Shapeshifter Mode Lock: Difference between revisions

{{quote|However, the giants of the Sul’at League studied the Gyrderi and found a way to counter the [[druid]]s—the giants enacted a terrible [[curse]] that forever bound them in the wild shapes they were wearing, trapping them [[Hereditary Curse|and their descendants]] in the forms of animals.

|[[Eberron]] Secrets of Xen'drik, Chapter 3}}

You know how when you were a kid, your mother always kept saying if you keep making that face, it'd stick?

 

 

Compare [[The Mind Is a Plaything of the Body]], [[And I Must Scream]], [[First Law of Gender Bending]]. See also [[Power Incontinence]]. Contrast [[Involuntary Shapeshifting]].

 

* The goal of the cursed characters in ''[[Ranma ½]]'' was to be cursed again in the Spring of the Drowned Man or Drowned Girl. That way, when splashed with cold water, they'll turn into themselves (effectively not changing). Aside from that, the more common disadvantageous type of Mode Lock appears a few times as well:

** In an early story, Ranma was the victim of a [[Pressure Point]] attack called the [[Meaningful Name|Full Body Cat's Tongue]], which made him unable to bear hot water—the trigger to turn him male—thereby locking him into his girl mode until the cure was found. In at least the anime version, this resulted in a [[Twisted Knee Collapse]] once [[Old Master|Cologne]] told him about it, and vowed he would be cured if only he agreed to [[Accidental Marriage|honor his engagement]] to [[Chinese Girl|Shampoo]].

** Don't forget the second movie ''Nihao My Concubine'', in which the villain has waters from a sacred spring that transformed the one splashed in it permanently into a man. He uses it to threaten girls to come along quietly with him, but the curse spring victims try to use it to break their curse. By the end of the movie, Ranma's falling high speed toward the spring, but {{spoiler|he has Akane falling with him, so he destroys the spring so she doesn't get stuck as a man, [[Yank the Dog's Chain|ruining his chance to break the curse once again.]] }}

* ''[[Hime-chan no Ribon]]'' has Hime-chan stuck in the form of her rival, Hibino. After being hit by a truck and revived, [[Unexplained Recovery|she got better]].

* When Ichigo first turns into a full cat in ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'', both she and [[Mission Control]] fear that it'll be permanent. However, she figures out [[Intimate Healing|how to change back]] after [[Hilarity Ensues|a long and grueling day as a helpless kitten]].

** {{spoiler|Said [[Mission Control]], Ryou, who himself has a cat form named Alto}} is specifically ''said'' to be able to stay in cat form for no more than ten minutes - or else the transformation will become permanent.

* In ''[[Misfits]]'' One of the Super-powered teens has some trouble after his [[Gender Bender|Gender bending power]] makes him stuck as a woman due to his[[Truly Single Parent|Self-induced pregnancy]], lucky all is well by the end of the episode.

 

* Some variations of the selkie myth have it that they can only go upon land a certain number of times before suffering permanent Mode Lock (either as a seal or human depending on what they were at the time).

* Another shapeshifter myth: the Margotines are fey white cats that can change into pretty human females — or can confer a human female the power to turn into a white cat. However, if the woman is wounded while in this form, she can no longer change back to her true shape — and the Margotine cannot turn into a human any longer either.

* ''[[Amber]] Diceless Role Playing''. It's possible for someone using [[Shapeshifting]] to lose the knowledge of how to shapeshift or even the ability itself, stranding them in their current form. It's also possible for them to lose their personality and take on the personality of the creature or person they're imitating, so they don't want to change back.

* ''Forgotten Futures''. A magician who transforms into an animal may come to believe that they are that animal and prolong the spell until it becomes permanent and erases their true personality.

** In ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' priests of Ghanadaur (mostly drow) are granted a spell allowing temporary transformation into ooze. It also has a chance of permanently turning them into Ghaunadan — ooze minions of their god that remain sapient and can take the former humanoid form, but no more priests or members of their former species.

 

== Toys ==

* The ''[[World of Warcraft]]''-based series ''[[Chronicles of the Annoying Quest]]'' has Hana. Unlike other druids, Hana cannot shapeshift back from his cat form at will. This shortcoming is a great source of annoyance to his fiancée, Kit.

* Daniel Dockery's collection of Transformers figures in ''[[Cracked.com]]'''s [http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-movie-franchises-that-need-help-from-their-own-games/ 5 Movie Franchises That Need Help (From Their Own Games)] are unable to change back to their vehicle alt-modes.

 

== Western Animation ==