History Main / CraniumChase

* During an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', Starfire's head and body are separated when Larry messes with reality. She then has to chase it down.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} zigzags this with regard to [[TinCanRobot Bender]], depending on RuleOfFunny. In some episodes, Bender's head and body act as separate characters when separated, but they usually work together to commit crimes. One episode inverts the trope: when Bender's head is separated from his body, the head tries to chase after the body (who has found a new, more evil head).

* Celty the [[HeadlessHorseman Dullahan]] from ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' traveled all the way from England to Japan in search of her head. It's her body that is fully sentient, whereas her head is in a deep sleep.

* In the ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' movie has Humma Kavula take one of Zaphod's heads as an incentive for Zaphod to bring him the point of view gun.

* In ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', some of J.D.'s [[ImagineSpot Imagine Spots]] feature him as the "Floating Head Doctor", in which [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin his head is floating around]], separated from his body. This usually ends with J.D.'s body catastrophically screwing up the tasks that his head tells him to do.

* In ''Series/{{Ghosts}}'', the decapitated head of ghost Humphrey regularly tries (and fails) to give directions to his body to pick him up.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Robots}}'', Fender's head falls off because he's lost the bolt that keeps it in place. He tries to pick it up but keeps accidentally kicking it away.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'': As demonstrated by Anna and Kristoff's impromptu game of HotPotato upon first meeting him, the lower part of Olaf's body is often seen wandering aimlessly when his head's not attached.

[[folder:Myths & Religion]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'': In the episode "Dune Quixote", Genie's head gets seperated from his body while his friends were in the middle of a life threatening situation.
-->'''Genie's head:''' ''(whistles)'' Over here! This way! ''(whistles)'' Wait, what am I whistling for? I'm the part with ears.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'' episode "Dune Quixote", Genie's head gets seperated from his body while his friends were in the middle of a life threatening situation.

* Jack, in the legend of the Jack o'Lantern. Originally it was a turnip, but he lost his head after making a deal with the devil and then double-crossing him. Neither place wants him and he uses the turnip/pumpkin as a temporary head while looking for his real one.

* In WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries episode "Dune Quixote", Genie's head gets seperated from his body while his friends were in the middle of a life threatening situation.

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', while fighting the Headless Horseman, he loses his head, both in the Hallowe'en world event and in the actual dungeon fight. Players have to kill the boss' body, then his head, then kill the body all over again to win the fight.
* Played for laughs in a RandomEncounter in ''VideoGame/LEGOIsland''. A civilian is walking along, then a truck goes by and knocks his head off. The head starts giving directions to the body, which is ineffectually trying to pick up the head and put it back on.

* Tsotha-Lanti, the BigBad of "Literature/TheScarletCitadel" attempts that at the end of the story after being decapitated by [[Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian Conan]]. Of course, with the head promptly snatched up by a powerful rival sorcerer, his chances of retrieving it appear slim, but he still runs after it.

* In ''Manga/DailyLifeWithMonsterGirl'', Lala the Dullahan is introduced by having the protagonist help her track down her detachable head.

* In ''Videogame/PlanescapeTorment'', there's Mertwyn the Headless, whose severed head occupies a metal box and has to be carried around... until some thugs stole it and ran off. Since the body can't see where he's going, he's been reduced to wandering the halls and bumping into things, while the head tries to get someone to bring him back. He'll also refuse to explain how this condition came about. While his body appears to be perfectly fine (aside from lacking a head), his head's condition is apparently pretty gruesome, as he begs The Nameless One ''not'' to look into the box it's kept in.

* The Onkies from the ''{{VideoGame/Grow}}'' games may sometime lose their head which rolls a bit away when falling so their body have to get it back.

* In ''Videogame/PlanescapeTorment'', there's Mertwyn the Headless, whose severed head occupies a metal box and has to be carried around... until some thugs stole it and ran off. Since the body can't see where he's going, he's been reduced to wandering the halls and bumping into things, while the head tries to get someone to bring him back. He'll also refuse to explain how this condition came about.