History Main / EmotionlessGirl

A common response to the stereotype of women as [[HystericalWoman overly emotional]], the Emotionless Girl is an enigmatic female character who appears to be entirely [[FalseDichotomy emotionless]].

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* Gamall in ''VideoGame/{{Thief}} 2'' is an example of this trope played to perfection.
* One of the staple character traits of Leona Heidern in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' is how much she represses her emotions. This is mostly due to the fact [[DarkAndTroubledPast she once killed her entire village in a berzerk frenzy]], and has major concerns about losing control of herself again. It's also why one of the staples of her team endings revolve around her comrades [[WhenSheSmiles getting her to smile or laugh with their antics]].

As emotions are a major part of social interaction, the emotionless girl is usually depicted as having NoSocialSkills, which often leads to her being isolated or even ostracized. Even when not physically isolated, she is very likely to be AloneInACrowd, aloof from the rest of the group. The rare Emotionless Girl who can handle social interaction is usually depicted as a [[ManipulativeBastard cool manipulator]] who, while [[LackOfEmpathy unable to empathize in a normal manner]], has learned through experience how to handle people.

** Susan Sto Helit of ''Literature/SoulMusic'', ''Literature/{{Hogfather}}'' and ''Literature/ThiefOfTime'' shows no outward emotion on hearing of the deaths of her parents, and otherwise fits the "cool in a crisis" model. She does occasionally get angry. Don't get in her way at this point.

* In ''Manhua/GoddessCreationSystem'', Xiaxi specifically takes this attitude to intrigue the crown prince by never reacting emotionally to ''anything'', which he finds fascinating. She claims to be a Daoist sage in training and coupled with her emotionless attitude it gives her a slightly inhuman feeling to the people around her. The catch is that this is just a facade she uses in the imperial palace: When she meets people she knew before entering it, she reverts back to a completely different and equally fake attitude.

* Vera Linus, in ''Manhwa/{{Veritas}}'', generally shows no emotion except when dealing with something that has to do with Lightning Tiger, the guy who taught her the meaning of "fear".

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%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* Darius in ''Film/SafetyNotGuaranteed''. She's played by Creator/AubreyPlaza of all things, an expert in deadpan.

** Characters/{{Emma Frost|WhiteQueen}} frequently comes across as this due to her detached, cynical persona. The Stepford Cuckoos are generally portrayed as just copying her attitude, but between ''X-Men: Phoenix: Warsong'' and ''Nation X'' they are physically incapable of having emotions.
** [[Characters/X23LauraKinney X-23]], a clone [[TykeBomb who was raised as a child assassin]], is also an example. Through multiple traumatic events in her backstory, she learned to never trust or emotionally connect with anyone. This makes her an outcast among her fellow teenagers, and even most of the teachers perceive her as a heartless killer who is unable to think as a human or desire anything. But her character development (and eventual journey to find herself) ultimately subverts this trope; she gradually becomes accustomed to emotion, and bonds with other abuse victims who understand why she prefers solitude. It's actually quite heartwarming. It's implied that one of the reasons she represses her emotions is because she does not know how to handle them or the memories of her past; when she does completely abandon her stoic exterior, we see either suicidal depression or psychotic rage. Ironically, the emotionally detached state that others scorn her for is in place for their own safety.

* [[TheSpock T'Lyn]] of ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks''.

* [[spoiler:Reincarnated]] Griffith from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' is [[GenderInvertedTrope a Rare Male example]]. [[LackOfEmpathy Lacking empathy]], Griffith shows no emotion, sans a soft smile that is meant to be [[StepfordSmiler more unsettling than endearing.]]

* Ininia from ''Manga/WitchHatAtelier'' is a ''[[CuteWitch very pretty]]'' but ''[[CreepyChild very creepy child]]'' who does not show any emotion other than an ice cold stare. Even though she likes to heal and help people in a technical sense, nothing shown had even registered as a mild surprise from her. This is further highlighted when she is paired with [[spoiler: Coustas who is, personality wise, the direct polar opposite of her. Given that Ininia is an apprentice of a Brimmed-Hat witch, whatever she was forced to learn would have been so horrifying that she became numb or preconditioned towards forbidden magic.]]

