open/close all folders
Anime and Manga
"They're not just glaring. They're trying to emit laser beams from their eyes."
— Gin, Gintama
Patamon: Wanna fight?!
Wormmon: Actually, I'd prefer a staring contest.
Wormmon: Actually, I'd prefer a staring contest.
— Digimon Adventure 02, "An Old Enemy Returns"
Comic Strips
"The way some of those librarians look at you, I naturally assumed the consequences would be more dire."
— Calvin on overdue library books, Calvin and Hobbes
Hobbes: Nobody gives the evil eye like your dad.
Calvin: Did you see how his veins throbbed?
Calvin: Did you see how his veins throbbed?
Fan Works
"My goodness, that face Miss Wormwood had would've made trees burst into flame."
He was such a quiet boy, it was hard to believe he had that much venom in him to put into a single glare, but there he was, managing it.
Ren held her gaze for a good few seconds, wordlessly challenging her with a single cold look.
Ren held her gaze for a good few seconds, wordlessly challenging her with a single cold look.
— What Are Friends For
, a RWBY fic
, a RWBY ficIt was still funny watching Shinji of all people imitate his father’s dead-eye stare at the guys who tried to worm their way next to me. Who’d have thought Baka-Shinji could scare anyone?
— Asuka, A Crown of Stars
Asuka directed a stare at Shinji that should have set his shirt on fire.
He'd shot his father a look of burning hatred before slinging one of Asuka's arms over his shoulder and practically carrying her out of the room.
— Shinji, Advice and Trust, chapter 7
Shinji waited, glaring at his father, trying to push as much anger and fire out his eyes as possible. So far, though, he had failed to make his father's head explode. He kept trying.
This was something I had not expected. I had not even chosen yet one of them and Rei was already assuming that I'd ask her to marry me... and with the way Asuka was glaring at me... I probably looked as white as a ghost.
— Shinji, The One I Love Is..., chapter 5
Shinji didn't need fifteen kinds of vision to see the girl glare at the older man with a look so fierce it could cut glass.
— Last Child of Krypton, chapter 2
Rei was staring at Asuka, intensely, her face twisted in anger. Her fists were clenched, shaking slightly. It was hard to tell in the sunlight, but they thought they saw her blood red eyes glow brightly for a moment.
— Children of an Elder God, chapter 4
That small frown instilled more pure terror in her heart than she had ever known in her life.
Asuka's glare went from an intensity of 'targeting radar on a modern destroyer' to 'capable of getting into a beam duel with Ramiel' in about two seconds, and Shinji wisely decided that an exit strategy, namely running for all he was worth, was in order.
Badra stepped forward. Fire was in her eyes, and Fury was certain that her mother hadn't been wise in her choice of words.
Beams of hate as hot as heat-vision went from Sy’s eyes to Lori’s as she lay there, gasping, on the floor.
Jean shot Hank a murderous look and shook her head in a manner that said 'don't do it.'
The woman looked at Kara with the air of a butcher wondering which part of a carcass to start on.
"I know you're really not decided between the two bimboes, no matter what everyone thinks. So...why limit yourself to them?"
He turned on her with a look of real venom. "They're not bimboes. Don't let me ever catch you calling them that, Cheryl. Never."
He turned on her with a look of real venom. "They're not bimboes. Don't let me ever catch you calling them that, Cheryl. Never."
Abruptly, the doorbell rang out, and Gouken padded across the expanse of the training room to answer it. The door slid back, revealing a dishevelled and displeased Misato, who glared at Gouken with a hatred seldom seen in mortal men.
"Ah, Captain Katsuragi. Good morning," Gouken greeted her, warmly. "I trust you slept well?"
Misato stared at Gouken for several moments, perhaps contemplating on how best to remove his spine, before she nodded, grunting.
"Ah, Captain Katsuragi. Good morning," Gouken greeted her, warmly. "I trust you slept well?"
Misato stared at Gouken for several moments, perhaps contemplating on how best to remove his spine, before she nodded, grunting.
"Well, you don't want to wait until the last minute. You may have been willing to let your birthday slip by unnoticed, but I'm not. The fifteenth birthday of Asuka Langley Soryu," she declared with a flourish, "will be an event to be remembered."
"If only because you won't let us forget," Kensuke cut in.
Asuka shot him a glare of pure acid, but before she could come up with a suitable retort a shadow fell over her.
"If only because you won't let us forget," Kensuke cut in.
Asuka shot him a glare of pure acid, but before she could come up with a suitable retort a shadow fell over her.
Raising his voice a few octaves, Shinji probably did the last thing in the world he should have. "Why are you so stupid? Stupid Shinji! Go get me some pie! I said, go make me some waffles, bitch!" he screeched, wagging his finger at the bird.
Pen-Pen released one frazzled squawk, then bolted from the room as fast as he could.
Shinji chuckled and turned around only to find Asuka standing in the doorway. The look of murder in her eyes was unmistakable. "Shinji. Prepare to die."
Pen-Pen released one frazzled squawk, then bolted from the room as fast as he could.
