A popular trope for male love interests within the romance-fantasy (romantasy) book genre. It is a common phrase found on BookTok.
A Shadow Daddy often has the following characteristics: 1) tall, dark, and handsome, 2) a tortured and traumatic past, 3) a “tough guy” exterior that terrifies most people (with the exception of the female interest usually), and 4) the ability to wield some type of shadow/darkness/night magical power.
A “Shadow Daddy” often begins a story as a misunderstood character that initially comes off as cocky or intense, and the female love interest usually dislikes him at first. But eventually the Shadow Daddy’s true personality ends up shining through — honorable, selfless, kind, protective, a willingness to be seen as a villain for the greater good, and LOYAL to a fault — and through this he eventually wins over the female love interest. Bonus points if he ends up worshipping the ground the female love interest walks on.
He’s almost always dominant in the bedroom, but never so dominant that he disregards the female main character’s agency. Extra bonus points if he uses his shadow powers in the bedroom as bondage, or he loses control over his shadow powers when he climaxes.
Some popular examples of characters that embody the “Shadow Daddy” trope:
Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses
Azriel from A Court of Thorns and Roses
Dorian Havilliard from Throne of Glass
Xaden Riorson from Fourth Wing
Nyktos from Flesh and Fire
A Shadow Daddy often has the following characteristics: 1) tall, dark, and handsome, 2) a tortured and traumatic past, 3) a “tough guy” exterior that terrifies most people (with the exception of the female interest usually), and 4) the ability to wield some type of shadow/darkness/night magical power.
A “Shadow Daddy” often begins a story as a misunderstood character that initially comes off as cocky or intense, and the female love interest usually dislikes him at first. But eventually the Shadow Daddy’s true personality ends up shining through — honorable, selfless, kind, protective, a willingness to be seen as a villain for the greater good, and LOYAL to a fault — and through this he eventually wins over the female love interest. Bonus points if he ends up worshipping the ground the female love interest walks on.
He’s almost always dominant in the bedroom, but never so dominant that he disregards the female main character’s agency. Extra bonus points if he uses his shadow powers in the bedroom as bondage, or he loses control over his shadow powers when he climaxes.
Some popular examples of characters that embody the “Shadow Daddy” trope:
Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses
Azriel from A Court of Thorns and Roses
Dorian Havilliard from Throne of Glass
Xaden Riorson from Fourth Wing
Nyktos from Flesh and Fire
My favorite Shadow Daddy is Rhysand from ACOTAR. Instead of hiding the darkness that exists inside of him, Rhys weilds it as a weapon for the greater good. He’s also handsome, devoted to Feyre, and good in bed. He’s my Shadow Daddy.
by Booktokkie August 7, 2024
Get the Shadow Daddymug. by PattieIce November 1, 2019
Get the Shadowmug. A type of Hallucination, Where you see a silhouette of a accurate and or over-sized bug, Usually ; You see it, it shimmy's out of sight, and you don't see it again. Leaving you confused and scared because you don't whether it was real or where it is.
I saw this cockroach, i don't know where went. what if it was just a Shadow Bug? But what If it Wasn't??
by The Milk Man™ May 22, 2020
Get the Shadow Bugmug. plays gorilla tag can juke anyone. only plays in comp lobbies. is the best gorilla tag player and makes people rage quit.
Is also the best wall climber and wall runner.
Is also the best wall climber and wall runner.
person: man i'm leaving we will never get him. person: yeah shadow-saber.vr is to good at gorilla tag
by by shadow-saber March 6, 2022
Get the shadow-saber.vrmug. * ShadowsPower explodes
by Shadows Power September 23, 2004
Get the Shadows Powermug. this is used to refer to a bug in video games with light and shadow calculation, where a large surface appears as a shadow even though it is in bright light. This can happen for example in minecraft when large amounts of blocks are removed with commands.
by steank March 26, 2020
Get the shadow realm bugmug. Fat. Very fat - and sleepy as fuck. Likes to hump elephants, and sings. If you live under a rock, Shadow is my friend's cat.
Name your cat Shadow, and he will live inside of your cat's soul.
Name your cat Shadow, and he will live inside of your cat's soul.
by sydneymcd066 January 28, 2019
Get the Shadow (Cat)mug.