History Main / HypnoticCreature

A Hypnotic Creature is a being capable of powerful hypnosis, telepathy, or any other method that does not involve [[PuppeteerParasite biological invasion]] of some sort or does not come from the creature itself, such as a MindControlDevice. Most importantly, the being itself isn't human, or even humanoid (that's a [[CharmPerson different trope]]). It may be some sort of StarfishAlien creature, or a bizarre alien animal or plant. It may not even be intelligent, for that matter, just running on instincts. HypnoticEyes or a CompellingVoice are a common feature. Such creatures also often overlap with BrownNoteBeing.

* Myth/ClassicalMythology has the phrygian dragons, a species of wingless, snake-like dragons. Lacking wings, they can't fly, but they have a magical breath that they use to hypnotize prey, particularly birds, to willingly walk or fly into their jaws.

A Hypnotic Creature is a being capable of powerful hypnosis, telepathy, or any other method that does not involve [[PuppeteerParasite biological invasion]] of some sort or does not come from the creature itself, such as a MindControlDevice. Most importantly, the being itself isn't human, or even humanoid (that's a [[CharmPerson different trope]]). It may be some sort of StarfishAlien creature, or a bizarre alien animal or plant. It may not even be intelligent, for that matter, just running on instincts. HypnoticEyes or a CompellingVoice are a common feature.

* Cats. A cat's meow sounds so similar to a human baby's cry to evoke human's instinct to help them, and they can spread toxoplasmosis, which has been shown to alter the host's behavior to be more accommodating to cats (it's commonly believed that mice infected with it actually seeks out cats rather than running away, but in actuality it just makes mice lose their instinctive fear of the scent of cat urine). It's been theorized that the CrazyCatLady phenomenon is actually due to toxoplasmosis, though the extent that its infection has on human behavior, if any, is still unproven. In addition, they have been found to have evolved their way into domestication by making themselves as tolerable to humans as possible, in order to take advantage of the safety and the food supply of a granary or a farm -- and humankind was more than happy to oblige, and that's why cats are nowadays a household pet. It is also a very well known fact that cats view their human as a personal minion that has the obligation of providing them food, shelter and cuddles if required. There's also been memes on how Anime faces are based on cats' facial profiles, further showing how they tailor their appearance to be endearing to humans.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'': Cats are prone to "adopting" your dwarves, and there is nothing you can do about it. These drones will then flip out if their furry little masters are harmed. Since they also breed explosively, this leads many players to stick all new kittens in cages or [[EatTheDog butcher them]] to stop them from mind-controlling your dwarves and killing your framerate, at least until it became possible to geld them.

** Starro the Conqueror is a StarfishAlien villain who started using mind-control powers in UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}}.

* ''ComicBook/SubMariner'': [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] stories briefly introduced a non-sentient, one-eyed "hypno-fish".

* ''WebAnimation/SpookyMonth'': The Eyes of The Universe is a large, tentacled monster with numerous eyes of varying sizes dotting it's large head. Anyone -- [[ImmuneToMindControl with the exception of Skid]] -- that gazes into its eyes will fall into a trance, their eyes turning big and blue like its own. Those currently in a trance will encourage others to "look at the stars", i.e. Eyes' eyes, something that Eyes itself also echos.

* ''WesternAnimation/DorgVanDango'': Jet the unicorn has the power to hypnotize others.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "The Return of Harmony", Discord manipulates part of the Mane Six to make them reject their elements and then hypnotizes them to act the opposite of their personalities (Applejack becomes dishonest, Rainbow Dash unloyal, Rarity miserly and Pinkie Pie grumpy). He tries to do the same to Fluttershy, but surprisingly, [[NoSell she doesn't buy it]], so he has to use magic to make her cruel.

* A cat's meow sounds so similar to a human baby's cry to evoke human's instinct to help them, and they can spread toxoplasmosis, which has been shown to alter the host's behavior to be more accommodating to cats (it's commonly believed that mice infected with it actually seeks out cats rather than running away, but in actuality it just makes mice lose their instinctive fear of the scent of cat urine). It's been theorized that the CrazyCatLady phenomenon is actually due to toxoplasmosis, though the extent that its infection has on human behavior, if any, is still unproven. In addition, they have been found to have evolved their way into domestication by making themselves as tolerable to humans as possible, in order to take advantage of the safety and the food supply of a granary or a farm -- and humankind was more than happy to oblige, and that's why cats are nowadays a household pet. It is also a very well known fact that cats view their human as a personal minion that has the obligation of providing them food, shelter and cuddles if required.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "The Return of Harmony", Discord manipulates part of the Mane Six to make them reject their elements and then hypnotizes them to act the opposite of their personalities (Applejack becomes dishonest, Rainbow Dash unloyal, Rarity miserly and Pinkie Pie grumpy). He tries to do the same to Fluttershy, but surprisingly,[[NoSell she doesn't buy it]], so he has to use magic to make her cruel.