Shinji chuckled and turned around only to find Asuka standing in the doorway. The look of murder in her eyes was unmistakable. "Shinji. Prepare to die."
A few people turned on him, wondering why he just chuckled out loud, but returned their eyes to the front of the board when the young Ikari shot them his Look of Doom. The fact he hardly ever used that look prompted a quick response.
As she started back to Casita, she saw a girl glaring at her. Staring, with visceral anger and disgust on her face, right into her soul, like a piercing dagger. Mirabel shuddered and looked away, instead focusing on getting her sister home.
Film — Animation
"I am not leaving my buddy, Jimmy! ...unless he looks at me like that. Uh. BYE, JIM!"
— B.E.N., Treasure Planet
Film — Live-Action
Knuckles: "Aunt Lucy"! I've had it up to here with Aunt Lucy! She sounds like a proper old bag to me.
Paddington: [Deeply offended] I beg your pardon.
Knuckles: [Confrontational] I said, your Aunt Lucy sounds like the most naive, gullible, mushy-brained...
[Paddington fixes Knuckles with a Hard Stare]
Knuckles: [Unsettled] What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?
[Hard Stare intensifies]
Knuckles: [Frightened] It's awful hot in here. Are you hot? Did I leave the oven on?
Paddington: It's called a Hard Stare. [Stops glaring; calmly] Aunt Lucy taught me to do them when people had forgotten their manners.
Knuckles: You don't have to tell me about Hard Stares, I practically invented them! Very good for a bear, though, I'll give you that.
Paddington: [Deeply offended] I beg your pardon.
Knuckles: [Confrontational] I said, your Aunt Lucy sounds like the most naive, gullible, mushy-brained...
[Paddington fixes Knuckles with a Hard Stare]
Knuckles: [Unsettled] What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?
[Hard Stare intensifies]
Knuckles: [Frightened] It's awful hot in here. Are you hot? Did I leave the oven on?
Paddington: It's called a Hard Stare. [Stops glaring; calmly] Aunt Lucy taught me to do them when people had forgotten their manners.
Knuckles: You don't have to tell me about Hard Stares, I practically invented them! Very good for a bear, though, I'll give you that.
Literature
She stopped, because she saw, for the first time in her life, by what sort of look one learns that a man is capable of killing.
The girl opposite Jessica Yamada frowned just a little. Her deep green eyes didn’t move a fraction as she met the therapist’s. It held an intensity that suggested she could have faced down a stampeding elephant or an airborne missile.
— On Glaistig Uaine, Worm
"All I could do was glare at the alien ship, hoping if I hated them strongly enough, they would explode. This never works, but one must try it anyway — one feels it ought to work if your loathing is sufficiently sincere."
— Oar, Ascending
"Paddington had a very persistent stare when he cared to use it. It was a very powerful stare. One which his Aunt Lucy had taught him and which he kept for special occasions."
"'I've got it!' announced Amelia Bedelia. 'You can have twins—a boy and a girl!' Her mom sputtered, coughed, and sprayed water all over her plate and the table. 'Gee, Mom,' said Amelia Bedelia. 'Is that how a lady is supposed to drink water?' Amelia Bedelia's mother was coughing too much to reply, but she gave Amelia Bedelia a look that told her she was a tiny baby step away from being sent to her room."
— Amelia Bedelia Unleashed, one of the Young Amelia Bedelia chapter books
M's look spoke of Siberian wastes, or preferably, Camp No. 19 at Lesnoy on the so-called Dubrovlag which has facilities for foreigners.
— Scorpius
For a moment she flashed him a look that should have left his shadow on the smoking remains of the wall opposite...
When we found Kate, she was just sitting there quietly, glaring impassively into one corner. Huddled in that corner was the detective assigned to her, cowering and shivering. "Kate! Stop scaring the 20-year veteran of Law Enforcement!"
"Killjoy."
"Killjoy."
— She-Beast asking Nacht to take it down a notch, "Saks and Violence", Whateley Universe
", Whateley UniverseSyl: Wow. That is quite the glare you gave.
Kaladin: Old sergeant's trick.
Kaladin: Old sergeant's trick.
— Oathbringer (third book of The Stormlight Archive)
At that moment, Harry fully understood for the first time why people said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of Mad-Eye Moody was more terrible than Harry could have ever imagined. There was no benign smile upon Dumbledore's face, no twinkle in the eyes behind the spectacles. There was cold fury in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he were giving off burning heat.
Mr. Slant did not, despite what had been said, have the respect of Ankh-Morpork's legal profession. He commanded its fear. Death had not diminished his encyclopedic memory, his guile, his talent for corkscrew reasoning, and the vitriol of his stare. Do not cross me this day, it advised the lawyers. Do not cross me, for if you do I will have the flesh from your very bones and the marrow therein.
I look at Ellie, and . . . oh wow, I never understood the "glaring daggers" thing, but those are some sharp eyeballs.
— Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins
Live-Action TV
"Oh dear. If looks could stake."
— Spike to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sandor: Brienne of Tarth?
Tormund: You know her?
