Line #66 ThePowerOfRock/WesternAnimation


1	* This is essentially the plot of ''WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine'', with Music/TheBeatles being called upon to save a magical land from the music-hating Blue Meanies.
2	* Quite a few of George Pal's ''Puppetoons''. "Tulips Shall Always Grow" ends with a folk dance that reverses the effects of an invasion of [[ANaziByAnyOtherName goose-stepping robots]]!
3	* ''WesternAnimation/KiddVideo'' revolves around a rock group pulled into a MagicalLand by an EvilOverlord who wants to control all music.
4	* Appropriately enough for one of the best singers in the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon, Ariel defeats a BigBad through singing in the ''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid\|1992}}'' TV series.
5	* The idea provided by ''The Little Mermaid'' series is [[AffectionateParody parodied]] in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'', where Princess Giselle can [[FriendToAllLivingThings summon friendly animals]] and kick off an elaborate CrowdSong in Central Park just by singing.
6	* ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'':
7	** Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'', where Princess Fiona's high note is enough to make the friendly bird singing with her explode in a puff of feathers.
8	** ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'' had Snow White summon animals with her usual Disney-like singing, then [[StaringDownCthulhu stare down]] the Huorns guarding the city gates as the metal intro to Music/LedZeppelin's "The Immigrant Song" plays. She then does the musical screaming into, which launches the animals to attack the Huorns.
9	* In the climax of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeastTheEnchantedChristmas,'' this is villain [[MeaningfulName Forte's]] weapon of choice in the climax. Slightly subverted as it's not ''just'' the MagicMusic, but also how ''loud'' it is.
10	* On ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Music/TheWho were able to use their amps to blow up a huge wall.
11	** In a similar vein, the velvet-smooth bass of Music/BarryWhite is used to lure snakes to safety during "Whacking Day".
12	* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', Bubbles reverses the evil effects of [[EnemyMime Mr. Mime's]] color and happiness draining magic by kicking off a cheery concert in the Townsville park. She sings a song called "Love Makes the World Go 'Round".
13	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheDevilAndDanielMouse'', an AnthropomorphicAnimalAdaptation[=/=]SettingUpdate of ''Literature/TheDevilAndDanielWebster'', the protagonists use rock to win a legal case against the Devil.
14	* Used [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome spectacularly]] in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobSquarepantsMovie'', complete with [[ParentalBonus a Twisted Sister parody]] and [[NauseaFuel Patrick in fishnets]].
15	** One of Plankton's evil plans involved a rock band and unedited music.
16	* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. Three words: ''Music/{{KISS}} Saves Santa''.
17	* The ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Die Hippie, Die" involves Cartman dispersing a huge crowd of hippies using a Music/{{Slayer}} CD.
18	* ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' episode "Play Them Ragtime Boos" involved the guys facing off with a bunch of ghosts whose swing music turned time back to TheRoaringTwenties... Yes, the boys played Rock and Roll. With specially-programmed instruments and a visual trip from fifties to eighties. (Yes, folks, Egon's hair got ''more'' insane.)
19	* Cobra tried this once in ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe'' by having the Dreadnoks [[FiveManBandConcert form a band]] called "Cold Slither" and use MindControlMusic. (Not exactly their brightest idea, becoming a popular rock band that the whole country knows about with a name that's pretty obvious.) It somehow managed to work on three of the Joes.
20	* Aku tried something similar to that in the ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' episode "Jack and the Rave Slaves".
21	* ''WesternAnimation/TheReturnOfTheKing''. "Where there's a whip (crack!) there's a way."
22	* ''The WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Colon Movie Film For Theatres'' has Neil Peart, the legendary drummer/songwriter of Music/{{Rush\|Band}}, raise [[spoiler:Meatwad]] from the dead by performing the "Solo of Life". Tongue-in-cheek promotional material published before the movie's release suggested that the solo would be the climax of the film and would run ''45 minutes long''. [[spoiler: In fact, it's closer to 45 seconds.]]
23	** There's also the episode "[[http://video.adultswim.com/aqua-teen-hunger-force/carl-gets-the-foreigner-belt.html Revenge of the Mooninites]]", where the Mooninites trick Meatwad into helping them acquire the Foreigner Belt, which gives the wearer super-powers based on songs by the rock group Music/{{Foreigner\|Band}}. We get to see "Dirty White Boy"[[note]]Makes Meatwad act like a redneck[[/note]], "Cold as Ice"[[note]]Freezes Carl in a block of ice[[/note]] "Double Vision"[[note]][[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Gives Frylock double vision]][[/note]], and "Hot Blooded"[[note]]Makes the water in Carl's pool boil, scaring off the Mooninites[[/note]]. Then Carl accidentally inflicts "Head Games"[[note]][[VisualPun Turns his head into a]] ''TabletopGame/ConnectFour'' board[[/note]] on himself.
