their fear factor as they search for them in a panic.
316* DroolHello: Bodily secretions, usually drool, are the first signs of a monster's presence.
317* DropInNemesis
318* DugTooDeep: A mining operation [[SealedEvilInACan shouldn't be mining there]].
319* DumbwaiterRide
320* DwindlingParty: The group of survivors is getting smaller and smaller.
321[[/folder]]
322
323[[folder:E]]
324* EarAche
325* EatenAlive: Getting devoured while still alive.
326* EatsBabies
327* {{Ectoplasm}}
328* EerieArcticResearchStation: An isolated research station in one of the Poles where horrifying events occur.
329* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Often indicates a [[StringyHairedGhostGirl ghost]], [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] or simply a {{Mundanger}}.
330* EldritchLocation: An otherworldly location that is strange and off in all the wrong ways.
331* EldritchOceanAbyss
332* EldritchTransformation
333* ElectromagneticGhosts
334* EmergencyBroadcast
335* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: A catastrophic disaster that results in mass death and destruction on a global scale.
336* TheEndOrIsIt: A classic TwistEnding which implies that the monster, villain, or other source of conflict hasn't actually been defeated or solved, and that it's only the beginning of more trouble for our protagonists.
337* EnemyRisingBehind
338* EnfantTerrible: A child who is evil.
339* EverybodyDiesEnding: The story ends with everyone dead.
340* EverybodysDeadDave
341* EverythingTryingToKillYou: A location full of all sorts of hostile creatures.
342* EvilAllAlong: Villains who pretend to be good people tend to be much scarier than the ObviouslyEvil.
343* EvilDetectingDog: An animal can sense evil, danger, or the supernatural.
344* EvilElevator
345* EvilHand
346* EvilMask
347* EvilOrphan: This is decidedly not a HeartwarmingOrphan.
348* EvilOverlooker
349* EvilPhone
350* EvilSmellsBad
351* EvilSoundsDeep
352* EvilTaintedThePlace
353* ExistentialHorror: Horror derived from a futile effort to make sense of the true meaning of life and reality.
354* ExorcistHead: When the possessing demon causes their host's neck to spin around a full 360 degrees in homage to ''Film/TheExorcist''.
355* ExtremeCloseUp
356* ExtremelyDustyHome
357* EyeAwaken
358* EyelessFace: A face that hasn't got eyes or even eye sockets.
359* EyeOfNewt: Unusual ingredients used for sorcery.
360* EyesAreUnbreakable
361* EyeScream: Someone gets their eyes gouged out very painfully.
362* EyesDoNotBelongThere
363* TheEyesHaveIt
364[[/folder]]
365
366[[folder:F]]
367* FaceFullOfAlienWingWong: Getting attacked by a parasitic alien creature trying to lay its eggs inside you.
368* FaceHugger
369* FaceRevealingTurn
370* FacialHorror: Gruesome injuries to one's face.
371* FaintingSeer
372* FalseInnocenceTrick
373* FamilialBodySnatcher
374* FamilialCannibalismSurprise
375* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether
376* FateWorseThanDeath: Someone suffers a fate so horrific that death would be much more merciful for them.
377* FauxHorrific: Pretending something is scary for laughs.
378* FeatheredFiend: An evil bird.
379* FedToPigs
380* FeralVampires: Bestial vampires who look and act more like terrifyingly savage zombies, instead of being superficially charming and attractive humanlike predators.
381* AFeteWorseThanDeath: Festivities that revolve around killing people.
382* FetusTerrible
383* FiendishFish: Fish are vicious predators.
384* FightDracula
385* FinalGirl: A female character who survives the story's events after everyone else dies.
386* {{Fingore}}: Violence inflicted upon the fingers.
387* FlatScare
388* FlayingAlive: Someone has their skin removed while still living.
389* FleshGolem: A monster made out of body parts.
390* FliesEqualsEvil
391* FlowerMouth
392* FogOfDoom: Deadly OminousFog.
393* FoldSpindleMutilation
394* FoodChainOfEvil
395* FootprintsOfMuck
396* ForDoomTheBellTolls
397* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou: The monster or villain makes threats toward the audience, or at least gives the impression that they are capable of harming the audience.
398* FrankensteinsMonster: A Frankenstein’s monster {{Expy}}.
399* FreakLabAccident: A common backstory for the origin of a mutant monster or some other catastrophe resulting from careless mistakes in science experiments.
400* FrightBesideThem: A character realizes they're in danger when the friend or loved one who they thought was right next to them is actually revealed to be somewhere else.
401* FullyEmbracedFiend
402* FurAgainstFang: Vampires and werewolves fight.
403[[/folder]]
404
405[[folder:G]]
406* GameFace
407* GasStationOfDoom
408* GateOfTruth
409* GayGuyDiesFirst: An LGBT character dies before all the other characters.
410* GenuineHumanHide: Clothing made from human skin.
411* GeometricMagic: Drawing certain symbolic shapes to practice dark or demonic magic.
412* GhastlyGhost: A terrifying/evil ghost.
413* {{Ghostapo}}: [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]] messing around with dark magic and occult shit.
414* GhostButler
415* GhostCity: A former metropolis now in ruins. Definitely a sign that something went terribly wrong.
