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{{trope}}
[[
▲[[caption-width-right:245:In a cave seven thousand miles away, [[Osama Bin Laden]]'s [[Your Head Asplode|head explodes]].<ref>[[Fridge Horror|Then who did Obama have killed?]]</ref>
Whenever someone uses their [[Psychic Powers]], they put a hand up to their head (most traditionally with the middle and fore fingers on the brow and thumb on the cheek or mandibular joint, and the other fingers folded). If they're doing something really hard, it takes ''both'' hands on their temples. If they're using telekinesis, they gesture at what they're affecting, and the power acts as a sympathetic parallel of their hands. For a [[Crystal Ball]], lots of swishing is involved as if to polish the ball enough to see through clearly. Again, if it's something difficult, then they have to use both hands -- and ''quiver'', and maybe [[Psychic Nosebleed|their nose will bleed]].▼
▲Whenever someone uses their [[Psychic Powers]], they put a hand up to their head (most traditionally with the middle and fore fingers on the brow and thumb on the cheek or mandibular joint, and the other fingers folded). If they're doing something really hard, it takes ''both'' hands on their temples. If they're using telekinesis, they gesture at what they're affecting, and the power acts as a sympathetic parallel of their hands. For a [[Crystal Ball]], lots of swishing is involved as if to polish the ball enough to see through clearly. Again, if it's something difficult, then they have to use both
A type of [[Magical Gesture]]. [[Healing Hands]] is a similar standard-gesture power. Not to be confused with the [[Face Palm]]. Compare [[Blasting Time]].
{{examples
* In ''[[
▲== Anime & Manga ==
* ''[[Naruto]]'': Gaara largely averts this. While he can make his sand move (and kill people) with various gestures, the hands-to-head thing usually doesn't happen unless he's having a psychic argument with [[Sealed Evil in
▲* In ''[[Akira (Manga)|Akira]]'', Tetsuo plays this trope straight, gesturing when moving water glasses, dismembering people, crushing bridges, etc.
▲* ''[[Naruto]]'': Gaara largely averts this. While he can make his sand move (and kill people) with various gestures, the hands-to-head thing usually doesn't happen unless he's having a psychic argument with [[Sealed Evil in A Can|Shukaku]].
* Played with in ''[[Black Blood Brothers]]''; Jiro uses his "Hide Hand" ability by pointing at things...with his middle finger.
* Jun Lee from ''[[Genesis of Aquarion]]'' uses a slightly modified version of the
** Actually, he's pointing his fingers to the center of his forehead, which is said to be where the 'third eye' is in yoga, or something like that.
== [[Comic Books]] ==▼
* In early ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X-Men]]'' comics, Professor X was often depicted (as an icon on the cover, but seldom in an actual story) doing a ''double'' hand-to-temple gesture, like someone trying to salute with both hands at once. However, Jean Grey rarely used hand gestures with her telekinetic powers. This is because they're using two different powers: Professor Xavier is the most powerful telepath in the Marvel Universe, but he has no telekinesis whatsoever. Prof. Xavier, Jean Grey and almost every other telepathic character (see Emma Frost) depicted in the [[Marvel Universe]] do the hand-to-head gesture when using the
▲== Comic Books ==
** However, Jean Grey ''does'' use this trope when using her telekinesis in ''[[X
▲* In early ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X-Men]]'' comics, Professor X was often depicted (as an icon on the cover, but seldom in an actual story) doing a ''double'' hand-to-temple gesture, like someone trying to salute with both hands at once. However, Jean Grey rarely used hand gestures with her telekinetic powers. This is because they're using two different powers: Professor Xavier is the most powerful telepath in the Marvel Universe, but he has no telekinesis whatsoever. Prof. Xavier, Jean Grey and almost every other telepathic character (see Emma Frost) depicted in the [[Marvel Universe]] do the hand-to-head gesture when using the telepathy -- but ''not'' when using TK (see: Hellion).
▲** However, Jean Grey ''does'' use this trope when using her telekinesis in ''[[X Men the Animated Series]]''. This is a case of [[Depending On the Artist]] as Jean has been drawn using her hands to direct her telekinesis.
