History Main / CastsNoShadow

* in an episode if ''WesternAnimation/WorldOfWinx'', an aspiring fashion designer named Sophie had abducted and replaced with a shadow creature. Bloom noticed this when she saw "Sophie" cast no shadow, cluing her to what really happened to her.

* This is one of the identifying signs of the Hollow Mekhet in ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'', for whom it's a side effect of [[DamagedSoul having part of their soul removed]]. They also can't be recorded and don't appear in mirrors, because their reflections are [[EnemyWithout off doing other things]].

It may, like a vampire's lack of reflection, indicate the character is [[GlamourFailure not what he appears to be]] -- down to and including that he's a copy of the real thing, or even just an illusion. It may show that someone stole his shadow. It may indicate that, CastingAShadow, he has animated his into a LivingShadow, and it's elsewhere, or even that he's a Living Shadow himself. But it definitely indicates something uncanny's going on.

[[Well,ThisIsNotThatTrope Except for these characters.]]

[[Well, This Is Not That Trope Except for these characters.]]

[[Well, this Is Not That Trope Except for these characters.]]

Except for these characters.

* In ''{{Literature/Moonflowers}},'' [[CelticMythology the Horned Hunter]] casts no shadow in his first appearance, despite being at least six feet tall and [[MalevolentMaskedMan wearing a massive elk-skull mask.]] This suits the unsettling nature of TheFairFolk.

* In Creator/AndreNorton's ''WitchWorld'' novel ''Year of the Unicorn'', after Gillian is abandoned by the company, she casts no shadow. Only later does she find out what was done to her to cause that.

* This is how you can tell that the opponent you're looking at in ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' multiplayer is actually their {{Hologram}} armor ability--though it looks right and can even move to a limited degree, the illusion won't have a shadow under it. The other way to find out they're a Hologram is to shoot or bump into them, causing a HologramProjectionImperfection, but at that point the Hologram's owner has probably started shooting at you already.

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* In ''Literature/{{Masques}}'' this is how Aralorn sees that [[spoiler: what seems to be the ae'Magi]] is merely a magical illusion - it casts no shadow.
* In the German novel ''Der Krähenturm'' ("The Tower of Crows"), the protagonist, a medical student, examines a corpse, in which there is no cause of death to be found with the usual methods. He finally realizes that the corpse lacks a shadow, which is a hint at the cause of death. [[spoiler: Later, he starts to lose parts of his own shadow, when the same creature goes after him.]]

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* ''Literature/PeterSchlemihlTheShadowlessMan'' happily sells his shadow to an old man in exchange for a bottomless purse, only to discover that the lack of a shadow makes him an outcast from human society. The old man returns, refuses to reverse the transaction, but offers to give him back his shadow in exchange for his soul...

* ''Literature/PeterSchlemihlTheShadowlessMan'', naturally.

* In AndreNorton's ''WitchWorld'' novel ''Year of the Unicorn'', after Gillian is abandoned by the company, she casts no shadow. Only later does she find out what was done to her to cause that.

-->"As he faced the sun he cast no shadow."

* In Creator/Erin Morgenstern's ''Literature/TheNightCircus'', Mr. A. H-- casts no shadow. Noticing this nearly drives Chandresh mad.

* In ''[[LukeCageHeroForHire Power Man And Iron Fist]]'' Tyrone King was seen casting no shadow. According to [[http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/08/02/comic-book-legends-revealed-430/3/ this]] you were supposed to suspect he was a vampire, but he wasn't.