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Werewolf
See also Werewolf (disambiguation) for a list of fanworks and fandoms of this title.
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | lycanthrope, were, were-animals |
| Related tropes/genres | Animal Transformation, Bestiality, Centaurification, Elf AU, Knotting, Magic, Psychics, Selkie, Shapeshifter, Superheroes, Vampire, Were-Animal, Witches |
| See also | Animals in Fanworks, Biting, Dominance Hierarchy, Remus Lupin |
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| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
In folklore, werewolves, also known as loups-garous, are supernatural individuals that can shapeshift between a human and wolf form. The ability or power itself is referred to as lycanthropy. The prefix were- is derived from this term and is used to describe individuals that can shapeshift between a human and a second form, usually another animal, such as werecats. The terms werecreatures and werebeasts is used as a catch-all to describe all werewolf-like creatures.
Werecreatures are portrayed in a variety of ways in fiction. Common differences include the nature of both forms, if transformation is controllable or not, and the cause of lycanthropy, among other details.
In fandom, werewolves and werecreatures are a popular trope for fanworks and alternate universes. They are associated with and often appear in horror, supernatural, and fantasy works. Characters from source materials who are werewolves in canon are also often popular in fanworks.
Canon
There are many fandoms with canon werewolf characters (who quite often are not monsters but good guys) including:
- several main characters from Wolf's Rain
- Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Remus Lupin from Harry Potter
- George Sands from Being Human
- Jacob Black from Twilight
- Alcide from True Blood
- Tyler Lockwood from The Vampire Diaries
- the characters from Teen Wolf (including Scott McCall, Derek Hale, Peter Hale, Isaac Lahey, Laura Hale, Cora Hale, Erica Reyes, Vernon Boyd, Jackson Whittemore, Deucalion, Ethan and Aiden, Kali, Ennis)
- Angua von Überwald from Discworld.
Characters who are werewolves in canon are often popular in fandom because werewolf characters usually come with built-in angst due to their dual nature, the potential for loss of control, and the monstrous transformation they suffer. Frequently these fandoms also include vampires. Werewolves also offer options for h/c, because often the transformation is described as painful.
Fandom
In fandoms that do not have canonical werewolves, werewolf AUs are common type of alternate universe and very popular. Werewolf AUs may include some level of focus on pack structure, especially when it comes to status and mating.
While werewolves are the "classic" were-animal and the most common, many other were-animals appear in fanfic and sometimes in canon.
Werewolves are popular creatures with furries and monsterfuckers.
Example Fanworks
Fanart
- Inktober Piece: Capwolf! by arania - Marvel
- Inktober '14, Day 29, Werewolf John - Sherlock (TV)
- awoOoOo werewolves of London - Good Omens, Doctor Who
Fanfiction
- Garou by Asuka Kureru - Gundam Wing
- Sympathy for the werewolf by mermaid - Hawaii Five-0
- Show Me How to Stop Running by etothepii - Sherlock (TV)
- Lupercalia series by Mad Maudlin - Sherlock (TV)
- The Cause Sanguine by glasslogic - Supernatural
- Hunters of the Shadows by Skag Trendy - Supernatural
- The Discovery series by skeeter63 - The Sentinel
- Turn Around (Three Times Before Lying Down) by kellifer_fic - The Avengers
- Loup Garou, an X-Files series by Shael
- Part of Something, Archived version, a frostiron AU by AMidnightDreary (2020)
Gifsets
- supernatural werewolf au, Archived version by sammyche - Supernatural
Meta
- Who's your favorite of the classic universal monsters and why?, essay about werewolves in folklore; Universal Monsters and Lon Cheney Jr.'s depiction in The Wolfman and its impact on werewolves as a trope across the 20th century. by tyrantisterror, 2024
Zines
Recommendation Lists
- Mythical Creatures: Werewolves recommendation tag at Fancake
- SGA thematic list: Werewolves and other wereanimals by ratcreature
- Themed list: Werewolves by Painless_j
Events
Archives & Fannish Links
- Our Werewolves Are Different article on TV Tropes
- Werewolves tag on Archive of Our Own
- Were-Creatures tag on Archive of Our Own
- Werewolf tag on Wattpad
- Werewolf article on Wikipedia