Line #5 Main/CowardlyYellow


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5	[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/TomAndJerry https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_milky_waif___tom_turning_yellowpng.jpg]]]]
6	[-[[caption-width-right:350:♫ [[Music/KennyRogers His momma named him Tommy, folks just called him Yellow]] ♫]]-]
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11	->'''Mayor Hop-along Casualty:''' The Sheriff's got a yeller-streak down his back!\
12	'''Beetlejuice:''' You callin' me a chicken?
13	-->-- ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'', "Pest o' the West"
14
15	When calling out an act of cowardice, it's common to call the person "yellow" or "yellow-bellied". To get the point across that someone is a DirtyCoward or a NervousWreck, they may be associated with the color yellow. Sometimes, particularly in cartoons, a character's whole body briefly turns yellow when they are extremely frightened. A specific version is someone with a yellow streak on their back, based on the phrase "a yellow streak (possibly a mile wide) down their back".
16
17	One explanation for why yellow is generally associated with cowardice is the insinuation that the insulted person would [[BringMyBrownPants void their bladder and thus make a yellow puddle]] if confronted with a situation that required a level of courage. "Yellow-bellied" is believed to come from old folk medicine where courage "comes" from the liver[[note]]derived from Persian and Hindi languages; nowadays it's "guts" that is the slang for courage[[/note]]; when you have liver disease, you may get jaundice, where your skin (including the stomach) becomes yellow. Diseased liver, and thus the yellow belly, means the opposite of courage -- cowardice.
18
19	Another theory is that "yellow belly" refers to egg yolk, as chickens are associated with cowardice, and egg yolk being yellow. However, this idea didn't arrive until the 20th century. People have also speculated that it was designed to be the opposite of guts, a term used to describe bravery, because of yellow's association with falsehood (i.e. fake courage).
20
21	A subtrope of ColorCodedEmotions. Related to ColorMotif, MetaphoricMetamorphosis and VisualPun. See also BringMyBrownPants, when they actually void their bladder or rectum in fear. Not to be confused with ColorFailure, which is when characters turn white or grayscale in response to hearing shocking and/or bad news.
22
23	----
24	!!Examples:
25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Advertising]]
28	* When Pringles potato chips were first introduced, there was only one plain variety available and they came in a red can. When Pringles with ridges were introduced, the new cans were yellow. One commercial, probably in an old-west saloon type setting, has one guy saying "Hey, it's yellow". An adjacent cowboy-type character replies, threateningly, "Watch who you call yellow!". The first guy says "No, I mean the Pringles can."
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
32	* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': Zenitsu wears a yellow haori and has bright yellow hair. He has no real desire to be a demon slayer, balks at the first sign of danger, bursts into wails and tears when confronted with a fight, and faints when stressed, which seems to be the majority of the time. The only reason he is a demon slayer is because he has developed a highly competent SplitPersonality he slips into when unconscious after his former instructor put him through [[TrainingFromHell brutal training]].
33	* ''Anime/PrettyCure'': Typically inverted, as yellow Cures tend to be either energetic and outgoing (ex. [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Urara]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Homare]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Elena]], [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Hinata]], [[Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure Ran]]) or gentle and elegant (ex. [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Inori]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Itsuki]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Alice]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Yuko]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Kirara]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Minori]]). However, occasionally yellow Cures will be a ShrinkingViolet, such as:
34	** ''Anime/SmilePrecure'': Yayoi/Cure Peace[[note]]Lily/Glitter Peace for you ''Anime/GlitterForce'' fans[[/note]] is associated with the colour yellow, and she is the shyest and biggest crybaby of the Cures.
35	** ''Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode'': Himari/Cure Custard has yellow as her theme colour, and is a very shy girl, like Yayoi before her; she actually hides from Ichika during their first meeting. This trait lessens as she goes through CharacterDevelopment to gain confidence.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
39	* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': In "Emotive Chemical Y", Adu Du blasts [=BoBoiBoy=] and his friends with a ray that tampers with their emotions. Ying's eyes turn yellow as she turns into a coward, and she acts so fearfully that she carries a large leaf to hide under.
