What Have I Become?: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''What have I become?

''My sweetest friend

 

This is the desperate cry of those who have [[Tomato in the Mirror|looked in the mirror]] and see [[Broken Masquerade|a broken mask]]. A case of [[Heroic BSOD|post human panic]] at discovering they always were, or [[Viral Transformation|have been transformed]] into a creature that is [[Was Once a Man|less]]... and ''more'', than human.

The inhuman bombshell can be of any nature, a hero can be [[Emergency Transformation|transformed]] or [[Came Back Wrong|resurrected]] against their will via mystical, cybernetic, or genetic means, or discover they've always been a monster... or rather: [[Loss of Identity|were never human.]]

 

 

If the above seems a bit glib it's because the revelation will cause a viewers reaction to oscillate between [[Blessed with Suck|"That's harsh"]] and [[Cursed with Awesome|"So what?"]], since some settings [[Sliding Scale of Vampire Friendliness|are very helpful]] in providing avenues for the moral [[Friendly Neighborhood Vampires]] to thrive, while [[World Half Empty|others are genuinely cruel]] to those so changed. That said, change is what you make of it, and most protagonists find life as a non-human... ''whatever'' doesn't have to be that bad or morally debased... unless you're already evil.

If they're [[Genre Savvy]], they know they've gone down a notch in the [[Sorting Algorithm of Mortality]] thanks to [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]]. Expect them to [[House of Broken Mirrors|break mirrors]] in frustration.

 

 

{{examples}}

** By season three, {{spoiler|Riku}} is turned into a Chevalier in extenuating circumstances by Saya. Other than the tragedy that he {{spoiler|can't age into adulthood}}, everyone treats him like a ticking timebomb, and Saya thinks she was unjustified in saving him.

** The guy whose body was changed into the homunculus Greed for Greed 2 is still conscious and contributes to this process by shouting at him inside his head about right and wrong. He has a weird mind and does not feel any guilt for anything Greed does with his body, or apparently even a twinge of [[Body Horror]].

* {{spoiler|Hakuoro}} from ''[[Utawarerumono]]'' goes through this {{spoiler|Upon learning that he is some sort of God-like beast and not a human}}

* It's played down in the anime version of ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]'', but Ange{{spoiler|-Beatrice}} did have a version of this after Lambda let her know that {{spoiler|she wasn't real}}. It's complicated. [[Reality Warper|Bern]] met Ange and made her a deal that if she would come with Bern, she could try to save her brother from [[Kill'Em All|Rokkenjima]]. What Bern did then was, according to Lambda, {{spoiler|split Ange in two - a real Ange in the year 1998 and a false one that was exactly like Ange in every way, except that she is Bern's piece, and her existence was tied to the gameboard}}. And then, thanks to [[Time Travel]] confusion, there's also the one in 1986 who is still six at the time. The point is that {{spoiler|the Ange who is helping Battler exists only as long as Battler is playing the game - she will never get her brother back even though she is the one taking the most direct actions to save him}}. So [[Blessed with Suck|yeah]].

* Despite people frequently changing into monsters called "Awakened Beings" in ''[[Claymore]]'', this moment happens only once with the character Ophelia. While originally a [[Complete Monster]] with a lust for slaying said demons (Because one killed her family), Ophelia becomes obviously distraught when she discovers that she has become what she hates. She then surprisingly composes herself and pulls a [[Redemption Equals Death]] for Clare rather than give into her growing monstrous desires.

* ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]'': This is the driving force behind {{spoiler|Sayaka's fall}}.

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

** He didn't take it much better in the original comics, either. In fact, for the first few years, his transformation hadn't quite "set in", and he would randomly turn back into normal Ben Grimm for a few minutes at a time before changing back. This only added to his despair. Oh, and all his old friends abandoned him after he became the Thing.

** It ''is'' played straight at first, though the only regret he seems to have is that he can't see his family again because of his change.

** The ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'' cartoon glosses over this by not discussing it at all, but Cyborg's bitterness at his... condition is occasionally hinted at, particularly in an episode where he infiltrates the HIVE Academy by posing as a human student, and begins to form friendships and a budding romance.

{{quote|'''Jinx''': You could have been one of us.

'''Cyborg''': I could have been a lot of things. }}

* Cliff Steele of the ''[[Doom Patrol]]'' after his brain was transplanted into a robot body by Niles Caulder, turning him into Robotman. At first, he couldn't feel any sensation at all, which nearly drove him mad. He tried to kill himself, but his body was too strong. He completely freaked out when it turned out Caulder was the one ''responsible'' for the accident that necessitated his brain transplant in the first place.

** Every member of the Doom Patrol, really. Negative Man's body is so radioactive, it would kill anyone he came close to if he weren't covered with specially treated bandages, and his [[Hour of Power]] lasts for one minute... if he doesn't return to his body in time, he ''dies''. Elasti-Girl's acting career was ruined when she gained her powers, as she was blacklisted as a freak, etc.

** And yeah, Caulder's responsible for all of their [[Blessed with Suck]] (not really Blessed in any sense really) conditions too. He apparently {{spoiler|created others like them who eventually became the Brotherhood of Evil in revenge}}.

* For a very, ''very'' negative version of this: ''[[Zombie Apocalypse|Marvel Zombies]]''. {{spoiler|In case you were curious, they've become zombies}}.

