History Main / StrappedToAnOperatingTable

* Happens to several characters in the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', often as part of their OriginStory. For example, Trevor Goodkind gets darted when he turns into a mutant, and wakes up clamped down on a table under the 'care' of the notorious [[MadScientist Dr. Emil Hammond]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''' Halloween special, this happens to Dean after sneaking into a spooky old house. [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}} when it turns out that Ben only wants to give Dean a medical check-up, and soon releases him.]]

* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5qyJdTQpw Relius Clover's Astral Finish]] had his opponent in this condition. In a way, this varies between characters, such as Arakune's 'Operating Table' being a big flask, Ragna and Rachel being bound to crosses, Jin being tied with [[LightIsNotGood ray lights]], Taokaka being inside a cage, Bang being bound ''and'' forced to kneel thanks to the heavy weights on his legs, etc. (The only one ''actually'' strapped to something like a table is [[GenderBender Mai Natsume]].) Regardless, knowing [[MadScientist what kind]] [[TortureTechnician of person Relius is]], rather than showing what happens to the character, [[GoryDiscretionShot the door closes in]] [[ScreamDiscretionShot and a scream is heard]].

* The climax of ''Series/TheHunger'' episode "Sanctuary" has MadArtist Julian Priest (Music/DavidBowie) strapping Eddie, a murderer on the run, to an operating table to turn him into a grisly piece of performance art. Worse, Eddie is conscious, but ''only'' from the neck up thanks to Julian's subsidiary skills with anesthetics. ''Even worse'', [[spoiler: Eddie does not exist, and the legless corpse the police discover is Julian's. What we saw was his Dying Dream: having committed the murder, he proceeded to kill himself by numbing his body, strapping ''himself'' to the table, and severing his own legs -- knowing he would gain artistic immortality this way.]]

When captured by a MadScientist, don't expect to be left alone in the dungeon. In fact, don't even expect to ''see'' the dungeon. Odds are you'll be hauled into the lab for immediate experimentation and end up strapped to the operating table. Heaven help you if TheyWouldCutYouUp.

* In ''Literature/SpaceAssassin'' the titular protagonist is infiltrating one of [[EvilutionaryBiologist Cyrus']] labs when he comes across an unfortunate captive in this state, with his limbs and most of his appendages surgically removed in a mutant conversion.

This is particularly popular with the EvilutionaryBiologist and often occurs when people start PlayingWithSyringes.

** In the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime]], Izumi finds Wrath strapped to an examination table by the military.

* ''Manga/HappyLesson'' - Chitose gets strapped to a table by Kisaragi for the worst EarCleaning ever.
* Integra Hellsing from ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' is trapped by BigBad Incognito on a cross-shaped table in the last episode of the Gonzo anime series.
* Vivio of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', after being recaptured by the BigBad. Agito as well, although ironically she's ''saved'' by the BigBad. Well, his minions, anyway.

* Alex ends up on one close to the end of ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfAlexMack''.

* Kei of the ''LightNovel/DirtyPair'' spends a good chunk of the penultimate TV episode doing a ''Goldfinger''. As Yuri notes, she's lucky she's a girl.
* In ''{{LightNovel/Durarara}}'', Celty actually ''agrees'' to an autopsy in return for room and board from the doctor performing the dissection. She discovers a little too late that general anesthetic doesn't work very well in this case. While she doesn't feel nearly as much pain as humans, it didn't look very comfortable.

* Chidori Kaname of ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' is subjected to this in the first season.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': "Schisms" includes a very creepy reveal as several people who were experimented on slowly regain their memories and describe them to the computer, which recreates them as holograms. Result: one sinister-looking operating table.
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' ("Shattered"). After entering the Captain Proton holoprogram, Captain Janeway finds herself strapped to [[MadScientist Dr Chaotica's]] Cradle of Persuasion ("It's fully equipped: [[MindProbe Brain Probe]], Pain Modulator..."). Much to her annoyance, Janeway has to resort to the undignified method of [[TheVamp vamping]] her way out.
* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''. In "Singularity", a NegativeSpaceWedgie is making the crew act loopy. Dr Phlox becomes obsessed with finding the cause of Ensign Mayweather's headache. He refuses to do any further tests and says Phlox will "have to strap him to a biobed." [[TemptingFate Guess what happens a mere thirty seconds later.]]

