Line #98 Main/ABeastInNameAndNature


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19	[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/XMen https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/henry_mccoy_earth_295_from_x_men_trading_cards_marvel_onslaught_ultra_1996.png]]]]
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21	In fiction, there's a popular tendency for especially fearsome characters to be known as "The Beast," or some variation on this theme. A subtrope of NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast, the reasons for this particular moniker vary from depiction to depiction, though rarely for positive ones.
22
23	In some cases, this is due to the character possessing some animalistic attribute, a "beastly" appearance or nature . In others, this is due to brutish, violent or savage behavior, a close tie-in with the first reason possibly to the point of being a FeralVillain. Alternatively, it will be associated with the [[BeastOfTheApocalypse titular beast]] of Christian theology and the Book of Revelation, there may be some connection with the demonic or diabolical; the MarkOfTheBeast may be utilized.
24
25	Other times, the character in question is literally an animal -- only so monstrous or so indescribable that giving it any name other than "beast" simply will not suffice.
26
27	On occasion, a hero may end up with this name for similar reasons -- but not often.
28
29	----
30	!!Examples:
31	[[foldercontrol]]
32
33	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
34	* The Beast of Darkness (or simply "the Beast") from ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' is Guts's EnemyWithin. This horrific {{Hellhound}}-like monstrosity is the manifestation of all the fear, hatred and other negative emotions that arose in Guts after the living hell that was The Eclipse, and it wants more than anything to have Guts take revenge on the Godhand and every demon in existence while turning Guts into a monster himself.
35	* ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'': Downplayed. Atsushi's Ability is called 'Beast Beneath the Moonlight', which enables him to transform into a tiger with a HealingFactor. Unfortunately, Atsushi can't control his Ability without the aid of Fukuzawa's, and when exposed to moonlight during a conversation with Dazai, he went from being a nervous kid to a hungry monster in seconds.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Comic Books]]
39	* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': The Beast is the name of a demon tied to the origins of the evil {{Ninja}} clan known as the Hand. In the ''ComicBook/{{Shadowland}}'' story arc, [[DemonicPossession it possesses Matt.]]
40	* ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}'': The alien Thokk goes by the moniker Battle Beast. He is a shameless BloodKnight and has the appearance of a [[GreatWhiteFeline white, lion-like]] creature. While technically on the side of the heroes, Thokk is only working with them to satisfy his own bloodlust.
41	* ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'': At one point God names Cassidy "Beast" to express contempt for Cassidy being a blood-drinking parasite that crawls in the night. [[spoiler:And despite God's own many failings, this judgement of Cassidy was correct. Cassidy lives down to the name due to his tendency to drag other people down into ruin with his careless selfish hedonism.]]
42	* ''ComicBook/XMen'': The series offers a rare heroic version in the form of Hank [=McCoy=], AKA ComicBook/{{Beast\|MarvelComics}}: codenamed for his gorilla-like physique, enormous hands and feet, and (later) his blue fur and other animalistic attributes. In sharp contrast to his beastly appearance, Hank is commonly portrayed as a brilliant scientist and a gentleman. However, this is played straight by his MadScientist EvilCounterpart [[ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse Dark Beast]], as well as his BadFuture self that shows up in ''ComicBook/NewXMen'', and later in ''[[Comicbook/XMenTheKrakoanAge The Krakoan Age]]'', Beast is the increasingly morally compromised leader of [[Comicbook/XForce2019 X-Force]].
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
46	* The StarterVillain of ''WesternAnimation/{{Nine}}'' is "the Beast", a savage and terrifying MechanicalMonster with a SkullForAHead determined to hunt down the stitchpunks and awaken the film's true BigBad from its long slumber. Fans sometimes call it "the Cat Beast" due to its feline skull.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
50	* The BigBad of ''Film/{{Krull}}'' is known only as the Beast, an EvilOverlord leading the Slayers in an attempted plan to fulfill a prophecy that he believes will allow him to take over the universe.
