History Main / WillingChanneler

* ''Manga/InuYasha'' has it when Onigumo merges with several demons, and he is reborn as Naraku from this.

* ''Manga/{{Devilman}}'': Akira initially put himself in a position to willingly get possessed by a demon in order to gain its powers at Ryo's insistence. He becomes a HeroicHost by suppressing Amon, leading to the unusual situation in which a human possessed a demon's body.

* Subverted in ''ComicBook/SwampThing''. ComicBook/JohnConstantine had Swamp Thing use his body to father a child with Abby, since Swampy lacks the necessary equipment to do it himself. John wasn't particularly pleased by this, and his reaction ("At least he could have asked") indicates that he might have done so willingly had he been given the opportunity, since he had even thought of proposing it to Swamp Thing himself. The only permanent effect on John was getting [[IntimateMarks a tree tattoo on his ass]], but it's not clear if he's aware of this.

Note: A Willing Channeler is NOT the possessing entity, it is the host. TruthInTelevision as this is what [[SpookySeance Spiritualist Mediums]] as well as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism Shamans]] invite and encourage. It is one of the basics of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Vodou Vaudon]] and other similar [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-American_religion African diasporan traditions]]. In traditional Balinese society, [[http://www.indo.com/featured_article/sanghyang.html the hosts are little girls]] who in a ceremony called ''sanghyang dedari'' are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvqOqw3OR0s possessed by angels]] to restore villages after sickness or drought.[[note]]As Balinese farmers reinstate ancient sustainable rice farming methods, they [[https://sanghyangdedari.org/resurrecting-sang-hyang-dedari-dance-to-preserve-balis-rice-field/ revive this ceremony to bless the fields]].[[/note]] Some mediums' reported voluntary possession relationships have been known to last for decades, usually in co-operative arrangements, like a SplitPersonalityTeam.

** This is what the Arretians were doing with Kirk, Spock and Dr. Mulhall in "Recap/StarTrekS2E20ReturnToTomorrow". Gene Coon and Gene Roddenberry tried to play down author John Dugan's original ideas because they seemed "highly mystical, theological, religious and non-''Star Trek''". Dugan was a devout Catholic and their changes were so out of line with his beliefs[[note]]in particular, he wrote that Sargon and Thalassa would continue to exist as spirits in "infinity", but atheist Roddenberry rewrote it to "oblivion". Dugan was right pissed.[[/note]] that they caused him to use his pseudonym Knightsbridge on the final work.
** The Trill, first introduced in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' but most often seen in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' (main characters Jadzia and Ezri Dax, among others), are a non-supernatural example. Their species evolved in parallel with a benevolent parasite or "symbiont" that can house the memories and personality of the host and transfer them into another host after the original host's death. In their appearance in ''TNG'', the symbiont appears to completely override the personality of the host, but the host's personality is restored if the symbiont is removed before the bonding is complete. In ''[=DS9=]'' this is {{retcon}}ned; the personality of the new joined being is a "merging" between that of the host and of all the previous hosts contained within the symbiont. Trill society considers it a great honor to be chosen as host, and prospective hosts compete fiercely for it. [[spoiler:Ostensibly this is because unsuitable hosts will reject (or be rejected by) the symbiont in a way that is dangerous to both; in reality, almost anyone can be a host, but there aren't nearly enough symbionts to go around.]]

** In an episode of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Kira let herself to be possessed by a Prophet, one of the {{Energy Being}}s that her species, the Bajorans, worship as gods. The possessor even explicitly declares (when in her body) that "this vessel is willing," and afterwards she's awestruck over the fact that she of all people was chosen. (On the other hand, its EvilCounterpart ''forcibly'' possesses the body of Jake Sisko, but later finds a willing host in Dukat.)

* In Wiki/TheWorldbuildProject, the Rohomajeshi fit this trope to a T. Their whole shtick is that they make deal to host and channel spirits in exchange for powers.

* Not everything in the Wiki/SCPFoundation is deadly. There's an artifact that bears the names of missing people, and if you touch it, you'll be asked to sacrifice yourself so that person can return home. If you agree, and ''only'' if you agree, you'll be transformed both physically and mentally into the missing person, and your own memories will fade over time. There are people who have agreed to it.

* In chapter 58 of ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', Harry lets [[spoiler:the Phoenix/his mother]] possess him to protect him by intimidating [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Hera]].
** When it happens again in chapter 71, it's a slightly more dubious case since [[spoiler:Harry might have been too dead to let her in consciously.]]
** After undergoing a TraumaCongaLine during the ''Forever Red'' arc of Book 2, he [[spoiler: snaps and becomes the Dark Phoenix, with all of Her power mixed with bucketloads of anger and trauma. As the previous Dark Phoenix, Surtur, destroyed ''most of a galaxy'' before being stopped, it's a very good thing Harry's friends and family talked him down]].