* In ''[[Bone]]'', Thorn holds two fingers directly in front of her eye when using her Veni-yan-cari powers.
* Mastermind Excello of ''The Twelve'', being a forties sensitive, constantly has this pose. Either because he's doing his ultra-senses thing, or because he's having headaches from all the noise he inadvertently senses.
== [[Fan Works]] ==
* Averted in ''[[
==
▲* Averted in ''[[With Strings Attached (Fanfic)|With Strings Attached]]''. After Ringo discovers that he's telekinetic, he starts to play with it by pointing at stuff, frowning at it, etc. He quickly learns that all this nonsense distracts him from the concentration required to actually move things. Later, people are unnerved when he just sits there with his eyes closed and stuff happens. (Also, the power is completely invisible, so no wiggly lines or power glow or anything.)
== Films -- Live-Action ==▼
* ''[[Star Wars]]'': Most Force powers seem to operate this way. Telekinesis uses one or both hands to "grab" or "push" the object. Mind-trick usually uses a wave or a point. Blocking energy attacks involves holding out your hand to stop them. Force-choking involves holding your thumb and forefinger out in a "pinching" gesture. Force Lighting always shoots out of the fingertips rather than anywhere else.
** In ''[[Star Wars]] Episode II: [[Attack of the Clones]]'', when Yoda was holding up a pillar to prevent some other Jedi from being crushed by it, he was using both hands and shaking besides.
** An interesting variation in ''[[Star Wars:
** And on the other end, Luke has his hands tied up at one point in ''Return of the Jedi'', so he just levitates C-3PO without using any gestures. Waving your arms around just seems to be a concentration aid for the
** Luke states openly in the Jedi Academy Book series when instructing a potential recruit, that the motions are used to help visualize the action but not required. People that do them after they've mastered a power are doing so out of habit.
* Toth-Amon does this in ''[[Conan]] the Destroyer'', complete with silly mannerisms. So do Akiro and the leader of the Dagoth worshipers.
* ''[[Dark City]]'' uses this one, especially late on. {{spoiler|When the main character uses his Tuning ability, he usually just points his forehead at the target. Sounds subtle, but makes the final fight look a bit like a neanderthal [[Staring Contest]] with ripple effects.}}
* In the film version of ''[[Matilda (
* Similarly, Fin Raziel in ''Willow'', when using Elora Danaan's wand to toss Bavmorda around, uses gestures along with some sort of magic words. Abruptly becomes very funny when she shouts "Nananananana!" while twirling the wand to spin Bavmorda in midair.
* Early on in ''[[Indiana Jones and
* Averted in the ''[[Resident Evil]]'' film series. When Alice uses a power, she never moves her hands.
* ''Firestarter''. Andy does this when 'pushing' someone. After he's been captured by The Shop, Cap (the villain played by Martin Sheen) sees him doing this and realises too late that Andy is no longer
* ''Zapped''. Barney Springboro is your typical 80's nerdy virgin teen who gains the ability to move objects [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peI4XH3wahk using only the power of his half-assed glare]. Given that he's played by Scott Baio, it's hard to say if it's being subverted or played straight.
* ''[[Carrie]]'' does this
* Quite a lot of this in the ''[[X-Men (
== [[Literature]] ==▼
* [[Lampshaded]] in ''Ten Little Wizards'', a [[
▲== Literature ==
▲* [[Lampshaded]] in ''Ten Little Wizards'', a [[Lord Darcy (Literature)|Lord Darcy]] fantasy/mystery by Michael Kurland, when Darcy voices his concern that Master Sean's ritualized object-levitating stance looks extremely uncomfortable. Standing with his legs spread wide and arms extended out fully, sorcerer Sean replies that it's not so bad: during their training, apprentice wizards are required to hold such positions for hours at a time.
* Subverted in ''[[Mistborn]]''. Vin automatically uses the palm out gesture when pushing on things telekinetically, before her mentore reminds her that it's completely unecessary ''and'' makes her drop her weapon.
* Used to an extent in ''[[The Dresden Files]]'' with evocation. With enough willpower, it's possible to skip this entirely, and the stronger a wizard is, the more he can do with a simpler motion. [[Magical Database|The Archive]] is good enough that she can have multiple spells going with one motion.
* ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]''▼
▲* ''[[Heroes (TV)|Heroes]]''
** Sylar "flicks" things out of the way. In fact, his gestures are so slight compared to the common psychic hand motions that it borders on trope subversion (tipping over the vehicle carrying Ted is no biggie).
** Peter plays the trope straight, with wide arm movements and full open palm hand gestures whenever he uses his telekinesis.
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* In ''[[Chuck]]'', the title character makes a distinctive face when the supercomputer in his brain "flashes." Played for laughs when he and his girlfriend make "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7TcYg9aQIY flash faces]" without the accompanying visual and sound effects.
* Shawn Spencer of ''[[Psych]]'' has amazing detective skills and [[Hyper Awareness]], but such a lousy professional manner that he can't make it as a detective. So he pretends to be a psychic and ''really'' hams up the gestures while using his powers of observation instead.
* ''[[
** When Bester used his P-12 telepathy to crush his victim mentally, he clenched one gloved fist.
* ''[[
** During the First Doctor's tenure, happens when his granddaughter Susan shows telepathic abilities.
** When, much later, the Tenth Doctor does some telepathy, he puts his hands on the ''other'' person's temples.
** The Eleventh Doctor prefers to knock his head with the other person's head.
* ''[[
** The telekinesis-by-handwave version also appears on this series. Prue only developed this later on, after first moving things by squinting at them real hard.
** Paige also goes through the usual hand-motions, with the added need to [[Calling Your Attacks|call out whatever object she wanted to move]]. Her telekinesis was a little different. It seems that she could teleport things without touching them with a combination of this trope and using the name of the object, but also alter the object's direction if it was moving.
* ''[[That's So Raven]]'''s star Raven has her own nonstandard psychic
** Lampshaded in the Crossover ''That's So Suite Life of Hanna Montanta'':
{{quote|
'''Raven:''' No, I didn't.
'''Cody:''' Yes, you did. You were doing this. ''(makes Raven's vision face)''
'''Raven:''' I've never made that face before in my life. }}
* On ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' there was of course Carnac the Magnificent, embodied by Johnny Carson, with the dramatic envelope-to-forehead gesture.
* An early television example of this comes from Uncle Martin the psionic Martian in ''[[My Favorite Martian (TV)]]''. Telepathy and clairvoyance required he put his fingers to his temples. Telekinesis required the use of his finger, to the point that he couldn't use his telekinesis if he couldn't move his
** Mork from Ork also used his finger in a parody of ''[[My Favorite Martian (TV)]]'' in ''[[Mork and Mindy]]''.
* Doyle {{spoiler|and Cordelia}} on ''[[Angel]]'' put a hand to their heads whenever they got a
* Sheldon does this on ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' in an attempt to blow up Leonard's head psychically, a la ''[[Scanners]]''.
{{quote|
'''Sheldon:''' Then I'll settle for an aneurysm. }}
* In ''[[Star Trek:
* Averted in one episode of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]''. Kes [[Badass|slowly walks through a corridor, which she shreds with her powers.]]
* ''[[Supernatural]]'' has the demons pinning people against the wall with a flick of their hand. When Sam uses his [[Psychic Powers]] to exorcise and/or kill demons, he stretches out his hand and sometimes puts a hand to his head. Ava put her hands up to her head when controlling demons, and tried to pass it off as a headache.
* In the "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" episode of ''[[The X-Files]]'', the eponymous psychic doesn't really do this, but parodies it at one point; when he reveals he's been sent a mysterious letter promising further bloodshed (from, presumably, the killer) and the agents ask him who it was from, he grabs it, puts it to his forehead and yells "The killer!" in a sarcastic tone of voice.
== [[Radio]] ==▼
▲== Radio ==
* Invoked in the ''[[Adventures in Odyssey]]'' episode "Blind Girl's Bluff", wherein a blind girl feigns clairvoyance with the help of a friend and a two-way radio.
