History Main / TortureTechnician

[[folder:Real Life]]
* During its military dictatorship, Brazil exported torture technology.
* While Prime Minister UsefulNotes/TonyBlair was calling for the British military sales industry to be more ethical, it was revealed that British companies were exporting "police and internal security equipment" that inexperienced eyes might mistake for torture equipment. End users of "restraint and detention" equipment included Israel, Saudi Arabia, other Arab states, and various Far Eastern and Central/South American states - all of which were on Amnesty's list for human rights abuses. A year after Blair's call for more ethical sales, British makers were still attending international arms fairs marketing the world's best detention, restraint, and interrogation equipment. The US has also been found to be guilty of this, along with training personnel from various dictatorships in "interrogation". It's fair to say most such countries (but also many democracies) employ people with these skills.
* Gertrude Baniszewski, a [[BitchInSheepsClothing seemingly kindly caretaker woman]], subjected [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sylvia_Likens Sylvia Likens]], a teenage girl in her care, to horrific tortures including burning with cigarettes, branding, starving, beating, rape, and more. This went on for ''three months'' until poor Sylvia finally succumbed to her injuries. As if this weren't heinous enough, she forced the other kids in her care to participate in the torturing, most of whom [[KidsAreCruel had no qualms about inflicting horrific abuse of their own]].
[[/folder]]

* ''{{Series/Cursed}}'': Brother Salt of the Red Paladins specializes in torture and isn't impeded by being blind at all.

* Psyklops, a psychic vampire working for the Dark Destroyer in ''ComicBook/AtariForce'' who feeds off pain.

* In the Belgian comics ''Passe-moi l'ciel'', Hell is full of this, with demons council always searching for new techniques. However, when Pinosecu's (mix of Pinochet and Ceausescu) torture officer is brought to Hell, he ended torturing the demons to show them how to do it better.

* Creator/DCComics has got Kid Karnevil, who first appeared in ''ComicBook/{{Shadowpact}}'' and later in ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica''. He's [[TheSociopath a teenage sociopath]] dressed like a boy scout, and later revealed to be a Neo-Nazi, who apparently died and went to Hell, but was kicked out because he was scaring the other demons too much.

* Subverted with Herr Doktor Kilikil in the ''ComicBook/SpirouAndFantasio'' adventure "QRN On Bretzelburg": his methods involve scraping chalk on a blackboard, or cooking a lavish and fragrant meal in front of a hungry prisoner. He's so good at it, in fact, that he eventually becomes a restaurant cook.

---> '''Whirl:''' He said he'd tell us everything if I promised to stop hurting him.

** Her AxCrazy handler Kimura has been frequently shown torturing Laura, her friends, or her loved ones (such as punishing Laura ''with a chainsaw'' for escaping), and this is clearly shown to be ''part of the job''. Xander Rice did it as part of the process of preparing her as a weapon (special mention goes to conditioning her for the trigger scent, which involved waterboarding and ''electric shock''), and while his treatment of Laura is clearly established to be RevengeByProxy, the adult Rice is introduced in ''[[ComicBook/X23InnocenceLost Innocence Lost]]'' in the midst of performing experimentation on mutants which ends with the death of one of the subjects. Malcolm Colcord also utilized torture on Laura and various random citizens of Madripoor during his attempts to resume Weapon X experimentation.

* The leader of the thugs who kidnap Mike Stoker in the ''Series/{{Emergency}}'' fic ''Fanfic/TheNumbersGame'' (bottom links [[http://www.network54.com/Forum/199227/message/1297994922/Mike+in+peril here]]) is one. He flat-out says he wants to keep Mike alive and lucid until they're good and ready to kill him. And when he is finally rescued, his crewmates are horrified at the extent of the burns, cuts, beatings etc designed deliberately to inflict as much pain as possible without killing him.

* ''Literature/AftermathLifeDebt'': Sinjir was trained in how to inflict pain on fellow humans, having been specifically taught of all the points on the body which will maximize this. When torturing an alien, he has to improvise. This is something he hates doing though.

** Amycus and Alecto Carrow ''really'' love torturing people. During Voldemort's regime, they were assigned to be teachers at Hogwarts, where they resorted to using the Cruciatus Curse as a punishment for misbehaving students. This also includes first year students, who are only 11 years old. The Carrows also teach other students to be Torture Technicians, by forcing them to use the Cruciatus Curse on misbehaving students.

* ''{{Series/Cursed}}'': Brother Salt of the Red Paladins specializes in torture, and isn't impeded by being blind at all.

* The TV version of ''Series/LaFemmeNikita'' features a male and female duo of disturbingly adept "white room" operatives. Often brought in at the behest of Madeline (who was an effective torturer herself), these cold-eyed techies got answers for Section One... and occasionally torture errant members of that group as well.

--> '''Danny:''' ''[Picking up a pair of secateurs]'' ...They call me "The Gardener".

* ''Series/Preacher2016'': Viktor Kruglov employs one who has a room packed full of instruments, and is completely matter-of-fact about his work.

** In the second series, this trope is pushed even further through Mr Omida, who refers to torture as "communication" and calmly introduces himself to his victims sometimes days before torturing them. [[spoiler: Like Lee, Omida is also killed off in his first episode, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard stabbed with one of his beloved surgical tools]].]] "Always with my first torture I like to start with something brutal and traditional."

** In the opening act, the player character ends up passing through a torture chamber staffed with torturers that are part of the Imperial Legion.

* Captain Snow, when he isn't actively working to bring the end of the ''Webcomic/{{Archipelago}}'', unwinds by, well. Torturing people. He actually used to have a medical license, but lost it for some vaguely sinister reasons.

* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' has [[WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddysBigPictureShow Eddy's brother being this, playing "Uncle"]] '''''CONSTANTLY''''' with his little brother. Not only had this form Eddy into a prankster, but allowed the use of [[{{Fartillery}} The El Mongo Stink Bomb]].

** Shockwave is a much clearer example. In his debut episode, he had his laboratory filled with various torture devices, with his victims being StrappedToAnOperatingTable as he extracts information from them. He also invented cortical psychic patch, which allows the user to [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind directly view the memories of an interrogatee]] to gain information from their minds. Due to that, he has a very known reputation among Decepticons as successful interrogator, to the point that any time there's somebody who needs interrogation, they very often ask him for assistance.

* Gertrude Baniszewski, a [[BitchInSheepsClothing seemingly kindly caretaker woman]], subjected [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sylvia_Likens Sylvia Likens]], a teenage girl in her care, to horrific tortures including burning with cigarettes, branding, starving, beating, rape, and more. This went on for ''three months'' until poor Sylvia finally succumbed to her injuries. As if this weren't heinous enough, she forced the other kids in her care to participate in the torturing.

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}} the Gaul'' features a rather cheerful Roman torturer.

* In ''ComicBook/BackToBrooklyn'', [[TheDragon Churchill]] is [[BigBad Paul Saetta's]] "pet psychopath".
* Franchise/{{Batman}} villain Black Mask was re-imagined as such in the early 2000s; he cites reading up on the Spanish Inquisition as an inspiration for him. His most notorious acts in this vein include torturing ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'s brother-in-law to death and driving her sister permanently insane by force-feeding her his eyeballs, and torturing and ([[DeathIsCheap for a while]]) killing Stephanie Brown during the ''War Games'' crossover event.
* In ''ComicBook/TheDarkness'', there was an appearance by a nerdy-looking fellow, Mr. Vespasian, described as the ultimate torturer. He took out an odd, hooked, and twisted blade and did [[GoryDiscretionShot something]] to ''his own arm'' with it -- something that made hardened criminals gag and look away in horror. "Ow," the torturer said cheerfully. "That hurt." Then he leaned close to the man he was supposed to interrogate and added, "Now imagine what I'm going to do to ''you''." The victim immediately spilled everything he knew... (And then Vespasian's employer gave him permission to work the guy over anyway.)
* In Mark Waid's limited series ''ComicBook/{{Empire}}'', the EvilOverlord Golgoth has a typical inner circle of lieutenants. One of them is the "Minister of Punishment", [[MeaningfulName Tumbril]], whose characterization can be summed up in one line:

* From ''Creator/JackKirby's [[ComicBook/NewGods Fourth World]],'' and elsewhere in Franchise/TheDCU, there's ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}'s lackey, [=DeSaad=]. The name says it all.
** Considering the Fourth Worlders are embodied Platonic Ideals - apparently - this makes him the God of Torture. Yikes.
** ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}'s other lackey Granny Goodness is also a master torturer. Unlike [=DeSaad=], she doesn't do it for interrogation, she practices it on orphans ForTheEvulz.
** Darkseid himself will indulge if he doesn't have any minions around to do the torturing for him. While his Omega Beams can certainly act as an AgonyBeam at their lowest power, sometimes he'll get creative and use the Omega Sanction- a GroundhogDayLoop where the victim endures progressively worse lives ending in one painful, ignoble death after another. [[AndIMustScream They stay in that loop as long as Darkseid wants them to]], and Darkseid is not one to show his victims anything resembling mercy.
* The [[MeaningfulName Paine brothers]]--[=DeSade=], Crispo and Torquemada--from the ''ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel'' comics. They were hired by Cobra and were assigned by TheBaroness to torture Snake-Eyes while he was imprisoned in the Cobra Consulate.