416* GhostlyChill
417* GhostlyGoals
418* GhostlyGlide
419* GhostlyWail
420* GhostPirate: An undead pirate who continues to haunt the seas long past their natural lifetimes.
421* GhostPlanet: A ''whole world'' that has been emptied of its inhabitants.
422* GhostShip
423* GhostStory: Campfire tales about ghostly hauntings and other supernatural creepiness.
424* GhostTown: A formerly inhabited human settlement that was abandoned, usually due to some kind of disaster.
425* GiantEyeOfDoom
426* GiantSpider: Arachnophobia is a very common fear, so why not amp it up to giant proportions?
427* GiantSquid: A monster squid.
428* GlasgowGrin: A mouth sliced at the sides to resemble a sinister grin.
429* GodAndSatanAreBothJerks
430* GodOfEvil
431* {{Gorn}}: Over-the-top bloody and gory violence for cheap shock value, a common feature of {{Slasher Movie}}s or other horror works reliant on graphic depictions of violence.
432* GoryDeadlyOverkillTitleOfFatalDeath
433* GoryDiscretionShot: During particularly gory scenes, the violence happens off-screen.
434* {{Goth}}: A member of the Goth subculture.
435* GothGirlsKnowMagic
436* GothSpirals: Creepy spirals.
437* GreenIsGross
438* GrossUpCloseUp: A horrifically detailed closeup of something gross or scary.
439* TheGrotesque
440* GrotesqueGallery
441* GroundByGears
442* GruesomeGoat: A scary/Satanic goat.
443* GuttedLikeAFish
444* GypsyCurse: If you piss off some MagicalRomani, they can put one hell of a terrible spell on you.
445[[/folder]]
446
447[[folder:H]]
448* HairRaisingHare: A scary rabbit.
449* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Someone gets cut in half.
450* {{Halloweentown}}: A setting based on [[UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve Halloween]].
451* HarbingerOfImpendingDoom
452* HauntedCastle: A very old fortress or palace that is said to be haunted.
453* HauntedFetter: An inanimate object that is possessed by a ghost.
454* HauntedHeadquarters: Spooky buildings that are said to be inhabited by ghosts, demons, spirits, or other supernatural entities.
455* HauntedHeroine
456* HauntedHouse: An old home whose late previous residents never really left.
457* HauntedHouseHistorian: An expert who knows why this place is haunted.
458* HauntedTechnology: When ghosts take control of machines.
459* HazardousWater: The water is dangerous.
460* HeadlessHorseman: A ghostly man who [[OffWithHisHead lost his head]], riding around on horseback for all eternity. May often be trying to replace his lost head by stealing someone else's.
461* TheHeartless: An evil entity made from negative emotions.
462* {{Hell}}: An afterlife world that is believed to be inhabited by demonic beings, along with the damned souls of dead sinners who are suffering terrible punishments for their misdeeds in life.
463* {{Hellevator}}: A sinister elevator.
464* HellHotel: If you decide to check into this shady inn for the night, you may never check out alive.
465* {{Hellhound}}: A demonic dog.
466* HellishHorse: Sinister horses.
467* HellishPupils: Non-human shaped pupils.
468* HellIsThatNoise
469* HelplessKicking: Someone kicks their legs as they're being dragged to their doom, killed or EatenAlive.
470* HelplessWindowDeath: Someone dies behind a window while the protagonist can do nothing but watch.
471* HiddenHarasser
472* HideAndSeekHorror: A game of hide-and-seek is played for horror.
473* HighClassCannibal: Rich people eat human flesh.
474* HillbillyHorrors: Beware of evil rednecks in the countryside.
475* HockeyMaskAndChainsaw: A classic {{Stock Parod|ies}}y of a slasher wearing a [[MalevolentMaskedMen hockey mask]] and carrying a {{chainsaw|Good}}, in reference to [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] and [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]], respectively.
476* HollywoodExorcism: Attempting to rid a possessed person of their demon through religious rituals.
477* HollywoodSatanism: Satanism is shown as an evil and cruel religion.
478* HollywoodVoodoo: Voodoo is shown as a sinister variant of black magic.
479* HolyBurnsEvil: Sacred religious objects can harm vampires, usually because of their demonic nature.
480* HomicideMachines
481* HorrifyingTheHorror: Something is so shocking that even the monsters are scared of it.
482* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: Scary events happen on a holiday or special occasion.
483* HorrorHatesARulebreaker: In horror stories, those who have done wrong are especially likely to suffer the wrath of the supernatural terrors.
484* HorrorHippies: These guys don't really mean to bring love and peace with them.
485* HorrorHost: Works in the horror genre (primarily comics as well as anthology films and television series) often feature a framing device where the featured story or stories are introduced to the audience by an eccentric and creepy narrator.
486* HorrorHunger
487* HorrorStruck
488* HostileAnimatronics: Evil animatronics.
489* HostileHitchhiker: It's not a good idea to allow suspicious strangers to ride in your car (or inversely, accepting rides from suspicious strangers).
490* AHouseDivided
491* HumanArchitectureHorror: Bodies fused to their surroundings.