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Comic Books]]
43	* ''ComicBook/{{Crossed}}'': Edmund "Yellowbelly" Wickenthorpe got his nickname for his cowardice and the series. He runs from danger, abandons people, and is responsible for two deaths. [[spoiler:After killing Nicole in a fit of fear (he was checking if she was ok and she lunged forward, causing him to instinctually pull the trigger), he was convinced by Harold Lore to defile her corpse so he can cover up his crime (only to be told ''after'' having sex with the corpse that he only needed to destroy the head). Edward does own up to his crime, escapes his execution through a random cross attack, and redeems himself by saving Donna. However, Donna kills him after they have sex, brutally staving his head with a rock as punishment for killing Nicole.]]
44	* ''Franchise/GreenLantern'': Yellow is associated with fear on the emotional spectrum, with [[CosmicEntity its embodiment]] Parallax needing a host to be afraid before possessing it. The Sinestro Corps play with this idea somewhat, as unlike the other lantern corps they inflict their emotion rather than feeling it. Among their ranks Amon Sur plays it straight, being a DirtyCoward who could never overcome fear [[LikeFatherUnlikeSon like his father Abin]] and fled when the Green Lanterns were authorized to use lethal force.
45	* ''ComicBook/LuckyLuke'': "Yellowbellies" often comes up as an (untranslated) derogatory term for cowards, as does the French equivalent "foies-jaunes" (yellow-livers).
46	* ''ComicBook/SinCity'': The Yellow Bastard is a SerialKiller whose attempts to undo his CripplingCastration by John Hartigan have made him unable to process waste properly, turning his blood and skin yellow. He's also a DirtyCoward and a {{Sadist}} who fights by sneaking around and is impotent unless [[LovesTheSoundOfScreaming he hears the sound of his victims screaming in fear]].
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Fan Works]]
50	* In the ''K.R.D. Chronicles'' ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' SeriesFic, all three students associated with the color yellow display a lack of bravery:
51	** ''Fanfic/DanganronpaMementoMori'': [[MilesGloriosus Yura Ouka]] wears a yellow airsoft suit, and displays fragile bravado that quickly evaporates when she's threatened, [[spoiler:deliberately targets a sickly classmate when she commits murder for the sake of a few medals, and when all is said and done, [[FaceDeathWithDespair her last moments are spent begging that she doesn't want to die]]]].
52	** ''Fanfic/DanganronpaKommSusserTod'': [[NervousWreck Masato Oda]] wears the yellow work uniform of [[BurgerFool Wacky Burgers n' Fries]], and is an extremely paranoid young man who shuts himself off from everyone as he's convinced they're going to kill him.
53	** ''Fanfic/DanganronpaParadiseLost'': [[SmarmyHost Takeshi Tashiro]] wears a yellow suit. He is also a DirtyCoward [[spoiler:and the first murderer, rather quickly succumbing to the urge to kill once Monokuma threatens to reveal his status as an AddledAddict to the [[DrugsAreBad drug-intolerant populace of Japan]]]].
54	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Novelization'': Fairies' colours can change depending on their mood. They turn yellow when afraid.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
58	* ''WesternAnimation/Home2015'': The Boov change colors to reflect emotions, and naturally yellow represents fear.
59	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Robots}}'': When Rodney says it is time to show the villains what they are made of, Fender replies that he is made of is afraidium, which he describes as yellow and tastes like chicken.
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
63	* ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'': "Yellow" is used by Mad Dog to imply Marty is a coward. Marty has the same reaction to Mad Dog calling him "yellow" as he does to [[NobodyCallsMeChicken being called "chicken."]]
