History Main / PlayingWIthSyringes

* In ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'', this is pretty much Shamuhaza's M.O. as an EvilSorcerer -- the Neverborn experiments he conducts include: [[InvokedTrope Invoking]] FaceFullOfAlienWingWong on InnocentBystanders in order to create [[MixAndMatchCritters mix-and-match]] EliteMooks; directly mutating {{mooks}} for them to be upgraded into more EliteMooks, and; delving into BlackMagic and [[spoiler:the [[ThingsManIsNotMeantToKnow Eldritch Truth]], which may or may not be research from the Healing Church or the School of Mensis]].

* In ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'', this is pretty much [[EvilSorcerer Shamuhaza's]] M.O. -- the Neverborn experiments he conducts include:
** {{Invok|edTrope}}ing FaceFullOfAlienWingWong on InnocentBystanders regardless of race, in order to create [[MixAndMatchCritters mix-and-match]] EliteMooks,
** Directly mutating {{Mooks}} for them to be upgraded into more EliteMooks,
** Delving into BlackMagic and [[spoiler:the [[ThingsManIsNotMeantToKnow Eldritch Truth]]]], which may or may not be research from [[ContinuityNod the Healing Church or the School of Mensis]].

** This was the origin of the Cat (better known as [[Characters/Avengers80sMembers Tigra]]), although her origin involved a triple-cross. Dr. Joanne Tumolo developed a process "for any woman to totally fulfill her physical and mental potential -- despite the handicaps that society places upon her." Dr. Tumulo ran out of funds, but Malcolm Donalbain ("world famous sportsman, eccentric, and entrepreneur...") learned about the project and was "such a fanatic on physical conditioning that he agreed to subsidize further work." Donalbain insisted that his employee, Shirlee Bryant, be their test subject. Here's the double-cross: Shirlee stole the scientist's process so Donalbain could build duplicates of her equipment. Shirlee died in a test of her abilities, but Donalbain planned to open a nationwide chain of health clubs that would create an army of Amazons to carry out his commands. Here's the triple-cross: Dr. Tumolo had wanted her assistant, Greer Nelson, to be her first subject. Greer persuaded her mentor to test her secretly. Using her new powers as the Cat, Greer stopped Donalbain's plans.

[[caption-width-right:350: "Now, what to do with the DNA from his bone matter? I guess there is that [[ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} Wilson]] guy...]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'', [[BigBad Phaeton]] had the Neo Megas experiment on other Neosapiens to find a cure for his Automutation Syndrome.
** Of course, the Neo Megas themselves are the result of Xenobius' research, although this trope is exhibited more in his later creation of the [[HalfHumanHybrid Neo Warriors]] and [[SuperSoldier Neo Lords]].

* [[BigBad Dr. Emilia]] from [[WesternAnimation/KipoAndTheAgeOfWonderbeasts]] creates a serum that she and her subordinates use to revert [[UpliftedAnimal Mutes]] back to normal animals.

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* In ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'', it's strongly implied that [[spoiler: Tiffa Addil]] spent the early years of [[spoiler: her]] life as a subject for such experiments, this being the reason for [[spoiler: her borderline phobia of people]].

* In ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'' after being abandoned by his parents Zeno was captured, sold to scientists and vivisected alive. His dreams frequently [[http://www.charbythevampirate.com/comic/67 revisit these memories.]]

* In ''Film/FrankensteinIsland'', Sheila Frankenstein conducts a variety of blood based experiments, such as transfusing Jason with a mixture of Amazon and animal blood.

* In ''Film/TheTerrorOfTheTongs'', Dr. Fu Chao is tong member who murders people mainly by giving then lethal injections. He is HoistByHisOwnPetard wen Lee stabs him with the syringe he had attempted to use on Sale.

* Max of ''Literature/MaximumRide'', her family, her clone, her nemesis, her half brother, the {{mooks}} of the series and a surprising amount of other people are the victims of genetic engineering.

* ''Series/TheDevilJudge'': The purpose of the Dream Home Medical Centre. The government use a non-existent virus as an excuse to drag people away to the medical centre, then experiment on them.

* ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII'': A gameplay mechanic called "The Forbidden Workshop", useable when playing as MadScientist Throt the Unclean of Clan Moulder from ''The Twisted and the Twilight''. Somewhat chance based, the more mutations you apply to a unit, the more likely they are to become unstable. The more unstable a unit, the lower their maximum health, and if unstable enough, they will become an ActionBomb and explode on contact with the enemy. Though many skaven units even from the base game are a result of Clan Moulder's experiments (such as the aptly named Hellpit Abomination).

