Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Monster of the Aesop

 Monster of the Aesop
type
FeatureClass
 Monster of the Aesop
label
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop
page
MonsterOfTheAesop
 Monster of the Aesop
comment
The tendency of the Monster of the Week to conveniently fit to the episode's theme and Aesop in its appearance and mannerisms, even if they were supposed to be random.
This is frequently justified in one way or another. In some series, there's an inherent property of the Monsters of the Week that makes them tend to follow this trope, even tailoring their Sculpted Physique to fit that theme. Other times, the villains are actually inspired by or even taking advantage of the plot of the episode.
Often the monster's nature can be connected to a Double Aesop, either on learning its origin or finding the way to defeat it.
See also Monogender Monsters and Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance. Subtrope of Space Whale Aesop.
 Monster of the Aesop
fetched
2023-12-03T21:46:04Z
 Monster of the Aesop
parsed
2023-12-03T21:46:04Z
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to ArcVillain: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to AvertedTrope: Not an Item - IGNORE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to CerebusSyndrome: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to CityOfAdventure: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to Foil: Not an Item - IGNORE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to FreakyFridayFlip: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to MadGod: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to MonsterOfTheWeek: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to PsychicPowers: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to RoguesGallery: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to SuperRobotGenre: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
processingComment
Dropped link to invokedtrope: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Monster of the Aesop
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Monster of the Aesop / int_24c8b6c8
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_24c8b6c8
comment
Ursa from After Earth. A monster that hunts solely by detecting emanations of fear, and is deaf and blind otherwise, makes absolutely no sense, especially since it was supposedly designed that way specifically to prey on human (advanced, star-faring humans, mind you, not cavemen), except as a visual representation of the protagonist's need to face and conquer his fear.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_24c8b6c8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_24c8b6c8
featureConfidence
1.0
 After Earth
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_24c8b6c8
 Monster of the Aesop / int_34d8bc3d
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_34d8bc3d
comment
Common on Teamo Supremo, where the villain's M.O. would often coincide with some issue one of the heroes was struggling with, such as a battle with Sloppy Joe coinciding with Brenda having problems with disorganization.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_34d8bc3d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_34d8bc3d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Teamo Supremo
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_34d8bc3d
 Monster of the Aesop / int_40010ddc
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_40010ddc
comment
HeartCatch Pretty Cure! averted this - while an inanimate object was used, the monster was formed by a "Person of the Week"'s withered "Heart Flower", altered due to a problem that's weighted their heart's down. Evidently, it usually leads to the heroines to beat the monster by talking before using their powers to fully purify them.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_40010ddc
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_40010ddc
featureConfidence
1.0
 HeartCatch Pretty Cure!
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_40010ddc
 Monster of the Aesop / int_43576f5
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_43576f5
comment
Supernatural: The episode "You Can't Handle the Truth" featured the Roman goddess Veritas who was killing people by making people around them tell the truth about anything, just when Sam and Dean are dealing with trust issues of their own because Sam is barely acting like a normal human (because he lacked his soul, it turns out).
 Monster of the Aesop / int_43576f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_43576f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Supernatural
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_43576f5
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44127c7c
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44127c7c
comment
Power Rangers:
Rita Repulsa, in particular, did it all the time. In fact, most villainous plots from the first two seasons were inspired by what the Ranger teens were doing at school when the villains looked in. Even multi-parters had a lesson to be learned that the monster would tie into.
Zedd was, in a way, worse, as he'd make monsters from (sometimes Aesop-related) objects, allowing them to be even better tailored to the plot!
Mostly averted with Master Vile, the lone filler episode was sort of this. Of course with Vile being a Knight of Cerebus, this is to be expected.
King Mondo did this occasionally but much less so than the evil space aliens. Divatox, on the other hand, did this a lot. Astronema did this on occasional but seeing as how Cerebus Syndrome defined In Space, this was less common
Trakeena and other post-Zordon villains did this less as the Rangers were often young adults with jobs and was no longer the lighthearted show set in Angel Grove that we were familiar with, they no longer hung out at a juice bar, went to high school, or had quirky misadventures with Bulk and Skull (although Bulk did board Terra Venture and came back in Samurai).
