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{{trope}}
[[File:
Lots of [[Phlebotinum]] is voice activated: [[Star Trek|Kirk]] talked to the computer, [[Knight Rider|Michael talked to KITT]], [[Automan]] talked to Cursor. But there is no place where a voice activation is more universally required than when triggering a [[Transformation Sequence]].
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In situations where the hero explicitly cannot transform without [[Magical Incantation|magic words]], rest assured that [[Easy Amnesia]] or a silencing attack will rear its ugly head at least once, making the change impossible when needed the most. If the phrase also untransforms the hero, expect him to do this by mistake sometimes. Villains in particular will often be tricked into saying their power-down phrases.
And ''woe betide'' anyone who mispronounces the transformation phrase, as horrible, horrifying things may result.
The trope originated with [[Comic Book Tropes|comic-book character]] Billy Batson, who first used the [[
For some heroes, the phrase can be omitted when time does not allow, especially if the full [[Transformation Sequence]] is omitted. Superheroes who do not go through an explicit [[Transformation Sequence]] ([[Batman]], [[Superman]]) are exempt.
A common [[Anime]] phenomenon, where it may be a form of [[Calling Your Attacks]]. In the Japanese dialog of [[Sentai]] and [[Anime]], the word "[[Henshin]]"
Differs from [[In the Name of the Moon]] in that By
▲A common [[Anime]] phenomenon, where it may be a form of [[Calling Your Attacks]]. In the Japanese dialog of [[Sentai]] and [[Anime]], the word "Henshin" -- meaning roughly "change" or "transform" -- is often found in the phrase, and is sometimes the ''entire'' phrase.
▲Differs from [[In the Name of the Moon]] in that By The Power Of Grayskull is the activation password for the [[Applied Phlebotinum]], while [[In the Name of the Moon]] is a harangue directed at the opposition.
This is the magic [[Catch Phrase]] that actually causes or facilitates the transformation. For one that is simply a cool kind of rallying cry or way to get the adrenaline pumping ("Flame On!", for example), see [[Invocation]]. When either of these contains (or is) the ''name'' of the hero's new form, it's [[Transformation Name Announcement]].
{{See also
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'': In the first season of the English dub, Yugi's transformation into the pharaoh is usually precipitated by his shouting the title of the series.
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** She also starts her spells with "Lyrical Magical!" (hence the title). Or at least she's ''supposed'' to... you could probably count on your hands the number of times she actually does so.
** She does do the full speech again for the final battle of season 1, just to up the drama.
** In the Japanese version, season one, her activation phrase is "Raging Heart, onegai", meaning that please really is the "magic word" (onegai means please).
* ''[[Getter Robo]]'', the majordomo of piloted [[Super Robot]] anime, used the phrase "Change, Getter X", where X was the number/name of the form to be assumed. The actual change was just assembling the [[Combining Mecha|combiner team]] in a new order. Later on in the series the phrase "Open Get" was used to disconnect the component vehicles.
** ''[[Martian Successor Nadesico
* Each of the Sailor Senshi in ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' went through several different activation phrases over the course of the series, on the order of one or so a season, as they improved their powers and combat ability. The general formula was "[Planet Name] [Something] Power, Make Up!" The dub dropped the "Make Up" bit. The
** The ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130407184348/http://www.thekeep.org/~rpm/vertigo/sailor-hellblazer/ Sailor Hellblazer]'' [[Crossover]] [[Fanfic]] spoofs this when John Constantine accidentally sets his Transformation phrase as "bloody friggin' hell."
** Sailor Jupiter's pre-attack powerup [[Invocation]] probably counts. "Guardian Jupiter! Stir up the storm, summon the clouds, send me your lightning! ''Supreme Thunder!''" She drops everything but the attack name later on, though. Though it does appear a few times later, making the attack seem more Bad Ass then normal.
*** If that counts, then [[Sailor Moon Abridged|this]] counts: "I call upon the powers of Zeus himself, infuse me with your heavenly thunder, which is actually lightning, but no one seems to notice. ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pika-chuuu!]]''"
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** The dub changed it to "Power Pendant, Mew-tamorphosis!"
* ''[[Trinity Blood]]'': "[[Nanomachines|Nano-machine]] Crusnik 02, starting operation at X percent level!". Every time Abel says that, he transforms from a big [[The Ditz|ditz]] into an incredibly badass killer.
* The [[Empathic Weapon
** It's also parodied. Urahara tells Ichigo that the only way to activate some "magic armor" is to yell "TAKE THIS! THE POWER OF JUSTICE! JUSTICE ARMOR! JUSTICE HACHIMAKI! EQUIP!" at the top of his lungs. Ichigo eventually figures out it's useless, but not before humiliating himself. It later shows up as an actually useful item in a filler arc, leading to much outrage from Ichigo.
** While fighting Starrk, the two with the longest release 'phrases' - Kyoraku and Ukitake - activate the first release simply with the names of their swords and without fanfare (contrast with Stark's rather more showy transformation). Helpful given the potential for such lengthy verses getting interrupted by the Genre Savvy.
*** It's said that once a person reaches Bankai they no longer have to say their release phrase for their Shikai, though for some reason they all seem to say it most of the time anyway.
*** Because (unless you have a dumb one) it is ''awesome'' and serves as a [[Badass Boast]] with visual aides as your shikai activates. Trying to scare the enemy is the more-or-less explicit reason for all the [[Explaining Your Power to the Enemy]] that goes on in this series.
** Aside from the zanpaktou, there's also kido, which can be unspoken by very high level users, to short phrases, to requiring ''scrolls'' to keep track of. Using a kido without the chant weakens it, even for the highest-level users, and when a less skilled user tries, it also increases the chance of the spell failing entirely (and possibly blowing up in the caster's face, as frequently happens with [[Butt Monkey|Renji]]).
