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* The mud monster from ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' who gains a face after a girl wipes some cursed mud from it, leaving her with a [[TheBlank blank face]].

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* The mud monster from ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' who gains a face after a girl wipes away some cursed mud from that got splashed in it, leaving her with a [[TheBlank blank face]].
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* The gingerbread... thing in ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' only got a face after she stole that of a girl, leaving her with a [[TheBlank blank face]].

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* The gingerbread... thing in mud monster from ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' only got who gains a face after she stole that of a girl, girl wipes some cursed mud from it, leaving her with a [[TheBlank blank face]].

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Entry; alphabetized a number of folders


* Doctor Thomas Elliot / Hush in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity''. In the comics, he made himself look like Bruce Wayne through MagicPlasticSurgery. In the game, he does the same thing...by murdering people, carving off parts of their faces, and replacing his own face with the assembled pieces.
* In ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'', if [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] sacrificed one of the original four survivors twenty-five times, he unlocked a cosmetic of their stitched up face to wear. These cosmetics were removed because of complaints that him wearing Claudette's face amounted to "blackface". Another killer, the Unknown, has cosmetic skins where it wears the head and skin of some of its victims, such as a grandmother or a cheerleader, though horribly stretched over the Unknown's decidedly non-human frame.
* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' has the Snuffers, {{Humanoid Abomination}}s which will physically tear peoples' faces off (with naturally fatal results) and wear them like masks, which fit perfectly despite the fact a mask-less snuffer looks less like a human and more like an insectoid horror. Those of a more subtle inclination can, with the help of special ointments, cut a neat line along the edge of a person's face, peel it off non-fatally, and even put it back in place again afterwards with only faint telltale signs. Being sapient, some have particular tastes, and a few have been known to piece whole faces together out of bits of others simply to experiment. They also eat their victims, at least when they aren't out devouring candles (hence the name, they "snuff" candles). They've become quite the problem in London, to the point wearing masks in the local prison is mandatory to avoid unwanted face-ripping.
* The video game ''VideoGame/HomeSafetyHotline'' features a creature called a mirror-nymph, which uses the mirror it carries to steal away the victim's face (or ability to recognize their face; the wording of the database is somewhat ambiguous). Luckily, one may reacquire their likeness by catching the nymph and smashing its mirror with an iron rod.
--> '''Helen''': It stole me!! I'm not me anymore, I'm... it took me! I can't see myself anymore, I'm gone!



* A popular (yet technically incomplete) ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' mod called "Morph" allows the player to shapeshift into any mobs they killed.



* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' plays this trope in [[NightmareFuel a very unsettling way]]: one of [[BigBad Shinnok]]'s Brutalities involves him using his power-stealing move on the opponent while using his [[DittoFighter "Impostor"]] variation. Thing is, it tears off the face from the opponent's head and puts it over Shinnok's face as a mask.
* The plot of ''VideoGame/{{Miitopia}}'' kicks off with the Dark Lord stealing Miis' faces to build an army of demons to help him spread chaos all over Miitopia. It's explained later on that the monsters are normally quite docile, and only attack because the Dark Lord uses the stolen faces to control them.
** This gets continued in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. for 3DS & Wii U]]'' with the Fighting Mii team, who are described as stealing your Miis' faces. This is further reinforced by the fact that, unlike the playable Mii Fighters, these ones [[PerpetualExpression never change facial expressions]], even when getting kicked about.
* Alex Mercer from ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' eats people and uses this so often he starts [[BodySurf body surfing]].
* The [[MeaningfulName Change]][[NonIndicativeName lings]] in ''VideoGame/SpaceStation13'' are this. They are capable of [[VoluntaryShapeshifting transforming]] into anyone who they either stealthily sting or [[YouAreWhoYouEat suck all body fluids out of]], making them [[DeaderThanDead unclonable]]. Their other powers include turning their arm into a weapon, freezing people from the inside, turning into monkeys to escape handcuffs, [[ResurrectiveImmortality reviving out of anything that doesn't destroy their body]], [[CloneByConversion turning people into other people]] and [[BodyHorror turning into hulking masses of meat and organs]]. [[ParanoiaFuel They make you suspect everyone even more than traitors]].



* Alex Mercer from ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' eats people and uses this so often he starts [[BodySurf body surfing]].



