History Main / ThePowerOFBlood

* The ultimate use of her power to [[spoiler: unite humanity into a single being]], Charlotte B. Lord of ''Anime/UnlimitedFafnir'' can use massive amounts of her own blood to control other people over a wide area, with the controlled adding their blood to the equation in a positive feedback loop that could involve the entirety of humanity.

* ''Literature/TheCityOfBrass'': [[OurGeniesAreDifferent Daeva]] society was once ruled by the Nahid Dynasty, descended from the one daeva to win the trust of the Prophet Suleiman. Their blood is unique in that it's a deadly poison to the ifrit -- those daeva who defied Suleiman at the cost of their magic.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' and its sequel, ''Ghosts of the Past'', draw on both ''Literature/HarryPotter'' and ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', particularly the latter, in their use of blood magic. While it isn't necessarily dark magic, and can be used benevolently to enhance spells, empower rituals and magic circles, and enforce bindings, it ''does'' stray very close to that area, and is much favoured by vampires - especially the Red Court and, to a lesser extent, Dracula's Grey Court. As a consequence of the latter, [[CrazyPrepared Doctor Strange]] has Harry study up on it extensively when he's set to run into Dracula and his plan to [[spoiler: use the blood of a SuperSoldier to become, among other things, immune to sunlight]].
* The ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26505973 blood of my blood]]'' depicts a fairly straightforward BloodTransfusionPlot between the Lannister twins, with Cersei as the donor and Jaime as the patient. The procedure is performed by Qyburn, a man who is both a doctor and a necromancer. Given the setting, it's framed as quasi-magical, in the same way that the Ironborn view CPR as a religious rite to the Drowned God. The fic frames blood as heavily symbolic in general. The whole thing is seen as the inverse of amputation--something being ''added'', rather than ''cut away''. But also, blood is magical, in that it has the power to do this. Cersei compares it to [[spoiler:what Maggy the Frog did with her blood.]] And blood is binding, Cersei imagining the procedure "binding them anew."

* AB) '''[[BloodMagic Blood is magical]]''' -- Any spells that require [[EyeOfNewt blood as a reagent]] will probably be either extremely powerful, BlackMagic, or both. Since blood is basically LifeEnergy, [[PowerSource anything using it]] will work similarly to things CastFromHitPoints, or it may be used to [[FertileBlood create life]]. The blood of [[MainliningTheMonster especially powerful or arcane creatures]] may compel others, [[HealItWithBlood heal]], grant immortality, or even become [[BodyToJewel gems]] or [[BloodyMurder weapons]]. See also BloodBath.

* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'': Fresh blood has several uses in Life spells. It can substitute for a personally dedicated magical tool (like a [[MagicWand ceremonial wand]]), insulating the spell against MagicMisfire, and serve as an EyeOfNewt to perform RitualMagic.

Blood. Animals have it, humans have it, even [[AlienBlood aliens have it.]] There's just something about the red liquid that flows through our veins that makes it seem important. Probably something to do with that whole..."keeping us alive" thing it does so well. As such, in fiction, it tends to have one or more of these properties.

Now, remember: Type AB Blood Power draws off of all the others, and all of them draw from Type O. Just be aware of the donor; may contain [[BloodyHilarious Bloody Hilarity]]. Has nothing to do with ThePowerOfCheese.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

--> '''[[WordOfGod John Morke]]:''' '''Aspects of Blood''' are born of [[MadScientist creators]] driven by “possessive” passion—lust, greed, and ambition. Blood represents the heat of passion and the wonder of emotion. Blood is a carrier as well as a fulcrum; it can be a river of plagues or a font of virginal purity with which to attract and bind the foulest of horrors and bid them whip. Blood Aspects are sanguine, passionate, outgoing creatures.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

* The ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26505973 blood of my blood]]'' depicts a fairly straightforward blood transfusion (the medical procedure) between the Lannister twins, with Cersei as the donor and Jaime as the patient. The procedure is performed by Qyburn, a man who is both a doctor and a necromancer. Given the setting, it's framed as quasi-magical, in the same way that the Ironborn view CPR as a religious rite to the Drowned God. The fic frames blood as heavily symbolic in general. The whole thing is an anti-amputation--something being added, rather than cut away. But also, blood is magical, in that it has the power to do this. Cersei compares it to [[spoiler:what Maggy the Frog did with her blood.]] And blood is binding, Cersei imagining the procedure "binding them anew."

