History Main / TheUndead

** '''TheGrimReaper:''' The big guy himself, the most common representation of Death in Western folklore. Usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan, who resembles a [[DemBones skeleton]] wearing a BlackCloak and carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just be a cool guy that fancies himself [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to the Grim Reaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; other times they will just be {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.

* '''[[BlackKnight Death Knights]]:''' What liches are to sorcerers, these guys [[WarriorHeaven are to]] [[HellIsWar warriors]]. They rarely appear unless the undead are an organized army, and when they do, they function either as its generals, [[EliteMooks shock troopers]], [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking or both]]. They are nearly always found on horseback ([[HellishHorse either skeletal or pitch black]]), their weapon of choice often is a one-handed bastard sword with a skull on the hilt, and their armor is [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset richly decorated with skulls, bones, distorted faces, and other heraldry related to death]]. Their actual appearance varies between [[UndeathlyPallor a pale human]], a [[DemBones skeleton]], and completely spectral, relying on a [[AnimatedArmour possessed suit of armor]] instead. Popularized by Lord Soth of ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'', though the UrExample are probably the Nazgûl from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.

* '''[[OurGhostsAreDifferent Ghosts]]:''' [[OurSoulsAreDifferent Disembodied]] [[OurSpiritsAreDifferent spirits]] of dead people, as opposed to reanimated corpses. They have little in common with other forms of undead, as ghosts tend to vary nearly as much as all the other types of undead put together. Depending on the genre, they can be anything from harmless pranksters to [[EldritchAbomination Lovecraftian horrors]]; you'll know which one yours is once he starts smearing things on the wall. If it's crayon, you're generally okay; if it's blood, you are so horribly screwed it's not even funny. Unless you [[TomatoInTheMirror realize]] that you're [[DeadAllAlong already one of them]]... but hey, most people who run into them know who they're [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} gonna call.]] Unlike most forms of undeath, ghosts can be friendly. They may return to protect a loved one, or reward someone who arranged their burial, or the like. Ghosts also come in many flavors. In a lot of works, various words for ghost, such as phantom, spectre, wraith, etc. usually mean different varieties of ghost.

* '''[[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]]:''' Like zombies, only faster, stronger, and smarter. They suck blood, and may spend a lot of time angsting about it. Usually highly attractive, and both genders tend to be somewhat... [[HoYay festive]]. Dislike [[TurnUndead holy stuff]], [[WeakenedByTheLight bright light]], and pointy sticks. [[LostInImitation Originally]] they were not attractive, at all[[note]]Even the original Dracula, well, LooksLikeOrlok, except when he was well fed, then he looked very good. For most of the novel, he is quite handsome. After all, Bram Stoker modeled him after a man he had a boycrush on, Sir Henry Irving, who was a handsome actor. Stoker wanted Irving to portray the count in his theater. Besides that, look at Literature/VarneyTheVampire, who looked like Lord Byron.[[/note]], and they also tended to have ruddy complexions (from all the blood) rather than [[UndeathlyPallor pale ones]].[[/index]]
* '''[[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolves]]:''' They are ''occasionally'' considered undead in older myths, but generally, modern werewolves are not undead, being people who ''survive'' a werewolf attack, as those who die usually do not return as werewolves. Sometimes they're just [[Literature/{{Discworld}} lumped in the same category]] of "creepy things", regardless of the level of truth to it. To quote one [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Ankh-Morporkian]]: "They're big and scary, come from {{Uberwald}}, and don't die when you stick a sword in them. What more do you want?"[[index]]

* '''[[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombies]]:''' Just ordinary, run-of-the-mill walking corpses. They come in a variety of types, but they tend to share some general traits. Zombies tend to be [[ZombieGait Slow]] (usually...), weak (comparatively...), mostly blind ([[TheDeadHaveEyes unless they aren't]]), and stupid (at first...). [[MadeOfPlasticine Surprisingly squishy]], but they don't really notice. Made with HollywoodVoodoo in older works (where they are often seen more as a toiling victim rather than a threat), and TheVirus in newer ones. Don't get bitten by [[PlagueZombie the latter form]]. Some of them [[KillItWithFire die quickly when burned.]] Others... [[InfernalRetaliation don't]]. The voodoo version can sometimes be released from their condition simply by dosing them with ''[[WeaksauceWeakness salt.]]'' However, most, if not all zombies, can be quickly taken down by RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain... except when they aren't. The ParasiteZombie can be highly resilient and adaptable and mutate its host in exotic ways. Know the characteristics of your local zombies to avoid embarrassing mistakes!

