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Retractable Appendages
- 187 statements
- 35 feature instances
- 12 referencing feature instances
| Retractable Appendages | type |
FeatureClass | |
| Retractable Appendages | label |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages | page |
RetractableAppendages | |
| Retractable Appendages | comment |
Exactly What It Says on the Tin. This trope describes one's ability to retract their limbs. This is an ability common to creatures that possess a protective shell, which can retract their limbs within it as a natural mean of self-defense. Features such as retractable claws or teeth are also quite common, although for a more offensive use. More rarely, some creatures will be able to retract their legs or arms inside their body itself; in that case, it will most often be a case of either having Bizarre Alien Biology or being an Eldritch Abomination. Aside from those uses, Retractable Appendages can also serve the purpose of camouflage, whether for the purpose of avoiding Fantastic Racism or as a way of Dressing as the Enemy. Most common examples include the fangs of vampires, the horns and wings of demonic beings, the abnormal features of Mutants, and the extra limbs of human-looking aliens. When Played for Laughs, expect Power Incontinence to strike, with the character revealing their hidden appendages at the worst possible times, and trying desperately to hide them. This trope is actually often found in Real Life. Among the most well-known examples are turtles and snails, which are able to retract their limbs within their shells,note Although in reality, some species of turtles are only able to retract their neck, and some are even unable to retract at all. with the latter also able to retract their eyes and horns inside their body. On the same note, felines, especially cats, are known for their retractable claws. As such, if a fictional creature is based on one of these animals, they will most likely inherit this ability. Your mileage may vary on whether this ability is to be considered Nightmare Fuel or Extremely Awesome when applied to human beings. Compare Wolverine Claws and Retractable Weapon. See also Telescoping Robot for the mechanical version of this trope. Examples |
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Dropped link to DownplayedTrope: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to DragQueen: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Retractable Appendages | processingComment |
Dropped link to Kappa: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to MonsterClown: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to OminousOwl: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Retractable Appendages | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_10b219a9 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_10b219a9 | comment |
Neiz from Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge has the ability to retract his head into his body like that of a turtle. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_10b219a9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_10b219a9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_10b219a9 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_14494034 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_14494034 | comment |
Abraxas (Hrodvitnon): MaNi/Elder Brother reconstructs a broken bone in his arm into a bone spike for stabbing, which he can retract into the repaired arm at will. Downplayed by Monster X: in their final form, they possess giant wings which fold and reshape into an elytron-like bone casing when not in use. |
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| Retractable Appendages / int_14494034 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_14494034 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Abraxas (Hrodvitnon) (Fanfic) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_14494034 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_1c1d7608 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_1c1d7608 | comment |
Franken Fran has six arms, but they only come out during operating time. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_1c1d7608 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_1c1d7608 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Franken Fran (Manga) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_1c1d7608 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_272985e9 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_272985e9 | comment |
Inspector Gadget 2 has this happen to Gadget when he ducks a punch in the face at a bar. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_272985e9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_272985e9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Inspector Gadget 2 | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_272985e9 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_42c05590 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_42c05590 | comment |
Filburt from Rocko's Modern Life. Justified that he is a turtle. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_42c05590 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_42c05590 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Rocko's Modern Life | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_42c05590 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4ad89ce0 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4ad89ce0 | comment |
Hazbin Hotel: Angel Dust has a third pair of arms that he can retract into himself, while Katie Killjoy has four retractable insectoid limbs. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4ad89ce0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4ad89ce0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| HazbinHotel | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_4ad89ce0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4d773e6 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4d773e6 | comment |
Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon has retractable teeth, hence his name. In How to Train Your Dragon 2, he is revealed to also have retractable scales along his spine. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4d773e6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4d773e6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| How to Train Your Dragon (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_4d773e6 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4e9f355 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4e9f355 | comment |
Genesis and Angeal from Crisis Core also have retractable wings. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4e9f355 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4e9f355 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Crisis Core (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_4e9f355 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4f7a49d9 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4f7a49d9 | comment |
Minor example in The Keys Stand Alone: The Soft World when George becomes a nixie for a while. Paul notices that he doesn't have any genitalia in that form, and George deadpans, "It retracts. If I leave it out it attracts fish. It's useful to bring dinner over. Would you like to see it in action?" Paul can't tell if George is serious or not. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4f7a49d9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_4f7a49d9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Keys Stand Alone (Fanfic) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_4f7a49d9 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6ac55ec7 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6ac55ec7 | comment |
