History Main / TheSymbiote

* This form shows up in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' as well: [[spoiler:the Exile, having cut off his connection to the Force after all the death at Malachor, effectively re-establishes that connection by becoming a black hole in the Force, siphoning excess power from his companions. Taking advantage of this is what allows you to kill Darth Nihilus.]]

* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Joltik feeds off other Electric-types' static electricity and stores it, as they can't produce their own. ''VideoGame/NewPokemonSnap'' sees this process in action when one can be lured to stick onto a Jolteon for a meal. It's implied that while the process is annoying for the hosts, they have plenty of electricity to spare once the tiny Pokemon is satisfied.

* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'': The Zerg Queens have two kinds of nasty parasites at their disposal, ones that crawl inside the host and [[TheMole feed information back to the Zerg]] and others that [[SpawnBroodling grow inside a biological unit and emerge ChestBurster-fashion]]. There's also a subtype of both that infects an entire Terran command center, turning the humans inside into something between zerg and suicide fanatics.
* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'''s [[ArtifactOfDoom Magatama]] are an odd case, being functionally either mutualistic or commensalistic (physically transforming their hosts into half-demons and granting them various bonuses and serving as a combination or armor and spellbook) but with parasitic traits and explicitly named as such (when leveling up, there's a good possibility of inflicting adverse effects on the user, strong demons are drawn to its power).

[[folder:Web Original]]

* Acacia trees provide both nutrition and habitats to ant colonies in the form of nectaries and hollow thorns, encouraging ants to colonize their branches. The ants receive a secure home and food supply, while providing the trees with a biting, acid-stinging defense against browsing herbivores.

* Even a bird nesting in a tree can be considered this. Depending on their diet, however, they may be symbiotic by consuming the fruit of the tree and aiding reproduction by spreading its seed with their excrements.

When The Symbiote covers the host's body as some sort of costume, whether for [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman good]] or [[ClothesMakeTheManiac bad]], it's almost invariably a ClingyCostume.

* Peacebringers and Warshades in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes''. They're each a kind of Kheldian, EnergyBeings from outside our galaxy who can merge with humans; the humans get powers, and the Kheldians get immortality as long as they have a host; their "natural" lifespan is only ten years. They're an unlockable playable class (well, two [[AnAdventurerIsYou Archetypes]] to be precise), and their powers include ShapeShifting into their previous common forms, including a [[StarfishAliens floating tentacled]] GlassCannon and a large armoured StoneWall.
* The Hive in ''VideoGame/{{Destiny}}'' are parasitized by eldritch larvae-like worms that [[AbstractEater feed on violence and bloodshed.]] As long as the Hive fight and kill to feed their worms, they receive immortality and RealityWarper capabilities. But if they start losing more fights than they win, their worms get hungry, and start eating their hosts instead. And as individual Hive grow more powerful, the hunger of their worm gets harder and harder to sate. The gods of the Hive, despite being the oldest and strongest members of the species, were forced to create a tithe system drawing on every single other member in order to have enough death to satisfy their worms.
* This is Abathur's main ability in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfTheStorm''. He can place a symbiote on any ally on the map. Abathur gains the ability to remotely damage enemies with his [[NonActionGuy otherwise useless body]], while the ally benefits from shielding, healing, extra protection, and other bonuses if talented.
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', a psychic connection of this sort is formed between the player character and Kreia.
* In ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'', [[HorrifyingHero Kai'Sa, Daughter of the Void]], is a human who was merged with a [[EldritchAbomination Voidborn]] symbiote, manifesting around her as a semi-abstract BioArmor. Their relationship is mostly hostile against her but often errs towards mutualism -- [[HorrorHunger the symbiote wants to consume everything, including Kai'Sa]], but she's able to use [[CursedWithAwesome the powers it grants her]] to stave off its hunger through [[HunterOfHisOwnKind hunting and "consuming" other Voidborn]].
* The compacts between spirits and humans in ''VideoGame/{{Poacher}}'' are this.

* The Vindrizi from the ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS03E07Exogenesis Exogenesis]]". A race of living recorders designed to preserve the memories and knowledge of their creators, the Vindrizi seek out voluntary hosts who have nothing of their own left to live for.

