History Main / ElectricTorture

* In ''Literature/TheOrphanMastersSon'', North Korean interrogators use an electric torture device to wipe out their victims' personalities, turning them into EmptyShells.

* In ''SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'' when you seized the last base of another faction there would be a brief video showing a writhing figure screaming in agony as he was electrocuted. Given you had already beaten them was the torture really necessary? Yes, [[EvilLaugh Mwa ha ha ha]].

** In the manga adaptation, Tron is tortured this way in cold blood while captured[[hottip:* :Considering that he's clearly in a lot of pain afterwards, some readers consider this the point where Sark crosses the MoralEventHorizon]]. This is both a TearJerker and NightmareFuel for those who've seen ''TronLegacy'' or played ''KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'', [[spoiler: considering [[BrainwashedAndCrazy what]] [[DistressedDude happens]] [[FightingYourFriend to]] [[DisneyVillainDeath him]] in both cases]].

* Happens twice in ''KingdomHeartsII''; first, when Sora is [[{{ForcedToWatch}} forced to watch]] Donald and Goofy being tortured by [[{{Film/Tron}} Sark]], as a demonstration to his role as "[[{{TheManBehindTheMonsters}} a Heartless Commander]]". Later on, all three of them get paralyzed from an electric shock while trying to steal a statue from [[{{Disney/Hercules}} Hades]].
** In the manga adaptation, Tron is tortured this way in cold blood while captured. This is both a TearJerker and NightmareFuel for those who've seen ''TronLegacy'' or played ''KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'', [[spoiler: considering [[BrainwashedAndCrazy what]] [[DistressedDude happens]] [[FightingYourFriend to]] [[DisneyVillainDeath him]] in both cases]].

** In the manga adaptation, Tron is tortured this way in cold blood while captured. This is both a TearJerker and NightmareFuel for those who've seen ''TronLegacy'' or played ''KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'', [[spoiler: considering [[BrainwashedAndCrazy what]] [[ReformedIntoAMinion happens]] [[FightingYourFriend to]] [[DisneyVillainDeath him]] in both cases]].

** Emperor Pilaf [[BadBoss uses this on his minions]] in an early {{filler}} sceme, using a [[CoolButInefficient hilariously overcomplicated method]]: [[HelpingHands mechanical hands]] pop out of the wall to hold them in place and put lightning rods on their head, the ceiling opens up, [[WeatherControlMachine some kind of smoke comes out of a chimney to create a thundercloud above Pilaf's castle]], then lightning strikes the two of them [[HoistByHisOwnPetard as well as Pilaf because he was holding up a metal fork.]]

*** HarmlessElectrocution is subverted in this case. Not only is the pain from the shock agonizing, everyone its used on takes awhile to recover (thankfully they're all Pokemon, who seem to heal much quicker than humans anyway) and [[spoiler:he ''kills'' Zoroark with it, though she's revived by Celebi.]]

** Well, actually [[spoiler:it's possible to use electric Pokémon like Pikachu as power sources, so they were actually sucking electricity from it's body]]. But it still qualifies as torture.

* ''Series/Highlander'' had an episode in which villain Kalas discovered a Watcher trailing him. He captured the Watcher, strapped him down to a table shirtless and barefoot, and kept zapping his feet with electricity until he talked.

* Inverted in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Dalek", where The Doctor is the torturer and the evil Dalek is the victim. Effective as it's the first time in the new series you see the Doctor acting actively "cruel" to another creature, showing just how seriously he takes the situation.
** Played straight in the same episode as well, with ChristopherEccleston giving a ShirtlessScene strapped to a table. [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Yum]].
** The Tenth Doctor does this to himself in "Human Nature/The Family of Blood." [[AllThereInTheManual ''The Visual Dictionary'']] specifies that, with the Chameleon Arch's settings, high-voltage electrical current rewrites the Doctor's biology--[[{{Squick}} causing two hearts to meld into one]], for just one example.

