History Main / PersonalitySwap

The reason for this change can be GreenRocks, AppliedPhlebotinum but frequently even some naturally occurring non-fantastic explanation such as AcquiredSituationalNarcissism, a [[ClothesMakeTheManiac changing of clothes]], habits, jobs or maybe TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody. This can also overlap with OOCIsSeriousBusiness, if a dramatic situation, for example, makes a calm character angry and an angry character calm.

* In ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' episode "Poor Little Rich Girl", Zach and Cody learn that their mother may have mistaken them for each other at birth, so they change their personalities to that of their other twin. At the end of the episode, their mother pulls out their birth certificates to show that, yes, they are who they're supposed to be.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' played with this in one episode. Everyone's roles and {{Catch Phrase}}s were shuffled around. Doofinshmirtz built a giant city (with Norm as the guy who sat around and occasionally spoke), while Vanessa (who underwent a ClothingSwitch with Candace to Lampshade the whole thing) tried to tell her mom. He even expected Perry to show up ("Hey, where's Perry the Platypus?"), but Perry was unable to get to Major Monogram because of a pet-cone. Meanwhile, Phineas built a machine that would spread a rainbow over [[LargeHam The Entire TRI-STATE AREA!!!]], only for Perry, who was unable to see past pet-cone, hit the [[ContractualGenreBlindness self-destruct button on it]]. He sneezes ("Bless you, Perry the Platypus!"), and Phineas removes the cone. Perry then rushes to the docks, where Doofenshmirtz's city has sunk (before Vanessa could get her mom there). Doof delivers the "Oh, there you are Perry The Platypus." and Candace and Vanessa meet up at a store, and presumably switch clothes offscreen.

* In the ''Manga/FairyTail'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10264509/105/Tales-of-Fairies Personality Transplant]]'', Natsu reads a gag job request that causes everyone in the guild to swap personality. These include [[IdiotHero Natsu]] and [[ShrinkingViolet Wendy]], [[TeamPet Happy]] and [[ActingYourIntellectualAge Carla]], [[OnlySaneMan Lucy]] and [[{{Yandere}} Juvia]], [[GentlemanAndAScholar Freed]] and [[RatedMForManly Elfman]], [[TheAlcoholic Cana]] and [[ComicallySerious Erza]], [[TheHyena Bickslow]] and [[CuteBookworm Levy]], and [[NakedPeopleAreFunny Gray]] and [[TheAloner Gajeel]]. Notably, it was only their personality and not their likes. For example, Erza with Cana's addictive personality acted carefreely and ate so much [[TrademarkFavoriteFood cake]] that she needed to stop eating sugar afterward, while Cana with Erza's personality went on a violent rampage when a brawl spilled her brandy. Meanwhile, Lucy acted completely lovestruck and possessive to the currently shy Natsu, just as Juvia normally does with Gray.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'' did this to Zak and Wheezie in one episode via a magic statue. As they [[MultipleHeadCase share the same body]], the FreakyFriday plot wouldn't be an option anyway.

In an episodeof ''Series/WelcomeBackKotter'', Kotter and Mr. Woodman switch jobs. Mr. Woodman becomes a fun guy who dresses up in costume for class, and Kotter becomes more like Mr. Woodman was.

* One confusing episode of ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'' centered around several of the characters' minds being linked together by the enemy robots (or something like that). While they were connected, they were unable to consciously control their own bodies, which were then taken over by their suppressed personality traits. It led to ActionGirl Ryoko cowering in fear, MsExposition Inez refusing to explain things, and eternal sadsack Jun grabbing a machine gun and running around in search of things to shoot.

* The third episode of ''Anime/MakaiSenkiDisgaea'' has Etna and Flonne exchanging everything but their actual identity. This includes their clothes.

* One chapter of ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'' had Red and Blue accidentally trading their teams. Because of the contrasting personalities of the trainers, the Pokémon had to adjust: Red teaches Blue's Pokémon to be more laid-back and relaxed, while Blue trains Red's team into battle-hardened warriors. By the time they switched back at the end of the chapter, neither trainer is amused at the results (Red had to ''run for his life'' from his Pokémon, and Blue is weirded out by his team having mellowed out). It's also plot-relevant, since the trading sequence allowed Blue to evolve his Machoke into Machamp, and a previously recalcitrant Porygon now ''snuggling'' up to him.
* An episode of ''Anime/{{Pecola}}'' has Coco, Rudy, and Bongo switch personalities with one another after Chewy's cleaning vacuum malfunctions.

