History Main / SpeakOfTheDevil

* In the season 2 premiere of GundalianWars, Ren makes a law that forbade to speak of where Void 4's powers come from. A Gundalian says Pre-cure, and Void 4 wreaks massive havoc on Gundalia.

* This is one of the reasons the demons and devils of the {{Marvel}] verse will not sit on Satan's throne. They all covet it but they fear the wrath of their peers and worse, the possibility that stealing Satan's chair might convince him to return.

** ''Community'' used this for a [[http://youtu.be/19FMU3M7Jtk stealth gag]] that ran over the course of three years. Watch behind Annie at the end of the clip.

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', characters refer to the Furies as "The Kindly Ones", as the ancient Greeks did; in this case, it's also to avoid attracting their attention.
** Also in ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', there is one instance of summoning the title character by saying his preferred name (Morpheus). The character Rose Walker is given a piece of paper by her protector, Gilbert, and told that she must read the word aloud if she finds herself in grave danger; she reads it when another character attempts to rape and murder her, causing Dream to appear in the room and come to her rescue. It's not made clear why this works, however; it may be [[spoiler: because Gilbert is actually a resident of Dream's kingdom, who has wandered off to do his own thing in the waking world, and is utilizing his own connection to Dream on her behalf. It is equally possible that it worked because Rose herself is the granddaughter of Dream's younger sibling Desire, and thus a blood relative of the Endless.]]
*** Though remember that Glob warns Brute not to say the name "Morpheus", because that could give him immediate entry to their sanctuary. Otherwise, Morpheus needs to take the long way around. Again we have dream creatures involved, so it is hard to say what would happen if a mortal said it under normal circumstances.
*** In the story Ramadan, the Kalif of Bagdhad gets Dream's attention by addressing him by name and then threatening to release a horde of demons if he doesn't show. It seems that he knows where anyone is talking about him but doesn't have to take an interest, which suggests that Gilbert, [[spoiler:as one on the Major Arcana, the greatest dreams,]] knew a name for dream most mortals don't and that made him take an interest.
*** In the spinoff series ''Lucifer'', the eponymous protagonist threatens the queen of the Japanese afterlife [[spoiler: who has been using the souls of living dreamers to punish the ignoble dead, which is apparently seen as "poaching" with Dream as the gamekeeper]] with calling on the Dream King by merely saying his name. Since we know Lucifer doesn't lie but [[spoiler: Morpheus died, and Daniel is now King of the Dreaming]] we know that it's probably true, but not how it works, since Dream claims to no longer be [[spoiler: Daniel Hall]].

** Well, it's not clear whether merely reading ''the name'' or reading out of De Vermis Mysteriis will turn you into a slave of Y'[[spoiler:Golonac]].
*** The accepted version is that reading his name is fine unless you are reading his name from one of the 7 tomes of "The Revelations of Glaaki" which will cause him to appear and either eat or mind rape or enslave you.

*** It's more specific than just saying their name, however. After Harry [[spoiler:inherits Kreacher from Sirius]], they use his name conversationally a lot of the time with no appearances. The magic kicks in when the master calls the house elf for a reason. Then he will appear.

* ''LordOfTheRings'' offers a sort of half-example; the words "Sauron" or "Mordor" are often avoided, but it's never made clear what, if anything, the consequences of using them are.
** There is also a case of inconsistent narration, since in the ''Fellowship of the Ring'' Aragorn claims that Sauron doesn't use his given name, and forbids his servants speaking or writing it (not really surprising when Sauron is elvish for "Abhorred"), but in the ''Return of the King'' we encounter a character called the Mouth of Sauron, who explicitly calls his master "Sauron the Great".
*** He might have been using the name for the benefit of the people he is talking to, since that it is the name they recognize for him. His original name of ''Mairon'' would not really have meant anything to the people of middle earth. Though it would have been funny to see the mouth refer to "Mairon The Great" only for Aragorn to reply "Who?".
*** Sauron was known by that name in Númenor (as the Númenóreans knew him from the Elves) and the Mouth of Sauron was a Black Númenórean, so he might have been using the name out of habit. Also, the taboo about not mentioning Sauron's name seems to be mainly a Gondorian thing ("He whom we do not name" or "the Nameless Evil")
** This trope is used often in the books: Gandalf is unwilling to pronounce the ring's verse in the dark, especially in the black speech. There is generally a reluctance from all the characters to use words or names associated with evil things when it is dark.
*** Since the Ring's verse is essentially an evil spell, it's quite understandable why Gandalf doesn't want to speak it in uncontrolled circumstances.

