History Main / WickedWeasel

Mongooses are saved, ironically not by the fact that they're technically more closely related to cats and hyenas than to the weasels they resemble, but by being famous for [[SnakeVersusMongoose fighting snakes]]. With the usual Western reflex of ReptilesAreAbhorrent, the image of a cute furry critter, which represents everything Western culture associates with good, fearlessly taking on deadly snakes equally associated with evil is irresistible, giving them a reputation as swashbuckling heroes of India. In folklore, this extends to mythical creatures such as the [[BasiliskAndCockatrice Basilisk]], in which case the weasel and its cousins may well be portrayed as heroes. Badgers, on the other hand, are [[BadOlBadger portrayed as more vicious, aggressive, and frankly unfriendly creatures]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Hamsterdam}}'': One of the enemy types you face in tha game are weasels who work for the Vermin Gang.

* In the Japanese CG film ''Air Bound'', the main villain is an albino weasel named Winston ([[WTHCastingAgency dubbed by]] Creator/JonLovitz PlayingAgainstType). He is enormous and physically opposing and possesses psychic powers which he uses to hypnotize victims into coming to him so he can eat them. He is abetted by an army of smaller but equally vicious weasel {{Mooks}}.

* The villainous Arnold in Fanfic/SoullessShell is a ferret. In the canon, {{Literature/Redwall}}, ferrets are AlwaysChaoticEvil - this is about the only point this TransplantedCharacterFic shares with its originating canon.

* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': Doom the mongoose is notably temperamental and is prone to biting and hissing. He doesn't even like being called cute.

* In Literature/TheBerenstainBears SpinOff ''Bear Scouts'' series, an underground society of weasels, led by [[ObviouslyEvil Weasel [=McGreed=]]], are occasional villains who occasionally try to conquer Bear County. Unlike the bears' more nuanced society, which has its flaws and bad apples but is well-meaning overall, the weasels are AlwaysChaoticEvil, with no redeeming qualities or exceptions.

** Played with by Hisuian Sneasel, who are still predators who use poison but lack the standard Sneasel's spiteful personality.

* In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', Snide the Weasel was a former Kremling mechanic, although he [[HeelFaceTurn defected]] to the heroes' side once K. Rool [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal turned on him out of paranoia]]. While still a bit shifty, he does help the Kongs by giving them Golden Bananas and by delaying K. Rool's Blast-O-Matic if you give him blueprints.

* In ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' Pooh attempts to track a "Woozle" and a "Wizzle". (Turns out, he was actually tracking himself and Piglet.) In the TV series, Woozles [[RealAfterAll actually exist]], and (usually) act as villains. The trope is played straight by Stan, a scheming and vindictive honey thief, but subverted by Wooster, a giant Woozle who Pooh talks into a HeelFaceTurn. The trope is also played straight in that [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/7/78/Stanws47.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130418185735 Stan]] looks far more like a real weasel, albeit an anthropomorphic one, while [[http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/5/5b/What_friends_for.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120328003439 Wooster]] is a CartoonCreature.

* Woozles from ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh''.

* Fang The Sniper (known as Nack the Weasel in the U.S.) of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. Little known fact: In Japan, Fang is considered to be a wolf/jerboa hybrid. In America, he's only a weasel.

** Temari's summon is a Kamaitachi (sickle weasel). She's not ''evil'', but she and her siblings start off as antagonistic.
** Itachi's name means "weasel" in Japanese, and he massacred his entire clan for power. [[spoiler:Subverted, though, when it's revealed that he did it to prevent a coup and was a hero all along.]]

* ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'': Temari's summon is a Kamaitachi (sickle weasel).

-->-- '''Flinky the stoat''' ([[IAmNotWeasel not the same as the least weasel, the species traditionally known as simply the "weasel"]], but technically still a weasel in the broad sense as the Eurasian stoat is in the subfamily Mustelinae), ''[[Literature/{{Redwall}} Loamhedge]]''

Mongooses are saved, ironically not by the fact that they're technically more closely related to cats and hyenas than to the weasels they resemble, but by being famous for [[SnakeVersusMongoose fighting]] [[SnakesAreSinister snakes]]. With the usual Western reflex of ReptilesAreAbhorrent, the image of a cute furry critter, which represents everything Western culture associates with good, fearlessly taking on deadly snakes equally associated with evil is irresistible, giving them a reputation as swashbuckling heroes of India. In folklore, this extends to mythical creatures such as the [[BasiliskAndCockatrice Basilisk]], in which case the weasel and its cousins may well be portrayed as heroes. Badgers, on the other hand, are [[BadOlBadger portrayed as more vicious, aggressive, and frankly unfriendly creatures]].

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', there're a lot of hints that Kyubey is a lot more sinister than he seems. [[spoiler:By the end of episode 8, they're [[http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/AthenAltena/kyuubeyaaah.png not even bothering trying to hide it.]]]] Kyubey sorta zigzags the trope. [[spoiler:In a few words, assuming he's not lying, his intentions are noble (saving the universe from destruction), but the means he employs to this end are [[LackOfEmpathy absolutely]] [[FateWorseThanDeath heinous]]. You could probably call him NecessarilyEvil.]]

