[Top 25] Famous Monsters from Fantasy Movies and Games

Famous Monsters from Fantasy Movies and Games
What's a story without some kind of monster? Still a story, just probably not as interesting.


25. Smaug - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The last great dragon of Middle-Earth, Smaug was drawn to the Dwarves’ hoard of treasure. So naturally, he invaded the Lonely Mountain and took it for himself, forcing the surviving Dwarves into exile.

A real dragon’s dragon, Smaug is cunning, violent, arrogant, and greedy. He showed no remorse in taking the Dwarves’ home, and when he figured out they’d gotten help from nearby Lake Town, had little issue in attacking.

He embodies everything a dragon is. Smaug’s scales are nearly impenetrable, but the cunning dragon

knew his weakness was his soft underbelly. So what did he do? Began coating his underbelly in gold from his treasure hoard to create an armored coating on himself. A very smart move. Like most dragons, Smaug can breathe fire, which he does during his attack on Lake Town.

Despite all of his draconic greed, when he does have his mountain hoard, he doesn’t seem to bother anyone. What a good boy! (Y’know, the horrible acts against the Dwarves aside.)
Smaug is most known for:

  • His hatred of Dwarves. Smaug seems to especially hate them, believing they are far Inferior, and seems to take great pleasure in his hand (er, claw?) in their demise.

  • Intelligence. Smaug, knowing his belly is his weak spot, took measures to coat it in treasure. Had he not missed a small spot (and accidentally told Bilbo,) he would have been nigh invincible.

  • Wealth. According to an article in Forbes, Smaug’s hoard is worth over 62 billion dollars.

 

 

24. Titans - Attack on Titan

Titans are giant humanoid monstrosities. Strong, and usually mindless, they are a blight on humanity and seek only to hunt and devour humans.

When I first watched Attack on Titan, these things freaked me out so bad. There are several varieties, none of which are pleasant. Some are mindless, like beasts only focused on the hunt. Others possess a greater intelligence. Titans are immortal, and have regenerative properties, able to regrow limbs within a matter of minutes.

The only surefire way to kill one was to cut a very precise gash in the nape of its neck, damaging its nervous system. Most varieties required sunlight to function, becoming docile or even comatose without it. Depending on the Titan, this effect would be immediate or come in a matter of hours.

Hey, wanna know what’s scarier than cannibals? Making them about 50 meters tall, deformed, and sometimes skinless. Yeah, that won't cause any nightmares. Still though, the lore behind the Titans is pretty interesting and if you’re terrifying enough to cause humanity to live inside three sets of walls, I’d say you’re doing a good job as a monster.
Titans are most known for:

  • Their height. Most Titans ranged between 2-15 meters, with some being a whopping 50 meters. Yeah, no thank you.
  • Resilience. Having only one surefire way to die and the ability to regenerate limbs and heal wounds, Titans were difficult to kill.
  • Bloodthirst. Outside of a few select Titans, they were bloodthirsty and sought only to kill humans. Usually by eating them, which was strange, as they didn’t need them for sustenance.

 

 

23. Te Ka - Moana

The benevolent goddess Te Fiti turned into a horrible lava demon, Te Ka. When Maui steals the heart of Te Fiti, she becomes filled with anger, seeking to spread destruction and corruption across the world.

Imagine, you’re a beautiful goddess. A life-giving goddess who raises islands from the sea. Then, one day, some shape-shifting Demigod comes along and rips your heart from your chest. Yeah, I’d be bitter too.

Te Ka is the “dark side” of Te Fiti. Filled with hatred and anger, she spreads darkness throughout the world, destroying natural life. Always surrounded by pyrocumulus clouds and lightning, she can summon and control fire and magma.

Stealing the heart was wrong, but why did Te Ka have to punish the humans? They didn’t steal it. Well, maybe because Maui stole it for them? I don’t know. At least Moana was able to restore the heart. Who knew Te Fiti had such a fiery temper? (That was horrible, I’m sorry.)
Te Ka is most known for:

  • Being the corrupted, heartless version of Te Fiti, goddess of Life and Creation. When Maui stole the heart, it led to Te Ka.
  • Power. Te Ka’s corruption spread to islands, rendering them barren and lifeless, as seen when the coconuts on Motunui were filled with ash, and there were no fish.
  • A sense of control, as seen when Moana appeals to her inner, true nature.

