History Main / FaceFramedInShadow

* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', All Might's HeroicBuild form is perpetually drawn in heavy shadows with half his face obscured and HiddenEyes (this part also persists with his more sickly civilian form). His nemesis All for One is also shown like this in flashbacks (we do get to see [[FacialHorror what passes for his face]] in the present]]).

* ''Webcomic/SandraOnTheRocks'': Used in the introduction of Sandra's possibly-mysterious enemy [[http://www.sandraontherocks.com/strips-sotr/wild_and_glamorous here.]]

* Parodied in ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow''. [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2012-03-17/comic/the-bookend-of-unimaginable-power/back-in-black-and-white/ Marley calls]] a mysterious contact, hidden in shadow, to let him know he has the artifact...only for said contact to turn on the light, revealing he's been woken up from bed and has no idea what his friend is talking about. It was a wrong number. When he calls the ''actual'' contact, he's [[VillainsOutShopping cooking while wearing an apron that says "Kiss the Cult Leader."]]

* Slade from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' is shown this way in his earliest appearances.

* There are a couple times in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' where this happens to Shepard. It becomes especially effective if your Shepard is a renegade, as then all you'll be able to see of the shadowed side of their face is the glowing, red scars.

* In ''Series/{{Rome}}'', during the entirety of the scene where Octavian confronts a defeated Cleopatra after the death of Marc Antony, half of Octavian's face is covered in shadow. This underlies his two faced nature in the conversation, and how his polite invitation for Cleopatra to come to Rome and his assurances that her children will not be harmed are bald faced lies, despite the utter sincerity with which he says them.

** Afterwards, a troubled Jadeite has the right side of his face in shadow after sending off his second [[MonsterOfTheDay youma]].

* The "Who Is Richard Drucker?" ad that keeps popping up on this wiki.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} Cars 2]]'' featured a variation of this: The film's BigBad has his entire body concealed by having his hood open wide so no one will ever see his windshield (his eyes), with the only part of his body being visible being his own engine. But then Mater figured out whose engine it was...

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In the ''Series/{{Lost}}'' episode "The Shape of Things to Come," Ben Linus and Charles Widmore have a conversation in which each face is only half-visible due to the darkness of the room. This underscores the audience's uncertainty as to which character is the true villain of the piece.
* In ''Series/HoratioHornblower'', main villain Simpson is introduced with this and dramatic music.

* In ''Series/{{Rome}}'', during the entirety of the scene where Octavian confronts a defeated Cleopatra after the death of Marc Antony, half of Octavian's face is covered in shadow. This underlies his two faced nature in the conversation, and how his polite invitation for Cleopatra to come to Rome and his assurances that her children will not be harmed are bald faced lies, despite the utter sincerity with which he says them.
* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E20WhatIsAndWhatShouldNeverBe "What Is And What Should Never Be" (S02, Ep20)]], Sam and Dean get this treatment while in the Impala on a rainy night.
* ''Series/BreakingBad'' uses this extremely often. This fits with the show's themes of double lives, and the subject matter of ProtagonistJourneyToVillain.
** Its PrequelSeries ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' follows suit.

* Used to chilling effect in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "A Good Man Goes to War", where the Doctor [[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/1b/36/d9/1b36d9ffccd74bc373c269631b39c3c2--eleventh-doctor-quotes-doctor-who-quotes.jpg threatens]] to become TheUnfettered.
--> '''Kovarian''': The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules.
--> '''The Doctor''': Good men don't need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many.
** In ''The Pandorica Opens'', when River Song attempts to convince the Roman soldiers to help the Doctor, one commander is seen with his face hidden in shadow. Later this same commander appears in shadow after dispatching a Cyberman who was threatening Amy. He emerges from the shadows into the light to reveal that he is in fact Rory Williams.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts," Smithers, a'la Deepthroat, is in shadow while telling Bart and Lisa to "follow the names," trying to offer as little information as possible about who his identity is other than that he was one of the people in Sideshow Bob's campaign. Unfortunately for him, Homer chose that moment to drive up and activate the front lights of his car.

* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', All Might's HeroicBuild form is perpetually drawn in heavy shadows with half his face obscured and HiddenEyes (this part also persists with his more sickly civilian form.)

* Ralsei in ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'' appears to have black fur, but when he takes his hat off, his full face is shown and his fur is actually white.

* Raslei in ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'' appears to have black fur, but when he takes his hat off, his full face is shown and his fur is actually white.

* The cover for ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'' presents Big Boss like this. Considering this is the game where he embraces his HeelFaceTurn, it's quite appropriate.

* Dio looks like this through Part Three of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure''... for no real reason, because we know who it is. This was done to add mystery to Dio's newly acquired ''[[GuardianEntity Stand]]'', whose [[spoiler:time-stopping]] powers were kept secret from both the characters AND the readers for 99% of the story.

* In HoratioHornblower, main villain Simpson is introduced with this and dramatic music.

* WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows, a pop song critic from Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses. Todd is always backlit, so he projects a silhouette to the camera. In crossovers and live appearances, he wears a black mask that obscures all of his face except his mouth.

* Used to chilling effect in the DoctorWho episode "A Good Man Goes to War", where the Doctor [[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/1b/36/d9/1b36d9ffccd74bc373c269631b39c3c2--eleventh-doctor-quotes-doctor-who-quotes.jpg threatens]] to become TheUnfettered.