Dead folks who, whether due to [[AnimateDead magic]], [[AppliedPhlebotinum super-science]], [[DueToTheDead lack of a proper funeral or burial]], or just plain bloody-mindedness, do not rest in peace and try to act as if they're still alive.

One way undead vary is the nature of their [[OurSoulsAreDifferent mind and soul]]. In some cases, including liches, most ghosts, and some vampires, they keep their original soul. They can still remember the simple pleasures of life, but they can no longer experience them, a frustration which may fill them with hatred of the living, or simply make their existence an unliving hell. Sympathetic undead are most often from this category.

In other cases, including many traditional vampires and some zombies, the undead are actually animated by [[OurDemonsAreDifferent evil spirits or demons]]. They may have access to the memory of the person whose corpse they are wearing, but they are not truly the deceased. These types are almost [[AlwaysChaoticEvil invariably evil]], and are much more likely to be vulnerable to religious symbols and rituals.

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just be a cool guy that fancies himself [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; other times they will just be {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.
* [[BlackKnight Death Knights]]: What liches are to sorcerers, these guys [[WarriorHeaven are to]] [[HellIsWar warriors]]. They rarely appear unless the undead are an organized army, and when they do, they function either as its generals, [[EliteMooks shock troopers]], [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking or both]]. They are nearly always found on horseback ([[HellishHorse either skeletal or pitch black]]), their weapon of choice often is a one-handed bastard sword with a skull on the hilt, and their armor is [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset richly decorated with skulls, bones, distorted faces, and other heraldry related to death]]. Their actual appearance varies between [[UndeathlyPallor a pale human]], a [[DemBones skeleton]], and completely spectral, relying on a [[AnimatedArmour possessed suit of armor]] instead. Popularized by Lord Soth of ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'', though the UrExample are probably the Nazgûl from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
* FleshGolem: When a thrifty necromancer or mad scientist has a large number of spare parts left over from constructing their undead legions, you get a flesh golem. Similar to the next in that these are a reanimated assembly of body parts, flesh golems tend to represent a more... ''whimsical'' approach to anatomy. Parts need not be assembled in a humanoid form -- or in a logical way for that matter -- and they may not even all be from the same species. Designs tend to be rather freeform and range from [[BodyOfBodies haphazardly fused clumps of bodies]], to lumbering MultiArmedAndDangerous humanoids, to animalistic tangles of limbs.
** FrankensteinsMonster: Or anything else made from human corpses and brought back with technology. The original was big, a quick learner, and very, very pissed at his creator. The modern type is a bit more pitiable. Usually the stitches show, so you can tell them apart from zombies. The intelligence level varies. They seem to have universal SuperStrength, so don't challenge one to arm wrestling. Also note that, depending on the work, these may not be "technically" undead, and hence not vulnerable to [[HolyHandGrenade holy power]] and tricks like the TropeNamer of ReviveKillsZombie.
* [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Ghosts]]: Disembodied spirits of dead people, who are understandably ticked off about this. Other than that, they have little in common, varying nearly as much as the rest of the undead put together. Depending on the genre, they can be anything from harmless pranksters to [[EldritchAbomination Lovecraftian horrors]]; you'll know which one yours is once he starts smearing things on the wall. If it's crayon, you're generally okay; if it's blood, you are so horribly screwed it's not even funny. Unless you [[TomatoInTheMirror realize]] that you're [[DeadAllAlong already one of them]]... but hey, most people who run into them know who they're [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} gonna call.]] Unlike most forms of undeath, ghosts can be friendly. They may return to protect a loved one, or reward someone who arranged their burial, or the like. Ghosts also come in many flavors. In a lot of works, various words for ghost, such as phantom, spectre, wraith, etc. usually mean different varieties of ghost.
* [[OurGhoulsAreCreepier Ghouls]]: Originally deriving from Arabic folklore, but popularized by H.P. Lovecraft's stories and subsequent media, their depiction varies from animated corpses to living beings, but when undead, they usually are depicted as bestial and hyper-aggressive zombies. Intelligence and appearance vary; in the original folktales, these creatures could sometimes be mistaken for (and marry) humans, but recent interpretations have made them animalistic in behavior and more obviously corpselike in aspect. Unlike zombies, they generally retain some degree of free will. Some variations of ghouls tend to feast exclusively on the dead, but that only means they have to kill someone before they eat them.