* In ''WebAnimation/DingoDoodles'' the [[AbusivePrecursors Foreclaimers]] were completely obsessed with achieving perfection and lacked any form of empathy to limit their experiments. A depiction of their history shows a long string of experiments conducted on their own people, including at least one vivisection. Their research eventually culminated in the creation of the [[UltimateLifeForm artifical god Xanu]], who they proceeded to thoroughly "test" for many years until he slaughtered them as revenge.

[[quoteright:250:[[VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_tsukihime_-_Kohaku_-_needle_time.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:250:It's [[AfraidOfNeedles needle time!]]]]

May overlap with EyeScream and ColdBloodedTorture.

A SuperBreedingProgram tends to be this on a grander scale.

A literal version may involve a GiantMedicalSyringe.

** Ork Nobs and Warbosses can have their Mad Doks try to upgrade themselves and other Orks. However, given the Doks' mad scientist tendencies and their being Orks to start with, this can go disastrously (or hilariously) wrong.
* ''TabletopGame/PrometheanTheCreated'': The Second Edition introduces Insatiate Alchemists, humans who've discovered Prometheans and decided to use the alchemical wonders innate in their bodies for experimentation purposes. This, of course, involves imprisoning Prometheans and cutting them up to get at their Vitriol. And sometimes, this means [[ProfessorGuineaPig injecting said Vitriol into themselves]], which has... unpredictable results.

* The ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'' routinely conducts experiments along these lines on the [=SCP=]s it contains. While this is intended to better understand and contain them, it [[NiceJobBreakingItHero sometimes makes things worse]].

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': The doctor Yatsubiyashi sets up a MadScientistLaboratory looking clinic in the DisposableVagrant filled slums. Whether to vagrants or hunters, his modus operandi experimenting is to make AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Charge more then the patient can afford for their treatment, or allow him to experiment on them for free treatment. Yatsubiyashi is pursuing LostTechnology generally, and trying to create a SuperSerum in particular, which he succeeds wildly at by reprogramming hyper-advanced Nanomachines designed to replace severed limbs, but not before making Tiol into a TragicMonster. Yatsubiyashi also used his own experimental cybernetics to give himself SuperStrength.

* Tongpu, alias Mad Pierrot, from ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' was the fatally-botched result of an attempt to create a SuperSoldier that instead created a PsychopathicManchild with [[ImmuneToBullets immunity to bullets]]. The "experiments" that created him are rather graphically shown, as is the body count he leaves in his wake [[OhCrap after escaping the lab...]]

* ''Anime/PumpkinScissors'' is generally seen as a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', and also features this. Essentially, some mad scientists, with government approval, came to the conclusion that rather than making weapons or safety devices better, the soldiers needed to be tougher. Thus, you get things like soldiers who can ignore tank fire, and "fireproof" soldiers who achieve this effect by having their nerves numbed and are pretty much living corpses who need to stay in metal suits 24/7 in order to survive.

** Also, Vamp from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' is another example. Using an experimental variation of the nanomachines developed by Naomi in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', he's practically immortal thanks to his HealingFactor -- except if you [[spoiler:pump him with nanomachine suppressors -- the same kind needed to resist the titular "Guns of the Patriots"]].

* In the light novel and manga versions of ''LightNovel/InfiniteGacha'', the '''entire''' dark-elf race are all mad scientists each obsessed with a particular field of knowledge and trying to learn as much as they can in that field, regardless of the cost of sentient life involved. Most of the victims are humans, of course, since they can't run, hide, or fight back, but members of other races, or even their own, are not exempt. In fact, the female dark elf that was a member of Light's party, and who he wants vengeance against, happily fed the souls of all her fellow researchers to an eldritch horror, just so she can study, analyze, and fully examine what goes into a soul's makeup, and becoming the host of this entity for power, natch.

* In ''Film/TheTerrorOftheTongs'', Dr. Fu Chao is tong member who murders people mainly by giving then lethal injections. He is HoistByHisOwnPetard wen Lee stabs him with the syringe he had attempted to use on Sale.

* NESTS, the primary villains of the second arc of ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'', are very prone to subjecting their lab rats to "testing" equivalent to torture. Among numerous others, [[PsychoElectro Sylvie]] would be regularly chained to the ceiling of a TortureCellar and whipped, whereas [[TragicVillain Nameless]] was frequently unable to control [[PlayingWithFire his pyrokinesis]] and nearly killed himself at least 180 times. It was no surprise that one of said lab rats, Isolde, outright ''died'' as a result of her abuse, and what did NESTS do? Why, stick her DNA into her boyfriend (the aforementioned Nameless)'s PowerLimiter!