51	* In ''Film/KungFuHustle'', one of the many villains is an ArrogantKungFuGuy dubbed "the Beast"[[note]]This is a DubNameChange. In the original Cantonese, his name was 火雲邪神 ("[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Fire Cloud Evil God]]")[[/note]]. Known for his Toad-style fighting technique, he spent a big chunk of the backstory killing various masters in search of a WorthyOpponent, before checking himself into a mental asylum out of sheer boredom. Despite his seemingly-lackadaisical appearance and laid-back attitude, he soon proves himself one of the deadliest combatants in the film by [[spoiler: killing the apparent BigBad and taking centre stage as the main villain of the story.]]
52	* ''Film/MenInBlack3'' has a variant with the BigBad's nickname "Boris the Animal," [[EmbarrassingNickname which he hates]] ("[[BerserkButton It's just Boris!]]").
53	* The sinister entity behind the haunting in ''Film/{{Poltergeist\|1982}}'' is referred to as "The Beast" - in this case, a definite nod to a demonic nature.
54	* The dreaded guard dog of ''Film/TheSandlot'' is popularly known as "The Beast" by the local kids; believed to be genetically-altered by his equally-dreaded owner and responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, nobody even dares to broach the fence for a closer look at him... which is a bit of a problem when Scotty ends up losing a priceless baseball over the fence. [[spoiler: It turns out that the dog is not only harmless, but is actually a BigFriendlyDog. His ''real'' name is Hercules.]]
55	* ''Film/ShotCaller'': The imposing leader of the Aryan Brotherhood chapter is known only as "The Beast". Captures both his brutal, animalistic nature, and as a dragon for Jacob to slay.
56	* In ''Film/{{Split}},'' the last and most feared of all Kevin Wendell Crumb's multiple personalities is the Beast. Revered as a godlike entity by Hedwig, Dennis and Patricia, he's the logical conclusion of the ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve nature of the personalities, possessing superhuman strength, speed, and even bullet-proof skin. Also, he's possessed of an appropriately animalistic personality, either crushing his foes with his bare hands or literally devouring their bodies.
57	* ''Film/UltramanTheNext'': The film's main antagonist is a monster known as Beast the One who is portrayed as a terrifying EldritchAbomination
58	* Throughout ''Film/WhatWeDoInTheShadows'', frequent references are made to Vladislav's arch-nemesis, known as "The Beast". It is eventually revealed to be [[spoiler: a subversion, as The Beast is just an ex-girlfriend who barely remembers him when they encounter each other at a party.]]
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Literature]]
62	* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' provides a rare heroic example: the [[PuppeteerParasite Yeerks]] apparently refer to one of their great opponents, [[TheAce Elfangor]], as "Beast Elfangor." His brother [[TokenNonHuman Ax]] is rather pleased by this.
63	* The main antagonist of Peter Benchley's ''Literature/{{Beast}}'' is a giant squid of the same name, a hundred-foot-long creature known for preying on local shipping as well as unlucky swimmers.
64	* In ''Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast'' and its various adaptations, the eponymous character is so named due to his animalistic appearance and brutish nature, the result of his KarmicTransformation into a monster. It's not until he is able to overcome his beasty attitude and win true love that he loses both the name and the appearance.
65	* In ''Literature/DragonlanceTheNewAdventures'', the characters come to a town terrorized by both bandits and a bear-like monster called "the Beast". It turns out the Beast WasOnceAMan and [[ThisWasHisTrueForm returns to his true form]] ([[spoiler:Senwyr, Davyn's father]]) when killed.
66	* Count Glossu Rabban of ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' is popularly known as "Beast Rabban" by his subjects for his unrelenting cruelty. Needless to say, he most commonly serves as TheBrute to his uncle, [[BigBad Baron Vladimir Harkonnen]], in his efforts to crush the population of Arrakis.
67	* The BigBad of ''Literature/TheMagicians'' is named "the Beast" by the Brakebills faculty for want of a better title - as absolutely nothing is known about him when he first appears. A neatly-dressed HumanoidAbomination with too many fingers and a face perpetually covered by a branch, his name is a reference to the fact that he's believed to be an extension of a full-blown EldritchAbomination hidden in another world... but also to the fact that he eats Amanda Orloff alive in his first appearance. [[spoiler: He's actually none other than Martin Chatwin, one of the heroes of the ''Fillory and Further'' book series, having literally given up his "humanity" to remain in Fillory and became a monster as a result.]]