* Doctor Thomas Elliot / Hush in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity''. In the comics, he made himself look like Bruce Wayne through MagicPlasticSurgery. In the game, he does the same thing...by murdering people, carving off parts of their faces, and replacing his own face with the assembled pieces.
* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' has the Snuffers, {{Humanoid Abomination}}s which will physically tear peoples' faces off (with naturally fatal results) and wear them like masks, which fit perfectly despite the fact a mask-less snuffer looks less like a human and more like an insectoid horror. Those of a more subtle inclination can, with the help of special ointments, cut a neat line along the edge of a person's face, peel it off non-fatally, and even put it back in place again afterwards with only faint telltale signs. Being sapient, some have particular tastes, and a few have been known to piece whole faces together out of bits of others simply to experiment. They also eat their victims, at least when they aren't out devouring candles (hence the name, they "snuff" candles). They've become quite the problem in London, to the point wearing masks in the local prison is mandatory to avoid unwanted face-ripping.
* A popular (yet technically incomplete) ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' mod called "Morph" allows the player to shapeshift into any mobs they killed.
* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' plays this trope in [[NightmareFuel a very unsettling way]]: one of [[BigBad Shinnok]]'s Brutalities involves him using his power-stealing move on the opponent while using his [[DittoFighter "Impostor"]] variation. Thing is, it tears off the face from the opponent's head and puts it over Shinnok's face as a mask.
* The plot of ''VideoGame/{{Miitopia}}'' kicks off with the Dark Lord stealing Miis' faces to build an army of demons to help him spread chaos all over Miitopia. It's explained later on that the monsters are normally quite docile, and only attack because the Dark Lord uses the stolen faces to control them.
** This gets continued in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. for 3DS & Wii U]]'' with the Fighting Mii team, who are described as stealing your Miis' faces. This is further reinforced by the fact that, unlike the playable Mii Fighters, these ones [[PerpetualExpression never change facial expressions]], even when getting kicked about.
* The [[MeaningfulName Change]][[NonIndicativeName lings]] in ''VideoGame/SpaceStation13'' are this. They are capable of [[VoluntaryShapeshifting transforming]] into anyone who they either stealthily sting or [[YouAreWhoYouEat suck all body fluids out of]], making them [[DeaderThanDead unclonable]]. Their other powers include turning their arm into a weapon, freezing people from the inside, turning into monkeys to escape handcuffs, [[ResurrectiveImmortality reviving out of anything that doesn't destroy their body]], [[CloneByConversion turning people into other people]] and [[BodyHorror turning into hulking masses of meat and organs]]. [[ParanoiaFuel They make you suspect everyone even more than traitors]].
* In ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'', if [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] sacrificed one of the original four survivors twenty-five times, he unlocked a cosmetic of their stitched up face to wear. These cosmetics were removed because of complaints that him wearing Claudette's face amounted to "blackface". Another killer, the Unknown, has cosmetic skins where it wears the head and skin of some of its victims, such as a grandmother or a cheerleader, though horribly stretched over the Unknown's decidedly non-human frame.



* In canon, it is unclear how Decoy Octopus of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' impersonates people so perfectly, but it appears to involve exchanging his blood for theirs. (Assuming he wasn't just using the blood of his victim because of the {{nanomachine}}s inside the blood.) ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFOXHOUND'' explains that he can take the appearance of anyone whose blood he drinks. He spends an early portion of that series using the form of a dead villain, just because there was a lot of blood left over. Afterwards he tends to assume the appearance of one of his teammates, generally [[IdiotHero Liquid]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Ocelot]].
* Reynardine of ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' fame is an inversion, with a little bit of BodySnatcher; he can take the form of anything with eyes, but they don't die until he ''leaves'' that form.
* ''Webcomic/RumorsOfWar'' features a FaceStealer of the KillAndReplace variety, in the B Plot of its first major StoryArc. Creates a WhatHappenedToTheMouse moment when another character is "disappeared," and a protagonist is blamed for it, concluding with an AttemptedRape (foiled in ActionGirl manner) [[LeftHanging and the arc suddenly ending]].



* In ''Webcomic/{{Brutus}}'', [[spoiler:Italia]] takes the form of [[spoiler:Alucanth]] by stabbing him through the chest. [[spoiler:Due to Alucanth's undead nature, this is inconvenient rather than fatal.]]
* ''Webcomic/CityOfBlank'': Blanks, which are the reason masks are so common. Upon sensing an unmasked human, they congregate around the hapless victim in hopes of stealing a face.



