History Main / DreamDeception

** In "[[Merlot Down Dirty Shame Recap/AmericanDadS6E15MerlotDownDirtyShame]]", Steve teaches himself to lucid dream, with his indicator to know that he's dreaming being a bouncing red ball. Hayley and Klaus use a real bouncing red ball to trick Steve into thinking that he's lucid dreaming so that he'll humiliate himself by behaving as if his actions have no consequences, but it [[GoneHorriblyRight backfires]] when he tries to fly out of a window with the girl he likes and ends up impaling her on a fence.

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': In the "[[Recap/AmericanDadS3E5DungeonsAndWagons Dungeons and Wagons]]" episode, Stan catches Francine watching ''Film/TwoFastTwoFurious'', and it's why he asks Francine if she is bored with him. Francine says Stan is having a dream so she can avoid answering his question.

** In "Brian, Chris and Stewie's Excellent Adventure", Stewie and Brian decide to [[TimeTravelEpisode take Chris on a trip through time]] in an attempt to help Chris with his history exam. In order to keep Stewie's time machine a secret, they tell Chris that he's dreaming.

** A variation in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12930880/1/Lucy-s-Secret Lucy's Secret]]''. Lucy has [[EmbarrassingDampSheets wet the bed]] and is stripping her sheets, when her sister and roommate Lynn wakes up. Lucy doesn't outright tell Lynn that she's dreaming but deliberately tricks her into believing she is by making her actions seem like a dream. Namely, she arranges her pyjama pants to make it look like she has [[VertebrateWithExtraLimbs three legs]] and claims Lynn is on the moon, training to be [[SheIsTheKing King]] of Nebraska [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext and Cheese Puffs]] with several famous athletes.

Contrast DreamTellsYouToWakeUp for when it really ''is'' a dream and they ''don't'' want you to keep sleeping. Compare FakedRipVanWinkle. Also compare DelusionConclusion for when the ''viewers'' pretend something was a dream. May involve a faked SharedDream. For when a person pretends ''they'' are dreaming as a way to CopeByPretending, see InTheDreamingStageOfGrief. May be used to hide the {{Masquerade}}.

* ''Literature/EastOfEden'' has an especially dark variant after [[TheSociopath Cathy]] [[InVinoVeritas reveals her true nature and intentions to Faye when the two of them are drunk together]]. Upon sobering up, she drugs Faye and physically tortures her, managing to convince her that she had a long series of nightmares while in the grip of a sudden illness.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* In the ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum'' mission "Illogical in All the Right Ways", Christianne and Eledhwen assassinate a [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Spock]] impostor and his girlfriend, then convince the canon characters that it had all been a nightmare.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films- Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', Logan mentally [[TimeTravel time travels back to the 70s]], essentially hijacking his younger self's body. Later, some psychological trauma breaks his mental connection for just long enough for 70s-Logan to briefly regain consciousness--in the middle of trying to thwart an assassination. Charles Xavier, to prevent 70s-Logan from freaking out, starts to explain what's happening, then realizes how crazy it sounds and says instead: "You're tripping. You took some acid and you're having a bad trip."

* ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'': One book has the team infiltrate a mental care facility through the restroom [[VoluntaryShapeshifting as cockroaches]]. Rachel is still halfway through demorphing when someone comes in. Fortunately, as these are mental patients the team rationalize that no one will believe any witnesses (and as it turns out, the patient is also remarkably accepting of Rachel's explanation and helpfully fetches the man they wanted to talk to).
-->I was about two feet tall, with skin like burnt sugar, monstrously long antennae sprouting from my forehead, human eyes, semihuman legs that bristled with dagger-sharp hairs, blond hair, and a wide, throbbing yellowish-brown abdomen, when the bathroom door opened.
-->A man shuffled in, wearing slippers. He headed for the toilet. He hesitated. Slowly, very slowly, he turned.
-->My human mouth was just appearing. My lips grew from melted roach mouthparts.
-->"Hi. Could you get George Edelman for me?"
-->The man nodded. "Sure." He started to go.
--> Then he turned back. "Are you real?"
-->"Nah. Just a figment of your imagination."
-->"Ah. I'll get George."

* In the ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' prequel "On the Origin of [=PCs=]", Haley accidentally makes enough noise to awaken a sleeping guard. She convinces him that he's dreaming.

-->'''Homer:''' Lisa, honey, please wake up. If you do, I'll get you a new pony.
-->'''Lisa:''' ''(springs up)'' New pony?
-->'''Homer:''' Uh, this is still part of your dream! ''Dreaming... Dreeeeaming...'' Now you're awake!

[[folder:Films- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'': After Kent makes Hogarth reveal where the eponymous giant is, he tells him that it's only a nightmare, anaesthetises him, and puts him to bed.
[[/folder]]

!!Examples

-----

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' has Max, PJ, and Pistol [[InvokedTrope invoking]] this trope to thwart Pete's latest scheme against Goofy via ScareEmStraight. After Pete falls asleep, they film a video of Pete and Pistol acting li

* One episode of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' sees Sabrina's muggle friend Jenny wander into the Other Realm by accident. In order to get Jenny out without her figuring out that they're witches, Sabrina and her aunts convince her that she's just having a very vivid dream.