68	* ''Literature/PrincessesOfThePizzaParlor'': In ''Princesses on the Lonely Isle'', said "Lonely Isle" is also known as the "Island of the Beast", and said Beast has other names:
69	--> the Fallen Guardian, Lurraldea's Bane. It would rage and lay waste, then disappear for decades, then be returning both larger and more powerfully. Time and time again it would come, to be causing despair and destruction.
70	* In ''Literature/TheSecretsOfDroon'', "Beast" is a classification of evil creatures, under the control of the Beast Emperor, [[BigBad Ko]]. Other than {{Red Eyes\|Take Warning}}, they have no common appearance and are a wide range of MixAndMatchCritters (for example, Ko is a three-eyed minotaur with four arms).
71	* Beast of Burden in ''Literature/{{Ward}}'' is a villain and mercenary with a Brute power that allows him to move easily despite wearing heavy steel armor. His rude and violent behavior makes him a Brute in more than just classification.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
75	* In the fourth season of ''Series/{{Angel}}'', a demonic-looking creature called the Beast is the first ArcVillain of the season. He is eventually replaced by [[spoiler:Angelus]] and then [[spoiler:Jasmine]].
76	* ''Series/{{The Chase\|GameShow}}'': Mark Labbett goes by "The Beast" due to his genius-level knowledge of trivia, and perhaps also his imposing figure at the time of the show. As a Chaser, he is basically the antagonist of the episodes he's in, as the players have to compete against him to win.
77	* The SealedEvilInACan of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' two-parter "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E8TheImpossiblePlanet The Impossible Planet]] / [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E9TheSatanPit The Satan Pit]]" refers to itself as the Beast. A BigRedDevil from before the dawn of time, he's claimed to be the inspiration for every single Satan-like figure in the universe's mythology, and specifically claims to have been ''known'' by the names of Abaddon and Lucifer, along with many other ominous titles. For good measure, his human hosts even manifest a MarkOfTheBeast.
78	* ''Series/TheSopranos'': Phil Leotardo takes to referring to Tony Blundetto as "Animal Blundetto" after the latter [[YouKilledMyFather murdered his brother Billy]] during the Lupertazzi civil war. In reality, Tony B. was more of a BewareTheNiceOnes-type guy who got in over his head when he recklessly tried to make a name for himself, with the vicious, hotheaded Phil himself being a much better candidate for that title.
79	* ''Series/TeenWolf'': The BigBad of Season 5 is The Beast, a.k.a. [[spoiler:The Beast of Gevaudan, the first werewolf the Argent family ever killed.]]
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Music]]
83	* Finnish singer-songwriter Anton Kabanen's two PowerMetal bands Music/BattleBeast and Music/BeastInBlack both reference a "Beast" who fights in a RobotWar AfterTheEnd in some of the songs. It doubles as a reference to Guts from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' when he goes into UnstoppableRage.
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
87	* In the Book of Revelation, [[BeastOfTheApocalypse two "beasts"]] are stated to emerge in the last days as servants of the Dragon. The first, the Beast from the ocean, is a monstrous creature that inspires humanity to follow it. The second, the Beast from the earth, is also known as the False Prophet; he commands that the people worship the first Beast and accept a MarkOfTheBeast -- with dissenters being executed. As such, the second Beast is a popular contender for the role of the AntiChrist.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
91	* In ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'', The Beast is the true nature of the vampire - a savage, mindless killing machine without any remorse or inhibitions. Most vampires desperately cling to some semblance of being a human solely in order to retain self-control and keep The Beast at bay; some choose other, more alien philosophies, but everyone agrees that losing yourself completely to your primal nature is a ''very'' bad thing.
92	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000: [[Literature/TheBeastArises The War of the Beast]]'' was the single most destructive war the Imperium ever faced since the Literature/HorusHeresy against the biggest Ork warlord ever; known as the Beast, he was so huge he was at first mistaken for a HumongousMecha and also [[GeniusBruiser terrifyingly intelligent]] by Ork standards. [[spoiler:And then it turns out there were ''six'' of them.]] [[spoiler:In addition, The Beast's Orcish name was translated to Gothic as "I am Slaughter"... but in Orcish, it was "Mag Uruk Thraka", marking Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, the Beast of Armageddon, as the next incarnation of The Beast.]] That [[spoiler:Mag Uruk Thraka sounds like UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher]] is either an unfortunate coincidence or a full-on TakeThat, depending on who you ask.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Video Games]]
96	* ''VideoGame/BugFables'' features The Beast, a giant monstrous [[CreepyCentipedes centipede]] responsible for deaths of many travelers who cross the Wild Swamplands, [[spoiler:including [[ItsPersonal Kabbu's old friends]].]]