** The arrancar usually go into [[One-Winged Angel|Resurreccion mode]] by saying a specific word or phrase followed by the name of their zanpaktou. For example, Starrk says, "Kick about - Los Lobos!", Barragan says, "Rot - Arrogante.", and Nnoitra says, "Pray - Santa Teresa!"
*** This is because the premise of them is that they are Hollows who have been brought closer to shinigami, the opposite of Vizards like Ichigo.
* The shift from "civilian clothing" to bird suits in ''[[Science Ninja Team Gatchaman|Gatchaman]]'' was triggered by speaking the phrase, "bird go!" into a special wristband. When the show was brought to America as Battle of the Planets, the phrase was "transmute!" In the G-Force permutation, the phrase was "G-Force, Transform!"
** "Transmute to Fiery Phoenix!"
* ''[[Ronin Warriors]]/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers'' used this to don their armor. Usually, they took a transformation stance, yelled out "Armor of X," and some sort of incantation. For Wildfire, this was Tao Jin("the way of virtue"). The subarmor could be summoned at will, and it was donned before entering battle. Apparently, when not in use, their armors took the form of glass spheres with their corresponding Confucian value(depicted with kanji) inside it.
* ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'': Western mages have personal "key" phrases to say before reciting spells. (For example, Negi's is "Ras tel ma scrir magister") There's also a 'training' key phrase for novice mages who don't have a personal one yet.
** And Pactio cards, which summon a magical artifact for the user with the activation key "Adeat".
* Modified in the ''[[Karas]]'' [[OAV
* ''[[Wedding Peach]]'' had two for each hero, because they each had two [[Transformation Sequence|transformations]].
** Spoofed in ''[[Wedding Peach Abridged]]'' with, "Bridal Striptease, Go!"
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* ''[[G Gundam]]'' has the protagonist shouting "Rise, Shining Gundam!" whenever he decides to call his [[Humongous Mecha]]. It's not quite a transformation sequence, but close enough.
* ''[[GaoGaiGar]]'': FINAL FUSION!! SYMMETRICAL DOCKING!! MEGA FUSION!! SYSTEM CHANGE!! SANMI ITTAI!!
* ''[[
* ''[[Princess Tutu]]'' averts this trope, but ''[[Princess Tutu Abridged]]'' throws one in.
** Ahiru still has a transformation sequence, but it's all visual, with an allegorical egg of light and the same little dance every time.
* Punie-chan's activation in ''[[Dai Mahou Touge]]'' (Magical Witch Punie-Chan) is classic: "Lyrical Tokarev, Kill Them All!"
* [[Combining Mecha|Pilot 1:]] "Nenshin!"
** Pilot 2: "Gattai!"
*** Pilot 3: "Go! [[Genesis of Aquarion|Aquarion!]]"
* In [[Sekirei]], the Sekirei gain power with a kiss and a chant, called a norito. Each Norito is unique to that Sekerei:
** Musubi - These are the fists of my pledge, crush the catastrophe before my Ashikabi
** Kazehana - Wind of my pledge, blow away the dark clouds of my sekirei
** Homura - These are the flames of my pledge, burn the Karma of my Ashikabi
** Tsukiumi - This is the water of my pledge, purify the evil residing in my Ashikabi
** Shiina - Decaying streams of my pledge, wither the cross of my Ashikabi.
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** In ''[[Transformers Super God Masterforce]]'', their transformations were always voice-activated, in a straight example of this trope.
** From ''[[Transformers Headmasters]]'': HEAD ON!
** In ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'', ''[[Transformers Armada]]'', ''[[Transformers Energon]]'', and ''[[Transformers Cybertron]]'', Optimus Prime could achieve a secondary transformation by declaring, "Optimus Prime, super mode!"
*** In episode four of ''Robots in Disguise,'' Sky-Byte had his mouth full of the [[MacGuffin]], and was unable to transform because he couldn't say "Sky-Byte, terrorize!" around it.
** [[Transformers Cybertron|CYBER KEY POWER!!!!!!!!!]]
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* Black*Star in ''[[Soul Eater]]'' calls out to [[Shapeshifter Weapon|Tsubaki]] to get her to change [[Morph Weapon|weapon forms]].
* [[Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt|Panty and Stocking]] have an elaborate chant while powering up their lingerie into ghost-slaying weapons. The full version is used once, and later parodied when it quickly decays into apathetic mumbling. Their demonic nemeses, Scanty and Kneesocks, have their own Power of Grayskull chant.
* In ''[[Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars]]'' the main character, Ryusei Date, shouts out 'Variable Formation' whenever he and his two team mates combine in the Super Robot SRX. It's a homage and a parody of this trope because 'Super Robots always have to have a cool combination battlecry.'
* In ''[[Hyper Speed GranDoll]]'', Hikaru shouts "Gran Change!" to transform.
* The girls of ''[[Makeruna Makendo]]'' say "Ma-ken-do!"
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* ''[[Tekkaman Blade]]'' has "Tek Setter!".
== Comic Books ==
* Megaton Man uses the word Overkill to transform into his ridiculously muscled superhero form from his ridiculously muscled alter ego.
* In [[The DCU]], Jason Blood is changed into [[Etrigan]] when a certain poem is read, by him or by someone else. The full version is:
{{quote|
''Free the prince forever damned.
''Free the might from fleshy mire.
''Boil the blood in heart of fire.
''Gone, gone the form of man,
''Rise the demon Etrigan!'' }}
{{quote|
''Arise the demon... Whatsisname?''
:* Also, if he cannot speak in order to say the phrase (like a story where he is turned into a fly) writing it can suffice.
* The original [[Captain Marvel]]'s "Shazam!". Along with Cap, the entire Marvel Family uses this magic transformation word. (Except for Captain Marvel Jr., who uses "Captain Marvel!") The Captain Marvel villain IBAC changes back and forth from his identity by saying his own "super" name, as does Junior's villain Sabbac.