** Depending on how strict their adherence to the 3rd Commandment is, some people refrain from saying God's name as well, though that's less out of fear of summoning Him (seeing as He's already, you know, omnipresent) and more because to do otherwise is seen as blasphemous.

** This actually continues to this day. In Central America, [[{{Mayincatec}} Mayans]] will never refer to the [[PantheraAwesome jaguar]] by its name ("balam") for fear of invoking its presence. They refer to it as "chac mool", which means "red paw"

** Also in the 3.X Deities and Demigods Handbook it states that Deities are generally aware if anyone says their name, anywhere or any of their common titles. This generally won't summon the deity to you of course, but that does make it hard to mount an assault on the gods...
*** Which is why a few of TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms novels got "Psst! No names!" scenes from avatars and other canny characters.

** [[OrcusOnHisThrone Well, he does just sit around on his throne all day.]]
** [[FridgeLogic Why]] doesn't Orcus kill the parrot?
*** Because if he does, Demogorgon will begin reciting the [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus dead parrot sketch]] at him.
*** More importantly, how did that merchant manage to teach the parrot to say "Orcus" without being killed?

The core trope is that [[BeCarefulWhatYouSay saying the name of the villain]] summons him. Rarely, though, is he [[InconvenientSummons summoned surprised and vulnerable]]; be assured that saying the name of this guy is a bad thing. Though probably just for you; he'll usually disappear afterward. The question of why everyone in the world often knows this name, despite the massive taboo against saying it, is rarely addressed.

This makes talking about the villain problematic, as he has to be referred to as "The Enemy" or [[Franchise/HarryPotter "He Who Must Not Be Named" or " You Know Who"]], or possibly just by a nickname, as with {{Satan}}, who may be called "Old Nick" or "Mister Scratch" (or LouisCypher). Sometimes these nicknames are conspicuously positive, just in case they're listening anyway, as with TheFairFolk, because you do ''not'' want to face down a pissed-off faerie. If referring to him by any name summons him, well, then you're just screwed.

If attempting to talk to someone not in the know, this can easily lead to PoorCommunicationKills. There also always remains the possibility of someone slipping up (especially when surprised or caught off-guard), or someone not in the know saying it. If you have another enemy you want to deal with, though, perhaps you can trick him into saying the name.

Another variation is that the villain's name must be said multiple times to summon him. In these cases, saying the name once is safe, so you probably don't need to worry about
summoning him accidentally, or being tricked into doing so (unless you have no idea what's going on and just come across a piece of paper saying "[[SchmuckBait Say Hastur 3 times]].") ([[LiteralMinded Okay. "Hastur three times."]]) Instead the villain is essentially SealedEvilInACan, and he'll be summoned either by someone who has no idea what's going on, or by someone who got his [[DeathByGenreSavviness tropes mixed up]] and thinks he'll be able to control the villain this way, or at least bargain with him. [[EvilIsNotAToy Expect this guy to die horribly.]] Also expect this villain not to disappear.

The name comes from the old saying: "Speak of the Devil, and he will appear." Also known as He Who Must Not Be Named.

If knowing someone's true name instead gives ''you'' power over ''him'', that's IKnowYourTrueName. If summoning him is not a bad thing, see CallOnMe. See also InadvertentEntranceCue. When this is done for humor rather than being a supernatural ability, it's RightBehindMe. Related to the SneezeCut. When this is invoked for a murder, a TroubleMagnetGambit is very likely the method used. JustForFun/CandleJack was a recent pop culture [[spoiler:variation. Thanks for the mention.]]

