History Main / BattleInTheCenterOFTheMind

* ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'':
** A {{cyberspace}} variant occurs shortly after Ultron wakes up and he and J.A.R.V.I.S. have a software war, complete with dueling code.
** A rematch of sorts happens when [[spoiler:Vision]] first clashes with Ultron and [[spoiler:Vision cuts off Ultron's access to the Internet, trapping him in his physical form]].

* ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'': In the climax of the final film, ''3.0 + 1.0'', Shinji and [[spoiler:Gendo]] have a mental battle in the [[spoiler:Golgotha Object in the Anti-Universe]], represented as two Toku actors on stage, also fighting in familiar settings like the classroom and Misato's apartment.

*** In ''Superman Family #206: ComicBook/StrangersAtTheHeartsCore'', Kara fights her old nemesis Lesla-Lar, who is trying to take over her mind. The battle takes place in Supergirl's head.

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': In a 2002 story, Donald has to fight the Beagle Boys in Uncle Scrooge's dreams before the Boys find out the combination to Scrooge's vault.
* Issue 8 of ''ComicBook/FlashGordonZeitgeist'' [[http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/4208369.html has this]] with Hans Zarkov.

* Happens in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', as Ness has to fight his own Nightmare (which is the evil part of his mind) at the end of his [[DreamLand dream world]] known as Magicant. By defeating it, Ness' true potential is released.

-->'''Negi''': Okay, calm down. This is probably all happening inside my own mind. So that isn't actually Evangeline I'm fighting, but rather my mental image of her. [[TheDreaded My... own... image...]] ''there's no way I can win!''

* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has Negi fighting Evangeline (or at least a being created from his memories of her) inside his own head as part of his test for learning BlackMagic.

* The finale of ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' features this, as the [[BodySurf body-surfing]]||Creator of Worlds|| has possessed [[TheHero Kaito]] at the time Kaito finally confronts him.

The fight itself will usually use highly symbolic weapons (a chef's ladle now doubles as a {{BFS}}), [[PsychicBlockDefense defenses]] (a security blanket can now [[DeflectorShields block]] KiManipulation) and even imaginary allies (summoning up an army of Franchise/{{Superm|an}}en to help you out), turning into something similar to a ShapeShifterShowdown.

* At one point in the ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' manga's Millennium Falcon arc, [[spoiler:Schierke has to go inside Guts' mind using AstralProjection to snap him out of the influence of his [[EnemyWithin inner beast]] the first time he uses the Berserker Armor]].

** Later, Ichigo has one with [[spoiler:[[EmpathicWeapon Tensa Zangetsu]]]], which eventually turns into [[spoiler:Ichigo vs. the combined form of Tensa Zangetsu and Hollow Ichigo.]]
* The Manga adaptation of ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'' has [[TheHero Ryu]] and [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Fou-Lu]] [[SplitPersonalityMerge merge]] into [[PhysicalGod Infini]] and then mentally duke it out for control of the creature. This is a ThirdOptionAdaptation from the game, where Ryu either resists the merge and fights Fou-Lu's Tryant dragon with his allies, or he accepts the merge and Fou-Lu takes control of Infini, [[CurbStompBattle easily wipes out Ryu's friends]], and proceeds to destroy the world.
* [[spoiler:Fubuki Shirou]] of ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'' had a bad case of this in season two. While earlier on he was fairly stable maintaining [[SplitPersonality his personalities]], slowly he [[SanitySlippage loses control]] of himself to his other personality, [[spoiler: and at some point Atsuya successfully took total control of Shirou]]. [[spoiler: But after he [[SplitPersonalityMerge merged]] with Atsuya, this no longer became a problem.]]
* In the end of season 1 of ''Anime/{{K}}'', between Shiro and [[spoiler: The Colorless King, who he's caught trying to body-snatch him again]].
* The final episodes of ''Anime/LupinIIITheItalianAdventure'' take place mostly inside the minds of the main characters, as they, ''and'' the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, are forced to beat [[spoiler: Leonardo Da Vinci]] in a way that demonstrates their best abilities. For example, Jigen and Goemon have to use their physical prowess at gunplay and swordplay respectively to take him down, but Fujiko and Lupin have to rely on their wits to outsmart him. Where the real NightmareFuel kicks in though is what happens when you '''can't''' beat him, because [[spoiler: Da Vinci]] will just erase and absorb your subconscious to fill it with his own.

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'' has the cast fight [[spoiler: inside Homura's soul gem, to stop her transformation into a witch.]]

* In ''Anime/WeissKreuz Gluhen'', Berger draws Crawford into his own psychic mindscape to fight him. Crawford, however, manages to turn it around on Berger and pull both of them into the center of ''his'' own mind - and unlike in Berger's, in Crawford's mind, they aren't alone.

* ''LightNovel/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': In the ''Marie Route'' AlternateTimeline, there’s an attempt at DemonicPossession of Marie by a VengefulGhost in her sleep, portrayed as taking place within a dream. Once Marie is fully alert to the threat, it looks like Marie is turning into a HumanoidAbomination in her dream… [[BaitAndSwitch only for]] Marie to let out a spoiled cry for her KnightTemplarBigBrother to help her, and for him to come in with GlowingEyesOfDoom and kick the intruder out [[BatterUp using a baseball bat]].

** Comicbook/TheAvengers played with this one in the 2001 annual, involving Hank Pym's separate personalities (Goliath, the cold unfeeling reason, and Yellowjacket, the impulsive showoff) who hated each other's guts getting dumped into a psychic landscape that was supposed to represent the original's mind after they were physically separated into two people in the real world. Initially, they started fighting for control, even trying to force Janet (who was back together with him at the time) to choose which one would live. Only after they both accepted the previously ignored third aspect (the human combination of both) were they put back together, keeping him from dying.
** Comicbook/IncredibleHulk: During Paul Jenkins' run, one of Bruce Banner's Hulk personalities, the 'Beast', a near-mindless monster, threatens to take over completely, so Bruce journeys into his mind and recruits the three main Hulks - Savage Hulk, Joe Fixit, and the Professor - to defeat it on his/their home turf.

*** The ''Absolute Carnage'' tie-in is one of these... sort of. A symbiote is trying to take over the Hulk, but finds its way stymied by Bruce's unique split-personality, as Bruce and some of the Hulks debate what to do. Again, sort of - Bruce is the only one interested in talking, the Savage Hulk would rather yell at Bruce over his failed relationship with Betty Ross, Joe Fixit's more concerned with his looks, and [[spoiler:Devil]] Hulk thinks what's going on is a waste of their time.

