You Are Who You Eat: Difference between revisions

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Depending on what the non-human takes is how severely the victim is injured or killed. Some may be able to make a complete recovery, others will be [[Scars Are Forever|scarred or crippled for life]], and some unlucky souls will end up an [[Empty Shell]]. Needless to say, this makes [[Friendly Neighborhood Vampire|being nice]] pretty [[Sliding Scale of Vampire Friendliness|difficult.]]

Most non-humans do this in order to maintain a [[Masquerade]], and pose as human. Especially [[Tragic Monster~~|Tragic Monsters~~]] may be doing this because they want to [[Become a Real Boy]]. Especially monstrous ones will enjoy [[Showing Off the New Body]]. If the non-human ''doesn't'' eat people, whether out of [[Friendly Neighborhood Vampire|niceness]] or inaccessibility, they will revert to their [[Shapeshifter Default Form]]. Things may [[It Got Worse|get worse]] from there though if that entails turning into an [[Fate Worse Than Death|unthinking ]], horrific monstrosity that can never fit in among humans. And of course things will [[Go Horribly Wrong]] if their cannibalism is also caused by a [[Horror Hunger]], and deprivation has the nasty side effects of making them [[Warm Bloodbags Are Everywhere|dangerously hungry]]. Subtrope of [[Face Stealer]]

Most non-humans do this in order to maintain a [[Masquerade]], and pose as human. Especially [[Tragic Monster]]s may be doing this because they want to [[Become a Real Boy]]. Especially monstrous ones will enjoy [[Showing Off the New Body]]. If the non-human ''doesn't'' eat people, whether out of [[Friendly Neighborhood Vampire|niceness]] or inaccessibility, they will revert to their [[Shapeshifter Default Form]]. Things may [[It Got Worse|get worse]] from there though if that entails turning into an [[Fate Worse Than Death|unthinking]], horrific monstrosity that can never fit in among humans. And of course things will [[Go Horribly Wrong]] if their cannibalism is also caused by a [[Horror Hunger]], and deprivation has the nasty side effects of making them [[Warm Bloodbags Are Everywhere|dangerously hungry]]. Subtrope of [[Face Stealer]]

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** Yet another novel reveals that the shapeshifters are the result of an ancient experiment to create immortality. [[Gone Horribly Right|It worked.]] The resulting creatures went out of control and began consuming all the surrounding fauna, eventually leaving the half-dozen shapeshifters the only non-plant organisms on the planet. The same experiment on another world had slightly better results.

* In [[Mistborn]], the kandra are creatures who can take on the appearance of a person after consuming their bones. They do this for humans as a service for a [[Applied Phlebotinum|very specific kind of payment]]. They are literally contractually obligated not to kill humans, though. Their employers provide the corpse.

** Particularly skilled kandra can assume someone's form without having eaten them. They still need ''a'' skeleton, though, since they're basically [[Blob Monster~~|Blob Monsters~~]] in their true forms and don't have any rigid bones of their own.

** Particularly skilled kandra can assume someone's form without having eaten them. They still need ''a'' skeleton, though, since they're basically [[Blob Monster]]s in their true forms and don't have any rigid bones of their own.

* This is {{spoiler|one of the secrets of the Inhumi}} in [[The Book Of The Short Sun]]; {{spoiler|feeding off humans is the only thing that makes them intelligent and capable of having personalities.}}

* In ''[[Our Ghouls Are Creepier|The Throne Of Bones]]'', ghouls' tendency to assume the appearance and identities of those they ~~devour -- even~~ to the point of forgetting that they're ~~ghouls -- is~~ pivotal to most of the stories.

* In ''[[Our Ghouls Are Creepier|The Throne Of Bones]]'', ghouls' tendency to assume the appearance and identities of those they devour—even to the point of forgetting that they're ghouls—is pivotal to most of the stories.

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

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== [[Video Games]] ==

* ''[[Kirby]]'' is able to [[Power Copying|assimilate the special abilities]] of many of his enemies by swallowing them. Fan works often exaggerate this to Kirby assuming the characteristics of anyone ''and/or anything'' he ~~eats -- notably~~, this is the [[Running Gag]] of ''[[Brawl in the Family]]''.

* ''[[Kirby]]'' is able to [[Power Copying|assimilate the special abilities]] of many of his enemies by swallowing them. Fan works often exaggerate this to Kirby assuming the characteristics of anyone ''and/or anything'' he eats—notably, this is the [[Running Gag]] of ''[[Brawl in the Family]]''.

* Vampires in ''[[The Elder Scrolls]]: [[Oblivion]]'' have this in effect, not feeding regularly (a good thing!) will make you scare off anyone you come near (a bad thing, no quests!). Interestingly, this ''also'' gives you access to lots more vampire powers.

* In ''[[Prototype (video game)|Prototype]]'', Alex Mercer's disguise ability works like this. When he consumes the individual, he uses their genetic code to reproduce their appearance and voice while their memories are directly absorbed.