History Main / Synchronization

* In the second ''Film/{{The Avengers}}'' film, twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are linked this way (at least, Scarlet Witch, as {{The Empath}}, feels what Quicksilver feels. It's never mentioned whether the link goes both ways). When [[spoiler: Quicksilver dies,]] it doesn't do the same to Scarlet Witch, though judging from the way she screams when it happens, it was pretty bad for her, too.

* In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'', Rika is implied to share this sort of connection with Hanyuu, though it is played for laughs rather than drama, with Rika threatening to eat spicy food whenever Hanyuu fails her. One would assume that either the connection is one-way, or Rika has a much higher pain threshold than Hanyuu [[spoiler:due to all those horrific deaths]].

* Mai and the demons in ''VisualNovel/{{Kanon}}''.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', [[spoiler:The [[PlayerCharacter Avatar]] was created as a living vessel for the [[BigBad fell dragon Grima]]. As such, s/he and Grima share the same soul. This becomes important around the endgame, as Naga revealed that her power could only put Grima back to slumber, and the only way for Grima to die is to kill himself. The Avatar can use this to put a permanent end to the fell dragon, but in doing so, [[HeroicSacrifice they would also die.]]]]

* ''VideoGame/MechWarrior'' pilots wear neurohelmets which link their consciousness to their Mechs and lets the Mech use the pilot's sense of balance to keep upright. It also functions as a security system, to prevent other pilots from stealing a Mech. The link is explicitly and wisely not two-way in most occasions, but "neurofeedback" can result from ammunition explosions. It is described as extremely painful, and frequently renders the pilot unconscious from sensory overload. If it happens too much in a short time, it can even kill the pilot, similar to how a strong shock across the heart can stop it.

** Similarly, after [[spoiler:descending to a dangerous plug depth in order to save Rei]] in ''[[RebuildOfEvangelion Evangelion 2.22]]'', [[spoiler:Shinji became trapped in the entry plug for ''[[TimeSkip fourteen years]]'', finally being recovered from Unit 01 in the beginning of ''Evangelion 3.33'']].

* At one point in ''Anime/VisionOfEscaflowne'', Van became synchronized to Escaflowne. While this allowed him to win the battle in that episode, it also resulted in him taking serious injuries, and the only way to treat them was to get Escaflowne fixed (with poor Van screaming and [[HeroicBSOD BSODing]] in pain as it's done, since fixing Escaflowne is almost like fixing any machine, only more complex and taking the mental/physical link in consideration. And considering that Escaflowne [[PaintItBlack turned black]] when it happened, synchronization could also count as a SuperpoweredEvilSide.

* The Emilys in ''Anime/SoukouNoStrain'' shared a psychic connection first seen when Sara encounters the doll and names it, and the girl takes the name as her own. [[spoiler:The Emily race initially mounted against the Union because they felt their compatriots' pain at being dissected.]]

* BigBad Prince Nuada and his sister Princess Nuala suffer from this in ''Film/HellboyII: The Golden Army''. This ends in [[spoiler:Nuala performing a HeroicSacrifice by killing herself in order to stop her brother's plans]]. It also makes the HostageForMacGuffin ultimatum the BigBad makes with his sister as the hostage rather stupid. And Abe even [[IdiotBall stupider]] for doing it anyway.

* Multiple artifacts in ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' have this kind of effect.

* A major point in ''[[Literature/SwordOfTruth Faith of the Fallen]]'' is the so called maternity spell, which causes that effect... useful for taking hostages.

* ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 2'':

->'''Xamot:''' [[TwinTelepathy I feel... what my brother feels...]]

