History Main / RageAgainstTheReflection

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[[caption-width-right:302:[-The perfect end to the Joker's one bad day.-] ]]

* In ''Film/{{Carrie|1976}}'', Sissy Spacek smashes a mirror in her room by telekinesis.

* ''ComicBook/SwampThing'': In the flashback of the Patchwork Man's origin in issue three of the original Len Wein series, he sees that he has become a FrankensteinsMonster in the mirror shown to him by Anton Arcane, responding by destroying the mirror.

* In ''Film/{{Phenomenon}}'' (with Creator/JohnTravolta, not the older horror movie), Travolta's character is angry at who he has become and yells at a mirror. When angrily gesturing at his reflection, he inadvertently smashes it with his telekinesis.

* In ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'', Shark smashes his mirror when he learns [[spoiler:[[TomatoInTheMirror he is really a Barian]].]]

[[folder:Web Original]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', [[SourOutsideSadInside Lemongrab]] does this in the episode "[[Recap/AdventureTimeS4E20YouMadeMe You Made Me!]]", in the form of turning around and pointing/yelling at his face in a mirror when a group of kids calls him "crazy".
* Azula of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' rages at [[spoiler:her hallucination of her mother in a mirror as she realizes that she is completely alone and unloved, thus also clearly raging against herself]].
** Zuko, naturally, ends up smashing a mirror in the manga ''Manga/ZukosStory'' (released as a prequel to the LiveActionAdaptation ''Film/TheLastAirbender'') when he first peels the bandages away from his scar.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In the episode "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E71TheMirror The Mirror]]", a Fidel Castro-like dictator acquires a mirror that shows him images of his enemies and those destined to betray him. After killing most of his allies after seeing them in the mirror, the dictator sees an image of himself. He goes crazy and smashes the mirror before [[DrivenToSuicide committing suicide]].

* After the appliances in ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster'' fall down a waterfall and nearly die, the Toaster blames herself and her fear of water. Looking at her reflection in a puddle, she swats at it in frustration.

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'': Ryan smashes a mirror while staring at his reflection after a VIP is shot and killed on his watch in "At Close Range".

** In "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE45TerrorInTheSky Terror in the Sky]]", [[spoiler:Francine Langstrom]] does this when witnessing [[spoiler:her]] transformation into Man-Bat in the mirror of an airplane bathroom.

* Implied in ''Series/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' miniseries, where Erik declares, "My eyes are the only part of face that I can look at in the mirror without wanting to break the glass."

** The Creator/TimBurton Film/Batman1989 example is parodied in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E17LastExitToSpringfield Last Exit to Springfield]]" with the shadowy silhouette reveal of Lisa's horrific BracesOfOrthodonticOverkill when the family has no dental insurance.

'''Krusty:''' ''(looks in mirror)'' AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHH!!!! ''(turns round revealing his face)'' I LOOK ''EXACTLY THE SAME'', YOU MORON!\\

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Hats Off To Smurfs", Vanity becomes so horrified at how disfigured his face becomes after he started wearing the yellow hat created by Gargamel that he smashed all the mirrors in his house.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' episode "Jungle Moon", Stevonnie experiences Pink Diamond's memories in a dream, of her demanding her own colony to Yellow Diamond. Stevonnie [[TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf sees whose memories these are]] and wakes up after witnessing Pink smash a reflection of herself through her own eyes.
* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'': In [[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS1E7TheWayOfAllFlesh "The Way of All Flesh"]], Metallo finally comes to terms with his SenseLossSadness and knows he is trapped inside of lifeless robot body for the rest of time. [[ThatManIsDead He is no longer John Corben]], tearing much of his artifical skin off and he smashes that man's reflection in the mirror.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'': In "The Fix", Tigress ([[spoiler:Artemis]]) smashes the mirror when she looks into it and sees her real face staring back at her, rather than the illusion everyone else sees, as she is so angry at the lie she is living.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', [[SourOutsideSadInside Lemongrab]] does this in the episode "You Made Me," in the form of turning around and pointing/yelling at his face in a mirror when a group of kids calls him "crazy."

** In "Heroes", Magma shatters a reflective computer panel over how some kids looked at him as if he was a monster, [[DudeWheresMyRespect despite having rescued them]].
** In "Out Of The Past", Bruce, freshly rejuvenated by [[FountainOfYouth the Lazarus pit]], is exercising in a gym, and Terry is impressed by this glimpse of what he was like in his heyday as Batman. While Bruce himself marvels at this, he suddenly throws the barbell he was using into a mirror.
--->'''Bruce:''' It's unnatural, a cheat.
--->'''Terry:''' But you're strong again.
--->'''Bruce:''' No. If I stay here, I'll be weaker than ever.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', Red Hood (ComicBook/TheJoker's AlternateUniverse good twin) breaks a mirror after looking at his newly warped face.
* ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'': In "Time's Arrow", [[spoiler:in her mind, when a younger Beatrice [[TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf sees her present-day self reflected back in [=BoJack=]'s rear view mirror]], she bats at it in disgust, causing it to crack]].