** Issue #9 of ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' features a showdown between Otto Octavius and Peter Parker, [[spoiler:who, after his death in Ock's body in ASM #700, exists as a 'ghost' in his own body via all his memories given consciousness]]. Otto begins to [[spoiler:purge Peter's memories through one of his devices in order to get rid of him, but Peter fights back, forcing Otto to go in and eliminate Peter himself from his brain. Otto is victorious and wipes Peter from his mind. Or at least he believe this...]]
*** Averted in their rematch. Peter is ready for round two, but Otto simply gives up instead of fighting.
*** Again, more later, in ''ComicBook/DeadNoMoreTheCloneConspiracy''. Peter has regained his body and Otto need return to his old body (cloned by the Jackal). Thanks to the fact that his cloned body comes complete with Peter's memories, Doc Ock hops back in and battles Peter for control and wins.

*** The first encounter between Charles Xavier and Shadow King was one of these. From the point of view of everyone around them, it was two men glaring at one another across a restaurant, until one of them just slumps over dead, Charles having blasted Amahl Farouk to pieces.
*** The only way to save a person infected by the Brood is to kill the parasite's mind; unless you are a very good telepath you won't be able to save yourself. HeroicResolve won't solve the matter--it is necessary for the help to be able to arrive in time in the first place. (Or, you need to be Wolverine. Or Rogue with Wolverine nearby.)
** ComicBook/{{X 23}} is drawn into one in ''The Killing Dream''. A demon attempting to recruit Laura to his service tells her that as a clone she has no soul. When she refuses and denies this accusation he fatally wounds [[spoiler:Julian]] to force her hand, offering to spare [[spoiler: him]] if she accepts a place as leader of his armies. Laura once again denies him, so the demon [[TakeAThirdOption offers her another option]]: Prove him wrong. When she agrees to this the demon drags her into a hellish landscape within her own mind, presenting her with images of all the death she has caused and will yet cause to break her will. However Laura encounters her inner self, who reveals that she wasn't ''born'' an emotionless killing machine but that it took the conscious effort of the Facility to break her. [[spoiler: This revelation, and the memory she is shown of defying her orders to spare the young son of Martin Sutter (actually the son of one of her creators, Zander Rice, through an affair with Sutter's wife) when sent to kill the entire Sutter family, shows Laura she ''is'' more than just a weapon and gives her the power to escape the demon's influence, saving both herself and Julian.]]

** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

*** During the ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'' storyline, an enemy called Sheko invaded Supergirl’s mind to read her memories and judge her, but a memory of Supergirl's mother Alura stopped her and forced her out of her daughter's mind.
*** In ''ComicBook/TheThirdKryptonian'', villain Amalak uses a mind-probe to invade Superman's mind and discover Kandor's location. However, Superman's strong-willed enough to fight back, and he's even able to exploit the mind-link to figure out why Amalak hates Kryptonians.
*** In ''ComicBook/TheJungleLine'', Superman gets infected with Bloodmorel spores which cause, among other things, terrible hallucinations. Swamp Thing finds Superman lying unconscious, goes into his mind to help him and finds him fighting nightmare monsters. At the beginning, Superman mistakes him for another enemy, but Swamp Thing convinces him that he is a friend, and he must stop fighting if he wants to beat the disease.

* In ''ComicBook/{{PS238}},'' the villain of the Las Vegas arc attempts to use her TouchTelepathy to MindControl [[InsufferableGenius Zodon]], leading to this. When [[FlyingBrick Julie]] touches them she gets sucked into the battle too. This turns out to be a turning point for her: her own buried self-confidence shows up and gives her a pep talk, allowing to her to not only help Zodon win the fight, but finally get over her [[YouAreNumberSix issues with her generic power set]] and embrace her heroic destiny.
* In the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' comic ''Perchance to Dream'', Captain Jean-Luc Picard is forced to infect himself with an alien telepathic weapon known as the Chova that has already infected most of the ''Enterprise'' crew; based on past records of the Chova's use, it can be defeated by those with multiple personality disorder, as multiple personalities would overwhelm the Chova due to it only being able to attack one personality at a time, rendering it inert so that the cure can be passed on to others. Picard is selected due to a detailed mind-meld with Sarek, the probe that gave him the memories of Kamin, and his traumatic experience being assimilated by the Borg. When the Chova infects Picard, the four personalities are able to defeat the Chova, but Locutus attempts to take control of Picard's body for himself, forcing the other three to band together and overwhelm Locutus before he can destroy them.
* ''ComicBook/{{Thunderstrike}}'': When Eric is possessed by the Bloodaxe, he battles its personification on the psychic plane before it completely takes him over, [[spoiler:though it costs him his life]].

