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Soul Power: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
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A [[Sub-Trope]] of [[Elemental Powers]]. This is the power over spirits, or spiritual energy. People using this power are likely to be able to manipulate this energy, which may or may not equate to magic, depending on the setting. Expect them to be [[I See Dead People|able to speak to the spirits of the dead]], as well as have [[Shinigami|some authority or control]] over them. [[Demonic Possession|Possession]] and [[Mind Control]] may also be within their powers. This can be either a villainous or heroic power, depending on how it's portrayed and used. (If portrayed negatively, this may overlap with [[Dark Is Edgy|power over darkness]]) If it is used by a villain, be very careful — it's likely they have some very nasty powers, like being able to [[The Soulless|remove people's souls]] from their bodies or [[Liquid Assets|draining their life force]]. This [[Our Souls Are Different|may or may not]] instantly kill them. People using this power [[Personality Powers|are also likely to be]] [[The Quiet One|quiet]], creepy, and [[Stoic]]. Can be [[Element Number Five]].
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Unlike some of the other Elemental Powers, this power is more closely associated with subtlety, subterfuge and deceit rather than blasting stuff, though there are exceptions, such as spirit blasts and [[Cold Flames]]. Oh, and be careful [[Thanatos Gambit|if you try to kill these people]] — it's very likely that they'll come back as [[Our Ghosts Are Different|ghosts]], possibly [[My Death Is Just the Beginning|even stronger]] than they were in life. At extremes they may become a [[Psychopomp]] with complete control over the forces of life and death. Keep a [[Sealed Evil in a Can|can]] handy to cram them into, and look out for [[Soul Jar|external containers]] they might use to sustain their life or powers.
See also [[Psychic Powers]]. Depending on the setting, this may or may not overlap with [[Ki Attacks]]. Some of the ways to use this power overlap with [[Power of the Void]], though conceptually they're not that similar. [[I Thought It Meant|Not to be confused with]] the concert documentary ''Soul Power''.
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{{examples
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* The Cancer saints in ''[[Saint Seiya]]'' have a [[Supernatural Martial Arts|cosmo affinity]] and an [[Ki Attacks|attack spread]] based around summoning or banishing the dead. This means they routinely travel to the underworld, attack with the ghosts of the dead, and are pretty hard to kill. Even Thanatos, the [[The Grim Reaper|god of Death]], had a handful and {{spoiler|got [[Sealed Evil in a Can|shoved into a box]].}}
* ''[[Bleach]]'': The powers of incorporeal beings are based on their "spiritual pressure", or spirit energy, and their ability to control it. This includes Soul Reapers (kido spells, shikai/bankai, resistance to injury) as well as hollow powers. Some humans are able to use spiritual pressure/powers as well (Orihime, Chad, Quincies like Uryu, Bounts, etc.).
* Several characters in [[Yu Yu Hakusho]] have variants of soul power. Yusuke, Genkai, Kuwabara {{spoiler|, and Sensui }}all have attacks based on "reiki" or spirit energy. Kuwabara also has a [[Spider Sense|heightened spirit awareness]]. Kaito {{spoiler|is able to remove souls from bodies by the application of his taboo power.}}
* ''[[Soul Eater]]'' characters have Soul wavelength which they can use to resonate with others usually between Meister and Weapon.
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* [[Shaman King]] obviously
* The [[Beehive Barrier|AT Fields]] of both the Angels and Evangelions from [[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]. [[The Movie]] eventually reveals that every living being has one, and that is all that keeps them as seperate entities. {{spoiler|When [[Fan Nickname|GNR]] neutralises the AT Fields of everything on earth...}}
* In ''[[One Piece]]'', it turns out this is the true power of [[Dem Bones|Brook's]] Revive-Revive Fruit. He can seperate his soul from his body and channel [[Ghostly Chill
== [[Literature]] ==
* Necromancy in ''[[The Old Kingdom]]'' trilogy works like this, since necromancers have to literally cross over into the realm of death and bind spirits to their will in order to summon them as undead.
* Soulfire in [[The Dresden Files]]. Generally a power of angels, Soulfire draws on the soul of the user to form a foundation that strengthens his magic, especially constructive magic. Fallen Angels can grant Hellfire, which also turbocharges magic, but is especially good with the destructive spells.
** Souls also seem to be an aspect of magic due to the similarities of its various (intricate but internally consistent) rules to those of "normal" magic.
*** A wizard can put Soul/Hellfire to both Good and Bad uses, depending on the wizard and his/her intent and purpose. Harry spent a while fueling both his shields and attacks with Hellfire, and was able to make both constructs and attacks with his Soulfire. He even charged a Theugy ritual with some Soulfire!
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== [[Video Games]] ==
* All ether-elemental characters in ''[[MARDEK]]'', particularly Qualna. (Qualna has the opposite personality from the one described here, however.)
** All annunaki have this to a certain extent, since they can perform "soul transfers" upon dying that will allow their souls to inhabit another body.
* The Sorrow in ''[[Metal Gear]] Solid 3''.
* The Feys in ''[[Ace Attorney]]'': Mostly this is used for channeling the dead, but spiritual power can also be used as a sort of lie detector. (One, likely non-canon, manga shows that there's even a hidden technique to "channel" people who are still alive, just to get them someplace they can't go at the moment.)
* The Ghost type in ''[[Pokémon]]''.
** There has been a Ghost user in every generation: Agatha, Morty, Phoebe, Fantina, and Shauntal.
* Kulkumatz in ''[[The Reconstruction]]''.
* ''[[Demon's Souls]]'' is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. Pretty much every game mechanic — leveling up stats, upgrading equipment, learning new spells and miracles, etc. — requires souls of some kind. The game specifically refers to this as "Soul Arts", and unfortunately, overuse of this kind of power also [[And Man Grew Proud|caused the whole mess]] that you're trying to fix in the first place.
* [[Catgirl|Rin Kaenbyou]] from ''[[Touhou]]'' spends her days carting corpses to a furnace in hell. She can also command their "[[Our Zombies Are Different|Spirits]]" to attack you.
** [[The Judge|Shikieki Yamaxanadu]] and [[The Grim Reaper|Komachi Onozuka]] spend a fair share of time talking with spirits.
** [[Our Zombies Are Different|Miyako]] [[Chinese Vampire|Yoshika]] from ''Ten desires'' seems to have the ability to eat spirits to restore health.
* ''[[Asura's Wrath]]''s Deities gain the power for their weapons this way, either through prayer or {{spoiler|harvesting human souls by killing them. The Karma Fortress has [[Readings Are Off the Scale|7 TRILLION Souls]] powering it up.}}
* ''[[Dark Souls]]'' uses souls as currency, much like ''[[Demon's Souls]]''. The souls that are really important to the plot are the Lord Souls. These Souls manifested themselves as flames that appeared before a select
* In ''[[Shining Force]]'', the Desoul spell literally rips someone's soul out of their body and [[One Hit KO|blasts them to the afterlife]]. It's not seen as evil, though; the heroic wizard Kazan can learn it (assuming he doesn't choose to become a [[Summon Magic|Sorcerer]] instead).
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* Pai in ''[[What's Shakin']]'' uses spirit magic, which draws from the powers of creatures in the spirit world.
* Aradia in ''[[Homestuck]]'' is able to hear the voices of the dead and send them to haunt people, and has the ability to {{spoiler|remain in the physical world as a ghost}}. She also has very potent [[Psychic Powers]], and fits the [[Personality Powers]] bill after {{spoiler|she dies}}. She has the opposite personality before then, however.
== [[Web Original]] ==
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[[Category:Elemental Powers]]
[[Category:Stock Super Powers]]
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