History Main / FeatherMotif

* Kilik's [[FinishingMove Critical Finish]] in ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur IV]]'' has him leap up into the air as the cry of [[ThePhoenix a phoenix]] resounds in the distance. He is briefly surrounded by golden feathers as he slams his [[SimpleStaff bo]] down upon their heads for the final blow.

* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'', small white feathers can be seen floating around Vergil briefly, as well as a type of demon with deceptively angelic form, complete with luminous white wings and a [[OurMonstersAreWeird face on its stomach]].

* In the kung fu movie ''Film/FlagOfIron'', the members of the 14 Eagles Clan wear tall, plumed feathers in their hair as sign of allegiance to their clan. The leaders notably havr feathers as tall as their heads.

%%[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
%%* Used in ''Film/ForrestGump''. A single feather floating in the wind is used as a transition through the movie.

%%[[folder:Literature]]
%%* In ''Literature/ModernFaerieTales'', the love interest Roiben wears armor made of black leather sculpted into the shape of feathers.
%%[[/folder]]

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII: Sephiroth is given a black feather motif in his appearances in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. This was carried over to ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' and even the compilation itself. Angeal and Genesis from ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'' also have feather motifs.

* White feathers and even ''wings'' are prevalent in both the Manga and Anime versions of ''Manga/FullMoonOSagashite'', mostly in regards to the main character Mitsuki. It empathizes her [[NaiveEveryGirl sweet]], [[AllLovingHero kind]] nature and [[spoiler: can be seen as foreshadowing her ScrewDestiny act in the end, when she defies her fate of dying within a year.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'': chaos normal attacks are accompanied by glowing feather-shapes. This is because he was [[spoiler:literally the ManBehindTheMan to Jesus, making him a divine figure.]]

* chaos of ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' has attacks that are accompanied by glowing feather-shapes. This is because he was [[spoiler: literally the ManBehindTheMan to Jesus, making him a divine figure.]]

** The ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Compilation'' makes use of this trope.
*** Sephiroth is given a black feather motif in his appearances in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. This was carried over to ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' and even the compilation itself.
*** Angeal and Genesis are also given feather motifs in ''VideoGame/CrisisCore''.
** Rinoa of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' has a feather motif to a degree - her [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Blaster Edge]] is made up of feathered wings and her LimitBreak Angel Wing begins with her growing glowing [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin angel wings]] which [[PerpetualMolt shed glowing feathers]]. She also turns a flower petal into a feather in the opening sequence.

*** This theme was carried over into ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'', with Squall's feather {{MacGuffin}} and with Ultimecia's black feather motif taken up a notch.
*** It was also carried over to the FanFilm ''WebAnimation/DeadFantasy'', where Rinoa is given permanent angel wings and a gunblade shaped like and decorated with a feather.
** Although there was only a single use of feathers in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' on Yuna's wedding dress, it's worth mentioning because it's a double whammy for symbolism. The obvious symbolism is the connection to the divine, since Yuna is very much a MessianicArchetype. The second is a symbol of freedom and flight. This is especially appropriate since immediately after the ceremony she [[spoiler: repudiates the marriage, tells the party she can fly, jumps off the roof, and flies away on [[SummonMagic Valefor]]]].
*** Also note that the 'Life' spells all feature feathers in their animation.
** Lightning in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' appears to have developed this motif - her armor has a half-skirt made of feathers and feathers appear when she summons her gunblade. This replaces her flower petal motif from the first game. WordOfGod has confirmed that this indicates a connection to the divine.

* Balmung of ''[[Franchise/DotHack .hack]]'' sports a feather motif on his armor. This may have to do with his self-appointed name of "Balmung of the Azure ''Sky''".
* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'', small white feathers can be seen floating around Vergil briefly, as well as a type of demon with deceptively angelic form, complete with luminous white wings and a [[OurMonstersAreWeird face on its stomach]].

* [[WarriorMonk Kilik]]'s [[FinishingMove Critical Finish]] in ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur IV]]'' has him leap up into the air as the cry of [[ThePhoenix a phoenix]] resounds in the distance. He is briefly surrounded by golden feathers as he slams his [[SimpleStaff bo]] down upon their heads for the final blow.
* Yukiko and to a greater extent her shadow from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' have heavy wing symbolism, with her Shadow being a bird with her face and her Persona's wing-like shawl-chain-thing. [[spoiler: Shadow Yukiko desires freedom from her oppressive, pre-determined life and Yukiko is one of the most fragile team members in the game.]]
* [[{{Ninja}} Fuma Kotaro]] from ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'' is surrounded by black feathers almost everywhere he goes. This is interesting as he's sometimes depicted with [[WingedHumanoid wings]], and is rumored to be NotQuiteHuman.
* At least two or three characters from ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' use a FeatherMotif in an unusual way. For [[TheEmpire the N.O.L's]] elite Zero Squadron-member Tsubaki Yayoi, a PerpetualMolt accompanies many of her powers (and is directly [[{{Invocation}} invoked]] for her [[FinishingMove Astral Finish]]). [[spoiler: Tellingly, her FeatherMotif [[FaceHeelTurn turns black]] by the end of ''Continuum Shift''.]] For [[PersonOfMassDestruction Nu]] and [[LegacyCharacter Lambda]], the fact that their "feathers" are [[FeatherFlechettes eight swords floating behind their backs]] should tell the player most of what they need to know about the mecha-angels.
* Balder from ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' wears a dead white peacock stole over his shoulder, with the tail feathers prominently displayed. When he goes OneWingedAngel for his BossBattle, the peacock itself disappears but the feathers become a part of Balder himself, acting as enormous wings, along with other assorted feathers attached to the rest of his outfit. Also, at one point during the fight, [[EvilIsCool he pulls out a feather to comb back his hair]].

