History Main / Brainwashed

* JohnChristopher's ''Literature/TheTripods'': A series taking place in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been conquered and enslaved by the Masters, alien entities who use televised mass hypnosis on the human population when they began the turn the tide of battle on their invasion. To make sure the process was permanent, humans at the age of 14 are forced to wear Caps permanently affixed to the skull, removing the victim's creativity and curiosity while regarding the Masters as their saviors. Some "Cappings" can go wrong, however, when a mind is too weak or too strong and eventually collapses under the strain, creating Vagrants who wander from town to town spouting nonsense.

* In ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'', Porky, with the help of [[{{Jerkass}} Fassad]], use [[TVNeverLies "Happy Boxes"]] to woo the previously low-tech and peaceful citizens of Tazmily Village into a materialistic lifestyle. Toward the end, most of the villagers move to New Pork City, except the Main party and their companions.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' uses the term "indoctrination". [[spoiler:Saren, among others, turns out to have been indoctrinated by the [[EldritchAbomination Reaper]] [[SapientShip Sovereign]], the ''real'' BigBad.]] What makes it really frightening is that (A) it's subtle--so subtle that you won't even notice any change in your behavior or normal thinking patterns (you'll rationalize and justify the actions you're taking), (B) it's erosive and eventually destroys a person's free will, regardless of how subtle or functional they were at first, and (C) it's ''permanent''. Even if [[spoiler:the Reaper]] stops giving orders through the indoctrination, [[FateWorseThanDeath the person affected will just be a mindless husk]], [[AndIMustScream unable to do anything on their own]].

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' uses the term "indoctrination". [[spoiler:Saren, among others, turns out to have been indoctrinated by the [[EldritchAbomination Reaper]] [[SapientShip Sovereign]], the ''real'' BigBad.]] What makes it really frightening is that it's ''permanent'' and destroys a person's free will. Even if [[spoiler:the Reaper]] stops giving orders through the indoctrination, [[FateWorseThanDeath the person affected will just be a mindless husk]], [[AndIMustScream unable to do anything on their own]].

* Creator/{{Filmation}} loved this trope, as several of their eighties shows feature MindControl powers or technology. The ''HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'' episode "The Mystery of Man-E-Faces" showed Beast Man using his power over beasts to make Manny-in monster-mug form--attack He-Man; however, he clearly didn't wish to and showed this with a [[SingleTear tear in his eye]]. In the ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' episode "The Perils of Peekablue", Shadow Weaver forced the all-seeing heroine to be Hordak's spy with her mind-control magic. Peek wasn't content with one demure tear; she fairly flowed. In fact, it was her streaming eyes that told her fellow rebels she wasn't serving the Horde willingly.

* In ''{{V}}'', the Visitors have a brainwashing method called conversion, but humans are so resistant to it that it is only considered worth the bother for a few vital individuals.

* The ''GuardiansOfGaHoole'' series has moon blinking.

** Of course, there's the Evil King of Pokélantis' example, placing Ash and his Sceptile under the evil king's control. Ash and Sceptile were snapped out of the brainwashing, however.

* ''TotallySpies'' LOVES this trope, especially for Sam as a running gag in the series. In fact, this was done not only to them, but their families and friends as well (Tim Scam brainwashing their mothers to kill them, a disgruntled child mind controlling all the children in the world including one of the girl's younger siblings, Jerry's being turned evil by his evil brother, the previous trio of female spies, the list goes on).
* ''MartinMystery'' is also rather fond of using monsters or alien invaders brainwashing innocent human victims or some of the cast to be their slaves. Unsurprising as it is produced by the same TV production company as Totally Spies.

[[quoteright:260:[[TropeTan http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brainwashed05a_3084.png]] ]]

* Ryuutaros from ''{{Kamen Rider Den-O}}'' has the ability to brainwash entire crowds at the click of his host's fingers and influence them to dance with him (whether or not they can hear the music is never touched on).

