History Main / ShapeshifterMashUp

[[folder:Mythology]]
* [[GreekMythology Scylla,]] depicted above in ''{{Castlevania}}: Symphony of the Night'', makes this OlderThanDirt.
[[/folder]]

* Kevin of ''[[BenTen Ben 10]]'' turns into one of those in the episode "Framed". During it, he has all the transformations Ben has due to draining energy from the Omnitrix in the previous season, AND he can do ''PartialTransformation''. After taking enough damage and after an insult, he's [[ShapeshifterModeLock locked in said mashup form.]] The result is a conglomerate of all ten forms and his own head hair...
* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] in an episode of ''BatmanBeyond'', where Terry's facing the genetic engineer responsible for the [[LegoGenetics splicing]] craze, who's injected himself with the DNA of three forms to become an apex predator. Terry then injects him with [[PhlebotinumOverload a whole fistfull of syringes]], and... [[BodyHorror hoo boy]].

* In FinalFantasyVII, Hojo's form in the second stage of his boss battle appears as nightmarish conglomeration of himself and his two minions from the first stage (to the extent that his limbs can still be targeted separately). By the third stage, he's got a full-on OneWingedAngel form going and looks human from the waist up again.

* Raphaello in ''[[BtX Bt'X]]'' exhibited traits of every living being it had absorbed.

* TheThing's final form is this.

* {{Castlevania}}:SymphonyOfTheNight's Scylla, as pictured above.

[[caption-width:330:[[TheOdyssey Siren]], she ain't.]]

Because of all the above drawbacks, this is sometimes used as a nasty {{curse}}, typically a BalefulPolymorph that {{Mode Lock}}s the victim. The independent body parts in this case are usually [[GuardianEntity Guardian Entities]] outside of the victim's control, but won't attack him or her. They may however respond to his or her emotional cues, like a gorgon's snake hair or an owner's pets.

* Kevin of ''[[BenTen Ben 10]]'' turns into one of those in the episode "Framed". During it, he has all the transformations Ben has due to draining energy from the Omnitrix in the previous season, AND he can do ''PartialTransformation''. After taking enough damage and after an insult, he's [[ModeLock locked in said mashup form.]] The result is a conglomerate of all ten forms and his own head hair...

* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] in an episode of ''BatmanBeyond'', where Terry's facing the genetic engineer responsible for the [[LegoGenetics splicing]] craze, who's injected himself with the DNA of three forms to become an apex predator. Terry then injects him with [[PhlebotinumOverload a whole fistfull of syringes]], and... [[BodyHorror hoo boy]].
* In one episode of the CareBears, Beastly is given an amulet that allows him to transform into different creatures. He tries to change back into his normal form, but that fails. As a rhino, he charges at the Care Bears.

--> '''Sarah''': Um... uh, what form is this?
--> '''Grace''': (looking at herself) ...well... if i had to guess, i'd say... all of them? [[supersecretspoiler: ...but it didn't include all her ''innate'' forms yet.]]

* In ''{{Inuyasha}}'' recurring enemy Naraku frequently uses a mash-up form of the demon's he's [[AppendageAssimilation assimilated]].

* Aptom from [[Guyver]] can (quite graphically) absorb zoanoids into himself, gaining their individual power, form or if he wants to can combine the best traits from all those he has 'eaten' into one superior body.

* Kevin of ''Ben10'' turns into one of those in the episode "Framed". During it, he has all the transformations Ben has due to draining energy from the Omnitrix in the previous season, AND he can do ''PartialTransformation''. After taking enough damage and after an insult, he's [[ModeLock locked in said mashup form.]] The result is a conglomerate of all ten forms and his own head hair...

* Kevin of [[Ben 10]] turns into one of those in the episode "Framed". During it, he has all the transformations Ben has due to draining energy from the Omnitrix in the previous season, AND he can do [[Partial Transformation]]. After taking enough damage and after an insult, he's [[ModeLock locked in said mashup form.]] The result is a conglomerate of all ten forms and his own head hair...

* In ''ElGoonishShive'' a [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshifter]] engaged in the [[MindOverMatter telekinetic]] grapple with a monster. Her friend reminded that she passed out after doing this before and urged to switch to "a better form for this" if she can. One bout of panic, instinctive shape change and messy explosion later--

Compare and contrast FusionDance, where a single character combines multiple transformations to create a new form, and PartialTransformation, where the shapeshifter chooses to mix-and-match the various elements between two specific forms.