* [[OurLichesAreDifferent Liches]]: Popularized in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' and common in modern {{Fantasy}}, a lich is an EvilSorcerer who retains his or her magical powers after death -- basically a revenant with a little something extra. The lich becomes undead by placing its soul in a SoulJar (or maybe [[Literature/HarryPotter seven of them]]), and can only be permanently destroyed by destroying said Soul Jar; in other fictions, the Soul Jar is optional. A lich's physical appearance can range from near-normal to zombie-like to completely skeletal, which usually depends on the lich's age. Because of their skill at magic, especially [[{{Necromancer}} necromancy]], liches tend to be among the most powerful and dangerous type of undead (if not ''the'' most powerful and dangerous) in settings where they exist. In the hierarchy of TheNecrocracy, they are guaranteed to be the top tier.
* {{Mumm|y}}ies: The mummy shambles towards the archaeologists who have defiled its tomb. Luckily for them, it doesn't move fast due to sleeping for three thousand years (although there are [[Film/TheMummyTrilogy exceptions]]). The classical depiction is wrapped in white bandages, and no one wants to see what's underneath them. Sometimes they can be easily defeated by simply pulling off their bandages, but if they possess magical abilities, then it is unlikely that this tactic will be of any effect. In those cases you can count on them to be about as mighty as the Liches. However, mummies tend to be especially vulnerable to [[KillItWithFire fire]].
* {{Revenant|Zombie}}s: Your standard resuscitated corpse; however, unlike a zombie, this undead isn't quite so rotting and falling apart, fairly intelligent, and, most importantly, an individual, since they retain their memories from their previous lives. They tend to seek vengeance for past wrongs, especially if they were murdered. While conceptually very old, and the prototype from which many other undead derive, this trope has fallen out of favor for the horde of zombies and the bloodsucking vampire. Often LivingOnBorrowedTime.
* [[DemBones Skeletons]]: Zombies without meat, so to speak. Tend to be difficult to hurt because they are all bone, so blunt weapons (or magic, if available) are required or at least useful. Other versions are simply cannon fodder undead. Most of them aren't particularly smart (not having a brain and all). Only really common in out-and-out fantasy, as they're a little too fantastic for sci-fi or horror; expect them to be magically reanimated soldiers for the EvilSorcerer or VainSorceress that [[PerpetualMotionMonster don't need to eat or sleep]], and stand guard over tombs for centuries if need be. Despite being fleshless, TheDeadHaveEyes.
** {{Calacas}}: Particularly common in Latin American inspired content/worlds are the much more expressive Calacas. They aren't typical 'horror' creatures despite being dead. They live loud and colorful afterlives.
* {{Undead Child}}ren: Take any one of the other kinds of undead mentioned here, but make it a [[FetusTerrible Fetus]] or EnfantTerrible. Now they're twice as creepy and hard to shoot at.
* [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]]: Like zombies, only faster, stronger, and smarter. They suck blood, and may spend a lot of time angsting about it. Usually highly attractive, and both genders tend to be somewhat... [[HoYay festive]]. Dislike [[TurnUndead holy stuff]], [[WeakenedByTheLight bright light]], and pointy sticks. [[LostInImitation Originally]] they were not attractive, at all[[note]]Even the original Dracula, well, LooksLikeOrlok, except when he was well fed, then he looked very good. For most of the novel, he is quite handsome. After all, Bram Stoker modeled him after a man he had a boycrush on, Sir Henry Irving, who was a handsome actor. Stoker wanted Irving to portray the count in his theater. Besides that, look at Literature/VarneyTheVampire, who looked like Lord Byron.[[/note]], and they also tended to have ruddy complexions (from all the blood) rather than [[UndeathlyPallor pale ones]].[[/index]]
* [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolves]]: They are ''occasionally'' considered undead in older myths, but generally, modern werewolves are not undead, being people who ''survive'' a werewolf attack, as those who die usually do not return as werewolves. Sometimes they're just [[Literature/{{Discworld}} lumped in the same category]] of "creepy things", regardless of the level of truth to it. To quote one [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Ankh-Morporkian]]: "They're big and scary, come from {{Uberwald}}, and don't die when you stick a sword in them. What more do you want?"[[index]]
* [[OurWightsAreDifferent Wights]]: More or less the mummy's northerly cousin, associated with MedievalEuropeanFantasy. Tolkien popularized them as wights [[note]]more properly a barrow-wight, meaning a "barrow man", with "wight" being simply an antiquated word for "man"[[/note]] and established the modern interpretation, [[OlderThanYouThink but they appear in Norse Oral tradition]] [[note]]as ''haugbui'', which is essentially old Norse for "barrow-dweller". -bui (pronounced "bwIgh") is related to wight etymologically[[/note]]. The first ''written'' appearances are OlderThanPrint, but these are only the first formal recordings of an oral tradition OlderThanDirt, probably a part of European folklore since the first kid dared another kid to spend the night next to a burial mound. The wight is an old, buried, usually desiccated or naturally mummified corpse[[note]]Some traditional stories also include reanimated drowning victims[[/note]] that rises up to guard its tomb or place of death from intruders. More eldritch and drier than a zombie, but fresher and much less powerful than a lich.[[/index]]