The hero never dies or experience serious physical injury/mutilation, and in most cases will not even show any marks, though usually requires a shoulder to help walk for another scene or so, as he is too weak to walk on his own. The hero will soon regain his strength entirely. A villain given a [[HoistByHisOwnPetard taste of his own medicine]] might die or become horribly mutilated, though.

** In the main ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime, for his battle for his eighth Indigo League badge, Ash finds himself facing off against Team Rocket, since the real gym leader (the same Giovanni from above) was away on "business", and assigned the trio as his substitutes. Team Rocket traps Ash in a platform that electrocutes him whenever his Pokémon take damage during the battle. Meowth rigs the platform to send electric surges even when Ash was winning.

* In {{Teen Wolf}} fanfiction, most of the Derek/Kate fic have or at least mention this, as the fic is usually about Kate torturing him.

* ''Film/TheEvilThatMenDo'' (1984). CharlesBronson is hired to murder Dr Clement Molloch, a doctor who advises South American dictatorships on how to torture people. The movie opens with the MadDoctor demonstrating (to a group of army officers) the use of electric torture on a dissident journalist. A later scene lists the extensive injuries inflicted on him, including teeth shattered from being clenched so hard.

* ''Film/TheEvilThatMenDo'' (1984). CharlesBronson is hired to murder Dr Clement Molloch, a doctor who advises South American dictatorships on how to torture people. The movie opens with the MadDoctor demonstrating (to a group of army officers) the use of electric torture on a dissident journalist. Although the film cuts away, a later scene lists the extensive injuries inflicted by such torture, including teeth shattered from being clenched so hard.

* The SoBadItsGood ''Showdown in Little Tokyo''.
* ''The Evil That Men Do'' (1984). CharlesBronson is hired to murder Dr Clement Molloch, a doctor who advises South American dictatorships on how to torture people. The movie opens with the MadDoctor demonstrating (to a group of army officers) the use of electric torture on a dissident journalist. Although the film cuts away, a later scene lists the extensive injuries inflicted by such torture, including teeth shattered from being clenched so hard.

* Employed in ''Black Momma White Momma'' by a BananaRepublic dictator to a presumed rebel. As is typical for the movie, the girl is rendered topless first.

* In Ken Follett's thriller ''Jackdaws,'' the Nazi interrogator (who is not in any way [[ThoseWackyNazis comical]]) tortures one of the women by [[spoiler:sticking an electric probe up her vagina]]. She gets her comeuppance, however, by [[KarmicPunishment doing the same thing to him]], simply in a different location.

* In ''StarWars: The Clone Wars'' episode Cargo of Doom, a Jedi is subjected to this trope. The "more power" conversation occurs, and the Jedi dies.

** The ''parrilla'' was an infamous interrogation tool routinely used by the Chilean secret police during Pinochet's dictatorship (1973-1990). It was a metal frame prisoners were strapped onto naked, while the questioners applied electrodes to whatever body part they thought appropriate.

** The ''picana'' was an electric cattle prod that Argentine torturers used on their victims during the Dirty War (1976-1983). Oftentimes, people were raped with the picana.

* In ''{{Cupcakes}}'', [[CompleteMonster Pinkie]] does this to [[TheWoobie Rainbow Dash]].

* ''Series/BurnNotice'' has this used on Michael in the season 6 Fall opener. The gang tries to steal a plane, but Michael and his new friend are left behind and captured by cocaine smugglers. The cocaine smugglers tie the two up and bring out a ''picana electrica''. Michael, through voiceover, notes that it produces only one milliamp of current, so it won't kill you, but the fact that it produces 15,000 volts of electricity will make you wish it did. Cue a shot of Michael yelling in pain.

-->They say, "whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." But when it comes to torture devices, that's pretty much never true. The picana electrica delivers shocks at only 1/1,000 of an amp. It's completely non-lethal, but at 15,000 volts, it's so painful, you wish it was.
--->--'''Michael Westen''', via voice over as the device is about to be used on him in ''Series/BurnNotice''