* In the Belgian comics ''Passe-moi l'ciel'', Hell is full of this, with demons council always searching for new techniques.
** But when Pinosecu's (mix of Pinochet and Ceausescu) torture officer is brought to Hell, he ended torturing the demons to show them how to do it better.
* Not a villain, but sometimes ComicBook/ThePunisher qualifies, especially in [[ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX the MAX series]]. Make Frank really angry, and you'll wish he was just practicing the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique.

* Davis from the ''ComicBook/SinCity'' story, "The Big Fat Kill," is described as an "artist" when it comes to torture, able to put someone through sheer agony without leaving a single mark on the victim, and it's implied that he's even nastier when the "tools" come out. We don't get to see what he does with the tools, because Dwight, along with all the girls of Old Town, pitch in to save Gail in a BigDamnHeroes moment. In the movie, Davis's role is handed off to Manute.
* In the opening scenes of the Creator/CrossGen comic ''ComicBook/{{Sojourn}}'', BigBad Mordath is seen casually torturing a man so brutally that even his [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Troll]] {{Mook}}s are Squicked by it.

* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW'':

** In "Dark Cybertron" Whirl catches an Ammonite before it can get away and while we don't see his methods they prove pretty quick and effective - it seems he skips straight to the hurting part until he gets the answers he wants.
--> '''Whirl:''' He said he'd tell us everything if I promised to stop hurting him.
* ComicBook/{{X 23}} has been on ''both'' sides of this trope. As her primary purpose function has been indicated to focus on covert operations and assassination, she has revealed or hinted at her experience of using torture to extract information, such as by describing her protocols for extraction of information ''in French class'' while going to school with her cousin in ''Target: X'', or being outright depicted using torture during her stint on ''ComicBook/XForce'' or in her solo series. Her willingness to use these techniques often puts her at odds with her teammates.
** Her AxCrazy handler Kimura has been frequently shown torturing Laura, her friends, or her loved ones (such as punishing Laura ''with a chainsaw'' for escaping), and this is clearly shown to be ''part of the job''. Xander Rice did it as part of the process of preparing her as a weapon (special mention goes to conditioning her for the trigger scent, which involved waterboarding and ''electric shock''), and while his treatment of Laura is clearly established to be RevengeByProxy, the adult Rice is introduced in ''Innocence Lost'' in the midst of performing experimentation on mutants which ends with the death of one of the subjects. Malcolm Colcord also utilized torture on Laura and various random citizens of Madripoor during his attempts to resume Weapon X experimentation.

* Doctor Anna Ripley from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfVoxMachina''. "Depths of Deceit" opens with a flashback of a teenaged Percy, battered, half-naked, and tied to a chair, while Ripley presses him for information. When he can't answer, Ripley uses a hook to tear massive gashes into his torso, smiling as he screams in agony. She then calls in Percy's younger sister Cassandra, implying he was being ForcedToWatch her be tortured as well. Scenes from Percy and Cassandra's escape weeks later show them battered and bruised, covered in blood, and missing all of their fingernails.

* "Say hello to THE SCREAM EXTRACTOR!" Randall Boggs in ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc''.
** In a more literal sense of the title, his assistant Fungus operates the machine. He genuinely feels bad for [[spoiler:Mike]] as it gears up.

* WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy has [[WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddysBigPictureShow Eddy's brother being this, playing "Uncle"]] '''''CONSTANTLY''''' with his little brother. Not only had this form Eddy into a prankster, but allowed the use of [[{{Fartillery}} The El Mongo Stink Bomb]].

* In ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Sayid acted as an interrogator for the Iraqi army. He puts his torture skills to use on Sawyer in the first season, though he quits pretty fast and has generally sworn off such things. In a later season, Oldham acts as the DHARMA Initiative's torture expert. He's a folksy psychopath who lives on his own in the jungle and uses drugs that appear to be LSD as part of his technique.
* Averted in ''Series/TwentyFour'' where the torture technician seems to just treat it like a job, and in many cases appears to be less willing than Jack to torture suspects.
-->"[[DoubleEntendre This is Johnson. You know what Johnson does.]]"
* The TV version of ''Series/LaFemmeNikita'' features a male and female duo of disturbingly adept "white room" operatives. Often brought in at the behest of Madeline (who was an effective torturer herself), these cold-eyed techies got answers for Section One... and occasionally torture errant members of that group as well.

* ''Series/Batman1966'' TV Series: Parodied (maybe) when Mr. Freeze lowers Miss Iceland's body temperature convinced [[InsaneTrollLogic that she will fall in love with him when she also hits fifty degrees below zero]]. When that fails, he converts her to a HumanPopsicle.
* On ''Series/GoodEats'', there is the Dungeonmaster, who lives in Alton's basement. He shows off more advanced cooking implements and is not above tormenting bunnies and such. Alton doesn't particularly like him.

* In ''Series/Merlin2008'', Alator of the Catha is a skilled torturer, although he takes no pleasure in it. He uses a form of magical mind torture which is extremely painful and efficient but apparently leaves no lasting physical or mental damage.
* Janina Kleiberson from ''Series/Dracula2013'', in a rare case of this trope being played out by a woman.

* George King, "The Skinner" from ''Series/{{Dexter}}'' used to be a torturer in Nicaragua with the nickname "The Blade" as he specialized in [[FlayedAlive skinning people alive]]. In present day, he's a serial killer who still tortures his victims for information, though Dexter points out that he really just does it [[ForTheEvulz because he enjoys it.]]
* ''Series/MadamSecretary'': In a {{flashback}} to Liz's time in Iraq, she at one point hands a captured insurgent over to an Army interrogator after spending a couple hours trying to get him to talk as the {{Good Cop|BadCop}}. The shot cuts away and all you hear is the suspect screaming. In the present, Liz explains to her daughter what "stepping it up" meant, including stress positions and waterboarding (straight out of the mid-2000s "enhanced interrogation techniques" handbook).
* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'':
** Bob in "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon". Falcone's chief interrogator, he is sent to extract 'an apology' from Fish Mooney and maintains a polite banter with her while he is torturing her. However, [[spoiler:he is pounded unconscious by Butch before he can get too far into the process]].
** In Season 4, Penguin and later Sofia Falcone employ one known as "the Dentist" for his preference for torturing people [[TheToothHurts through their mouths]].
* ''Series/BrainDead2016'': Agent J. K. Cornish is a mild example. He's cheerful (which at first makes it all the creepier) reluctant to use [[InsistentTerminology "enhanced interrogation techniques"]] and happily lets Laurel go when the authorization doesn't go through. He also admits he's been through all of them in his training, which probably helps his reluctance. Still, he believes they're necessary at times.
* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'':
** Daniel Whitehall, former [[ThoseWackyNazis SS officer]] and one of the heads of Comicbook/{{HYDRA}}. In the episode [[Recap/AgentsOfSHIELDS2E4FaceMyEnemy "Face My Enemy"]], he boasts of torturing a woman "on and off" for a '' week'' and remarks that he finds the body's tendency to make people black out due to too much pain "frustrating".
** Disturbingly, in the virtual alternate reality of [[LotusEaterMachine the Framework]], Fitz is one himself. In his position as NumberTwo and chief MadScientist of HYDRA, he personally carries out the torture and experimentation of Inhumans in order to study their powers. His cool, disconnected attitude about it is the most frightening aspect of it all.
* ''Series/Preacher2016'': Viktor Kruglov employs one who has a room packed full of instruments, and is completely matter-of-fact about his work.
* In ''Series/NewTricks'', Danny riffs on this while his partner is PerpSweating two mob flunkies, simply by hovering in the background in [[EvilWearsBlack all-black clothes]] and [[ConspicuousGloves gloves]], speaking {{soft|SpokenSadist}}ly, and fiddling with a bag of household {{Noodle Implement}}s. Somehow, his colleagues avoid laughing at the act long enough for the flunkies to talk.
--> '''Danny:''' ''[Picking up a pair of secateurs]'' ...They call me "The Gardener".
* ''Series/TheBlacklist'':
** Reddington employs a torturer named Brimley, who is a very unusual example. First off, he's a little old man who is constantly hooked up to an oxygen tank. Secondly, his offscreen torture sessions apparently involve a wide variety of NoodleImplements -- in one episode, he exits a room where he's been working on someone with a live ''llama'' in tow, and in another makes use of ''board games''.
*** It turns out to be a family business, as Brimley's wheelchair-bound wife and heavyset son also pop up in a couple of episodes to help out/fill in for him, using the same techniques.
** A much more serious example is Dr. Laken Perillos, a Blacklister of the week in Season 8 who works for ArcVillain Nicholas Townsend. She uses a combination of medieval torture devices and modern toxins to inflict the maximum amount of pain on her victims in order to break them and make them talk.
* ''Series/{{Ghoul}}'': Nida and the rest of her unit are part of a black ops torture outfit used to interrogate political dissidents.
* ''Series/{{Rome}}''. A specialist detachment of the Roman army is assigned to Lucius Vorenus to torture Gaulish prisoners for information after the Thirteen Legion's standard is stolen. Later Titus Pullo has to torture someone and is momentarily stymied because he's never had to do that before -- it's [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome just not his job.]] He quickly works out how it's done on the advice of [[EnfantTerrible Octavian]].
* ''Series/FearTheWalkingDead'': Daniel Salazar was this, in his past life during the El Salvadoran Civil War.
* ''{{Series/Messiah}}'': Avenir was once a professional interrogator/torturer, from what we've seen.
* ''Series/AFrenchVillage'': Müller specializes in torture, it seems, and displays his skill frequently.

