History Main / Bambification

* The supervillain who [[TakingYouWithMe fought]] Franchise/{{Superman}} to the death, Doomsday, pets a doe and then snaps her neck when he first appears. For his next trick, he lets a little sparrow land in his hand - and crushes her.

If deer happen to give you problems in your backyard, there are [[http://newfs.org/publications-and-resources/barring-bambi.html easy ways]] to thwart them; in particular, plant sage and onions, which they don't like the taste of. (Onions will also teach squirrels not to go digging for your tulip bulbs.) Alternatively, install TheThingThatGoesDoink. [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle The more you know!]]

In some ways, however, some species of deer can be seen as CoolPet when in the hands of a rightful owner, similar to a [[PantheraAwesome big wild cat]] being owned by a KindheartedCatLover.

* DependingOnTheWriter, the Comicbook/IncredibleHulk is quite fond of deer. He even calls them Bambi! One memorable issue had him stumble upon some hunters killing deer, and he reacted [[UnstoppableRage pretty much exactly how you'd expect him to.]]

* There's [[http://deer-s-revenge.software.informer.com/ Deer's Revenge,]] also a parody of the ''VideoGame/DeerHunter'' series that also swaps the roles of predator and prey.

* William Blake in Creator/JimJarmusch's film ''Film/DeadMan'' grieves over the remains of a dead baby deer, which was shot by one of his pursuers. The scene echoes a previous scene where an [[StuffedIntoTheFridge innocent woman was killed]] by someone trying to kill him.

For an older tradition where deer are mysterious and magical creatures, see TheMarvelousDeer. One notable exception to this trope is moose, which are more likely to be portrayed as [[MooseAreIdiots bumbling buffoons]]. Also contrast {{Wendigo}}, whose recent portrayals are a ''creepy'' subversion of this trope.

* "Babycham" (a British company that makes beer and alcoholic drinks) has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL8d-2uto4k cute fawn/chamois as their mascot]], who takes cues from Disney's Bambi. The character was featured in a series of commercials between the 1960s and 1980s. Later ads [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7RFYEe42VI featured the fawn wearing shades and a bow tie.]]

* In Brazil, this trope goes on another level, with the deer's delicate nature making the animal a symbol of homosexuality. Even naming a city after the animal, "Veado", became an UnfortunateName leading to a BilingualBonus renaming ("Guaçuí", deer in an indigenous language). Bambi itself became a pejorative name for [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgr3ZlJe3YU/Ti30rvqYYKI/AAAAAAAAAcc/j9ED6IgJFK0/s1600/bambi-sao-paulo.jpg São Paulo Futebol Clube]] ([[http://cruzdesavoia.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/bambi.jpg even making an unfortunate appearance on British news...]]).

For an older tradition where deer are mysterious and magical creatures, see TheMarvelousDeer. One notable exception to this trope is moose, which are more likely to be portrayed as [[MooseAreIdiots bumbling buffoons]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' episode "Bumbie's Mom" has Slappy Squirrel taking her nephew Skippy to see a parody of ''WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}}'' that plays up this trope; so much so that even [[DeadpanSnarker Slappy]] turns to the camera and remarks "Life is good." Of course, this is to heighten the trauma of [[TearJerker what comes later]]...

* ''Film/HaroldAndKumarEscapeFromGuantanamoBay'' - Makes fun of the bambification trope in a very dark way. On the run from an insane, racist Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, the duo finds themselves in the woods in Alabama. They encounter an adorable deer and start petting it... right before it suddenly gets shot in the head, spraying guts and blood on the horrified men, by a sophisticated redneck hunter. He then slits its throat and stuffs the body messily into a a sack. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmE2xhYQTNs All of it for comedy, of course!]]

Deer are a menace when cars are in use. They're "edge animals," suited to environments where forests transition into grassland, like suburbia; they also can't gauge the speed of anything going over 40 miles an hour, ''but they think they can''. And, they have no particular fear of cars. Between these three factors, deer kill more people than any other large land animal: all those traffic accidents add up. (Drive carefully, especially in the evening and at night.)