** DC is constantly messing with them, though. Billy Batson (calling himself simply Marvel) is now the wizard who gives the others their powers, Freddy Freeman (formerly Captain Marvel Jr) is trying to become a superhero named Shazam (who still uses his name to transform, but has thankfully gained the ability to make that optional, so he
** A different Captain Marvel (
** [[Marvel Comics]]' Captain Marvel parodied this once. Rick once shouted "Shazam" while switching places with Genis and he didn't understand what was that supposed to mean.
** Thunder Girl, ''Big Bang Comics''' Captain/Mary Marvel pastiche, had the word "Alakazam!" Her evil Nazi counterparts (who more closely resemble the rest of the Marvel family, with another Mary thrown in for good measure) have "Gotterdammerung!"
* [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] hero [http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/johnny.html Johnny Quick] activated his abilities by reciting the formula "3X2(9YZ)4A". His daughter Jesse Quick did the same, until she lost her powers. It's not enough just to say the formula: you need to understand the four-dimensional construct it describes, and you also need a certain mental state and/or a link to the Speed Force.
** Towards the end of Johnny Quick's run (pun not intended), other speedsters attempted to point out to him that the formula was really pointless... his powers were simply an ability to tap into the Speed Force. This proved true when, in the process of his
** Perhaps ironically, an even later issue of [[The Flash]] had our hero Wally West spouting the equation out of desperation to be faster during a particularly large disaster. {{spoiler|Not only did he speed up, but time actually froze around him -- keeping the world in a frozen moment of time that only fellow speedster Max Mercury could reach for a few minutes before being dragged out again. Time resumed its natural flow when Wally was finally able to let go and allow time to resume.}} 'Pointless' indeed.
* Johnny Thunder commanded his magical (though literal-minded) genie through the mystical phrase "cei-u". In his early issues the running gag was that he wasn't aware of this, and the magic would happen at seemingly random times without him realizing that it was always after he has spoken the words "Say, you". Needless to say, he wasn't portrayed as very bright.
** And then, to cue the amnesia part, he got Alzheimer's. He got better. Those magical genies are tricky.
** Due to a later [[Retcon]], both "cei-u" and "say you" were revealed as backwards misspellings of the genie's name: Yz. Turns out he was a fifth dimensional entity, like Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite. Legacy Character Jakeem Thunder's genie is named Lkz, or as Jakeem pronounces it backwards, "So cool".
* Parodied in ''Defenders Indefensible'', when a shockingly calm Bruce Banner attempts to stimulate a change into the [[Hulk]], with such gems as "Hulk On!" and "Shazulk."
* The early [[Captain Marvel]] knockoff Marvelman, better known now as [[Miracleman]], used the transformation phrase "kimota". (Spell it backwards.) His sidekicks use the phrase "Miracleman". [[Alan Moore]]'s ''Miracleman'' series used both the amnesia and trick power-down cliches.
** The aliens who pioneered the technology have multiple bodies, and swap bodies by using power words. The mad scientist who plundered the alien technology to create Miracleman put in a few little tricks. For example, when Miracleman hears a particular magic word, he transforms back into a human, and can't change for an hour.
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** There's a reason for this: {{spoiler|"Khaji da!" is the Scarab's ''name''}}, a point revealed in Blue Beetle #25 (of the most recent series).
* General Glory, also from [[The DCU]]. He forgot his magic catch phrase after being mindwiped by the government. He finally tracked it down via the propaganda comics the government used to issue so they could deny his very existence. "You saw General Glory beating up a tank? Sure... stop reading so much, soldier."
** A similar situation occurred with the [[Wildstorm]] Captain Marvel [[Expy]] Maximum Man, whose alter ego, Kyle Trueblood developed Alzheimer's and afterwards spent every waking minute saying every word in every dictionary in every language he could find. {{spoiler|His former archenemy remembered it and kept it from him out of spite. Eventually there was an emergency, and he told Trueblood what}} it was: "Hecatean".
* [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] (now [[Public Domain]]) superhero the Green Lama used as his transformation phrase the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum". Since the Lama was supposed to be Buddhist this makes a sort of sense.
* Marvel heroine [[Big Hero 6 (comic book)|Go Go Tomago]] transforms into her powered form by saying her own superhero name.
* The Great Ten's Thundermind uses the mantra "All hail the jewel in the lotus" (or its translation "Om mani padme hum") to transform into the mighty superhero. Since Thundermind is a Buddhist-based superhero, it makes some sense (as with the Green Lama).
* Hawk and Dove, from the DC Universe, would magically gain their superpowers and costumes by shouting out loud their super-hero names. This would only work if there was danger afoot, however.
* Kid Eternity, from both [[Captain Marvel]] and [[Teen Titans (Comic Book)|Teen Titans]], could say "Eternity" to summon a historical or mythological hero, who would then disappear after a certain amount of time. His archenemy, Master Man, could say "Stygia" to summon a historical or mythological villain, who would then disappear after a certain amount of time.
* Issue #24 of ''Plop!'' contained a story called "The Bella Button Caper", in which the titular character was legislating to ban all comic books forever. In response, the "Great Comic Book Spirit" gave a twelve-year-old called "Comic Book" [[Mc Fiend]] the power to turn into a different DC superhero by saying - what else - "Plop!". After he finally cornered a remorseful Bella, the spirit told her to say "DC", which turned her into a comic book.
* The trope was parodied in issue #23 of the [[Batgirl 2009
==Fan Works==
* ''[[Becka Rangers Nemo Thunder]]'' had "From Down Under, Nemo Thunder!" and "Taking on the Jellies!", as it was a combination of ''[[Finding Nemo]]'' with ''[[Power Rangers Dino Thunder]]''.