* ''Series/KinnPorsche'': Vegas specialises in torture for the Theerapanyakul mafia family. He has his own torture kit briefcase for whenever he needs to torture information out of someone.

* Revolver Ocelot (or just Ocelot when he said this) from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''. "You know, it's not all that bad...it's the ultimate form of expression." This was in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', after [[spoiler:seeing Naked Snake with one of his eyes bleeding from having a muzzle flash destroy it.]]
** He was inspired by Volgin, who, hilariously, is an absolutely horrible torturer. He's a sadist, and either kills the subjects or ends up giving them more information than he gets.

* [[http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=3983#comments This guy]] in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. Fittingly, he works for the local branch of the [[strike: Spanish]] Scarlet Inquisition (and, in-game at least, [[LargeHam has the same voice coach]] as his [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus better-known comrades]]. Best-known nowadays for [[ScrappyLevel being slaughtered remorselessly]] because a high-level holiday event took place in his instance.
* In ''[[VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic Heroes IV]]'', the Necromancer [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Castrata]] is described as having a collection of rare and ancient torture devices, along with written confessions of those she tortures.
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', you run into droids with this specific purpose. Furthermore, in the sequel [[spoiler: Atton Rand]] reveals that he used to be one for the Sith, torturing and killing Jedi.
-->"There's ways of gassing them, drugging them, making them lose control, torturing them. I was really good at it. What's worse, is that killing them isn't the best thing. Making them fall...[[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil making them see our side of it,]] that was the best."
* In ''VideoGame/LiberalCrimeSquad'' There is a Psychology skill. A higher Psychology skill means that the character was better at "enlightening" kidnapped conservatives. That means you can train and employ torture technicians.

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney'' has the demons of Bootes, who have captured several humans and are subjecting them to nightmarish tortures. The reasoning? They're trying to find out just how much of the material body is necessary for a human to survive. That the answer is "all of it" doesn't satisfy them.
-->"When we cut into the human's skull, a gray material leaked out of their skull, and they stopped moving. Our conclusion is that humans need something called a 'brain.' But in hindsight, we've created a person who can never get angry. We've done a good thing! What a good thing we demons did!"

* ''VideoGame/ColdWinter'' ''begins'' with your arrest in a Red Chinese prison, with a torture expert gleefully burning you with cigarettes and personally [[{{fingore}} snapping your fingers]], one by one. You managed to escape thanks to an ally, and one of your objectives is to eliminate said torturer.
* In ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'', the Inquisitors of the Templar Order are essentially this, in charge of "cleansing" new initiates of their sins by beating and whipping the living daylights out of them. [[spoiler:They don't particularly give a damn about the guilt or innocence of the initiate, and will gladly pile false sins upon an innocent if they feel he would make an asset to the Order, as happened with Kormac, your Templar follower who was put through this]].

* Dr. Vahlen of ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' is a rare heroic case. Part of her job is to interrogate captured aliens. While her motivations are noble - the defense of Earth - she does seem to take a certain pleasure in her work. For that matter, none of her subjects have ever survived interrogation.
* In ''[[VideoGame/AssaultOnDarkAthena The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena]]'', an unseen member of the Athena crew occasionally referred to as "The Dentist" is strongly implied to be this. Being sent to him/her is considered an extreme punishment, on par with having your body [[FateWorseThanDeath harvested into a mindless cyborg]]. One seasoned merc is willing to face the OneManArmy that is Riddick when Revas threatens him with a "trip to the Dentist". Earlier in the game, another merc can be overheard joking about it, and his partner immediately shuts him up with a sincere "''Don't even fucking joke about that''".
* ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'' has The Knife, a minor antagonist Nazi doctor at a prison camp who sadistically tortures prisoners and incinerates their corpses.

* ''VideoGame/MaceTheDarkAge'': The Executioner serves as a PsychoForHire torturer and [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin executioner]] for the Seven. He has an inescapable island prison (called [[PunnyName El Katraz]]) full of ways to kill people in horrible manners, and his fight is in a room filled with various torture instruments. [[spoiler:If he gets the [[ArtifactOfDoom Mace]], he uses it to usher in a literal hell on Earth. In the bad (for him anyway) ending, he's [[KarmicDeath thrown in his own prison]], with Asmodeus deciding to teach him what torture ''really'' is]].

* ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'': Revolver Ocelot, natch.
-->'''Ocelot''': "Torture" is such an ''inelegant'' word. I'm an artist. Their testicles are my canvas.
* In ''{{Webcomic/Sarilho}}'', both Eurico and Estanislau fit this trope, with the first performing mental torture while the second performs the physical part of it.

* In ''Literature/TalesOfMU'' Steff is preparing to be one of these.

* Dusk Peterson's series ''TheEternalDungeon'', where prisoners are respected, the truth valued, and confession is considered necessary for the health of the criminal's soul. In the first book, the main character is sent to the Eternal Dungeon after being accused of murder. The series continues with him after he has himself become a Seeker (Torture Technician).

* Web-writer Cor's unstoppable tickle "monsters".
* While A_J herself does enjoy carrying out most of the torture in ''Roleplay/{{AJCO}}'' this role often falls to whoever her second in command is at the time - usually it's Pythos, though during her absence the role was taken over by Breyos (which she wasn't too happy to find out when she got back).
* Dr. Emily Gray in ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' is able to do what even Carolina cannot: get information from a captured space pirate. We don't actually see what she does to the poor son of a bitch, but the sounds of power tools, the man's screams, and Dr. Gray enthusiastically singing opera can be heard. She has to "put him back together" before Carolina is able to speak with him again.

%%
%%
%%
%%
%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
%%
%%
%%
%%
%%

%%* Senor Steel in the ''Literature/DocSavage'' novel ''The Freckled Shark''.%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample
* The entire cult of the evil god Liart from ''Literature/TheDeedOfPaksenarrion''. There's a particularly graphic torture session in the third novel of the series, ''Oath of Gold''.
* The Gestapo torturers in ''Literature/TheSecretOfSantaVittoria'' take pride in their work, even taking time to explain that pulling out nails is overrated; {{electric torture}} is ''much'' more effective.
* Milovan Djilas' historical novel ''Literature/UnderTheColors'' has a prolonged torture sequence where the Turkish interrogator carefully explains to his assistant the name of each technique, where it came from, and what it USED to be called.
* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'': Baron Ryoval in ''Mirror Dance'' has a staff of torture technicians.
* In ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'', the Persian reveals that Erik (the titular Phantom) worked as one of these for the Shah-in-Shah in Mazenderan. Helps to explain a lot of things.
* ''Literature/TheActsOfCaine'': Arkadeil's matter-of-fact, scholarly manner of ToThePain arguably makes him far creepier than many who take sadistic joy in it.
%%* The Philosopher in ''Literature/{{Transition}}''.%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample
%%* Wanderer from ''Literature/TheHost2008'' believes Doc to be this at first.%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample
* Andrei Koscuisko of Susan R. Matthews's ''Jurisdiction'' series, beginning with ''An Exchange of Hostages'' is this trope as part of his job as Ship's Surgeon.
%%* Susan Mortlake from ''Literature/ThePowerOfFive''.%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample
* ''Literature/TheReynardCycle'': One of the crew members of the Quicksilver is Ghul, who is introduced as being so good at ColdBloodedTorture that his victims don't have a mark on them afterwards. ''Even though they're dead.''
* In Dennis Jones' ''Literature/WarsawConcerto'', several KGB officers observe as a Torture Technician interrogates and administers electro-torture to a female defector. A doctor monitors her vital signs as she is tortured [[spoiler: to her death]].
* In the ''Literature/BelisariusSeries'', the Malwa Empire employs a sect of torturers called the mahamimamsa. They're little better than violent, sadistic brutes and are a favourite target of the heroes and their allies.
* In the second ''Literature/{{Dexter}}'' novel, ''Dearly Devoted Dexter'', we meet "Dr. Danco", who specializes in gradual amputations of limbs, facial features, genitalia, and so on. He keeps his "patients" conscious during the whole thing.
* ''Literature/AftermathLifeDebt'': Sinjir was trained in how to inflict pain on fellow humans, having been specifically taught of all the points on the body which will maximize this. When torturing an alien, he has to improvise. This is something he hates doing though.
* The ''Literature/NewSeriesAdventures'' novel ''In the Blood'' has an interesting twist on the "clinical and emotionless" version, with a [[TheMenInBlack Man in Black]] alien who is [[TheSpock actually emotionless]], comes from an agrarian world of peace and harmony, and is also an utterly conscienceless torturer and killer. Apparently, when you're part of a tranquil and passive HiveMind you don't ''need'' a conscience to maintain it, and when he arrived on Earth he saw [[HumansAreBastards what humans do to each other and other animals]] and just accepted that if this was how our society worked...
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': The [[TheFairFolk Fae]] Winter Queen Mab doesn't seem to make a regular practice of it, but when a ranking member of her Court betrays her, she spends ''years'' first keeping him at the edge of sanity, then seeing how far over the edge she can drive him. As Dresden later remarks, if any member of the Winter Court broke Mab's given word, they'd be "thrilled to die" once she was through with them.
-->''"The [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} White Christ]] never suffered so long or so terribly as did this traitor. Three days on a tree. Hardly enough for a prelude. When it came to visiting agony, the Romans were hobbyists."''
* [[AntiVillain Dieter Franck]] in ''Literature/{{Jackdaws}}'' is an unusual example in that he absolutely hates torturing people, to the point where he gets debilitating migraines after each successful interrogation session. That's ''why'' he's so good at it; while most of his peers [[{{Sadist}} draw the process out from sheer sadism]], Dieter zeroes in on the quickest and most efficient way of breaking his victim, just so he can get it over with.
* ''Literature/TheSpeedOfSound'': ''The Sound of Echoes'' has Mr. Elliott, an assassin who kills his victims as slowly and painfully as possible, then uploads the videos to a dark website to advertise his business.