{{quote|
'''Lisa:''' Mmmmm... I'm thinking ''real'' hard... mmmmm.... }}
* Averted in ''[[Dungeons
==
* In ''[[
▲* Averted in ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'', where one of the advantages of Psionics over Magic is the utter lack of any [[Magical Gesture|Somatic]], [[Magical Incantation|Verbal]] and [[Eye of Newt|Material]] [[Spell Construction|components]], allowing use even when unable to move or speak.<br />They may not have required, functional gestures of this kind, but its still quite common for such characters to be described with such actions simply as mannerisms. A particular dwarf psion in the group may well be perfectly capable of blasting enemies without moving a muscle, even when bound and gagged, but when his hands are free, he still usually holds one out toward whatever he's blasting.
* Sophia Hapgood did it in ''[[Indiana Jones and
* Many characters in ''[[
▲== Video Games ==
▲* In ''[[The World Ends With You (Video Game)|The World Ends With You]]'', Neku does this when [[Telepathy|scanning]] NPCs and when using any of his [[Psychic Powers]] in battle that don't require him to move. It's a variant, as rather then putting his hands directly on his temples, he places them so that they cover his headphones. For bonus points, he [[Power Floats|levitates]] while doing it.
▲* Sophia Hapgood did it in ''[[Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis (Video Game)|Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis]]'', {{spoiler|except [[The Coconut Effect|when she really IS]] communing with spirits.}}
▲* Many characters in ''[[Psychonauts (Video Game)|Psychonauts]]'' strike this pose when using various psychic powers, especially telekinesis and pyrokinesis.
** Including the ''telekinetic [[Everything Is Worse With Bears|bears]]''.
** Raz strikes one of these whenever he [[Item Get|gains a new psychic power]].
* Ness from ''[[
** In contrast, in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]] Brawl'', Lucas uses hand signs and other hand motions when using his powers.
* Heavily used in ''[[City of Heroes]]'' and ''City of Villains'', as is to be expected from a game based on western comics. The psychic powers there run the gamut of such poses, from the pose (affectionately named "I'm shooting you with mind bullets!" by the community), through screaming, touching the target of a mind probe, and much gesturing when using telekinetic powers. In a possible partial subversion, most of those are offensive psychic powers. Those that deal with sleeping/stunning/controlling enemies actually do not use the Pstandard Psyhic Pstance.
* ''[[Mass Effect]]'' kind of justifies this trope, saying that the various poses struck by a biotic character when they use their powers is part of their training. Biotics are surgically implanted to give them direct and focused control over their powers, and these implants are wired to various nerves, meaning the best way to activate the eezo nodules in their bodies that actually produce biotic powers (eezo + electricity = [[Applied Phlebotinum]] in the Mass Effect universe) is to make actual movements, thus triggering the nerves.
** It may also help that some implants are noted to give the user splitting headaches. Rubbing at the temples may help to stem the pain.
* In ''[[Kingdom Hearts]] II Final Mix+'', Vexen's usual pose during battle involves him holding his hand to his forehead while his shield floats directly in front of him. He moves his hand away when gesturing for his actual attacks, though.
* ''[[Psi
* In the [[Dead Money]] DLC of [[Fallout: New Vegas]], all holograms capable of offensive attack assume this stance before firing their deadly lasers.
* Psycho Mantis, in ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', does this all the time. When we see later psychics who don't do this, it just cements Mantis as an arrogant [[Large Ham]].
* Whether disguised or not, Crpyto (that's you) out of ''[[Destroy All Humans!]]'' often takes this posture when using his abilities.
* ''[[
* ''[[
* ''[[Second Sight]]'' has several of these, including kneeling down with hand pressed to your head.
* Psyduck, a [[Pokémon]] with access to psychic abilities such as Confusion, is always depicted looking off into space with both paws on his temples. Oddly enough, despite the "Psy" part of its name, it isn't actually a Psychic-type Pokémon, nor is its evolved form Golduck (both are pure Water-type Pokémon). That's mostly because Psyduck also always have constant headaches. It's sort of a double meaning. They're holding their heads because it well, hurts. It just so happens they're doing this when using their psychic powers, too.
* [[Mind Rape|Shadow Priests]] of ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' avert this
* Mentor of ''[[Freedom Force]]'' uses this in all of its hammy goodness of [[Silver Age]] comics when using his abilities.