* Multiple battles occur in the ''Death Note'' fanfic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9644493/1/Zenith-Darkness-Reverie "Zenith, Darkness, Reverie,"]] as the protagonist and [[spoiler: Kira]] attempt to determine which personality should be granted control of the body, the Death Note, and, by extension, [[FridgeHorror the world]].
* ''Kind of'' happens in ''Fanfic/ASparkOfGenius''. [[spoiler: Boston Brand finds Xander meditating at Rama Kushna's temple and has no idea who he is. Instead of appearing before him and, you know, ''asking'', he decides the only way he could figure out who he is is by going into his mind and reading his memories. Boston promptly gets sucked into Xander's mind, wherein [[LiteralSplitPersonality his many personalities]] take turns kicking his ass. The goddess herself has to intervene and take away Boston's memories of Xander, or else Xander would have actually killed him.]]
* An interesting version occurs in [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/119688/1/you-obey/the-interrogation You Obey,]] where it is the protagonist who initiates the battle.
* A big part of the fight with [[spoiler:Future Cell]] in ''Fanfic/HonorTrip''. [[Anime/DragonBallZ Cell]] tries everything in his power, including TalkingTheMonsterToDeath, and harassing his captor [[ItMakesSenseInContext by beat-boxing a taunt]].
* In the Doctor Who fanfiction "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf," Rose is kidnapped and MindRaped by aliens who want to use the remnant of the Time Vortex in her mind. To prevent them from finding the information they need, she ''rips apart her mind'' from the ''inside out''. The aliens, instead of giving up, sort through the rubble (described as a beach, each grain of sand being a memory) for months. [[OhCrap Too bad]] [[PhysicalGod they forgot to figure out how to control the time energy once they released it]].
* [[http://gekizetsu.net/sn/fic.html Gekizetsu's]] series ''The Month of Open Doors'' begins with ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''[='=]s Dean Winchester locked in a room in his own mind by ''something''. A rather strange battle in the centre of the mind plays out over the first arc, ''As Fools Shine On''.
* The ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' fanfic [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/88640/chapters/120134 Darkness]] climaxes in John, who has gone utterly insane, [[spoiler: fighting an EvilTwin.]] On the outside, of course, he's gone into a coma.
* Because MindRape was a staple of ''[[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers Galaxy Rangers]]'', the {{Fanfic}} tends to break out this one quite often. Red Witch's [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4076944/1/Down_the_Dark_Path Down the Dark Path]] plays it straight after Shane was tortured with the Mindnet. [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1195951/1/Isnt_Life_Strange "Isn't Life Strange"]] and [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/348456/1/Chrysalis_Trial_by_Fire "Chrysalis"]] use it as well. Subverted in those fics as the Rangers affected lose - ''badly.'' [[spoiler: It's played straight in both later, though.]]
* Used in the Roleplay/DCNation universe after Raven's attempt to restore some of Troia's lost memories end up getting Raven, Troia, Nightwing, Flash, and Arsenal [[http://community.livejournal.com/jla_watchtower/923182.html in a brawl with Dark Angel]]. Leads to one of Arsenal's best lines:
--> '''Arsenal:''' ''"All you're telling me is that I've pissed in your Cheerios more than once, and I did it beside Donna. Lemme tell you, those are two things that make me a very happy little camper...And hey, extra bonus for me at the end of it? I pissed you off when I didn't even mean to! Little ol' me. [[BadassNormal A guy. A dude. A very attractive but semi-normal human fleshbag.]] Man, I'm good."''
* In the WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}[=/=]WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes FanFic crossover ''Legion of Lawndale Heroes'', psi-active cadets at the MilitarySchool known as the ''United States Academy of Extranormal Studies'', or '' 'USAES' '', can receive certification in the ''Astral Special Tactical Response Operations (ASTRO)'' course for out-of-body and psionic combat. As part of their training, cadets learn how to create a specific 'mental persona' (much like [[Literature/HarryPotter a 'Patronus']]) to do mental combat in and manifest their powers during that combat.
* Tropers/TakerFoxx's ''FanFic/ImperfectMetamorphosis'' has so far in the story four characters sharing a same body because [[spoiler:[[BlobMonster the jelly monster]] can absorb other characters]]. It doesn't help that one of them came with a SuperPoweredEvilSide. There is a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind between [[spoiler:the host]] and the villain when the villain is discovered.
* Implied in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSSZZFSs8U this fanvid]] for ''Film/TronLegacy'' (spoilers out the kazoo).
* The [[GuileHero dwarven]] [[WisePrince noble]] [[MagicKnight protagonist]] of ''Fanfic/DragonAgeTheCrownOfThorns'' had more than one of these, twice against actual psychic attacks by the Archdemon. The latest one had rather severe consequences for both the prince and the whole world because the Old God actually [[spoiler:evolved because of contact with the exile's MagnificentBastard-level intelligence.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanwork ''[[Fanfic/ThePartyNeverEnded The Party Never (or Hasn't) Ended]]'' features Twilight Sparkle having to help Pinkie Pie in one of these against Nightmare. Then Pinkie Pie helping Rainbow Dash. [[spoiler:[[{{Determinator}} Then Pinkie Pie by herself. And it is awesome.]]]]
* ''FanFic/QueenOfAllOni'': Throughout the story, we get [[GhostInTheMachine glimpses inside of]] [[VillainProtagonist Jade's]] mind, where we watch as Hero (the [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Aspect]] representing Jade's heroic nature) gather together as many uncorrupted Aspects as he can into a LaResistance aimed at regaining control of Jade's mind from [[SuperpoweredEvilSide The Queen]]. They eventually launch an attack on the ship representing Jade's consciousness, but before Hero and The Queen can fight each other, the trope ends up being subverted -- in the real world, Jade is captured by the EvilSorcerer Lung, whose attempts to break Jade to his will end up driving her insane, which cause the mindscape to literally fall apart, forcing the Aspects to focus on their own survival. [[spoiler: When Jade's mind is restored, The Queen captures Hero, ensuring her continued dominance of Jade's mind, until the main story's FinalBattle, when Father (the Aspect representing Jackie's influence) leads the remaining uncorrupted Aspects against the Queen and Paranoia (the Aspect representing Jade's SanitySlippage).]]
* Happens a couple of times in the ''FanFic/PonyPOVSeries'':
** First, during Pinkie Pie's reharmonizing chapter, Angry Pie (a SplitPersonality representing all of [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Pinkie's anger]]) attempts to pull a SplitPersonalityTakeover by absorbing all the other pieces of Pinkie's mind. Pinkie is only able to defeat Angry by [[spoiler: performing a SplitPersonalityMerge with her Pinkamina personality and then forcing the merge on Angry as well.]]

** This also pops up at the end of Bright Eyes' entry of the ''7 Dreams/Nightmares'' collection: [[spoiler: she's dragged into her MentalWorld by an entity claiming to be her EnemyWithin Cruel Eyes, but is actually the Shadow of Discord's eldest brother [[UnPerson D___t]], who's trying to [[GrandTheftMe absorb her soul and potential concept]] in order to reconstitute himself. With the love of her friends and family, Bright Eyes is able to defeat D___t, being sure to destroy his Shadow even after mortally wounding him in order to make sure he stays gone.]]
* Happens at the climax of ''FanFic/GettingBackOnYourHooves'': [[spoiler: After [[BigBad Checker Monarch]]'s EngineeredPublicConfession, she [[VillainousBreakdown snaps]] and casts a mind spell to trap Trixie and her friends in [[YourWorstNightmare their worst nightmares]] in order to break them. Thanks to a Lucid Dreaming trick Trixie [[ChekhovsGun taught them earlier]], the girls are all able to see the [[AGlitchInTheMatrix flaws in the dreams]] and take control of them, before forcing the [[MindHive pieces of Checker's consciousness]] attacking them out. Said pieces [[OneWingedAngel fuse together]] and try to destroy them, but they [[ClippedWingAngel easily defeat it]]. They then travel to Trixie's dream, where she's being attacked by the main part of Checker's mind, and give her the strength and encouragement she needs to fight back and finally defeat Checker.]]
* FanFic/AGrowingAffection has a battle between Naruto and the Kyubi [[spoiler: while Naruto is sedated by the Akatsuki and they are unraveling the seals on the demon. The weakening of the seals allow the Fox to create a clone/fragment that can slip through the cage and fight Naruto.]]
* ''Fanfic/VariantStrain'' has Peter doing this against [[spoiler: Hank.]]
* ''FanFic/TheWorldOfTheCreatures'' takes place in the mind of the [[SelfInsertFic author/protagonist]]. It acts as the setting for a MassiveMultiPlayerCrossover Fic where various characters from different franchises face off against an idea-eating monster.
* In ''FanFic/YugiohTheThousandYearDoor'', Diana has a small battle in the center of her soul to free herself from the Shadow Queen's Mind control.