==
* [[Green Lantern (film)|Hal Jordan]] attempted to [[Super-Hero Origin|activate his ring for the first time]] by reciting various catch phrases, eventually progressing to "[[Toy Story (franchise)|To infinity and beyond!]]" and, ultimately, "By The Power Of Grayskull" itself.
== Literature ==
* ''[[The Lathe of Heaven]]'' has Doctor Haber use hypnosis so that George Orr will begin his "magic" dream state whenever Haber says "Antwerp".
* Averted in the Tortall universe, in which the most powerful shapeshifter in the world quite frequently shifts into something else without saying anything at all.
** After her series ends, she gets pregnant with a baby shapeshifter, and has to change shape whenever the baby does so she doesn't kick her way out. Another character comments that it is quite distracting to try to talk to the shapeshifter when she has to change shape every few minutes.
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* In Bruce Coville's ''The Monster's Ring'', the main character had to recite some doggerel in order to make the titular ring work, one verse to turn into a monster and another to change back.
* In Zilpha Keatley Snyder's ''Black & Blue Magic'', the main character had to recite a flying-related verse while rubbing a certain magic oil into his shoulder blades in order to grow wings.
== Live Action TV ==
* ''[[Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future]]'': Members of the Future Force transformed into armored form by calling, "Power on!"
* 1970s [[Wonder Woman]] rip-off ''[[The Secrets of Isis|Isis]]'' forced the titular character to recite a full-sentence incantation to activate her powers. Also, she apparently had to activate powers in a certain order (i.e. she couldn't skip around on her spell list) or an incantation wouldn't work.
** Thankfully, not so much when she entered [[The DCU]].
* ''[[Family Matters]]'': Urkel would transform into one of his alter
** The machine worked in reverse, often to switch Urkel's alter-ego back to his nerdy self, but several times, it was
* Every ''[[Power Rangers]]'' series. Ever.
** Although in ''[[Power Rangers Operation Overdrive]]'' there were double-figure instant morphs. Still needed words for everything else, but when there was emotion involved, woohoo baby, they went for the silent approach.
** They weren't afraid to spoof it from time to time. Whenever [[The Smart Guy|Billy]] did the call, he would often say it in technobabble, i.e. "It's time for molecular transmutation!"
** It is not entirely clear in which cases the phrase is
*** ''[[Power Rangers RPM]]'' justifies the catchphrase as a voice lock for the morphers.
*** Other series have it weird, for example those Rangers (like ''[[Power Rangers in Space]]'' and ''[[Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue]]'') whose morpher has a password keypad and is used as such, still have team call (and intricate hand gestures before typing their codes).
** ''[[Power Rangers in Space]]'' ''completely skipped'' the morphing sequence and the catchphrase in "Countdown To Destruction Part 2".
** And just for fun, let's list them all in order!
*** "It's Morphin' Time!" (''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' and ''[[Power Rangers Zeo]]''. Then followed with their original dinosaur/animal symbol (for ''Mighty Morphin'' Season 1 to 2) or '(insert color here) Ranger Power' (for Season 3) or Ranger designation (for ''Zeo'')).
*** "Shift Into Turbo!" (''[[Power Rangers Turbo]]'')
*** "Let's Rocket!" (''[[Power Rangers in Space]]'')
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* ''[[The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog]]'': "Fire within me!" "Earth beneath me!" "Air above me!" "Water around me!" "Forest before me!"
** Rohan, [[The Hero]], had Battle Fury Armour, which he activated by shouting... go on, guess. {{spoiler|Battle Fury!}}
* ''[[Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad]]'' had "Let's Samurize, Guys!" (for Sam, [[The Hero]]), "Let's kick some Giga-butt!" (for Tanker, [[The Big Guy]]), "Pump up the Power!" (for Sydney, [[The Smart Guy|The Smart Girl]]), and a random non sequitur (for Amp, the [[Plucky Comic Relief]]) that essentially lampshaded the whole pointlessness of the henshin phrases (at least, until he was replaced: Lucky London, the second comic-relief guy, just said "Surf's up!")
** In the episode where everyone's personalities changed, Tanker and Sydney actually switched phrases.
* [[Kamen Rider
** The two ''Kamen Rider'' productions to completely avoid this trope are the [[Deconstruction]] film ''[[Shin Kamen Rider Prologue]]'' (whose protagonist bore more similiarity to [[Incredible Hulk
** [[Kamen Rider X]] said "Setup!" instead of "Henshin!" for most of his series, and switched to "Dai Henshin!" towards the end.
** [[Kamen Rider Amazon]] did not say "Henshin" but rather "'''[[Punctuated!
** The Henshin belts for Heisei era Riders sometimes contibute their own phrases to accompany this:
*** "[[Kamen Rider Faiz|Standing by... Complete.]]"
*** [[Kamen Rider Blade|"Turn Up"/"Open Up."]]
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** ''[[Tomica Hero Rescue Force]]'', which is actually a [[Spiritual Successor]] to ''Madan Senki Ryukendo'', used ''"Chakusou!"'' This is the exact same word as "souchaku".
* In ''[[Cutey Honey the Live]]'', Honey transforms by touching two fingers to a little heart charm on her neck and calling "Honey Flash!". Her transformation is a naked/sparkle scene a la ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', but the catch is that the people around her can ''see'' her naked and sparkling.
* ''[[Super Sentai]]'', the franchise/show that ''Power Rangers'' get their basic concept from. For most of the earlier series that used it, the transformation call was simply the name of the team or form, but later series started to switch it up a bit. Most of these phrases are also used along with some action done with the [[Transformation Trinket]]. ([[Wiki Magic|Feel free to fill in the phrases of missing series.]])
