History Main / MeatPuppet

* WillingChanneler -- a Host who "wants" to be controlled, or at least isn't against having his/her body used by someone (or something) else.

* Done rather disturbingly by [[spoiler:{{Satan}}]] in ''Film/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'' to the crew of a spaceship.

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[[quoteright:297:[[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/billy_mandy_meat_puppets.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:297: "And if at first they think it's strange, they won't think twice if they don't have a brain!"]]

-->-- '''Jov Leonov,''' ''VideoGame/PsiOpsTheMindgateConspiracy''

* Done rather disturbingly by [[spoiler:TheDevil]] in ''Film/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'' to the crew of a space ship.

* Creator/GeorgeRRMartin had a short story in which the corpses of executed criminals were implanted with control chips and sold as industrial equipment. They were only good for certain types of work, because they were somewhat clumsy and required human operators. Much of the plot revolved around the practical and financial issues facing the corpse-driver protagonists.
* ''Old Virginia'' by Laird Barron had a HumanoidAbomination sitting on the shoulders of various people and using them for transport (a case of being literally hagridden), controlling them through tendrils inserted into their spine. This ends up being the fate of the protagonist as well.
* In ''The Devils of D-Day'' by Creator/GrahamMasterton, the demon Elmek possesses a local priest. When the protagonist demands to know what happened to the real Father Anton, Elmek points out he just stepped on his entrails. Turns out in this case DemonicPossession means ripping out the victim's insides and sitting inside the body, working it like a literal puppet.

* ''Series/TheGhostAndMrsMuir'': In "Centennial", the captain takes over Claymore's body so he can dance with Mrs. Muir.
* In an episode of ''Series/DeadGorgeous'', Mr. Griffith is laid up with a kidney stone. To avoid having Miss Sinclaire expel the Ainsworth girls, their ghost guide Agatha possesses Mr. Griffith and forces him up out of bed.

* The [[FaceHugger Krana]] in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' can control a being once attached to his or her face. If they possess a [[LittlePeople Matoran]], it's a straight example of the trope, since Matoran lapse into unconciousness when separated from their MaskOfPower. However, if they possess a Toa, there will be a struggle for control between Krana and host. IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight ensues.

%%* The zombie virus in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace''.

* In ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'', [[spoiler:after defeating [[BigBad Cackletta]], her defeated spirit takes over the beaten-up body of Bowser and becomes... Bowletta.]]
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': '''[[VillainOverride ASSUMING]] [[DemonicPossession DIRECT]] [[BossInMooksClothing CONTROL]]''' Really, Reaper Indoctrination in the ''Mass Effect' series is a mass (no pun intended) version of this.
* ''VideoGame/MeatPuppet'': Yes, there is a game whose title is the same as this trope, and the game mostly follows the description at the top. Lotos/Lotus Abstraction answered a personal ad that said about "nocturnal missions". She is being controlled by The Puppet Master/Martinet. She is required to make {{Asshole Victim}}s out of six leaders of the most profitable corporations (also known as ambassadors), and do this in one night, or else the suit that was put on her against her will will self-destruct and kill her! This is what Martinet is trying to accomplish: [[spoiler:The Puppet Master wants to use Lotos to reassemble the fractured genetic key to universal entropy and shut down the universe. That would make Lotos accomplice to the biggest murder of all time a prospect that displeases her greatly. She'd rather save the world instead]]. You can find out more [[http://www.thecomputershow.com/computershow/previews/meatpuppet.htm here]].

* ''VideoGame/PsiOpsTheMindgateConspiracy'' refers to mind controlled soldiers (under the terrorist group: The Movement) as Meat Puppets, and is the trope namer in this case.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': It's revealed in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E28ChangeYourMind "Change Your Mind"]] that [[spoiler:White Diamond]] has EyeBeams that can turn other Gems into these for her, [[spoiler:turning them monochrome in the process]]. She [[EntertaininglyWrong also]] happens to think that [[HalfHumanHybrid Steven]] himself [[spoiler:was [[RaisedAsAHost created]] to serve as one for his MissingMom Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond. White is proven wrong when pulling out Steven's [[HeartDrive gemstone]] creates a LiteralSplitPersonality of him instead of his mother.]]
* This is an integral part of Irken biology when you delve deeper into the lore of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', one that would have been explored in more detail had the show not been cancelled. The Irkens' bodies are just a vessel, their memories and personalities [[WetwareBody are all contained in the PAKS on their backs]]. In one episode where we see Zim's birth, at first he lays on the ground motionless, but the instant the PAK is placed on him he is able to move and speak. The cancelled episode "Ten Minutes to Doom" would have revealed that the body can only live ten minutes without their PAKS.