* In ''Webcomic/{{Brutus}}'', [[spoiler:Italia]] takes the form of [[spoiler:Alucanth]] by stabbing him through the chest. [[spoiler:Due to Alucanth's undead nature, this is inconvenient rather than fatal.]]

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* In ''Webcomic/{{Brutus}}'', [[spoiler:Italia]] takes Reynardine of ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' fame is an inversion, with a little bit of BodySnatcher; he can take the form of [[spoiler:Alucanth]] by stabbing him through anything with eyes, but they don't die until he ''leaves'' that form.
* In canon, it is unclear how Decoy Octopus of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' impersonates people so perfectly, but it appears to involve exchanging his blood for theirs. (Assuming he wasn't just using
the chest. [[spoiler:Due blood of his victim because of the {{nanomachine}}s inside the blood.) ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFOXHOUND'' explains that he can take the appearance of anyone whose blood he drinks. He spends an early portion of that series using the form of a dead villain, just because there was a lot of blood left over. Afterwards he tends to Alucanth's undead nature, this assume the appearance of one of his teammates, generally [[IdiotHero Liquid]] or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Ocelot]].
* ''Webcomic/RumorsOfWar'' features a FaceStealer of the KillAndReplace variety, in the B Plot of its first major StoryArc. Creates a WhatHappenedToTheMouse moment when another character
is inconvenient rather than fatal.]]"disappeared," and a protagonist is blamed for it, concluding with an AttemptedRape (foiled in ActionGirl manner) [[LeftHanging and the arc suddenly ending]].



* ''Webcomic/CityOfBlank'': Blanks, which are the reason masks are so common. Upon sensing an unmasked human, they congregate around the hapless victim in hopes of stealing a face.



* The Not-Them from ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'' plays with this, in that, while it consumes and replaces whatever poor soul is unfortunate enough to be left alone with it, it doesn't resemble the original individual at all. These obvious discrepancies don't affect it too badly, though, as it will change almost all images and recordings of the original to show itself, instead.



* The Not-Them from ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'' plays with this, in that, while it consumes and replaces whatever poor soul is unfortunate enough to be left alone with it, it doesn't resemble the original individual at all. These obvious discrepancies don't affect it too badly, though, as it will change almost all images and recordings of the original to show itself, instead.



* The Mysterons[[note]]who in this continuity are explicitly EnergyBeings, by the by[[/note]] appear to be doing something like this in ''WesternAnimation/GerryAndersonsNewCaptainScarlet'', with the target's corpse disappearing in a swirl of motes of weird green light to reconstitute as an evil, Mysteron-controlled duplicate. It's not clear exactly how necessary this is, because they have shown the ability to out-and-out possess animals and remotely interfere with machinery: If you subscribe to the notion that the whole War of Nerves is really just the Mysterons trolling humanity ForTheEvulz and/or [[ItAmusedMe it amuses them]], one could argue that they think it's more dramatic that way.
* According to the Creator/CartoonNetwork version of ''WesternAnimation/{{MAD}}'', Creator/MeganFox got her looks by stealing Creator/KristenStewart's hair, Creator/ScarlettJohansson's eyes, and Creator/AngelinaJolie's lips. Before this, [[{{Pun}} she was an actual fox]].



* According to the Creator/CartoonNetwork version of ''WesternAnimation/{{MAD}}'', Creator/MeganFox got her looks by stealing Creator/KristenStewart's hair, Creator/ScarlettJohansson's eyes, and Creator/AngelinaJolie's lips. Before this, [[{{Pun}} she was an actual fox]].
* The Mysterons[[note]]who in this continuity are explicitly EnergyBeings, by the by[[/note]] appear to be doing something like this in ''WesternAnimation/GerryAndersonsNewCaptainScarlet'', with the target's corpse disappearing in a swirl of motes of weird green light to reconstitute as an evil, Mysteron-controlled duplicate. It's not clear exactly how necessary this is, because they have shown the ability to out-and-out possess animals and remotely interfere with machinery: If you subscribe to the notion that the whole War of Nerves is really just the Mysterons trolling humanity ForTheEvulz and/or [[ItAmusedMe it amuses them]], one could argue that they think it's more dramatic that way.
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* In ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'', if [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] sacrifices one of the original four survivors twenty-five times, he unlocks a cosmetic of their stitched up face to wear.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'', if [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] sacrifices sacrificed one of the original four survivors twenty-five times, he unlocks unlocked a cosmetic of their stitched up face to wear. These cosmetics were removed because of complaints that him wearing Claudette's face amounted to "blackface". Another killer, the Unknown, has cosmetic skins where it wears the head and skin of some of its victims, such as a grandmother or a cheerleader, though horribly stretched over the Unknown's decidedly non-human frame.
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None


* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' has the Snuffers, {{Humanoid Abomination}}s which will physically tear peoples' faces off (with naturally fatal results) and wear them like masks, which fit perfectly despite the fact a mask-less snuffer looks less like a human and more like an insectoid horror. Being sapient, some have particular tastes, and a few have been known to piece whole faces together out of bits of others simply to experiment. They also eat their victims, at least when they aren't out devouring candles (hence the name, they "snuff" candles). They've become quite the problem in London, to the point wearing masks in the local prison is mandatory to avoid unwanted face-ripping.

to:

* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' has the Snuffers, {{Humanoid Abomination}}s which will physically tear peoples' faces off (with naturally fatal results) and wear them like masks, which fit perfectly despite the fact a mask-less snuffer looks less like a human and more like an insectoid horror. Those of a more subtle inclination can, with the help of special ointments, cut a neat line along the edge of a person's face, peel it off non-fatally, and even put it back in place again afterwards with only faint telltale signs. Being sapient, some have particular tastes, and a few have been known to piece whole faces together out of bits of others simply to experiment. They also eat their victims, at least when they aren't out devouring candles (hence the name, they "snuff" candles). They've become quite the problem in London, to the point wearing masks in the local prison is mandatory to avoid unwanted face-ripping.
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** Several Toads were on the receiving end of this trope in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'': after all, when you mix a world where people are made of paper with a self-centered ''hole puncher'', it is to be expected. [[spoiler:It can also happen to Mario during the fight against the aforementioned hole puncher, resulting in MaximumHpReduction]].

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** Several Toads were on the receiving end of this trope in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'': after all, when you mix a world where people are made of paper with a self-centered ''hole puncher'', it is to be expected. [[spoiler:It can also happen to Mario during the fight against the aforementioned hole puncher, resulting in MaximumHpReduction]]. Another example from the same game would be for a set of living [[ManOfKryptonite scissors]], who reduces [[spoiler:Bowser's army]] to shreds and keeps the faces to [[spoiler:[[ForTheEvulz use as still-living armor for his Paper Mistake Buzzy Beetle]], Kamek's used as a LivingBattery to give the monster magic.]]
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* ''Film/{{Hellraiser}}'' has a bit of a unique take on this with how Frank takes the skin of his brother Larry.
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* ''Manga/InuYasha'':

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* ''Manga/InuYasha'':''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'':



* Etzali (Unabara Mitsuki) of ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex''.

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* Etzali (Unabara Mitsuki) of ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex''.''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex''.



* ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'': [[spoiler:Eobard Thawne]] uses a machine to kill [[spoiler:the real Harrison Wells]] and steal his identity. Bonus points for it resembling the Fringe process from below.

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* ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'': ''Series/TheFlash2014'': [[spoiler:Eobard Thawne]] uses a machine to kill [[spoiler:the real Harrison Wells]] and steal his identity. Bonus points for it resembling the Fringe process from below.



* In season 1 episode 6 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', a Shapeshifter is the Monster of the Week. He takes on many people's appearances and uses the ability to frame others for murder. The Leviathans from season 7 can also take on the faces of others, but require a piece of DNA from the intended target (which they usually take by eating the victim).

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* In season 1 A shapeshifter is the MonsterOfTheWeek in the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode 6 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', a Shapeshifter is the Monster of the Week."[[Recap/SupernaturalS01E06Skin Skin]]". He takes on many people's appearances and uses the ability to frame others for murder. The Leviathans from season 7 can also take on the faces of others, but require a piece of DNA from the intended target (which they usually take by eating the victim).
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* ''Creator/FilmCow'' has the character Vulo the Face Borrower. The people he takes faces from are rendered comatose but he ''eventually'' does give them back.
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Added "Orange Crows" Example to "Comic Books" Folder