492* HumanHeadOnTheWall: Seeing one of these is a clear warning to stay the hell away!
493* HumanJackOLantern: What a cute jack-o-- my gosh! Is that somebody's head?!
494* HumanoidAbomination: A humanoid that defies logic.
495* HumanResources
496* HumanSacrifice
497* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: Even in a supernatural setting full of dangerous nonhuman creatures, [[HumansAreBastards the evil of ordinary human beings]] is still just as disturbing (if not far worse).
498* HumanToWerewolfFootprints
499* HungryJungle: Tropical rainforests are foreboding and dangerous places full of death, disease, and madness.
500* HybridMonster
501[[/folder]]
502
503[[folder:I]]
504* ICanSeeYou
505* TheIgor
506* IHateYouVampireDad
507* ILoveTheDead: Someone has a depraved lust for dead bodies (necrophilia).
508* ImAHumanitarian: Human cannibalism is incredibly disturbing because it violates so many moral and ethical concerns.
509* ImColdSoCold
510* ImpromptuTracheotomy
511* InbredAndEvil
512* IndianBurialGround: Buildings that were constructed on Native American cemeteries tend to be cursed or haunted by the vengeful spirits of dead natives.
513* InescapableHorror
514* InfernalRetaliation
515* InitiationCeremony: A ceremony that permits the participant to enter an organization, often a ReligionOfEvil or AncientConspiracy
516* InnOfNoReturn
517* InscrutableAliens: Aliens are creepy because of how inhumanly weird they act.
518* InThatOrder: A list of horrific things ends with "and in that order".
519* InvincibleBoogeymen: An unstoppable monster that you have no hope of ever fighting or defeating; you can only (try to) run far away and hide from them. And even doing that may not guarantee that they won't still be able to get you.
520* IronicNurseryTune: A song with creepy subject matter in the style of a nursery rhyme.
521* ISeeDeadPeople: Characters who can see ghosts that are invisible to the other characters.
522* IsleOfGiantHorrors
523* ItCameFromTheSink
524* ItCanThink: What was thought to be a non-sapient monster turns out to be capable of intelligence.
525* ItWasADarkAndStormyNight
526* ItWasThereTheWholeTime
527* ItWontTurnOff
528[[/folder]]
529
530[[folder:J]]
531* JacobMarleyApparel: A ghost wears the clothes it died in.
532* TheJerseyDevil: A demon/dragon-like cryptid from {{Joisey}}.
533* JoinUsDrone
534* JumpScare: Shocking the audience with the sudden appearance of a frightening image accompanied by an equally frightening sound.
535[[/folder]]
536
537[[folder:K]]
538* {{Kaiju}}: [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever Giant monsters]] that can easily crush or devour humans whole and demolish entire buildings if set loose on a city.
539* KarloffKopy: A character based on iconic horror actor Creator/BorisKarloff.
540* KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge
541* KensingtonGore: Bright red fake blood. Now a DiscreditedTrope as special effects have improved.
542* KidnappedFromBehind
543* KidnappingBirdOfPrey: An evil and ravenous bird of prey who kidnaps their prey by picking it up with their sharp claws.
544* KillerRobot
545* KillerTeddyBear: An evil sentient teddy bear.
546* KillTheLights
547* KissOfTheVampire
548* KnightTemplar: Villains who are convinced they are heroes are usually much more frightening [[RealismInducedHorror and realistic]] than [[CardCarryingVillain Card-Carrying Villains]] who are ObviouslyEvil.
549* TheKrampus: A Christmas demon who punishes naughty children, often depicted as being an EvilCounterpart to SantaClaus himself.
550[[/folder]]
551
552[[folder:L]]
553* LampreyMouth
554* TheLegionsOfHell
555* LesbianVampire: Gay vampiresses.
556* LetsSplitUpGang: When a group of people ignore their relative safety in numbers, dividing themselves so that the monster or villain can pick them off more easily.
557* LifeOrLimbDecision: Having to choose between dying by staying where you are or cutting off your trapped limb to escape.
558* LightFlickerTeleportation
559* LightmareFuel
560* LiteralManeater: A (usually female) monster that uses their beauty or sex appeal to lure in victims to eat them.
561* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday
562* LivingBodysuit
563* LivingDollCollector
564* LivingShadow: A spooky being made of literal darkness.
565* LivingToys: Toys that are alive.
566* LooksLikeCesare
567* LooksLikeOrlok: A vampire or other type of humanoid monster resembles Count Orlok from the horror film ''Film/{{Nosferatu}}''.
568* LorreLookalike: A character based on iconic horror actor Creator/PeterLorre.
569* LosingYourHead: Non-fatal decapitations.
570* LostInTheMaize
571* LotteryOfDoom
572* LovecraftCountry: New England is a land of weird and supernatural goings on.
573* LovecraftianSuperpower
574* ALoveToDismember
575* LuckBasedSearchTechnique
576* LudicrousGibs
577[[/folder]]
578
579[[folder:M]]
580* MacabreMothMotif: Moths are evil omens.
581* MadDoctor: A crazy medical doctor who plays the role of a mad scientist on their own patients.
582* MadeFromRealGirlScouts
583* MadeOfPlasticine: Someone is ridiculously easy to kill by tearing apart.
