History Main / TheGlassesComeOff

When someone takes their glasses off to express surprise, see GlassesPull. As the examples show, inversions in which a character becomes more badass when they put their NerdGlasses ''on'' (because now they can actually see clearly to fight) are also common. See BookSnap for another intellectual sign of impending anger.

* Reversed in ''Anime/WitchHunterRobin'': again, while pyrokinetic Robin is certainly ''dangerous'' as is, she becomes quite a bit more ''effective'' in a fight after she's pressed into wearing glasses so she can, y'know, ''see'' to aim.
** Then she discovers the true nature of her powers, becomes a deity, and takes them off.

* Played dead straight by [[PunnyName HudMaSpecs]] in ''Film/FreeJimmy''.

* The 2002 ''Film/SpiderMan1'' film brought back Peter Parker's glasses as part of its dedication to doing things right, then disposed of them immediately when Peter's powers also fixed his eyesight. And in the sequel, Peter's confidence-linked loss of powers also brought back his poor vision. In both cases, the presence/absence of his powers is indicated to the audience by a first-person point of view showing the state of his vision relative to his glasses.

* Played dead straight by [[PunnyName HudMaSpecs]] in ''FreeJimmy''.

* ''Literature/ALittleHatred'': Former soldier and brawny bruiser Gunnar Broad is very nearsighted and wears a tiny pair of spectacles he was gifted by a man whose life he'd saved. Whenever he needs to get down to cracking skulls, he's careful to remove his glasses and slip them into a pocket, because he can't afford to lose them.

* In the Chinese/western manga ''Manga/EtCetera,'' the villain of half of volume 2, Mr. Alternate, wears his monocle when being awesome and evil, and when he's pretending to be a train usher.
** Actually, he always wears the monocle. [[spoiler: After his HeelFaceTurn]], when he's asleep, all the time. It's not just part of his train usher outfit. In fact, I don't think he's ever taken it off.

* Subverted in ''Anime/FairyMusketeers'', when Shirayukihime has apparently been [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] she takes off her glasses to fight her friends. This is a clue to her friends that she's only pretending to be brainwashed because she can't fight as well without her glasses helping her see.

* Chisame Hasegawa of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' does this to become her CosplayOtakuGirl alter ego Chiu, or when she's being more serious than [[MetaGuy snarky]]. Otherwise she looks like a quiet girl with thick, perfectly round spectacles.

* Aozaki Toko from ''LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai'' uses her glasses to quickly change personality. She is a nicer person with the glasses on. She says it is useful for business. Unlike many other examples here, she keeps putting them on and removing without much reason.

* Hanae in ''FanFic/PrettyCurePerfumePreppy'' loses her glasses every time she transforms into Cure Tangerine.

** Also done by Nanao Ise when [[MadScientist Mayuri]] decides to stand in for his daughter/science experiment/devoted slave Nemu at a meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association and refuse to leave, even when subjected to the ScaryShinyGlasses. Judging by his [[OhCrap face]], he got the message. Of course, this was after the vice-captains meeting was invaded by Byakuya standing in for Renji, a thoroughly creepy experience Nanao clearly wasn't prepared to experience again.

* Gohan in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' and ''Anime/DragonBallGT''. Apparently, he has perfect vision until he falls into the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters trap and is no longer useful, but will still conveniently forget to wear them on days when the MonsterOfTheWeek or BigBad might show up. When Baby possesses him, he actually smashes the glasses prior to going out and kicking Vegeta's ass.

** Played straight in one episode of ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', with Gohan having {{Tareme Eyes}} with his glasses on that suddenly change to {{Tsurime Eyes}} when he takes them off. [[spoiler:Beerus one-shots him effortlessly after.]]

* Averted with American gymnast and 2017 World All-Around Champion [[https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-morgan-hurd-gymnastics-eyeglasses-20190728-tezkr76labhshabnqt2fxvkxr4-story.html Morgan Hurd]], who is notable for competing in elite gymnastics while wearing glasses (she uses a special strap to secure them in place). According to Hurd, she tried wearing contact lenses, but found that they were more trouble than they were worth and made her eyes too dry. She has said that she hopes to be an example to other young athletes to disprove the idea that athletes with vision problems ''have'' to wear contacts because they can't do their sports in glasses.

** Also done by Nanao Ise when [[MadScientist Mayuri]] decides to stand in for his [[strike:daughter]] science experiment/devoted slave Nemu at a meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association and refuse to leave, even when subjected to the ScaryShinyGlasses. Judging by his [[OhCrap face]], he got the message. Of course, this was after the vice-captains meeting was invaded by Byakuya standing in for Renji, a thoroughly creepy experience Nanao clearly wasn't prepared to experience again.

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* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': [[https://www.egscomics.com/sketchbook/2007-11-07 This]] sketchbook strip alludes to superman's use of this trope with glasses flying off Grace's face as she prepares to change into a presumably squirrel themed superheroine.

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* Averted with American gymnast and 2017 World All-Around Champion [[https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-morgan-hurd-gymnastics-eyeglasses-20190728-tezkr76labhshabnqt2fxvkxr4-story.html Morgan Hurd]], who is notable for competing in elite gymnastics while wearing glasses (she uses a special strap to secure them in place). According to Hurd, she tried wearing contact lenses, but found that they were more trouble than they were worth and made her eyes too dry.