* Also used between the twins in Kate Forsyth's ''Witches of Eileannan'' series; Isabeau and Iseult are psychically linked, meaning that when Isabeau is being tortured, Iseult feels severe pain and passes out. It later comes in useful when Iseult goes into labor.
* Roz Brickman from Patrick Tilley's ''Amtrak Wars'' series shares the injuries inflicted on her brother Steve.
* In one of Creator/TamoraPierce's ''[[Literature/TortallUniverse Protector of the Small]]'' books, Neal forces a cloak on a man that makes him feel the pain of the people he beats after he finds bruises and broken bones all over the man's indentured servant.
* In ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'', Jory says that every twin in the (admittedly magic) world knows where their twin is and if they're hurt. In the ''Literature/TortallUniverse'', when Aly is kidnapped her parents are constantly writing to her twin Alan to ask him if she's still alive, as he would know the moment of her death.
* Creator/DamonKnight's science fiction story "Rule Golden" about an alien who comes to Earth and uses some AppliedPhlebotinum to change all mammals on the planet so that whatever they do to something they also feel. Slap someone and you both feel the pain. Kill someone and you have a heart attack and die. Sit on a hoard of food while other starve around you and feel the pain of their hunger. The title of the story is the reverse of TheGoldenRule, attributed to Jesus of Nazareth in the Biblical book of Matthew: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Has the ability "Synchronize", which works in that if the Pokémon with that ability gets [[StandardStatusEffects poisoned, paralyzed, or burned]], then their opponent gets poisoned/paralyzed/burned, too.
** There is also the move Destiny Bond. The Pokemon that makes the move places a bond of fainting on the opponent that K.O.'s it on the next turn which makes the K.O.er faint.

* One of the comedy skits from the original ''TheElectricCompany'' had two brothers inflicting pain on themselves that the other would feel until the both of them collapsed.

* In ''Series/{{Haven}}'', the villain William is linked to Audrey, which makes it rather difficult to fight him. On the plus side, he has a HealingFactor, and when he heals, Audrey does as well. At one point, Nathan resorts to knocking her out to defeat him. There is also an amusing scene where Nathan hits him with a GroinAttack, and it ''doesn't'' hurt her.

** In a similar manner to the above, [[HumongousMecha Tau Battlesuit]] pilots suffer from this, including "battlesuit psychosis", in which they are so linked to the suit, so used to it that they cannot function without the suit's sensors as filters for their own senses, and if the suit is damaged, (say by the loss of an arm), the pilot will find themselves unable to use that arm until the suit is repaired. The Tau also have a 'bonding ceremony' which can provide a kind of synchronicity between its members, to the extent that the death of a member of the bonded team can drive the survivors insane (by Tau standards), although the more survivors there are, the less trauma, apparently.

* In ''Videogame/KidIcarusUprising'', Dark Pit is connected to Pit, since he's really the physical manifestation of Pit's "dark side" (not that Dark Pit is actually dark - more neutral than anything). When Pit [[spoiler:gets trapped in a ring]] for three years, Dark Pit is unconscious the whole time - so he realizes that he's connected to Pit, much as he dislikes it.

** Yami and Yuugi could arguably be this as well, what with the whole [[SharingABody two-souls-sharing-one-body]] business; they're usually in tune with each other's emotions, thoughts and, shown at least once, feel each other's pain. Not to mention that it has been implied that if one of them is killed, the other will die as well.

* BigBad Prince Nuada and his sister Princess Nuala suffer from this in ''HellboyII: The Golden Army''. This ends in [[spoiler:Nuala performing a HeroicSacrifice by killing herself in order to stop her brother's plans]]. It also makes the HostageForMacGuffin ultimatum the BigBad makes with his sister as the hostage rather stupid. And Abe even [[IdiotBall stupider]] for doing it anyway.

* In one episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Capt. Picard and Dr. Crusher are (slowly) synchronized by alien technology implanted into their brains as a prisoner control device (they experience debilitating pain and nausea if separated too far). Slowly because the implants gradually get more effective as they "learn" their hosts' brains. Mostly though, the whole episode is an excuse to get them to talk to each other about their feelings.

* ''Anime/MekakucityActors'': It is all but stated in the final episode that this is the case for [[spoiler:Konoha and Haruka (technically owner of the former's body)]], in that if one has his wish granted, the other will disappear/cease to be/die along with him.

* Part this, part MentalFusion is required on the behalf of the pilots in ''Film/PacificRim''.

* The process of Drifting in ''Film/PacificRim'' brings two or more pilots together so they can control the powerful [[HumongousMecha Jaegermechs]] with a neural link. More than one pilot is neccesary to take the mental strain of moving a giant robot with your mind, so Jaeger pilots must be 'Drift-compatible' in order to ensure that they can work together effectively.