History Main / TurnUndead

* Often used by Aqua in ''LightNovel/KonoSubarashiiSekaiNiShukufukuO'', basically her only combat skill since she spent all her skill points for party trick skills. Despite that, it is shown to be extremely deadly and can work powerful undead beings- such as [[LightNovel/Overlord2012 Ainz Ooal Gown]].

* Often used by Aqua in ''LightNovel/KonoSubarashiiSekaiNiShukufukuO'', basically her only combat skill since she spent all her skill points for party trick skills.

** Though [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] are resistant to turning, in some editions any character can hold them at bay by presenting a mirror or holy symbol. The vampire, while otherwise unaffected, is unable to approach or attack physically.

* Attempted in ''Film/TheMummy1999'', where the shady Beni tries to use various holy symbols to turn the title mummy away. It doesn't work. When he tries to use the Jewish holy symbol with Hebrew incantations, though, Imhotep recognizes the language and decides to make him his slave instead, as the ancient Hebrews were once the slaves of the Egyptians. It also means there's someone around who can actually ''understand'' him, which is a plus when you're trying to rule over people.

** Wizards get in on the action too, with spells like ''Destroy Undead'' and ''Undeath to Death''.

* The Kender Spoon of Turning, from ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}''.

** ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' pretty much follows the tabletop game rules with the Cleric class. Includes the ability to take additional feats and enhancements to improve your ability further, such as being able to turn more undead or more powerful undead than your level would otherwise allow. The EvilCounterpart "Rebuke Undead" returns as [[{{Necromancer}} necromancy]] spell "Command Undead" for Wizard class. Should you specialize necromancy on [[SkillScoresAndPerks Archmage Enhancement]], you can cast it ''without'' spell materials by the time when you reach Lv2 Spell specialization.

** ''VideoGame/EyeOfTheBeholder'': This is a power for the cleric or the paladin, along with the 2nd edition rules.

* In ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'', Carlie's Bishop class has this skill. It pretty much does 999 damage to any undead to the game, ''including her path's final boss'' if she is high enough level for a mere 1MP.

* ''Videogame/SunlessSkies:'' Subverted with the events aboard the Wreck of the Boatman: [[spoiler:When presented with an entire crew of undead, one of the options is to try and turn them away with prayer. But since these undead are a strange sort of RevenantZombie caused by time buggery and not unholy in the least, they actually ''join you'' in this prayer, and thank you afterwards for lifting their spirits before explaining what's going on]].

* ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'': [[http://yafgc.net/comic/2718-i-know-you/ Lord Lewstrom VII is at last, after many years, reunited with his sister Ata the High Priestess.]] Too bad that by this time he's become a lich, and Ata's first reflex is to blast him with holy power. "BEGONE UNDEAD!"

** In ''Literature/DeadOfNight'', one of the talents you can choose as the Demon-Stalker is "Banish Undead" which, well, banish undead monsters. It's also the WeaksauceWeakness of the Blight Demons.

* In the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' book ''Literature/DeadOfNight'', one of the talents you can choose as the Demon-Stalker is "Banish Undead" which, well, banish undead monsters. It's also the WeaksauceWeakness of the Blight Demons.

** ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'':
*** Also based off the ''D&D'' rules, the game amusingly takes it a step further by making undead who are outclassed enough literally explode into LudicrousGibs.
*** It also has the Mace of Disruption, which is very disrupty and allows you to plough through all but the most durable undead with ease. Amusingly if you [[GuideDangIt find the sidequest to upgrade it]] it even works on [[BonusBoss Kangaxx the Demilich]], whose piss-poor save versus death spells means he stands a good chance of eating an instant kill the round after you strip his spell protections.
*** The [[AnAxeToGrind Azure Axe]] has the same "save or die" effect on undead as the Mace of Disruption. There is a small chance it even works on [[TheDragon Bohdi]].
*** The expansion added yet another disrupting weapon, the Rune Hammer. Like the Mace of Disruption, it can be [[ItemCrafting upgraded]] with the right item.
** ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'':
*** Baldur's Gate's sister game operates on much the same principles, and here too sufficiently outclassed undead will explode into bits when successfully turned.
*** Several weapons have bonuses against undead, but the most powerful one is found in the Heart of Winter expansion: The "Three White Doves" mace works similar to the Mace of Disruption except that this version has a better chance to score an instant kill the weaker the targeted undead is. With it, a decent fighter can easily wrap up most undead encounters by themselves.
*** The bastard sword "Amaunator's Legacy" deals a significant amount of bonus fire damage to undead only, fitting as Amaunator was an ancient sun deity who thoroughly loathed the living dead.