* ComicBook/{{Raven}} from ''ComicBook/TeenTitans''. Based out of necessity because if she ever let her emotions go, her demonic father, Trigon would seize control of her and take over Earth's dimension. For instance, during a SpaceOpera story with the team assisting in a battle against Starfire's sister, Blackfire, Raven was so overwhelmed trying to help the wounded with her limited healing powers that she had the horrified realization that she was about to lose emotional control and her demonic father, Trigon, nearly seized control of her at that very moment until she calmed down. Her learning to accept and express emotions after the defeat of her father is a major piece of CharacterDevelopment.

** Emma Frost frequently comes across as this due to her detached, cynical persona. The Stepford Cuckoos are generally portrayed as just copying her attitude, but between ''X-Men: Phoenix: Warsong'' and ''Nation X'' they are physically incapable of having emotions.
** ComicBook/{{X 23}}, a clone who was raised as a child assassin, is also an example. Through multiple traumatic events in her backstory, she learned to never trust or emotionally connect with anyone. This makes her an outcast among her fellow teenagers, and even most of the teachers perceive her as a heartless killer who is unable to think as a human or desire anything. But her character development (and eventual journey to find herself) ultimately subverts this trope; she gradually becomes accustomed to emotion, and bonds with other abuse victims who understand why she prefers solitude. It's actually quite heartwarming. It's implied that one of the reasons she represses her emotions is because she does not know how to handle them or the memories of her past; when she does completely abandon her stoic exterior, we see either suicidal depression or psychotic rage. Ironically, the emotionally detached state that others scorn her for is in place for their own safety.

* In ''Fanfic/DespairsLastResort'', Miyako Morino acts like this. The only times she's noted as actually expressing any emotion is [[spoiler: after witnessing Kaito's execution and when the remaining students are fighting among each other. Turns out it was a ruse to keep her from revealing that she still has her memories.]]

* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, Sarah increasingly looks like this. {{Justified}}, by her creators at least, because the last time [[YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry she got mad]] she [[PersonOfMassDestruction destroyed a lot of stuff]]. Her psychologist even notes that she was meant to be a weapon, not a person. Samantha Shepard ''tries'' to be this but heads into NotSoStoic territory before hitting a HeroicBSOD, falling into depression, and only recovering belatedly, providing an aversion.

* Lots of characters portrayed by French actress Léa Seydoux are very cold or stoic, dropping very few smiles. ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''? Check. ''Film/RobinHood2010''? Check. ''Film/InglouriousBasterds''? Check. ''Film/MidnightInParis''? Averted.

* ''Literature/IAmNotASerialKiller'' has a RareMaleExample in [[TheSociopath John Cleaver]]. He does try to fake it for the comfort of those around him, but [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant usually fails]]. Before learning his name, Elijah calls him [[DullEyesOfUnhappiness "the boy with the dead eyes"]].

* In ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'', Vivian uses her reality-warping to briefly give herself the power of Raven from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. Not only does she get magic spells at her disposal, but her emotions are severely repressed so that she seems incapable of expressing herself beyond perpetual moodiness. Once this power goes away, she's back to her highly emotive self.

** The {{Creepy|Child}} EnfantTerrible Melter is a RareMaleExample, showing no emotion even when committing murder or kidnapping people for experimentation. Justified in that he's [[spoiler:an ArtificialHuman that the Thin Man created in an attempt to get into an area that's protected by a devastating EmotionBomb field]].

