Skeleton Physiology

"A walking skeleton, the basic frame of the human body, can inspire more fear in the common man than an excessively armed soldier or knight."

― Jacob Deegan, Dominic Deegan

"I Am Dead and Skeletonized Book!! It's a Pleasure!!!"

― Brook to the Straw Hat Pirates (One Piece)

The power to take the form of a living skeleton. Variation of Undead Physiology. Not to be confused with Bone Mimicry.

Also Called

Skeletal Physiology
Skeleton Mimicry

Capabilities

The user with this ability either is or can transform into a skeleton, a type of physically manifested undead often found in fantasy, horror fiction, and mythical art. Though most are human skeletons, they can also be from any creature or fantasy race found on Earth or in a fantasy world.

Users with this power lack physical weaknesses, such as pain, need to rest, vulnerability to environmental effects, etc. Biological functions available to the skeleton vary but most are gone, remaining such as sight, smell, hearing, and touch are done through mystical means even if they lack the necessary organs to do so.

Being only bones, they tend to be more fragile than other undead, but their relatively small body-mass may make actually hitting them a problem. They are often fast and agile, which is justified by their low weight. Most are mindless and rather low-level opponents, but others are not only sentient but very powerful indeed.

Applications

Variations

Types of Skeletons

Associations

Limitations

May be difficult, or impossible to revert back to a normal form.
Blunt attacks may be particularly damaging.
Bone Manipulation, Dark Arts, Necromancy and other forms of Magic may be used to control the user.
May lack any regenerative functions and thus must rely on grave robbing and skeleton scavenging for bone replacement.

Known Users

See Also: Dem Bones.

Mythology/Folklore

Skeletons (Mythology/Folklore)
The Grim Reaper (European Folklore)
Gashadokuro (Japanese Mythology/Folklore)
Calaca (Mexican Folklore)

Movies

Rexxy (Night at the Museum)
El diablo (Suicide Squad)

Literature

Skulduggery Pleasant (Skulduggery Pleasant)

Cartoons

Skelator (He-Man)
Mickey and Monaco (Casper's Scare School)
Skeletons (Coco)
Sartana of the Dead (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera)
Jango of the Dead (El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera)
Skelita Calaveras (Monster High)
Calaca (The Book of Life)
Grim (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy)
The Lich (Adventure Time)
Homer Simpson (The Simpson: Treehouse of Horror)
Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
Spooky Scary Skeletons (Disney)
Skull Boy (Ruby Gloom)
The Skele-Tunes (Ruby Gloom)
Multi-Farious (Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters)
Kevin (The Baskervilles)

Comics

Ghost Riders (Marvel Comics)
Skinner (Marvel Comics)
El Diablo (Marvel Comics)
Xygon (Order of the Stick)
Jon Webb (Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose); temporary

Manga/Anime

Barragan Luisenbarn (Bleach)
SkullGreymon (Digimon)
SkullSatamon (Digimon)
Bone/Skeleton Tribe (Kou 1 Desu Ga Isekai De Joushu Hajimemashita); they are considered as living beings instead of undead
Morborgran (Mahou Sensei Negima!)
Brook (One Piece)
Guardian ÄRM, X (Zehn) (Marchen Awakens Romance)
20-Ton Calcium Giant (Shaman King)
Klodoa (Fairy Tail)
Momonga (Overlord)
Skeleton (Monster Girl Encyclopedia)