* In [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10610004/1/The-Mind-of-the-Doctor The Mind of the Doctor]] the Doctors battle against the Dark Side of them who has been freed by the War-Feeder.
* Happens to Han Solo in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' fic ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/2717781/1/My-All My All.]]'' In the fic it's a sequel to, Han was brutally tortured and raped. Somehow, his attacker seems to have transferred her essence into Han's body when Leia killed her. Han ends up having to battle it out inside his mind to not only get rid of her, but put his own struggle to rest. Luke uses a risky force technique to enter Han's mind, though Han kicks him out the first time. Luke is able to watch what is happening, but the fight is all up to Han.
* Happens (twice technically) in the ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/CatchYourBreath'':
** [[spoiler: When the Three Tails was sealed into her, one of Kei's split personalities was fighting him (to stop him from escaping), Kei herself was fighting the MindControl seal Madara put inside her, while the second split personality was controlling the body and fighting external threats.]]
-->[[spoiler:Kei—the Dreamer—says, “Running interference. The compulsion affects the dominant personality—the kunoichi you both know. She is stalling. As for the Tailed Beast, the Three-Tails activates hindbrain impulses toward destruction and rage in order to weaken the seal, personified and confronted by Id. I am neither, and have been forced to act in their stead until the situation can be resolved.]]
** [[spoiler: OR ''Battle in the Collective Centre of Nine Minds'' as the shared Tailed Beast [[{{Pun}} mind]][[ShoutOut skype]] could be called - where Shukaku and Isobu have their (mock) [[BehemothBattle fight]].]]

** Shinji and Asuka [[spoiler:fought Leliel together in the psychic plane.]]
** Asuka's battle [[spoiler:against Arael consisted in Asuka putting up her psychic shields and barriers up while Arael blew them apart, and trying to endure the mental onslaught until she was capable to blow the monster up in the physical plane.]]
* The FinalBattle in ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfAnElderGod'' happened simultaneously in the mental and physical planes against [[spoiler:the dead [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Outer Gods]].]]
* ''Fanfic/LastChildOfKrypton'': Shinji fought [[EldritchAbomination Leliel]] in an illusory dreamscape to save Asuka’s mind.
* In the ''Fanfic/FacingTheFutureSeries'', under the influence of Vlad's MindControlDevice, Danny has a battle in his subconscious with the manifestation of his ghost half. He's able to combat it using his subconscious before managing to get through to him. [[spoiler:This results in him getting control of his [[SuperMode True Ghost Form]]]].
* The FinalBattle of ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' climaxes with one of these when [[EldritchAbomination Chthon]] attempts to possess Harry. [[spoiler: Though calling it a "battle" is [[CurbStompBattle a stretch]], as once Harry's parents (Lily manifesting through the Phoenix) arrive and help him see through Chthon's lies, Harry [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu burns Chthon out of his mind and reality]].]]

** Through using magical LSD, the Paragon gets into [[spoiler: Black Adam]]'s mind and intervenes in a showdown between [[spoiler: Theodore Adam and Teth Adom]], with the winner to get the gods' blessing and the loser to have their soul eaten.
** The Renegade doesn't intervene immediately, but comes back almost a year later to find the two personalities in constant conflict, the body practically helpless yet not unconscious. [[spoiler: With Circe's help, he enters the mindscape, stabs the avatar of Theodore Adam through the torso, and Circe seals Theodore away.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' fanfic ''Fanfic/UnbreakableRedSilkenThread'' Chapter 12 provides an almost literal case where Heather is forced to contend with her old former self [[spoiler: in the guise of her mother]]. To say she had a negative impact on Heather would be an understatement.
* ''Fanfic/HouseOfSummers'': In the very first scene, ComicBook/RachelSummers engages in a telepathic battle with Mastermind and Psylocke. ComicBook/JeanGrey joins to protect Rachel, and accidentally has a glimpse at her memories.

* ''Fanfic/TalesOfTheOtherverse'': When [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] falls into a coma during the "A World Without Heroes" arc, [[Franchise/XMen Prof. Xavier]] goes into her mind to try to piece it back together.

* In the film ''Literature/{{Dreamcatcher}}'', based on the Creator/StephenKing novel, one of the characters is possessed by an alien being. In his mind, he locks himself in a warehouse of his memories and tries to bar the alien presence from getting inside.

* In the Chinese film ''Film/Hero2002'' Magistrate Nameless makes a show of attempting to arrest Long Sky at a Chess Court in his prefecture. They pause mid-fight, Nameless paying the resident (blind) [=GuQin=] master to continue playing. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUevedfnrmc This he does]], as they fight out the remainder of the battle in their minds. When he breaks his instrument with the sheer intensity of his playing, the fight plays out for real and Nameless defeats Sky in a matter of seconds.
* ''Film/{{Inception}}'' takes this trope and turns it UpToEleven. Virtually the entire plot takes place inside a dream, battling defensive figments called 'projections' while trying to plant the Idea in the subject's mind. [[spoiler:To make things worse, the specter of the protagonist's dead wife haunts his steps.]]

* In the Creator/GuyRitchie film ''Film/Revolver2005'', the protagonist Jake Green, who has {{claustrophobia}}, battles his [[MindScrew ego]] when he gets trapped in an elevator. What follows is a scene that looks straight out of the last episode of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''.

* In an Australian student film, a supervillain has killed the CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth then challenges his DefiantToTheEnd sidekick to this trope; "you versus the overwhelming force of my ego!" as the villain puts it. Their conflict is shown as them playing hero and villain in a series of movie clips -- a DastardlyWhiplash tying the hero to the railroad tracks in a silent film, a {{Swashbuckler}} SwordFight, a UsefulNotes/WorldWarII movie, and a switchblade fight in a 70's [[SaveOurStudents 'blackboard jungle' film]].

* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' when [[spoiler: Voldemort decides to jump into Harry's mind during his battle with Dumbledore to try and get Dumbledore to kill Harry. Harry's first realization that he's been possessed is described as ''"He was gone from the hall, he was locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry did not know where his body ended and the creature's began: they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape."'' the pain of his grief for Sirius' recent death-or more specifically, ThePowerOfLove-eventually drives Voldemort out]].
* In the climax of ''Literature/ISitBehindTheEyes'', Emily and the Entity possessing her clash souls, conjuring up images from Emily's imagination to fight with. The strength of their emotions affects the power of their attacks. [[spoiler: However, as Emily is secretly TheSociopath, she can not summon any genuine emotion, rendering her attacks utterly useless. Her soul is also extremely fragile, allowing the Entity to destroy it with one blow.]]
* The [[AntiClimaxBoss stand off]] with the Volturi in ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} Breaking Dawn]]'' can be interpreted as this, as Bella [[spoiler: used her vampiric ability to block out powers to protect Cullen allies from Jane's ability to telepathically cause pain to others.]]

** ''Literature/{{Thud}}'': When Commander Vimes [[spoiler: is chosen as the Summoning Dark's champion, its attempts to take him over are represented as it entering a city (Vimes's mind) and being thrown out by a Watchman,]] representing the bit of Vimes that watches himself: [[spoiler: the Guarding Dark.]]

** Granny Weatherwax has a moment like this in ''Literature/CarpeJugulum.'' (Vimes and Granny have a lot in common...)

* In the final book of ''Literature/GreyKnights'' trilogy, Alaric fights a battle for his soul with a daemon while trapped in his mind, which the daemon has already taken over. [[spoiler:He ends it by Taking You With Me, but survives.]]
* In Literature/TheElricSaga story ''The Blood Red Game'', humans and their allies escape an imploding universe and want to settle in another. When they do, they encounter aliens. Said aliens would issue a CurbStompBattle in a physical fight, but they agree to play their "Blood Red Game" to allow humans to settle. Said game is a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind. Losers become catatonic or insane.
* ''[[Literature/TheRiftwarCycle Magician]]''. Tomas, one of the main characters, finds a suit of cursed armor that fuses him with a godlike being, who wants to repulse the invaders (Tsuranii). Said godlike being was one of a race that created the bloody elves as their personal slaves, to the point that an elf can't disobey any word said in their language, and who are fiercely protective of their world. Now, if Tomas standing in the middle of a storm of pure mental fury from a dragonlord whilst quietly saying, "I am Tomas" isn't an incredibly badass version of this, nothing is.

* Any fight scene in the ''Literature/UnwovenLiteraryUniverse'' due to the [[JourneyToTheCenterofTheMind premise]].
* In the ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' [[Characters/Warhammer40000ImperialGuard Imperial Guard]] novel ''Cadian Blood'', Seth [[spoiler:in a LastStand against a daemon. When the daemon kills him, he dies laughing and saying the look at the daemon's face made the fight worth it.]]
* [[spoiler:Lasciel]] was doing a pretty good job of screwing with [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]] until he realized that even [[spoiler:a fallen angel]], or rather the copy of one, is at his mercy when it's in his head. [[CurbStompBattle Pwnage ensued.]]

*** Not to mention the ''miles'' of incomprehensibly intricate battlefield outside of the bridge. The fact that [[spoiler: Corpsetaker gave up attempting outmaneuvers and just started smashing everything until she overpowered Molly says a lot about how good Molly is at this illusion stuff]].

* The ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' Literature/DarthBane novels use one of these to [[spoiler: settle the legacy of the Sith. The inevitable battle between Bane and Zannah takes place when he tries to take over her mind. While Bane was better with the saber than Zannah was, she proved a superior sorceress. There is still a small trace of him left in her, though.]]
** Chronologically much later, in the Literature/NewJediOrder novel ''Reunion'', Jedi Knight [[ActionGirl Tahiri]] gets sucked into one of these by her EnemyWithin, an artificially implanted [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Yuuzhan Vong]] personality who is trying to pull a SplitPersonalityTakeover on her. It turns out that neither of them can win, since they've become so tightly linked that destroying one would destroy the other; to save their sanity, they end up doing a SplitPersonalityMerge instead. The whole thing is represented as a sort of really trippy lightsaber duel with injuries carrying over to both combatants.
* In Creator/TimPowers' ''Literature/OnStrangerTides'', the confrontation between sorcerers [[spoiler: Leo Friend and Benjamin Hurwood]] concludes when the former attempts to re-write his own memories to bolster his own self-confidence, and therefore his power. The latter undermines his enemy's attempt to rewrite history in his own mind, crushing his opponent's psyche by exaggerating his recollection of a traumatic humiliating event.
* The ending of Creator/RobertSheckley's [[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20919 The Status Civilization]] is this. [[spoiler: The Earth civilization brainwashes children to make them responsible members of society - and this brainwashing includes strong urge to report on oneself in case of committing a crime (or even being in a situation where you can be a suspect) and to commit suicide in case these lessons are ever remembered consciously. Barrent was sent to Omega because he confessed in a crime he never committed, returned to the Earth and had to fight these old urges that took form of the worst memories he got from Omega.]]
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' MirrorUniverse novel ''Dark Mirror'' by Diane Duane, Deanna's mental defenses are represented by children's building blocks (when she was being taught to use her powers she heard the term "mental block" and misunderstood). Evil!Deanna batters ineffectively against these blocks, while our Deanna calmly walks into her opponent's mind as though it was her own, because unlike her counterpart, she can admit that, in a way, it is.

* The Novel ''[[VideoGame/GuildWars2 Guild Wars]]: Edge of Destiny'' has an interesting Example. After being engaged in a fight with [[spoiler:the EldritchAbomination [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Kralkatorrik]]]], [[InsufferableGenius Snaff]] enters the [[spoiler:dragon's]] mind to prepare it for the FinishingMove and finds himself [[spoiler:in a raging storm (a metaphor for Kralkatorrik's anger)]]. He eventually manages to [[spoiler:[[HijackingCthulhu calm the beast]]]] and leave it behind in a catatonic state making it vulnerable to an attack. [[spoiler:However, they [[DoomedbyCanon failed anyway]].]]
* In ''Up Jim River'' from the ''Literature/SpiralArm'' series, the scarred man suffers a mental breakdown caused by conflict between his ten [[SplitPersonality split personalities]] and ends up fighting a battle in his mind. [[spoiler:Nine of his personalities team up to destroy the tenth, which was suicidal and trying to cause the scarred man to die]].

* The climax of the second book in ''Literature/TheTraitorSonCycle'' has the ghost of [[spoiler:Harmodius]] break into the mind palace of enemy sorcerer. The two duke it out there and eventually [[spoiler:Harmodius kills Aeskepiles' soul and takes over the body.]]

