http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MalevolentMaskedMen

Reason to fear clowns #287.

Adrian Veidt, Watchmen (2019) "Masks make men cruel."

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A group of people wearing masks is never a good sign. Maybe it's the anonymity, the obvious Uncanny Valley, or decades of horror movies ingraining a deep sense of distrust about someone wearing a mask outside of a Masquerade Ball (or even in one, if it's sufficiently creepy). It's because of this dehumanizing aspect that masks are often used by villains, their Gas Mask Mooks, and other Faceless Goons.

Spookily enough, psychological research has found evidence suggesting that people who feel anonymous (such as people who are wearing a mask) show more willingness to engage in antisocial behavior.

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This varies by mask:

A full face mask is perhaps the most ominous of the lot, varying by type:

Abstract Mask: Similar to the Uncanny Valley mask below, the abstract mask is a haunting, unidentifiable mess meant solely to frighten and distract the victim from their oncoming demise. See Scream.

Similar to the Uncanny Valley mask below, the abstract mask is a haunting, unidentifiable mess meant solely to frighten and distract the victim from their oncoming demise. See Scream. Animal Mask: The kind you would see in a kid's birthday party. When worn by an adult (or several of them) it brings to mind not animal cuteness, but savagery.

The kind you would see in a kid's birthday party. When worn by an adult (or several of them) it brings to mind not animal cuteness, but savagery. Clown Mask: As pictured above, nothing says "evil" like a clown, add in the faux cheerful mask and it gets ratcheted to another level.

As pictured above, nothing says "evil" like a clown, add in the faux cheerful mask and it gets ratcheted to another level. Mardi Gras/Venetian: Nothing says "you're going to die violently" quite like the festive and cheery masks worn in Mardi Gras or a Venetian carnival.

Nothing says "you're going to die violently" quite like the festive and cheery masks worn in Mardi Gras or a Venetian carnival. The Executioner: Totally concealing, made of leather or sackcloth, probably black as the robes of a Hanging Judge. Someone has decided you deserve to die for your sins, and if this masked figure is after you it intends to carry out that sentence.

Totally concealing, made of leather or sackcloth, probably black as the robes of a Hanging Judge. Someone has decided you deserve to die for your sins, and if this masked figure is after you it intends to carry out that sentence. Monster face: Usually used by the Cult and members of the Secret Circle of Secrets, in homage to their dark masters.

Usually used by the Cult and members of the Secret Circle of Secrets, in homage to their dark masters. Plain and featureless: A blank, featureless (such as White Mask of Doom) mask emphasizes the anonymity it grants the wearer... which usually means they mean to do harm, do not want you to know who they are, and want you to freak out because you do not know.

A blank, featureless (such as White Mask of Doom) mask emphasizes the anonymity it grants the wearer... which usually means they mean to do harm, do not want you to know who they are, and want you to freak out because you do not know. Rage Helm: Designed to make a soldier or warrior look more fearsome. The soldier actually wearing the helm may or may not be as mean as the helmet makes him look.

Designed to make a soldier or warrior look more fearsome. The soldier actually wearing the helm may or may not be as mean as the helmet makes him look. Uncanny Valley: Almost human masks are usually worn by criminals, be they kidnappers or Serial Killers. It may be to establish a Stepford Smiler like connection to "personality as a mask". See The Strangers.

Almost human masks are usually worn by criminals, be they kidnappers or Serial Killers. It may be to establish a Stepford Smiler like connection to "personality as a mask". See The Strangers. Last but not least... the Nixon Mask! Almost exclusively associated with bank robbers out to make a political statement. Expect a witty pun along the lines of "I am not a crook!"

See also Faceless Goons, Gas Mask Mooks, Scary Shiny Glasses, and Henohenomoheji. White Mask of Doom is a common subtrope. Compare Cool Mask and Coat, Hat, Mask. When combined with the classic Black Cloak, it's the uniform of a Secret Circle of Secrets. When the mask itself is malevolent, that's Evil Mask. See also Make-Up Is Evil.