[[caption-width-right:300:Total Badass.[[note]][[SubvertedTrope Seriously]], he does become a [[TookALevelInBadass total badass]].[[/note]]]]

* Similarly, in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' when Willow pets a fawn in a green garden... before slitting its throat to use its blood as a spell ingredient in order to resurrect Buffy. One of the first clues to the wrongness of said resurrection and the dark path Willow's on. It's specifically noted to be "blood of the innocent" or some such.

[[folder: Other uses of this trope]]
[[AC: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Anime/PrincessMononoke'': The forest god initially takes the form of a large male deer (well, something like one anyway, with tridactyl feet, ten times more antlers than normal deer, and [[UncannyValley a more human-looking face]])... [[spoiler:before its head was shot off and it turns into a mass that starts swallowing the entire forest to get its head back]].
* Ryu risks his life to save a deer in a later episode of ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'', and in doing so helps a gruffer than usual Joe remember his own softer side.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* A majestic elk summons the Sprite in the "Firebird Suite" segment of ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia 2000}}''.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* The White Stag from the ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'' books, probably derived from the British legends of the White Stag or White Hart. Follow it through the forest and (if you can keep up) it will lead you to your heart's desire (or occasionally a vision of Christ).
* Aside from the example mentioned briefly above, ''Literature/HarryPotter'' actually uses this quite well beginning in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban Prisoner of Azkaban]]''. There is a Stag who has a particular significance to Harry. [[spoiler:James Potter's Animagus form, as mentioned above, was stag and Harry's Dementor-expelling Patronus takes this form as well.]] We'd almost say this counts as an {{inver|tedTrope}}sion: when the deer shows up, it means the ''villains'' are about to get slaughtered. There is also the case of the silver doe in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', which is [[spoiler:''Snape'''s Patronus]].
* There are also apparently legends of Myth/{{Merlin}} turning into a stag, either normal colored or white. It appears in ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'' and the kids' ''Literature/TheMagicTreeHouse'' series.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' novel ''Literature/LordOfTheClans'', Thrall comes upon a deer who isn't afraid of him, specifically because he's so close to nature. He kills it, and thanks its spirit for its sacrifice.
** Similarly, in ''Literature/RiseOfTheHorde'', Thrall's father's first kill is a [[CallARabbitASmeerp space deer]] that separates itself from the rest of its herd. [[spoiler:This is foreshadowing of sorts: Durotan is one of the relatively few orcs to resist demonic corruption, and that choice eventually gets him killed.]]
** Similarly, any story in which deer = food. ''Literature/TheJungleBook'', ''Anime/WolfsRain'', a quick but nice little scene in TheFilmOfTheBook for ''Literature/TheIndianInTheCupboard'', etc.
* ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'': At the end, the Pevensie children (now kings and queens) are hunting the White Stag - presumably not to kill it -- which will grant wishes.
* Herne, the god of the hunt, has deer's horns, as according to ''Literature/TheDarkIsRising''.
* ''Literature/BookOfImaginaryBeings'': Definitely averted with the [[OurPerytonsAreDifferent perytons]], an AlwaysChaoticEvil race of winged deer. They are refugees from Atlantis who cast a human shadow until they kill one. Only then do they cast their own shadow. They were later used by ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/RobinOfSherwood'' features a recurring shaman character who claims to be the forest god Herne; he wears the head of a deer as a cowl.
* ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'': Although not as old as some others, the Deer Zord is a good example (by extension, the same applies for its source material, ''Gaoranger.'') He has something of a "peaceful healer" thing going for him. However, on the other hand, he has been shown to take out an Org completely on his own, implying he's one of the more Badass of the Wildzords, and also shown at times to be something of an asshole, refusing to help the rangers until Princess Shayla sang to him.
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': {{Inverted|Trope}}, sort of: the BigBad, a [[AmoralAttorney demonic law firm]] called Wolfram and Hart, is revealed to be this dimensions's modern incarnation of the Wolf, Ram and ''Hart,'' some sort of evil force which (according to [[PhysicalGod Illyria]]) is older than human history.