* [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombies]]: Just ordinary, run-of-the-mill walking corpses. They come in a variety of types, but they tend to share some general traits. Zombies tend to be [[ZombieGait Slow]] (usually...), weak (comparatively...), mostly blind ([[TheDeadHaveEyes unless they aren't]]), and stupid (at first...). [[MadeOfPlasticine Surprisingly squishy]], but they don't really notice. Made with HollywoodVoodoo in older works (where they are often seen more as a toiling victim rather than a threat), and TheVirus in newer ones. Don't get bitten by [[PlagueZombie the latter form]]. Some of them [[KillItWithFire die quickly when burned.]] Others... [[InfernalRetaliation don't]]. The voodoo version can sometimes be released from their condition simply by dosing them with ''[[WeaksauceWeakness salt.]]'' However, most, if not all zombies, can be quickly taken down by RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain... except when they aren't. The ParasiteZombie can be highly resilient and adaptable and mutate its host in exotic ways. Know the characteristics of your local zombies to avoid embarrassing mistakes!
* NonHumanUndead: Not all undead begin as humans. A work that includes the undead often includes other fantastical or otherworldly creatures, and these may be just as likely to get up and walk around when they're supposed to be dead. Such entities may also be any of the above types of undead [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot in addition to this trope]].
** The {{Dracolich}} is a dragon returned from the grave, and a frequent cause of adventurers [[OhCrap seriously contemplating their life choices]].
** [[RaisingTheSteaks Zombie Animals]]: Take everything previously mentioned about the undead, and now apply it to all forms of life. As it turns out, [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins not everything is better with penguins]].

* [[OurWightsAreDifferent Wights]]: More or less the mummy's northerly cousin, associated with MedievalEuropeanFantasy. Tolkien popularized them as wights [[note]]more properly a barrow-wight, meaning a "barrow man", with "wight" being simply an antiquated word for "man"[[/note]] and established the modern interpretation, [[OlderThanYouThink but they appear in Norse Oral tradition]] [[note]]as ''haugbui'', which is essentially old Norse for "barrow-dweller". -bui (pronounced "bwIgh") is related to wight etymologically[[/note]]. The first ''written'' appearances are OlderThanPrint, but these are only the first formal recordings of an oral tradition OlderThanDirt, probably a part of European folklore since the first kid dared another kid to spend the night next to a burial mound. The wight is an old, buried, usually desiccated or naturally mummified corpse[[note]]Some traditional stories also include reanimated drowning victims[[/note]] that rises up to guard its tomb or place of death from intruders. More eldritch and drier than a zombie, but fresher and much less powerful than a lich.
** Popularized by ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, but again, [[OlderThanYouThink dating back to Norse Oral tradition]], the Draugr is a related variety of undead. These, essentially, are the wights of particularly greedy, evil, or stong-willed individuals who manage to retain a greater amount of mental and physical ability. They are not bound to their grave or site of death, though many choose to use such places as a lair out of entitlement or convenience. They possess great magical abilities, including the power to raise their victims as wights. These are the prototype for the Lich and reflect certain aspects of the Revenant and Vampire of nearby cultures.