* In Literature/TheBerenstainBears SpinOff ''Bear Scouts'' series, an underground society of weasels, led by [[ObviouslyEvil Weasel]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast [=McGreed=]]], are occasional villains who occasionally try to conquer Bear County. Unlike the bears' more nuanced society, which has its flaws and bad apples but is well-meaning overall, the weasels are AlwaysChaoticEvil, with no redeeming qualities or exceptions.
* Also averted in ''Literature/TheBookOfTheDunCow''. John Wesley Weasel, although fierce, stubborn and implied to be a ReformedCriminal, is extremely loyal to the rooster protagonist, is undoubtedly one of the good guys, and literally kills thousands [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge of enemy basilisks]] [[UnstoppableRage single-handedly]] after one [[spoiler:murders his friend]]. Also unlike the usual portrayal of evil weasels, he is disgusted by the cowardly Mad House of Otter and is extremely brave.

* This is heavily invoked in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Although normal people (for a given definition of "normal"), individuals belonging to [[TangledFamilyTree House]] [[{{Jerkass}} Frey]] regularly do get compared with weasels. This is not only because of their chinless, [[LeanAndMean regularly gaunt looks]], but thanks to their [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder many]] unsavoury [[ObstructiveBureaucrat habits]], as well. Even the chunkier ones don't escape either the narrative or other characters describing them as weasels. The weaseliest weasel who ever [[WeaselWords weaseled]], however, remains [[{{Troll}} Lord Walder]]. Although his kin [[JerkJock Black Walder]], [[BastardBastard Bastard Walder]] and [[BitchInSheepsClothing Lame Lothar]] aren't all that far behind him -- he just has [[EvilOldFolks more decades of being despicable]] under his belt. Some (lucky) few in the family do escape the whole weasel motif, but you can count them on one hand. Which isn't a [[TangledFamilyTree large proportion of the family]].

Mustelids are recently becoming popular as heroic WeaselMascot characters, but it wasn't always so. Older European works in particular portray weasels as [[LovableRogue sneaky at best]] and [[AlwaysChaoticEvil downright villainous at worst]], [[PredatorsAreMean often as the nemesis of a prey animal protagonist]]. As a general rule, fictional weasels are [[DirtyCoward cowardly about direct confrontation, but cunning, treacherous and cruel]], and sometimes downright AxCrazy. Such villainous portrayals might stem from weasels preying on poultry and rabbits from farms -- [[EvilEggEater often targeting eggs]] (hence a reputation as thief). They also do have a tendency to indulge in overkill; a weasel that makes it into a henhouse may get overexcited and kill more chickens than it can eat.

In addition to the least weasel (known as just the "weasel" in the UK) and the long-tailed weasel (the common species of the continental US), the related stoats and polecats get a fair amount of this. Domestic ferrets (a domestic version of the European polecat) are portrayed similarly as [[FriskyFerret clever, hyperactive, slightly crazy tricksters]], but are often [[WeaselMascot cute and harmless rather than malicious]], probably because people are increasingly likely to be familiar with them as pets. Martens and fishers are somewhat less likely to be lumped in with weasels, and otters are [[PlayfulOtter something completely different]], as are [[BadOlBadger badgers]] and wolverines. Skunks, formerly classified as mustelids but now given their own group Mephitidae, have [[SmellySkunk their own trope]]; a skunk is definitely something to avoid, but is just as always as wicked as a weasel. Even in nowadays, skunks have displaced weasels in general for the villainous roles.

Mongooses are saved, ironically not by the fact that they're technically more closely related to cats and hyenas than to the weasels they resemble, but by being famous for [[SnakeVersusMongoose fighting]] [[SnakesAreSinister snakes]]. With the usual Western reflex of ReptilesAreAbhorrent, the image of a cute furry critter, which represents everything Western culture associates with good, fearlessly taking on deadly snakes equally associated with evil is irresistible, giving them a reputation as swashbuckling heroes of India. In folklore this extends to mythical creatures such as the [[BasiliskAndCockatrice Basilisk]], in which case the weasel and its cousins may well be portrayed as heroes. Badgers on the other hand are [[BadOlBadger portrayed as more vicious, aggressive, and frankly unfriendly creatures]].

* In ''Anime/BNABrandNewAnimal'', Marie [[IAmNotWeasel is quick to remind you her beastman form is a mink]], but given her behavior, it's an understandable confusion. While she's not irredeemably evil or violent (and even plays a role in stopping the BigBad), she is a ''very'' untrustworthy con artist, smuggler, and fence who regularly swindles people out of exhorbitant amounts of money for shoddy items.

* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', there's a lot of hints that Kyubey is a lot more sinister than he seems. [[spoiler:By the end of episode 8, they're [[http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/AthenAltena/kyuubeyaaah.png not even bothering trying to hide it.]]]] Kyubey sorta zigzags the trope. [[spoiler:In a few words, assuming he's not lying, his intentions are noble (saving the universe from destruction), but the means he employs to this end are [[LackOfEmpathy absolutely]] [[FateWorseThanDeath heinous]]. You could probably call him NecessarilyEvil.]]