* ''VideoGame/StarControlII'' features the Dnyarri, a race of toadlike beings that can utterly dominate the minds of others. [[spoiler:After a slave revolt millennia ago, the entire race was genetically altered into nonsentient pets. When just one is accidentally reverted to full power, it shows horrifying power levels, and immediately takes control of an interstellar empire all by itself.]]

* ''Literature/JurassicPark'': In the original Jurassic Park novel and mentioned ''[[WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous Camp Cretaceous]]'', the venom of a ''Compsognathus'' had a narcotic effect that [[IntoxicationEnsues resembles a CBD overdose]] with the prey [[DissonantSerenity dully aware and high while being slowly]] DevouredByTheHorde.

Such creatures never have any sort of a civilization, and typically come from places where their hypnosis is much [[LikeADuckTakesToWater less effective]]. After all, if their mind control powers were 100% effective in their home environment, they would have conquered the universe already. At best, the smartest of these are a tribalistic [[TribeOfPriests community of religious]], [[HappinessInMindControl hypnosis-fetishizing nuts.]]

* Cuttlefish, a type of cephalopod closely related to squids and octopodes, are capable of ensnaring prey by dazzling them with rapidly cycling colors on their skin. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1T4ZgkCuiM It's exactly as awesome as it sounds]].

* ''WebOriginal/UnforgottenRealmsLive'': The Whisper Snake, which controls people through whispering.

* ''Franchise/{{DCAU}}'': Starro appears twice. The first time was in the ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Main Man". It was just a cameo, and its appearance was overshadowed by Lobo and the plot. At the end, it and all the other animals seen are provided a home at the Fortress of Solitude. Its second appearance was in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond''. [[spoiler:It has taken control of Superman and attached itself to his chest.]]

* ''WebAnimation/SpookyMonth'': The Eyes of The Universe is a large, tentacled monster with numerous eyes of varying sizes dotting it's large head. Anyone -- [[ImmuneToMindControl with the exception of Skid]] -- that gazes into its eyes will fall into a trance, their eyes turning big and blue like its own. Those currently in a trance will also encourage others to "look at the stars", i.e. Eyes' eyes, something that Eyes itself also echos.

Such creatures never have any sort of a civilization, and typically come from places where their hypnosis is much [[LikeADuckTakesToWater less effective]]. After all, if their mind control powers were 100% effective in their home environment, they would have conquered the universe already. At best, the smartest of these are [[VideoGame/{{Spore}} a Tribal Stage]] [[TribeOfPriests community of religious,]] [[HappinessInMindControl hypnosis-fetishizing nuts.]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. Tribbles, endearing balls of fur that emit trilling sounds that are pleasing to the human ear. Unfortunately they are an ExplosiveBreeder species when taken from their predator-rich homeworld.

[[folder: Mythology and Folklore]]

** Similarly the Lamia of Myth/ClassicMythology is another snake-person that's commonly depicted as having hypnotic powers in modern works despite this not being an ability associated with the original myths.

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* [[EldritchAbomination The Eyes of the Universe]] from ''WebAnimation/SpookyMonth'' (pictured above) is some sort of giant tentacled monster with countless glowing blue HypnoticEyes all over his body. Any human ([[ImmuneToMindControl with the strange exception of Skid]]) who makes direct eye contact with this creature will suddenly enter a trance-like state, with their eyes glowing the same shade of blue, [[YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm staring in confused horror and amazement at this strange cosmic entity]]. It's implied that the Eyes subtly brainwashes his victims to "look at the stars" at night, as Pump (who had recently been hypnotized) says this to the Hatzgang (the trio of boys who are also being hypnotized as pictured above).
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Such creatures never have any sort of a civilization, and typically come from places where their hypnosis is much [[LikeADuckTakesToWater less effective]]. After all, if their mind control powers were 100% effective in their home environment, they would have conquered the universe already.