* The ''SuperRobotWars'' games uses this exceptionally liberally; If a particular protagonist is one of their original creations, the odds are fairly high that they've been brainwashed at least once, in at least one of the many different timelines. One BigBad of a faction even makes it part of their standard operating procedure. Okay. More than one...(One faction's plot is to Brainwash/Clone the ENTIRE CAST!)

* [[MonsterClown Freakshow]] does this to [[DannyPhantom Danny]] in ''Control Freaks'' to make him a part of his ghostly group who steals goods for him. Naturally he's freed by the ThePowerOfFriendship through a CatchAFallingStar moment.
** Also in ''DannyPhantom'', Ember does this to Danny in order to distract him. She makes him believe [[spoiler:that he is in love with Sam.]]

* The CIA was officially revealed to have been researching mind control with the declassification of documents relating to Project [=MKUltra=] (those that hadn't already been destroyed).

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'' uses the term "indoctrination". [[spoiler:Saren, among others, turns out to have been indoctrinated by the [[EldritchAbomination Reaper]] [[SapientShip Sovereign]], the ''real'' BigBad.]]
** What makes it really frightening is that it's ''permanent''. It destroys a person's free will. Even if [[spoiler:the Reaper]] stops giving orders through the indoctrination, [[FateWorseThanDeath the person affected will just be a mindless husk]], [[AndIMustScream unable to do anything on their own]].
** Also, in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' the abilities of [[spoiler:Ardat-Yakshi]] to seduce anyone they wish (only to destroy their partner's nerve system when having sex). [[spoiler:Commander Shepard can also experience this, acting as bait in a mission to track one and kill her, if the player lacks the necessary paragon or renegade level the only dialogue options that remain result in Shepard soullessly complying with anything she wishes, until rescued by Samara's intervention.]]

* DonkeyKongCountryReturns has this trope, and started at the '''very begining of the game!''' But Donkey Kong was able to [[NoSell resist the brainwashing effects]].

* Used on Jet in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', but none too effectively; with appropriate urging, he is able to break through it and lead the heroes back to where he got brainwashed... [[UnwittingPawn playing right into the villain's hands]], not long after which he shifts into BrainwashedAndCrazy mode when a code phrase is said. The only reason the GAang realized he was brainwashed is his old friend Smellerbee tells her side and Toph noted they are both being truthful. It is only when Smellerbee mentions Jet was taken by [[spoiler:the Dai Lee]] did they consider Jet to be manipulated.

!!Examples

[[folder:Film]]

* When the eponymous character of ''WesternAnimation/{{Igor}}'' creates a FrankensteinsMonster [[MinionWithAnFInEvil with an F in Evil]], he takes her to the local Brain Wash. [[spoiler:His creation ends up not getting the right program and instead of becoming an evil monster, she becomes an actress.]]

* ''Twilight, Revised'', a ''My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'' fanfic found only on FIMFiction, features [[spoiler: Twilight Sparkle]] being brainwashed by [[spoiler: Nightmare Moon]]. It's worse than it sounds.

* Present in the [[{{Hentai}} ero-OVA series]], ''MoonlightLady'': the maid, Sayaka, induces this on herself after she was kidnapped and raped. The trope is subverted in that Sayaka doesn't get flashbacks (or the 'mind-control vision') until she's under ''further'' mind-control from the magic forces around Kuraki Manor). It's also implied that the other maid, Tomomi, went through the same procedure.

** The traditional view of {{Hell}} definitely counts as this, as avoiding permanent CessationOfExistence or (worse) [[FireAndBrimstoneHell eternal conscious torment]] is a pretty good motivation to do just about anything. Especially when its not just murderers and rapists and the like who are supposed to go there, but everyone who isn't the right religion. (This was probably a great way for missionaries to convert people.)

** One episode had Team Rocket's more competent rivals, Butch and Cassidy, use a Drowzee hooked up to a machine to brainwash all the Pokémon on Mandarin Island into disobeying their masters and obeying only them, with some examples being Ash's Pikachu and Misty's Togepi. Only Officer Jenny's Gastly, whose nature as a ghost-type negates the power of any psychic-type Pokémon, is immune. Ash later managed to trick Pikachu into '''destorying the machine.'''