* Shady characters are sometimes portrayed as weasels in ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}''. In one case this lead to an EvenEvilHasStandards moment when the weasel quit rather than help the company downplay its new product's horrible flaws with buzzwords.

** In the first game, weasels serve as enemies in Zone J. They are dressed like gangsters not unlike the Toon Patrol in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', fire plunger guns, and take two hits to kill.

* Sneasel and Weavile of ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' are [[CombatPragmatist Dark]][=/=][[AnIcePerson Ice]] sickle weasel Pokémon who are noted in their Pokédex entries to be intelligent and vicious egg thieves. Sneasel's Hisuian form introduced in ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' and its new evolution, Sneasler, are not stated to be spiteful but are stated to use their poisonous claws on prey, and no other Pokémon would be willing to defeat Sneasler in battle.

* Ultimately subverted with Trixie of ''Webcomic/HodgesPond'' - while she can be a bully, she also has sympathetic and likeable moments.

* In the WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} cartoon, ''WesternAnimation/HowToBeADetective'', a weasel thug tries to thwart detective Goofy (known here as Johnny Eyeball) from solving the case of the mysterious "Al", with various acts of FamilyUnfriendlyViolence (the likes of which have kept the cartoon from regular circulation on TV). At the end, this same weasel serves as the parson for WesternAnimation/{{Pete}}'s (revealed to himself be the missing Al) and the dame's wedding.

* Wheezelene, Cheezel and Sneezel from ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseFunhouse'' are a TerribleTrio of weasels who cause trouble to the gang on occasion.

* Subverted in Cordwainer Smith's short story "Mother Hitton's Little Kittons", a planet is defended by telepathically broadcasting the vicious ravings of insane, psychic minks, causing a villain to [[spoiler:commit suicide before he can attack the planet.]] (A mink is a type of mustelid, like weasels).

** Badgers, on the other hand, are universally good, if somewhat unsafe to be around when in battle due to a species tendency to go [[TheBerserker completely berserk]] (if a Bloodwrath-possessed badger ever killed an ally it's not shown, but the risk is still present).

* This is heavily invoked in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Although normal people (for a given definition of "normal"), individuals belonging to [[TangledFamilyTree House]] [[{{Jerkass}} Frey]] regularly do get compared with weasels. And, this is not only because of their chinless, [[LeanAndMean regularly gaunt looks]], but thanks to their [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder many]] unsavoury [[ObstructiveBureaucrat habits]], as well. Even the chunkier ones don't escape either the narrative or other characters describing them as weasels. The weaseliest weasel who ever [[WeaselWords weaseled]], however, remains [[{{Troll}} Lord Walder]]. Although his kin [[JerkJock Black Walder]], [[BastardBastard Bastard Walder]] and [[BitchInSheepsClothing Lame Lothar]] aren't all that far behind him -- he just has [[EvilOldFolks more decades of being despicable]] under his belt. Some (lucky) few in the family do escape the whole weasel motif, but you can count them on one hand. Which isn't a [[TangledFamilyTree large proportion of the family]].

* In ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' Pooh attempts to track a "Woozle" and a "Wizzle". (Turns out, he was actually tracking himself and the Piglet.) In the TV series Woozles [[RealAfterAll actually exist]], and (usually) act as villains. The trope is played straight by Stan, a scheming and vindictive honey thief, but subverted by Wooster, a giant Woozle who Pooh talks into a HeelFaceTurn. The trope is also played straight in that [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/7/78/Stanws47.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130418185735 Stan]] looks far more like a real weasel, albeit an anthropomorphic one, while [[http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/5/5b/What_friends_for.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120328003439 Wooster]] is a CartoonCreature.

* Also in Japanese lore is Raijū(Thunder Beast), a companion of Raijin who is often depicted as a weasel. Normally he is calm and harmless, but gets agitated during thunderstorms and leaps about trees and buildings, scratching them with lightning.

* Bluto in ''Film/AnimalHouse'' names one of the pledges to the mischievous Delta Tau Chi fraternity "Weasel." One of the senior members of the frat is named "Otter," although other than being [[ReallyGetsAround lecherous]] and something of a {{Jerkass}}, he isn't really villainous.

* Korra from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' calls [[SmugSnake Tarrlok]] a "weasel snake" due to the fact that weasels and snakes are cunning predators.

* Weazel in ''Franchise/StarWars'' is introduced as a bully who mocks Anakin's podracer skills in ''Film/StarWarsThePhantomMenace''. When he returns as an adult in ''{{Film/Solo}}'', he's working as an enforcer for the SpacePirate Enfys Nest, [[spoiler:although, like her, he's [[GoodAllAlong working for a proto-Rebel cell]] and fighting the Empire, so he's ultimately a subversion.]]

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1397656561002803900

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/toonpatrol_2466.jpg]]]]

* In the first season of ''Animation/SquirrelAndHedgehog'', the weasels, [[{{Anvilicious}} allegorical of Japan]], are [[BigBad the main antagonists]]. They're portrayed as [[AlwaysChaoticEvil heartless conquerors that cannot and should not be reasoned with]].