* The villain of ''Film/TheEvilThatMenDo'' is Dr. Clement Molloch, a doctor who advises Latin American dictatorships on how to torture people. The movie opens with Molloch demonstrating to a group of army officers the use of ElectricTorture on a dissident journalist. He says he's advised twenty different ones in his career.
-->'''Dr. Molloch:''' Gentleman, torture as a political instrument is no longer the crude and brutal extraction of information from one's enemies. It has become a subtle and sophisticated specialty.
* EV-9D9, Jabba the Hutt's torturer droid in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''. Somewhat subverted in that she only tortured droids.
* In ''Film/ThreeTheHardWay'' three gorgeous women on motorcycles show up to have a little ''fun'' with a [[{{mooks}} mook]] that the heroes have captured. They have to leave him able to talk before they can have ''all'' their fun. One of the good guys notices the last one is carrying a closed shoulder bag.
-->'''Keyes''': Can I ask you what's in the bag?\\
'''Woman''': Don't ask.
* Preston Scott is this toward the Independents captured by the Community in ''Film/SixTheMarkUnleashed'', played with delicious malice by Brad Heller.
* ''Film/{{Sniper}}'': "El Cirujano" ([[RedBaron The Surgeon]]), a secondary target on Beckett and Miller's mission, is an ex-CIA spook who tortures prisoners for the Panamian insurgents. After Beckett is captured later in the film, the Surgeon applies his skills on his new captive.
* In ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015'', [[spoiler:Uncle Rudy]] turns out to be an erstwhile Nazi and a prolific torturer. His specialty is ElectricTorture using an apparatus of his own design.
* Francis/Ajax from ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}'' knows quite a bit about torture, since he awakens people's dormant mutant abilities through it (he's a firm believer in DieOrFly). He's also [[TheSociopath completely incapable of pity]].

* In ''Film/ScreamAndScreamAgain'', Konratz has the reputation of being able to extract information from anyone. The extent of his activities horrifies even his superiors.
* In ''Film/{{Swashbuckler}}'', Durant's [[TheVoiceless silent lute player]] is supposed to be an expert in the art of torture. Durant uses his reputation (and a small demonstration) as a warning to Major Folly about what will happen to him if he screws up again. Fortunately, [[TakeOurWordForIt the lute player's talents are never demonstrated on screen]].
* In ''Film/TenDeadMen'', [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep the Projects Manager]] handles information extraction for Hart. When Keller objects to him taking his time over torturing Ryan rather than [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just killing him]], he responds that you cannot hurry great art.
* Mendoza in ''Film/ThePitAndThePendulum1991'', who is so gifted at torture and extracting confessions from heretics, that Torquemada rescued from death by crucifixion to serve as his personal torturer. He also flagellates Torquemada whenever the Inquisitor is troubled by wicked thoughts.
* ''Film/ClosetLand'': The Interrogator shows keen skill in torture, both physical and psychological (especially the latter, which he makes even more use of), utilizing them against the Author throughout the film. However, he admits she's much stronger than most subjects and attributes this to [[spoiler:her surviving sexual abuse as a child]].
* The antagonists of ''Film/GuineaPigDevilsExperiment'' are a group of men torturing a woman to test the human body's pain limits.
* In ''Film/AsianSchoolGirls'', Curtis--one of the high-ups in the crime syndicate--has May StrappedToAnOperatingTable and prepares to perform a female circumcision on her without anesthetic: claiming torture is a hobby of his.
* ''Film/FantasyIsland2020'' has Dr. Torture, a construct based on Melanie's perception of her hated childhood psychiatrist: given form as a DeadlyDoctor by the island and turned loose to torture Sloane as part of Melanie's revenge fantasy.
* In ''Film/VigilanteDiaries'', Raven is Andreas' personal torturer. She travels with her own case of torture implements and is the one who uses a blowtorch to [[MarkOfShame burn a 'V' into the Vigilante's chest]].
* ''Film/InMyCountry'': One of the perpetrators seeking amnesty is a police officer who used ElectricTorture on a prisoner severe enough that this left him impotent. He protests that it wasn't his intent, as he's not an electrician. The guy's probably the least sympathetic among perpetrators aside from De Jager and possibly the killer of Herbert Soblanda, only calling his victim "[[ItIsDehumanizing the subject]]" and using the old JustFollowingOrders defense.
* ''Film/CryOfTheBanshee'' has Burke and Bully Boy, the two torturers Lord William puts to work to find Oona through any means necessary.
-->'''Bully Boy:''' ''[to Maggie]'' We can make you die a minute every day for a year.
* In ''Film/TowerOfLondon1962'', Richard employs a personal torturer named Galvan who tortures Mistress Shore to death while attempting to get her to swear that the princes are illegitimate.

* Inquisitor Glokta from ''Literature/TheFirstLaw'' is not only one of these, but ''a main character as well''... Not just a main character, either, but a ''protagonist'' and (dare we say it) a decent guy compared to many of the characters. When you've got one of your foremost "heroes" routinely chopping off fingers and sending innocent people to prison camps, well, you know [[CrapsackWorld what state the world is in]].
* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': Semirhage tortures people entirely by stimulating the pain (and sometimes pleasure) centers of their brains with magic. Formerly the greatest healer during the Age of Legends, she would extract a price in pain in exchange for saving people. When people finally caught on to what she was doing, she was given a choice: take a magical vow to never do it again or be severed from magic forever. She TookAThirdOption and joined the Dark Side. People were known to kill themselves at the mere mention she would be questioning them.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** Various former Kings and Patricians of Ankh-Morpork count, though their tendency is only mentioned in anecdotes within the text. There's a (nameless) Torture Technician with the Cable Street Particulars in ''Literature/{{Night Watch|Discworld}}'', however, and Captain Findthee Swing probably qualifies too.
** The Quisition (In- and Ex-) in ''Literature/SmallGods'' are also [[PunchClockVillain perfectly ordinary people doing their jobs]], raising families and buying thoughtful gifts when one of their colleagues retires.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a number of examples:
** The Tickler in the band of Gregor Clegane tortures peasants to find hidden booty and track the movements of enemy bands. He asks the exact same list of questions of each person he tortures over and over again until they die horribly. Arya muses that not only is he asking the people questions they couldn't possibly have the answers to, he isn't even giving them time to answer before he keeps torturing them, suggesting he's ultimately just a sadist.
** Qyburn is a former maester who was thrown out of the organization for conducting [[EvilutionaryBiologist amoral experiments]] on living creatures, including vivisections. Cersei puts his knowledge to use as a torturer, among other things.
** House Bolton gained notoriety over the years for flaying their prisoners. Their arms depict a flayed man, and they wear pink cloaks with red spots, indicating their old habit of wearing the skins of their adversaries.
*** Alongside the official Family motto of "''Our Blades are Sharp''" we have the unofficial "''A Flayed Man Holds No Secrets''" and derivatives said by more than one person affiliated with the House. Some traditions are very much alive and well, it seems. Unlike the Tickler and Qyburn, Ramsay doesn't further any goals by torturing people; he does everything he does for his own sadistic pleasure.
*** Ramsay Bolton, in particular, has [[MindRape mind-breaking skills]] on par with [[Literature/NineteenEightyFour O'Brien]]. He may be the most notable example in the series for the way he is able to take a captive and reprogram them into [[StockholmSyndrome a loyal servant of his]] through [[TheDreaded absolute fear of what he'll do to them next]].

