TV Tropes!

So I was looking at the Tv Tropes website because I am thinking of writing a dragon shifter romantic fantasy. So, I was looking at the Dragon Tropes page and discovered it is a subpage of Reptiles and Amphibians. So, I clicked on that page to see what it might have for me to use with regards to Rocky and Zaratans. Turns out there is an entire subpage on Shell tropes too.

Granted there are a lot of shell tropes that do not fit the bill, like clam shell …, but the following are intriguing:

• Removable Shell
• Shy Shelled Animal
• Speedy Snail (When it's a snail or turtle)
• Sturdy and Steady Turtles
• Turtle Island
• Wise Old Turtle

Not that the Reptiles and Amphibians page does not have things of their own to offer:

• Lovable Lizard (Because turtles are cute too)
• Reptiles Are Abhorrent
• Somewhere, A Herpetologist Is Crying
• And most importantly Turtle Power (see Below)

Something I did not see that I think is interesting is the gem encrusted shells, there is a gem encrusted page but that is more for items. I was thinking like a Treasure Dragon Turtle ...

Turtle Power!

Just like Monkeys and Penguins, many people have an odd fascination with turtles. They come off as clumsy, shy and slow, and helpless if turned on their shell, but they also appear wise and spiritualistic at times. They are also among the longest-living animals on the planet. If you want a very elderly funny animal, it's usually going to be a tortoise.^note  If they get large enough, they can also qualify as a fantastic transport or living island (or in the case of one series and certain mythologies, the entire world).

Sea turtles in particular are quite popular and are often included as charismatic megafauna for ocean and beach conservation. Giant Tortoises are also quite popular for island conservation, especially the Galapagos Tortoise, which the islands were named after.

They're also notable as the main exception to the Reptiles Are Abhorrent trope, being seen as cute and non-threatening. A localized exception is the snapping turtle, which isn't generally considered cute (that being said, their prehistoric looks make them pretty badass), and pretty bad-tempered to boot; softshelled turtles usually tend to be depicted as evil as well, being frankly ugly by most standards. Compare Lovable Lizard, for another goofy-looking and harmless reptile.