* [[Green
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* ''[[Dominic Deegan|Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire]]'': Dominic sometimes holds a hand to his forehead when using his second sight. This usually happens when he's a) purposely trying to have visions, rather than having them spontaneously, b) not using a [[Crystal Ball]] as a focus, or c) exasperated. Maybe trying to have visions makes his head hurt. Possibly, considering how many [[Psychic Nosebleed
* In ''[[
▲* ''[[Dominic Deegan|Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire]]'': Dominic sometimes holds a hand to his forehead when using his second sight. This usually happens when he's a) purposely trying to have visions, rather than having them spontaneously, b) not using a [[Crystal Ball]] as a focus, or c) exasperated. Maybe trying to have visions makes his head hurt. Possibly, considering how many [[Psychic Nosebleed|Psychic Nosebleeds]] he's had after particularly rough uses of his second sight.
▲* In ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court (Webcomic)|Gunnerkrigg Court]]'', Parley uses this position to try to [http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=390 communicate with a ghost]. Which, of course, leads to the ghost asking one of the other characters why she's acting like this.
* Subverted (betcha didn't think that was even possible for this one, huh?) in [http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=321#comic this] ''[[Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal]]'' strip.
* ''[[
** Tavros, Vriska, and Aradia all utilize this. Tavros uses it when [[The Beast Master|communing with native Alternian fauna and Underlings]], Vriska uses it while exerting her [[Mind Control]], and Aradia uses it when [[Soul Power|summoning the spirits of the dead]].
** Also [[Played for Laughs]] when Vriska [http://mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004535 tries REALLY hard] to manipulate John.
* Used in ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' in a simplified flashback scene recapping the chapter "bROKEN" for when {{spoiler|Oasis uses pyrokinesis}}. She didn't actually do it like that when it happened, particularly as {{spoiler|she can only do in unconsciously}}. As seen [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/110821 here], but mind the further spoilers in the surrounding comics unless you've read up to chapter 63 ("Safe House").
* In ''[[
== [[Web Original]] ==
* About half of the character art for the various mentalists in the ''[[Global Guardians PBEM Universe]]'' depicted them using some variation on the
* Averted in the e-novel ''E.H.U.D.: Prelude to Apocalypse'', as the narration goes out of its way to show that the characters do NOT shown any physical signs of using psychic abilities.
== [[Western Animation]] ==▼
▲== Western Animation ==
* [[Martian Manhunter]] did this in the first season finale of ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]''. "Flash is still alive! I'm in telepathic contact with him... his spirit is weak, and growing weaker... but he's still here." All while holding his right hand to his head and moving the left one around like he's dowsing for water. Of course, the hand-waving may be justified, as when Hawkgirl does it, she reaches into the speedsters' afterlife (or the way to it, or the way Flash went, or whatever) and ''grabs ahold of him''.
* In ''[[The Venture Brothers]]'', Doctor Orpheus does this whenever he necromances. Or says hello, ''or'' uses telekinesis to [[Mundane Utility|make]] [[What Do You Mean
* In ''[[Harvey Birdman, Attorney
* Elektra often did this on ''[[Space Stars]]'', not only as a member of the Teen Force, but also when she crossed over to [[Space Ghost]]'s segments.
* Raven from ''[[Teen Titans (
* Yumi of ''[[Code Lyoko]]'' puts both hands to her head when she uses telekinesis on Lyoko. She is also surrounded by an [[Battle Aura|aura]] and initially closes eyes, but open them and wave with a hand when directing the object (generally a boulder set on a course to crush a monster).
== [[Real Life]] ==▼
* The [http://oblong.com/#!/offerings/platform g-speak] platform is a gesture-based interface system. The two-fingers-to-temple gesture is a usable gesture for rearranging files or objects ''en masse'', invoking this trope.▼
▲== Real Life ==
▲* The [http://oblong.com/#!/offerings/platform g-speak] platform is a gesture-based interface system. The two-fingers-to-temple gesture is a usable gesture for rearranging files or objects en masse, invoking this trope.
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:Hand Tropes]]
[[Category:
|