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44127c7c
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44127c7c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Power Rangers (Franchise)
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_44127c7c
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44fe781e
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44fe781e
comment
Neon Genesis Evangelion features this occasionally with the Angels, the most notable example being Israfel, which forces Shinji and Asuka to overcome their hostility towards each other to defeat it.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44fe781e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_44fe781e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Neon Genesis Evangelion
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_44fe781e
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5178149f
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5178149f
comment
An episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold featured an egocentric Captain Atom who constantly said that Batman wasn't a real hero because he didn't have powers. Then, the Villain of the Week showed up and took his powers, making him useless. Of course, this being the show that it was, Cap didn't get it at all.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5178149f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5178149f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Batman: The Brave and the Bold
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_5178149f
 Monster of the Aesop / int_55c5a085
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_55c5a085
comment
Mazinger Z: In episode 41 Kouji is undergoing a hard pilot training to be able to fly Mazinger-Z at high altitude. However he resents many aspects of the training, like being on a diet,and he even got in a fight with Sayaka because she wanted him eating the diet food she had made and he refused. Of course, in that episode Dr. Hell designed a Mechanical Beast -Karma K5- capable to fly higher and faster than Mazinger-Z, and Count Brocken crafted a strategy to exploit that advantage. Kouji got hurt and even fainted due to physical strain and exhertion, and later he apologized to Sayaka, admiting he should have listened to her and eaten the meal she had fixed.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_55c5a085
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_55c5a085
featureConfidence
1.0
 Mazinger Z
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_55c5a085
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5921531b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5921531b
comment
Persona 4's Shadow bosses and their dungeons are all based around some mini-Aesop for a different character, about how they have to learn to accept themselves. So for example you have Chie's "dominatrix banana-head" Shadow that represents her repressed resentment about Yukiko's greater popularity and joy at having the popular girl lean on her for support, which later leads her to have a more honest and mutually supportive relationship with Yukiko.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5921531b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5921531b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Persona 4 (Video Game)
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_5921531b
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5b8afa32
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5b8afa32
comment
In a similar vein to the Raijin-Oh and Sailor Moon examples above, GaoGaiGar's monsters of the week through the first half of the series were the manifestations of the stress that the host of the Zonder Metal was suffering from.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5b8afa32
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5b8afa32
featureConfidence
1.0
 GaoGaiGar
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_5b8afa32
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5c9afb42
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5c9afb42
comment
Each episode of Yogi's Gang featured a villain who encouraged or reveled in bad behavior such as greed, bigotry, vandalism, or littering.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5c9afb42
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_5c9afb42
featureConfidence
1.0
 Yogi's Gang
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_5c9afb42
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6ae1d164
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6ae1d164
comment
Evident to some extent in Galaxy of Fear, though it's usually fairly minor - Zak is learning how to let go of his dead parents in the same book that involves a Necromancer and Necromantic qualities - it's clearest in Spore.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6ae1d164
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6ae1d164
featureConfidence
1.0
 Galaxy of Fear
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_6ae1d164
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6f3ca8cf
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6f3ca8cf
comment
All the X Eggs in Shugo Chara! stem specifically from self-confidence issues.
Except in filler episodes when "? ("Mystery") Eggs" take on this role
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6f3ca8cf
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_6f3ca8cf
featureConfidence
1.0
 Shugo Chara! (Manga)
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_6f3ca8cf
 Monster of the Aesop / int_a9f06cb6
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_a9f06cb6
comment
This tends to happen in a few episodes of VeggieTales. Especially in the Larry-Boy installments. Just 3 examples are an alien Fib that grows bigger when the person it hangs out with lies but shrinks when they tell the truth, a Rumor Weed that grows bigger via the power of, well, rumors, and a bad apple that tries to get everyone to give into temptation.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_a9f06cb6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_a9f06cb6
featureConfidence
1.0
 VeggieTales
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_a9f06cb6
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ac67074d
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ac67074d
comment
Teen Titans
The very first episode contrasts our heroes, who are constantly squabbling with each other over petty matters and can't keep their tower maintained with the well-organized, highly-professional H.I.V.E academy students. The H.I.V.E hand the Titans their asses through a combination of coordinated attack formations and exploiting the Titans' internal discord and individual weaknesses. Its only after they rally, get organized, and come up with an actual plan of attack that the Titans are able to triumph.