[[AC: {{Mythology}}]]
* The demon Furfur described in the ''Literature/ArsGoetia'' is a weird example. In spite of being a demon, he has the form of an [[LightIsNotGood angelic white stag]], and creates love, but is still a liar and, well a ''demon''.
* Myth/AztecMythology applies [[BondCreature nagual]] to most of its deities, and yes, one has a deer; Itzpapalotl, goddess of among other things, motherhood and the stars. So, straight example, right? [[SubvertedTrope Haha]], [[HumanoidAbomination no]]. The other things she's a goddess of are war, death, and the same [[LightIsNotGood stars]] she's a queen of regularly try to eat the sun during an eclipse so they can invade Earth. Part of the whole HumanSacrifice thing was to keep the Obsidian Butterfly ''far, far away''.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* Flame Stag from ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'', a badass flaming brawler robot stag who's [[LightningBruiser fast and painful]] and utilizes {{wall jump}}s, {{fireballs}} and a MeteorMove.
* Buckfire from ''VideoGame/MegaManZX Advent'', who's essentially Flame Stag [[{{Expy}} reborn]] with the addition of HulkSpeak.
* ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds'' plays with this with the Deer of Reign. While they're pampered and fussed over as pets by their elves, they are depicted as just as capable in a fight as the other ungulates of Fœnum.
* In ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'', while most deer in general are harmless prey for villagers, a bug in the "Vindlandsaga" scenario will sometimes cause a deer to spawn next to an outpost and attack it if [[SavageWolf Ornlu]] hasn't been spawned yet.

[[AC: WebOriginal]]
* The leader of TheWildHunt (aptly called "the Hunter") in ''{{Literature/Moonflowers}}'' wears a deer-skull mask with red eyes, [[RuleOfScary explicitly to terrify his victims.]] Turns UpToEleven as he uses an ''Irish Elk'' skull to hunt Alima Song--a prehistoric relative of modern deer, known for its massive size and equally gigantic antlers, which he uses [[UseYourHead to gore his opponents.]] Later on, Maidin the river-spirit muses that the Hunter must be [[TestosteronePoisoning testosterone-poisoned]] from wearing the skull-mask all the time, which means deer are an extremely masculine symbol. He also states that the Hunter's full title is the Horned Hunter, and he's actually the AnthropomorphicPersonification of ''predators,'' making the mask a CreepySouvenir, and that those who claim the Hunter's mask [[KlingonPromotion need to kill the current Hunter for it,]] invoking NatureIsNotNice in full force. Ironically enough, Alima gets taken under the protection of the bear-goddess Artio, who is [[ThePollyanna friendly, cheerful,]] and the UrExample of a MamaBear.
** The Fianna are a positive version, being minor gods of [[ComboPlatterPowers deer and policemen.]] Led by Finn [=MacCool=], they're a gang of young men [[SharpDressedMan in brown suits]] and give people deer-antler whistles to call them for help. While noted for being [[BoisterousBruiser energetic]] and comedic, [[SuperStrength two of them can lift a car]] and at least one is [[TheBerserker a berserker.]] When it's discovered that the Wild Hunt is [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame planning to start the Fairy Raid and OFFICIALLY hunt down the Song family]] on Samhain, their suits [[BringMyRedJacket change from brown to red.]]

[[/folder]]

[[caption-width-right:300:Total Badass.[[note]][[SubvertedTrope Seriously, he does]] [[ComingOfAgeStory become a]] [[TookALevelInBadass total badass]].[[/note]]]]

* The supervillain who [[TakingYouWithMe fought]] Franchise/{{Superman}} [[DisneyDeath to the death]], Doomsday, pets a doe and then [[MoralEventHorizon snaps her neck]] when he first appears. For his next trick, he lets a little sparrow land in his hand - and crushes her.

* ''Film/{{Starman}}''
* ''Film/{{Powder}}''
* ''SimonBirch'', where the deer in question is actually Simon's dead mother. Or something. [[{{Narm}} Whatever.]]
* Naturally, the 1989 Christmas film ''Film/{{Prancer}}'' is '''all''' over this.

* Used in the movie ''Film/{{Commando}}'', in which Schwarzenneger's character spends quality time with his daughter... and at some point, they are seen petting a friggin' ''deer'' in the woods.
* A scene in ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' has Hogarth and the Giant come across a deer. The deer gets spooked by a random noise and walks off, only to be shot by hunters. Cue the {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}. It's actually done rather well to show the Giant's first inkling of others' mortality.