24	-->'''Carl''': "I don't ''need'' no instructions to know how to Rock!"
25	* And then there's ''WesternAnimation/RockADoodle'' (which Creator/DonBluth fans normally [[FanonDiscontinuity do NOT like to talk about]]). The movie is a ''very'' loose re-imagining of the tale of Chanticleer, the singing rooster who believes he alone summons the sunlight with his voice. In this case, Chanticleer is an Music/ElvisPresley {{Expy}} who (very) gradually learns that his golden tones are the ''only'' thing that can stop an evil wizard owl who wants to plunge the world into TheNightThatNeverEnds.
26	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'' is '''all''' about this trope. The protagonists are the members of Dethklok, a DeathMetal band whose music often has destructive powers. In one of the first episodes, Dethklok manages to summon an ancient Finnish demon, the Mustakrakish, which proceeds to lay waste to all of UsefulNotes/{{Finland}}. Later in the series, they play on top of a dormant volcano, which somehow erupts anyway, killing off the entire audience.
27	** Furthermore, Dethklok themselves are the most successful band in the world, being the 12th largest economy by the end of season 1, meaning they earn more money than UsefulNotes/{{Belgium}} and a lot of other countries! All because they make awesome music, and have billions of crazed fans worldwide. Of course, their music seems to be gradually destroying civilisation, but them's the breaks...
28	** The [[{{Defictionalization}} defictionalized]] Dethklok is backing Music/DragonForce up on their ''Ultra Beatdown'' tour.
29	** They're also touring with Music/{{Mastodon}}, and has recently hired [[VideoGame/BrutalLegend Eddie Riggs]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLTz56PJJT0 as a roadie.]] It's like they're creating a massive singularity of pure f[[SoundEffectBleep [guitar squeal]]]ing ''metal''.
30	** The "Crush My Battle Opponent's Balls" music video has Skwisgaar killing dragons with his music, possibly in homage to the Music/YngwieMalmsteen artwork from the page image.
31	* In ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'', the villainess Ravess built a massive sonic cannon that channeled the sound of her orchestra into blasts that could blow ships out of the sky. The heroes countered this by converting their hangar into an amp that similarly channeled Finn's electric guitar. The result can only be described as a Rock vs. Classical BeamOWar.
32	* In Creator/ChuckJones' lovely [[PragmaticAdaptation adaptation]] of George Seldon's ''A Cricket in Times Square'', Chester, the titular musical Orthopteran, saves a tiny newsstand after he learns he has a talent for playing ClassicalMusic. In the finale, Chester plays his last "concert", a musical farewell to the city. All of the jaded UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity residents, ''every one of them'', stop to listen. The sequence is illustrated almost entirely with Jones' own sensitive sketches of the City, and it's one of the most downright moving moments in animation.
33	* Lest we forget, ''WesternAnimation/{{Hammerman}}''. (In this case, it's the power of dancing, but it still counts.)
34	* Val Hallen, from the ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' ShowWithinAShow ''Justice Friends'', is based around this concept. He's the Viking god of Rock, and the local parody of the Creator/MarvelComics version of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] combined with Music/VanHalen. Too bad he [[TheDitz can't actually make it work]].
35	* Four words for you: ''WesternAnimation/JemAndTheHolograms''!
36	* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'' episode "S is for Self", Matt is able to fight off a DemonicPossession by blasting his possessor Shagon with a series of love-fueled guitar chords.
37	* ''WesternAnimation/HiHiPuffyAmiYumi'', a BandToon based on a real Japanese group.
38	* In the ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'' episode "In Space No-One Can Hear You Rock", the Martians use the power of easy-listening jazz against Earth. Dodgers enlists the help of Dave Mustaine of Music/{{Megadeth}} to destroy their saxophone-ray. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwNIABdqBxY See for yourself.]]
39	* British TV series ''WesternAnimation/{{Freefonix}}'' is set in the future, where, apparently, The Power of Rock can be used to make the musician fly, control people's minds, and ''reverse time''.