* FrankensteinsMonster: Or anything else made from human corpses and brought back with technology. The original was big, a quick learner, and very, very pissed at his creator. The modern type is a bit more pitiable. Usually the stitches show, so you can tell them apart from zombies. The intelligence level varies. They seem to have universal SuperStrength, so don't challenge one to arm wrestling. Also note that, depending on the work, these may not be "technically" undead, and hence not vulnerable to [[HolyHandGrenade holy power]] and tricks like the TropeNamer of ReviveKillsZombie.
* [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Ghosts]]: Walking corpses without the corpses, most are understandably ticked off about this. Other than that, they have little in common, varying nearly as much as the rest of the undead put together. Depending on the genre, they can be anything from harmless pranksters to [[EldritchAbomination Lovecraftian horrors]]; you'll know which one yours is once he starts smearing things on the wall. If it's crayon, you're generally okay; if it's blood, you are so horribly screwed it's not even funny. Unless you [[TomatoInTheMirror realize]] that you're [[DeadAllAlong already one of them]]... but hey, most people who run into them know who they're [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} gonna call.]] Unlike most forms of undeath, ghosts can be friendly. They may return to protect a loved one, or reward someone who arranged their burial, or the like. Ghosts also come in many flavors. In a lot of works, various words for ghost, such as phantom, spectre, wraith, etc. usually mean different varieties of ghost.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VideoGame/TotalAnnihilationKingdoms Do not despair in front of this army of the undead. Remember: These are victims, not victors]].]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[-[[VideoGame/TotalAnnihilationKingdoms Do not despair in front of this army of the undead. Remember: These are victims, not victors.]]-] ]]

* {{Undead Child}}ren: Take one of the above kinds of undead, but make it a [[FetusTerrible Fetus]] or EnfantTerrible. Now they're twice as creepy and hard to shoot at.
* [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]]: Like zombies, only faster, stronger, and smarter. They suck blood, and may spend a lot of time angsting about it. Usually highly attractive, and both genders tend to be somewhat... [[HoYay festive]]. Dislike [[TurnUndead holy stuff]], [[WeakenedByTheLight bright light]], and pointy sticks. [[LostInImitation Originally]] they were not attractive, at all[[note]]Even the original Dracula, well, LooksLikeOrlok, except when he was well fed, then he looked very good. For most of the novel, he is quite handsome. After all, Bram Stoker modeled him after a man he had a boycrush on, Sir Henry Irving, who was a handsome actor. Stoker wanted Irving to portray the count in his theater. Besides that, look at Literature/VarneyTheVampire, who looked like Lord Byron.[[/note]], and they also tended to have ruddy complexions (from all the blood) rather than [[UndeathlyPallor pale ones]].
* [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolves]]: They are ''occasionally'' considered undead in older myths, but generally, modern werewolves are not undead, being people who ''survive'' a werewolf attack, as those who die usually do not return as werewolves. Sometimes they're just [[Literature/{{Discworld}} lumped in the same category]] of "creepy things", regardless of the level of truth to it. To quote one [[Literature/{{Discworld}} Ankh-Morporkian]]: "They're big and scary, come from {{Uberwald}}, and don't die when you stick a sword in them. What more do you want?"

-->-- '''Pagan Altar''', "The March of the Dead"

Dead folks who, whether due to [[AnimateDead magic]], AppliedPhlebotinum, [[DueToTheDead lack of a funeral]], or just plain bloody-mindedness, do not rest in peace.

Come in several varieties.

While not invariably, Undead often bring EvilIsDeathlyCold into play, since they are, in fact, [[CaptainObvious deathly]], naturally cold (being corpses), and AlwaysChaoticEvil in most portrayals.

One way undead vary is the nature of their mind and soul. In some cases, including liches, most ghosts, and some vampires, they keep their original soul. They can still remember the simple pleasures of life, but they can no longer experience them, a frustration which may fill them with hatred of the living, or simply make their existence an unliving hell. Sympathetic undead are most often from this category.

In other cases, including many traditional vampires and some zombies, the undead are actually animated by evil spirits or demons. They may have access to the memory of the person whose corpse they are wearing, but they are not truly the deceased. These types are almost [[AlwaysChaoticEvil invariably evil]], and are much more likely to be vulnerable to religious symbols and rituals.