** [[Himitsu Sentai Goranger|"Go!"]]
** [[Battle Fever J|"Fever!"]]
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* [[Ultraman Ace]]: "Ring Touch!"
* [[Ultraman Leo]]: "Reo!"
* [[Ultraman
* [[Ultraman Mebius]]:"Mebiusu!"
== Tabletop Games ==
* Done quite a lot in most RPGs that involve magic. Incantations and the like.
** Most tabletop games don't require the ''player'' to chant anything, as it's assumed the PC says whatever he needs to say to get the desired spell activated (ie, Power Word Kill doesn't specify the word used).
*** Actually, the majority of the incantation is done during the prepariation step. The actions they take to unleash it are simply finishing the last part of the spell. (Sorcerer's use the words to help them focus as their power is largely instinctive).
** Subverted in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.5 edition, as a player can take Silent Spell as a feat, allowing one to cast spells without speaking when speaking is usually
*** There's also the Nonverbal Spell feat in one of the supplements which allows a spellcaster to bypass the use of ''words'' as long as they use some other sound (grunting, mumbling, or even singing). This was initially so that one race which didn't speak could still become a spellcaster. It also allows for a cheaper way of being stealthy than Silent Spell since it doesn't affect the spell slot level.
** However, ''[[GURPS]]'' has an optional rule for spellcasting using cantrips; you can prepare in advance (or invent on the spot) a poem to cast a spell; longer poems give better effects. The player, not the PC, must recite or read the actual cantrip, and you're not allowed to "stop time" to make up a poem, so you'd better be good at improvisation or have a prewritten one at the ready.
** Spells in ''Kobolds Ate My Baby'' require the player to perform the correct action/speak the correct words. The phrase for casting "Wall of Beer" was "Tappa tappa kegga, wall o'Beer omega!". Being invisible required the player to cross their arms and do their best to look like a brooding vampire.
* Explained away in a ''[[Shadowrun]]'' book. People in the Shadowrun-verse yell, wave their hands in elegant motions, point, say things [[Narm|quite dramatically]], and other magicky stuff, but when asked this, a mage says that it's all used to help focus mana. It's not necessary, though.
== Video Games ==
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** The main villain of the sequel, {{spoiler|Jet Black}}, uses "TENSHIN!"
* Averted in ''[[Devil May Cry]]'': Although Vergil says some snappy phrases before using his Devil Trigger power and starting a powerful move, it is unnecessary, as using the Devil Trigger sans said powerful move is accomplished wordlessly. Dante and the playable incarnation of Vergil deliver no lines as they use their own Devil Triggers, either.
** Dante in the Playstation 2 version of ''Viewtiful Joe'' however...
*** Highlight for proof that Dante wouldn't know a cool transformation phrase if it hit him in the face with a large trout: {{spoiler|"Devil May Cry's a-rockin' baby, yeah!"}} Fortunately, he usually shortens it to the first three words.
* Kermit's nephew Robin in ''Muppet Monster Adventure'' can turn into monsters after collecting their amulets and get their powers, and has a different call for each one.
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** In the same vein, in order to Wave Change in ''[[Mega Man Star Force]]'', one has to first say, "EM Wave Change, (Name), On The Air!"
** Subverted, then lampshaded by Omega-Xis in the third game when Geo attempts to Wave Change and fails to before being registered with project Trans Code.
{{quote|
'''Omega-Xis:''' That's strange, yelling makes everything work! }}
* The asari of ''[[Mass Effect]]'' always say, "Open your mind, embrace eternity!" before using their mind-melding powers. It's never addressed whether or not this is actually necessary.
** [[Averted Trope|Nope]], it's just a religious thing. When Liara shares all of her memories with Shepard in [[Mass Effect 3]], she doesn't say it.
* Done with the "[[Gratuitous Spanish|Gun del Sol]]" from the ''[[Boktai]]'' series. Django charges it by raising the gun sky-ward and shouting '''"[[Gratuitous Japanese|TAIYOH!!]]"'''
** The Gun del Sol also appears in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]'', where it is given the less Spanglish name of "Solar Gun" and Snake now charges it by yelling "sunlight!" instead of "taiyō" (unless you're playing the Japanese version, in that case he will still yell "taiyō").
* In ''[[Flower, Sun, and Rain]]'', Sumio Mondo has a computer named KATHARINE (Catherine in the English), which he activates with a variety of codephrases. Here is the first one:
{{quote|
* The girls in ''[[Arcana Heart]]'' all call their Arcana with such a phrase. The biggest standout being Kira's "don't ask why, just give me your powers."
* ''[[Super Monkey Ball|Super Monkey Ball 2]]'' and it's quite bizarre story mode where the heroes had to chant a song before they could go rolling around a level. According to the subtitles, the song had lyrics, but it all sounded like "Uki uki uki-ki-ki!"
* Combined with a [[Badass Creed]] in ''[[Princess Waltz]]'': A sword in my hand. A vow on my finger. I am clad in white. I will become a contestant in the Waltz.
* In ''[[
== Web Animation ==
* Spoofed on ''[[Homestar Runner]]'' with the Strong Bad E-mail "lunch special", in which Strong Bad thinks that getting Bubs to say his name backwards without the first B (in other words, "sbu") will make him give away a free lunch special. Eventually, Bubs says it, and reveals that it doesn't make him give away a free lunch special but rather makes him lose his ability to fly (though he could really only hover a few inches above the ground anyway).
{{quote|
'''Strong Bad:''' THERE! You said it! Now you gotta give me a free lunch special!
'''Bubs:''' No, no, no. Getting me to say my name backwards minus the B just makes me lose my super power!
'''Strong Bad:''' What super power?
'''Bubs:''' Being able to fly.
'''Strong Bad:''' You can fly!?
'''Bubs:''' Well... not anymore, I can't.