 

 

22. Medusa - Clash of Titans

Ally and servant of the Kraken, Medusa was a beautiful woman who was turned into a Gorgon as punishment for laying with Poseidon. Banished to the Underworld, she becomes murderous and slays those who invade her lair.

Medusa was once a beautiful woman, a priestess of Aphrodite, who was seduced (yeah, we’ll go with seduced) by Poseidon. Afterwards, she was turned into a Gorgon and sent to the Underworld. As time passed, men wandered into her lair. Men who she’d kill by petrifying them or shooting them with an arrow. You know, as a snake-haired beauty does.

The story of Medusa varies based on where you look, but in this adaptation, I feel bad for her. Imagine being seduced (still going with seduced) by Poseidon, then punished by being banished to the Underworld. I’ve heard some argue it was protection in disguise, but I disagree. After all, why would only men be allowed into her lair if it was for her own protection?
Medusa is most known for:

  • Her snake hair. Iconic.
  • Petrification. Those who look into her eyes are turned to stone.
  • Archery. Medusa proves to be skilled with a bow, shooting Draco and injuring him and causing Solon to fall into a lava pit.
  • Corrosive blood, which in the 1981 version also could summon scorpions.

 

 

21. Frankenstein’s Monster - Van Helsing

The reanimated creation of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, this monster is cobbled together from the pieces of seven different men. After his master’s death, he escapes and hides in a cave until he’s found by Gabriel and Anna.

After his creation, his creator Dr. Frankenstein was killed by Dracula, leaving poor… uh, monster, all by himself. Able to escape, the monster brought his creator’s corpse up to the top of a windmill, where he could mourn in peace. However, the windmill was set ablaze, and it was assumed our good ol’ monster died in the fire. Spoiler alert: he did not.

Frankenmonster is physically very strong and resilient, able to dish out and take heavy punishment. One of the interesting things about him is his gentle spirit. The monster won’t attack unless provoked, and all he really wants to do is live his immortal life (or undeath, I guess) in peace.

He may be a hideous monster cobbled together from parts of various men, but he is a good boy. He’s afraid of fire, and just wants to live in peace. Fun fact, he’s not really undead. He would technically be considered a flesh golem.
Frankenstein's Monster is most known for:

  • His superhuman abilities. He’s physically very strong, able to hurl things great distances. He also is very durable, though he does still feel pain.
  • Morality. Unlike many monsters (especially of the undead variety,) 7-piece only wants to live peacefully, and doesn’t show any real signs of malice or aggression unless he’s provoked.
  • Fear of fire. Perhaps because of the windmill, the monster is afraid of fire, as seen in the carriage on the way to Rome, when the top was torn open and fire leaked in.

 

 

20. The Pale Man (Pan’s Labyrinth)

A monster locked away, the Pale Man is a malicious entity that lacks any sort of humanity. He devours children who eat from his banquet, and paints them on his wall.

Not a whole lot is known about the Pale Man’s backstory. He’s creepy and feasts on children, and… yeah. That’s about the gist. Ofelia is sent to his lair to retrieve a dagger, and told twice not to eat from his banquet. But she doesn’t listen, and as she steals grapes, awakens the Pale Man who chases after her.

With the sacrifice of two fairies (who were eaten by the Pale Man), she managed to escape. There aren’t many monsters as creepy as this one. Pure white, all that loose skin (lookin’ like me at the beach), and those horrible eyes in the palms of his hands. Yeah, no thank you.

The Pale Man is actually based off of a Japanese myth called a Tenome, who are similar in appearance, but hunt graveyards and are faster than the Pale Man. Maybe he needs to exercise and stop eating so many children.
The Pale Man is most known for:

  • Insatiable hunger for small, defenseless children. An interest so intense, he keeps their clothing as trophies, and paints scenes of himself eating them on his walls.
  • His connection to the myth of the Tenome, which is a Yokai that stalks graveyards and open fields at night in search of people to eat.
  • Those beautiful eyes.
  • A connection to the dagger in his room. Some pieces of lore claim it sustains his immortality, and if it’s removed, he’ll die. Others claim it’s the only weapon that can kill him.

 

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The most lovable NPC you'll ever meet, unless you touch his sweetroll. From the suburbs of New York, gaming has been his whole life.
Gamer Since: 2008
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Wizard101, Final Fantasy XIV
Top 3 Favorite Games:Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn, The Sims 4


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