History Main / YourHeartsDesire

* The {{X-Men}} annual ''Lost in the Funhouse'' revolved around this - Horde, the villain of the issue, sent the team to a Citadel to retrieve a MacGuffin on pain of destroying their world if they refused. The citadel's defence mechanism was offering intruders a vision of their heart's desire one-by-one. When it couldn't find Longshot's desire due to his "[[IncorruptiblePurePureness purity]]" it cut out step two and absorbed him.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' had the Mirror of [[SdrawkcabName Erised]], which shows the viewer whatever their greatest desire is. Ron, who feels overshadowed by his siblings, sees himself outdoing them all. Harry, who never knew his real family, sees himself with his parents. Dumbledore mentions that [[LotusEaterMachine it can be highly addictive]], however. [[spoiler: In the climax, Dumbledore hides the Philosopher's Stone "inside" the mirror, with the proviso that only someone who wants to find the stone but not use its power can reach it. The villain sees himself with the stone, but Harry's reflection slips it into his pocket.]]

* In NabariNoOu, the Shinrabanshou often tries to tempt Miharu into telling her his greatest desires, and then she will grant him her destructive power, regardless of [[SuperPowerMeltdown whether his body can handle it.]]

* The PC horror game ''The Path'' can be interpreted this way, as it seems that [[spoiler: each girl's wolf is something that appeals to them according to their personality, and thus they are lured in one by one]].

** Adventure ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Caverns_of_Tsojcanth The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]''. A group of dao (similar to djinn) create an illusion of a desirable setting to lure the party into a cave. When the party enters, the dao attack.

* In the novel ''SomethingWickedThisWayComes'' by Ray Bradbury, the carnival tries to entice the boys by showing them exciting and marvelous things. Particularly Jim, who is fascinated by it, and who also has a desire to become older.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' had the Mirror of [[SdrawkcabName Erised]], which shows the viewer whatever their greatest desire is. Dumbledore mentions that [[LotusEaterMachine it can be highly addictive]], however.

** Dragon magazine #51, story "A Part of the Game". A caravan lost in the desert finds an oasis. When they look in the pool they see a paradise with beautiful people and a lush landscape. All but one of the caravan members enter the pool, and are eaten by the monster that generated the illusion of paradise.

* ''{{Shadowrun}}'' had an Awakened creature ability called "Desire Reflection" that was basically this. It was possessed by (among other creatures) the incubus (in the supplement ''Paranormal Animals of North America''), which looked like a large octopus.

** Dragon magazine #51, story "A Part of the Game". A caravan lost in the desert finds an oasis. Much to their surprise, when they look in the pool they see a paradise with beautiful people and a lush landscape. All but one of the caravan members enter the pool, and are eaten by the monster that generated the illusion of paradise.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Caverns_of_Tsojcanth The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]''. A group of dao (similar to djinn) create an illusion of a desirable setting to lure the party into a cave. When the party enters, the dao attack.
* ''DungeosnAndDragons'' {{Dark Sun}}/World of Athas campaign setting. The Red Silt Horror uses its telepathic/ESP abilities to determine what its target desires most, then uses its False Sensory Input power to create an image of the desired item. After its target moves close to it, it attacks.

* ''HarryPotter'' had the Mirror of [[SdrawkcabName Erised]], which shows the viewer whatever their greatest desire is. Dumbledore mentions that [[LotusEaterMachine it can be highly addictive]], however.

* ''HarryPotter'' had the Mirror of [[SdrawkcabName Erised]], which shows the viewer whatever their greatest desire is. [[TheDumbledore Dumbledore]] mentions that [[LotusEaterMachine it can be highly addictive]], however.

* ''HarryPotter'' had the Mirror of [[SdrawkcabName Erised]], which shows the viewer whatever their greatest desire is. [[TheDumbledore Dumbledore]] mentions [[LotusEaterMachine it can be highly addictive]], however.

* TheSeries of ''{{Disney/Aladdin}}'' had a variant in one episode: a small, timid animal that would magically create one's heart's desire when scared, which served as a defensive mechanism to distract anything that might hurt it. Naturally, characters come up with other uses for it.

* HarryPotter had the Mirror of [[SdrawkcabName Erised]].

* The X-Men annual ''Lost in the Funhouse'' revolved around this - Horde, the villain of the issue, sent the team to a Citadel to retrieve a MacGuffin on pain of destroying their world if they refused. The citadel's defence mechanism was offering intruders their heart's desire one-by-one, although when it couldn't find Longshot's desire it simply *absorbed* him. Storm figured that Horde sent others in his place because he knew he wouldn't able to resist the temptation.

* TheSeries of ''{{Disney/Aladdin}}'' had a variant in one episode, which featured a small, timid animal that would magically create one's heart's desire when scared, which served as a defensive mechanism to distract any dangers.

* TheSeries of ''Disney/Aladdin'' had a variant in one episode, which featured a small, timid animal that would magically create one's heart's desire when scared, which served as a defensive mechanism to distract any dangers.

* An X-Men annual issue revolved around this - Horde, the villain of the issue, sent the team to a Citadel to retrieve a MacGuffin on pain of destroying their world if they refused. The citadel's defence mechanism was offering intruders their heart's desire one-by-one, although when it couldn't find Longshot's desire it simply *absorbed* him. Storm figured that Horde sent others in his place because he knew he wouldn't able to resist the temptation.

* Rare hero example: Danielle Moonstar, AKA Mirage of the New Mutants, could create a mental illusion of your worst fear, or your heart's desire. She could choice which one of these two, but even herself couldn't know ''what'' her victim was seeing.