[[folder:Card Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Munchkin}}'':
** Spoofed in the card game, where a Cleric can turn a Wannabe Vampire just by saying "booga booga" at it.
** Also played straight: both the Warrior and the Cleric have the ability to trade in cards for a one-shot bonus in combat (up to three cards per fight). The Cleric's bonus is fully three times as high as the Warrior's, but only effective against undead monsters.
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* Parodied in ''TabletopGame/{{Munchin}}'', where the Wannabe Vampire can be banished (and its treasures collected) by a Cleric saying "booga booga" to it.

--> '''Priest:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd5UvOT6S9M Begone, ye demons from Hell!]] Back to the void from whence you came! [[YouShallNotPass You shall not enter here!]] Back! Back!\\

-As the zombies file in, one of them tips his hat.-\\

* ''Podcast/DiceFunk'': As a cleric, Anne has access to the spell, but it's actually Rinaldo who attempts this by apologizing profusely to the undead victims of The Stoneroot Massacre.
* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2863 SCP-2863 ("がしゃどくろ")]]. SCP-2863 are giant skeletons that bite off people's heads and drink their blood. Shinto religious rituals can banish them but not destroy them.

The idea may have come from one of two possible sources, both connected with vampirism. One is the movie trope of a religious person repelling a vampire by using a cross. The other is an old superstition actually practiced in the middle ages on bodies suspected of being vampires. Apparently, one of the ways to stop such a corpse from rising was to literally ''turn it'', burying it face-down to make it "bite the dust and not people". The idea could also be influenced by the religious practice of ''exorcism'', or driving away evil spirits or demons.

** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0113.html the big fight ending Book1]], Durkon yells "Turn Undead!", which Redcloak counters with "Bolster Undead!" Not wanting to be left out, Belkar shouts [[CallingYourAttack "Stab Undead!"]] while doing so.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0459.html "Negative Feelings"]]: Redcloak and a hobgoblin cleric against the ghost-martyrs shows the reversal against deathless mentioned in the Tabletop Games section above, by using negative energy to turn the positive spirits.

** Clerics of Loki also have this ability despite the normal alignment restrictions. This is because Loki thinks the undead are disgusting: "lo, they are such gross, icky things."

Subtrope of HolyHandGrenade. Closely related to ReviveKillsZombie. Can be a side effect of the CareBearStare. Contrast CrossMeltingAura. Not to be confused with AnimateDead and its logical conclusion, ZombifyTheLiving. If a character is turning ''into'' an undead creature rather than turning them ''away'', see AndThenJohnWasAZombie.

** Clerics of Loki also have this ability despite the normal alignment restrictions. This is because Loki thinks the undead are disgusting: ""lo, they are such gross, icky things."

* Parodied in ''Webcomic/{{Oglaf}}'', where turn undead, instead of making them flee, has [[http://oglaf.com/rigormortis/ rather NSFW effects]] on the living deads.

* * ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2863 SCP-2863 ("がしゃどくろ")]]. SCP-2863 are giant skeletons that bite off people's heads and drink their blood. Shinto religious rituals can banish them but not destroy them.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

[[folder:Live-Action [=RPGs=] ]]
* ''LARP/{{Amtgard}}'', which has its roots in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', gives Turn Undead to the Monk class, which forces the targeted undead to avoid the monk for a 1000 count. And also gives Banish to Healers, which temporarily kills an undead. For clarification on "temporarily": Banish makes an undead stay out of the game for a 500 count, which is longer than a normal death, but does not count against their allotted number of lives.
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