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

* O) Most importantly, '''[[BloodyHorror Blood is disturbing]]''' -- There's just something about blood leaving the body that generally freaks people out, either from fear or disgust. For obvious reasons, it's directly associated with pain, injury and death. {{Horror}} and [[SlasherMovie Slasher]] stories rely on this. A further division of this, often connected to A, B, or AB, are messages written in blood, which are used primarily to scare the bejeezus out of people, but may also have magical, symbolic, or binding properties. This is sometimes combined with RoomFullOfCrazy for the extra creepy. Properly used, blood can turn fear into PrimalFear -- as per the shower scene in ''Film/{{Psycho}}'': the sight of Janet Leigh's hand trailing slowly down the shower curtain -- scary. The blood (actually just ''chocolate syrup'') smearing under her fingers -- PSYCHO! Many movies overdo this, resulting in mere {{Squick}} -- ''Film/SilentHill'' pours on the tension until your heart threatens to explode from your chest -- scary. Then Pyramid Head shows up and tears the skin from a woman in a single tug -- not that scary, just your basic {{Gorn}}.

* ''Anime/TheVisionOfEscaflowne''. The movie version took it UpToEleven.

** ''Series/{{Angel}}'' also used this quite extensively. The Beast dripped blood onto the artifacts it had gathered as the final part of its ritual to blot out the sun. The blood of a virgin was used to expedite the birth of Jasmine. Lorne's blood was used in another ritual calling for the blood of a demon. And of course Hamilton's blood turned out to be full of the power of the Senior Partners. There are probably a lot more. Any show with vampires and magic is likely to feature a lot of this trope.

** Blood was also part of the Targaryens' reasoning for their [[IncestIsRelative rampant incest]].

* In ''[[ComicBook/TheSandman A Game of You]]'', menstrual blood is used to power a spell to send the characters to the land of the dead and come back alive ([[spoiler:mostly]]). In ''The Time Of Your Life'', the same spell is powered from blood from Foxglove's hand.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2000-01-19 Satan wants the forms and waiver filled out in blood, of course.]]

* AB) '''[[BloodMagic Blood is magical]]''' -- Any spells that require [[EyeOfNewt blood as a reagent]] will probably be either extremely powerful, BlackMagic, or both. Since blood is basically LifeForce, [[PowerSource anything using it]] will work similarly to things CastFromHitPoints, or it may be used to [[FertileBlood create life]]. The blood of [[MainliningTheMonster especially powerful or arcane creatures]] may compel others, [[HealItWithBlood heal]], grant immortality, or even become [[BodyToJewel gems]] or [[BloodyMurder weapons]]. See also BloodBath.

* This is why Vampires in ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' attack people and drink their blood -- ''Shadowrun'' vampires actually drain [[LifeForce Essence]] to survive, but Essence Drain only works when the victim and predator are connected on a deep, emotional level. It just so happens that for most vampires, the easiest emotion to connect with your victim is "fear", and drinking someone's blood while they're watching helps tremendously.

* AB) '''[[BloodMagic Blood is magical]]''' -- Any spells that require [[EyeOfNewt blood as a reagent]] will probably be either extremely powerful, BlackMagic, or both. Since blood is basically LifeForce, [[PowerSource anything using it]] will work similarly to things CastFromHitPoints, or it may be used to [[FertileBlood create life]]. The blood of [[MainliningTheMonster especially powerful or arcane creatures]] may compel others, [[HealItWithBlood heal]], grant immortality, or even [[BodyToJewel become gems]]. See also BloodBath.

* Franchise/SpiderMan villain ComicBook/{{Carnage}} has an alien symbiote mixed into his bloodstream that allows him to shape his blood and use it as a weapon. This is sometimes played for a more horrific effect, particularly in Creator/WarrenEllis and KyleHotz's BodyHorror laden graphic novel "Mindbomb"

* ''Literature/{{Dracula}}''.
* [[Literature/HarryPotter Dolores Umbridge]] and her blood quill uses this, which clashes horribly with her otherwise {{Kawaiiko}} persona. It serves as one of the biggest clues to how much of a [[BitchInSheepsClothing nasty piece of work]] she really is.

--> Hanna: It must be because I use magic, it taints my blood, but ANYWAYS.