584* MadwomanInTheAttic
585* MagicIsAMonsterMagnet
586* MagicIsEvil: Sorcery is inherently sinister and dangerous, inevitably causing all sorts of supernatural disasters.
587* MagneticMedium
588* MalevolentMaskedMen: Scary villains who cover up their faces when they attack.
589* MalevolentMutilation
590* ManEatingPlant: A monstrous plant creature that eats people.
591* MarionetteMotion: A character moves in a way reminiscent of a string puppet.
592* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent
593* MeatMoss
594* MenacingMuseum: A museum portrayed as ominous, dangerous or just plain evil.
595* MenstrualMenace
596* MentallyUnwellSpecialSenses
597* MessyMaggots
598* MetamorphosisMonster
599* MilitariesAreUseless: While [[PoliceAreUseless cops are often unreliable]], don't expect soldiers to be much better if they do appear in horror stories, as they often perform poorly and become a RedshirtArmy whenever they try to fight against monsters or [[AlienInvasion alien invaders]].
600* MindRape
601* MirrorMonster: An evil entity lurking behind a mirror's reflection.
602* MirrorScare
603* MobileMenace
604* MonsterClown: A scary, evil circus performer.
605* MonsterDelay: Heavily playing into the NothingIsScarier trope seen below, we oftentimes don't ever see any of the monster in question at all until well into the film's runtime.
606* MonsterMash: Several different monsters are shown together at one time.
607* MonsterMouth
608* MonsterProgenitor
609* MonstersAnonymous
610* MonsterTown
611* MonstrousCannibalism
612* MonstrousHumanoid: A hideous creature with a vaguely human-shaped body.
613* MonstrousScenery
614* MookHorrorShow: The hero beating up the bad guys is shown from the bad guys' perspective, treating the hero like he/she's a movie monster.
615* TheMostDangerousVideoGame: An evil video game that can cause real-life harm to its players.
616* MotherOfAThousandYoung: A monster that gives birth to many other monsters.
617* MouthStitchedShut
618* MummiesAtTheDinnerTable
619* {{Mummy}}: A preserved corpse wrapped up in bandages, that usually becomes undead. You really don't want to see all the decay beneath those bandages.
620* MundaneHorror: Scary events that are more realistic than fantastic in nature.
621* {{Mundanger}}: The danger has no supernatural elements.
622* MurderDotCom: Murder or other gruesome crime is put on the Internet.
623* MurderByCremation: Killing someone by burning them alive in an oven.
624* MurderousMannequin
625* MurderousMask
626* MurderWater: The water is evil and out for blood.
627* MuseumOfTheStrangeAndUnusual
628* MustBeInvited: A supernatural creature cannot enter a dwelling without permission from the homeowners.
629[[/folder]]
630
631[[folder:N]]
632* NatureIsNotNice: The natural wilderness is a very savage and dangerous place, not meant for unprepared humans used to living in urban civilization.
633* NaziZombies: Undead fascist villains.
634* NestedMouths
635* NeverendingTerror
636* NeverSleepAgain
637* NewHouseNewProblems
638* NiceDayDeadlyNight
639* NightmareFace: A very scary face.
640* NightmareFuelColoringBook: Disturbing drawings made by {{creepy child}}ren.
641* NightmareFuelStationAttendant
642* NightmareHands
643* NightmareSequence: A very, very, bad dream.
644* NightmarishNursery: A childish setting such as a nursery or playground played for horror or suspense.
645* NightSwimEqualsDeath
646* NoFaceUnderTheMask
647* NoImmortalInertia: A centuries-old immortal loses the source of their eternal life, which often results in quickly being reduced to a corpse.
648* NoodlePeople
649* NotAMask: What appears to be a mask is actually the person's real face.
650* NothingButSkulls
651* NothingIsScarier: We don't see exactly what the horror is, but it's still pretty damn terrifying.
652* NotQuiteDead: Often done to show that a horror villain or monster can't be defeated so easily.
653* NotUsingTheZWord: A monster isn't directly called what they essentially are (e.g.: a zombie not being called a zombie).
654* NumberOfTheBeast: The number 666 is the number of the Devil/the Anti-Christ.
655* NunsAreSpooky: Nuns are played for horror.
656[[/folder]]
657
658[[folder:O]]
659* ObliviouslyEvil: A villain's actions are hurting others, but the villain is so thoroughly convinced that their actions are mundane, acceptable, or helpful, that the contrary idea doesn't even occur to them without external feedback, and even then, the villain might have difficulty understanding how their actions could possibly be wrong.
660* OccultDetective: Someone who investigates supernatural activity.
661* OccultLawFirm: Lawyers are demonic/occult creatures.
662* OffWithHisHead: Beheadings are always a very gruesome way of killing someone.
663* OldDarkHouse
664* OminousCrack
665* OminousCube
666* OminousFog: When a thick cloud of mist appears, it's a sign that something sinister hidden behind that fog is near.
667* OminousKnocking
668* OminousLatinChanting
669* OminouslyCutTether
670* OminouslyOpenDoor
671* OminousMusicBoxTune
672* OminousObsidianOoze: Black goo can only mean disaster.