Dungeons & Dragons: Giant Snapping Turtles are noted as being able to retract their legs and head into their shell, thus improving their armor class. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6ac55ec7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6ac55ec7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dungeons & Dragons (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_6ac55ec7 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6bc0f10a | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6bc0f10a | comment |
In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Zaphod retracts one of his heads into his chest from time to time. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6bc0f10a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6bc0f10a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_6bc0f10a | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fe3e8a7 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fe3e8a7 | comment |
A fun image from Neopets reveals that Cybunnies can retract their heads into their body. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fe3e8a7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fe3e8a7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Neopets (Website) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_6fe3e8a7 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fecab7e | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fecab7e | comment |
In You Only Live Twice, James Bond visits a Japanese martial arts training facility where the fighters have been trained to retract their testes into a recess in their hip bone, making them invulnerable to a Groin Attack. (In real life, this technique is more attributable to body stance, with the pelvis thrust forward so that a good part of the buttocks is where the genitals should be.) | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fecab7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_6fecab7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| You Only Live Twice | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_6fecab7e | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_76e1ae72 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_76e1ae72 | comment |
CatDog has the titular character retract its body like a snail, there's only one episode where the play it rather... gruesomely. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_76e1ae72 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_76e1ae72 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| CatDog | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_76e1ae72 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_841dfd9b | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_841dfd9b | comment |
Gamera, the flying turtle, can retract all four of his legs into his shell, then cause fire to spray out of the holes, allowing him to spin around and fly. He can retract his head into his shell the same way, and often does so while flying. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_841dfd9b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_841dfd9b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Gamera | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_841dfd9b | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_86814cd0 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_86814cd0 | comment |
In Final Fantasy IV, the turtle monster Cagnazzo is a creepy example of this. He can collapse to invulnerable shell form, even though his beefy humanoid arms and legs are clearly too big to fit in his shell. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_86814cd0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_86814cd0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Final Fantasy IV (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_86814cd0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8a4370bd | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8a4370bd | comment |
In The Haunting of Drearcliff Grange School, Speke has strange crablike shell-covered hands that have something resembling a mind of their own. At one point, her crab-hand fingers withdraw into her palms rather than risk touching a supernatural artifact. Speke herself is surprised, as they'd never done that before. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8a4370bd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8a4370bd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Haunting of Drearcliff Grange School | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_8a4370bd | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8da3be3c | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8da3be3c | comment |
Plasmo and Parsty from Plasmo are able to pull their arms in and out of their body, as part of the abilities of their species. They often default to having them kept inside when not in use. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8da3be3c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_8da3be3c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Plasmo | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_8da3be3c | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_960062b7 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_960062b7 | comment |
Tatami Nakagame's quirk from My Hero Academia grants her the ability to retract her head, limbs and body retract into themselves like a turtle. The retracting is instantaneous, but unretracting takes a few seconds longer. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_960062b7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_960062b7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| My Hero Academia (Manga) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_960062b7 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9e2f90f4 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9e2f90f4 | comment |
Luffy from One Piece is able to essentially fly when in Gear 4 by rapidly retracting and ejecting his legs, creating propulsion. The same technique applied to his arms supercharges his punches. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9e2f90f4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9e2f90f4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| One Piece (Manga) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_9e2f90f4 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9f89a5f0 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9f89a5f0 | comment |
Pokémon: Generation V has the golem-like Golurk who is able to fly this way by retracting its arms and legs. Any Pokemon with the ability Withdraw. Darumaka in battle and in the anime can retract their limbs into their body, giving them the appearance of an egg. This is a reference to Daruma dolls (as their name indicates). One of Hoothoot's legs is retractable. Darkrai also has retractable legs. |
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| Retractable Appendages / int_9f89a5f0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_9f89a5f0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Pokémon (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_9f89a5f0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_a81325d3 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_a81325d3 | comment |
Final Fantasy: In Final Fantasy IV, the turtle monster Cagnazzo is a creepy example of this. He can collapse to invulnerable shell form, even though his beefy humanoid arms and legs are clearly too big to fit in his shell. In the Dissidia Final Fantasy series, Kefka has six retractable wings that only extend when he uses the attack "Havoc Wing". In Kingdom Hearts, Sephiroth has a retractable black wing. It's implied in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series that his black wing is the same as in Kingdom Hearts. Genesis and Angeal from Crisis Core also have retractable wings. |