* Happens several times in ''Literature/TheWitchlands'', as Esme tries to break into Iseult's mind to steal some information and Iseult attempts to resist, usually by forming a shield made of a multiplication table. Nevertheless, Esme usually wins.

** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E12NightmareInSilver Nightmare In Silver]]", where the Doctor and Mr. Clever battle for full control of the mind, although they use a physical game of chess in place of a psychic battle.
** There's one of these going on throughout "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E1AsylumOfTheDaleks Asylum of the Daleks]]". [[spoiler: Oswin Oswald was converted into a Dalek like the rest of her crew, but she was able to resist the branwashing that came with it. All her scenes in her escape pod take place in her head, and the Daleks trying to break in is actually the Dalek programming trying to make her mentally into a Dalek. The ''Carmen'' music and the souffles are her reasserting her humanity.]]

** In "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVTerrorform Terrorform]]" when the crew face off with Rimmer's Self Loathing monster and later when Rimmer's resurrected self-confidence defeats his inner demons, saving the crew.

* During ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'', Tommy spent several episodes stuck his Ranger suit, then unable to turn his invisibility power off so [[RealLifeWritesThePlot that his actor could visit his family]]. His first episode back involved him becoming visible again, but putting himself into a coma in the process. He then had to fight his [[GotTheCallOnSpeedDial previous Ranger identities]]. After ''barely'' getting past Zeo Ranger 5 and the White Ranger, he had his ass thoroughly kicked by the Green Ranger, but still refused to quit - at which point they allowed him to wake up and restored his Dino Gem into the bargain.

* Series/{{Seinfeld}}: Jerry dates a girl who is extremely attractive, but with a terrible personality. He describes the process of deciding whether to break up with her as “my brain playing my penis in a chess game.” Subsequent scenes show two Jerrys in a brain and penis costume playing chess. The episode ends with the brain Jerry checkmating penis Jerry, and Jerry dumps the girl.

** During the season six finale, [[spoiler:the wall around Sam's memories of being in Lucifer's cage is destroyed, shattering his psyche into pieces - "normal Sam", the Sam who spent a year without a soul, and the Sam who remembers Hell. Normal Sam kills and absorbs soulless Sam, but the third Sam has no interest in fighting and begs Sam to stay in the dreamscape and spare himself the memories of what happened. When that fails, he allows Sam to absorb him.]]

* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Warlord", the mind of a ruthless dictator forces itself into [[spoiler:Kes]], but she manages to fight him off mentally.
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Frame Of Mind", Riker seems to bounce between being aboard the ''Enterprise'', preparing for a play about a man locked in a mental institution and scenes where he's actually living the character's experience, and his sense of which is real is constantly being challenged. It turns out that [[spoiler:it was ''all'' an illusion, and he was sedated in an alien lab being mind probed the whole time; the illusions were his subconscious mind's way of processing what was happening, and his actions within these illusions were, in essence, his brain fighting back.]]

* In ''Series/{{Blindspot}}'', in episode 4.09 "Check your Ed", to avoid [[AmnesiacDissonance terrorist-old-personality-before-the-mindwipe]] "Remi" from taking over instead of newly-constructed-FBI-agent-personality "Jane", the team resorts to a [[TechnoBabble technobabbly]] method which results [[spoiler: in "Remi" fighting with "Jane" inside their shared brain via flashbacks, metaphors, gunfire, explosions, a zombie version of Remi's dead brother Roman and imagined versions of the team members providing support. In the end, [[SplitPersonalityMerge her personalities merge]] and she keeps all her memories in her "good" identity.]]

* In ''RolePlay/YuGiOhEastAcademy'' Sigmund has one against his partner spirit Freed. However, it's inside ''Freed's'' mind rather than his own.

* A possible occurrence in the "Zorandar" setting from Hero Games' "Lands of Mystery". If you get captured by one set of enemies, they'll try questioning you telepathically. Resist, and the telepathic struggle is gamed out as a one-on-one fight between your interrogator and you. If you lose the fight, the interrogator gets the answer to whatever question set this in motion. If you win, you wake out of the mind trance to find your interrogator has just suffered a brainfry (and if you can't figure out that this is the perfect time to escape ....)

* In ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon 2}}'', Agent 8 [[spoiler: fights Agent 3 in their head as a BonusBoss after getting every Mem Cake. After the fight, Agent 8 feels “like the freshest Octoling ever” and gets the Golden Toothpick headgear.]]
* Raz in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' fights (and helps defeat) the {{Freudian Excuse}}s lurking in people's brains -- such as a painter's anger (which manifests as a bull), a former insane asylum warden's split personality (which looks like [[NapoleonDelusion Napoleon]] and against whom he is constantly trapped in a war game), and even [[spoiler:the BigBad's and his own father issues, which manifest as an enormous butcher and a taunting zombie ragdoll, respectively.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard 2}}'', Nowe fights one of the boss battles in Manah's mind after she has her [[strike:Heroic]] VillainProtagonist [[HeroicBSOD BSOD]].
* If you decide to attack the Mindflayer Elder Brain in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights: Hordes of the Underdark'', it will suddenly trap you inside an illusion where you are waking up from a dream. If you accept it, you get a non-standard game over. If you reject it, you will be attacked by monsters within the dream and upon defeating them you will return to reality and the Elder Brain will beg for mercy, allowing you to make a deal with it or deal the killing blow.

** Happens yet again in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' with [[spoiler:Ven vs. Vanitas]] and [[spoiler: Terra vs. Master Xehanort,]] with [[spoiler: Aqua]] pitching in during the TrueFinalBoss fight. [[spoiler: The secret ending suggests that Terra and MX spent years vying for control of the new Xehanort's heart.]]
---> [[spoiler:'''[[GrandTheftMe Terra-Xehanort]]''': You body submits, your heart succumbs- ''so why does your mind RESIST?!'']]

*** Cranked UpToEleven in the same game, where it turns out [[spoiler:Riku had been fighting off the Nightmares within Sora's dream imaginings of the Sleeping Worlds. His boss fight with Ansem also takes place in the "Darkness within Darkness" of Sora's dream. Then, in the TrueFinalBoss fight, Riku fights off the Armored Ventus Nightmare within Sora's Heart.]]

* Happens in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', as Ness has to fight his own Nightmare (which is the evil part of his mind) at the end of his [[DreamLand dream world]] known as {{Magicant}}. By defeating it, Ness' true potential is released.
** Averted in ''[[Videogame/EarthboundBeginnings Mother]]'', as that Magicant is [[spoiler:Maria]]'s dream instead of Ninten's. Likewise, a fight with Lucas' Nightmare was removed from ''VideoGame/Mother3'', which has no Magicant.

