History Main / HeadButtingPachy

Naturally this is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, due to it being about the unrealistic portrayal of a prehistoric animal, and of UseYourHead. It's also a subtrope of AnimalStereotypes, in a rare case where the stereotype belongs to a long-extinct species. Compare RaptorAttack, GentleGiantSauropod, and SocialOrnithopod for stereotypical depictions of other dinosaur species, and TemperCeratops and ToughArmoredDinosaur in particular for another cases of herbivorous dinosaurs being portrayed as aggressive and dangerous. It also doubles as a form of BeastlyBloodsports when they're ramming each other for territory or for a mate. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Don't confuse with]] pachy''derms'' headbutting; those would be an example of RhinoRampage or CruelElephant.

* ''Heavily'' downplayed in ''Fanfic/PrehistoricParkReimagined'', as none of the adult pachycephalosaurus rescued in t-rex centric episode ''Return of the King'' are featured even charging at or ramming their heads against anything, let alone doing so against each other, but some of the juveniles are shown to playfully headbutt and ram each other in the safety of their new paddock at the park after their rescue.

** ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'': {{Downplayed|Trope}}, but still ultimately present with the ''Stygimoloch'' who manages to [[BatteringRam ram down a brick wall and a steel cage door]]. Although it did take the dinosaur a unspecified amount of time it is the only dinosaur to have broken out despite the fact that several dinosaur powerhouses (''T. rex'', ''Triceratops'', ect.) were also kept in similar cages. [[RealityEnsues Worth noting that the experience does leave its mark on the animal, as it seems fairly dizzy and disoriented for some time after this]].

* ''Anime/DaikyouryuNoJidai'': A pair of of ''Pachycephalosaurus'' are shown to be headbutting each other so hard that it not only gets the attention of other dinosaurs, but scares them too. [[spoiler:Not the ''TyrannosaurusRex'' though, he came for dinner.]]

* ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'':

* In ''Literature/TheLostWorld1995'' paleontologist Levine points out several pachys to the kids, noting their reinforced skulls presumably used to butt heads in dominance displays. Malcolm [[DeadpanSnarker dryly]] notes "Yes, butting heads. Exactly as you see them doing right now," ([[SubvertedTrope the pachys are just milling about and grazing, utterly peaceful]]). Levine exasperatedly retorts that such thick skull reinforcement must have had ''some'' purpose. Later, Sarah Harding runs afoul of a herd of pachys, specifically comparing them modern animals like cows, American buffalo, and African buffalo, who are three distinctly different degrees of dangerous. The pachys turn out to have something of a HairTriggerTemper, and [[DoubleSubverted charge at just about anything they perceive as a threat]]. . . which in this instance, includes Sarah Harding.

[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachycephalosauria Pachycephalosaurid]] dinosaurs (sometimes colloquially referred to as a pachys), of which the famous ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachycephalosaurus Pachycephalosaurus]]'' is a member, are typically shown headbutting each other much like you would see in rams, goats and oxen. They even been shown to headbutt other things with a devastating amount of force without sustaining any major injury. This was popularized by the story
"Literature/AGunForADinosaur", of the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Time Rivers Of Time]]'' series by Creator/LSpragueDeCamp. However, evidence suggests that, while their domed heads were weapons[[note]] numerous fossilized domes from the Pachycephalosauria skulls have been found with dents and other injuries; many have healed, which has been taken as evidence of combat use[[/note]], their ability and use with them has been greatly exaggerated.

* ''WebAnimation/PinkFong'': The Dinosaur series of the WebAnimation has a ''Pachycephalosaurus'' that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofcz0Zd8OlA sings about being the "king of head-butting"]] and using this against predators like ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' by charging, which would have in most cases have actually caused them more harm than good.

[[caption-width-right:350:Two pachycephalosaurians of the genus ''[[UsefulNotes/StockDinosaursOrnithischianDinosaurs Stegoceras]]'' about to headbutt each other.]]

* ''TabletopGame/WeirdNWildCreatures'': The fact card for the ''Pachycephalosaurus'' mentions that they use their heads as battering rams for head-on collisions. Interestingly earlier it mentions that they could have used their heads to slam into the side of their rival which would be a {{aver|tedTrope}}sion of this trope since they'd be targeting a far softer area.

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* In ''Series/DinoDan'', two ''Stygimoloch'' are shown head-butting each other like battering rams.

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* One episode of ''WebAnimation/MightyMagiswords'' has Prohyas and Vambre going up against one of King Rexxtopher's minions which is a ''Pachycephalosaurus'', who headbutts Vambre and later {{No Sell}}s a pogo stick attack on the head from the duo.