Not to be confused with [[PeoplePuppets People Puppets]] — or [[Music/MeatPuppets a certain rock band from Phoenix]] — a Meat Puppet is a biological and (usually) living [[BodyAndHost Host]] that has been taken control over by a PuppeteerParasite, BodySnatcher, or similar character, be it through biological means, science, or occultic sorcery. The attempt to control a potential Meat Puppet in such a manner either results in [[PeoplePuppets Body Control]], [[MindControl Mind Control]], or [[DemonicPossession Demonic Possession]]. Compare to EmptyShell.

* BigDumbBody — A meat puppet that holds little intelligence, but is desirable for its physical prowess and durability.
* LivingBodysuit — when a host is chosen as a disguise for reasons of secrecy and espionage.
* WetwareBody — a biological body possessed by a computer.
* WillingChanneler — a Host who "wants" to be controlled, or at least isn't against having his/her body used by someone (or something) else.

* ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk:'' [[spoiler:The Leader gains the ability to hijack people thanks to his stay in the Below Place, including Rick Jones, then the Green Scar Hulk. Though after three bodies he starts to get distracted from splitting his attention four ways.]]

[[folder:Films — Animated]]

[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]

* Two very creepy examples in ''Literature/TheCasterChronicles'' - [[spoiler:Sarafine inhabiting Mrs. Lincoln in ''Beautiful Creatures'', and Mrs. English being possessed by the Lilum in ''Beautiful Chaos'']].
* ''Literature/ImperialRadch'': The ancillaries from ''Literature/AncillaryJustice''. They're typically made using dissidents from conquered worlds, who have implants shoved into their brains that permanently render them extensions of a ship's AI, obliterating all previous identity. They're used as ground soldiers or anything else that needs a pair of hands. Most people call them [[FateWorseThanDeath corpse soldiers]].

* In ''The Devils Of D-Day'' by Creator/GrahamMasterton, the demon Elmek possesses a local priest. When the protagonist demands to know what happened to the real Father Anton, Elmek points out he just stepped on his entrails. Turns out in this case DemonicPossession means ripping out the victim's insides and sitting inside the body, working it like a literal puppet.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWho2019NYSResolution "Resolution"]], the villain controls archaeologist Lin in this fashion, forcing her to build it a new set of armour. [[spoiler:After its casing is destroyed, the Dalek recon scout takes over Aaron, Ryan's estranged father.]]
-->'''Lin:''' Who are...[[WhatTheHellAreYou what are you?]]\\

''(Lin struggles to pull the creature off her back, only for her hand to be forced back down)''\\

'''Creature:''' Silence. See how I control you. Turn. ''(Lin jerks round to face the mirror)'' Look. ''(It speaks through her mouth.)'' You are my prisoner now. You are my...puppet.

* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', demons and angels require vessels to walk the earth. The term meat puppet is often used.
-->'''Meg:''' ([[DemonicPossession possessing]] Sam) Sam's still my Meat Puppet. I'll make him bite his tongue off.

* In Chapter Two of ''Literature/AntlersColorado'', [[spoiler:Austin is possessed and used as a vessel by an evil entity that has been bound to a lake for centuries. There's a chapter from Lake-Austin's point of view where it's obvious that the lake has no idea what the limitations of a human body are, or just doesn't care.]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Fite}}'', [[spoiler:the Mutali turns out to be just puppets of Skerry.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': In the episode "Little Rock of Horrors", a [[MusicalEpisode singing meteor monster]] from outer space crashes in town. It feeds on brains, and convinces Billy to bring him his friends, family and neighbors to feed on. The monster feeds by taking out their brains from their ears, which instead of killing them turns the townspeople into green eyed, tongue-lolling zombies vulnerable to control to its psychic powers (as pictured above). The more brains it eats, the more backup dancers it can add to the throng.

Not to be confused with [[PeoplePuppets People Puppets]] — or [[Music/MeatPuppets a certain rock band from Phoenix]] — a Meat Puppet is a biological and (usually) living [[BodyAndHost Host]] that has been taken control over by a PuppeteerParasite, [[BodySnatcher Body Snatcher]] or similar character, be it through science or occultic sorcery. The attempt to control a potential Meat Puppet in such a manner either results in [[PeoplePuppets Body Control]], [[MindControl Mind Control]] or [[DemonicPossession Demonic Possession]]. Compare to EmptyShell.

!This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16676360750.54097900 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.

An entirely alternate meaning refers to TheInternet and NewMedia culture in social media: an online "entourage" or crowd of [[YesMan Yes People]] surrounding a particular Internet user and/or a "personal army" of Internet users recruited to attack or defend someone in a FlameWar or internet flare, or to promote them or their product. This is connected to AstroTurf except that AstroTurf is usually for a politician, product, company, or one side in a war or conflict, whereas a Meat Puppet can appear anywhere (and are often ''why'' a debate escalates to Flame War, Internet Backdraft, or appearing on Fandom Wank levels). These are usually called Meat Puppet as opposed to SockPuppet, because they ''are'' actually separate people, unlike a Sock Puppet, which is a different user identity (or collection of them) created by the same person. That said, good luck in telling them apart, especially in places that allow anonymity and don't ban proxies.