'''Strong Bad:''' Oh, right. }}
** The email "shapeshifting" pokes fun at this, with Strong Bad imagining himself gaining the ability to shapeshift and, in addition to having to put up with pointless rules and restrictions, having to activate the power out loud:
{{quote|
== Web Comics ==
* ''[[Dresden Codak]]'' has the Tokamak twins, not related to the Wonder Twins, and SCIENCE.
{{quote|
'''Dmitri:''' Density with mass reaching boundaries of... the Chandrasekhar limit! }}
* In ''Cheer,'' Jo tries to activate the mysterious (and thus far useless) wand she's found [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522040457/http://cheer.thewotch.com/index.php?date=20060706 via Grayskull phrases], similar to Peter Parker trying to [[How Do I Shot Web?|use his weblines]] in the first ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]]'' movie. She even starts to try the original, but doesn't get to finish.
* Parodied in ''Tales of Mynarski Forest''; when the delusional Heywood raises his "magic sword" to the sky with a call of "By the Powers of Numbskull!" he gets struck by lightning with [http://mynarskiforest.purrsia.com/xsl06_21.htm predictable results].
* Played with in one ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'' [[Filler Strips|filler comic]]: Ellen, having nicknamed her boobs "The Wonder Twins", yells "Wonder Twin powers... ACTIVATE!"
{{quote|
'''Grace:''' Are you wearing a towel as a cape? }}
* In ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'', Zoe's transformation powers are enacted by the words "shupid" and "kwi". However, this works whether said by her or somebody else. (Kind of has to, since her alternate form is that of a camel... which can't talk.)
* In ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20100716054603/http://www.wcihigh.com/?p=259 WCI High]'', plain-looking Blossom Pearl transforms into sexy Awesome Girl by using her magic word, which is actually "MAGIC WORD", {{spoiler|an acronym which stands for "Mighty Awesome Girl I Call, With Outstanding Rackage, Doll!"}}
* ''[[PvP]]'' featured a comic about the minor random character Lolbat, who is shown to be a child who activates the power of ancient memes with the phrase, "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!"
* Averted in ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]'': while V does say "Shapechange" before transforming into {{spoiler|a pink dragon}} for the first time, this is not what actually triggers the transformation. Rather, virtually all spellcasting in ''OotS'' has ''the name of the spell'' as a verbal component. The next time V transforms, no verbal statement is necessary, as the ''Shapechange'' spell's duration has not expired.
* ''[[
* At one point in ''[[Bad Guy High]]'', one of the kids got a He-Man-esque suit and a bunch of powers from some magic hermit. To call his powers, he had to call the hermit's name <ref>The name was the initials of various DC heroes, but can't recall the order</ref> and a lightning would strike him, changing him. Saying it again restored his form, so he made that mistake a couple times. {{spoiler|1=And once when SuperDan was holding him down on the ground, he recited the word a couple times so [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|the lightning would strike Dan instead]].}}
* In ''[[Emergency Exit]]'', Karl Tameron activates his couch robot by saying the phrase, "I sing the body electric," the beginning of a Walt Whitman poem. While this is not an example, it happens that later that same phrase not only transforms his couch but also seems to give him some manner of super powered electronics control, which satisfies the criteria. Fridge logic dictates that it's possible that he would have gained the super powers if he had a face the first time he said it and didn't need to use the speaking program from the portal bracelet, as he did not say the words himself that time.
* ''[[Sinfest]]'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20110629031657/http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3050 remembers the grayskull]. Being performed [[Loony Fan|Seymour]], this didn't work well.
== Web Original ==
* Possibly in a reference to ''[[Power Rangers]]'', the Dimensional Guardians from the web fiction serial ''[[Dimension Heroes]]'' must shout "Dimensional Guardians, power up!" to activate their Guardian powers.
* ''[[Whateley Universe]]'' example: When [[Action Girl]] Chaka gets a set of magical gloves that - once invoked - let her make four extra-hard punches, she has to choose the invocation phrase. Being a wacky teenager in a superhero world, she chose [[Fantastic Four (Comic Book)|"It's clobberin' time!"]].
* [[Atop the Fourth Wall|"INTERNET REVIEWER!"]]
* Super-speedster Jenny Thunder, a hero from the ''[[Global Guardians PBEM Universe]]'' activated her speed powers by yelling out the phrase "THUNDERBOLT POWER NOW!"
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* [[The Quest for Geekdom|BY THE POWER OF]] [[Camp Gay|GAYSKULL!]]
* [[My Way Entertainment|"Black Power, motherfucker!" "Deep penetration!" "King Chili, motherfucker! Yeah~!" "Fried rice!" "Jose Canseco!" "Dragon shit!"]]
* ''Volkonir: Rise of Semaphry'': "Golden Lion, Cortascius Defend!," "Crystal Swan, Cortascius Defend!" And more catchphrases for using one power as a power-up mode for the other.
== Western Animation ==
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* ''[[Transformers]]'': Possible stretch, but when time permits, conversion to robot mode is accompanied by a transformer calling its own name, then saying, "Transform!"
** ''[[Beast Wars]]'' used this trope more extensively, with "Insert Name Here, Maximize!" for Maximals, "Insert Name Here, Terrorize!" for Predacons and "Beast Mode!" for reversing it. Later in ''Beast Wars'', some had vehicular modes with specialized names (at least once, Rattrap called his "Knieval Mode").
*** Specifically, this was ''required'' as a voice command in ''Beast Wars'' as a trade off for the much smaller, more power efficient bodies than their predecessors (i.e. G1 Transformers which were around three times larger). Another aspect was that the entire procedure was handled by a secondary computer, which also handled other processes such as
**** Actually, it wasn't required. The voice commands existed in the first place because Hasbro wanted viewers to be absolutely sure which character was which. The voice commands were extremely prevalent in Season 1, though were toned down by the end and almost never heard in 2 & 3 unless a new character appeared.