** Another example of this which was legitamite is the DemonLord Fraz Urb Lu, who is notorious for using a unique talant to use the names of other Demon Lords to trick them into thinking they have been summoned. His usual strategy is to do this, and then teleport away right before the victim appears, assuring that the angry demon will take out his anger on whoever Fraz Urb Lu had been fighting. (This strategy naturally has made Fraz Urb Lu universally hated among other Demon Lords.)

** 3.5 has Truenaming, which around level 18 gives a feat that allows a character to do this with a use-name of their choice. Speaking the use-name, afterward, allows the character to know where you are, what the general situation is, and lets them decide whether or not to be teleported into the area. Depending on the character in question, this can either be an example of this trope, or CallOnMe. Or, in some cases, both at once.

* Mentioned once on ''House of Anubis''.

* ''Frasier'' is responding to his brother's antipathy for his agent:

* Author Ramsey Campbell created a god for the ''CthulhuMythos'' named Y'[[spoiler:Golonac [[hottip:* :You fool! You've doomed us all!]] ]], who could possess a host if they merely read his name. Not even out loud; he could possess a person if they sight-read his name on a printed page. Seeing as he's a god that represents ''every'' deed that could be viewed as defiling by individuals both sane and insane across the universe, this is not a pleasant fate.

* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', speak of the devil... and Bane shall appear!

->What's next? A [[WebAnimation TheDementedCartoonMovie kamikaze watermelon]]?

'''Fooby''' WHEEEEEEEEE! *splats against a spambot*

----

* icycalm of Insomnia.ac keeps track on reactions of his articles in a forum topic made for this purpose, and sometimes rants about who he feels has misintrepretted whatever he said. Some people say that he may also show up whenever he's mentioned and end up in a flamewar about it, but he doesn't seem to bother doing that much these days.

* As stated on [[BearsAreBadNews this page]], people of old didn't dare saying "bear", fearing that it would summon one.

-->-- '''Bane''', ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''

This makes talking about the villain problematic, as he has to be referred to as "The Enemy" or [[HarryPotter "He Who Must Not Be Named" or " You Know Who"]], or possibly just by a nickname, as with {{Satan}}, who may be called "Old Nick" or "Mister Scratch" (or LouisCypher). Sometimes these nicknames are conspicuously positive, just in case they're listening anyway, as with TheFairFolk, because you do ''not'' want to face down a pissed-off faerie. If referring to him by any name summons him, well, then you're just screwed.

* In the ''HarryPotter'' series Voldemort is ''literally'' called He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by those who are afraid of saying (or printing) his name, though those using less formal diction call him You-Know-Who. His followers simply call him The Dark Lord. In the earlier books this is portrayed merely as people being monumentally afraid of Voldemort (and a sign of reverence, in the case of his followers). In the last book [[spoiler:Voldemort uses this to his advantage by placing a "Taboo" spell upon his name which causes the speaking of his name to break any protective charms on the area and reveal the location of the speaker to him. Seeing as the only people with the nerve to speak his name are Harry's group and (probably) The Order Of The Phoenix, this is quite clever]].

** This was so prevalent when it came to wolves in Sweden that the most common euphemism ("varg", meaning killer or strangler) became the ''proper'' name.

* In the ''Series/Warehouse13'' episode "13.1", Claudia and Fargo hide from attacking robots in an artifact crate, and the artifact starts to activate. Fargo starts to ask if the artifact is what he thinks it is. Claudia stops him, as things will get ugly if he says its name.

* In the VForVendetta film, [[spoiler: Lewis Prothero]] is listening to a recording in which he talks about V (specifically about how he wishes he could fight him man to man) only for a MirrorScare to reveal V standing there. Just for clarification, there is nothing magical in this case, and it is just a coincidence (or possibly the ever-theatrical V was waiting for the perfect moment,) but [[OhCrap the look on the man's face suggests it might as well have been this trope.]]

*** Sauron was known by that name in Númenor (as the Númenoreans knew him from the Elves) and the Mouth of Sauron was a Black Númenorean, so he might have been using the name out of habit. Also, the taboo about not mentioning Sauron's name seems to be mainly a Gondorian thing ("He whom we do not name" or "the Nameless Evil")