* In ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile: Covenant of the Plume'', the Valkyrie's feather is dropped on every body whose soul she takes to Valhalla. [[spoiler: The Valkyrie feather in Wylfred's possession was stained with sin to give whoever it is invoked on immense power for a while, then lets them die after a battle is fought.]]
** The Valkyries themselves use this prominently. When they switch between a simple dress to walk among mortals to their armor, they do it in a cloud of glowing feathers. [[spoiler: The feathers are also used when they fuse with Alicia to recreate the true Valkyrie.]]

* Feathers are a recurring element in ''VideoGame/EternalFighterZero'': When a character uses a Level 3 Super or a Final Memory, white glowing feathers accompany the activation effect; a particular example is [[VisualNovel/{{Kanon}} Ayu Tsukimiya]], who fights with her [[PowerGivesYouWings winged]] [[AwesomeBackpack backpack]], and her Final Memory has her [[FeatherFlechettes summoning feathers that zap her opponent]]; Or [[VisualNovel/{{AIR}} Misuzu Kamio]], who can grow wings to block and air-dash, and for some attacks, and can store energy feathers that allow her to call [[AssistCharacter Yukito]]; Or Kanna, who is a WingedHumanoid, and one of her Supers is a variant of Ayu's Final Memory.

[[quoteright:284:[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/images_3_2672.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:284:Who needs actual wings, anyway?]]

* ''Franchise/EverAfterHigh'':

* In ''Manga/{{Clover}}'', Suu has a feather motif going on (as do the rest of the Clovers, to a lesser extent) as part of a "caged bird" metaphor.

* ''Manga/HaibaneRenmei'' splits the difference with the Haibane having ''grey'' feathers.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Used in ''Film/ForrestGump''. A single feather floating in the wind is used as a transition through the movie.

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/ModernFaerieTales'', the love interest Roiben wears armour made of black leather sculpted into the shape of feathers.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger'' used an angel theme, with the team of that series known as the "Gosei Angels". The OP makes heavy use of swirling feathers around each team member, and their transformation sequences include wings and feathers bursting out of the backs of their uniforms.

[[folder:Music]]
* The ''Distant Worlds'' ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' albums both have a feather on the cover - a black feather against a white background for ''I'', and a white feather against a black background for ''II''.
* Each of the members of Music/LedZeppelin chose one particular symbol to represent him. Robert Plant chose a feather in a circle. They also have a lyric touching this in "All of My Love":
-->''To chase a feather in the wind\\
Within the glow that weaves a cloak of delight''

[[folder:Music Videos]]
* For Music/PoetsOfTheFall, feathers denote the magical and the eldritch.
** In the video for "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di7NMssrqsE Daze]]," Hamartia the MonsterClown jester-king sports black feathers in his ImprobableHairstyle that mimics a jester's cap.
** In the video for "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biZpPNzt3II Choice Millionaire]]," the DeusExMachina subversive against the Machine also wears black feathers on his armor, one of which he plucks off and transforms to gift an imprisoned labourer with a "[[OfficialCosplayGear Hopecatcher]]," a steel feather pendant that functions as an {{Amulet|OfConcentratedAwesome}} to aid the labourers in escaping from the Machine.
** In the full video for "[[https://youtu.be/xfvtPTvuFTA Drama for Life]]" black feathers are littered amidst the paper-filled RoomFullOfCrazy in the MentalWorld inhabited by the "madman" GhostInTheMachine who represents the rampant creativity of the singer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* The symbol of The Fairest Seeming from ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'' is a peacock feather. Note that in this case, the feather represents neither freedom nor divinity. It represents beauty and vainglory.
* Very common in ''TabletopGame/AnimaBeyondFantasy'' artwork, perhaps because of its heavy inspiration on ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', and not just for characters close to [[CrystalDragonJesus the Church of Abel]].
[[/folder]]

->''"White feathers for innocence...''
->''Black feathers for darkest sin!"''

[[folder: Literature]]

* Each of the members of Music/LedZeppelin chose one particular symbol to represent him. Robert Plant chose a feather in a circle.
** They also have a lyric touching this in ''All of My Love
:: :To chase a feather in the wind .
:: :Within the glow that weaves a cloak of delight

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

** The trope is also used to show how different [[SugarBowl Ever After]] is, thematically speaking, than [[Franchise/MonsterHigh New Salem]]. When Cupid steps from the latter world into the former, her fleshless bony wings become feathered and angelic.

* Used in ''ForrestGump''. A single feather floating in the wind is used as a transition through the movie.

[[folder: Film - Animated]]

[[folder: Film - Live-Action]]

* Feathers are a recurring element in ''VideoGame/EternalFighterZero'': When a character uses a Level 3 Super or a Final Memory, white glowing feathers accompany the activation effect; a particular example is Ayu Tsukimiya, who fights with her winged backpack, and her Final Memory has her summoning feathers that zap her opponent; Or Misuzu Kamio, who can grow wings to block an air-dash, and can store energy feathers that allow her to call Yukito; Or Kanna, who is a WingedHumanoid, and one of her Supers is a variant of Ayu's Final Memory.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': [[PaperMaster Konan]], who is an angel with paper feathers. [[spoiler: This is significant in that Konan was one of the only Akatsuki to join for entirely non-selfish or anarchistic purposes - in a way, one of the few 'good guy' Akatsuki. Her motivations were primarily to protect Nagato and to rid the world of the pain she knew from her childhood.]]

When the motif is associated with a character, that character may have wings or feathers (both real or represented) on their clothing or accessories. In {{Anime}} and VideoGames, it is not uncommon for a character with a Feather Motif to have powers that are accompanied by feathers or even have fully feathered wings, although it should be noted that feathered wings alone do not make a Feather Motif.