* In ''Comicbook/TheFlash and Comicbook/GreenLantern: Fast Friends'', Wally West and Kyle Rayner swap costumes and memories, each being convinced they're the other and unable to understand why their powers don't work. It's suggested the personality swap is only superficial, and they still have their real ones beneath it; so Kyle-as-Wally is capable of an insight only Kyle would make, but frames it as "Now, if I were an artist, I'd say..." However it works, it gives them a better understanding of each other and is the beginning of them going from genuinely not getting on to being VitriolicBestBuds.

* Happened in one ''Literature/LabyrinthsOfEcho'' {{flashback}}-sequel when Max needed to get some self-control very quick and Shurf Lonli-Lokli with his current LawfulStupid personality keeping his old ChaoticStupid personality down wanted some rest. So when Max said that "it would be cool to get into your skin", Shurf, as the biggest BadassBookworm around, knew an old spell doing this. The Exchange of Ulviar, or Candle of Fittekh exchanges "Shadows" -- no one yet managed to articulately explain what these are, but they can be contacted and manipulated and this spell effectively swaps the participants' personalities and talents. It got two names after the inventors and first known users, an ancient elven king and his court healer. The legend said that Ulviar got Healer's call and Fittekh got ambitions and enough of political talents to halfway organize a coup before the spell's duration ended, leaving the king with new respect to his healer's altruism and the healer impressed by self-restraint of his king who normally didn't act as HotBlooded as was inclined.

* An episode of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' has this happen to Zelda and Hilda who willingly purchase some pairs of magical "Walk in my Moccasins" to get a better perspective on each other.
** Also happened, thanks to sunspots, with Sabrina and Libby. However, they did not act ''exactly'' like each other -- Libby went from being the AlphaBitch to a FriendToAllLivingThings, and Sabrina went from being her normal self to militaristic would be EvilOverlord with plans to TakeOverTheWorld (with a little prodding from Salem).
*** Done again during Sabrina's time at Scorch magazine, when she tries to make notoriously unpleasant rapper Baby B 2 K "like her" as in, enjoy her company, and Baby ends up "like her" as in, personality-wise. Baby ends up baking the paparazzi pecan sandies, and Sabrina takes on a jerk neighbor in small claims court.
* On ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', CFO David Wallace was always level-headed, as opposed to needy, off-putting Michael Scott. However, when Michael clashes with the company's new owners he looks to David Wallace for help, only to find Wallace (laid off after the merger) day-drunk and desperate for companionship. For once Michael is the one put out.
* On ''Series/NewsRadio'', meek man-child Matthew becomes the office jerk after he asserts himself to Bill (by punching his lights out), who in turn takes Matthew's place as the meek one. [[StatusQuoIsGod The status quo]] is restored when Bill, trying to defend Matthew, accidentally slaps him in the face, causing Matthew to snap out of his power trip.

* In ''Series/QuantumLeap'', a freak accident switches Sam and Al's roles, with Al now trapped in time and Sam as a computer projection finding advice and information. The switch also makes Al more virtuous and Sam more lecherous, confounding them both.

* Happened a few times on ''Series/HomeImprovement''. Every so often Tim would shift character positions with someone else as they act more impulsive like Tim would normally.
** When Wilson was thinking of moving back to where he used to live with his (now deceased) wife because her memory was fading, they actually swapped sides of the fence as Tim gave him advice on how to remember departed loved ones.
** Later, when Wilson felt alienated from the rest of the guys because of his constant hoity-toity intellectualizing, Tim again has to be the one to dispense wisdom.
** When Al took on as a guest host for a cooking show and Tim took up as a dedicated assistant, Al ended up being arrogant and refused the practical advice Tim would give.
** In one episode, Jill was the one who ruined something of Tim's, rather than vice-versa, and had to find a way to make it right by the end of the episode.
In an episodeof ''Series/WelcomeBackKotter'', Kotter and Mr. Woodman switch jobs. Mr. Woodman becomes a fun guy who dresses up in costume for class, and Kotter becomes more like Mr. Woodman was.

