History Main / GottaGetYourHeadTogether

* In ''Comicbook/KryptonNoMore'' Franchise/{{Superman}} does this twice: when Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} tells him that they are Earth-born human mutants and later when the light of an orange star blinds him in the middle of a battle.

* [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Susan Storm-Richards]] tends to do this when she's pushing her force field power to its upper limit.
* The first villain in ''[[ComicBook/XWingSeries Requiem for a Rogue]]'' is confronted by a more powerful villain, who uses his blaster to burn off his own hand, telekinetically uses it to choke the first guy, then makes the first guy's head explode. Because [[ComplexityAddiction just shooting, choking, or head-exploding him would be too simple, apparently]], and {{Death Trap}}s aren't personal enough. There's a GoryDiscretionShot, and the first bad guy's silhouette is seen clutching its head before exploding.

* ''Film/XMen'':

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* If one has a bad headache, it's a natural response to clutch and rub at the temples - sometimes the more bearable pain of the pressure on the head can override the sharp pain of the headache.

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* If one has a bad headache, it's a natural response to clutch and rub at the temples - sometimes the more bearable pain of the pressure on the head can override the sharp pain of the headache.

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* Common for anyone under assault from Daemons or other warp-powers. While it's unlikely to do any difference once a Daemons has taken proper hold, it at least signals anyone around to get away as fast as possible. Psykers, who uses the warp as a weapon, are often seen doing this mindlessly, but that's what happens when you use the dimension of nightmares and horror as a tool.

* "[[AVeryPotterMusical It's just a little makeup! Draco, WAKE UP!]]"

* Vakama on the cover of ''Franchise/{{Bionicle}} #21: Dreams of Darkness'', tortured by his nightmare-like visions.

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* Vegeta does this in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' when Babidi is taking over his mind and amplifying the lingering evil within him.

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* ''Film/TheTrumanShow'' when the actors' earpieces emit a grating whistle.

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* Franchise/HarryPotter does this a lot throughout the series because of the scar that connects he and Voldemort. In ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows The Deathly Hallows]]'' specifically, he would clutch at his forehead in an attempt to resist the visions that came whenever Voldemort was at his most powerful, so as to stay within the present.

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* Stock pose in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' for anyone caught by a psionic Hold power.

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* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' chapter 19, Zimmy--the girl with static in her head and ImaginaryEnemies--was seen clutching her head just before Bad Things started happening.
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Tedd and Ellen both clutch at their heads after being subject to having their emotions magically amplified by Magus because of the headache that ensues after a successful use of the ability.

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* Ma-Ti on ''{{Captain Planet|AndThePlaneteers}}'' frequently suffered from this, too.
* In the 1990s Fox animated ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}'', young Charles exhibited the head clutch when his powers began kicking in.

-> I've never before realized that "cacophony" was onomatopoeic: the noise of the Poultry Bldg. is cacophonous and scrotum-tightening and totally horrible. I think it's what insanity must sound like. No wonder madmen clutch their heads and scream.
-->--'''David Foster Wallace''',''Getting Away from Already Being Pretty Much Away from It All''

* The first villain in ''[[XWingSeries Requiem for a Rogue]]'' is confronted by a more powerful villain, who uses his blaster to burn off his own hand, telekinetically uses it to choke the first guy, then makes the first guy's head explode. Because [[ComplexityAddiction just shooting, choking, or head-exploding him would be too simple, apparently]], and {{Death Trap}}s aren't personal enough. There's a GoryDiscretionShot, and the first bad guy's silhouette is seen clutching its head before exploding.

* [[TheHero Dan]] from ''{{Bakugan}}'' grew fond of this trope during the first part of the fourth season due to constant MindRape from the BigBad.

** Likewise a stock gesture in ''VideoGame/TheOldRepublic'', along with a milder variant that basically looks like someone shaking their head to stay awake. Generally this is accompanied by GlowingEyes or a BattleAura that is colored depending on the type of Force effect.

* During the first half of ''ShadowHearts'', Yuri does this as part of his PainfulTransformation.

* In ''[[ComicBook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'': The MartianManhunter does it in response to a telepathic assault.

* In ''CryForJustice'' when the heroes seek [[YouKeepUsingThatWord justice]]. ''[[http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/571164.html?#cutid1 Welcome to pain!]]''

* Stock pose in ''CityOfHeroes'' for anyone caught by a psionic Hold power.
* In ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', head clutching is a [[StockMotions Stock Motion]], which also gets used when someone is afflicted with the Fear/Panic/Insanity line of offensive Force abilities.

* ''{{Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends}}''

** In ''[[Film/{{X-Men}} X2: X-Men United]]'' when Evil Cerebro goes off all the mutants in the world (except for {{Magneto}}, because of his helmet) start going like this. "Erik, hurry!"
** Charles in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', when he misses a dose of his PowerNullifier serum.

* In ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy'', Mr. Tumnus the Faun gets a sudden idea to free the party from their current predicament and poses, as a person who didn't know him describes it, "holding his horns as if he is trying to keep his head on by them."

* In ''[[Film/{{X-Men}} X2: X-Men United]]'' when Evil Cerebro goes off all the mutants in the world (except for {{Magneto}}, because of his helmet) start going like this. "Erik, hurry!"

If a mind control power is used, the character(s) attempting to resist it will clutch their heads.

* This happens often in ''Anime/YuGiOh'' most notably with Joey/Jonouchi, who does this while trying to [[FightingFromTheInside resist]] Mariks control after being [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] by him.