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* ''ComicBook/OrangeCrows'': Appearing in Volume 2, there's an unnamed, blank-faced Forsaken Witch working with the Free Minds who gleefully steals the faces of other witches. She wears a belt of still-living faces around her waist and uses them as disguises to sneak into the tightly controlled "Arx" cities to carry out the Free Minds' spying work.
-->'''Unnamed Face Stealer:''' You just don't understand the value of true friendship, Adinella. If you let me wear you, then I'm sure you would understand.
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* In ''Anime/DigimonGhostGame'', MonsterOfTheWeek [[Myth/HinduMythology Asura]]mon was both a face stealer and EmotionEater who stole the upper halves of people's faces in order to feed on their emotions, leaving its victims as TheBlank {{Empty Shell}}s. It manages to do this to dozens of people across Tokyo and attempts to attack an entire stadium full of people until the heroes manage to [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath talk it down]] after it steals [[AllLovingHero Hiro's face and compassion]].

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* In ''Anime/DigimonGhostGame'', MonsterOfTheWeek [[Myth/HinduMythology Asura]]mon Asuramon was both a face stealer and EmotionEater who stole the upper halves of people's faces in order to feed on their emotions, leaving its victims as TheBlank {{Empty Shell}}s. It manages to do this to dozens of people across Tokyo and attempts to attack an entire stadium full of people until the heroes manage to [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath talk it down]] after it steals [[AllLovingHero Hiro's face and compassion]].
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* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'': [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-974 SCP-974 ("Treehouse Predator")]]. After killing and eating a human being it can take the form of that person.

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* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'': ''Website/SCPFoundation'': [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-974 SCP-974 ("Treehouse Predator")]]. After killing and eating a human being it can take the form of that person.
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* In the N64/PSX ''VideoGame/MissionImpossible1997'' game, the Face Maker not only duplicates people's faces, but their clothing as well.

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* In the N64/PSX ''VideoGame/MissionImpossible1997'' ''{{Film/Mission Impossible|1996}}'' game, the Face Maker not only duplicates people's faces, but their clothing as well.



** [[spoiler:Doopliss]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''. Not only does he take Mario's face, leaving him as a shadow, he also takes [[IKnowYourRealName his name]], making him unable to tell others who he is, or leaving Twilight town, since you need to have your name written on you for the pipe to work.

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** [[spoiler:Doopliss]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''. Not only does he take Mario's face, leaving him as a shadow, he also takes [[IKnowYourRealName [[IKnowYourTrueName his name]], making him unable to tell others who he is, or leaving Twilight town, since you need to have your name written on you for the pipe to work.
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* Shapeshifters in ''Literature/TheLicaniusTrilogy'' can only take the forms of those they have personally killed. The explanation given is that killing someone causes you to take an "imprint" of their soul, which can later be used to assume that person's shape.

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* One from Myth/JapaneseMythology is seen in ''Manga/GeGeGeNoKitaro''. In the 96's series, a cute young woman's face is stolen ''right before her wedding'' and she's left as TheBlank; her little brother decides to write to Kitaro and ask him for help, and this leads Kitaro and his friends to [[{{Pun}} a face-off]] with the ''youkai'' who's to blame...

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* One from Myth/JapaneseMythology is seen in ''Manga/GeGeGeNoKitaro''. In the 96's series, a cute young woman's face is stolen ''right before her wedding'' by Nopperabo and she's left as TheBlank; her little brother decides to write to Kitaro and ask him for help, and this leads Kitaro and his friends to [[{{Pun}} a face-off]] with the ''youkai'' who's to blame...blame...
**Another face-stealing ''youkai'' appears later, where Kitaro gets the help of Nopperabo, now a farmer after their initial confrontation, and fights against Oshiroi-Babaa.
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Nice Hat is being dewicked.


* ''WebAnimation/ASDFMovie'': "{{Nice hat}}." "Thanks!" "[[SarcasmMode I was being sarcastic.]]" "Well, I stole your face!" (Guy slaps his own blank face and finds it gone.)

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* ''WebAnimation/ASDFMovie'': "{{Nice hat}}."Nice hat." "Thanks!" "[[SarcasmMode I was being sarcastic.]]" "Well, I stole your face!" (Guy slaps his own blank face and finds it gone.)
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* In ''Anime/DigimonGhostGame'', MonsterOfTheWeek [[Myth/HinduMythology Asura]]mon was both a face stealer and EmotionEater who stole the upper halves of people's faces in order to feed on their emotions, leaving its victims as TheBlank {{Empty Shell}}s. It manages to do this to dozens of people across Tokyo and attempts to attack an entire stadium full of people until the heroes manage to [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath talk it down]] after it steals [[AllLovingHero Hiro's face and compassion]].
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* Leonard from ''Mask Maker''.