* In ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' Othar Tryggvassen, GentlemanAdventurer!, removes his "glasses" ''once'', and in a [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080125 non-canon chapter]]. Seeing his eyes for the first time was quite... surprising.
** [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100317 Now done in canon, as well.]]
* [[http://www.tru-lifeadventures.com Bob]] has attempted this on more than one occasion. Subverted, though, because while he's really good at taking off his glasses, he's not really that good at the hero part.

* Dave of ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'' finally removes his glasses (briefly) when trying to [[spoiler:convince Helen not to dump him.]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Fans}}'', twice in the series, a [[TheMenInBlack FIB agent]] removes his sunglasses to be completely straightforward and honest for once.

* Mr. Spender in ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'' is almost never seen without sunglasses, even at night. If he ever removes them, you know it's SeriousBusiness.

* ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'':

* Inverted in ''Literature/GoodOmens,'': the slick-as-hell demon Crowley is always seen wearing sunglasses to hide his HellishPupils and also [[CoolShades because he looks cool wearing them]]. They get knocked off his face during his DarkestHour (after seemingly losing his [[FriendlyEnemy best friend\sworn adversary]]), and it's only after he regains his HeroicResolve that he [[RealityWarper manifest]] a new pair of sunglasses for himself to show case that He'sBack.

* ''Literature/GoodOmens,'': In the same book, the demon Crowley is famous for never removing his sunglasses, regardless of the lighting. No reason is given (or ''[[RuleOfCool needed]]''). But near the end, when the organic waste is nearing the oscillating device, a group of hose-wielding humans accidentally knock off his shades. Cue slit-pupilled Menacing Stare and unholy wrath.

* The pre-[[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths Crisis]] version of Franchise/WonderWoman.

** "Transylvania 6-500": The cartoon short's villian, Count Von Count, is engaged in a battle of wits and "magic potion" one-upmanship with WesternAnimation/BugsBunny when he transforms himself into a bat (the animal); Bugs turns himself into a ''baseball'' bat, prompting Count to do the trope inversion ("[[YouWouldntHitAGuyWithGlasses You wouldn't hit a bat with glasses]]?"). Yes, Bugs would ... and does.

** Clark Kent wears glasses when he's not being Superman, though he also puts on nebbish behavior and about four extra layers of clothing to make him look pudgy instead of muscled.

** Don't forget about Admiral Adama. Whenever he took off the glasses, he would end up doing rash things. It was only when he put the glasses back on that he started seeing things clearly.

%%* ''Film/{{Rocky}}''. Played straight with Adrian.

* In the movie ''Film/LAConfidential,'' Ed Exley tends to take his glasses off when he assumes his "Action Policeman" persona. However, he drops the habit (and the persona) by the end of the movie, just in time for the final shootout.
** Ed and Jack are about to bust some perps, both carrying shotguns. "I forgot my glasses!" "Your WHAT?! Well just don't shoot me, ok?"
* Parodied in ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', wherein Dark Helmet opens his helmet numerous times, revealing that he's wearing glasses underneath (and that he's Rick Moranis).

* Inverted in the beginning of ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' when the terminator puts on the sunglasses.

* In the second ending of ''Film/{{Clue}}'', [[spoiler:Mrs. Peacock [[LargeHam dramatically]] removes her glasses upon being exposed as the murderer.]]
** In the third ending, [[spoiler:Mr. Green takes his glasses off just before shooting and killing the real Mr. Boddy, then [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass revealing himself]] as an planted FBI agent.]]
* ''Film/MyGirl'': [[TearJerker "Where's his glasses?! He can't see without his glasses!"]]

* Subversion: In the Creator/NeilGaiman and Creator/TerryPratchett collaboration ''Literature/GoodOmens,'' hapless Newton Pulsifer is described as even ''less'' handsome when he takes off his glasses, because he bumps into things and has to wear bandages.
** In the same book, the demon Crowley is famous for never removing his sunglasses, regardless of the lighting. No reason is given (or ''[[RuleOfCool needed]]''). But near the end, when the organic waste is nearing the oscillating device, a group of hose-wielding humans accidentally knock off his shades. Cue slit-pupilled Menacing Stare and unholy wrath.

** In ''Series/TheDefenders2017'', Matt removes his glasses when he and Series/{{Jessica Jones}} are entering Midland Circle so he can tie Jessica's scarf around her head. Only once Matt, Jessica, Luke and Danny get to the Royal Dragon does Matt return Jessica's scarf. He doesn't put his glasses back on, though, figuring he has no need to when in the company of other people with abilities. He doesn't put his glasses back on again until he's on his way to the ''Bulletin'' to ask Karen to get police protection with Foggy, Claire, Malcolm, Trish, and the others.

* A third example from the Nasuverse comes from ''Anime/FatePrototype'' and Ayaka Sayjou, who, in the beginning the [[RealTrailerFakeMovie script's trailer]], is established as a ShrinkingViolet [[EstablishingCharacterMoment incapable to even killing a birds for a blood ritual]]. But when [[SinisterMinister Sancraid Phahn]] shows [[EvilAllAlong his true colors]], she pulls off her glasses just before to activate [[Myth/KingArthur Saber's]] [[PowerTattoo Command Spells]].
* Andrew of ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' removes his glasses before fighting.