97	* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', during the quest "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine," Madanach's cell is guarded by an orc named Borkul the Beast, who once ripped a man's arm off and beat him to death with it.
98	* Among the [[BodyHorror Marked Men]] patrolling the Divide in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas - Lonesome Road'' is a unique specimen known simply as Beast, likely due to the fact that his fearsome-looking gear invokes the armour of [[TheButcher Legate Lanius]] (AKA the Monster of the East)... but also because he's an insane, skinless ghoul kept alive by ThePowerOfHate and armed with a [[{{BFG}} gigantic rocket launcher]].
99	* The finale of ''VideoGame/InFamous'' reveals that the true overarching threat of the setting is a giant, lava-skinned HumanoidAbomination known to Kessler as the Beast, responsible for destroying the world in one possible future. Likely named due to the connections with the Book of Revelation, the Beast becomes the BigBad of ''VideoGame/InFamous2'', destroying an entire city and leaving a trail of destruction across most of the American east coast before catching up with Cole for the second time. [[spoiler: He's actually John White, one of your allies for the first game, and his real goal is [[WellIntentionedExtremist to save potential Conduits from the plague now killing humanity]]. Unfortunately, saving them requires more ray sphere explosions to activate their latent powers, resulting in more destruction, more deaths, and a greater spread of the plague -- in other words, the extinction of the human race.]]
100	* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'': [[AmbiguouslyEvil Kreia]]'s [[TheNicknamer nickname]] for the Wookie bounty hunter [[TheBrute Hanharr]] is simply "Beast." Normally, this would be just another sign of Kreia's FantasticRacism, but in Hanharr's case, he's more than earned the title: quite apart from his crimes as a hunter and [[DebtDetester his efforts to murder anyone he owes a life-debt to]], his own tribe exiled him for insanity [[spoiler: before he killed them in a demented attempt to save them from enslavement.]]
101	* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWarsDaysOfRuin'': The StarterVillain is a man simply known as The Beast. When he meets the BigBad Dr. Caulder, Caulder originally refers to The Beast as Sergeant, before correcting himself -- the Beast was dishonorably discharged from the military for his extreme aggressiveness.
102	* ''VideoGame/MinecraftLegends'': The Beast is the leader of the Horde of the Hunt who resembles a [[OurCentaursAreDifferent centaur]]. He attacks villages at night and will easily destroy your walls.
103	* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'': The Beast is a creature mentioned in the lore as a source of virtue gems and thaumaturgy. It is a RealityWarper that created the [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]] you see in Acts 3 and 4. In Act 4, the Exile ventures inside the Beast to destroy it. [[spoiler:The Beast was created by Sin to suppress the gods and put them in an eternal slumber, but Sin created the Beast with [[NonMaliciousMonster no ambition of its own]], which made it vulnerable to ambitious humans trying to use the Beast for their gain.]]
104	* ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'': In the backstory, the legendary [[VampireMonarch vampire queen Mara]] took to living large in mid-20th century Romania, committing such grisly crimes that Nicolae Ceausescu's Securitate could barely keep them hidden from the public -- earning herself the nickname "The Beast of Bucharest" in the process. Unbelievably enough, this reputation led to her becoming partners with [[SovietSuperscience the Red Hand]] and paving the way for even ''bigger'' atrocities.
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Web Animation]]
108	* ORB is the titular character from ''WebAnimation/OtherworldlyRavenousBeast'', and are also an AncientEvil. They don't let that part go unnoticed.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Webcomics]]
112	* In ''Beetle Hands'', a [[EldritchAbomination nightmarish creature]] known only as The Beast stalks the hallways of [[EldritchLocation The Heartland]], eating the humans it lures inside. Its true nature is as yet unknown, but given that it's shown to be a ManipulativeBastard sporting BodyHorror aplenty (the first few chapters that finally showed [[NightmareFace its face]] had ContentWarnings tags on them ''for good reason''), [[SatanicArchetype the description is apt]].