64	* ''Film/TheCaineMutiny'': Capt. Queeg releases a yellow dye into the water as he retreats, earning the nickname "Ol' Yellowstain" as a reference to his apparent cowardice.
65	* ''Film/{{Popeye}}'': At the end, a humiliated Bluto's clothes turn yellow as he swims away from Swee'haven.
66	* ''Film/{{Ran}}'': Taro displays a lack of valor in combat, [[HenpeckedHusband is easily manipulated by his wife]], and quickly turns on his own father to try and save his own hide. He and his army are associated with the color yellow.
67	* ''Film/ReservoirDogs'': The gangster who is given the codename "Mr. Pink" objects, saying [[AtrociousAlias it makes him sound like a pussy]]. Joe Cabot, his boss, retorts that he should be thankful he's not "Mr. Yellow".
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
71	* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': In "[[Recap/TheBigBangTheoryS4E22TheWildebeestImplementation The Wildebeest Implementation]]", Sheldon discusses this trope while listing [[ColourCodedEmotions colors for emotions]].
72	* ''Series/BlackMirror'': In "[[Recap/BlackMirrorShutUpAndDance Shut Up and Dance]]", the color yellow frequently appears in the episode in association with Kenny; he has a yellow phone screen, his home and the hotel have a yellow interior decoration, and he wears yellow-tinted sunglasses while robbing a bank. The color actually references Kenny's cowardice, [[spoiler:as everything he does in the episode is to save himself from being exposed as a pedophile.]]
73	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai''[=/=]''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
74	** ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'': This trope is referenced in "Soul Bird Salvation" during a fight between [[MonsterClown Jindrax]] and Taylor the Yellow Ranger (who is as far from a coward as one can get).
75	-->'''Jindrax''': Has anyone ever told you that yellow is the color of fear? As in "Yellow-bellied" Power Ranger?
76	** ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'': The Series has a CentralTheme of bravery and noticeably lacks a Yellow Ranger. That said, every Ranger has a yellow sash and the SixthRanger is a Gold Ranger which is close to yellow.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Music]]
80	* Music/BobDylan {{pun}}s on the association of yellow with cowardice in "Tombstone Blues" from ''Music/Highway61Revisited'':
81	-->''The Commander-in-chief answers him while chasing a fly\
82	Saying, "Death to all those who have whimper and cry"\
83	And, dropping a barbell, he points to the sky\
84	Saying, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken"''
85	* Music/JimiHendrix alludes to the trope in the song [[Music/AxisBoldAsLove "Bold As Love"]]:
86	-->''My yellow, in this case, is not so mellow\
87	In fact, I'm trying to say, it's frightened like me''
88	* Music/KennyRogers: "Coward of the County" is about a man who was [[TheSoCalledCoward considered a coward by everyone]], and he is often nicknamed "Yellow". When some hooligans raped his girlfriend, "Yellow" [[BewareTheNiceOnes makes an exception to his pacifistic ways]] and [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beats the crap out of them]].
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Video Games]]
92	* ''VideoGame/CaveStory:'' In the UpdatedRerelease with the new difficulty modes, the game [[EasyModeMockery makes fun of you for playing on Easy Mode]] by swapping the player character's normal black and red outfit for a yellow one.
93	* ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'': CYAN's complex hologram turns yellow when she experiences fear or anxiety.
94	* ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'': When Hal Jordan sees that his Injustice-verse self goes by Yellow Lantern and has joined the Sinestro Corps, he points out his disappointment to his alternate self for choosing yellow, stated to be the color of cowardice.
95	* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'': In [[VideoGame/MortalKombat1992 the first game]], Scorpion's outfit was a yellow variation of the Lin Kuei ninja garb as a way of him mocking his rival clan for their cowardice. This was ignored in later games and subsequent adaptations and later [[RetCon retconned]] into being the official color of Scorpion's former clan, the Shirai Ryu.