* In more fantastic stories, unicorns are used instead of deer. Case in point, ''Literature/HarryPotter''.
** There is an excellent Creator/JaneYolen short story, "De Natura Unicorni", that plays this variation absolutely straight until the climax - and it works.
** ''Harry Potter'' also has this with actual deer -- James Potter's Animagus form was a stag, which symbolically makes his wife Lily the doe, and they both [[HeroicSacrifice died at Voldemort's hands trying to save Harry]] (Lily, specifically, chose to die despite having the clear choice to save herself, and her sacrifice put ThePowerOfLove on Harry as a magical protection against Voldemort). Later, Harry's Patronus (a CareBearStare spell to counter the EmotionBomb effect of Dementors) manifests as a stag, representing James, and [[spoiler:Snape]]'s turns out to be a doe, representing Lily. Although the books also play the stag as a symbol of arrogance (there's a reason it's [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold James']] Animagus form), and it is stated it's an animal so big and strong that can physically restrain a transformed ''werewolf''.

* Linderman saves a deer in one of the ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' [[AllThereInTheManual online comics]]. Maybe a direct reference to ''Starman''.
** Likewise, in a later comic, Arthur Petrelli takes his two sons out hunting. You win no prizes for guessing Peter's reaction to his daddy's order to shoot at a buck.

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Deerling is clearly a case of this. Its evolution, Sawsbuck, isn't.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'': Gaston sings in his VillainSong, "I use antlers in all of my decorating!" Judging by the state of his trophy room, that's a lot of [[KickTheDog dead deer]].
** Some of the animators on that movie even said they were trying to imply that Gaston was the one who killed Bambi's mother. She appears in the opening shot in the movie as well. (Although it would be unlikely as ''Bambi'' takes place in North America while ''Beauty and the Beast'' is a French fairy tale.)
** Hilariously, because deer shed their antlers yearly, even an incredibly lousy hunter could decorate with antlers just by walking around the forest and picking them up. His boast becomes much less impressive that way. Check out the giant arches made of deer and elk antlers at the corners of the town square in Jackson, Wyoming.
*** And Judge Doom from ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' was meant, in earlier drafts, to also be revealed as Bambi's mother's killer. They decided this pushed him too far over the MoralEventHorizon, especially given what he'd done so far in the film (that poor little sneaker...); it also created FridgeLogic, since the movie worked on the idea of AnimatedActors.

* Done in a ([[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence surprisingly graphic]]) ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' strip.
** And at least one ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' strip.
*** "Bummer of a birthmark, Hal"

[[AC:RecordedAndStandUpComedy]]
* The "gentle, angelic woodland critter" cliche gets taken down ''hard'' in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL9xCWphV8s this [NSFW] clip]] from Creator/LouisCK.

* Seeing as its heroine is a [[BeastMan Wolf-Woman]], ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'' naturally [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff300/fv00227.htm took this one on.]]

* "WesternAnimation/BambiMeetsGodzilla".
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VujzyznQ4eE "Son of Bambi meets Godzilla."]] That is all.

* The White Stag from the ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'' books.
** Which was probably derived from the British legends of the White Stag or White Hart. Follow it through the forest and (if you can keep up) it will lead you to your heart's desire (or occasionally a vision of Christ).

* In the 1936 production of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', Juliet (played by Norma Shearer) has a pet fawn just to emphasize her innocence.

[[quoteright:300:[[Disney/{{Bambi}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Bambi.jpg]]]]

The {{Trope Namer|s}} (unrelated to the term used by some critics of vegetarianism to describe [[StrawCharacter how they see]] [[WhatMeasureIsANonCute the vegetarians' philosophy]]) is a [[{{Fictionary}} term]] used offhand to criticize this trope in Douglas Coupland's novel ''Generation X''. What's especially bizarre is the fact that ''Disney/{{Bambi}}'' is often accused of spreading the idea that "deer are innocent". If you feel this way, ''please'' go and watch the movie again. In actuality, the film does not shy away from the "Deer can be Bastards and, Really, Sometimes You Can't Blame Them" / "NatureIsNotNice" world of Felix Salten's original novel (which, needless to say, is a bit closer to reality). Bambi himself [[TookALevelInBadass goes from]] cute little fawn to Badass Prince who kicks (antlers, rather) butt for [[ThePowerOfLove love]]. The [[Disney/BambiII midquel]] is no slacker on this either; all you need is one word: Ronno.

* ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'': Gaston sings in his VillainSong, "I use antlers in all of my decorating!" Judging by the state of his trophy room, that's a lot of [[KickTheDog dead deer]].

* Creator/TexAvery subverted the "fawns are innocent and helpless" trope in some of his early ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Merrie Melodies]]'', such as having them swig moonshine or talk in a gruff voice when begging for food. And all this years before Disney's ''Disney/{{Bambi}}'' came out! In one of Avery's MGM cartoons, "Field and Scream", the protagonist goes hunting for deer. At the end there's a long line of hunters with their trophies strap to their hoods... except for Our Hero, who is strapped to the hood of a deer's car.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' episode "Bumbie's Mom" has Slappy Squirrel taking her nephew Skippy to see a parody of ''Disney/{{Bambi}}'' that plays up this trope; so much so that even [[DeadpanSnarker Slappy]] turns to the camera and remarks "Life is good." Of course, this is to heighten the trauma of [[TearJerker what comes later]]...

* A majestic elk summons the Sprite in the "Firebird Suite" segment of ''Disney/{{Fantasia 2000}}''.

** The Fianna are a positive version, being minor gods of [[ComboPlatterPowers deer and policemen.]] Led by Finn MacCool, they're a gang of young men [[SharpDressedMan in brown suits]] and give people deer-antler whistles to call them for help. While noted for being [[BoisterousBruiser energetic]] and comedic, [[SuperStrength two of them can lift a car]] and at least one is [[TheBerserker a berserker.]] When it's discovered that the Wild Hunt is [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame planning to start the Fairy Raid]] on Samhain, their suits [[BringMeMyRedJacket change from brown to red.]]

* The leader of TheWildHunt (aptly called "the Hunter") in ''{{Literature/Moonflowers}}'' wears a deer-skull mask with red eyes, [[RuleOfScary explicitly to terrify his victims.]] Turns UpToEleven as he uses an ''Irish Elk'' skull to hunt Alima Song--the Irish Elk is a prehistoric relative of modern deer, known for its massive size and equally gigantic ten-foot antlers. He uses his mask [[UseYourHead as a weapon to gore his opponents.]] Later on, Maidin the river-spirit muses that the Hunter must be [[TestosteronePoisoning testosterone-poisoned]] from wearing the skull all the time, which means it's an extremely masculine symbol. Later, it's officially confirmed that the Hunter is the ''Horned'' Hunter of Myth/CelticMythology, and the AnthropomorphicPersonification of ''predators.'' NatureIsNotNice in full force. Ironically enough, Alima gets taken under the protection of the bear-goddess Artio, who is [[ThePollyanna friendly and cheerful]] despite embodying an ''actual'' predator. (Probably because she's the UrExample of a MamaBear.)
** The Fianna are a positive version, being minor gods of [[ComboPlatterPowers deer and policemen.]] They wear brown suits and give people deer-antler whistles to call them for help. While noted for being [[BoisterousBruiser energetic]] and comedic, [[SuperStrength two of them can lift a car]] and at least one of them is [[TheBerserker a berserker]].

* At the end of ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe,'' the Pevensie children (now kings and queens) are hunting the White Stag - presumably not to kill it - which will grant wishes.

* Definitely averted with the [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Perytons]] from Creator/JorgeLuisBorges's ''Literature/BookOfImaginaryBeings,'' an AlwaysChaoticEvil race of winged deer. They are refugees from Atlantis who cast a human shadow until they kill one. Only then do they cast their own shadow. They were later used by ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''.

* Although not as old as some others, the Deer Zord of ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'' is a good example (by extension, the same applies for its source material, ''Gaoranger.'') He has something of a "peaceful healer" thing going for him. However, on the other hand, he has been shown to take out an Org completely on his own, implying he's one of the more Badass of the Wildzords, and also shown at times to be something of an asshole, refusing to help the rangers until Princess Shayla sang to him.
* {{Inverted|Trope}} on ''Series/{{Angel}},'' sort of: the BigBad, a [[AmoralAttorney demonic law firm]] called Wolfram and Hart, is revealed to be this dimensions's modern incarnation of the Wolf, Ram and ''Hart,'' some sort of evil force which (according to [[PhysicalGod Illyria]]) is older than human history.