Examples of tattoos worn by members of fictional organizations?

April 23, 2017 10:39 AM

I'm trying to compile a list (or better yet, gallery) of tattoos worn by members of fictional organizations as inspiration for temporary body art. Help me remember/discover more!

For example: OPA tattoos worn by Belters in the Expanse books/show, Death Eater snakes, the marques in the Kushiel books.

We do want to stick with tattoos from organizations (or movements, religions, &c), so individual tattoos (eg Lisbeth Salander's dragon) would not count.

posted by 168 to Media & Arts (27 answers total)

The Skulls all get branded on their wrists before being given expensive watches to cover them up.
posted by leotrotsky at 10:46 AM on April 23, 2017

In the TV show Highlander, the watchers had a tattoo.
posted by willnot at 10:48 AM on April 23, 2017

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - The Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword
posted by synecdoche at 11:05 AM on April 23, 2017 [3 favorites]

The VFD from A Series of Unfortunate Events.
posted by jameaterblues at 11:12 AM on April 23, 2017

Lots of tattoos in the Divergent series in the Dauntless faction, if that matches your criteria.
posted by ozgirlabroad at 11:29 AM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Map tattoos in Palimpsest.
posted by metasarah at 11:35 AM on April 23, 2017

Sibyls in Joan D. Vinge's Snow Queen books wear a trefoil tattoo that is essentially a biohazard symbol.
posted by lovecrafty at 11:45 AM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

In Avatar: The Last Airbender, the Airbender tribe has arrows on their heads, and running down their arms and legs.
posted by Paper rabies at 12:11 PM on April 23, 2017

Sam and Dean of the tv show Supernatural have tattoos that protect them against demons. Scully's ouroboros.
posted by PussKillian at 1:05 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Members of the Cityscape Skins in the Hold Steady songiverse.
posted by julthumbscrew at 1:16 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

In The Magicians (show and book), the 'Hedge Witches,' who learn magic without formal training, get star tattoos to mark their progress through the ranks.
posted by Ragged Richard at 2:55 PM on April 23, 2017

A specific tattoo in the TV show Haven indicated membership in "the Guard".
posted by mean square error at 3:06 PM on April 23, 2017

The handmaids in The Handmaid's Tale have identifying tattoos on their ankles. It's described as having four numbers and an eye. Possibly there will be a design to use (that people will recognize) once the upcoming series is out.
posted by tomboko at 3:22 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

In The Stars My Destination, Gully Foyle is captured and tattooed by the Scientific People, who have grotesque full-face tattoos with their names and a Mars/Venus gender symbol on their foreheads.
posted by yeahlikethat at 3:27 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

TVTropes has an entire category of different Tattoo Tropes that may provide relevant examples.
posted by XMLicious at 3:48 PM on April 23, 2017

The Wee Free Men (Terry Pratchett) are covered in blue tattoos.
posted by ChuraChura at 4:02 PM on April 23, 2017

J.D. Robb's Salvation in Death has gang tattoos for the Soldados in a near future Spanish Harlem.

The warrior caste in Wen Spencer's Elfhome books have protective spells tattooed on their bodies.
posted by Bruce H. at 4:39 PM on April 23, 2017

Abe Simpson still has his tattoo from the Flying Hellfish, even if it's a bit wrinkly now.
posted by spielzebub at 4:42 PM on April 23, 2017 [3 favorites]

Another J.D. Robb, Brotherhood in Death. The members of a rape gang have a Celtic design tattooed on their groin. I don't remember if the design is described well enough to reproduce.
posted by Bruce H. at 5:01 PM on April 23, 2017

Here's a large screencap of the tattoo in Haven (Syfy show) indicating membership in "The Guard" (as mean square error mentioned above): http://scifiempire.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Haven-Guard-tatto-of-Vince.png
posted by theatro at 6:29 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Hitmans all have barcodes on the back of their heads.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:21 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Starship Troopers: Death From Above
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:53 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]

Sabrina Vourvoulias's Ink is all about a world where a biometric tattoo marks your citizenship/residency status.
posted by divabat at 7:32 AM on April 24, 2017

Shadowhunters burn runes into their skin.

Example - Alec Lightwood
posted by Julnyes at 7:32 AM on April 24, 2017

I think the bar codes on the backs of the Manticore children's necks in Dark Angel weren't actually tattoos--they were part of their genetically engineered selves--but it would still be a cool look for a temporary tattoo.

Also, if you want to "join" the Lord of the Rings cast on their journey, the nine leads (technically--one of them sent his stunt double to do it) got matching tattoos after the trilogy was finished. Their tattoo was the word "nine" in Elvish.
posted by dlugoczaj at 10:46 AM on April 24, 2017

Oh, and the Parker Girls in the Strangers in Paradise comic book series all have lily tattoos somewhere on their bodies.
posted by dlugoczaj at 10:52 AM on April 24, 2017

(I keep remembering things) The members of VFD in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events have eye tattoos on their ankles.
posted by dlugoczaj at 11:00 AM on April 24, 2017