* ''VideoGame/{{BlazBlue}}'''s Murakumo units (namely Lambda-11, Mu-12, and Nu-13) have varying shades of this. Lambda and Nu are the most obvious and only become expressive when near Ragna but [[{{Yandere}} it isn't a good sign for the latter]]. Mu-12, in her first appearance, only experiences emotions of nihilistic hatred during her VillainousBreakdown. Once she's freed from Terumi's influence, she acts more or less like her base form, Noel Vermillion.

%% *Four* Image Pickin' threads failed to find a still image that demonstrated 'no emotion.'
%% A fifth thread determined that it'll be very tricky to accurately picture the trope due to the trope's nature.
%% Therefore, please do NOT start a new thread without a suggestion.
%% Most recent Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1497088558074028800

%%

* Tsukiko from ''Literature/HennekoTheHentaiPrinceAndTheStonyCat'' becomes this after she wishes she didn't show her emotions so easily and obviously. Her actual feelings about things remain unchanged, but she's literally unable to make any emotional reaction at all.

* Tsukiko from ''LightNovel/HennekoTheHentaiPrinceAndTheStonyCat'' becomes this after she wishes she didn't show her emotions so easily and obviously. Her actual feelings about things remain unchanged, but she's literally unable to make any emotional reaction at all.

%% *Four* Image Pickin' threads failed to find a still image that demonstrated 'no emotion.'
%% A fifth thread determined that it'll be very tricky to accurately picture the trope due to the trope's nature.
%% Therefore, please do NOT start a new thread without a suggestion.
%% Most recent Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1497088558074028800

* ComicBook/{{Raven}} from ''ComicBook/TeenTitans''. Based out of necessity because if she ever let her emotions go, her demonic father, Trigon would seize control of her and take over Earth's dimension. For instance, during a SpaceOpera story with the team assisting in a battle against Starfire's sister, Blackfire, Raven was so overwhelmed trying to help the wounded with her limited healing powers that she had the horrified realization that she was about to lose emotional control and her demonic father, Trigon, nearly seized control of her at that very moment until she calmed down. Her learning to accept and express emotions after the defeat of her father is a major piece of CharacterDevelopment.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* ''Fanfic/UnbreakableRedSilkenThread'': Scarlett; again, it's all a facade.

As emotions are a major part of social interaction, the emotionless girl is usually depicted as NotGoodWithPeople and having NoSocialSkills. Which often leads to her being isolated or even ostracized. Even when not physically isolated, she is very likely to be AloneInACrowd, aloof from the rest of the group. The rare Emotionless Girl who can handle social interaction is usually depicted as a [[ManipulativeBastard cool manipulator]] who, while [[LackOfEmpathy unable to empathize in a normal manner]], has learned through experience how to handle people.

* Lisbeth Salander in the [[Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy Millennium Series]]. Practically a poster child for the emotionless girl. To others, she appears emotionless, cold and [[NoSocialSkills strange]].

* Eucliwood Hellscythe from ''LightNovel/IsThisAZombie''. On top of showing little emotion, her main means of communication is writing in a notebook as opposed to talking. The reason for this being [[spoiler:that her magic is so powerful that any of her words or expressions of any kind can trigger uncontrollable, devastating magic]]. Subverted and justified in that [[SugarAndIcePersonality she's not really emotionless]], but her magic requires her to be in control of all of her emotions, including so much as showing amusement.

* In the ''Literature/WickedLovely'' series, Leslie becomes a literal emotionless girl when she is acting as the dark court's shadow girl (her emotions are channeled into Irial) and this is part of Sorcha's [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask mask]].

* Valentine of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear 2 Overture'' counts as one, and regularly speaks in a calm, monotone voice without changing it. However, when she gets her VillainousBreakdown once Sol stops the process of the Key by destroying it, that's where she gets [[UnstoppableRage her first emotion ever]].

* Valentine of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear 2 Overture'' counts as one, and regularly speaks in a calm, monotone voice without changing it. However, when she gets her VillainousBreakdown once Sol stops the process of the Key by destroying it, that's where she gets [[BerserkButton her first emotion ever]].