* ''VideoGame/NotDyingToday'' have the zombie nurse enemies, whom are armed with syringes filled with sedatives that when hitting your player, will induce an InterfaceScrew preventing you from seeing most of the screen. There's even a powerful Super-Zombie Nurse who hurls three syringes at once in addition to her projectile attacks.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'''s [[EvilInc Umbrella Corporation]] practice this so much they could put a copyright on it. For starters, they have a bad tendency to hire [[MadScientist morally bankrupt sociopaths]] to head up [[TheVirus viral weapons projects]] and then act utterly shocked when they start losing control of them. The viruses themselves would be of questionable effectiveness as biological weapons[[note]]As a rule, bioweapons tend to work best when the people you kill with them ''[[ZombieApocalypse stay dead]]''[[/note]], and to call their security "piss-poor" [[InsultToRocks is an insult to urine]]. Most of the games can basically be summarized as "the inevitable result of hiring a complete psychopath to inject any living thing he sees with a mutagenic virus" or "let's throw some military types in a box with our escaped mutants and call it 'gathering combat data'".

* [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Jack's Squad]] and [[EvilutionaryBiologist Mitra]] in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney''. When confronted with live examples of biologies they didn't understand, they did the reasonable thing: cut them open and see what made them tick. What was a bit more unreasonable was when Jack and his scientists started enslaving demons ''en masse'' for organ harvesting and demon fusion (the syringe and scalpel sort of fusion) and Mitra started using humans as test subjects for insanity-inducing serums and other sorts of BodyHorror-riffic experiments

* ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII'': A gameplay mechanic called The Forbidden Workshop useable when playing as MadScientist Throt the Unclean of Clan Moulder from ''The Twisted and the Twilight''. Somewhat chance based, the more mutations you apply to a unit, the more likely they are to become unstable. The more unstable a unit, the lower their maximum health, and if unstable enough, they will become an ActionBomb and explode on contact with the enemy. Though many skaven units even from the base game are a result of Clan Moulder's experiments (such as the aptly named Hellpit Abomination).

* ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII'': A gameplay mechanic called The Forbidden Workshop useable when playing as MadScientist Throt the Unclean of Clan Rictus from ''The Twisted and the Twilight''. Somewhat chance based, the more mutations you apply to a unit, the more likely they are to become unstable. The more unstable a unit, the lower their maximum health, and if unstable enough, they will become an ActionBomb and explode on contact with the enemy. Though many skaven units even from the base game are a result of Clan Rictus' experiments (such as the aptly named Hellpit Abomination).

* Synapse of ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' is a Hero largely created by [[MegaCorp Crey Corporate]] [[MadScientist researchers]]. We're not told exactly how this resulted in electrical powers and superspeed, but it involves being StrappedToAnOperatingTable with a bunch of rotary saws descending. His sidekick, the CatGirl Mynx, is another Crey Industries escapee, except she was changed into a HalfHumanHybrid. Interestingly, Synapse's MirrorUniverse counterpart Neuron is the one that does this to her, being a MadScientist himself. To a degree, many of the Longbow Wardens have powers created in this sort of way, although they at least use consenting subjects and are pretty heroic.
** Basically, any [[WeirdScience Science]] [[SuperHeroOrigin origin]] character that didn't get their powers from a FreakLabAccident got them from this.

* [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Jack's Squad]] and [[EvilutionaryBiologist Mitra]] in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney''. When confronted with live examples of biologies they didn't understand, they did the reasonable thing: cut them open and see what made them tick. What was a bit more unreasonable was when Jack and his scientists started enslaving demons ''en masse'' for organ harvesting and demon fusion (the syringe and scalpel sort of fusion) and Mitra started using humans as test subjects for insanity-inducing serums and other sorts of BodyHorror-riffic experiments.
* The ''Franchise/MassEffect'' universe is rife with instances of this trope, and [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] seems to run afoul of every single one. Dr. Saleon, [=ExoGeni=], Binary Helix... and of course Cerberus, a NGOSuperpower that does things like arrange for a platoon of marines to be positioned right on top of a whole nest of [[SandWorm thresher maws]] just to see what happens.
** {{Subverted|Trope}} by Mordin Solus. While he did [[spoiler:upgrade the Genophage]] he only did so because he thought it was the best long-term choice and feels immense guilt for this. He also actively despises this trope, seeing it as crude and a waste of life. He despises it so much that [[spoiler:he completely [[BerserkButton flips his lid]] when he finds out a former protegé of his was playing this trope]].
--->'''Mordin Solus:''' Never experimented on species capable of calculus. Simple rule. Never broke it.
* Both ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' and ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII VII]]'' feature experiments to create some sort of SuperSoldier. Both games feature a primary villain going nuts due to these experiments. Kefka simply due to the process being unrefined, Sephiroth does fine until he ''realizes'' that he was used as a Guinea Pig.
** With Sephiroth, it's also that they used cells from an evil alien, causing him to believe himself to not even be human.
** Additionally, [[spoiler:[[HeroOfAnotherStory Zack]] and Cloud were also used as guinea pigs by Professor Hojo, the same MadScientist who "created" Sephiroth, for at least five years. And this could have happened to ''Tifa'', Cloud's childhood friend and one of his two love interests, had Zangan not taken her away with him right after the Nibelheim incident]]. Hojo also turned people into mindless "Sephiroth clones" with the aforementioned alien cells, the same way he attempted to do to [[spoiler:Cloud]] (whom he initially considers a failure but later his only success).
** In Cloud's flashback it is revealed that when Hojo infuses humans with too much Mako they become monsters. This implies that all of the monsters in this game -- or at least some of them -- are a result of Hojo's twisted experiments.
** Near the end of the game, Hojo injects ''himself'' with the alien cells to transform into not one but two grotesque OneWingedAngel forms as he fights Cloud and his party.
** During ''VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus'' there is an entire underground ARMY of people who have either been a victim of this trope or who were born from it.
** And let's not forget Dr. Lugae in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' -- this seems to be his MO.

