Putting a Face to the Name: Chapter 2
"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." - Albert Einstein
Picking up where we left off, here's another batch of unseen characters who allowed themselves to be seen. On with the show...
Giovanni, Pokemon
Yet another Blofeld parody, Giovanni, too, was initially portrayed in shadowy silhouette, wearing an orange business suit, sitting in an office, and stroking his prized Persian Pokemon, while barking out orders to his foolish minions, Team Rocket. He, too, would eventually step into the light and show his face to anime audiences.
Bill, Kill Bill
Blofeld truly is a trendsetter, as even Bill was originally seen exclusively from the chest down, wearing a business suit, sitting in an office, and gripping the hilt of a coveted Hattori Hanzo sword in his ringed hand. Bill would later show his face to moviegoers in the second volume of this revenge saga.
Jaws, Jaws
Throughout most of the movie, Jaws is an invisible, destructive presence, represented by a first-person view from his perspective, or via the pained expressions of his bitten victims, both instances accompanied by John Williams' iconic score. Only in the film's climactic moments does Jaws finally emerge from the watery depths, chomping on Quint in full, fishy display.
Alien, Alien
Like Jaws, the Alien is mostly depicted as a phantom menace throughout the film, with only brief glimpses or extreme close-ups of it stalking and slaughtering its prey. Only in the film's explosive finale does the Alien fully emerge from the shadows to engage in a final battle with Ripley.
Darth Vader, Star Wars
Darth Vader strikingly appears as a hulking, shapeless mass of pure hatred, clothed and helmeted in black. Only a brief glimpse of his bald, scarred head is seen from behind in The Empire Strikes Back. After the former Sith Lord is redeemed by his son, Luke, at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi, his helmet is finally removed from the front, revealing the burned yet reformed face of Anakin Skywalker.
Kenny McCormick, South Park
The unlucky yet immortal Kenny is always bundled up to his eyes in a thick orange parka, obscuring most of his visage and completely muffling his speech. However, Kenny finally unveiled his face and shared his voice at the conclusion of the theatrical movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
And that concludes the second chapter of this ongoing series. Until next time, love, peace, and chicken grease.