113	* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': '''[[green:BEAST]]''' is one of the seven names of TheCreator and TopGod YISUN, and is currently held by the GodEmperor Gog-Agog. Gog-Agog, fittingly, is by far the most beastly of the [[BigBadEnsemble Seven Black Emperors]], being a MadGod WormThatWalks EvilDiva who infects and assimilates others into new copies of herself. [[WrongContextMagic She's also a unique being]] in that animals aren't ''supposed'' to have soul flames, and yet she does.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Web Original]]
117	* ''Website/{{Neopets}}'' has the Lair of the Beast, which houses the eponymous Beast: a pterodactyl-like creature who is notorious for its really loud, [[JumpScare startling]] roar. If you go to the Lair, your pet will display a hangdog expression and tell you IDontThinkThatsSuchAGoodIdea all the way.
118	* ''Literature/PiecingTogetherTheAshesReconstructingTheOldWorldOrder'': The backstory has the GeneralRipper-turned-PresidentEvil who took control of America from a left-wing government in a MilitaryCoup, and proceeded to persecute Muslims, invade neighboring countries when they protested his actions, and finally nuked the world in a delusional belief that God told him to do so. By the "present" of the story's far-future setting, he's remembered only as "the Beast" and is considered to have been evil incarnate.
119	* ''WebOriginal/WalkingCityOCT'' has The Beast, an eldritch parasitic virus that can infect and assimilate both machinery and living beings alike. It assimilates several entities in the city, eventually gaining enough power to turn into the greatest threat in the story.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Western Animation]]
123	* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Bill Cipher, the series BigBad, is once called the 'Beast With Just One Eye' by Fiddleford. Given the many {{Eldritch Abomination}}s he transforms into later, this is deserved.
124	--> When gravity falls and earth becomes sky beware the beast with just one eye
125	* In ''WesternAnimation/OverTheGardenWall,'' the BigBad is called the Beast. However, it comes off as a NonIndicativeName, as the Beast is a [[FauxAffablyEvil well-spoken]] HumanoidAbomination [[spoiler:whose true form [[BotanicalAbomination resembles a plant more than an animal]]]]. Then again, with all the show's references to ''Literature/TheDivineComedy,'' he might be a reference to [[SatanicArchetype a specific Beast]].
126	* The BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/ShadowRaiders'' is the Beast Planet, a gargantuan, malevolent EldritchAbomination that consumes any planet it finds - represented by an entity known only as the Beast.
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:Real Life]]
130	* Creator/AleisterCrowley liked to call himself "the Beast [[NumberOfTheBeast 666]]", among other elaborate occult titles; amusingly, his own mother referred to him as "the beast" throughout his childhood, [[InsultBackfire a fact that young Crowley delighted in]].
131	* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_Gévaudan Beast of Gévaudan]] was a man-eating animal that terrorized the province of Gévaudan in France between 1764 and 1767. Although generally thought to have been a large wolf or wolf-dog, some contradictory reports depicted it as a different beast. It spawned lots of articles in the contemporary press and many conspiracies and legends surrounding it.
132	* Reinhard Heydrich was known as "The Blond Beast" both for his blonde hair and ruthlessness: he was one of the most infamous Nazis of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, having helped organize ''Kristallnacht'' beforehand, was directly responsible for the ''Einsatzgruppen'' death squads, and chaired the 1942 Wannsee Conference that formalized the Final Solution.
133	* This wasn't uncommon among Nazis. Josef Kramer, the notoriously vicious commander of Belsen concentration camp, was known as the Beast of Belsen.
134	* The US presidential state limo is often known as "The Beast".
135	* Kaiser Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler were nicknamed in successive World Wars as "The Beast of Berlin" in UK propaganda.
136	* Notorious [[TheMafia Sicilian mob boss]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvatore_Riina Salvatore Riina]] acquired the monicker "''La Belva''" - literally "The Beast" - for his brutality: he is believed to have ordered the deaths of at least a hundred and fifty people over the course of his reign, including women and [[WouldHurtAChild children]]... and those are just the ''known'' casualties.
137	[[/folder]]
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Context Main / ABeastInNameAndNature