** Sam had this done to him by a Zombie Doctor who wanted his PuppyDogEyes.
** After being stripped and redressed in lederhosen, Dean had his turn in ''Monster Movie''.

** The same table crops up again in season 6, this time with [[spoiler: Meg]] as the victim.

* Happens to Martha Jones in the ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' episode "Reset".
* ''Series/WonderWoman'': In "Fausta, The Nazi Wonder Woman", Wonder Woman is captured, her belt of strength removed, and put into this position. [[spoiler:{{Pride}} saves the day as Fausta's superior officer [[IdiotBall throws the belt and lasso back to Wonder Woman]]. A minute later Wonder Woman is the only one left standing.]]

* In ''{{LightNovel/Durarara}}'', Celty actually ''agrees'' to an autopsy in return for room and board from the doctor performing the dissection. She discovers a little too late that general anesthetic doesn't work very well in this case. While she doesn't feel nearly as much pain as human, it didn't look very comfortable.

* ''Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoSpecialTheLastAdventure'': In ''The Red House'' Charlie is strapped to an operating by Dr. Pain who intends to use the physic extractor on her. Dr. Pain comments that the procedure is painful to a 'pure human', not realising that Charlie is one.

** ''ComicBook/SabretoothAndTheExiles'': At least some of Dr. Barrington's mutant prisoners are used for medical research, secured to operating tables and vivisected by Barrington or her robot AutoDoc. In Sabretooth's case, after he threatens her, she makes a point of getting the robot surgeon to [[{{Fingore}} remove his claws]] without sedating him.

* In Chapter 3 of ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/31492754?view_full_work=true Mars Attacks: Simpsons]]'' [[Music/MelanieC Melanie]] finds herself strapped to a table at the [[Film/MarsAttacks Gnard]] station. When it was very clear what the Gnards were about to do to her, Melanie simply responses by saying, “[[OhCrap D-OH]]”.

* ''Film/BlackWidow2021''. Yelena is captured by the Red Room and is sent to an operating theatre so Red Room techs can cut her head and find out why she is no longer under their mind control. She mutters that this is a not a cool way to die. [[spoiler:Fortunately she's a TrojanPrisoner and cuts the straps with a concealed knife.]]

** When Zola himself is captured, he's put in an interrogation room with a hospital gurney and is disturbed to see a patch of blood on the floor beneath it. It's possible that this was set up just to mess with his head so that he'd be more willing to co-operate.

* In ''Film/DeepInTheValley'', the nurses strap Lester face down to an examination table preparatory to giving him a sponge bath. This leaves him in a very vulnerable position when Suzi Diablo enters, and she proceeds to torture him by [[AssShove shoving a sphygmomanometer cuff up his ass]] and starting pumping.
* ''Film/TheDevilCommands'': When Dr. Blair decides that his daughter Anne is conduit he needs to be able communicate with her dead mother Helen, he straps her into a chair that looks a lot like an electric chair and affixes the brainwave helmet to her head.

* ''Film/DrGiggles'' has the protagonist strapped to one at one point, when the killer arrives to check her heart with a stethoscope (which he keeps in the fridge) and begin to operate upon her.

* In ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'', this happens to anyone when they're having the Doctor do anything that involves stick needles into them, [[spoiler:including to Duke, though he escapes before anything bad happens]].

** ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'' has possibly the most famous operating table scene. Bond gets strapped to an operating table with an industrial laser slowly moving towards his crotch.