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* Leonard from ''Mask Maker''.''Film/MaskMaker''.
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** [[spoiler:Doopliss]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''.

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** [[spoiler:Doopliss]] in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''. Not only does he take Mario's face, leaving him as a shadow, he also takes [[IKnowYourRealName his name]], making him unable to tell others who he is, or leaving Twilight town, since you need to have your name written on you for the pipe to work.
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* This gets continued in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. for 3DS & Wii U]]'' with the Fighting Mii team, who are described as stealing your Miis' faces. This is further reinforced by the fact that they [[PerpetualExpression never change facial expressions]], even when getting kicked about.

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* ** This gets continued in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. for 3DS & Wii U]]'' with the Fighting Mii team, who are described as stealing your Miis' faces. This is further reinforced by the fact that they that, unlike the playable Mii Fighters, these ones [[PerpetualExpression never change facial expressions]], even when getting kicked about.
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* In ''VideoGame/ZampanioSim'' you can meet Shambling Horrors with Your Face.
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VoluntaryShapeshifting is a really powerful and useful ability for a character to have. But occasionally they run into a problem of logistics (other than the [[ShapeshifterBaggage usual]] [[MagicPants ones]]); how do they get the information to change shape? Sometimes it is enough just to look or touch whatever the character wants to change into.

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VoluntaryShapeshifting is a really powerful and useful ability for a character to have. But However, shapeshifters occasionally they run into a problem of logistics (other than the [[ShapeshifterBaggage usual]] [[MagicPants ones]]); how do they get the information to change shape? Sometimes it is enough just to look or touch whatever the character wants to change into.



Occasionally an application of CannibalismSuperPower in which case it's YouAreWhoYouEat, although [[ReplicantSnatching skinning the target]] is just as common. See KillAndReplace, which is what this trope often leads to. Compare PhysicalAttributeSwap. Contrast CloneByConversion, where the ''victim'' is the one who assumes a different form. See BeastWithAHumanFace for when the character has a human face for another reason. A subtrope of TransferredTransformation.

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Occasionally an application of CannibalismSuperPower in which case it's YouAreWhoYouEat, although [[ReplicantSnatching skinning the target]] is just as common. See KillAndReplace, which is what this trope often leads to. Compare PhysicalAttributeSwap. Contrast CloneByConversion, where the ''victim'' is the one who assumes a different form. See BeastWithAHumanFace for when the character has a human face for another reason. A subtrope of TransferredTransformation.
CollectorOfForms and TransferredTransformation.

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* The Chameleon from ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comics. Usually he uses a special gas to make a mask out of his target's skin (and, DependingOnTheWriter, killing them - the picture above is from one of his murderous phases), but some continuities have him actually eat the target.
* The Chitauri in Marvel's ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'' needed to consume a human to take their shape.
* The Franchise/MarvelUniverse also has the Dire Wraiths.

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* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
** [[MasterOfDisguise
The Chameleon from ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comics. Usually he Chameleon]] usually uses a special gas to make a mask out of his target's skin [[LatexPerfection masks that perfectly resemble the people that he impersonates]] (and, DependingOnTheWriter, killing them - -- the picture above is from one of his murderous phases), but some continuities have him actually eat the target.
** Skulljacket was a one-shot villain using former-Soviet technology. He mimicked appearance by means of holograms, but could copy enough of a person's memories for a better-quality impersonation by taking a small sample of flesh ([[HandWave getting the memory info from RNA]]), usually leaving victims rubbing an aching neck. After taking on a police detective's semblance, he made a snide, mock-sympathetic remark implying that the memory absorption told him the detective's grown son was homosexual and dad was having trouble dealing with it. Skulljacket typically left those he mimicked alive, so they could take the fall for any crimes he committed wearing their appearance.
* The Chitauri in Marvel's ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'' needed ''ComicBook/TheUltimates2002'' need to consume a human to take their shape.
* The Franchise/MarvelUniverse also has the Dire Wraiths.
shape.



* Another comic-book example: the Warwolves, creatures from Marvel's ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'' series, could drain a living target's life force and then assume its form by wearing the empty skin that remained.
* Orlando, a minor demon from ''ComicBook/TheInvisibles'' series skinned his victims' faces off and, pretending to be them, went on to kill their relatives.
* Everyman in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' needs to eat a part of something in order to turn into that shape. He mentions many nails and hairs when discussing combat shapes (And some of the shapes he uses [[MindScrew just for fun]]), but as time goes on [[IAmAHumanitarian he begins to take more than he needs]] and take advantage of the [[FantasyKitchenSink wide variety of meats]] available in the DC universe.