** In "Reawakening", BigBad Demona ressurects one of her clanmates in the form of a HollywoodCyborg. When he sees his image in a mirror, he shatters it in disgust.
** In "The Mirror", Demona uses a magic mirror to capture [[Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream Puck]] and have him do her bidding. Among the things she wants is for him to KillAllHumans, but he tells her he's not powerful enough for that. Another thing she asks for is to no longer turn to stone during the day (as all gargoyles do). At the end of the episode, [[JackassGenie Puck]] grants this wish [[spoiler: [[ColorMeBlack by having her turn into a human during the day]].]] When Demona realizes this, she smashes the mirror in horror.
* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', this is pretty much the first thing Metamorpho does after his transformation.

* The infamous film ''Film/TheRoom'' has Tommy Wiseau's character do this to a mirror during his wimpy AngerMontage. Appropriately mocked on Podcast/{{Rifftrax}}:

* ''[[Literature/IGotACheatAbilityBecomeExtraordinaryEvenInTheRealWorld I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too]]'': At the start of the story, Yuuya smashes his mirror when he can't hold back his frustration and anger over all the abuse he's endured his entire life, no matter how much he tried to do good to honor his grandfather's wishes, and feeling that it will likely continue throughout his life. Fortunately, this act results in him accidentally opening the hidden door to his house's secret room, which in turn holds the door to the other world.

* ''Infinity'' series:
** ''VisualNovel/{{Ever17}}'': In Coco's Route, the Kid has a truly epic FreakOut in front of the locker room mirror. [[spoiler:The reflection therein looks nothing like the Kid; he's a TomatoInTheMirror]].
** ''VisualNovel/{{Remember11}}'': Done by both Kokoro and Satoru upon first learning about their FreakyFridayFlip. [[spoiler:Hotori's first episode is a result of that too, but you don't find out until much later.]]

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' ends with Venom Snake smashing a mirror with his prosthetic hand [[spoiler:because he just learned [[TomatoInTheMirror he's not actually the real Big Boss]], but his best MSF soldier who was [[BodyDouble surgically altered to look like him.]]]]

* Done by Ulala Serizawa to a mirror in the animated introduction of ''VideoGame/{{Persona 2}}: Eternal Punishment''.

* Having fallen into dereliction after [[spoiler: his daughter's death]] in ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: Double Agent'', Sam Fisher gives the ole mirror a bloody-fisted whack.

* In ''VideoGame/Phantasmagoria2'', Curtis Craig sees disturbing visions every time he looks in the mirror, and Curtis can break it with a hammer at one point later in the game. As soon as he does, though, an [[EvilIsVisceral eerie fleshy substance]] is seen behind it before the mirror changes back to normal again.

Not to be confused with the AlternativeMetal band, Music/RageAgainstTheMachine.

* In ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'', Miyuki imagines (?) she sees her younger self in a mirror, who tells her that she can't deny [[spoiler:her incestuous attraction to her brother]], much to Miyuki's anguish.

* After Fiona has left to marry Lord Farquaad, ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' sees his ogre reflection in broken glass shards and splashes mud upon them. Earlier, when Fiona sees her ogre reflection in a bucket of water, she dashes it aside.

* ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'': Alias the Blur, member of the Brotherhood of Dada. The story goes that a beautiful actress fell in love with her reflection in the mirror. As she grew older and her face grew less pretty, she thought her mirror lover had been replaced by an impostor and attacked it with acid. The sight of her distorted reflection in the melted glass terrified her so much she shot herself in the head and was left in a coma. The love and devotion the actress put in the mirror, now mutilated and warped, became Alias the Blur, The Ghost Who Eats Time. [[spoiler: When Alias the Blur is ultimately destroyed, the comatose actress finally died.]]

* ''[[Literature/IGotACheatAbilityBecomeExtraordinaryEvenInTheRealWorld I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too]]: At the start of the story, Yuuya smashes his mirror when he can't hold back his frustration and anger over all the abuse he's endured his entire life, no matter how much he tried to do good to honor his grandfather's wishes, and feeling that it will likely continue throughout his life. Fortunately, this act results in him accidentally opening the hidden door to his house's secret room, which in turn holds the door to the other world.

* For one more obscure, try Alias the Blur from Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'', of the Brotherhood of Dada group. The story goes that a beautiful actress fell in love with her reflection in the mirror. As she grew older and her face grew less pretty, she thought her mirror lover had been replaced by an impostor and attacked it with acid. The sight of her distorted reflection in the melted glass terrified her so much she shot herself in the head and was left in a coma. The love and devotion the actress put in the mirror, now mutilated and warped, became Alias the Blur, The Ghost Who Eats Time. [[spoiler: When Alias the Blur is ultimately destroyed, the comatose actress finally died.]]

->''"What happened to your hand?"''\\
''"I got hit in the mirror."''
-->-- '''Sam''' and '''Suzy''', ''Film/MoonriseKingdom''