* One of the three "Unforgivable Curses" in ''Literature/HarryPotter'' is the Cruciatus Curse, which [[AgonyBeam inflicts excruciating pain on the victim]] and is primarily used as a way to effectively torture people. Naturally, every wizard who masters and frequently uses this curse qualifies for this trope. Specific examples include:
** Voldemort himself is capable of performing a Cruciatus Curse that is effective enough to even break through memory-altering charms, something that cannot be achieved with Veritaserum (a truth elixir) or the Imperius curse (causing total obedience to the caster).
** Bellatrix Lestrange, having spent 15 years in Azkaban for torturing people into insanity and being described by Dumbledore as liking "to play with her food before she eats it." In [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows book 7]], while it's off-screen, she ''does'' torture [[spoiler:Hermione]], and, it's implied, not just with the Cruciatus curse.
** Amycus and Alecto Carrow ''really'' love torturing people. During Voldemort's regime, they were assigned to be teachers at Hogwarts, where they resorted to using the Cruciatus Curse as a punishment for misbehaving students. This also includes first year students, who are only 11 years old. The Carrows also teach other students to be Torture Technicians, by forcing them to use the Cruciatus Curse on misbehaving students.
** Dolores Umbridge forces students in detention to write lines...with a cursed quill that cuts the written lines into the skin of the student, to the point where it starts to bleed heavily. The scars left by this are even visible years later, as experienced by Harry Potter himself. This is a particularly nasty form of torture, as the victim is forced to inflict pain upon himself.
* The Mord-Sith in ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' double as bodyguards. Uniquely, they are on the side of the "hero" (he effectively inherited them), after the first book. In fact, the first thing he did on taking power was order them to disband, but they decided to serve him anyway, on the reasoning that a man who would set them free was worth serving. Every Mord-Sith was themselves broken through torture as a girl (of which only the gentlest were taken) and made to torture their own fathers to death as well for their initiation.

* Doctor Jest, the chief torturer of the Melnibonean empire from ''Literature/TheElricSaga''. It's not clear how much of a sadist he may or may not strictly be, but he clearly does consider himself something of an artist who takes both pleasure and pride in his work...and somewhat chillingly there's no sign that any other Melniboneans ever disagree with him on this point. (Even Elric, who attends one of his 'sessions' with a couple of human spies, isn't particularly disturbed.) Torture Technician is almost the [[PlanetOfHats Hat]] of the Melniboneans in general; their preferred method for making music is to rhythmically torture a group of surgically modified slaves, for crying out loud.
* ''Literature/BookOfTheNewSun'':
** The [[WeirdTradeUnion Torturer's Guild]] is an organization of these. Like some of the other examples, they are explicitly supposed to be unemotional and just doing a job, explicitly prohibiting those of a PsychoForHire mentality. Moreover, they don't torture to extract information, only to carry out judicial penalties. It's their job to perform ''exactly'' the tortures decreed, and no more (or less).
** There is a poignant scene in which [[spoiler:the now-Autarch Severian tells one of his former masters that he is dissolving the guild]], not out of ethical qualms, but because it is intolerable that good men should devote their lives to inflicting pain. The master responds that "It MUST be done by good men"; should it be left to those who take pleasure in it?
** In the jokes section of ''The Castle of the Otter'', there is one about apprentices clumsily inflicting tortures because they are scared by the master yelling at them until he demands "What are you trying to do? KILL the man?"
* ''Literature/DragonCauldron'' features a cheerful and hairy man who believes one should always do one's job well. He's hurt by being called a torturer and prefers the term "facilitator".
* ''Literature/GentlemanBastard'': Sage Kindness in ''The Lies of Locke Lamora''. His employer, Capa Barsavi, is said to be a very capable torturer, but when Barsavi runs out of ideas, Kindness takes over. And does so with the "mellow disinterest of a man polishing boots".

* Dr. Alice Hong, the Lady of Pain in ''Literature/IslandInTheSeaOfTime'', mixes psychopathy with surgical skill.
* Barin Welachin from Jennifer Fallon's ''Second Sons'' trilogy served the Lion of Senet (the world's foremost ruler and religious nut) in this capacity. The protagonist, Dirk, has at one point to talk with him and, as part of the facade he has to put up, feigns interest in the man's work. Barin is delighted to be able to share the joys of his craft with someone truly able to understand and appreciate it (Dirk was trained as a healer and had an unwarranted reputation as TheButcher of Elcast). The right-hand woman of the corrupt and murderous (and dominant) segment of the church, Ella Goen, is also one of these.
* ''Literature/VenusInFurs'' has a character that borders on this, though with lots of fetishistic overtones and more psychology-heavy. The author of this novel, Leopold Sacher-Masoch, is the inspiration for the word "masochism".
* A minor unnamed character in the pre-revision ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' novel ''Shattered Chains'' tortures Rakel in many horrific ways -- but he's not sadistic at all. To him, it's just a job. This, Rakel thinks, is worse than if he enjoyed it. To say nothing that they don't even want any information--a political enemy of hers just wants her to suffer before her execution.
* The "Turkey Makers" in the employ of TheMafia in ''Literature/TheExecutioner'' series. Mack Bolan has to give a MercyKill on several occasions after finding their handiwork. He doesn't do the same for the Turkey Makers.
-->'''Bolan:''' Think of Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and the madmen who played medical games there with human meat. Then think of that sort of mentality transplanted to this time and place, give it the absolute power that is enjoyed by a mob boss, and turn it loose on a cute kid who got too cute with that same boss.

* ''Literature/JamesBond'':
** TheDragon Willy Krebbs in ''Literature/{{Moonraker}}'' got his nickname "The Persuader" for always getting the answers from prisoners through torture.
** Rosa Klebb in ''Literature/FromRussiaWithLove'' is a virtuoso Torture Technician, letting the pain of her torturers (she never actually does the work) build and build and build; then she talks, softly and gently, being mother to her victims. "Tell mama and it will all be over." A chilling passage in the book indeed.
** The title antagonist of ''Literature/ColonelSun'' is a torturer in the Chinese army, who believes that a torturer and his victim can attain a special connection through pain.

* Floyd Ferris of ''Literature/AtlasShrugged'' is definitely the PunchClockVillain version rather than the kind who enjoys it; he's more interested in psychology and controlling people than in actually enjoying someone's suffering.
* ''Literature/CatChaser'': Andres' job was to lead the torture of any enemies of Trujillo's regime. He spent most of his time there leading the mutilation and torture of anyone in his custody before throwing them to the sharks.
* Taylor of ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', unfortunately for all involved, doubles as a ManipulativeBastard and DarkActionGirl. It's heavily implied that tormenting people is the only way Taylor can deal with her own [[JerkassWoobie horrific life]].

* Subyss from Innocent manga by Creator/ShinichiSakamoto is quite a flamboyant one. He views his "profession" as an "art form" and drinks when unable to torture and is particularly gruesome in his methods (which include melted sulfur).

* Yamori from ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' is this when he isn't out being TheBrute. It isn't clear what he was like prior to being imprisoned by [[CreatureHunterOrganization CCG]], but during his captivity, he became the victim of a sadistic Investigator and [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured]] until he went insane. When he finally escaped, he had taken on his tormentor's personality and became a [[Franchise/FridayThe13th hockey-mask wearing]] sadist nicknamed "Jason" for his brutality. He keeps a [[TortureCellar "hobby room"]] and hunts for other Ghouls to make his playthings.
* Parodied in ''Manga/TisTimeForTorturePrincess'', where Tortura and the other Harm-Marshals of the Hellhorde are able to interrogate the Princess with [[FoodPorn delicious food]], video games, and [[MundaneLuxury other simple pleasures]].

[[folder:ComicBooks]]
* In the opening scenes of the Creator/CrossGen comic ''ComicBook/{{Sojourn}}'', BigBad Mordath is seen casually torturing a man so brutally that even his [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Troll]] {{Mook}}s are Squicked by it.

* Franchise/{{Batman}} villain Black Mask was reimagined as such in the early 2000s; he cites reading up on the Spanish Inquisition as an inspiration for him. His most notorious acts in this vein include torturing ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'s brother-in-law to death and driving her sister permanently insane by force-feeding her his eyeballs, and torturing and ([[DeathIsCheap for a while]]) killing Stephanie Brown during the ''War Games'' crossover event.
%%* The Crime Doctor, from Franchise/TheDCU.
* ''ComicBook/Robin1993'': Johnny Warlock is a mob enforcer whose job includes torturing people, not necessarily to get answers but to send a message. This is by far his favorite part of the job and he once tortured a woman for a day while waiting for her boyfriend to maybe show up even though she had nothing to do with the stolen object his boss wanted.
* Creator/DCComics has got Kid Karnevil, who first appeared in ''ComicBook/{{Shadowpact}}'' and later in ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica''. He's [[TheSociopath a teenage sociopath]] dressed like a boy scout, and later revealed to be a Neo-Nazi, who apparently died and went to Hell, but was kicked out because he was scaring the other demons too much.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Tomahawk}}'' #112, Tomahawk becomes obsessed with hunting down the Hessian officer Van Grote: a [[BaldOfEvil bald-headed]] [[ANaziByAnyOtherName proto-Nazi]] who specializes in extracting information from prisoners.

* In Mark Waid's limited series ''ComicBook/{{Empire}}'', the EvilOverlord Golgoth has a typical inner circle of lieutenants. One of them is the "Minister of Punishment", [[MeaningfulName Tumbril]], whose characterization can be summed up in one line:
-->'''Tumbril:''' I mean, you give me an enemy of the state, I'm good for an afternoon. I'd do this for free.
* Not a villain, but sometimes ComicBook/ThePunisher qualifies, especially in [[ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX the MAX series]]. Make Frank really angry, and you'll wish he was just practicing the JackBauerInterrogationTechnique.
* Subverted with Herr Doktor Kilikil in the ''ComicBook/SpirouAndFantasio'' adventure "QRN On Bretzelburg": his methods involve scraping chalk on a blackboard, or cooking a lavish and fragrant meal in front of a hungry prisoner. He's so good at it, in fact, that he eventually becomes a restaurant cook.