40	* The ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' episode "Talent Night" featured a guitar battle that faked the viewers out. Megabyte enters the stage and pops out of a coffin, sinister-looking musical equipment unfolds [[HammerSpace seemingly out of nowhere]], and he turns his guitar to eleven. Bob confronts him, with Glitch taking the form of a guitar, and they have an epic rock fight. Then, after it's over... Megabyte hands his guitar to Enzo, says "I've always wanted to do that," and leaves peacefully.
41	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G03mAMHbHnI&fmt=18 The full awesome cannot be described, it must be witnessed.]]
42	*** After turning things up to eleven, a BFG (guitar) is summoned, there's a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, and...just click the link.
43	* The all-but-forgotten ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BwgEOQO_qk Stone Protectors]]'' were a toy line and short-lived [[WesternAnimation/StoneProtectors cartoon series]] released on the heels of the troll doll revival in the mid-90's. These [[AllTrollsAreDifferent trolls]] were a literal [[FiveManBand Four Man Band]] who protected the Stones of Power from an evil troll using ThePowerOfRock.
44	* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', Soundwave can use music to control machines and can also overwhelm with the sheer volume of the sound. The show's version of Laserbeak transforms not into a tape, but ''a guitar'' and he can hack into computers (as well as [[spoiler: mind-control both humans and robots]]). And when he shows up, it is awesome.
45	--> '''Sari:''' I've heard your music, Soundwave. I'm not impressed.\
46	'''Soundwave:''' I have upgraded my instruments.\
47	[=* he plays a power chord on Laserbeak that sends Sari hurtling into the far wall*=]
48	** And did we mention [[spoiler: the guitar duel between Soundwave and Optimus Prime at the end of the episode?]]
49	---> '''Soundwave''': Your axe is useless, Autobot.\
50	'''Optimus Prime''': But yours isn't!
51	* The original ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' had the episode "Carnage in C Minor". This featured a planet of beings who could use music as a weapon, which catered to original flavor Soundwave's musical abilities. It's also regarded as one of the worst episodes in the entire franchise.
52	** More thanks to its horrendously OffModel animation - at one point, Brawn and Huffer (who are dead) are shooting at a rocket engine, alongside Bonecrusher (who helped build it).
53	* In ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheDiamondCastle'' the protagonists defeat the [[VainSorceress villain's]] [[MagicMusic flute-based evil spells]] by playing their own [[MagicMusic magical instruments]] and singing.
54	* In the ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'' special, ''WesternAnimation/{{Wishology}}'', Timmy used the White Wand on [[BigBad the Darkness]], which was essentially a guitar with magical properties, guarded by KISS no less.
55	* Sonic the Hedgehog did it at the end of an episode of the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' series. It frustrated the MonsterOfTheWeek so much that he blew up and caused Robotnik to do a [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Team Rocket]] impression.
56	* In ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'', not only were the characters in a rock band, their main weapons were their instruments.
57	* In their "Cliptastic Countdown", WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb pulled it off by performing their extended version of "Gitchee Gitchee Goo" to save everyone who had been brainwashed by Dr. Doofenshmirtz's own music video.
58	** Pretty much the motivation for Love Handel's Danny who claims that [[ThePowerOfRock music has the power to change the world]].
59	** Baljeet also has this ability in "The Baljeatles" when he's PISSED OFF after told that he [[BerserkButton won't be graded]] for summer camp (which he had thought was a geology camp when it was really a rock music camp). So he storms onstage and lets out his fustrations in-song and it is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuGLeYHLmGI incredible]].
60	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfVoxMachina'': when our heroes find themselves in a room filling with corrosive acid, Scanlan uses his Mage's Hand spell to keep them from being overtaken by the acid, but initially struggles to support everyone's weight because they're all to heavy. Then, realizing he needs to play something just as heavy, he materializes a guitar pick and starts to ''shred'', giving himself the strength he needs to keep everyone safe until the acid can be safely drained.
61	* The ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' episode "Your Logo Here!" was about the main duo trying to make the show more educational, and bring in a Series/{{Barney\|AndFriends}}-esque otter, "Ed the Educational Otter". His teachings made the kids nuts, and Henry ended up trapping him. The lure? His electric guitar solo.
62	* The WesternAnimation/TeenTitans couldn't beat [[MusicalAssassin Punk Rocket]] as the sonic waves from his guitar stopped all attacks until Beast Boy had him play so loud the sound system blew.