ShapeShifting comes in a lot of forms (in every [[AWorldwidePunomenon pun-laden]] sense of the word). Most shapeshifters, however, to stick to using a single concrete form at a time, even if they swap shapes quickly during a ShapeShifterShowdown, or when truly skilled shapeshifters [[PartialTransformation mix-and-match elements of their alternate form]] with their [[ShapeshifterDefaultForm normal human form]].

This attempt at creating a unique OneWingedAngel SuperMode will tend to [[GoneHorriblyWrong encounter a slight problem]]: Instead of [[LightningBruiser merging the best elements]] of their various forms into one sleek and awesome HybridMonster, it will ''literally'' combine and merge their various forms together, producing a chimeric BiologicalMashup that only an EldritchAbomination can appreciate. It may feature [[MultipleHeadCase one head from each form]]; all the arms, claws, paws, legs, CombatTentacles, fur, scales, and BodyHorror that goes along with it; a [[PowerGivesYouWings half-dozen]] [[GoodWingsEvilWings mismatched wings]], and -- like the proverbial cherry on top -- the original head and/or upper torso of their ShapeshifterDefaultForm.

Despite the patchwork nature of this form, it does still have ''some'' advantages. Like the [[RuleOfScary power of intimidation]], its [[ShapeshifterBaggage supermassive size]], and an AnatomyArsenal stocked with every variety of BreathWeapon known to man ([[BeyondTheImpossible if not more]]), and can easily wipe out entire armies that approach anywhere within its InstantDeathRadius.

However, the drawbacks are just as significant: Because MonstrosityEqualsWeakness, this form likely has severe drawbacks over the individual component forms, and it's likely to be [[PowerDegeneration highly unstable]] or prone to [[ClippedWingAngel catastrophic failure]]. If the shapeshifter can't keep focus he may enter a SuperpowerMeltdown where the LossOfIdentity causes the [[OrganAutonomy body's components to attack each other]], with the potential to become the [[TakeOurWordForIt very goriest]] of {{Shapeshifter Swan Song}}s.

[[caption-width:330:Siren, she ain't.]]

This attempt at creating a unique OneWingedAngel SuperMode will tend to [[GoneHorriblyWrong encounter a slight problem]]: Instead of [[LightningBruiser merging the best elements]] of their various forms into one sleek and awesome HybridMonster, it will ''literally'' combine and merge their various forms together, producing a chimeric Biologicalmaship that only an EldritchAbomination can appreciate. It may feature [[MultipleHeadCase one head from each form]]; all the arms, claws, paws, legs, CombatTentacles, fur, scales, and BodyHorror that goes along with it; a [[PowerGivesYouWings half-dozen]] [[GoodWingsEvilWings mismatched wings]], and -- like the proverbial cherry on top -- the original head and/or upper torso of their ShapeshifterDefaultForm.

ShapeShifting comes in a lot of forms (in every [[AWorldwidePunomenon pun-laden]] sense of the word). Most shapeshifters, however, to stick to using a single concrete form at a time, even if they swap shapes quickly during a ShapeShifterShowdown, or decide to [[PartialTransformation mix-and-match elements of their alternate form]] with their [[ShapeshifterDefaultForm normal human form]].

Sometimes, though, a shapeshifter gets the idea that if more is better, why limit themselves to just ''one'' shape at a time? Why not transform into all of their forms ''all at the same time?''

This attempt at a OneWingedAngel SuperMode will tend to [[GoneHorriblyWrong go slightly awry]]. Rather than a turn into a sleek HybridMonster that [[LightningBruiser combines the best]] of every form, they'll become a [[BodyHorror chimeric]] BiologicalMashup with [[MultipleHeadCase a head]] from each form, arms, claws, paws, legs, CombatTentacles, fur, scales, a [[PowerGivesYouWings half-dozen]] [[GoodWingsEvilWings mismatched wings]], and -- as the proverbial cherry on top -- the (usually human) head and upper torso of their ShapeshifterDefaultForm.

Despite the patchwork nature of this form, it does still have ''some'' advantages. It's got the [[RuleOfScary power of intimidation]] working for it, likely has the ability to attack groups en masse with an InstantDeathRadius, and is probably [[ShapeShifterBaggage super massive]] with a [[MeatShield ton of HP]]. However, the drawbacks are just as significant: Because MonstrosityEqualsWeakness, this form likely has severe drawbacks over the individual component forms, and it's likely to be [[PowerDegeneration highly unstable]] or prone to [[ClippedWingAngel catastrophic failure]]. If the shape shifter can't keep focus he may enter a SuperpowerMeltdown where the LossOfIdentity causes the [[OrganAutonomy body's components to attack each other]], devolving into a ''very'' gory ShapeShifterSwanSong.