* In ''ComicBook/TheDarkness'', there was an appearance by a nerdy-looking fellow, Mr. Vespasian, described as the ultimate torturer. He took out an odd, hooked, and twisted blade and did [[GoryDiscretionShot something]] to ''his own arm'' with it -- something that made hardened criminals gag and look away in horror. "Ow," the torturer said cheerfully. "That hurt." Then he leaned close to the man he was supposed to interrogate and added, "Now imagine what I'm going to do to ''you''." The victim immediately spilled everything he knew... (And then Vespasian's employer gave him permission to work the guy over anyway.)

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}} the Gaul'' features a rather cheerful Roman torturer.

* Psyklops, a psychic vampire working for the Dark Destroyer in ''ComicBook/AtariForce'' who feeds off pain.
* In ''ComicBook/BackToBrooklyn'', [[TheDragon Churchill]] is [[BigBad Paul Saetta's]] "pet psychopath".
* Radio/TheGreenHornet falls into the clutches of one in Dynamite's ''ComicBook/TheGreenHornet: Year One'', and very nearly doesn't make it out alive (or intact).
* ''ComicBook/LobsterRandom'' is a rare example of one being [[VillainProtagonist the protagonist]].
* ''ComicBook/TheMiceTemplar'' has Boris the Royal Torturer, who specializes in...well, torture. He also has no problem handing his "subjects" over to be sacrificed for Druids.
* PlayedForLaughs in the ''ComicBook/{{Oink}}'' strip "Torture Twins''.
* Mr. Brass from ''ComicBook/{{Scalped}}'' is a particularly sadistic torturer.
* Davis from the ''ComicBook/SinCity'' story, "The Big Fat Kill," is described as an "artist" when it comes to torture, able to put someone through sheer agony without leaving a single mark on the victim, and it's implied that he's even nastier when the "tools" come out. We don't get to see what he does with the tools, because Dwight, along with all the girls of Old Town, pitch in to save Gail in a BigDamnHeroes moment. In the movie, Davis's role is handed off to Manute.

* Dr. Harker from WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles fanfic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4025658/1/Marrow Marrow]]''.

* ''Fanfic/TheImmortalGame'': [[EvilMatriarch Terra]] appears to be this in her free time, when she's not busy creating {{Mooks}} [[spoiler: unfortunately for Celestia]].

* ''Fanfic/{{Frostbite}}'': Dalsh Ruul, [[DiscussedTrope by his own admission]].
-->“[[ShoutOut I think this is very pretty.]] ... [[Series/{{Firefly}} The design. It’s functional.]] Finely crafted to exacting specifications. Klingon ''’oy’naQ'' are so ''crude''. We acquired the design from them, of course, back in the reign of their Emperor Sompek, but we refined it far in advance of their pathetic efforts. It won’t kill you, but the amount of pain or pleasure you feel is entirely up to me. I find it is particularly effective to give ''akhvet''—I believe the human term is ‘humanoids’, such a self-centered word—a powerful arousal, and then immediately before they peak, [[MoodWhiplash trigger their pain center]] as I did to you just now.”
* ''Fanfic/DumbledoresArmyAndTheYearOfDarkness'':
** The Carrows regularly try new torture methods on rebellious students.
** Never mind Professor Hans [[MeaningfulName Belsen]], brought in (if briefly) to demonstrate his research on unruly students. Given that he is plainly based on real Nazi scientists.... * shudder*
* Lakaya in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' fic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2696712/1/Important-Information "Important Information".]] Besides the usual stuff she inflicts on Han Solo-beatings, whipping, broken bones, burning-she employs drugs that amplify the pain he's going through and keep him from passing out. In the sequel fic, it's also revealed she let some kind of creepy crawlies called blood parasites burrow their way into his skin. And when he still refuses to tell her what she wants to know, she repeatedly rapes him as well.
* Parodied in this ''Manga/DeathNote'' [[http://imgur.com/7D2muK4 fanart]], where Matt has all these scary-looking surgical instruments at his disposal with which to torture Light into admitting he's Kira...and chooses instead to [[EnemyEatsYourLunch eat Light's]] [[TrademarkFavoriteFood potato chips]] in front of him. Cue Light begging for mercy and promising to tell Matt anything he wants to hear.
* In ''Fanfic/GuardiansWizardsAndKungFuFighters'', it's suggested that Shiryu, the General of the Squid Khan, serves this role for the Oni. When his mask is on Viper and he's trying to corrupt her, he tells her the most painful ways to break people's bones, and how to flay people without killing them in the process.

* ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'' has ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}'s Chief Torturer [[ComicBook/NewGods Desaad]], who tortures information regarding the Anti-Life Equation out of [[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths Pariah]].
-->That had led Desaad down the right track. For tortures of the mind can be even worse than tortures of the body, and Apokolips has mind-probers aplenty.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/TrueLies'', Harry Tasker is not happy to meet the Torture Technician Samir. Samir only gets to do a truth serum before Harry picks his handcuffs, uses him as a human shield, and finishes him with a NeckSnap.

* A few villains from the ''Film/JamesBond'' franchise qualify:
** In ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'', Dr. Kaufmann and his protege Mr. Stamper have a whole torture system involving ''chakras'', the point being to torture the person to death as slowly as possible. Dr. Kaufmann describes it as his hobby and has a record of keeping someone alive during it for 52 hours.
** Largo from ''Film/{{Thunderball}}'' claimed he could do horrible things with just a lit cigar and a bucket of ice cubes. We have no reason to disbelieve him.
** Le Chiffre from ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' almost subverts the trope by insisting that torture is quite simple: [[GroinAttack go for the nuts]].
** Franz Oberhauser from ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' tortures Bond by [[StrappedToAnOperatingTable strapping him to a high-tech version of a dentist chair]] and drilling holes into various parts of his brain while explaining what effect this is having on him throughout. He's [[FauxAffablyEvil disturbingly calm throughout this]], especially when he threatens to take away Bond's ability to recognize faces.
* Agent Smith in ''Film/TheMatrix'' seemed to enjoy torturing Morpheus a little too much.
* The Scientist [=SkekTek=] of the Skeksis in ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' seems to delight in his cruel experiments on animals and podlings, and was thrilled to have Kira wind up in his clutches.

* Captain Vidal from ''Film/PansLabyrinth'' finds torturing people disturbingly pleasant. He consciously subverts the stereotype of a sophisticated torture artist by using the simple contents of an ordinary toolbox to a monstrous effect.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'' has Jack Lint, the white-collar government torturer pictured in the doll's head above, who brings his daughters to work and has a nice secretary to type out his subjects' screams. The role was Robert [=DeNiro=]'s first selection, but Gilliam had already promised the part to Michael Palin.
* In ''Film/{{Kafka}}'', as in ''Film/{{Brazil}}'', Ian Holm plays a frail functionary in a dystopian bureaucracy. He's ultimately [[spoiler: [[HoistByHisOwnPetard hoisted by his own petard]] when one of his subjects breaks loose of his restraints]].
* Mercurio Cavaldi of Parma, Master of the Torturing Arts, in ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm''. [[HeelFaceTurn Not so evil at heart]]. Also by Creator/TerryGilliam.
* Jonathan, the AxCrazy [[CainAndAbel older brother]] in ''Film/ArsenicAndOldLace''.
* The movie ''Film/{{Hostel}}'' and its sequel are ''all'' about this.
* ''Film/OnceUponATimeInMexico'' has Dr. Guevara, one of Barillo's most dangerous people, who was responsible for pumping Jorge Ramirez's partner Archuleta full of drugs for several days so that he and Barillo could torture him to death over two weeks. When the cartel gets their hands on Agent Sands, [[spoiler:[[EyeScream the Doctor drills his eyes out using a quite nasty little device]]]].
* ''Film/{{Barbarella}}'' has the MadScientist Duran Duran ([[Music/DuranDuran yes, this is where the band got its name]]) who attempts to kill Barbarella with his Excessive Machine which provides increasing amounts of pleasure until you [[OutWithABang die of it]]. Barbarella [[TooKinkyToTorture shorts it out]], and apparently has quite a bit of fun in the process.

* There's a gruesome variation in Creator/FranzKafka's story "In the Penal Colony": there's a torture machine that slowly carves a single sentence into a person indicating the crime they committed and then lets them die for twelve hours, but it's being removed. The Officer, who works the machine and believes in it, asks to be the last person to use it and wants it to carve into him "Be Just." However, the machine malfunctions and ends up just brutally stabbing him to death.

** Creepily enough, [[spoiler:Dean Winchester]], after spending forty years in Hell. The Angels even ask for his expertise to torture information out of the captured demon Alistair.

* Andrei Koscuisko of Susan R. Matthew's ''Jurisdiction'' series, beginning with ''An Exchange of Hostages'' is this trope as part of his job as Ship's Surgeon.