* The Skrill in ''Series/EarthFinalConflict'' are millipede-looking creatures genetically engineered by the Taelons. They burrow into their host's forearm where they feed off the body's energy. In exchange, the Skrill allows the hosts to fire powerful energy blasts.
* In ''Series/FraggleRock'' the Fraggles have an odd symbiotic relationship with the Doozers. Doozers build large structures and other constructs with a candy-like substance, which is soon eaten by the Fraggles. An episode shows that if the Fraggles don't eat the Doozer buildings they eventually grow out of control and are left with nothing else to build, and the Doozers actually like the Fraggles eating their buildings as it lets them know their hard work is appreciated.

* The Trill in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. The humanoid Trill host keeps the vermiform Trill symbiont alive, while the host enjoys the cumulative memories (including skills) of all the symbiont's previous hosts.

* The Black Worm in Creator/JohnConnolly's ''The Cancer Cowboy Rides.'' An inhabitant of the EnemyToAllLivingThings, Buddy Carson, it grants its host the power to transmit fast-acting cancer at a touch -- and enforces its use with agonising pain and the threat of infection. Though the Worm doesn't speak in the short story, Carson mentions a dream in which it tells him that his only purpose is to "Spread the Black Word."

* In ''Literature/{{Infected}}'', the parasites are extra-terrestrial in origin and cause the growth of a new consciousness that encourages the host to kill and maim as much as possible. [[spoiler:That's just a side-effect. Their real purpose is to guide humans to an area, where the parasites are really "workers" -- they use the humans to build an organic teleportation gate for the invasion of Earth.]]
* [[BigBad Lotus]] in ''Literature/{{Monster}}'' is one of these feeding off the ''universe''.
* In ''Literature/{{Peeps}}'', [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] are due to a parasite living inside the body of a human host. The entire book is all about parasites, even with tips about [[RealLife real]] parasites at the beginning of each chapter.
* In the ''Literature/SideJobs'' short story ''Day Off'', [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent two of the Alphas]] are afflicted with "supernatural fleas".

* ''Literature/{{Necroscope}}'': The vampire-fungi technically fit here. The fungal-leech gets a host with sentience and opposable thumbs, the host gets enhanced psychic powers including shapeshifting, enhanced strength, enhanced senses, and a craving for fresh blood and human flesh...

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' short story ''Day Off'', [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent two of the Alphas]] are afflicted with "supernatural fleas".
* In ''Infected'' (the novel), the parasites are extra-terrestrial in origin and cause the growth of a new consciousness that encourages the host to kill and maim as much as possible. [[spoiler:That's just a side-effect. Their real purpose is to guide humans to an area, where the parasites are really "workers" -- they use the humans to build an organic teleportation gate for the invasion of Earth.]]

** More symbiotic creatures with rules similar to the ones from the fiend folio were introduced in the [[TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}]] book. In the Eberron setting, symbionts are living weapons engineered by the [[HumanoidAbomination Daelkyr]].

** More symbiotic creatures with rules similar to the ones from the fiend folio were introduced in the [[TabletopGame/Eberron]] book. In the Eberron setting, symbionts are living weapons engineered by the [[HumanoidAbomination Daelkyr]].

* Slowbro from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' is a mutually beneficial merger between a Slowpoke and a Shellder. The Slowpoke gains "inspiration" and increased psychic power and the Shellder feeds of the sweet nectar from the Slowpokes tail.[[note]]If you're wondering why the Shellder attached to Slowbro looks nothing like a Shellder otherwise, it's because it's actually an unusued Pokemon named Turban.[[/note]]
** [[VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet Pokemon Scarlet and Violet]] introduces Dondozo and Tatsugiri, a giant fish Pokemon and a tiny worm-like Pokemon respectively. Tatsugiri hides in Dondozo’s mouth, where it’ll [[ObfuscatingDisability act like a helpless worm]] to unsuspecting Pokemon, and when the prey comes close, Dondozo goes in for the kill. They then share their meals. Tatsugiri even has different forms for luring in different types of prey. This is even used in gameplay, with Tatsugiri’s signature ability “Commander,” which, when paired with Dondozo, raises Dondozo’s stats. Dondozo’s signature move is “Order Up,” which has Dondozo make an elegant pose and then strikes them down when they least expect it. If a Tatsugiri is in its mouth, it raises one of its stats.

* In ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', a Shellder latches onto a Slowpoke permanently to create a Slowbro or Slowking.[[note]]This is not true in the games; Slowpoke evolves sans Shellder.[[/note]] Professor Westwood V hypothesizes that Slowpoke evolving into Slowbro via Shellder clamp is mutually beneficial to both Pokémon, as the now-Slowbro is able to use its forearms freely because Shellder acts as a counterweight while Shellder is now able to travel on land.

* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'''s Babel Fish, a [[TranslatorMicrobes living plot device]] as a Symbiote.

* The Vindrizi from "Exogenesis," in Season 3 of ''Series/BabylonFive''. A race of living recorders designed to preserve the memories and knowledge of their creators, the Vindrizi seek out voluntary hosts who have nothing of their own left to live for.

* The [[PoweredArmor Guyver units]] from ''Guyver''.

[[folder:Live-Action Television]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
** The original appearance of the Trill in the episode "The Host" are an example due to EarlyInstallmentWeirdness vefore getting reworked for ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. They're called "parasites" and completely submerge the personality of their host body. It's even implied that they breed a humanoid species specifically to serve as hosts, living as blank slates until a Trill parasite is ready to take them over.

** The Cerebral Hood is a psychic parasite that attaches itself to a host by stunning it with a mental blast, engulfing its victim's head with its ray-like body, and jamming its tail down the victim's throat to meld with its nervous, digestive and circulatory systems. It drains enough Intelligence from its host to impose a -1 penalty, but on the upside, the host gets access to the Cerebral Hood's ''mind blast'', keen senses, and becomes immune to inhaled toxins or diseases. Just, you know, there's a psychic stingray wrapped around the host's head now.
** The Gutworm is more or less a fiendish tapeworm that swims around its host's intestinal tract. Its host must eat and drink twice as much as normal and becomes fatigued more easily, but the Gutworm grants a passive bonus to their Constitution score, can freely cause them to fly into a Barbarian's rage, and neutralize poisons its host may fall victim to.
** Soul Ticks drain blood like their mundane cousins, and may overfeed to punish a host who displeases them. But they also enhance evil or necromantic spells, and provide a constant ''protection from good'' effect for their hosts.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The relationship between a TARDIS and its Time Lord pilot is all but stated to be this. The TARDIS gets taken to places where it can 'refuel' and gets maintained, and the pilot gets transportation and shelter in exchange. Although as with the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' example above, one side is more dependent than the other. A Trill symbiote can't generally survive outside its host, but a potential host can survive without one. Likewise, a Time Lord can survive without a TARDIS, but a TARDIS generally needs someone to keep it in working order.

* In ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', players begin the game by [[SwallowedAFly swallowing one of the Bees of Agartha]] and permanently bonding with it; as a result of this, the player character is empowered with magical abilities, ResurrectiveImmortality, and sporadic access to the Buzzing. However, in return for this service, the players have to serve as agents of the Bees' creator, Gaia -- essentially acting as white blood cells for her body in times of crisis.
* In ''VideoGame/SigmaStarSaga'', the Krill Parasites are a major part of the Krill's OrganicTechnology. They envelop the host as armor, form a psychic bond with the host that improves performance, and provide a control link to the Krill ships. They're even part of the culture: the Parasites of female Krill grow wings that can be be detached and given to someone else as a sign of affection.

* The fierce [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Harika]] and mouse-like Yorn in ''VideoGame/StarControl3''.
* One ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'' event chain concerns a world that contains both nonsentient lizards and weird slug creatures with highly-developed nervous systems. After one of your scientists theorizes that the slugs are symbionts and volunteers to become host for one, the slug telepathically explains that they are a species of long-lived hive minds that used to have a mutually beneficial relationship with the reptilian species on their homeworld, until the reptilians grew suspicious and cast out the brain slugs, only to [[FuturePrimitive devolve into nonsapience.]] The brain slugs seek new hosts, and offer to join your empire. If you accept them, some of your Pops and leaders will gain the "Brain Slug Host" modifier which provides various bonuses, though at the cost of a 25% slower growth rate, and any time a symbiote pop appears on a planet, it will incur a -20 stability penalty due to suspicious locals until 20 years have passed as those without symbiotes get used to living with them.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Subnautica}}'', the main life forms of the Jellyshroom Caves ecosystem have this sort of arrangement. The fanged, eel-like Crabsnakes consume any herbivores that might threaten the enormous Jellyshrooms, which feed on the leftovers of the Crabsnakes' meals. In return, the Jellyshrooms' hollow stalks provide a hiding spot the Crabsnakes can use to ambush prey, or to keep their eggs safe.

* This form shows up in ''Knights of the Old Republic II'' as well: [[spoiler:the Exile, having cut off his connection to the Force after all the death at Malachor, effectively re-establishes that connection by becoming a black hole in the Force, siphoning excess power from his companions. Taking advantage of this is what allows you to kill Darth Nihilus.]]

-->-- '''Fry''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''