In ScienceFiction or ScienceFantasy, the undead may have a [[ArtificialZombie technological origin]] instead of a mystical or viral one.
%% This type can range from a downplayed form of {{Cyborg}} reviving an organic body using an , or they may be the work of a ma

The remaining undead may be little more than puppets of a {{necromancer}}, or they may be powered by magic alone, but they have no animating spirit (at least, not a sentient one).

See also NightOfTheLivingMooks, BigBoosHaunt, ClownCarGrave, AnimateDead. Frequently, they find out UndeathAlwaysEnds. But TheDeadCanDance! Heroes often find that RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain is the only way to kill them.

The UndeadIndex collects more of the related tropes.

TheLivingDead is for times when SpecialEffectFailure reveals that the "corpse" is actually a live actor.

This trope has nothing at all to do with the band Music/HollywoodUndead. For the Creator/RogerCorman film riffed [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E06TheUndead by]] ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', go [[Film/TheUndead here]].

* FleshGolem: When a thrifty necromancer or mad scientist has a large number of spare parts left over from constructing their undead legions, you get a flesh golem. Similar to the previous in that these are a reanimated assembly of body parts, flesh golems tend to represent a more... ''whimsical'' approach to anatomy. Parts need not be assembled in a humanoid form -- or in a logical way for that matter -- and they may not even all be from the same species. Designs tend to be rather freeform and range from [[BodyOfBodies haphazardly fused clumps of bodies]], to lumbering MultiArmedAndDangerous humanoids, to animalistic tangles of limbs.

Dead folks who, whether due to [[AnimateDead magic]], AppliedPhlebotinum, [[DueToTheDead lack of a funeral]], or just plain bloody-mindedness, [[OxymoronicBeing do not rest in peace]].

* FleshGolem: When a thrifty necromancer or mad scientist has a large number of spare parts left over from constructing their undead legions, you get a flesh golem. Similar to the previous in that these are a reanimated assembly of body parts, flesh golems tend to represent a more... ''whimsical'' approach to anatomy. Parts need not be assembled in a humanoid form- or in a logical way for that matter- and they may not even all be from the same species. Designs tend to be rather freeform and range from [[BodyOfBodies haphazardly fused clumps of bodies]], to lumbering MultiArmedAndDangerous humanoids, to animalistic tangles of limbs.

** The {{Dracolich}} is a dragon returned from the grave, and a frequent cause of adventurers [[OhCrap seriously contemplating their life choices.]]

** Popularized by Franchise/ElderScrolls, but again, [[OlderThanYouThink dating back to Norse Oral tradition]], the Draugr is a related variety of undead. These, essentially, are the wights of particularly greedy, evil, or stong-willed individuals who manage to retain a greater amount of mental and physical ability. They are not bound to their grave or site of death, though many choose to use such places as a lair out of entitlement or convenience. They possess great magical abilities, including the power to raise their victims as wights. These are the prototype for the Lich and reflect certain aspects of the Revenant and Vampire of nearby cultures.

* [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombies]]: Just ordinary, run-of-the-mill walking corpses. They come in a variety of types, but they tend to share some general traits. Zombies tend to be [[ZombieGait Slow]] (usually...), weak (comparatively...), mostly blind ([[TheDeadHaveEyes unless they aren't]]), and stupid (at first...). [[MadeOfPlasticine Surprisingly squishy]], but they don't really notice. Made with HollywoodVoodoo in older works, and TheVirus in newer ones. Don't get bitten by [[PlagueZombie the latter form]]. Some of them [[KillItWithFire die quickly when burned.]] Others... [[InfernalRetaliation don't]]. However, most, if not all zombies, can be quickly taken down by RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain... except when they aren't. The ParasiteZombie can be highly resilient and adaptable and mutate its host in exotic ways. Know the characteristics of your local zombies to avoid embarrassing mistakes!