In the episode "Forces of Nature", the other Titans are mad at Beast Boy for his non-stop, often dangerous pranks, which he unapologetically commits. The villains of the episode are then revealed to be Thunder and Lightning, a pair of superpowered brothers who turn out to be less evil than... a pair of pranksters who don't fully grasp they're hurting people. They and Beast Boy then learn the aesop about taking responsibility for one's actions together.
The aptly named episode Fear Itself has the monster from an impossibly scary horror movie come to life and terrorize the Titans Tower. Everyone initially thinks that the party responsible is Control Freak, a minor villain who can bring movies to life, but the source of his power was confiscated by the Titans at the beginning of the episode and hadn't been touched since. It turns out that the responsible party was Raven. Because her Psychic Powers are tied to her emotional state, her being in denial about being scared by the movie caused her to subconsciously bring her own fears to life. She's able to make them go away be simply admitting to herself that she was scared and resolve to face her fears anyway.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ac67074d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ac67074d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Teen Titans
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_ac67074d
 Monster of the Aesop / int_b6604d86
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_b6604d86
comment
Pixy Misa in Magical Project S would frequently create a "Love-Love Monster" from an object linked to the story (e.g. P.E. equipment, a chemistry vial, a comic book, etc.).
 Monster of the Aesop / int_b6604d86
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_b6604d86
featureConfidence
1.0
 Magical Project S
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_b6604d86
 Monster of the Aesop / int_c1408c34
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_c1408c34
comment
In Brave Exkaiser, the Geisters use Earth's television networks to find things that humans 'treasure' so that they can steal it and sell it to the highest bidder. Their Geister Robo monsters are ordinary things that the Geisters transform into the Monster of the Week - usually to make stealing the treasure easier. Early examples include a bridge transformed to steal a train, electrical towers transformed to steal energy from a nuclear power plant, and a launchpad transformed to steal a rocket ship. The metaphorical meaning of 'treasure' also applies, and some of the treasures they try to steal are immaterial things that they have to make adjustments for. In the case of the Geisters trying to steal dreams, [[Baku stealing food from the tapir exhibit at the zoo]] fails. To make up for this, the Geisters install machines that make so much noise constantly that people can't sleep, and thusly can't dream.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_c1408c34
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_c1408c34
featureConfidence
1.0
 Brave Exkaiser
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_c1408c34
 Monster of the Aesop / int_cad487df
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_cad487df
comment
A common theme on Sushi Pack is that the villain of the day will need (and usually fail) to learn the same lesson that one or more members of the Pack is struggling with.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_cad487df
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_cad487df
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sushi Pack
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_cad487df
 Monster of the Aesop / int_d7aab7c1
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_d7aab7c1
comment
In Sailor Moon, it often occurred either because the monster inherited the human host's traits in grotesquely exaggerated form, or because it possessed an inanimate object owned by the Victim of the Week and somewhat connected to the episode's plot. Most of the monsters in the first few episodes didn't follow this precisely, mainly being heavily bowdlerized versions of Cutey Honey-type monsters.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_d7aab7c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_d7aab7c1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sailor Moon
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_d7aab7c1
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e293455a
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e293455a
comment
Due to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's initial mission statement of showing 'High School as Hell' most episodes feature monsters and villains that turn a normal teenage issue into high horror-flavoured drama. Like most Monster of the Week shows, the monsters are often Anvilicious (and sometimes lampshaded). Leaving High School after season 3 meant the characters had a less particular time of life to make Aesops about, but it certainly didn't stop them cropping up.
In "Witch", a mother who tries to live through her daughter is literally a witch who has bodyswapped with the girl.