96	* Brad Vickers from the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil1 first]] and [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis third]] ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games is known for his cowardice among his teammates and one of his defining articles of clothing is his yellow vest, meaning he is [[LiteralMetaphor literally]] yellow-bellied. His appearance in the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Remake remake of the third game]] averts this as, while he still wears the yellow vest, he's portrayed as being lot more heroic.
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Web Animation]]
100	* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'': Arthur's ColorMotif is yellow; it's the color of nearly all his clothes, and his hair is a light yellow with orange and dark brown segments. He's the easiest to scare of the Mystery Skulls and the first to run at the sight of danger, but [[CowardlyLion he still tries to be there for his loved ones and make sure they make it out okay too]].
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Web Videos]]
104	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF9OCI3Fap8&t=118s Why Week: Why Does Yellow Mean Cowardly]] explains why yellow is associated with cowardice.
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Western Animation]]
108	* ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'': In one episode, the characters are enchanted by colored gemstones which instil them with corresponding emotions - blue for depression, green for envy, yellow for fear, etc.
109	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'': In "Pest o' the West", Beetlejuice takes on the role of [[TheGunslinger Sheriff]] in the Neitherworld Wild West town of Tombstone and is forced to contend with the minotaur-esque {{outlaw}} Bully the Crud. When Beetlejuice uses his ToonPhysics powers to outwit and overpower Bully, Bully responds by painting his back with a yellow stripe, giving him a literal "yellow streak down his back." This causes Beetlejuice to turn into a [[{{Pun}} chicken]] before he runs out of town on his horse in fear.
110	* ''WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts'':
111	** In ''Pluto's Heart-Throb'', Butch is afraid to save Dinah when she falls into a fountain and slinks away with a yellow stripe down his back, leaving Pluto to save the day.
112	** ''WesternAnimation/LendAPaw'': Pluto's [[GoodAngelBadAngel shoulder angel]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes stands up to his shoulder devil]], who turns yellow as he tries to slink away.
113	* ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'': Zilly wears an oversized yellow pilot's outfit and is the least brave of the team. He is frequently seen objecting to Dick Dastardly's plans to catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon, often hides his head inside the shirt of his pilot's outfit when and speaks with a distinct quiver.
114	* ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons'': Orbitty [[ColorCodedEmotions changes his colour to express emotion]]. He turns yellow when scared.
115	* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
116	** In "WesternAnimation/CoalBlackAndDeSebbenDwarfs", Prince Chawmin' gets a yellow streak and runs away after So White is kidnapped.
117	** In "The Foghorn Leghorn", Henery Hawk's grandfather is beaten up by WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn, and to save face claims that Foggy is not a chicken but a "loudmouthed schnook". However, as he turns around, there's a flashing yellow streak down his back.
118	** In "Robin Hood Makes Good" a fox, who is about to cook two squirrels, hears a group of hunters and hounds coming, when it's really just a little squirrel imitating them in order to save his friends. He becomes so scared that he literally turns yellow.
119	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Fluttershy is shy and timid, hence her name, and she has yellow fur.
120	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': The episode "Old Yeller Belly" is about Santa's Little Helper's cowardice.
121	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': The titular yellow sponge has had plenty of cowardly moments, notable examples include "Scaredy Pants", "Graveyard Shift" and "The Legend of Boo-kini Bottom".
122	* ''Franchise/TomAndJerry'': In ''The Milky Waif'', Tom turns yellow in fright right before getting a savage beating from Jerry.
123	* ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'': In the BadFuture from the first part of the series finale, Jack Spicer captured all the monks and all the Heylin and tortures them in different ways. Chase Young is restrained above a machine that spreads yellow paint on his abdomen, as a VisualPun for coward.
124	* ''WesternAnimation/YinYangYo'': When Yang gets his emotions blasted out of him, they're represented as tiny, colorful ghosts. Happiness is green, sadness is blue, anger is red, fear is yellow, sarcasm is orange, and so on.
125	[[/folder]]

Context Main / CowardlyYellow