673* OminousOwl: Along with CreepyCrows, these birds tend to show up for spooky situations.
674* OminousPipeOrgan: Is it really any wonder why a musical instrument associated with funerals is good for a horror soundtrack?
675* OminousTelevision
676* OminousVisualGlitch
677* OnceIsNotEnough
678* OneWingedAngel
679* OneWomanWail
680* OrganTheft: Stealing a person's organs.
681* OrificeEvacuation
682* OrificeInvasion
683* OrphanageOfFear
684* OtherworldlyVisitsYoungestFirst
685* OuijaBoard: An occult board game used to communicate with ghosts, demons and other spirits.
686* OurBansheesAreLouder
687* OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious
688* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Evil spirits and monsters from Hell or another awful place.
689* OurGargoylesRock
690* OurGhostsAreDifferent: The disembodied spirits of dead people, who almost always died in terrible ways and can't rest because of it.
691* OurGhoulsAreCreepier
692* OurLichesAreDifferent
693* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Not all classic creatures of horror fiction are guaranteed to be exactly the same as one another.
694* OurMonstersAreWeird: Some monsters are creepy because of how bizarre they are.
695* OurSirensAreDifferent
696* OurSlashersAreDifferent: StockSlasher villains differ depending on the work.
697* OurSpiritsAreDifferent
698* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Undead fiends who prey on humans to consume their blood.
699* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: Various different types of shapeshifters who change into animalistic monsters.
700* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: The rules for werewolves vary between works.
701* OurWitchesAreDifferent
702* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Undead ghouls who wander around in search of people to eat.
703* OverdrawnAtTheBloodBank
704* OverTheShoulderMurderShot
705[[/folder]]
706
707[[folder:P]]
708* PainfulTransformation: A transformation causes severe physical agony and suffering for the victim.
709* PaintTheTownRed
710* ParanoiaFuel: A work has disturbing scenes that would make the audience become paranoid of similar things happening to them in real life.
711* ParasitesAreEvil
712* ParasiticHorror: Parasitism being played for horror and {{squick}}.
713* PeekABooCorpse
714* PendulumOfDeath
715* PeopleFarms
716* PersonalHorror: Horror derived from one's own severe internal conflicts and fighting their inner demons.
717* PerversePuppet
718* PestController
719* {{Phlegmings}}
720* PhoneCallFromTheDead
721* PickyPeopleEater
722* PleasureIsland
723* PoliceAreUseless: Expect most cops in horror stories to be unhelpful and incompetent at best, and even if they do intervene they'll often become RedShirt fodder for the monster or villain. Even in less fantastic and more realistic {{Slasher Movie}}s, they tend to have trouble with handling homicidal maniacs who lack any supernatural powers.
724* {{Poltergeist}}: A particular type of troublemaking ghost found in {{haunted house}}s.
725* PoorlyLitPareidolia
726* PortraitPaintingPeephole
727* PossessionLevitation
728* ThePowerOfBlood
729* PrecautionaryCorpseDisposal
730* PredatorsAreMean: Carnivores are dangerous.
731* PretendWereDead
732* PrimalFear: Nearly universal (or just widespread) sources of fear.
733* ProtectThisHouse
734* PsychoKnifeNut: Knives are used for evil purposes.
735* PsychologicalTormentZone
736* PsychoPartyMember
737* PsychopathicManchild: A childlike lunatic who tends to do very horrific things because of their insanity and immaturity.
738* PsychoStrings: Having a waterphone/string instrument play loud, shrill sounds is an effective way to make the scene intense and disturbing.
739* PumpkinPerson: A being with a pumpkin for a head.
740* PupatingPeril: Cocoons and what will eventually emerge from them being depicted as creepy, ominous and horrifying.
741* PuppeteerParasite: A creature that invades someone's body to seize control of their brain.
742* ThePursuingNightmare: A nightmare or other imaginary threat that operates by stalking or chasing down dreamers, usally played for horror.
743* PushedAtTheMonster
744[[/folder]]
745
746[[folder:Q]]
747* QuarantineWithExtremePrejudice: There's a serious outbreak of a horrible illness going around, and anyone suspected of being infected is forcibly locked up and isolated from the public (or even killed outright) to prevent the disease spreading.
748[[/folder]]
749
750[[folder:R]]
751* RaincoatOfHorror
752* RainOfBlood
753* RaisedHandOfSurvival
754* RaisingTheSteaks: Undead animals.
755* RapeAsDrama: Onscreen sexual assault can be very disturbing.
756* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil
757* RapidAging: Someone's youth is drained right before their very eyes.
758* RazorApples
759* RealismInducedHorror: Fear and terror that is derived not from supernatural monsters or slasher villains, but from things that could very plausibly happen in reality.
760* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld
761* RedEyesTakeWarning: An evil character has red eyes.
762* RedSkyTakeWarning
763* RegretEatingMe: Someone about to be eaten spites the one eating them by stating that they hope being eaten gives them digestive problems.
764* ReligionOfEvil
765* RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain: A monster has to be killed by a blow to the head.
766* TheRenfield
767* ReptilesAreAbhorrent
768* ResistTheBeast
769* ResurrectedMurderer: Sometimes killers don't stay dead.
