Selkie
| Trope · Genre | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms: | Selchie, Selkie Folk ('Seal Folk') |
| Related: | Centaurification, Merpeople, Were-Animal, Werewolf |
| See Also: | Animal Transformation, Shapeshifter |
| Tropes · Slash Tropes · Tropes by Fandom | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Selkies are therianthropes from Celtic and Norse mythology capable of changing from seal to human form by shedding their skin. They are mostly found in folktales and mythology originating from the Northern Isles of Scotland.
Often, tragedy strikes when someone steals the selkie's sealskin after the shapeshifting took place, thus making it impossible for them to turn back into their original form.
Selkies & Fandom
Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
In Torchwood, selkies are seal-like aliens from another planet who appear in the comic story Captain Jack and and the Selkie (2009). [1]
Selkies have little impact on the Doctor Who fandom and appear only in a few fanworks. [2]
Supernatural
Although selkies are portrayed as destructive monsters in the prequel comic book to the Supernatural tv series Supernatural: The Dogs of Edinburgh (2011), fandom tends to have more sympathy for the seal folk who are generally regarded as gentle beings in mythology. [3]
Fanworks
Fanfiction
- Sule Skerrie, a Bodie/Doyle fic by Shoshanna (The Professionals, 1990)
- Sea of Desire, an award winning gen fic by Sheryl Clay (X-Files, 1995)
Fannish Resources
- Selkies, Archived version tumblr post by Beat to Quarters (October 13, 2021)
Archives & Resources
- Selkies tag on the Ao3
- Selkies and Wereseals, Archived version on TV Tropes
- Wikipedia: Selkie