* [[OurLichesAreDifferent Liches]]: Popularized in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' and common in modern {{Fantasy}}, a lich is an EvilSorcerer who retains his or her magical powers after death -- basically a revenant with a little something extra. In ''D&D'', the lich becomes undead by placing its soul in a SoulJar (or maybe [[Literature/HarryPotter seven of them]]), and can only be permanently destroyed by destroying said Soul Jar; in other fictions, the Soul Jar is optional. A lich's physical appearance can range from near-normal to zombie-like to completely skeletal, which usually depends on the lich's age. Because of their skill at magic, especially [[{{Necromancer}} necromancy]], liches tend to be among the most powerful and dangerous type of undead (if not ''the'' most powerful and dangerous) in settings where they exist. In the hierarchy of TheNecrocracy, they are guaranteed to be the top tier.

* [[OurLichesAreDifferent Liches]]: Popularized in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' and common in modern {{Fantasy}}, a lich is an EvilSorcerer who retains his or her magical powers after death -- basically a revenant with a little something extra. In ''D&D'', the lich becomes undead by placing its soul in a SoulJar (maybe even [[Literature/HarryPotter seven]]), and can only be permanently destroyed by destroying said Soul Jar; in other fictions, the Soul Jar is optional. A lich's physical appearance can range from near-normal to zombie-like to completely skeletal, which usually depends on the lich's age. Because of their skill at magic, especially [[{{Necromancer}} necromancy]], liches tend to be among the most powerful and dangerous type of undead (if not ''the'' most powerful and dangerous) in settings where they exist. In the hierarchy of TheNecrocracy, they are guaranteed to be the top tier.

* [[OurLichesAreDifferent Liches]]: Popularized in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' and common in modern {{Fantasy}}, a lich is an EvilSorcerer who retains his or her magical powers after death -- basically a revenant with a little something extra. In ''D&D'', the lich becomes undead by placing its soul in a SoulJar, and can only be permanently destroyed by destroying said Soul Jar; in other fictions, the Soul Jar is optional. A lich's physical appearance can range from near-normal to zombie-like to completely skeletal, which usually depends on the lich's age. Because of their skill at magic, especially [[{{Necromancer}} necromancy]], liches tend to be among the most powerful and dangerous type of undead (if not ''the'' most powerful and dangerous) in settings where they exist. In the hierarchy of TheNecrocracy, they are guaranteed to be the top tier.

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just be [[DeathRidesASkateboard a cool guy]] that fancies himself [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; other times they will just be {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just fancy [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; other times they will just be {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just fancy [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; but other times they will be just {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just fancy [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; but other times they will be just AnthropomorphicPersonification s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.

[[quoteright:330:[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/119994_CN_GL_9366.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:330:[-[[VideoGame/TotalAnnihilationKingdoms Do not despair in front of this army of the undead. Remember: These are victims, not victors.]]-] ]]

* [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombies]]: Just ordinary, run-of-the-mill walking corpses. They come in a variety of types, but they tend to share some general traits. Zombies tend to be [[ZombieGait Slow]] (usually...), weak (comparatively...), mostly blind ([[TheDeadHaveEyes unless they aren't]]), and stupid (at first...). [[MadeOfPlasticine Surprisingly squishy]], but they don't really notice. Made with HollywoodVoodoo in older works, and TheVirus in newer ones. Don't get bitten by [[PlagueZombie the latter form]]. [[FleshEast Some of them [[KillItWithFire die quickly when burned.]] Others... [[InfernalRetaliation don't]]. However, most, if not all zombies, can be quickly taken down by RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain... except when they aren't. The ParasiteZombie can be highly resilient and adaptable and mutate its host in exotic ways. Know the characteristics of your local zombies to avoid embarrassing mistakes!

* [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombies]]: Just ordinary, run-of-the-mill walking corpses. They come in a variety of types, but they tend to share some general traits. Zombies tend to be [[ZombieGait Slow]] (usually...), weak (comparatively...), mostly blind ([[TheDeadHaveEyes unless they aren't]]), and stupid (at first...). [[MadeOfPlasticine Surprisingly squishy]], but they don't really notice. Made with HollywoodVoodoo in older works, and TheVirus in newer ones. Don't get bitten by [[PlagueZombie the latter form]]. Some of them [[KillItWithFire die quickly when burned.]] Others... [[InfernalRetaliation don't]]. However, most, if not all zombies, can be quickly taken down by RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain...except when they aren't. The ParasiteZombie can be highly resilient and adaptable and mutate its host in exotic ways. Know the characteristics of your local zombies to avoid embarrassing mistakes!