* Gertrude Baniszewski, a [[BitchInSheepsClothing seemingly kindly caretaker woman]], subjected Sylvia Likens (a teenage girl in her care) to horrific tortures including burning with cigarettes, branding, starving, beating, rape, and more. This went on for ''weeks'' until poor Sylvia finally succumbed to her injuries. As if this weren't heinous enough, she forced the other kids in her care to participate in the torturing.

** That creepy guy from the Golden Age arc locking up Guts and Casca in the dungeon cell with [[spoiler:Griffith]], the guy they had come to rescue, and it turns out that he was responsible for [[spoiler:Griffith]]'s horrific year-long torture. Among other things, he slashed the tendons in [[spoiler:Griffith's]] wrists and ankles, and even giddily shows them that he [[TongueTrauma cut his tongue]] out and ''made it into a necklace''. In response, Guts smashes through the door, runs him through, and [[KarmicDeath cuts his own tongue out]].

* The "Turkey Makers" in the employ of TheMafia in ''Literature/TheExecutioner'' series.

%%* The "Turkey Makers" in the employ of TheMafia in ''Literature/TheExecutioner''.%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample

* ''Series/{{Andor}}'': Doctor Gorst has been developing particularly cruel methods of torturing Imperial prisoners to get them to talk. He's very good at his job and disturbingly upbeat about it.

* ''VideoGame/COldWinter'' ''begins'' with your arrest in a Red Chinese prison, with a torture expert gleefully burning you with cigarettes and personally [[{{fingore}} snapping your fingers]], one by one. You managed to escape thanks to an ally, and one of your objectives is to eliminate said torturer.

*** The Inquisition have Torture Technicians raised ''from birth'' in the "art" of torture - woe betide any unrepentant heretics. The Inquisition even has a several-stage routine for torturing people; the second step is telling the victim what the rest of the steps are, the first is telling them [[TheDreaded who is asking]].

* ''Series/FearTheWalkingDead''. Daniel Salazar was this, in his past life during the El Salvadoran Civil War.

* ''Series/TheWheelOfTime'': The Whitecloak Questioners like Eamon Valda are skilled torturers, and he demonstrates this with poor Perrin.

An alternative version of the Torture Technician is when he is not a sadist but completely unemotional about his job, in a PunchClockVillain-like way. He shows neither empathy nor remorse nor pleasure at torturing his victims, it's just a job at which he's really good. It usually makes him even scarier, since sadism is a simple thing but it is much harder to make any sense of someone who lacks any kind of emotional response to suffering. Such Torture Technicians are usually described and/or depicted as [[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse having plain and unremarkable features]].

** Mozgus's followers in the Conviction Arc, who torture people as punishment for defying the Church. The story actually shows them in a sympathetic light: they all suffer from deformities that made them outcasts, but Mozgus took them in and gave them purpose. One of their number even admits he doesn't particularly ''like'' torturing, but he would do anything to repay Mozgus's kindness toward him. [[spoiler:All of them are turned into Apostle Spawn by the Egg of the Perfect World, and are slaughtered by Guts as he rescues Casca from Mozgus.]]

* Daichi of the Element Four from ''Manga/EdensZero'' is an exaggerated case as he is apparently addicted to torture to the point of having a a therapy group to help with it. It's effectiveness is questionable as they are rather flexible on what counts as torture, and Daichi himself has trouble controlling his urges, especially when dealing with pretty women.

* Yamori from ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' is this, when he isn't out being TheBrute. It isn't clear what he was like prior to being imprisoned by [[CreatureHunterOrganization CCG]], but during his captivity he became the victim of a sadistic Investigator and [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured]] until he went insane. When he finally escaped, he had taken on his tormentor's personality and became a [[Franchise/FridayThe13th hockey-mask wearing]] sadist nicknamed "Jason" for his brutality. He keeps a [[TortureCellar "hobby room"]] and hunts for other Ghouls to make his playthings.

* In ''ComicBook/TheDarkness'', there was an appearance by a nerdy-looking fellow, Mr. Vespasian, described as the ultimate torturer. He took out an odd, hooked and twisted blade and did [[GoryDiscretionShot something]] to ''his own arm'' with it -- something that made hardened criminals gag and look away in horror. "Ow," the torturer said cheerfully. "That hurt." Then he leaned close to the man he was supposed to interrogate and added, "Now imagine what I'm going to do to ''you''." The victim immediately spilled everything he knew.... (And then Vespasian's employer gave him permission to work the guy over anyway.)

** Overlord's minion Stalker tortures Twin Twist, Springer, Impactor and many more in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers''.

* ComicBook/{{X 23}} has been on ''both'' sides of this trope. As her primary purpose function has been indicated to focus on covert operations and assassination, she has revealed or hinted her experience at using torture to extract information, such as by describing her protocols for extraction of information ''in French class'' while going to school with her cousin in ''Target: X'', or being outright depicted using torture during her stint on ''ComicBook/XForce'' or in her solo series. Her willingness to use these techniques often puts her at odds with her teammates.

* Tortura from the infamous ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' fanfic ''Fanfic/AgonyInPink'' is a monster created from books, reports and essays about torture, and is ''very good at it.''

* Volsky in the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' fic ''Fanfic/{{Forward}}''. Considering who he works for....

* The leader of the thugs who kidnap Mike Stoker in the ''Series/{{Emergency}}'' fic ''Fanfic/TheNumbersGame'' (bottom links [[http://www.network54.com/Forum/199227/message/1297994922/Mike+in+peril here]]) is one. He flat out says he wants to keep Mike alive and lucid until they're good and ready to kill him. And when he is finally rescued, his crewmates are horrified at the extent of the burns, cuts, beatings etc designed deliberately to inflict as much pain as possible without killing him.

* Lakaya in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' fic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2696712/1/Important-Information "Important Information".]] Besides the usual stuff she inflicts on Han Solo-beatings, whipping, broken bones, burning-she employs drugs that amplify the pain he's going through and keep him from passing out. In the sequel fic, it's also revealed she let some kind of creepy-crawlies called blood parasites burrow their way into his skin. And when he still refuses to tell her what she wants to know, she repeatedly rapes him as well.

** In ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'', Dr. Kaufmann and his protege Mr. Stamper have a whole torture system involving ''chakras'', the point being to torture the person to death as slowly as possible. Dr. Kaufmann describes it as his hobby, and has a record of keeping someone alive during it for 52 hours.
** Largo from ''Film/{{Thunderball}}'' who claimed he could do horrible things with just a lit cigar and a bucket of ice cubes. We have no reason to disbelieve him.

* Dr. Simnell, Moriarty's pet murderer in ''Film/TheWomanInGreen''. He insists that his implements are 'instruments' not 'tools', and takes a sadistic glee is murdering and dismembering young women.

* In ''Film/ScreamAndScreamAgain'', Konratz has the reputation of being able to extract information from anyone. The extent of his activities horrify even his superiors.

* Mendoza in ''Film/ThePitAndThePendulum1991'', who is so gifted at torture and extracting confessions from heretics, that Torquemada recued from death by crucifixion to serve as his personal torturer. He also flagellates Torquemada whenever the Inquisitor is troubled by wicked thoughts.

* In ''Film/VigilanteDiaries'', Raven is Andreas' personal torturer. She travels with her own case of torture impliments, and is the one who uses a blowtorch to [[MarkOfShame burn a 'V' into the Vigilante's chest]].

* In ''Literature/DragonBlood'', the torturer is a loyal subject of the king, and just does his job. He does it well, and is proud of his ability to, as he claims, get correct information out of his victims, rather than just some nonsense that the victim says to make the torture stop, as he claims is the case with magical torture. He wants his grandson to follow in his footsteps and points out to his victim that he'd like to stop the torture, really, he just needs the information. [[spoiler:One is almost sorry for him when his victim stabs him. Almost.]]

* ''Literature/TheHellequinChronicles'' has Nathaniel 'Nate' Garrett a.k.a. Merlin's Assassin a.k.a. Hellequin, the protagonist. Since he's over 1600 years old, he's pretty damn good at it, [[DeliberateValuesDissonance having learned in an era where torture was considered fairly normal.]] A natural gift for cold-blooded ruthlessness and calculated brutality which saw him picked for assassin training as a child also helps. As Hellequin, he became a TerrorHero so widely feared that over 200 years after he retired the name (and when he decides to resurrect it), Nate revealing who he is tends to get either disbelief, or [[BringMyBrownPants a very literal]] OhCrap. This actually comes back to bite him, when [[spoiler: Deimos uses the Hellequin name to claim responsibility for a global wave of magical terror attacks that have killed 250,000 people in a week, because as is noted, more than a few would believe that this is something Hellequin is capable of]]. However, while he can get savage when people he cares for are threatened, he isn't a sadist, only usually using resorts to torture when he needs information quickly, and explicitly states that his skills and ability to go cold like that are ''not'' things to aspire to.

*** Alongside the official Family motto of "''Our Blades are Sharp''" we have the unofficial "''A Flayed Man Holds No Secrets''" and derivatives said by more than one person affiliated with the House. Some traditions are very much alive and well, it seems. Unlike the Tickler and Qyburn, Ramsay doesn't further any goals with torturing people; he does everything he does for his own sadistic pleasure.