Sandor: You're with Brienne of fucking Tarth?
Tormund: Well... not with her yet. But I see the way she looks at me.
Sandor: How does she look at you? Like she wants to carve you up and eat your liver?
Tormund: You do know her!
Tormund: You know her?
Sandor: You're with Brienne of fucking Tarth?
Tormund: Well... not with her yet. But I see the way she looks at me.
Sandor: How does she look at you? Like she wants to carve you up and eat your liver?
Tormund: You do know her!
— Game of Thrones, "Beyond the Wall"
Leo: What the hell are you doing?
Margaret: Why, I'm typing, Leo. [one finger at a time, excruciatingly slowly]
Leo: Margaret?!?
Margaret: Apparently, your response to Donna's perfectly legitimate concern about the White House not supporting OSHA's recommendation regarding repetitive stress injuries was to 'type slower.' Donna has organized most of the assistants in the West Wing to do just that.
Leo: (Beat) Margaret.
Margaret: Yeah?
Leo: Look at my face, right now.
[Margaret takes one look at Leo's face — he has a stony, unamused look which clearly reads "I am but seconds from firing you"]
Margaret: Okay! [starts typing normally]
Margaret: Why, I'm typing, Leo. [one finger at a time, excruciatingly slowly]
Leo: Margaret?!?
Margaret: Apparently, your response to Donna's perfectly legitimate concern about the White House not supporting OSHA's recommendation regarding repetitive stress injuries was to 'type slower.' Donna has organized most of the assistants in the West Wing to do just that.
Leo: (Beat) Margaret.
Margaret: Yeah?
Leo: Look at my face, right now.
[Margaret takes one look at Leo's face — he has a stony, unamused look which clearly reads "I am but seconds from firing you"]
Margaret: Okay! [starts typing normally]
— The West Wing, "The Lame Duck Congress"
"You okay? Gotta say, I don't like the way you're looking at me right now."
— Walter White, Breaking Bad, "Blood Money"
Theatre
Gloucester: Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine.
Lady Anne: Would they were basilisks, to strike thee dead!
Lady Anne: Would they were basilisks, to strike thee dead!
Video Games
"That's a look you shoot your enemy."
— Nero to Credo right before their fight, Devil May Cry 4
"Was it my evidence or the power of my glare that broke the lock?"
— Miles Edgeworth, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations
Webcomics
"Aww, Hinjo's gonna be peeved that I got Lien sacrificed to my god. He'll probably give that stern paladin look to my eviscerated remains."
"Now, Santa Snatchers. Gaze upon my >:("
"Shhh. I'm trying to kill you with my eyes."
— Massey Reynstein, Schlock Mercenary
Web Original
"Oh, no. He wants me to put that on? Kleiner, I've got a lot of bad memories of those suits, can we- ...oh no. He's giving me the Look. I better do what he says, I know that look..."
Kii slowly turns and looks at [Tomoko] with an expression that would make anime serial killers consider a career move into chartered accountancy.
— This recap of Watamote Episode 8
of Watamote Episode 8Janeway does an over-the-shoulder, high-intensity burst of The Look.
Doc's Mute button is activated instantly. He turns around and runs away.
The female security officer bursts into flames.
Three audience members in Fort Madison, Iowa, sitting a little too close to the screen, will never be able to look a redhead in the eye again without screaming incoherently. A pity; one of them is a redhead. Before the hour is up, every mirror in her house is shattered in self-defense.
Doc's Mute button is activated instantly. He turns around and runs away.
The female security officer bursts into flames.
Three audience members in Fort Madison, Iowa, sitting a little too close to the screen, will never be able to look a redhead in the eye again without screaming incoherently. A pity; one of them is a redhead. Before the hour is up, every mirror in her house is shattered in self-defense.
— Jim Wright's Star Trek: Voyager review of "The Gift"
Web Video
"Now there's a look that says 'I hope you're tired of having testicles'."
Western Animation
"Your Flower Power cannot compare to my Glower Power!"
Arnold: Is that stuff what I think it is?
Carlos: It's snot!
Arnold: It's not what?
Carlos: Not what, Arnold! Snot!
[Ms. Frizzle gives Carlos a disapproving stare, an unusual reaction to his puns coming from her]
Class (except Arnold): CARLOS!! YUCK!!!
Carlos: It's snot!
Arnold: It's not what?
Carlos: Not what, Arnold! Snot!
[Ms. Frizzle gives Carlos a disapproving stare, an unusual reaction to his puns coming from her]
Class (except Arnold): CARLOS!! YUCK!!!
— The Magic School Bus "Makes a Stink"
Real Life
"If looks could kill."
— A saying
I lurched up and looked at Mbogo, and Mbogo looked at me. He was 50 to 60 yards off, his head low, his eyes staring right down my soul. He looked at me as if he hated my guts. He looked as if I had despoiled his fiancée, murdered his mother and burned down his house. He looked at me as if I owed him money. I never saw such malevolence in the eyes of any animal or human being before or since. So I shot him.
— Robert Ruark, Great White Hunter.
