History Main / SafeUnderBlankets

* Creator/RobertSheckley's short story "Ghost V" serves as a WhatDoTheyFearEpisode for his recurring characters Arnold and Gregor and sees them stranded on a planet whose atmosphere contains an unknown agent turning everyone's childhood fears into [[YourMindMakesItReal unreasonably realistic]] hallucinations. The protagonists manage to defeat most monsters spawned by their subconsciousness by recalling and exploiting their respective {{Weaksauce Weakness}}es, but the final monster has ''none''. In order to outlast it, the duo eventually remembers the ultimate "universal law" of their childhood, that no monster can see you under a blanket, and simply hide in their beds until their bodies finish metabolizing the agent.

-->We know, though -- absolutely -- that it can't get you so long as you're completely underneath the blanket. If no skin is exposed, you might asphyxiate, but you're safe.\\
It's a rule. You're born knowing it.

* ''VideoGame/TheSims4'' has a "Scared" moodlet when Sims can hide under their covers. This usually happens during a lightning storm. If anatomy is turned on, Sims will often try to do this without the player's prompting.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/safe_under_blankets.png]]]]

* Creator/RobertSheckley's short story "Ghost V" serves as a WhatDoTheyFearEpisode for his recurring characters Arnold and Gregor and sees them stranded on a planet whose atmosphere contains an unknown agent turning everyone's childhood fears into [[YourMindMakesItReal unreasonably realistic]] hallucinations. The protagonists manage to defeat most monsters spawned by their subconsciousness by managing to recall and to exploit their respective {{Weaksauce Weakness}}es, but the final monster has ''none''. In order to outlast it, the duo eventually remembers the ultimate "universal law" of their childhood that no monster can see you under a blanket, and simply hide in their beds until their bodies finish metabolizing the agent.

Whether you're a little kid afraid of [[ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight the monsters under your bed]], or an adult trying to ignore someone, you'll find yourself throwing a blanket over your head in a vain effort to make the problem go away.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Homer Goes to College", Homer's wacky hijinks have left him completely unprepared for the final exam, until he comes up with a plan:

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mickey Mouse|2013}}'': In "The Scariest Story Ever", Mickey tells a scary story about a witch that bakes children into pies, which terrifies his and Donald's nephews, as well as Donald and Goofy, and makes them all run upstairs and hide under the covers. When Mickey thinks he sees the witch from his story at his door (actually Minnie in costume), he goes up and joins them.

** In the episode "Grandpa's Date", Tommy and Chuckie realize they were put to bed early by Grandpa Lou. When Tommy suggests they find out what's going on, Chuckie refuses to entertain the idea and pulls his blanket over his head.
** In "Let There be Light", Chuckie is afraid of the dark and hides under his blanket... but then, he realises that it's dark under there, too.

** In the episode ''Grandpa's Date'', Tommy and Chuckie realize they were put to bed early by Grandpa Lou. When Tommy suggests they find out what's going on, Chuckie refuses to entertain the idea and pulls his blanket over his head.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Creator/RobertSheckley's short story ''Ghost V'' serves as a WhatDoTheyFearEpisode for his recurring characters Arnold and Gregor and sees them stranded on a planet whose atmosphere contains an unknown agent turning everyone's childhood fears into [[YourMindMakesItReal unreasonably realistic]] hallucinations. The protagonists manage to defeat most monsters spawned by their subconsciousness by managing to recall and to exploit their respective {{Weaksauce Weakness}}es, but the final monster has ''none''. In order to outlast it, the duo eventually remembers the ultimate "universal law" of their childhood that no monster can see you under a blanket, and simply hide in their beds until their bodies finish metabolizing the agent.
* Weaponized on the Literature/{{Discworld}} against bogeymen (the traditional "bump in the night" monster): because putting yourself under a blanket causes them to go away, putting one under a blanket (or even a square of fabric) gives them an existential crisis.

For some reason, people DO seem to feel safer underneath a blanket. There are even several scientific theories as to why people do this. Some think it's an attempt to "swaddle" oneself like in infancy, or even to "crawl back into the womb".

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/safe_under_blankets.png]]]]
Whether you're a little kid afraid of the monsters under your bed, or an adult trying to ignore someone, you'll find yourself throwing a blanket over your head in a vain effort to make the problem go away.

** Another time they hear a monster under the bed, but only one. Calvin thinks he and Hobbes can take it, but then they hear the monster arguing with others and they pull the covers over and yell for Mom.

!!Examples

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]
* ''Film/HomeAlone'': Subverted then played straight. After the thieves come the first night, we see the bed in the master bedroom in the morning with a child-sized lump on it. Then the camera pans down to show Kevin under the bed. He then decides he's not going to be afraid and marches outside...where he runs into Old Man Marley. Kevin runs screaming back into the house, into the bed and pulls the covers over his head. He stays there, refusing to move, even when a police officer comes by to check on him.

* Weaponized on the {{Literature/Discworld}} against bogeymen (the traditional "bump in the night" monster): because putting yourself under a blanket causes them to go away, putting one under a blanket (or even a square of fabric) gives them an existential crisis.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

-->We know, though--absolutely--that it can't get you so long as you're completely underneath the blanket. If no skin is exposed, you might asphyxiate, but you're safe.
-->It's a rule. You're born knowing it.

* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'': In "The Scariest Story Ever", Mickey tells a scary story about a witch that bakes children into pies, which terrifies his and Donald's nephews, as well as Donald and Goofy, and makes them all run upstairs and hide under the covers. When Mickey thinks he sees the witch from his story at his door (actually Minnie in costume), he goes up and joins them.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Homer Goes To College", Homer's wacky hijinks have left him completely unprepared for the final exam, until he comes up with a plan:
-> ''I've been working on a plan. During the exam, I'll hide under some coats, and hope that somehow everything will work out.''

* ''TheSims4'' has a "Scared" moodlet when Sims can hide under their covers. This usually happens during a lightning storm. If anatomy is turned on, Sims will often try to do this without the player's prompting.

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''TheSims4'' has a "Scared" moodlet when Sims can hide under their covers. This usually happens during a lightning storm. If anatomy is turned on, Sims will often try to do this without the player's prompting.

[[AC:ComicStrip]]

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Podcast]]

[[AC:Webcomics]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* In a ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' sketch, a couple of monsters sarcastically lament that they can't get a kid under the covers... and then bust out the baseball bats.

* ComicStrip/TheFarSide had a strip for a snorkel allowing a child to breathe comfortably while hiding under the blankets (showing the kid doing just that while hiding from a dragon and a werewolf).

->''"Why do we feel safe under blankets? It's not like a murderer will come in thinking 'I'm gonna ki...ah, damn! She's under a blanket!'." ''
-->-- Internet Meme