* Melisandre of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' uses the blood of a king in a ritual to [[spoiler: cause the deaths of Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, and Balon [=GreyJoy=]]]. [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane Possibly.]] The maegi Mirri Maz Duur also uses blood magic to [[spoiler: [[EmptyShell "heal"]] Drogo]] and the favor is returned by Daenerys when she [[spoiler: burns the maegi alive as part of the magic to awaken her dragons.]]
** This was also part of the Targaryens' reasoning for their [[IncestIsRelative rampant incest]].

* The ''Series/SongOfIceAndFire'' fanfic ''[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26505973 blood of my blood]'' depicts a fairly straightforward blood transfusion (the medical procedure) between the Lannister twins, with Cersei as the donor and Jaime as the patient. The procedure is performed by Qyburn, a man who is both a doctor and a necromancer. Given the setting, it's framed as quasi-magical, in the same way that the Ironborn view CPR as a religious rite to the Drowned God. The fic frames blood as heavily symbolic in general. But also, blood is magical--in that it has the power to do this and save a life. Cersei compares it to [[spoiler:what Maggy the Frog did with her blood.]] And blood is binding, Cersei imagining the procedure "binding them anew."

* O) Most importantly, '''[[BloodyHorror Blood is ''disturbing'']]''' -- There's just something about blood leaving the body that generally freaks people out, either from fear or disgust. For obvious reasons, it's directly associated with pain, injury and death. {{Horror}} and [[SlasherMovie Slasher]] stories rely on this. A further division of this, often connected to A, B, or AB, are messages written in blood, which are used primarily to scare the bejeezus out of people, but may also have magical, symbolic, or binding properties. This is sometimes combined with RoomFullOfCrazy for the extra creepy. Properly used, blood can turn fear into PrimalFear -- as per the shower scene in ''Film/{{Psycho}}'': the sight of Janet Leigh's hand trailing slowly down the shower curtain -- scary. The blood (actually just ''chocolate syrup'') smearing under her fingers -- PSYCHO! Many movies overdo this, resulting in mere {{Squick}} -- ''Film/SilentHill'' pours on the tension until your heart threatens to explode from your chest -- scary. Then Pyramid Head shows up and tears the skin from a woman in a single tug -- not that scary, just your basic {{Gorn}}.

* O) Most importantly, '''[[BloodyHorror Blood is ]]''[[BloodyHorror disturbing]]''''' -- There's just something about blood leaving the body that generally freaks people out, either from fear or disgust. For obvious reasons, it's directly associated with pain, injury and death. {{Horror}} and [[SlasherMovie Slasher]] stories rely on this. A further division of this, often connected to A, B, or AB, are messages written in blood, which are used primarily to scare the bejeezus out of people, but may also have magical, symbolic, or binding properties. This is sometimes combined with RoomFullOfCrazy for the extra creepy. Properly used, blood can turn fear into PrimalFear -- as per the shower scene in ''Film/{{Psycho}}'': the sight of Janet Leigh's hand trailing slowly down the shower curtain -- scary. The blood (actually just ''chocolate syrup'') smearing under her fingers -- PSYCHO! Many movies overdo this, resulting in mere {{Squick}} -- ''Film/SilentHill'' pours on the tension until your heart threatens to explode from your chest -- scary. Then Pyramid Head shows up and tears the skin from a woman in a single tug -- not that scary, just your basic {{Gorn}}.

!Type A

!Type B

!Type AB

!Type O

* The Healing Church's special blood in ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' can cure any ailment and has cemented the church's power over the city of Yharnam. [[spoiler: Too bad it belongs to/''is'' an EldritchAbomination and gradually transforms people into horrific beasts.]]

* AB) '''[[BloodMagic Blood is magical]]''' -- Any spells that require [[EyeOfNewt blood as a reagent]] will probably be either extremely powerful, BlackMagic, or both. Since blood is basically LifeForce, [[PowerSource anything using it]] will work similarly to things CastFromHitPoints, or it may be used to [[FertileBlood create life]]. The blood of [[MainliningTheMonster especially powerful or arcane creatures]] may compel others, grant immortality, or even [[BodyToJewel become gems]]. See also BloodBath.

* AB) '''[[BloodMagic Blood is magical]]''' -- Any spells that require [[EyeOfNewt blood as a reagent]] will probably be either extremely powerful, BlackMagic, or both. Since blood is basically LifeForce, [[PowerSource anything using it]] will work similarly to things CastFromHP, or it may be used to [[FertileBlood create life]]. The blood of [[MainliningTheMonster especially powerful or arcane creatures]] may compel others, grant immortality, or even [[BodyToJewel become gems]]. See also BloodBath.