770* RiseFromYourGrave
771* RitualMagic: Magical rituals that are usually demonic or dark by nature.
772* RiversOfBlood
773* Room101: A TortureCellar that encapsulates the worst fears of the victim.
774* RoomFullOfCrazy
775* RoomFullOfZombies: A character is trapped in a room full of undead {{Mooks}}.
776* RunOrDie
777[[/folder]]
778
779[[folder:S]]
780* SackheadSlasher: A murderer who wears a mask made from sackcloth.
781* {{Sadist}}: A sick and twisted person who enjoys hurting other people.
782* SafeZoneHopeSpot
783* SalemIsWitchCountry
784* SanitySlippage: Someone gradually becomes insane.
785* {{Santabomination}}: Santa Claus is an EldritchAbomination.
786* {{Satan}}: An evil demon from Literature/TheBible that rebelled against God. Often depicted as the ruler of {{Hell}} who commands all other demons, while tempting humanity into sinful depravity.
787* SatanicArchetype: A (demonic) villain modeled after the above.
788* TheSavageSouth: Places in southern regions are barbaric and dangerous.
789* ScareChord: A disturbing note of music plays during a scary scene.
790* ScareDare
791* ScaryFlashlightFace
792* ScaryJackInTheBox
793* ScaryScarecrows: There's a good reason why the crows stay away from this thing.
794* ScaryScorpions: You definitely don't want to be on the receiving end of its venomous stinger.
795* ScarySkeleton
796* ScaryStitches
797* ScaryTeeth: Teeth that are disturbing.
798* SceneryGorn
799* ScienceIsBad: Not all scientific research will lead to beneficial enlightenment or social/technological progress for the better. Especially if a MadScientist with little in the way of moral ethics or common sense decides to mess around with things that are better left alone...
800* ScreamerTrailer: A trailer featuring a jump scare.
801* ScreamingWoman: A female shriek is often heard in response to something scary.
802* SealedEvilInACan: Villain is imprisoned somewhere, usually so that he/she can be let out to wreak chaos.
803* SealedEvilInATeddyBear: An evil entity in a cute body.
804* SeaMonster: A monster that lives in the ocean.
805* TheSecretOfLongPorkPies: Food made of human meat.
806* SecretSquatter
807* SecurityCling
808* SeeThruSpecs
809* SelfMadeOrphan
810* SenseImpairedMonster
811* SenselessPhagia
812* SensorSuspense
813* SensoryAbuse
814* SerialKiller: A murderer who has made a sick hobby of killing a series of individual people, one after another.
815* SerialRapist: A sick pervert who has made a hobby out of molesting and raping people.
816* TheSevenMysteries
817* SexSignalsDeath: People get murdered after having sex.
818* ShadowDiscretionShot
819* ShootTheShaggyDog: The story ends with the protagonists dying rendering their efforts to stop the evil pointless.
820* SickeningCrunch
821* SicklyGreenGlow
822* SilverBullet: Weapons made of silver are extra-effective against supernatural beings, usually vampires or werewolves.
823* SinisterCar
824* SinisterGeometry
825* SinisterMinister
826* SinisterNudity: Nudity is used as a signifier of villainy and horror.
827* SinisterScrapingSound
828* SinisterScythe
829* SinisterSouthwest
830* SinisterSubway
831* SinisterWhistling
832* SirensAreMermaids: Don't let their beauty fool you, these sea nymphs don't intend to keep you around after dinnertime.
833* SkeleBot9000: A robot that looks like a skeleton.
834* SkeletonCrew
835* SkullForAHead
836* SlasherSmile: A villain has a broad and disturbing grin, usually shown before or after causing serious mayhem.
837* SlashersPreferBlondes: Murderers tend to target blonde-haired women.
838* SleepParalysisCreature
839* SlowTransformation: A metamorphosis is gradual, building up dramatic tension until it's complete.
840* SnakesAreSinister: Snakes are creepy.
841* SnowballingThreat: Most classic horror monsters grow in power exponentially.
842* SnuffFilm: A film that portrays real torture and murder.
843* TheSociopath: A person lacking in empathy and morals can be capable of doing very evil, scary things without hesitation or remorse.
844* SoleSurvivingScientist
845* SortingAlgorithmOfMortality: The order in which characters are typically killed.
846* SoulJar
847* SoundOnlyDeath: The violence is only heard, not seen.
848* SouthernGothic: Horror, madness and decadence in the southern U.S.
849* SouthernGothicSatan: A mysterious stranger arrives in town to bring its sins to light and make sure that it's eaten alive by them.
850* SpaceIsolationHorror: The fright comes primarily from being isolated in the cold, dark void of space, occasionally magnified by an external threat like an alien or a dangerous AI.
851* SpawnBroodling
852* SpeakOfTheDevil
853* SpidersAreScary: A monstrous spider that you should be terrified of, whether you have arachnophobia or not.
854* SpiderSwarm
855* SpiritWorld: The world of spirits.
856* SpookyAnimalSounds: Ambient animal sounds used to create an atmosphere of danger.
857* SpookyPainting
858* SpookyPhotographs
859* SpookySeance: A séance where weird and paranormal things occur.
