History Main / FriendlySkeleton

* In ''WesternAnimation/RubyGloom'' we have Skullboy, the main character's friend and LoveInterest. Interestingly, his main character trait is that he's constantly trying to figure out where he came from and what his ancestry is.

* ''WesternAnimation/SidTheScienceKid'': On Halloween, Sid's energetic friend and classmate Gerald wears his skeleton costume to school, where he and the rest of his class are told of what skeletons do for us.

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* The one inside of you right now....
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--> "[[IncomingHam GREETINGS, INFIDELS!]]"

* Sans and Papyrus from ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' are very popular recent examples. Papyrus in particular refuses to kill the human even when the player chooses to kill him, and the player even has the option to go on a date with him. Sans is friendly [[spoiler: unless you choose the genocide route]], and often makes skeleton puns, much to his brother's annoyance.

* Originally a cowardly knight, Sir Daniel Fortesque from VideoGame/MediEvil is resurrected by the evil wizard Zarok, giving him a chance to redeem himself. Despite his new undead form, he's a heroic, if a bit cowardly, knight, who goes above and beyond to vanquish evils from his kingdom.

* ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'' has Charley, the good-natured assistant at Unseen University's Department of Necromancy... sorry, ''Post-Mortem Communications''. Charley might need a bit of wiring in strategic places to help him articulate and move, but he is the cheerful and down-to-earth background technician who works closely with Dr Hix, the University's licensed Evil Wizard.

* Skeletons feature quite heavily in a lot of internet memes, most famously the [[https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/skeleton-war Skeleton War meme from Tumblr 2014]]

* The song "Spooky Scary Skeletons" by Andrew Gold and all it's various remixes has the lines "We're so sorry skeletons/You're so misunderstood/You only want to socialize/But I don't think we should" and "Spooky Scary Skeletons/Are silly all the same" implying that these skeletons aren't actually malicious just....Spooky scary.

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[[quoteright:230:[[WesternAnimation/RubyGloom https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/skullboy.png]]]]

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* Skeletons feature quite heavily in a lot of internet memes, most famously the [[https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/skeleton-war Skeleton War meme from Tumblr 2014]]
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[[folder:Web Videos]]
* There're various Latin American Halloween songs for kids starred by skeletons on Website/YouTube, some of them are known characters that have their own videos (like [[https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&search_query=los+piratas+esqueleto Los Piratas Esqueleto]][[note]]The Skeleton Pirates[[/note]]), and there're songs like "Chumbala Cachumbala" that have [[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chumbala+cachumbala a lot of versions]], also starred by friendly skeletons.
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[[AC:Anime]]
* Brook from Anime/OnePiece is a living skeleton and all around jovial guy. He has a fondness for skull jokes such as "I can't believe my eyes. Then again, I don't have eyes to begin with! [[SignatureLaugh YOHOHOHOHO]]"

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[[AC:Film - Animated]]
* Jack Skellington from ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' is possibly the most well known example in most regions, being defined as excitable, eager, though sometimes self centered and impulsive.

[[AC:Folklore and Religion]]
* The Pakahk from Cree mythology are the animate bones of people who died from starvation, or who were cursed as a result of some misdeed in life. They have a chilling cackle, but sometimes they will help people with healing or hunting.
* Nuestra Senora de la Santa Muerte (or Santa Muerte for short) is a Mexican folk saint that generally appears as a skeleton. She is associated with healing, protection, financial well-being, and assurance of a path to the afterlife. She is particularly believed to protect people who work late at night, like taxi drivers and bar owners, as well as a protector of the LGBT community. She's become so popular, that some devotees have begun forming churches dedicated entirely to her. As with many other aspects of Mexican culture, she has also gained a following in the US, having been brought by the Mexican Diaspora northward.

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[[AC:Live Action TV]]

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[[AC:Stand-up comedy]]
* [[Creator/JeffDunham Achmed the Dead Terrorist]]. He tries to talk a big game, but he's as harmless as he is funny, not to mention utterly incompetent as a suicide bomber.
--> "[[IncomingHam GREETINGS, INFIDELS!]]"

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[[AC:Web Original]]

* ''WebComic/RustyAndCo'' features the skeleton boyfriend of the Princess. He was the White Knight, now he's the Night Wight, basically an armored skeleton. And he's the one who asked the titular group to rescue the Princess.
* In ''WebComic/TalesToBehold'', the Human Skeleton is, as his name suggests, a human skeleton. He is one of the heroes.

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[[AC:Other]]
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_the_Maiden_(motif) Death and the Maiden]] was a common motif in Renaissance art, particularly in Germany, that would depict a beautiful young woman with Death himself, usually depicted as a skeleton. While not all depictions show death as a particularly friendly fellow, some depictions show the maiden and death embracing, romantically or sometimes even erotically. This motif was revived in the Romantic Era of art.
* Friendly skeletons pop up a lot in Halloween costumes and decorations.

This trope is especially common in works centering around [[HalloweenSpecial Halloween]], or that have a decidedly {{Goth}} aesthetic. Can also be an example of OurMonstersAreDifferent. Related to FriendlyZombie, FriendlyGhost, and FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire. If the skeleton is the GrimReaper, it's also DontFearTheReaper. Can often overlap with StingyJack.

* ''WesternAnimation/SidTheScienceKid'': On Halloween, Sid's energetic friend and classmate Gerald wears his skeleton costume to school, where he and the rest of his
class are told of what skeletons do for us.

* Skeletor from ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' while not exactly kind is definitely hammy enough to qualify. Especially in the {{ChristmasSpecial}}, where he becomes overwhelmed with Christmas Spirit, much to his confusion.

A subtrope of DemBones, Skeletons are often symbols of death, but in recent years especially in much of the West, Skeletons have also become a symbol for revelry and good old fashioned spooky fun. Skeletons in fiction will often be portrayed as funny, jolly, and sometimes clever. They will often dress in dapper suits, and may be graceful and agile. Bone and skeleton puns are almost guaranteed, as are scenes of [[XylophonesforWalkingBones rib cages being used like xylophones]] or skulls being juggled and tossed about. The skeleton in question will usually either be on the hero's side, be the hero, or at least be a [[AffablyEvil really fun antagonists]]. Can often be a SkeletalMusician.

* ''php/VideoGame/DiscworldII'': the intro features a chorus of singing, dancing, friendly skeletons.