* In ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', Angel is strapped down to recieve the mutant cure on his own volition, but once he sees the needle, he gets panicky and quickly escapes.

** The same man (he is TheChewToy of the movie) finds himself on an operating table where he takes the place of a female patient. Before even understanding what is going on, an anesthesia mask is placed on his face. A doctor comes in and the man learns they are going to perform a breast augmentation on him. He starts moaning but is not able to alert about the patient mix-up and pass out.
** For a second time the same man finds himself on an operating table. He has been stripped to underwear revealing he has now a pair of large breasts and he is wearing a lacy bra. A surgeon with comically large scissors approaches, implying he is going to have a sex reassignement. At this point he just passes out.

* ''Series/TheMagician'': When Tony finds his kidnapped friend The Amazing Denbo in "The Illusion of the Deady Conglomerate", Denbo is strapped into a dentist chair as a dentist prepares to forcibly alter his teeth to match those a criminal preparing to [[FakingTheDead fake his death]].

** The crucifix-like operating tables in the Big Daddy factory, head rests restraints bathed by spotlight, also Steinman's other failed works are suspended from these on his ceiling.

* Dr. Loboto in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' straps his victims into a dentist chair before removing their brains.

** Also from show within a show "Race to the West Pole". (That's the family-friendly interpretation, to be sure.)

* ''Webcomic/StrongFemaleProtagonist'': this is the fate of [[spoiler:Feral]]. The kicker? [[spoiler:She does that in order to help people via becoming the ultimate organ donor, by virtue of her potent HealingFactor. And yes, it's '''completely voluntary''' on her part]]. Later, Alison is able to arrange for [[spoiler:Feral's healing power to be supercharged, to the point that she's able to meet ''global'' demand for organ donations with just 40 hours of surgery a month]].

* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', [[spoiler:the werewolf Oz]] is strapped naked to an operating table by [[GovernmentConspiracy the Initiative]], [[TheyWouldCutYouUp experimented on and tortured]] to find out [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting what makes him tick]].

* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': In "All Happy Families Are Alike", Falcone is wounded in an assassination attempt. When he wakes up, he is strapped to a gurney in an abandoned section of the hospital. The Penguin and Butch then arrive planning to kill him.
** On ''Series/{{Gotham}}'', a mob plastic surgeon who transplants captives' faces to give criminals new identities has his latest victim strapped down and gagged this way, and is marking pen-lines on her face in preparation for removing hers when Barnes busts in and interrupts.

** In the final scene of "Blank Slate", Hope Wilson is strapped to an operating table about to have her memory erased by Dr. Tom Cooper, with whom she had a brief relationship when his memories were erased.

* In ''[[Literature/TheCobraTrilogy Cobra]]'' by Creator/TimothyZahn, protagonist Jonny Moreau is strapped to one when he's captured by the Troft (invading aliens), and expects to be vivisected (live-dissected); however, as a Cobra [[OneManArmy supersoldier]], he has a bomb in his body. The Troft know about this from previous attempts at vivisection, so they just stick monitoring equipment on him and fill the place with video cameras so they can get information on his surgically-implanted equipment from how he uses it during his inevitable escape attempt.
%% * Thomas in ''Literature/TheDeathCure'' when [[spoiler: [[{{FunWithAcronyms}} WICKED]] is trying to [[{{Squick}} operate on his brain.]]]]

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Doofenshmirtz does the ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'' thing on Perry because he SawItInAMovieOnce, though [[BondVillainStupidity Doofenshmirtz didn't stay to see the end because it looked pretty foolproof]]. Unless you're using it on a platypus who doesn't have wrists to strap down, so he can pull them free the moment you've gone.

* ''Film/BlackWidow2021''. Yelena is captured by the Red Room and is sent to an operating theatre so Red Room techs can cut her head and find out why she is no longer under their mind control. She mutters that this is a not a cool way to die. [[spoiler:Fortunately she's a TrojanPrisoner and cuts the straps with a concealed knife.]]