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* Another comic-book example: the The Warwolves, creatures from Marvel's ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'' series, ''Comicbook/ExcaliburMarvelComics'', could drain a living target's life force and then assume its form by wearing the empty skin that remained.
* Orlando, a minor demon from ''ComicBook/TheInvisibles'' series ''ComicBook/TheInvisibles'', skinned his victims' faces off and, pretending to be them, went on to kill their relatives.
* Everyman in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' needs to eat a part of something in order to turn into that shape. He mentions many nails and hairs when discussing combat shapes (And (and some of the shapes he uses [[MindScrew just for fun]]), fun), but as time goes on [[IAmAHumanitarian [[ImAHumanitarian he begins to take more than he needs]] and take advantage of the [[FantasyKitchenSink wide variety of meats]] available in the DC universe.



* Skulljacket was a one-shot villain from ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', using former-Soviet technology. He mimicked appearance by means of holograms, but could copy enough of a person's memories for a better-quality impersonation by taking a small sample of flesh ([[HandWave getting the memory info from RNA]]), usually leaving victims rubbing an aching neck. After taking on a police detective's semblance, he made a snide, mock-sympathetic remark implying that the memory absorption told him the detective's grown son was homosexual and dad was having trouble dealing with it. Skulljacket typically left those he mimicked alive, so they could take the fall for any crimes he committed wearing their appearance.



* For the Comic Books section, Jane Doe from the DC universe is a rare non-supernatural variant of this trope. She studies her victims movement and mannerisms before she ambushes them and surgically removes their face to steal their identity.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth Vol 5]]: When Deimos and Phobos steal Veronica Cale's daughter's soul they also take her facial features. She doesn't need to eat or breath in this state, but she is also entirely non-responsive.

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* For the Comic Books section, ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': Jane Doe from the DC universe is a rare non-supernatural variant of this trope. She studies her victims movement and mannerisms before she ambushes them and surgically removes their face to steal their identity.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth Vol 5]]: When Deimos and Phobos steal Veronica Cale's daughter's soul soul, they also take her facial features. She doesn't need to eat or breath breathe in this state, but she is also entirely non-responsive.
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* The Spy in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' can invoke this with the "Your Eternal Reward" knife. Normally, Spy is a MasterOfDisguise and uses a kit to manually and gradually disguise himself as an enemy, ideally to precede a BackStab with his usual ButterflyKnife. However, using Your Eternal Reward exchanges full use of a disguise kit for the ability to let him instantly disguise as anyone he backstabs. Doing so also mutes the victim's scream, [[NoBodyLeftBehind near-instantly turns their corpse invisible]], and the death won't be mentioned on the kill feed, making it especially good at catching large enemy groups off guard as he jumps between his victims' identities.

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* The Spy in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' can invoke this with the "Your Eternal Reward" knife. Normally, Spy is a MasterOfDisguise and uses a kit to manually and gradually disguise himself as an enemy, ideally to precede a BackStab with his usual ButterflyKnife.butterfly knife. However, using Your Eternal Reward exchanges full use of a disguise kit for the ability to let him instantly disguise as anyone he backstabs. Doing so also mutes the victim's scream, [[NoBodyLeftBehind near-instantly turns their corpse invisible]], and the death won't be mentioned on the kill feed, making it especially good at catching large enemy groups off guard as he jumps between his victims' identities.
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* One from Myth/JapaneseMythology is seen in ''Manga/GeGeGeNoKitaro''. In the 96's series, a cute young woman's face is stolen ''right before her wedding'' and she's left as TheBlank; her little brother decides to write to Kitaro and ask him for help, and this leads Kitaro and his friends to [[IncrediblyLamePun a face-off]] with the ''youkai'' who's to blame...

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* One from Myth/JapaneseMythology is seen in ''Manga/GeGeGeNoKitaro''. In the 96's series, a cute young woman's face is stolen ''right before her wedding'' and she's left as TheBlank; her little brother decides to write to Kitaro and ask him for help, and this leads Kitaro and his friends to [[IncrediblyLamePun [[{{Pun}} a face-off]] with the ''youkai'' who's to blame...
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* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E7TheIdiotsLantern "The Idiot's Lantern"]], [[EnergyBeing the Wire]] steals people's faces as a side-effect of stealing their brainwaves in an attempt to get enough energy for it to regain a physical form.