Examples:

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Films — Animation

Subverted in The Nightmare Before Christmas. The three shady trick-or-treaters, Lock, Shock and Barrel, wear masks all the time, but in their introductory scene they take them off, revealing faces that look exactly the same.

Films — Live-Action

Literature

Martin Lake, a character in Jeff VanderMeer's Ambergris collection City of Saints and Madmen, is invited to a very grim event and met there by three men. One wears a raven mask, one a heron, and the last an owl. Lake is afraid of birds to begin with. He's also dressed as a frog, who could be eaten by any one of them.

In The Belgariad, the Grolim priesthood wears steel masks when they want to be intimidating, such as in combat or when attending their religious duties. They wear these in imitation of their god, whose mask covers his maimed face.

The cultists in Diario de un Zombi wear formless wax masks. These actually serve a purpose as they confuse zombies and makes recognizing them as humans difficult for them.

In the Gaunt's Ghosts series, the Blood Pack, (a Khornate Chaos cult) wear hideous metal masks, often with exaggerated hooked noses or chins. The masks of the rank and file are typically black while the officers wear more elaborate masks of gold or silver.

In Michael Moorcock's Hawkmoon saga, the evil and deranged people of Granbretan wear elaborate animal masks all the time, and would rather be seen naked than unmasked.

One of the main differences between Paradise Lost's angelic army is that the rebellious angels are described with rigid helmets that dehumanize them into a blood-thirsty crowd, while the angels are described with no such collectivizing armor. The narrative also emphasizes Satan's full-face crest, which is the first thing in history ever to be attacked.

The Watraii in Star Trek: Vulcan's Soul. They're introduced as a band of masked aggressors threatening Romulan colonies; their masks are noted as making them particularly sinister. This isn't why they wear them (the actual reason is more to do with their own feelings than instilling fear in others), but their blatantly threatening manner and concealment of identity are clearly linked.

Live-Action TV

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Roleplay

Tabletop Games

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Web Animation

The Seascum Pirates in Knights Of All Realms are lead by Patchface the Pirate, a vicious captain who wears a full face patchwork mask to hide his beautiful face, his personal shame .

Web Comics

Web Original

In Positively Dreadful, host Sideburns is held at gunpoint by the War Father, a villain wearing a green Iron Man mask. He is also the first villain on the show not to be completely played for comedy.

Web Videos

Mission Code High School: the CDU in human form . In episode seven it has a silver mask with green eyes, while Afterwards has it wear a featureless charcoal-grey mask. Chuck the mole who wears a bandana and sunglasses. Inverted with Spike's father Leo , who wears a plain white mask but is a good guy.

Marble Hornets has a mysterious figure in a simplistic but creepy black-and-white mask who acts as the secondary antagonist (after the Operator) of the first season. Since he's never given a name in canon, fans have affectionately nicknamed him Masky. In later seasons, it's revealed that Masky is actually Tim under the Operator's influence, and that he doesn't even remember being his alter-ego after the fact . In season two, we are introduced to another mysterious figure, this time wearing a hood and with their face covered by a black cloth with a red frowny face on it. His name is Hoody.

. One Hundred Yard Stare has one mysterious masked man. His gas mask is rather intimidating. Season two adds some more.

Lazarus of the Lazarus Mirage project note a Belgian multi-support project about fighting superstitions and common believes always wears a mask which is an abstract drawing of a schematic human face. Subverted, as the character isn't supposed to be malevolent at all, although he looks a bit creepy.

always wears a mask which is an abstract drawing of a schematic human face. Subverted, as the character isn't supposed to be malevolent at all, although he looks a bit creepy. The Fear Mythos has the Plague Doctor, and many portrayals of the Archangel fall under this trope as well.

Pretty much any member of the System in the Cave of Shadows universe. The fact that they stalk and kidnap a blogger just for talking about the organisation brings up their malevolent disposition. For a less threatening but still creepy example from the same universe, see ns0mnby.

Western Animation

Real Life