** Dolores Umbridge forces students in detention to write lines...with a cursed quill that cuts the written lines into the skin of the student, to the point where it starts to bleed heavily. The scars left by this are even visible years later, as experience by Harry Potter himself. This is a particularly nasty form of torture, as the victim is forced to inflict pain upon himself.

** In the jokes section of ''The Castle of the Otter'', there is one about apprentices clumsily inflicting tortures because they are scared by the master yelling at them, until he demands "What are you trying to do? KILL the man?"

* Barin Welachin from Jennifer Fallon's ''Second Sons'' trilogy served the Lion of Senet (the world's foremost ruler and religious nut) in this capacity. The protagonist, Dirk, has at one point to talk with him and, as part of the facade he has to put up, feigns interest in the man's work. Barin is delighted to be able to share the joys of his craft to someone truly able to understand and appreciate it (Dirk was trained as a healer and had an unwarranted reputation as TheButcher of Elcast). The right-hand woman of the corrupt and murderous (and dominant) segment of the church, Ella Goen, is also one of these.

* A minor, unnamed character in the pre-revision ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' novel ''Shattered Chains'' tortures Rakel in many horrific ways -- but he's not sadistic at all. To him, it's just a job. This, Rakel thinks, is worse than if he enjoyed it. To say nothing that they don't even want any information--a political enemy of hers just wants her to suffer before her execution.

* ''Literature/XWingSeries'': ManipulativeBastard Ysanne Isard dabbles in this, using injections and machines that directly stimulate pain, heat, and cold receptors rather than dismembering people. One of the first things she does is use a drug that the protagonist thinks of as one that would have him reciting things his ''mother'' had forgotten while he was in her womb, but the real goal in mind is to set up her authority and prepare them to become {{Manchurian Agent}}s. She also brought in a Trandoshan to do the grunt work of getting the protagonist in position, hooking him up, manipulating the switches and so on, because she knew his father had been killed by a Trandoshan.

* The Gestapo torturers in ''Literature/TheSecretOfSantaVittoria'' take pride in their work, even taking time to explain that pulling-out-nails is overrated; electric torture is ''much'' more effective.

* In Dennis Jones' ''Literature/WarsawConcerto'', several KGB officers observe as a Torture Technician interrogates and administers electro torture to a female defector. A doctor monitors her vital signs as she is tortured [[spoiler: to her death]].

* In the second ''Literature/{{Dexter}}'' novel, ''Dearly Devoted Dexter'', we meet "Dr. Danco", who specializes in gradual amputations of limbs, facial features, genitalia, and so on. He keeps his "patients" conscious for the whole thing.

* ''Literature/TheSpeedOfSound'': ''The Sound of Echoes'' has Mr. Elliott, an assassin who kills his victims as slowly and painfully as possible, then uploads the videos to a dark web site to advertise his business.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven'': In "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS3E8RumoursOfDeath Rumours of Death]]", Avon has himself CapturedOnPurpose and tortured for days without cracking, all so he can capture a top Federation [[DeadlyEuphemism para-investigator]] named Shrinker, whom Avon knows will called in to deal with particularly stubborn subjects. Ironically, Shrinker's talents are such in demand that he was able to survive the rebellion, and the crushing of that rebellion, by making himself [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized useful to both sides]].

* ''{{Series/Cursed}}'': Brother Salt of the Red Paladins specializes in torture, and isn't impeded through being blind at all.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': Selto Durka, who not only manages to fit this role like a glove, but knows it well enough to eventually [[spoiler:break free of a hundred years' worth of brainwashing. ]]

** The Bolton family's traditional hat is flaying, probably the cruelest torture ever thought up by man. Their cruelty also manifests itself in more subtle forms, such as psychological torture of people. Their family motto may be "Our blades are sharp," but their guiding principle is summed up often in the series as, "a naked man has few secrets, a flayed man has none." In particular, Ramsay Snow is a master of this Bolton tradition. Ramsay has also shown absolute mastery of mental and emotional torture, which is shown fully in "The Climb" and get worse from there.

* On ''Series/GoodEats'', there is the Dungeonmaster, who lives in Alton's basement. He shows off more advanced cooking implements, and is not above tormenting bunnies and such. Alton doesn't particularly like him.

** Lee is one of two bad guys dresses like a [[GreaserDelinquents Teddy Boy]] and specialises in EyeScream and [[ColdBloodedTorture calmly tortures]] [[RepetitiveName Wilson Wilson]] with chillies, sand and bleach in his eyes before removing one with a spoon. [[spoiler: A [[HandicappedBadass blinded Wilson]] [[HoistByHisOwnPetard kills him with his own gun shortly afterwards]].]]

* In ''Series/Merlin2008'', Alator of the Catha is a skilled torturer, although he takes no pleasure in it. He uses a form of magical mind-torture which is extremely painful and efficient but apparently leaves no lasting physical or mental damage.

** In Season 4, Penguin and later Sofia Falcone employ one known as "the Dentist" for his preference of torturing people [[TheToothHurts through their mouths]].
* ''Series/BrainDead2016'': Agent J. K. Cornish is a mild examples. He's cheerful (which at first makes it all the creepier) reluctant to use [[InsistentTerminology "enhanced interrogation techniques"]] and happily lets Laurel go when the authorization doesn't go through. He also admits he's been through all of them in his training, which probably helps his reluctance. Still, he believes they're necessary at times.

* ''Series/Preacher2016'': Viktor Kruglov employs one who has a room packed full of instruments, and is completely matter of fact about his work.

** Reddington employs a torturer named Brimley, who is a very unusual example. First off, he's a little old man who is constantly hooked up to an oxygen tank. Secondly, his offscreen torture sessions apparently involves a wide variety of NoodleImplements -- in one episode, he exits a room where he's been working on someone with a live ''llama'' in tow, and in another makes use of ''board games''.

** He was inspired by Volgin, who, hilariously, is an absolutely horrible torturer. He's a sadist, and either kills the subjects, or ends up giving them more information than he gets.

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney'' has the demons of Bootes, who have captured several humans and are subjecting them to nightmarish tortures. The reasoning? They're trying to find out just how much of the material body is necessary for a human to survive. That the answer is "all of it" doesn't satisify them.

* In ''[[VideoGame/AssaultOnDarkAthena The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena]]'', an unseen member of the Athena crew occasionally referred to as "The Dentist" is strongly implied to be this. Being sent to him/her is considered an extreme punishment, on par with having your body [[FateWorseThanDeath harvested into a mindless cyborg]]. One seasoned merc is willing to face the OneManArmy that is Riddick when Revas threatens him with a "trip to the Dentist". Earlier in the game another merc can be overheard joking about it, and his partner immediately shuts him up with a sincere "''Don't even fucking joke about that''".

* Dellyn Goblinslayer in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'' is a sadistic [[FantasticRacism fantastic racist]] who captures monsters, then vivisects them in order to learn their weaknesses. His favourite possession is the 'Finger of Hell', a knife which he designed himself in order to inflict as much pain as possible on goblins, who he reserves a special hatred for.

* Dusk Peterson's series ''TheEternalDungeon'', where prisoners are respected, the truth valued, and confession is considered necessary for the health of the criminal's soul. In the first book the main character is sent to the Eternal Dungeon after being accused of murder. The series continues with him after he has himself become a Seeker (Torture Technician).

* Supposedly Cyclonus of ''Franchise/TransformersGeneration1'' is one of these, as Galvatron mentions how much he loves watching Cyclonus carry out an interrogation. The only time we see him do this he's merely whipping someone [[spoiler: and since he's actually Starscream in Cyclonus' body working with the interogatee to give Galvatron false information, he's deliberately missing.]]

** Shockwave is much clearer example. In his debut episode, he had his laboratory filled with various torture devices, with his victims being StrappedToAnOperatingTable as he extracts information from them. He also invented cortical psychic patch, which allows the user to [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind directly view the memories of an interrogatee]] to gain information from their minds. Due to that, he has a very known reputation among Decepticons as successful interrogator, to the point that any time there's somebody who needs interrogation, they very often ask him for assistance.

* While Prime Minister UsefulNotes/TonyBlair was calling for the British military sales industry to be more ethical, it was revealed that British companies were exporting "police and internal security equipment" that inexperienced eyes might mistake for torture equipment. End users of "restraint and detention" equipment included Israel, Saudi Arabia, other Arab states, and various Far Eastern and Central/South American states - all of which were on Amnesty's list for human rights abuses. A year after Blair's call for more ethical sales, British makers were still attending international arms fairs marketing the world's best detention, restraint and interrogation equipment. The US has also been found to be guilty of this, along with training personnel from various dictatorships in "interrogation". It's fair to say most such countries (but also many democracies) employ people with these skills.
* Gertrude Baniszewski, a [[BitchInSheepsClothing seemingly kindly caretaker woman,]] subjected Sylvia Likens (a teenage girl in her care) to horrific tortures including burning with cigarettes, branding, starving, beating, rape, and more. This went on for ''weeks'' until poor Sylvia finally succumbed to her injuries. As if this weren't heinous enough, she forced the other kids in her care to participate in the torturing.