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* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E7TheIdiotsLantern "The Idiot's Lantern"]], [[EnergyBeing [[EnergyBeings the Wire]] steals people's faces as a side-effect of stealing their brainwaves in an attempt to get enough energy for it to regain a physical form.
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* ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'': [[spoiler:Eobard Thawne]] uses a machine to kill [[spoiler:the real Harrison Wells]] and steal his identity.
* The Shapeshifters on ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' are a {{Squick}}-y example of this, as the transformation looks exceedingly painful, requires that the victimht be dead, and involves a three-pronged metal thing jammed into the roof of their mouth. The second group of shapeshifters from the fourth season require an even more nightmarish and biological BodyHorror to take their victims' form.

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* ''[[Series/TheFlash2014 The Flash]]'': [[spoiler:Eobard Thawne]] uses a machine to kill [[spoiler:the real Harrison Wells]] and steal his identity.
identity. Bonus points for it resembling the Fringe process from below.
* The Shapeshifters on ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' are a {{Squick}}-y example of this, as the transformation looks exceedingly painful, requires that the victimht victim to be dead, and involves a three-pronged metal thing jammed into the roof of their mouth. The second group of shapeshifters from the fourth season require an even more nightmarish and biological BodyHorror to take their victims' form.



* In season 1 episode 6 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', a Shapeshifter is the Monster of the Week. He takes on many people's appearances and uses the ability to frame others for murder. The Leviathans from season 7 can also take on the faces of others.
* In the fourth season of ''Series/TrueBlood'', we learn that [[ShapeShifting shapeshifters]] can take the form of humans only if they have killed a member of their immediate family.

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* In season 1 episode 6 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', a Shapeshifter is the Monster of the Week. He takes on many people's appearances and uses the ability to frame others for murder. The Leviathans from season 7 can also take on the faces of others.
others, but require a piece of DNA from the intended target (which they usually take by eating the victim).
* In the fourth season of ''Series/TrueBlood'', we learn that [[ShapeShifting shapeshifters]] can take the form of humans only if they have killed a member of their immediate family. However, the process is CastFromHitPoints, and shifting more than a handful of times ''always'' proves fatal.
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[[folder:Web Comics]]

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[[folder:Web Comics]][[folder:Webcomics]]



* In ''Webcomic/TrueVillains'', the LadyOfBlackMagic Elia takes this up a notch by [[http://truevillains.com/comic-2010-09-26~N-A%20Thing-jpg.htm swapping out her skin]] when she feels like it. As she [[http://truevillains.com/comic-2011-11-04~N-Saga%20Three%20Epilogue-jpg.htm explains]], it's simple intermediate {{Necromanc|er}}y to peel the skin off a corpse, preserve it, and graft it onto yourself, which the 86-year-old does whenever her current skin starts to get wrinkles.

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* In ''Webcomic/TrueVillains'', the LadyOfBlackMagic Elia takes this up a notch by [[http://truevillains.com/comic-2010-09-26~N-A%20Thing-jpg.htm swapping out her skin]] when she feels like it. As she [[http://truevillains.com/comic-2011-11-04~N-Saga%20Three%20Epilogue-jpg.htm explains]], it's simple intermediate {{Necromanc|er}}y to peel the skin off a corpse, preserve it, and graft it onto yourself, which the 86-year-old [[OlderThanTheyLook 86-year-old]] does whenever her current skin starts to get wrinkles.
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None


* The Spy in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', upon getting a BackStab with the "Your Eternal Reward" knife, instantly disguises as the person he stabbed.

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* The Spy in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', upon getting a BackStab ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' can invoke this with the "Your Eternal Reward" knife, knife. Normally, Spy is a MasterOfDisguise and uses a kit to manually and gradually disguise himself as an enemy, ideally to precede a BackStab with his usual ButterflyKnife. However, using Your Eternal Reward exchanges full use of a disguise kit for the ability to let him instantly disguises disguise as anyone he backstabs. Doing so also mutes the person victim's scream, [[NoBodyLeftBehind near-instantly turns their corpse invisible]], and the death won't be mentioned on the kill feed, making it especially good at catching large enemy groups off guard as he stabbed.jumps between his victims' identities.

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