860* SpreeKiller: A mass-murderer who goes on a quick killing spree.
861* SpringHeeledJack: A Victorian {{urban legend|s}} about an iron-clawed, high-jumping demon stalking London.
862* SpringLoadedCorpse
863* StagesOfMonsterGrief
864* StakingTheLovedOne: Being forced to kill someone you care about after they've been turned into a monster.
865* StalkerShot: A character thinks she's alone until the camera reveals she's being stalked without her knowledge.
866* TheStarsAreGoingOut: Stars going out, usually used to indicate an apocalypse.
867* StingyJack: A figure with a pumpkin head doomed to WalkingTheEarth.
868* StockSlasher: The archetypal SlasherMovie villain: a [[ImplacableMan nigh-invincible]], [[MalevolentMaskedMen masked]] or [[RedRightHand deformed]] {{serial|Killer}}/{{spree killer}}.
869* StrappedToAnOperatingTable
870* StringyHairedGhostGirl: A (often Japanese) female ghost with long black hair and a white dress.
871* StrippedToTheBone: Someone is killed in a way that their skeleton is all that's left of them.
872* SuburbanGothic: Horror, madness and decadence in {{Suburbia}}.
873* SubhumanSurfacingShot: A shot of a character slowly rising from water, often used to emphasize inhumanity and/or menace.
874* SuccubiAndIncubi: Demons are sensual and seductive, or simply rapists.
875* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: A survivor in the first film is killed off at the start of the film.
876* SugarApocalypse: An [[SugarBowl idyllic and saccharine place]] gets destroyed or conquered by sinister forces.
877* SuitWithVestedInterests
878* SummoningArtifact: An artifact that summons a monster.
879* SummoningRitual
880* SummonMagic
881* SupernaturalHotspotTown: A town that attracts the supernatural.
882* SupernaturalLight
883* SupernaturalProofFather
884* SuperPersistentPredator: A hunter or monster that will endlessly chase its prey until they've got them.
885* SuperweaponSuspenseSubversion: {{Superweapon}}s, especially those that are indiscriminately destructive, are nightmarish in their abilities, and authors can thus play up the horror of one by merely pretending to fire them.
886* SupportingTheMonsterLovedOne
887* SurprisinglySuddenDeath
888* SurrealHorror: When weird, bizarre, and outright nonsensical things become very frightening.
889* SwampMonster: A monstrous creature that resides in a swamp.
890* SwampsAreEvil: It's especially a bad idea to venture too deeply inside forested wetlands.
891* SwarmOfRats: A huge, clustered mob of rats.
892[[/folder]]
893
894[[folder:T]]
895* TaintedVeins
896* TakenDuringTheEnding: A character/object is taken away at the end of the story for a purpose, leaving it ambiguous on what's going to happen next.
897* TarotMotifs: Tarot cards used as symbolism.
898* TaxidermyIsCreepy: Stuffed animals -- or the people who stuff them -- are used to disconcerting effect.
899* TaxidermyTerror
900* TearOffYourFace
901* TearsOfBlood
902* TechnicolorMagic
903* TechnicolorToxin
904* TeenHorror: Scary things happening to teenagers, usually in order to scare teenagers.
905* TelevisionPortal
906* TentacledTerror: Many strange monsters have tentacles for some reason, perfect for grabbing their prey.
907* TentativeLight
908* TerrifyingPetStoreRat
909* TerrorAtMakeOutPoint
910* TerrorHero: A heroic character with a frightening disposition who everyone is terrified of.
911* TheatrePhantom
912* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow
913* ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight
914* ThisWasHisTrueForm
915* ThreateningShark: A vicious shark.
916* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness
917* ToiletHorror: Bad things happening while you're in the bathroom.
918* TombstoneTeeth
919* TomeOfEldritchLore: A book full of dangerous occult knowledge.
920* TongueTrauma
921* TooManyMouths
922* TooMuchForManToHandle
923* TorchesAndPitchforks
924* TorsoWithAView: Killing someone by shooting a hole through their chest.
925* TortureCellar
926* TorturedMonster
927* TortureTechnician
928* ToServeMan: Non-human creatures like to eat human beings.
929* TouchOfTheMonster
930* TownWithADarkSecret: The inhabitants of a small town or village are hiding some sort of sinister secrets from outsiders.
931* TheTragicRose
932* TransformationHorror: [[{{Shapeshifting}} Physical changes]] that look and feel terrible for whoever experiences them.
933* TranshumanTreachery
934* TrappedInContainment
935* TrappedWithMonsterPlot
936* TrashyTouristTrap: Where they ''literally'' trap the tourists!
937* TraumaticCSection: A pregnant woman has the fetus ripped from their body.
938* {{Tulpa}}
939* TunelessSongOfMadness
940* TwoFaced
941[[/folder]]
942
943[[folder:U]]
944* {{Uberwald}}: A location in Eastern Europe filled with supernatural spookiness (especially vampires and werewolves).
945* UncannyAtmosphere
946* UncannyValley: Characters consider something that isn't alive or real to be disturbing for being too lifelike or realistic in appearance.
947* UncannyValleyGirl: She seems perfect, but there's something... ''not quite right'' about this girl.