* ''Literature/GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivation'': Mo Xuanyu performed this as a form of SuicideAttack against the family who cast him out, [[DeaderThanDead sacrificing his own soul]] to call the spirit of Wei Wuxian into his body in hopes that Wei Wuxian would destroy the Mo family.

* ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'': [[PlayerCharacter V]] slots a chip with the personality of [[{{Deuteragonist}} Johnny Silverhand]], a [[BombThrowingAnarchist terrorist]] [[TheRockstar rockerboy]] on it. Johnny can speak to them and show up in the world as a DigitalGhost only V can see. V can supress Johnny overtaking their body by taking one type of pills, or speed it up or another to fasten up the process. To solve some of their problems and untangle themselves, V and Johnny need to talk to people only Johnny can get through. To do that, V can temporarily give the control of their body to Johnny by taking the pills that hasten the process of Johnny overtaking their mind.

* ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce'': Kurogane becomes this for the Dream Demon King Mayard. Initially sworn to oppose and seal him, she can agree to finally bind herself to him [[spoiler: so he can save her life, when she's mortally wounded and on the cusp of dying]]. From this point, she channels the power of the incubus king for special attacks, giving her SupernaturalGoldenEyes when she does.

* [[OneLetterName A]], main character of ''LetsPlay/TwitchPlaysPokemonEmerald'', is commonly believed to summon the mind-controlling voices (a.k.a. the players) by herself - as opposed to previous characters, who didn't have a choice.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Ghost}}'', Oda Mae, a spirit medium, allows the late Sam to possess her so that he can touch his girlfriend again. Earlier in the movie she was possessed not-so-willingly by another ghost who wanted to talk to his widow.

[[quoteright:300:[[ComicBook/BeastsOfBurden https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dog_channel.png]]]]

[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/96022.jpg]] ]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Binding a spirit of many faces to yourself may have side effects.]]

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': [[spoiler:Tobi]] wishes to become one by creating the Ten Tails (Jyubi), a fusion of the other nine, and binding it to himself.

* In ''Manga/{{Akira}}'', Kei becomes a medium for the combined [[PsychicPowers powers]] of the three psychic children, wielding them to battle Tetsuo. (The manga is clearer about her choosing to work with them.)

[[folder:Comics]]
* Subverted in ''{{Comicbook/Swamp Thing}}''. {{ComicBook/John Constantine}} had Swamp Thing use his body to father a child with Abby, since Swampy lacks the necessary equipment to do it himself. John wasn't particularly pleased by this, and his reaction ("At least he could have asked") indicates that he might have done so willingly had he been given the opportunity, since he had even thought of proposing it to Swamp Thing himself. The only permanent effect on John was getting [[IntimateMarks a tree tattoo on his ass]], but it's not clear if he's aware of this.
* ''Comicbook/{{Shazam}}'' could count, in the continuities where [[KidHero Billy, Mary and Freddy]] have separate personalities from their superhero forms--by saying a [[ByThePowerOfGreyskull magic phrase]] they essentially let the hero take over, [[OlderAlterEgo turning them older]] (for Billy and ComicBook/{{Mary|Marvel}}) and [[PowersViaPossession giving them superpowers]] in the process.
* ConversationalTroping during ''[[Comicbook/TheDeathOfSuperman The Reign of the Supermen]]'', when a medium claimed that [[Comicbook/{{Steel}} John Henry Irons]], the only S-shield wearer who made no claim to the name, was a channeler for Superman's spirit. She was wrong, but it raised the possibility to readers that he was as likely to be "the real Superman" as the Cyborg or the Kryptonian.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Film/Venom2018'': After a SymbioticPossession and a ThirdActMisunderstanding, Eddie and the Venom symbiote are separated, which leaves Eddie [[spoiler:vulnerable to a [[ResearchInc Life Foundation]] hit squad]]. When the symbiote returns [[spoiler:in Eddie's ex-fiancé's body to kill the entire squad]], he's happy to take it back, and they form a strong partnership that lasts for the rest of the film.
* In ''Film/Shazam2019'', the villainous Dr. Sivana uses the Eye of Sin in order to become a willing host for the SevenDeadlySins, who in turn grant him magical abilities on par with the hero Shazam. They can be summoned out of him to manifest physically, but he needs to be hosting at least one in order to keep his powers.