* FleshGolem: When a thrifty necromancer or mad scientist has a large number of spare parts left over from constructing their undead legions, you get a flesh golem. Similar to the previous in that these are a reanimated assembly of body parts, flesh golems tend to represent a more... ''whimsical'' approach to anatomy. Parts need not be assembled in a humanoid form- or in a logical way for that matter- and they may not even all be from the same species. Designs tend to be rather freeform and range from [[BodyOfBodies haphazardly fused clumps of bodies]], to lumbering MultiArmedAndDangerous humanoids, to animalistic tangles of limbs.

* [[OurWightsAreDifferent Wights]]: More or less the mummy's northerly cousin, associated with MedievalEuropeanFantasy. Tolkien popularized them as wights [[note]]more properly a barrow-wight, meaning a "barrow man", with "wight" being simply an antiquated word for "man"[[/note]] and established the modern interpretation, [[OlderThanYouThink but they appear in Norse Oral tradition]] [[note]]as ''haugbui'', which is essentially old Norse for "barrow-dweller". -bui (pronounced "bwIgh") is related to wight etymologically[[/note]]. The first ''written'' appearances are OlderThanPrint, but these are only the first formal recordings of an oral tradition OlderThanDirt, probably a part of European folklore since the first kid dared another kid to spend the night next to a burial mound. The wight is an old, buried, usually desiccated or naturally mummified corpse[[note]]Some traditional stories also include reanimated drowning victims[[/note]] that rises up to guard its tomb or place of death from intruders. More eldritch and drier than a zombie, but fresher and much less powerful than a lich.
** Popularized by Franchise/ElderScrolls, but again, [[OlderThanYouThink dating back to Norse Oral tradition]], the Draugr is a related variety of undead. These, essentially, are the wights of particularly greedy, evil, or stong-willed individuals who manage to retain a greater amount of mental and physical ability. They are not bound to their grave or site of death, though many choose to use such places as a lair out of entitlement or convenience. They possess great magical abilities, including the power to raise their victims as wights. These are the prototype for the Lich and reflect certain aspects of the Revenant and Vampire of nearby cultures.

* [[OurLichesAreDifferent Liches]]: Popularized in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' and common in modern {{Fantasy}}, a lich is an EvilSorcerer who retains his or her magical powers after death -- basically a revenant with a little something extra. In ''D&D'', the lich becomes undead by placing its soul in a SoulJar, and can only be permanently destroyed by destroying said Soul Jar; in other fictions, the Soul Jar is optional. A lich's physical appearance can range from near-normal to zombie-like to completely skeletal, which usually depends on the lich's age. Because of their skill at magic, especially [[{{Necromancer}} necromancy]], liches tend to be among the most powerful and dangerous type of undead (if not ''the'' most powerful and dangerous) in settings where they exist. In the hierarchy of TheNecrocracy, they are guaranteed to be the top tier.

For the Creator/RogerCorman film riffed [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E06TheUndead by]] ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', go [[Film/TheUndead here]].

This trope has nothing at all to do with the band Music/HollywoodUndead.

For the Creator/RogerCorman film riffed [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E06TheUndead by]] Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000, go [[Film/TheUndead here]].

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just fancy [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton. He and his lesser servants may be formerly human, especially if YouKillItYouBoughtIt is in effect; but other times they will be just AnthropmorphicPersonification s of Death who have a lot in common with the Undead even though they aren't dead humans.

* Death, a.k.a. TheGrimReaper: The big guy himself, usually portrayed as an ImplacableMan in a BlackCloak carrying a SinisterScythe. But [[ComicBook/TheSandman not]] [[Series/DeadLikeMe always]]. [[AC:[[Literature/{{Discworld}} MAY SPEAK IN]] [[PaintingTheMedium ALL CAPS]]]]. Is a very diligent worker, who truly [[DeathTakesAHoliday deserves some vacation time]] every now and then. He might ask you nicely to GoIntoTheLight or he might try to send you there [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} himself]]. Or he might just fancy [[ChessWithDeath a nice game of chess]]. There are also variations that look similar to TheGrimReaper but aren't unique beings, yet still more dangerous and rare than your run-of-the-mill skeleton.

** [[RaisingTheSteaks Zombie Animal]]s: Take everything previously mentioned about the undead, and now apply it to all forms of life. As it turns out, [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins not everything is better with penguins]].