*** In ''[[Beast Wars]]'', Dinobot specifically changed his code whenever he switched sides.
** "I Am Transformed" for the ''[[Beast Machines]]'' Maximals (a plot point in the early episodes, as the characters needed to learn how to transform, as it had previously been handled by an onboard computer in them.).
* In ''[[Trollhunters]]'', Jim transforms into "battle mode" by holding his amulet and exclaiming "By the power of [[Big Good|Merlin]], Daylight is mine to command!" Many times, however, he doesn't have time to say it dramatically, blurting the words out quickly and haphazardly when there's a threat to deal with.
* The [[Centurions]] had the activation phrase, "Power-X-Treme!" (or rather "pow-ER ext-REEM!") to beam down their weapons.
* ''[[Captain Planet and the Planeteers]]'': "[[Invocation|Let our powers combine]]! Earth!"
** "Fire!"
** "Wind!"
** "Water!"
** [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|"Heart!"]]
** "By [[All Your Powers Combined|your powers combined]], I am Captain Planet!"
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*** [http://www.queenofwands.net/d/20031208.html "EVOLUTION! SURVIVAL! SELECTION! SCIENCE! H-AIIIIGH! (THE MONKEY HAS MY LEG! THE MONKEY HAS MY LEG!!)]
* ''[[Super Ted]]'' had the phrase "I'll just say my secret magic word..." and then the teddy bear would turn into SuperTed. The word was never revealed (it was hinted that the phrase was itself the magic word, but it was never confirmed), but in one episode, Bulk (one of the "bad guys") overheard it and used it to turn into Super-Bulk. The same episode had SuperTed [[Easy Amnesia|forget the word himself]]. This seemed to ignore the fact that Mother Nature hadn't ever given Bulk a magic potion to become super powered...
* ''[[Thundercats]]''' and its [[Continuity Reboot|reboot]] ''[[Thundercats 2011|ThunderCats (2011)]]'' have several:
** Lion-O's [[Situational Sword]], the Sword of Omens, requires him to say "Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thundercats, Ho!" to cause the sword to lengthen from [[Retractable Weapon|dagger to longsword length]] unlock its [[Sword Beam|full combat potential]] and [[Battle Cry|rally the troops]] to battle with a [[Bat Signal]].
** A simple "Thundercats, Ho!" or "Ho!" is sometimes sufficient to fire a bolt, temporarily grow the sword, and activate a number of other context-sensitive powers. In the original, Lion-O did occasionally grow the sword without so much as a word.
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** The sister series ''[[Silverhawks]]'' also had a villain with a transformation speech: "Moon Star of Limbo! Give me the might! The muscle! The menace! Of MON...STARR!!"
* ''[[Winx Club]]'': Before 4Kids edited it, Bloom says "Bloom Magic Winx!" some of the time before transforming, with the other fairies substituting their names instead. Around season 2, it got reduced to just "Magic Winx!" When the girls earned [[Frilly Upgrade|new outfits]], 4Kids did have the girls saying "Go Enchantix!" for a while.
** [http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2184092&postcount=116 Not everyone]{{Dead link}} likes transformation phrases.
* Possibly similar to ''[[Inspector Gadget]]'s'' "Go, Go, Gadget ''X!''", a phrase that
* The [[Wonder Twins]], from the second season of ''[[Superfriends]]'', would shout "Wonder Twin powers, ACTIVATE!" to, well, activate their Wonder Twin Powers. This was followed by Zan shouting, "Form of (something made of water or ice)!" and Jayna shouting, "Shape of (an animal or alien creature)!" (Interestingly, the comics made it clear that this wasn't required at all, but just a habit; presumably as a courtesy to [[Viewers are Morons|the audience who wouldn't understand that the Twins had just shifted shape]].)
** This habit, and the entire concept of the Wonder Twins, was hilariously subverted in a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePLXE8pLT5Q Cartoon Network promo] disguised as an Eighties-vintage "you can do anything you set your mind to" spot: after telling the kiddies they don't need superpowers to be cool, Jayna transformed into a green tiger, and Zan into a bucket of water... whereupon he began lamenting his [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|lame superpower]], and exclaimed, "I could be defeated by a sponge. It wouldn't even have to be an ''evil'' sponge!" [[Hilarity Ensues|And an evil sponge (you can tell by the eyebrows) leans out from a group of lurking villains.]]
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** To H-B's credit, Samurai was using genuine Japanese: "Kaze no yō ni hayaku" means "As swiftly as the wind", and "Tōmei ningen" means "Invisible man". It's entirely possible that Apache Chief's "Inekchok" is linguistically legit too.
** Apache Chief's power was parodied by ''[[Family Guy]]''. Saying "Inekchok" makes ''Quagmire's penis grow larger''!
* Used by ''[[Freakazoid!]]'', without even [[Lampshade Hanging]] it to any real degree. He has to say "Freak out!" to transform into Freakazoid, and "Freak in" to turn back into mild-mannered nerd Dexter Douglas. When Dexter says "freak out", he always precedes it with an extended "Ah" sound, like the chorus to the disco song "Le Freak" by CHIC.
* In ''[[Fred and Barney Meet The Thing]]'', young Benjy Grimm would transform into The Thing by touching his magical rings together and saying "Thing Ring, Do Your Thing!"
* Subverted in ''[[DuckTales (1987)]]'', where [[Bungling Inventor]] Gyro Gearloose programs the Gizmoduck suit to be activated by the phrase "blabbering blatherskite", believing that nobody uses it. Little did he know that it was mild-mannered accountant Fenton Crackshell's favorite expression and that he would transform into Gizmoduck for the first time purely by accident after uttering this phrase standing too close to the suit. In another episode, Launchpad starts using the expression, leading to some [[Secret Identity]] close calls. And in a later episode, the suit somehow shrinks in the wash... and its activation word becomes "blab".