* Subject 3 of ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'' had this done to him.

* As a game set in a ''very'' militaristic-driven, {{dystopia}}n CrapsackWorld, ''VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf'' has quite a bit of this. Mainly in regards to the [[MechaMooks Elektrosoldats]] army [[spoiler:made of clones of the local SmugSnake Adler]], but also regarding [[spoiler:[[CloningBlues clones]] of the BigBad Murakumo that he sent to dominate different groups like the Japanese Army and TheTriadsAndTheTongs]], the creation of [[spoiler:the Blitztanks, [[WasOnceAMan which were once human]]]], ''and'' [[spoiler:Akatsuki's past, in which he's all but stated to have gotten his ShockAndAwe powers and his capacity to survive being a HumanPopsicle for 50 years from experimentation related to the MacGuffin of the game, the Blitz Engine]].

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series, the [[OppressiveStatesOfAmerica pre-War United States government]] routinely rounded up military prisoners, regular prisoners, and political dissidents and subjected them to horrific scientific experiments that resulted in the creation of such things as the [[BodyHorror Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV)]], whose effects can still be felt over 200 years AfterTheEnd.
** The founder of the Brotherhood of Steel, US Army Captain Roger Maxson, found out about the FEV experiments going on at the military base he was posted at, executed the scientists involved, and deserted the Army alongside his unit after he took over the base. No one higher up cared since he mutinied the day before the bombs fell.
** In the ''Lonesome Road'' DLC for ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', the general in charge of the launch facility ordered people protesting against nuclear weapons be taken away for experimentation.
** In the ''Automatron'' DLC for ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', [[spoiler:the Mechanist's Lair]] is located inside a research facility run by the government and [[MegaCorp RobCo]], which created the [[WetwareCPU Robobrain]] by [[spoiler:forcibly extracting prisoners' brains, wiping their memories, and sticking them inside a robotic chassis. Unfortunately, the memory wipe procedure was imperfect at best, and several Robobrains had to be destroyed after the prisoner's brain [[AndIMustScream realized that they had no arms, legs, or eyes]] and went insane. Even those that remembered nothing still went insane sometimes]].

* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'' has Piety, who is a {{Magitek}} transhumanist, trying to improve her subjects by infusing them with thaumaturgy and Virtue Gems. Her laboratory in the Lunaris temple, filled with mutilated corpses strapped to operating tables and screaming, deformed things that [[WasOnceAMan used to be exiles]], says a lot about her research methods.
* ''VideoGame/{{Oddworld}}'': ''Munch's Oddysee'' has Vykkers Labs, run by the titular race. Each and every one of them are colossal sadists and enjoy tormenting the various animals there.
* In ''VideoGame/PeoplePlayground'', '''you''' can conduct horrible experiments on characters to your heart's content -- using actual syringes, to boot! The syringes will inject certain (often deadly) substances into lifeforms, and include a death syringe, an acid syringe, and a life syringe -- the last can [[HealingPotion heal and resurrect]] damaged bodies, [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential allowing you to subject them to tortuous experiments again and again]].

* Two of Okamoto Lynn's works, ''Manga/BrynhildrInTheDarkness'' and ''Manga/ElfenLied'' have this as a central premise. In both stories, with government backing, children are rounded up and have horrific experimentation, indistinguishable from ColdBloodedTorture inflicted upon them, with the man in charge of all of it being an {{Ubermensch}} who seeks to create a master race by [[KillThemAll killing off everyone else.]]

* ''Literature/TreeOfAeons'': Aeon is a diligent and just ruler, who fosters prosperity and keeps his people safe from the demons, but that justice is not mixed with a great deal of mercy. When the highest penalty for crime in his realm is to be "subject to Aeon's mercy", it's a euphemism for capital punishment -- usually via destructive experimentation in his soul forge. (In fairness, he's not a sadist, just coldly pragmatic. He's letting criminals do something useful with the last few minutes of their lives, providing useful data that will improve his ability to heal people.)