63	* There was an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' where they demolished the UsefulNotes/BerlinWall and ended the UsefulNotes/ColdWar through the power of a rock ballad. It was AllJustADream, but a prophetic one. After the song, Alvin woke up to find the Wall still in place; he sadly muses, "So it was only a dream... But it doesn't have to be." Ironically this cartoon aired about eleven months before the real Berlin Wall came down.
64	* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Squidbillies}}'', Rusty [[DealWithTheDevil sells his soul]] to {{Satan}} for the ability to be a better guitar player than his dad. Cue the ensuing power rock duel where Early unleashes the full power of his skill, playing so fast it reaches into the ''ultrasound range'', easily outdoing his son's demon-powered solo. [[spoiler:It turns out Early had struck a similar bargain with Satan, so it ends as HellOnEarth anyway.]]
65	* The ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' episode "This Is My Jam". To combat an extremely catchy song come alive, Mordecai and friends form a band and sing their own EarWorm to blast it. This results in manifesting two ethereal rockers who use their guitars as swords.
66	* In Joe Horne's series of 1-minute animated shorts "Stevie and Zoya," which debuted on Creator/{{MTV}} in the late 1980s, there is a scene where the title characters blast rock and roll from a boombox to rescue a group of people who have been turned into disco zombies and turn them back into themselves.
67	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Grojband}}'' lives and breathes on this trope. The band's music has raised the dead, freed people from being brainwashed, increased the muscle build of some old ladies, destroyed a cybernetic network, banished an evil knight summoned from their imagination, and is basically behind nearly every weird thing that occurs in the series. The biggest example however has to be the GrandFinale, where their final song ''saves the world'' from being destroyed by a meteor.
68	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'' is all about this. It starts with a school-wide musical showcase, and when the siren-esque villains hear about it, they manage to turn into an all-out BattleOfTheBands to feed off the developing hostilities of the student body, and only the protagonists' five-girl rock band can have any hope of saving the day.
69	* In ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', [[spoiler:zombies can be destroyed by a perfect three-part harmony]]. Cue Mabel, Dipper and Stan singing karaoke in the wake of a ZombieApocalypse.
70	* ''WesternAnimation/CampLakebottom'': In "The Great Tiki Hunt", [=McGee=] overcomes the evil Tiki god with the power of a ukelele solo.
71	* In ''WesternAnimation/JuliusJr'', there are times where the power of rock is the solution to the problem the gang is facing, notably in the episode ''Rock Sitting'' when Worry Bear's sentient rock collection goes missing and the only way to draw them out is the power of music.
72	* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Sidekick}}'' episode "Virtual Mayhem" starts with the team playing "[[VideoGame/GuitarHero Rock 'em Roll 'em]] [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies Zombie]] [[VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution Revolution]]" in the battle simulator, until [[TheDitz Trevor]] crashes the game by playing too fast. When the team is about to be destroyed by an army of monsters (actually other players) at the climax of the episode, Kitty hacks the simulation to give everyone their instruments, leading to an epic rock battle.
73	* ''WesternAnimation/KipoAndTheAgeOfWonderbeasts'': Kipo befriends the umlaut snakes of Cactustown by playing an epic guitar solo, at which point they decide that she's way too awesome to eat, deeming her an honorary bandmember.
74	* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': The VillainOfTheWeek in the episode "Monster Weather" is a high tech weather machine gone rogue, eventually utilizing the weather to transform itself into an elemental monster. The weather machine's AchillesHeel is that it's vulnerable to sound frequencies opposite to the humming it makes, which Ben is able to take advantage of by playing guitar attuned to said opposite frequency near the monster's brain. For added awesomeness, the alien Ben uses for this is Four-Arms, which means Ben is able to play two guitars at the same time, at least until he transforms back and has to use a single guitar.
75	* Subverted by El Kabong, a persona sometimes used by ''WesternAnimation/QuickDrawMcgraw''. He would swing into action to confront villains with his acoustic guitar... and hit them over the head with it.
76	* Musa in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' makes use of this trope very often, as her title as fairy of music suggest, she even was able of turn off a storm created by the witch stormy thorough a tribal dance and singing:"[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRq4f9Zn2WI]]"
77	* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', Batman and the Freedom Fighters are held captured by the Weaponers of Qward when Plastic Man drops in, tossing down the top hat of Uncle Sam and begins singing a butchered version of "Yankee Doodle Dandy". At first, Batman attempts to use Plastic Man's moment to break his bonds and escape, but when he realizes the patriotic fever Plas is kicking up is reviving Uncle Sam, Bats urges everyone to start singing along, reviving the hero.

Context ThePowerOfRock / WesternAnimation