| Term |
Definition |
W
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| Wand |
A short stick or staff used by a magician to cast spells. |
| Water |
Of the Four classical elements (See Elements) the one most associated with transformation. Many water beings have the ability to transform themselves and others. In the real world, water is a powerful transformative agent, able to shape the land. Many creatures that live in water or use water for breeding purposes undergo surprising metamorphoses, such as tadpoles becoming frogs, or aquatic nymphs turning into dragonflies. |
| Wendigo |
1) A Native-American spirit from Manitou (Canadian) myth. It is a shapeshirting spirit of considerable power that can take any form from a tree to an animal to a man. It is mainly portrayed as a cannibal-monster. 2) A Marvel comics villian/menace based on the myth, the Wendigo is portrayed as a spirit that possesses a person who has committed some form of evil - ie cannibalism - in it's territory in Canada. The person is transformed into a menacing hairy white sasquatch-like creature until the curse is broken. |
| Wer |
Old English for "Man". Like many old English words it fell out of use after the Norman invasion and an infusion of French words, and survives today as "were-" a prefix for werewolves and werecreatures. |
| Wer-wold |
German for Werewolf. |
| Were- |
Generally, shorthand for werewolf, although it is applied to any human who changes from a human state to an animal state and back due to a curse, the full moon, or own self determination. |
| Werebeing |
An alternative term to Werecreature. |
| Werecat |
Many cultures have legends about werewolves, a creature that roams the night as a wolf or humanoid wolf, and walks as a human during the day. In cultures where wolves or similar canines are not known, the local dominant feline is substituted for a wolf, spawning tales of were-tigers, were-jaguars and so forth by local names. This would seem to indicate a common ancesteral tale of some sort, modified through time and alterations in local oral traditions. |
| Werecreature |
A broad term that covers any person who has the ability to change from a human form to a significantly different form and back again due to a curse, the full moon or own self determination. It is best used as a plural designation, when referring to groups of two or more people who can change into significantly different creatures (say, a Werewolf and a Werecat) or when the species you are confronted with is not readily identifiable. While the term Therianthropy is also used to describe this condition, werecreature is more recognizable. Traditionally, werecreatures are vulnerable to silver, magic, or wounds caused by another werecreature. |
| Wereform |
An alternative to werecreature, although it is sometimes used to refer to a state halfway between a full human and a full animal (ie, an anthromorphic animal) |
| Werewolf |
1. A person who changes into a wolf or wolf-like humanoid and back due to a curse, the full moon or self-determination. The legend itself seems to have originated in ancient Greece or Rome, although all cultures have legends of similar half-human and half animal hybrids. 2. The Wolfman. |
| Werewolfism |
A term coined by the Comics Code Authority in the 1950's to refer to Lycanthropy (Werewolves) which was initially banned from appearing in comics. As times changed though, many of the code's limitations were dropped or ignored. |
| "Wild Men" |
A common theme across the world of a feral humanoid, usually male, that exists in the wild. Some stories involve abductions, where children are taken to be transformed into wild men themselves. Such feral children have turned up from time to time, adding to the myth, but they are human, and were apparently isolated and raised outside of human circles. The modern equivalent of such wild men include Bigfoot and the Yeti. See also Gigantopithecus |
| Wings |
Appendages that allow one to fly, with enough thrust. In transformational/fantasy art, wings are usually located behind the shoulders. There are three readily identifiable types: Wings with feathers, which are usually associated with Angelic beings; insect-like wings that are usually associated with small sprites and pixies; and bat-like wings that are associated with demons and dragons. In some cases, the wings have been combined, or replace the subject's arms, which of course is what has happened to birds and bats over the course of their evolution. |
| Wobarisuto |
A Japanese term roughly translated as "Rubberist". Refers to people who like to dress up in rubber or latex costumes. |
| Wolfsbane |
1. A plant to which werewolves are vulnerable to. 2. A Marvel Comics character who can take on the form of a wolf. |
| Wondertwins, The |
A pair of shapeshifting DC Comics heroes from the planet Exor, introduced by Hanna Barbara in the second "Superfriends" cartoon series (late 1970's-early 1980's) and used in the Superfriends comic book at the same time. The boy Zan, could change into any form of water - solid, liquid or gas, and control his movements. The girl, Jayna could turn into any animal. The trigger to each of their transformation was by touching each other, usually their fists, and usually saying what they were going to turn into. In most cases it was a "Poof" transformation. They could only turn back to normal by touching again. Since the end of the Superfriends cartoon, there have been attempts to bring them back, most recently in the late 1990's as exiles from Exor who join the Justice League. They are currently relegated to cameo roles, often making fun of what are admittedly "lame" aspects of their powers. Their usual costume is a purple jumpsuit, usually with a stylized "Z" and "J" triangle shape on their respective chests. |
| Words, Magic |
Certain words are sometimes given magical powers to act as a transformational trigger (see Trigger) when said by or nearby the person whom the words affect. Probably the most well known of these words comes from DC Comics is "Shazam" which when spoken by the boy Billy Batson turns him into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. |
| Wringer |
1. An attachment on old tub washing machines that squeezed the water (wrung) out of washed clothes before they were hung out to dry. Often seen in old cartoons, where a toon is pulled through and flattened out. 2. A box used by magicians to flatten their assistants. The assistant climbs into a box, the magician turns the handle, and the assistant comes out between two rollers, flattened out. The process is reversible by running the flattened person back through the rollers and into the box where they are restored. |
| Writing |
The ability to write by hand has a certain aura of mysticism about it. For instance, a proper Torah (Jewish Bible) is carefully transcribed by hand for use in a Synagogue. Likewise magic spells are sometimes written out by hand rather than spoken. The prime example of this is 'Scroll Magic" that sometimes appears in Anime or Manga. In some cases, the writing is not done on paper, but on the subject, for the desired effect. |
X
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| Xenophobia |
The fear or hatred of strangers or different things. Often used as a vehicle for conflict in fiction and the real world. |
