History Main / MirrorReveal

* Subverted example: in the first ''Film/TheFantasticFour'' movie, the future Human Torch convinces the guy who we know to be the one who turns into The Thing that something terrible and irreversible has happened to his face. He slowly lifts the mirror, and he looks totally normal.

* In ''Fanfic/IWasAMiddleAgedWeretoon,'' [[VideoGame/PizzaTower Peppino]] doesn't realize the full extent of his ToonTransformation until he carches himself in a bathroom mirror.

* * ''WesternAnimation/FetchWithRuffRuffman'': This happens to Ruff in the [[TheTeaser cold open]] for "How Not to Impress the Press". Wanting to be featured on the Canine Weekly Magazine, he wants to try out some beauty cream (which actually a [[MagicPotion magical concoction called "Enchanted" with a cauldron]]) when he puts it on his face, The scene cuts to [[TransformationDiscretionShot Blossom's face as Pink smoke suddenly covers the screen]], when Blossom can see again, she [[NotSoStoic suddenly almost]] [[StressVomit throws up]] and holds up a mirror for Ruff to see his reflection, and [[MoodWhiplash we get treated with]] a ''very'' [[NauseaFuel gross sight of Ruff as a turkey vulture]] with his voice changed to sounding parrot-like. Cue Ruff having a FreakOut. Thankfully, Ruff's shown to be back to normal in the [[TheStinger ending scene]] because the effects wore off, [[HereWeGoAgain only to accidentally turn back into a vulture again.]]

* * ''WesternAnimation/FetchWithRuffRuffman'': This happens to Ruff in the [[TheTeaser cold open]] for "How Not to Impress the Press". Wanting to be featured on the Canine Weekly Magazine, he wants to try out some beauty cream (which actually a [[MagicPotion magical concoction called "Enchanted" with a cauldron]]) when he puts it on his face, The scene cuts to [[TransformationDiscretionShot Blossom's face as Pink smoke suddenly covers the screen]], when Blossom can see again, she [[NotSoStoic suddenly almost]] [[StressVomit throws up]] and holds up a mirror for Ruff to see his reflection, and [[MoodWhiplash we get treated with]] a ''very'' [[NauseaFuel gross sight of Ruff as a turkey vulture]] with his voice changed to sounding parrot-like. Cue Ruff having a FreakOut.

* * ''WesternAnimation/FetchWithRuffRuffman'': This happens to Ruff in the [[TheTeaser cold open]] for "How Not to Impress the Press". Wanting to be featured on the Canine Weekly Magazine, he wants to try out some beauty cream (which actually a [[MagicPotion magical concoction called "Enchanted" with a cauldron]]) when he puts it on his face, The scene cuts to [[TransformationDiscretionShot Blossom's face as Pink smoke suddenly covers the screen]], when Blossom can see again, she [[NotSoStoic suddenly almost]] [[StressVomit throws up]] and holds up a mirror for Ruff to see his reflection, and [[MoodWhiplash we get treated with a ''very'' [[NauseaFuel gross sight of Ruff as a turkey vulture]] with his voice changed to sounding parrot-like. Cue Ruff having a FreakOut.

Compare TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf (which isn't about transformation) and HouseOfBrokenMirrors (which may happen before or after this). Related to TomatoInTheMirror (that's about realizing that it's been oneself all along, this one is about transformations that have happened as part of the story that do not necessarily mean that it was oneself all along) and JustWokeUpThatWay. When the audience sees the transformation result before the character does, this overlaps with ObliviousTransformation. Has nothing to do with MirrorScare, which is a different kind of mirror-related reveal.

->'''Dakota''': What's this? Ooh, a picture of a scary monster? Big deal!\\
'''Scott''': Dude, that's a mirror.\\
'''Dakota''': Aaahh! I'm a monster!
--> -- ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama''

* The scene from ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' where Lisa gets braces, she's given a mirror and she breaks it. That scene was parodying the Joker scene from the original Batman movie.
** Subverted when Krusty the Clown undergoes plastic surgery in order to hide from the Mafia. After removing the bandages and looking in a mirror, Krusty screams and smashes the mirror...because he looks exactly the same. Except for the surgeon inexplicably giving him breasts.

* Mike O' Donnell, from ''Film/SeventeenAgain'', drives home after falling into a river, looks into the mirror while showering the mud off of his clothes, and sees his transformed [[FountainOfYouth teenage self]] in the mirror, causing him to freak out.

* ''Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977'': [[Recap/TheIncredibleHulk1977Pilot In the original pilot movie]], after his first transformation into the Hulk and back again, Dr. David Banner sees his reflection in the edge of a stream and notices something different about himself for a brief moment. Later recounting the event to a trusted friend, he says, "My eyes were white." Little did he know...

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' episode "Criss Cross Crisis", Blossom finds out that she's in Miss Bellum's body when Buttercup (in the Professor's body) holds a mirror up to her. Afterward, Bubbles, in the Mayor's body, walks over to the bathroom mirror and has this hilarious DoubleTake.
-->'''Bubbles:''' Mayor, what are you doing in our house. I'm not in your house, you're in my body. Oh. ''(beat; cue SpitTake)''

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Giles realizes that Ethan Rayne turned him into a Fyarl demon when he sees his reflection in the mirror. And then he [Giles] breaks some household items during his reaction.

* In the first episode of ''Anime/ZombieLandSaga'', main character Sakura is seemingly attacked by several zombies and runs into the rainy streets at night. She tries to get help from a police officer, but when he flies into a panic and threatens her with his gun, she looks in a street mirror and discovers that [[TomatoInTheMirror she's a zombie too]]. Then it turns out she and the other zombie girls had been resurrected and recruited to form an idol group.

** In "Ward Trouble", Count Zatkel only notices his BalefulPolymorph into a chicken when he sees a reflective shield.

* In an episode of ''Series/That70sShow'' where Kelso is up for inspection at the police academy, Hyde and Fez, who think that Kelso is becoming a "square", shave his mustache when he's asleep the night before. When the inspector fails him, Kelso starts yelling at Fez and Hyde, and when they show him a mirror, he admits that the Hitler mustache is a good burn.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "Criss Cross Crisis", Blossom finds out that she's in Miss Bellum's body when Buttercup (in the Professor's body) holds a mirror up to her. Afterward, Bubbles, in the Mayor's body, walks over to the bathroom mirror and has this hilarious DoubleTake.

* ''Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977'': In the original pilot movie, after his first transformation into the Hulk and back again, Dr. David Banner sees his reflection in the edge of a stream and notices something different about himself for a brief moment. Later recounting the event to a trusted friend, he says, "My eyes were white." Little did he know...