** In episode 720, Ernie imagines [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tet721PTCQ switching personalities with Bert.]]

** More specifically, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phl8OqxpQ0o Happy Pooh Year]]'' (released together with ''Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too'' as ''A Very Merry Pooh Year''), with the switch done in two pairs: Tigger and Piglet, and Pooh and Eeyore. Frankly, seeing the [[TheEeyore usually gloomy]] Eeyore acting like Pooh and [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/EeyoreCreepySmile.JPG grinning like a madman]] is... [[NightmareFuel/WesternAnimation disturbing]].

* In The Recreation arc of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', [[ProfessionalButtKisser Simmons]], becoming more assertive in his role as the OnlySaneMan, becomes more openly critical of Sarge's warped orders and SkewedPriorities and is less eager to carry them out. Meanwhile, [[TheSlacker Grif]] sees how keeping up the ForeverWar is easier, agrees with Sarge's self-destructive strategies so Red Team won't win against Caboose (The only Blue Team member around) and then possibly be shipped to a more difficult battlefield. This backfires on Grif, though;

* ''Series/SpaceCases'': An "experiment" by Miss Davenport causes the kids to "change identities"; they don't swap bodies but species, along with the accompanying abilities and powers. Since TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody, turning [[HumansAreBastards human]] turns the normally quiet Radu into a take-charge leader (but unable to handle leadership), Bova turns into a Mercurian and becomes "cheery, bright, and sunny," and Rosie turns into a Uranus-ian(?) and becomes the GrumpyBear.

* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': In "A Terrifying Round with a Menacing Metallic Clown", a MonsterClown menaces the mini-golf tournament in which Shaggy is participating, threatening to cancel it. Shaggy's desire to win and Velma's [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes coulrophobia]] cause them to swap their group dynamics, with Shaggy boldy leading the investigation while Velma hangs out with Scooby as far away from the clown as possible. It's not a complete swap, though.
-->'''Daphne:''' How about you, Velma? Would ''you'' do it for a Scooby Snack?\\
'''Velma:''' Please, I'm scared. Not desperate.

* Also happened on ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' once. After Quinn became reclusive and antisocial, Daria intentionally became fashionable and flighty to bring Quinn out of it. Episode title being Quinn the Brain.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'', X the Eliminator gets Birdman's crest and becomes successful and well-liked, while Birdman becomes an obsessive stalker (building a death ray console).
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyAndFriendsE35MishMashMelee Mish Mash Melee]]", Gusty, Fizzy, Shady, and Wind Whistler upset a barrel that maintains "the balance of nature", releasing creatures called the frazzits that switch their personalities around between them. Frizzy gets Wind Whistler's [[TheSpock logical personality]] and Wind Whistler gets her [[TheDitz ditzy, happy-go-lucky personality]], while Shady gets Gusty's [[LeeroyJenkins brave and physical personality]] and Gusty gets her [[LovableCoward cowardly personality]].
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E13SimpleWays Simple Ways]]", after Rarity tries to impress Trenderhoof by acting more like Applejack but going so overboard that she ends up being more like a stereotypical country hick, Applejack decides to retaliate by modeling as "Apple Jewel", a "trend-setting fashionista" who's an exaggeration of Rarity. The two of them essentially become {{Flanderiz|ation}}ed versions of each other, though Applejack is doing it to make a point about how silly Rarity is being.
* ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'' did this to Zak and Wheezie in one episode via a magic statue. As they [[MultipleHeadCase share the same body]], the FreakyFriday plot wouldn't be an option anyway.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'':
** In the episode "Bad Boy", AppliedPhlebotinum causes {{Sidekick}} Ron to gradually become evil while MadScientist Drakken turns good.
** In the PostScriptSeason episode "Stop Team Go", the same AppliedPhlebotinum is now turned into a MirrorMoralityMachine and causes instant [[CharacterAlignment alignment]] switches. Team Go becomes evil and [[TheDragon Shego]] turns good to become Kim's best friend; The KiGo [[LesYay shippers]] {{squee}} as their dreams almost become {{canon}}.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Inhumanoids}}'' had Magnokor and Metlar switch alignment after the former boosted their magnetic powers through a [[GreenRocks boulder of galvacite]] to finally defeat their arch-enemy.
* The episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'' entitled "Who's Stupid Now?" had Ren forced to be "the fat, stupid one" and Stimpy "the skinny jerk" thanks to [[AnimatedActors in-episode]] ExecutiveMeddling. Stimpy later gains intelligence on his own and becomes more abusive towards Ren.
* This happens in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' where Squidward gets electrocuted by his electric fence [[LightningCanDoAnything and gets a personality similar to SpongeBob's]], and then at the end of the episode where [=SpongeBob=] gets electrified by the same fence and ends up with a personality like Squidward's.