In "Go Fish", a coach who prizes only his team's ability to perform and not any finer human qualities has them turn into sea monsters.
In the episode "Reptile Boy", Buffy and Cordelia go to a frat party. The one drink is, of course, drugged, though this being Buffy the girls are nearly devoured by a giant snake monster as opposed to raped. This one ended with a notable lampshading:
The next time Buffy tries drinking with frat boys in "Beer Bad", they all turn into cavemen (and cavewoman) stereotypes.
"Teacher's Pet" has the sexy female substitute teacher who preys on teenage boys be revealed to be a giant praying mantis who devours her victims after mating with them.
In "The Pack", Xander and some other students become possessed by hyenas. Before it escalates into people being eaten, the plot plays out like Xander is falling in with a bad crowd and turning into a bully/delinquent.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e293455a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e293455a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_e293455a
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e3ed54c7
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e3ed54c7
comment
In various versions of Pretty Cure, the monster is formed from handy, usually inanimate objects, so if any one thing has been the focal point of the episode, there's a good chance the girls will end up fighting it at some point. Of course, the Monster of the Week is just as frequently something random, like a piano or a planter or a gazebo.
HeartCatch Pretty Cure! averted this - while an inanimate object was used, the monster was formed by a "Person of the Week"'s withered "Heart Flower", altered due to a problem that's weighted their heart's down. Evidently, it usually leads to the heroines to beat the monster by talking before using their powers to fully purify them.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e3ed54c7
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_e3ed54c7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pretty Cure
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_e3ed54c7
 Monster of the Aesop / int_eb6802b4
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_eb6802b4
comment
In a rare video game example, the Eidolons in Final Fantasy XIII. Each of them are summoned when the related party member reaches their Despair Event Horizon. Conquering the Eidolon in battle always involves playing to the character's strength in battle and overcoming the character's Fatal Flaw.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_eb6802b4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_eb6802b4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Final Fantasy XIII (Video Game)
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_eb6802b4
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ec2c69cb
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ec2c69cb
comment
In the 2007 TMNT movie, the Turtles face a villain-led "brotherhood" while they themselves are having unity issues. Just prior to the final battle, the Turtles' family comes together as that of their enemy falls apart.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ec2c69cb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_ec2c69cb
featureConfidence
1.0
 TMNT
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_ec2c69cb
 Monster of the Aesop / int_f2041376
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Monster of the Aesop / int_f2041376
comment
In the Charmed episode "Battle of the Hexes," Billie is rather outspoken about her beliefs that Straw Feminism is better than real equality between the sexes. She learns the defects of this philosophy when she just happens to discover a magical belt that belonged to an ancient Amazon queen. More or less by coincidence, the demon of the week also holds to Straw Feminist views.
 Monster of the Aesop / int_f2041376
featureApplicability
1.0
 Monster of the Aesop / int_f2041376
featureConfidence
1.0
 Charmed (1998)
hasFeature
Monster of the Aesop / int_f2041376

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Monster of the Aesop
processingCategory2
Index of the Week
 Monster of the Aesop
processingCategory2
Magical Girl Tropes
 Monster of the Aesop
processingCategory2
Morality Tropes
 Futari wa Pretty Cure / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Jewelpet (2009) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Sailor Moon / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Yes! Pretty Cure 5 / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Marionettes (Fanfic) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Power Rangers (Franchise) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Castle Perilous / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Shugo Chara! (Manga) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Tokyo Babylon (Manga) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 ×××HOLiC (Manga)
seeAlso
Monster of the Aesop
 SAYER (Podcast) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 We Know the Devil (Visual Novel) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Dove Self-Esteem Project x Steven Universe (Web Animation) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Truncated Power Rangers (Web Video) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Twisted Kaiju Theater (Webcomic) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Chaotic / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Lilo & Stitch: The Series / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Raya and the Last Dragon / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 TMNT / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 Yogi's Gang / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop
 ×××HOLiC (Manga) / int_4172582b
type
Monster of the Aesop