** Also, the final battle of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' [[spoiler:happens inside Cloud's mind. He destroys Sephiroth in one strike.]]

** [[spoiler: Although annoyingly, even if you attack he can't kill you. All that happens it that you need to walk through an army of Dark Prince clones.]]

* The Kalecgos encounter in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft: Burning Crusade''. The players are supposed to free the good dragon from a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent dreadlord]] that is [[MindControl mind controlling]] him.

* ''VideoGame/PsychicForce 2'': the final battle in Emilio's story mode sees him fighting his dark side in his mind. [[spoiler:[[DownerEnding He loses]].]]

* Happens twice in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' when Batman gets drugged by The Scarecrow, resulting in massive InterfaceScrew and a FissionMailed before entering a twisted world based on his psyche. However, Batman fights it off due to HeroicWillpower, to the horror of Scarecrow. It also happens in the sequel with [[spoiler:the Mad Hatter and Ra's al-Ghul]] and one last time in ''Arkham Knight'' [[spoiler:which involves Batman fighting off the last memories of the Joker and sealing them away.]]
* In a similar way as above, in ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' Scarecrow is a playable character that appears as a demonic ragdoll monster with magic powers and a huge metallic scythe. However, in cutscenes as well as the start of matches, we see he's really just a spindly scientist with a bag on his head; the one that does the battling is an hallucination born from his Fear Gas, essentially making every fight with Scarecrow this trope.
** In the Story Mode, this takes a more traditional form as, after Harley Quinn beats Scarecrow, he uses a different fear gas to [[spoiler: make her hallucinate she's in an abandoned amusement park, back with the Joker (who was killed by Superman before the first game), who wants her to go back to being evil and kill Batman. She resists the temptation and beats Hallucination!Joker instead]].

* The climax of ''Videogame/Metro2033'' [[spoiler: The protagonist is mentally fighting the Dark Ones, who are trying to stop him from annihilating their home - all while the protagonist is on the highest point of Moscow's Ostankino tower as it's crumbling. Failing the fight results in the protagonist falling to his doom from the mental blow.]]

* ''Videogame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers'': Marill's brother, Azurill, is locked in a nightmare and unable to wake up due to a legendary Pokemon that can infiltrate and attack other beings in their dreams: [[spoiler:Darkrai]]. With the help of an ex-con Drowzee, the hero and their partner are transferred into Azurill's mind to figure out the cause of the problem.

* If the player presses the B Button during a certain important event in ''VideoGame/TheHalloweenHack'', [[spoiler:Varik enters Dr. Andonuts's mind and discovers the reasoning behind his insanity... And then he winds up fighting Dr. Andonuts' personal demons as well as the doctor himself.]]

* The FinalBoss of ''Videogame/MotherRussiaBleeds'' is a hallucinatory battle against [[spoiler:the mental manifestation of the drug that they're addicted to. In order to get the best ending of the game, you have to beat it ''without'' using Nekro, representing the protagonists overcoming their addiction through sheer force of will.]]

* ''Videogame/GodOfWarPS4'', after Atreus begins tapping into his godly powers, he collapses from his belief that he's a mortal. Freya explains that Kratos' "true nature fights within him" and Mimir tells him that a mental contradiction can express itself as an ailment. despite Kratos going "ToHellAndBack" to get the cure, his son can only be cured by knowing what he really is.
* In the first ''Videogame/GodOfWar'' game, during the final battle, Ares invokes this on Kratos, forcing him to see an illusion of his family die. Even if Kratos "wins", he fails to save them since Ares simply rips off the Blades of Chaos and uses them to cut down the illusions of Kratos' wife and daughter.
* The final battle in ''VideoGame/{{Nioh2}}'' [[spoiler:consists of Otakemaru trying to take control of your body after you foiled his attempt to possess Tokichiro by intercepting his spirit. Throughout the battle Tokichiro is purifying you, which manifests as his Guardian Spirit Masaru showing up to take swipes at Otakemaru.]]
* The final battle of VideoGame/{{OMORI}} features one between Sunny and Omori that culminates in a FissionMailed. You can choose to either give up or to continue fighting: [[spoiler: doing the former will result in the [[DownerEnding Bad]] [[DrivenToSuicide Ending]]]].

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Happens between Artie and Joel in ''WebComic/{{Concession}}'', but ultimately spills over into the real world. Doubles as a subverted IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight as unfortunately, that part only works for a little bit.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' fan Webcomic ''Webcomic/The10Doctors'' features [[spoiler:all ten Doctors versus Dalek Tor (a Dalek version of the Doctor) in a battle for the Tenth Doctor's mind. Features Doctor quotes, Nine with a baseball bat, and a mega-merge Doctor who looks ''awesome''.]]

* ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'': In "Seeker of Thrones", Allison has [[DealWithTheDevil agreed to take help from Incubus]] to unlock the powers of the Key of Kings she's carrying. As the story goes on, she becomes increasingly drunk with power -- until she finds that "she" is trapped inside a symbolical representation of her mind with various aspects of her personality, and the one that's in control is not "her" but a huge, sociopathic [[EnemyWithin representation of her "drunk with power" self]]. Incubus claims he's not doing any of this but it's just her mind, though it sure seems a bit unusual. Finally, Allison gathers all the other aspects of her personality together to form another Allison as large as the one controlling her body. [[spoiler: {{Subverted}}: she doesn't use this body to fight her dark side but to kiss her, whereupon they presumably become reintegrated... and she regains control but loses her powers.]]

* In ''WebVideo/{{Thresher}}'', this is what it turns out the nameless protagonist is actually involved in. . . . [[spoiler: He loses.]]

* Franchise/{{Superman}} going inside Brainiac 5's mind in the second SeasonFinale of ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' stirs him to fight the brainwashing. There was also a FusionDance involved.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' episode "Nevermore" takes place in Raven's head. It's a scary place.

* The 90s ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' cartoon was fond of this, and would make elaborate battles in a mindscape shaped by the combatants, making the grandest, most awesome (and trippy) affairs out of scenes that were basically two people glaring at each other in the comics. The most notable instances would be Professor Xavier versus the Shadow King, Jean Grey and Rogue versus ComicBook/MsMarvel's [[SharingABody transplanted personality]], and Professor Xavier going toe-to-toe with [[EldritchAbomination Dark Phoenix]] in Jean's mind (a duel only shown through a series of effects-laden panels in the comics).

* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', Miss Martian and Psimon have a psychic battle of this sort. M'gann is invisible and Psimon is still psychically protected, making it difficult for the fight to be cut short mundanely.

* ''[[WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Total Drama Revenge of the Island]]'': After [[{{Jerkass}} Scott]] clocks him with a club during "Grand Chef Auto" [[SplitPersonality Mike]] has a showdown in his brain, with his 4 other personalities. He wins.

* ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'' :

* In the psychedelic western ''Renegade'' (a.k.a. ''Blueberry'') based on the graphic novel, the hero takes peyote and gets into a spirit battle with the villain. The forces of good are [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience golden]] [[AnimalStereotypes reptiles]], while the evil side are [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience black]] [[AnimalStereotypes bugs]]. After defeating the villain, the hero watches a recreation of a [[TraumaInducedAmnesia forgotten tragedy]] and comes to terms with it.

--> [[spoiler:'''[[GrandTheftMe Terra-Xehanort]]''': You body submits, your heart succumbs- ''so why does your mind RESIST?!'']]

* Happens in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', as Ness has to fight his own Nightmare (which is the evil part of his mind) at the end of his [[DreamLand dream world]] known as {{Magicant}}. By defeating it, Ness' true potential is released, turning him from a GlassCannon into a JackOfAllStats.

* The ''[[Franchise/MegamiTensei]]'' franchise has several examples:

** Ichigo vs. Hollow Ichigo. In the anime it's fleshed out a bit more, making him re-experience his fights with Kenpachi, Byakuya and Jin Kariya before fighting Hollow Ichigo.
** Later, Ichigo has one with [[spoiler:[[EmpathicWeapon Tensa Zangetsu]]]], which eventually turns into [[spoiler:Ichigo vs. the combined form of Tensa Zangetsu and Shirosaki.]]

* Sort of happens in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', as Ness has to fight his own Nightmare at the end of his [[DreamLand dream world]] known as {{Magicant}}. (Averted in ''Mother'' as that Magicant is [[spoiler:Maria]]'s dream instead of Ninten's. A fight with Lucas' Nightmare was removed from ''Mother 3'', which has no Magicant.)

* ''[[Franchise/MegamiTensei Megami Tensei Franchise]]''

* Happens twice ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' when Batman gets drugged by The Scarecrow, resulting in massive InterfaceScrew and a FissionMailed before entering a twisted world based on his psyche. However, Batman fights it off due to HeroicWillpower, to the horror of Scarecrow. It also happens in the sequel with [[spoiler:the Mad Hatter and Ra's al-Ghul]] and one last time in ''Arkham Knight'' [[spoiler:which involves Batman fighting off the last memories of the Joker and sealing them away.]]

** Ichigo vs. Hollow Ichigo. In the anime it's fleshed out a bit more, making him re-experience his fights with Kenpachi, Byakuya and Jin Kariya before fighting [[FanNickname Hichigo]].
** Later, Ichigo has one with [[spoiler:[[EmpathicWeapon Tensa Zangetsu]]]], which eventually turns into [[spoiler:Ichigo vs. the combined form of Tensa Zangetsu and [[FanNickname Shirosaki]].]]

* ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'': In "Seeker of Thrones", Allison has [[DealWithTheDevil agreed to take help from Incubus]] to unlock the powers of the Key of Kings she's carrying. As the story goes on, she becomes increasingly drunk with power -- until she finds that "she" is trapped inside a symbolical representation of her mind with various aspects of her personality, and the one that's in control is not "her" but a huge, sociopathic [[EnemyWithin representation of her "drunk with power" self]]. Incubus claims he's not doing any of this but it's just her mind, though it sure seems a bit unusual. Finally, Allison gathers all the other aspects of her personality together to form another Allison as large as the one controlling her body. [[spoiler: {{Subverted}}: she doesn't use this body to fight her dark side but to kiss her, whereupon they presumably become reintegrated... and she gains control but loses her powers.]]

* ''WebComic/KillSixBillionDemons'': In "Seeker of Thrones", Allison has [[DealWithTheDevil agreed to take help from Incubus]] to unlock the powers of the Key of Kings she's carrying. As the story goes on, she becomes increasingly drunk with power -- until she finds that "she" is trapped inside a symbolical representation of her mind with various aspects of her personality, and the one that's in control is not "her" but a huge, sociopathic representation of her "drunk with power" self. Incubus claims he's not doing any of this but its just her mind, though it sure seems a bit unusual. Finally, Allison gathers all the other aspects of her personality together to form another Allison as large as the one controlling her body. [[spoiler: {{Subverted}}: she doesn't use this body to fight her dark side but to kiss her, whereupon they presumably become reintegrated... and she gains control but loses her powers.]]

* In the Chinese film ''Film/{{Hero}}'' Magistrate Nameless makes a show of attempting to arrest Long Sky at a Chess Court in his prefecture. They pause mid-fight, Nameless paying the resident (blind) [=GuQin=] master to continue playing. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUevedfnrmc This he does]], as they fight out the remainder of the battle in their minds. When he breaks his instrument with the sheer intensity of his playing, the fight plays out for real and Nameless defeats Sky in a matter of seconds.

* Series/{{Diablero}}: In season two, Lupe engages Keta in one in order to teach her [[spoiler: how to use her full power as the avatar of Coatlicue]].

%%* ''Anime/MagicalProjectS''

* The final episodes of ''WesternAnimation/LupinIIITheItalianAdventure'' take place mostly inside the minds of the main characters, as they, ''and'' the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, are forced to beat [[spoiler: Leonardo Da Vinci]] in a way that demonstrates their best abilities. For example, Jigen and Goemon have to use their physical prowess at gunplay and swordplay respectively to take him down, but Fujiko and Lupin have to rely on their wits to outsmart him. Where the real NightmareFuel kicks in though is what happens when you '''can't''' beat him, because [[spoiler: Da Vinci]] will just erase and absorb your subconscious to fill it with his own.
* In season 4 of [[{{WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack}} Samurai Jack]] the episode entitled "The Aku Infection", Jack gets infected by a piece of Aku's essence and is slowly changing into a version of Aku. At end of the episode when it seems like Jack is lost, the spirits of his parents appear to him in his heart and remind him of all the good he has done and the people he helped. Each victory and each ally gave jack strength with him finally destroying the dark essence that had entrapped his soul and spirit, allowing him to break free.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Haley’s “mental constructs” have a habit of bickering amongst themselves, at least until she makes them all sit down and shut up.
** The struggle between Durkon and [[spoiler: Vampire!Durkon]] is presented this way, although it's a battle of wits and willpower rather than a direct brawl.