948* UncannyValleyMakeup: Makeup that makes the wearer look disconcerting.
949* UndeadAbomination: An eldritch abomination that’s undead.
950* UndeadAuthor: A dead person tells the story of how they were killed.
951* UndeadChild: A dead kid who has returned as a ghost/vampire/zombie/etc.
952* UndeathAlwaysEnds
953* UndeathlyPallor: The undead have pale skin.
954* UnexpectedlyAbandoned
955* UnfinishedBusiness
956* UnholyGround
957* UnintentionalUncannyValley: Viewers consider something that isn't alive or real to be disturbing for being too lifelike or realistic in appearance.
958* UnnaturallyLoopingLocation
959* UnnervinglyHeartwarming: An outwardly heartwarming moment made deliberately unsettling or even horrific through undermining elements.
960* UnseenEvil
961* UpCloseWithTheMonster
962* UrbanLegends: Modern myths and folktales, which are sometimes also horror stories (supernatural or otherwise).
963[[/folder]]
964
965[[folder:V]]
966* VaginaDentata: Vaginas with teeth.
967* VampireBitesSuck: Being on the receiving end of a vampire's fangs is obviously gonna be really painful.
968* VampireHickey: When a vampire leaves their bite mark on a victim, allowing someone to find it when they examine said victim and/or it staying with the victim after they turn.
969* VampiresAreSexGods: Vampires are often depicted as sexually seductive predators who use their beauty and charms to lure human prey to their doom.
970* VampiresHateGarlic
971* VampiresSleepInCoffins: Undead vampires are depicted sleeping in coffins. You better not wake them up!
972* VampireVarietyPack
973* VanHelsingHateCrimes: Someone tries to kill monsters who aren't intending to harm or kill anyone.
974* VengefulAbandonedToy: A sentient toy turns evil after being abandoned or forgotten.
975* VengefulGhost: The angry spirit of a dead person (especially a murder or suicide victim) who rises from their grave to seek revenge on their enemies.
976* VerticalKidnapping: A character is dragged upwards by the villain and kidnapped/killed.
977* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Using graphically gruesome acts of violence for shock factor.
978* ViralTransformation: Some monsters can attack and turn people into more of their kind.
979* TheVirus: A monster that has the ability to turn others into other monsters.
980* VirusVictimSymptoms: The symptoms after being infected by a monster.
981* VoiceChangeling: A monster lures in prey by imitating the voice of someone or something that sounds harmless.
982* VomitIndiscretionShot
983[[/folder]]
984
985[[folder:W]]
986* WallCrawl: A character supernaturally crawls on a wall.
987* TheWallsHaveEyes
988* WarIsHell: Violent conflict between opposing armed forces will inevitably result in lots of people (soldiers and civilians alike) dying gruesomely, while the survivors may be badly injured or mentally traumatized for the rest of their lives.
989* WasOnceAMan: A monster that started off as an ordinary human being before circumstances turned them into a creature of nightmares.
990* WaxMuseumMorgue: A museum where the "dummies" are actually the preserved corpses of people the owner has killed.
991* WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties
992* WeightLossHorror: If it results in you starving to the point of death, then yeah losing weight can be very unpleasant.
993* WeirdMoon
994* TheWeirdSisters
995* {{Wendigo}}: A [[WasOnceAMan formerly human monster]] from [[Myth/NativeAmericanMythology Algonquian mythology]], transformed by [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalism]] into becoming a ferocious predator with an insatiable hunger for human flesh.
996* WhatHappenedToMommy
997* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Chances are, the man in a white mask is not your friend.
998* WhoYouGonnaCall: A service dedicated to getting rid of supernatural pests.
999* WickedWitch: An evil witch.
1000* WightInAWeddingDress: A undead creature in a bridal gown.
1001* WinterOfStarvation: Characters become desperate for food during the winter, and may be driven to doing immoral things to survive.
1002* WipeThatSmileOffYourFace
1003* TheWitchHunter
1004* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Supernatural powers take a toll on the psyche of the user.
1005* WolfMan: A humanoid werewolf.
1006* WolvesAlwaysHowlAtTheMoon
1007* WombHorror
1008* WordSaladHorror: Random words are played for horror.
1009* WorldOfChaos
1010* TheWormThatWalks: A person that's really a colony of insects in disguise.
1011* WouldHurtAChild: When the villain has no qualms with harming children.
1012[[/folder]]
1013
1014[[folder:X]]
1015* XenomorphXerox: A monster based on the Xenomorphs from the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' movies.
1016[[/folder]]
1017
1018[[folder:Y]]
1019* YouAreWhoYouEat: A creature or person can absorb features and abilities from its victims.
1020* YouLookLikeYouveSeenAGhost
1021* YourSoulIsMine
1022[[/folder]]
1023
1024[[folder:Z]]
1025* ZombieApocalypse: An outbreak of TheVirus that turns people into [[OurZombiesAreDifferent zombies]] (or some other type of monster) becomes a global pandemic that causes the destruction of global civilization.
1026* ZombiePukeAttack: Zombies can vomit up acidic bile as a weapon.
1027* ZombifyTheLiving
1028[[/folder]]

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