** It's worse than that. When he first arrives, {{spoiler|he's already convinced himself that the Freighter has already come and killed them all. When he sees a moneylender and the moneylender's wife, he assumes they collaborated with the pirates, so he kills them both.}}

 

== [[Film]] ==

* Parodied in the ''[[Fantastic Four (film)|Fantastic Four]]'' movie - Johnny attempts to incite this in Ben before he turns into a giant rock man. Afterwards, Ben does get rather close to suicide over being rejected by his fiancé. This leads to a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]] - as he mulls over his fate while sitting on a bridge, a would-be jumper comes up... and Ben talks him out of it with one sentence: "You think ''you'' got problems?"

* ''[[Batman (film)|Batman]]'': In Burton's 1989 film, the Trope is played with, when Jack first sees himself in the mirror - he moans and groans briefly, and then transforms into maniacal laughter.

 

== [[Literature]] ==

* Derian from Jane Lindskold's Wolf Hunting. After he {{spoiler|survives the plague}}, he finds out that it changed him drastically. {{spoiler|He now looks like a horse furry. When he realizes it, he's so ashamed that he hides himself under the covers. The fact that he can now converse with the wise horses as easily as Firekeeper can with wolves is awesome, though.}}

* In the ''Invasion'' block novels of ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'', the leader of the Shivan dragons, Darigaaz, becomes slowly corrupted by the other Primeval dragons, until he completely joins them in their destructive rampage. Another character eventually snaps him out of it, leading to this moment.

* [[Blood Knight|Lionblaze]] from ''[[Warrior Cats]]'' says this almost word for word in ''Eclipse'' after he {{spoiler|nearly kills Crowfeather}}. Who was also {{spoiler|his dad}}.

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* In the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode "Thine Own Self", Data (afflicted with [[Amnesia Danger|amnesia]] and believing himself to be one of the locals) reacts with shock when [[Robotic Reveal|an injury reveals circuitry under his skin]].

* The amnesia thing was done previously in the ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' episode "Stranger in Broken Fork", friendly locals and all. But with the cruel twist that Steve freaks out for (almost) nothing—he thinks he's ''all'' robot when in fact he has just three (superpowered) prosthetic limbs and an eye.

* On ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'', both Dr. Mohinder Suresh and Peter Petrelli are going through this in Season 3. Mohinder {{spoiler|has [[Professor Guinea Pig|injected himself with an experimental and flawed superpowers formula]], which seems to be turning him into The Fly, while Peter has acquired not only Sylar's ability to understand <s> the plot</s> how things work, but also Sylar's uncontrollable compulsion to cut open peoples heads and steal their brains.}}

** Daniel also has a moment like this after realizing what he's done at the end of ''Absolute Power''. This being {{spoiler|the Daniel in the reality where that never happened and was [[All Just a Dream]]. The other one knew exactly what he'd become, he just didn't care.}}

 

== Music ==

* [[Breaking Benjamin]]'s song 'Diary of Jane' has these lyrics:

* Reign of Kindo's song ''The Moments in Between'' says it.

* 'Hurt,' last song of the [[Nine Inch Nails]] album "The Downward Spiral."

{{quote|''Save me from the nothing I've become''}}

* Averted by [[Disturbed]] with the song "Monster". It's actually about "What I Will ''Not'' Become"

** However, if the song "Serpentine" is to be considered a continuation of this theme, that same narrator (lead singer David Draiman) is implied to have failed at this.

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

** In ''[[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]'' you can start in human or wolf form, but either way you start having bizarre rages and nightmares until one day a traumatic event (such as an attack by monsters or abusive parents) causes you to burst out in your hybrid form and rip somebody (sometimes someone innocent) to bloody bits. If your werewolf relatives find you, you find out that you weren't born human (or wolf) to begin with. If they don't find you, you'll just be confused and alone until you die. Only the Metis (born of two werewolf parents) know from birth more-or-less what they are.

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* In the original ''[[God of War (series)|God of War]]'' Kratos says 'By the gods, what have I become?'

** He is answered in Ghost Of Sparta by {{spoiler|the Grave Digger/Zeus}} with "Death. The Destroyer of Worlds". After killing {{spoiler|Thanatos, God of Death, and losing his brother again, this time forever}}.

* One [[Epileptic Tree|fan theory]] for why The Witch in ''[[Left 4 Dead]]'' [http://accelagirl.deviantart.com/art/Left-4-Dead-Broken-Promises-108701856 is always crying].

* The ending monologue of [[Prototype (video game)|Alex Mercer]] consists of him trying to figure out just what exactly he is. His conclusion is that he ultimately doesn't know.

* Several cases, most notably Argilla, suffer from this in ''[[Digital Devil Saga]]''. Though, to be fair, having a cannibalistic demon inside you who will never shut up about its [[Horror Hunger]] and will never, ever go away, along with [[What Is This Thing You Call Love?|unexplained emotion surges]], would ruin anyone's day.

 

* [[Played for Laughs]] in ''[[El Goonish Shive]]''.

{{quote|'''Tedd''': ...[http://www.egscomics.com/?date{{=}}2010-03-03 Oh dear lord, what have I become?]

'''Tedd''': ''Blasphemy.'' }}

* ''[[Amazing Super Powers]]'' has [http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/2009/02/loose-cannon/ this]. For double hilarity see [[Alt Text]].

 

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* Fluttershy in the [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]] episode Putting Your Hoof Down.

** Essentially, she wants to become less of a doormat so she takes lessons on assertiveness. It works [[Gone Horribly Right|all too well]] to the point where Fluttershy sees herself as a menace to her friends, prompting her to lock herself in her own home. This leads to extremely effective animation and a [[Darker and Edgier]] moment when Fluttershy looks in the mirror and sees herself with devil horns.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Stock Phrases]]

[[Category:Surprise Tropes]]

[[Category:The Turing Option]]

[[Category:You Hate What You Are]]