* In ''Literature/TheHost2008'', Melanie eventually becomes this to PuppeteerParasite Wanderer. Although she initially resists, by the end of the book she actually tries to convince Wanderer to stay in her body.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* In ''Series/StargateSG1'' an entire group of the normally AlwaysChaoticEvil (at the time) BigBad Goa'uld race elected to [[DefectorFromDecadence take only willing hosts]] and form a resistance movement (Tok'ra) to fight their evil kin. This actually led to an amusing misunderstanding during FirstContact: the protagonists, after hearing of them, came to offer an "alliance", which the Tok'ra naturally took to mean they wanted to join with a symbiote (what else does a human have to offer a nearly-immortal alien with ancient supertech?), much to SG-1's alarm. Also, some of the human servants of the Goa'uld have been brainwashed to treat being chosen as the next host as the greatest honor imaginable, not realizing that they'd be trapped in their own body for centuries with none of the "pleasures" they think they'll experience.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek''

* [[spoiler:Gwen]] at the end of the ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' episode "Day One".
** [[spoiler:Her possible ancestor Gwyneth]] in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Unquiet Dead".

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000''

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius:'' More than one example, none of them exactly pleasant for the channeler.

* In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', any god who wishes to possess a mortal body must be granted access by the host him/herself. If the host isn't willing, the god can't enter the body (if they try anyway, the control will be temporary, and they ''will'' get kicked out not long after).

* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Gargoyles}},'' this is actually required--[[TheTrickster Puck]] can't transfer a soul into a new body unless the host agrees. That said, this does follow ExactWords--[[TheLancer Brooklyn]] got possessed by a villain while trying to volunteer for a good guy, while [[TheSmartGuy Lexington]] got possessed by [[spoiler:[[GooGooGodlike baby Alex]]]] by sarcastically saying "I could use some help here."

* ''FanFic/HarmonyTheory'': Nightmare Umbra is possessing the willing [[spoiler:Twinkle Shine]].

* In ''FanFic/IAgainstIMeAgainstYou'', [[OriginalCharacter Sunny Side]] allows Tex to possess her in order to fight Project Freelancer.

* In ''Series/StargateSG1'' an entire group of the normally AlwaysChaoticEvil (at the time) BigBad Goa'uld race elected to [[DefectorFromDecadence take only willing hosts]] and form a resistance movement (Tok'ra) to fight their evil kin. This actually led to an amusing misunderstanding during FirstContact: the protagonists, after hearing of them, came to offer an "alliance", which the Tok'ra naturally took to mean they wanted to join with a symbiote (what else does a human have to offer a nearly-immortal alien with ancient supertech?), much to SG-1's alarm. Also, some of the human servants of the Goa'uld have been brainwashed to treat being chosen as the next host as the greatest honor imaginable, not realizing that they'd be trapped in their own body for centuries with none of the "pleasures" they think they'll experience.

* In ''Series/KamenRiderDenO'', Ryotaro is possessed by different Imagin, who wear him and the suit (each a different mode.)

* ''Series/DeadOfSummer'': [[spoiler:Amy, the target of a [[DemonicPossession possession by the demon Malphas]], actually arranged for him to be summoned in the first place and welcomed his possession, seeing him as the only one who "understood" her. The [[TheFakeCutie ostensible "good girl"]] was actually a raging [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who was responsible for multiple murders long before she ever encountered Malphas.]]

* In ''Literature/TheHost'', Melanie eventually becomes this to PuppeteerParasite Wanderer. Although she initially resists, by the end of the book she actually tries to convince Wanderer to stay in her body.

[[folder: Fan Works]]

Usually a Willing Channeler must perform a ritual of some sort to conjure the target spirit (s)he wants to be possessed by, but this is not the golden rule, just the norm (for the genre of fantasy at least). Also, even if the spirit does not possess the conjurer, the character is still considered a Willing Channeler for having committed to the desire to be possessed, even if the desire is not natural but actually an artificial compulsion (e.g. enchantment, drug usage, MindControl, etc, etc). This possession may be visually represented with TransformationOfThePossessed, ProphetEyes or other cues; if the possessing force is powerful and/or evil, there may be a mild case of PossessionBurnout afterwards.

A type of [[BodyAndHost Host]] that "willingly" allows him/herself to be possessed by someone or something. In RealLife, this is usually someone who performs a [[ISeeDeadPeople Spirit Medium]] role, like that of a shaman (it's known as voluntary possession)[[note]][[http://www.fst.org/mediumship.htm More details here.]][[/note]]. The trope has been used more commonly in fantasy settings in conjunction with DemonicPossession from an evil spirit or magician specialized in BlackMagic. When a Willing Channeler is possessed by such an entity, they become a LivingBodysuit. The opposite form of spirit however, being possessed by a ''benevolent'' force, is simply called Channeling, as it is more or less a mutualist [[TheSymbiote Symbiotic]] relationship of a spiritual nature, and rarely does the "virtuous guest" force anything upon the host without consent and/or necessity.

See also HeroicHost. Compare SymbioticPossession, where the possession is initially forced, but afterwards (either immediately or gradually) becomes a mutually beneficial relationship.