Not Brainwashed: Difference between revisions

Related to [[More Than Mind Control]].

 

== Dramatic Examples ==

=== Anime and Manga ===

* ''[[G Gundam]]'' had Domon's mentor, Master Asia, turn against him. Domon didn't give this much thought at first, since he had seen many people become [[Brainwashed]] by the Devil Gundam before then, and was mighty displeased to discover that Master Asia was serving the Devil Gundam purely by choice.

* This trope appears in the last story arc of the live-action adaptation ''[[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon]]''. Queen Beryl, who up until this point has been brainwashing her four lieutenants, resigns herself to certain death and releases Jaedite from her spell, so he can escape. His personality doesn't change at all: he reveals that he's always been her willing servant, and he intends to remain by her side no matter what.

* ''[[Hellsing]]'', {{spoiler|[[Battle Butler]] Walter}} is seen de-aged and on the side of the Nazi Vampires. When Alucard fights him, everyone assumes that he's been brainwashed. While it's left slightly ambiguous, it's heavily implied that not only was he doing it all of his own free will, but he had also been the cause of various security breaches earlier in the series.

* In ''[[Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas]]'', [[Woobie]] Alone is chosen as the vessel for [[Everybody Hates Hades|Hades]] and subsequently begins to [[Kill'Em All|kill everyone]], planning to end all life on Earth. {{spoiler|Turns out this has nothing to do with the influence of Hades, as he was never possessed; being chosen as the vessel for Hades simply gave him the power to execute a plan that was his own from the very beginning.}}

* Ruthlessly exploited in ''[[Harry Potter]]'' books: Many of villains got off by pretending to be brainwashed (including the Malfoys). Later Harry cannot believe that Stan the bus driver is not under [[Mind Control]] when attacking him. (Stan IS surprisingly blank-eyed, and it's not verified one way or the other.)

** Stan was previously a good-natured but pretty slow bus attendant who claimed he would be the next Minister of Magic when he was trying to chat up some Veelas. That said, he seemed ''very'' unlikely as Death Eater material, even if he did decide to join. On the other hand, Harry and his friends believed that Cornelius Fudge was under the Imperius Curse which was why he was stubbornly ignoring signs of Voldemort's return (Dumbledore doesn't think this is true though and Fudge later does accept what's going on, so yeah...) There's also debate as to whether or not {{spoiler|Umbridge was possessed by the horcrux locket when she wore it. While Harry figured that it would be impossible to tell since she was already so foul, [[Word of God|Rowling]] stated that the locket saw her as a kindred spirit and aided her rather then hindered her.}}

 

=== Live Action TV ===

** There is also one in ''[[World of Warcraft]]''. The players are sent to assassinate Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, the [[Evil Emperor]] of the Dark Iron and rescue the captive Princess Moira Bronzebeard. It however turned out that {{spoiler|she took a liking to him and [[Happily Married]], much to the player's surprise.}}

** In the Stonecore, there's a rock giant that you're tasked by Therazane to kill named Ozruk. At first, she sent agents to free him from whatever magic binds him to this Twilight's Hammer dungeon. "No such magic was placed upon him."

* In ''[[Super Robot Wars]]'' Original Generation 2, much of the early plot revolves around surviving members of the "School" on the opposing side trying to "save" one of your pilots from obvious brainwashing. Of course, she's on your side entirely by choice, and ''they're'' the ones undergoing brainwashing.

* ''[[Kamen Rider Decade]]''; on {{spoiler|1=DiEnd's world}} it turns out that {{spoiler|Junichi}} is working for the villain and is not under his control as everyone has believed.

* ''[[Walkyverse|It's Walky]]'''s final arc deals with several mind-controlled former teammates... and one who, it turns out, switched sides by choice.

{{quote|"He wasn't hypnotised, merely disgruntled."}}

* In ''[[Order of the Stick]]'' #640, after {{spoiler|Vaarsuvius}} takes great pleasure in killing an opponent (and their entire extended family) it is revealed that the [[Deal with the Devil]] they made had no effect on their alignment or actions—essentially, the character merely revealed [[What You Are in the Dark|their true self.]]

** In fact, the character was told the spell ''could'' effect their alignment, with the implication that it was possible and up to them to resist any such effect. This example seems to overlap with [[More Than Mind Control]] in that the character was told this in order to facilitate them giving in to their worst impulses (like arrogance, cruelty, and mass-murder).

{{quote|'''Flash:''' Internet romances huh? Go figure.}}

* In the pilot episode of ''[[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]'', our hero is surprised to find his ex-partner Warp Darkmatter is not only alive, but [[The Dragon|working]] for the [[Big Bad]]. Unable to accept that his buddy has pulled a [[Face Heel Turn]], Buzz offers several tried-and-true possible explanations:

'''Warp:''' ''No.'' }}

* In ''[[American Dragon: Jake Long]]'', Spud makes a deal with an evil Gorgon who claims that she will make his [[All Guys Want Cheerleaders|cheerleader]] crush Stacy [[Love Potion|fall in love]] with him. And when Stacy does decide she likes Spud, he thinks that it's because of this supposed "love spell," even though she continues to act far more fickle than you'd think someone truly under a love spell would act. In the end, like any other [[Deal with the Devil]], Spud has to break off his alliance with the Gorgon, and prepares himself for Stacy to break up with him now that she's not enchanted anymore. But Spud is relieved to find that there was never a love spell, and Stacy was Not Brainwashed.

== Comedic Examples ==

=== Film ===

 

=== Literature ===

{{quote|'''Harry Dresden:''' No way. Last time I let you out, you got into a frat party and started an orgy.

'''Bob the Skull:''' I didn't do anything another couple of kegs of beer wouldn't have done! }}

 

=== Western Animation ===

* ''[[The Angry Beavers]]'' "Zooing Time": The supposedly brainwashed Norbert is genuinely disappointed at being rescued from a zoo, because he actually likes it, but Daggett thinks that he's saying that because he was brainwashed. (And he's taking responsibility for getting Norb sent to the zoo to begin with.)

* ''[[Lilo and Stitch]]'': In one episode, Lilo's friend Keoni has a crush on Pleakly (in his horrible disguise as a human woman). Lilo, Stitch, and Jumba are quick to blame the [[Monster of the Week]], but no, he ''actually does'' have a crush on Pleakly. (For context: Pleakley has green skin and one eye.)