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| Retractable Appendages / int_a81325d3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_a81325d3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Final Fantasy (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_a81325d3 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_aca7b22d | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_aca7b22d | comment |
The Amazing World of Gumball: It turns out in "The Gift" that, like her arms, Masami's long legs can be retracted into her body. It's where she wears the rainbow toe socks Harry got for her birthday. She wears them all the time she loves them so much. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_aca7b22d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_aca7b22d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Amazing World of Gumball | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_aca7b22d | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_b5346b9f | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_b5346b9f | comment |
White Sheep (RWBY): The Combat Tentacles that Jaune and his sisters are infamous for are typically hidden inside their bodies. Jaune mentions that it's slightly uncomfortable, but not really worth caring about most of the time. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_b5346b9f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_b5346b9f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| White Sheep (RWBY) (Fanfic) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_b5346b9f | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_bc848d30 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_bc848d30 | comment |
SpongeBob SquarePants: Justified with Gary, who's a snail. Also happens to Craig Mammalton in the episode "Sun Bleached". Also happens to Patrick in the episode "Not Normal". |
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| Retractable Appendages / int_bc848d30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_bc848d30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| SpongeBob SquarePants | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_bc848d30 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d2bb929d | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d2bb929d | comment |
Soul Series: Algol from Soulcalibur IV has three retractable, kraken-like, clawed, finger-esque tentacles on each side that extend from his chest. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d2bb929d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d2bb929d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Soul Series (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_d2bb929d | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d7797065 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d7797065 | comment |
Skull Island (2023): When the Kraken's tentacles are injured during the final fight, they retract back inside the Kraken's torso. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d7797065 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_d7797065 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Skull Island (2023) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_d7797065 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_de386b52 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_de386b52 | comment |
The title characters of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) all have the ability to do this. During the final Foot battle of the film, Mikey retracts his head into his shell to keep it from being taken off by a Foot mook's axe. "God, I love being a turtle!" | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_de386b52 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_de386b52 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_de386b52 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e63c8b18 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e63c8b18 | comment |
In The City and the Stars, future humanity has been engineered so that male genitalia are stored internally when not in use. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e63c8b18 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e63c8b18 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The City and the Stars | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_e63c8b18 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e9c7b01b | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e9c7b01b | comment |
In the Dissidia Final Fantasy series, Kefka has six retractable wings that only extend when he uses the attack "Havoc Wing". | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e9c7b01b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_e9c7b01b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dissidia Final Fantasy (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_e9c7b01b | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef4fd083 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef4fd083 | comment |
The electronic devices in The Brave Little Toaster all have retractable faces, with the exception of Radio, who for some reason actually doesn't have a face. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef4fd083 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef4fd083 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Brave Little Toaster | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_ef4fd083 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef7b3325 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef7b3325 | comment |
Fantastic Four: Mr. Fantastic can retract everything, turning into a sphere. It's how he survives exposure to space once. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef7b3325 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_ef7b3325 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fantastic Four / Comicbook | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_ef7b3325 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_f6a54e75 | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_f6a54e75 | comment |
In Kingdom Hearts, Sephiroth has a retractable black wing. It's implied in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series that his black wing is the same as in Kingdom Hearts. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_f6a54e75 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_f6a54e75 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Kingdom Hearts (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_f6a54e75 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fa37091b | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fa37091b | comment |
The Future is Wild has the Flish with a retractable second mouth. The Slickribbon has the Flish's retractability brought up a notch. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fa37091b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fa37091b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Future Is Wild | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_fa37091b | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fb1f271c | type |
Retractable Appendages | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fb1f271c | comment |
In Lilo & Stitch, Stitch can retract his antennae, back spines, claws, and second pair of arms, which he demonstrates when taking refuge in a dog pound, as seen above. | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fb1f271c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Retractable Appendages / int_fb1f271c | featureConfidence |
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| Lilo & Stitch | hasFeature |
Retractable Appendages / int_fb1f271c |
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