** The power suit seems to be able to hear the phrase no matter how far away the speaker is. In one episode, Fenton is hundreds of miles away and needs the Gizmoduck suit. He says the phrase and it activates, and flies across the country to get to him.
*** Not so much as it works that when Fenton is not within the suit's range, he calls it and says the word through the telephone. The reason that he had his mother use it the one time was because he forgot to turn on the suit's answering machine.
** The actual phrase is only "blatherskite," chosen as the most obscure word in the English language. The blabbering part is just Fenton's expression, and he never realizes that he only needs to say the second half.
* The spell that serves as a modifier for Raven's powers in ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'' is "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
** Similarly, an issue of ''[[Teen Titans Go!
* The ''[[Battletoads (animation)|Battletoads]]'' cartoon pilot had the three teenage protagonists shout out "Let's get warty!" to transform into their toad counterparts. A pretty stupid catchphrase, but not half as bad as what many people thought they said: "Let's get ''horny''!" (As in horny toads. Hopefully.) "Let's get normal" was used for the reverse transformation.
* Spoofed on ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy
** Grim may have just been having fun. Despite his usually dour demeanor, episodes have repeatedly shown that under the death's hood lurks a big goofball.
* ''[[
** Along with a tap of their symbol, usually...
** Spoofed during ''Nullzilla'', where the characters summon vehicles for a [[Combining Mecha]] with voice commands. Bob, Dot, and Enzo get the usual speech related to the vehicles, but Frisket ''barks'' for his and Mike has to say [[Butt Monkey|"Gnat, slightly annoyed, high pitched buzzing force"]].
* The short-lived ''[[The Avengers: United They Stand]]'' cartoon based on the Marvel [[The Avengers (Comic Book)|comic book of the same name]] had Ant-Man screaming ''Avengers Assemble!!'' followed by the transformation sequence of 3/4 of the team putting on powered armor. Scarlet Witch, Tigra and The Vision didn't wear any, being mutants and a robot respectively, so they were left out of the transformation sequence.
* The [[Merchandise-Driven]] show ''[[King Arthur and the Knights of Justice]]'' had Arthur and his Knights activate their magical armor by putting their fists on the Round Table and reciting their oath:
{{quote|
'''Knights:''' And we are the Knights of Justice. We pledge fairness to all, to protect the weak and vanquish the evil! }}
* This happens in
* In ''[[Jem]]'', a rare western [[Magic Idol Singer]] series, Jerrica would "transform" into Jem by touching her earrings and whispering, "Showtime, Synergy!" This was actually a slight subversion of the trope, however, as this wasn't a magic incantation; the earrings enabled her to communicate with the advanced computer system called Synergy, and "Showtime" was the code to tell Synergy to project the computerized hologram which changed Jerrica's appearance into that of Jem. (Synergy could be contacted in the same manner to project other holograms, usually with more explicit commands.)
** There was also an equivalent "power down" phrase: "Show's over, Synergy."
* The segment "Arabian Knights" from ''[[The Banana Splits]]'' had the sorcerer Bez transform into a different creature by proclaiming, "Size of a... (dog, elephant, cow, what-have-you)!"
* ''[[Teamo Supremo]]'''s transformation sequence, which had all three of the kids jumping with Brenda's skipping rope, was always triggered by Crandall saying, "Rope me, Brenda!" (obviously not in the way shown [http://outcastsproductions.deviantart.com/art/WHAPPAH-13099854 here]{{Dead link}}, though one wonders if he ever wanted it that way).
* 90's toon, ''[[Mummies Alive]]'' had the four titular mummies proclaim "With the strength of Ra!" before going [[Stock Footage|going trough their transformation sequence]].
* In ''[[Defenders of the Earth]]'', the Phantom would activate his super-strength by chanting "By jungle law, the Ghost Who Walks calls forth the power of ten tigers." His transformation sequence would then show... varying numbers of tiger heads passing into his body.
* In ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'', the team transforms when leader Will holds up the Heart of Kandrakar and calls out "Guardians Unite!", then each girl calling out their element (''Fire! Water! Earth! Air!''). Will, being the one bestowed with "[[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?]]" goes through three different phases throughout the two seasons: in Season One, she was first up and just
** "Guardians Unite" was an invention of the animated series, as the comics only had the girls naming their powers (except for Will). Also, in most other countries, the translation of the phrase is a simple straight translation. The most notable (if not only) exception is the French dub, which uses "Cristallisation" instead (even though the show was animated in France).
** And in the comics, after "New Powers" the four girls call their element, then Will call "The power to unite them". Could be a problem if she had to do an individual transformation.
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* The ''[[Iron Man]]'' cartoon of the 90's had this. When Tony needed the armor he was currently wearing to be something else, he'd call the other armor by name, and his chassis would simply change accordingly. This was a way to integrate the vast variations of Iron Man armor from the comics.
* [[Captain Marvel]] can apparently '''weaponise''' his transformation sequence, if his appearance in ''[[Justice League]]'' is anything to go by. While [[Let's You and Him Fight|battling]] [[Superman]], he caught Supes in a [[Bear Hug]], called out his transformation phrase, and the bolt of lightning that would normally have transformed him back into Billy Batson instead struck Supes for damage.
* In ''[[DC Super Hero Girls]]'', Jessica uses the [[Green Lantern]] Oath to do this (as in, "In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night!"), a departure from the comic version where the Oath is used to recharge the Ring. Sometimes she doesn't need to say anything at all, but then, [[Self-Parody| this isn't exactly a serious adaptation.]]
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Superhero Tropes]]
[[Category:Harbinger of Asskicking]]
[[Category:Magical Girl Tropes]]
[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:Power]]
[[Category:Be Careful What You Say]]
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