Line #14 Main/MoleMiner


1	[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/winnie_the_pooh_gopher.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[WebVideo/YogscastMinecraftSeries I am a mole and I'm digging a hole. Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole.]]]]
3
4	Moles, the denizens of the underground, digging their tunnels. Often BeneathTheEarth and in miner attire, no doubt {{Tunnel King}}s. Also included are gophers and other burrowing rodents. See also MoleMen, who are very similar to this trope, but more humanoid.
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6	[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused]] with TheMole. See also DrillMole.
7
8	SubTrope of AnimalOccupationStereotypes.
9
10	----
11	!!Examples:
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
14
15	[[folder:Eastern European Animation]]
16	* ''Animation/TheLittleMole'': Krteček (meaning "mole" and "little mole" respectively), invented by the [[UsefulNotes/TheCzechRepublic Czech]] animator Zdeněk Miler, is a cute little [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin mole]] and is often seen with a shovel in his hands.
17	[[/folder]]
18
19	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
20	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'': A gopher delivers "news from the underground".
21	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuers'' one of the bayou dwellers is a mole with a miner's cap.
22	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Strike}}'', Mungo Morrison is a mole who is expected to work at his father's gold mine, but would rather be a footballer.
23	[[/folder]]
24
25	%%[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
26	%%* ''Film/GForce'': Speckles, [[spoiler:who turns out to be, yes, TheMole]].
27	%%[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Literature]]
30	* The books based on Creator/{{CBBC}}'s 1980s mascot Gordon T. Gopher made much of his burrowing skills, which generally didn't come up when he was squeaking at Philip Schofield between ''ComicStrip/{{Bananaman}}'' and ''Series/GrangeHill''.
31	* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' has several examples of [[TalkingAnimal talking moles]] especially given to digging.
32	* ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'': All moles are experts at tunneling. Even Axtel Sturnclaw, who wanders around smashing vermin with a giant hammer.
33	%%* ''Literature/{{Thumbelina}}'': The mole who wants to marry Thumbelina.
34	* ''Literature/TheWindInTheWillows'': Moley, who likes nothing better than the cozy safety of his burrow.
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Toys]]
38	* The Moles from Whack-A-Mole all wear miner's helmets.
39	[[/folder]]
40
41	[[folder:Video Games]]
42	* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'': Giant moles are just animals, but they are domesticated by Dwarves to serve as both [[HorseOfADifferentColor mounts]] and [[DrillTank tunnel-diggers]].
43	** ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders4'': Races with the Mole-kin form are MoleMen and by default get the Underground Adaptation trait, meaning their starting city is underground and they can dig tunnels without needing to research.
44	* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'': Mr. Resetti is a mole in a miner outfit who chews out the player every time they reset the game.
45	%%* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' has Bottles and his soldiering brother Jamjar.
46	* ''VideoGame/BeyondTheEdgeOfOwlsgard'': The kingdom's mole population was the previous owners of the Mole Mines, though they abandoned it sometime prior to the game's events. One of the moles eventually provides Finn and Gwen with the means of crossing the ocean via an old boat the moles used to transport minerals from the mines.
47	* ''VideoGame/DokaponKingdom'': Mitch Digger is a variation on this trope, being a mole with a jackhammer. He can use it to attempt to dig a hot spring near one of your towns, increasing its value if he succeeds.
48	* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'': Mole miners appear in the Mine World, and attack with [[PowerfulPick pickaxes]]. Mole Miner Max is the boss of that world as well.
49	* ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' has Mischievous Moles and variations thereof as common enemies. They all attack with a wooden shovel they carry in their hand. At one point in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'', you have to travel through a system of their tunnels.
50	* ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'' has friendly moles as well as evil ones.
51	* ''VideoGame/Fallout76'' has the mutated, enigmatic Mole Miners.
52	* ''VideoGame/LastScenario'': One dungeon, the Possessed Mine, contains these as random encounters.
53	%%* ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'': Flammole the Moleroid.
54	* In ''VideoGame/McDonaldsTreasureLandAdventure'', in the [[LocomotiveLevel Circus Train level]], these are present as enemies in the coal cars. They are dressed in mining helmets and goggles, and attack Ronald with their pickaxes.
55	%%* ''VideoGame/MoleMania'': Muddy Mole, the player character.
56	* ''VideoGame/MontyMole'': The titular character works as a miner.
57	%%* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has Drilbur and Excadrill. Diglett and Dugtrio also have mole-like characteristics.
58	* ''VideoGame/RoloToTheRescue'': The mole's special ability is tunneling through ground with a spade. Miner's helmet? Check.
59	* ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'': An AmbiguouslyHuman example (given the presence of {{Funny Animal}}s in the setting), Mole Knight is a mole-themed knight that can [[FastTunnelling fast-tunnel]] through the ground and has a personal goal to excavate the Lost City.
60	* ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'':
61	** ''VideoGame/SpyroAHerosTail'' has Blink the Mole, the Professor's nephew, a hyperactive, "fresh-air-a-phobic" sidekick with great digging abilities. The Professor himself isn't a mole miner, though; just a scientist who happens to be an anthropomorphic mole.
62	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'': The Manweersmalls are a species of intelligent moles who detest being aboveground and much prefer living below the surface, and are talented miners and excavators.
63	* ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'': He's supposed to be a ''groundhog'', but Bonaparte, despite being some kind of horrible monster, is effectively a mole with a glandular problem.
64	* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'':
65	** Monty Moles are mole-like enemies who burrow underground before pooping up to attack Mario.
66	** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' featured Rocky Wrenches, which resemble reptilian moles that threw [[WrenchWhack wrenches]] at either Mario or Luigi.
67	* In ''VideoGame/VivaPinata: Pocket Paradise'', Profitamoles can enter the mine to dig up items such as coins or even a Dragonache egg.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Western Animation]]
71	%%* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues'': Aristotle.
72	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'':
73	** Spelunk from "[[Recap/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehogS01E02SubterraneanSonic Subterranean Sonic]]'' is one of these, and he doesn't take kindly to outsiders stealing his treasure. While Sonic and Tails don't have any intention of doing so, Dr. Robotnik certainly does.
74	** In "[[Recap/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehogS01E53HoneyIShrunkTheHedgehog Honey, I Shrunk the Hedgehog]]", Sonic and Tails work alongside an entire team of these in a coal mine. [=McMole=] is their leader.
75	* ''WesternAnimation/CatDog'' has a mole living under their house, who claims that everything that ends up underground belongs to him.
76	* ''WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts'': A gopher often pesters Pluto. In one cartoon he uses Pluto's buried bones as support beams for his tunnels. In another, he ends up trapped inside Minnie's house and tunnels under the shag carpeting.
77	* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'': In "Planet of the Cats", when Danger Mouse and Penfold are going through the sewers, they meet up with a mole who wears a miner helmet and speaks with a [[OopNorth Yorkshire accent]].
78	%%* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': The Goofy Gophers.
79	* ''WesternAnimation/MrBogus'': Mole.
80	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'': One minor villains is a mutant mole named Dirtbag, who dresses like a miner and is armed with a pickaxe.
81	* ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'': Gopher is an anthropomorphic, well, [[ADogNamedDog gopher]] usually depicted as living in a system of mineshafts dug beneath the Hundred-Acre Wood and acting like a stereotypical, pickaxe-toting and helmet-wearing miner.
82	[[/folder]]

Context Main / MoleMiner