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* ''WesternAnimation/DinkTheLittleDinosaur'': The episode "The Reluctant Head-Banger" had Shyler befriending a ''Pachycephalosaurus'' named Nobbie who lacks confidence challenging his herd members in head-butting contests. At one point, Dink mentions "dome-heads" cannot feel a thing when they ram heads since her skulls are "really solid". Eventually, Nobbie gets over his fear when he saves the kids from a rockslide by smashing the rocks with his head.
* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/DinosaurTrain'' where pachycephalosaurs are [[ShownTheirWork correctly]] described using their domed heads to ram the sides of their opponents.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gigantosaurus}}'' averts this with Patchy the ''Pachycephalosaurus'' who never head-butts anything. In fact, his ADayInTheLimelight episode has the main cast showing concern for him hitting his head due to his poor eyesight.
* Also averted with Bonehead from ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaucers}}'', who is never shown head-butting anything. In fact, he isn't even drawn with a visible skull dome, making it [[InformedSpecies hard to recognize him as a]] ''[[InformedSpecies Pachycephalosaurus]]''. Played straight in one episode where he "Dinovolves" and rams his head into a building.

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Naturally this is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, due to it being about the unrealistic portrayal of a prehistoric animal, and of UseYourHead. It's also a subtrope of AnimalStereotypes, in a rare case where the stereotype belongs to a long-extinct species. Compare RaptorAttack and GentleGiantSauropod for stereotypical depictions of other dinosaur species, and TemperCeratops in particular for another case of herbivorous dinosaurs being portrayed as aggressive and dangerous. It also doubles as a form of BeastlyBloodsports when they're ramming each other for territory or for a mate. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Don't confuse with]] pachy''derms'' headbutting; those would be an example of RhinoRampage or CruelElephant.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'': Cranidos and its evolution Rampardos are both based on pachycephalosaurs, and both are routinely shown performing headbutting attacks such as Heabutt, Take Down, Zen Headbutt and Skull Smash. Their Pokédex entries also focus almost entirely on their propensity for headbutting things, mentioning how their skulls were hard as iron and used for smashing inconveniently placed trees and taking down prey. Rampardos' entries claim it to have a foot-thick skull that shields it from any harm its headbutting may cause, although it also stifles the growth of its brain, and that a cloned specimen destroyed a skyscraper by headbutting it.

* Also averted with Bonehead from ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaucers}}'', who is never shown head-butting anything. In fact, he isn't even drawn with a visible skull dome, making it [[InformedSpecies hard to recognize him as a]] ''[[IndormedSpecies Pachycephalosaurus]]''. Played straight in one episode where he "Dinovolves" and rams his head into a vuilding.

* ''Literature/{{Dinotopia}}'' averts this, never depicting pachycephalosaurs as headbutting anything. Although some ''Pachycephalosaurus'' are shown using their heads to push a wooden mechanism operating a lathe room in Volcaneum.

* Also averted with Bonehead from ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaucers}}'', who is never shown head-butting anything. In fact, he isn't even drawn with a visible skull dome, making it [[InformedSpecies hard to recognize him as a ''Pachycephalosaurus'']].

Naturally this is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, due to it being about the unrealistic portrayal of a prehistoric animal, and of UseYourHead. It's also a subtrope of AnimalStereotypes, in a rare case where the stereotype belongs to a long-extinct species. Compare RaptorAttack and GentleGiantSauropod for stereotypical depictions of other dinosaur species. It also doubles as a form of BeastlyBloodsports when they're ramming each other for territory or for a mate. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Don't confuse with]] pachy''derms'' headbutting; those would be an example of RhinoRampage or CruelElephant.

* ''[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=InPHe6xJ8EY Dinosaurs: Terrible Lizards]]'' features two Pachys (who look like purple hotdogs with legs) attempting to headbutt one another, ''completely missing each other'', and continuing to charge blindly for ''several miles'' until one of them eventually falls off a cliff. [[DerangedAnimation This is one of the LESS weird things in the animation.]]

** ''Manga/OnePiece'' has Ulti of the Animal Kingdom Pirates, whose Devil Fruit allows her to turn into a ''Pachycephalosaurus'', complete with a headbutt-based moveset.

Naturally this is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, due to it being about the unrealistic portrayal of a prehistoric animal, and of UseYourHead. It's also a subtrope of AnimalStereotypes, in a rare case where the stereotype belongs to a long-extinct species. Compare RaptorAttack and GentleGiantSauropod for stereotypical depictions of other dinosaur species. It also doubles as a form of BeastlyBloodsports when they're ramming each other for territory or for a mate. [[IThoughtItMeant Don't confuse with]] pachy''derms'' headbutting; those would be an example of RhinoRampage or CruelElephant.

Naturally this is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, due to it being about the unrealistic portrayal of a prehistoric animal, and of UseYourHead. It's also a subtrope of AnimalStereotypes, in a rare case where the stereotype belongs to a long-extinct species. Compare RaptorAttack and GentleGiantSauropod for stereotypical depictions of other dinosaur species. It also doubles as a form of BeastlyBloodsports when they're ramming each other for territory or for a mate.

Naturally this is a subtrope of ArtisticLicensePaleontology, due to it being about the unrealistic portrayal of a prehistoric animal, and of UseYourHead. It's also a subtrope of AnimalStereotypes, in a rare case where the stereotype belongs to a long-extinct species. It also doubles as a form of BeastlyBloodsports when they're ramming each other for territory or for a mate.