* In an episode of ''Franchise/TheLionKing'' spinoff ''WesternAnimation/TimonAndPumbaa'', the titular pair think they're going to die as a result of being stung by a deadly scorpion. During their "last day", the pair undergo a personality swap-the usually [[JerkAss selfish and greedy]] Timon gives away all his earthly possessions and finds joy in kindness and generosity, while the formerly [[NiceGuy kind-hearted]] Pumbaa becomes self-centered and vain, wanting to live it up before he goes out. Naturally, when it is revealed that death isn't imminent, the pair revert to their usual personalities.
* The ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' episode "Mirror, Mirror on the Ed" has the Eds daring each other to act like another Ed. [[TheDitz Ed]] imitates Eddy ("I'll do anything for cash, 'cause I'm short."), [[TheSmartGuy Edd]] imitates Ed ("Gravy!"), and [[{{Schemer}} Eddy]] imitates Edd ("Oh, the insanitary! My skinny arms cannot bear the weight.")
* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' does this without a plot device at all- after a fierce argument, the fussy, cultured Larry and overly manly Buck cordon off the space station to avoid each other, only to realize that everything they like is on the other one's side of the station. So out of boredom, Buck starts learning gourmet cooking, while Larry is irresponsible with a {{BFG}}.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' played with this in one episode. Everyone's roles and {{Catch Phrase}}s were shuffled around. Doofinshmirtz built a giant city (with Norm as the guy who sat around and occasionally spoke), while Vanessa (who underwent a ClothingSwitch with Candace to Lampshade the whole thing) tried to tell her mom. He even expected Perry to show up ("Hey, where's Perry the Platypus?"), but Perry was unable to get to Major Monogram because of a pet-cone. Meanwhile, Phineas built a machine that would spread a rainbow over [[LargeHam The Entire TRI-STATE AREA!!!]], only for Perry, who was unable to see past pet-cone, hit the [[ContractualGenreBlindness self-destruct button on it]]. He sneezes ("Bless you, Perry the Platypus!"), and Phineas removes the cone. Perry then rushes to the docks, where Doofenshmirtz's city has sunk (before Vanessa could get her mom there). Doof delivers the "Oh, there you are Perry The Platypus." and Candace and Vanessa meet up at a store, and presumably switch clothes offscreen.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' uses a variation on ClothesMakeTheManiac. Whilst in the park, Chuckie and Angelica manage to switch shoes. Chuckie slowly becomes more bossy and condescending to poor Tommy, while Angelica mellows out and become afraid of everything. However, the whole ordeal turns out to be AllJustADream that Tommy had after hearing his dad comment "I'd hate to be in that guy's shoes," whereafter Angelica lied and said that if you put on someone else's shoes, you become that person.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/RatedAForAwesome'' episode "Merry-Go-Round of Doom", Thera and Chet experience this after riding on a super-fast merry-go-round; Thera becomes mean and nasty, and Chet becomes kind and charitable. Les and Lars also experience this during an attempt to put things right, and later, Les's dad and Mr. Twitchy.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}''. In "Buster's Best Behavior," Buster feels inferior because he doesn't really stand out among the crowd and decides to try and be more like someone he admires, namely Arthur. Meanwhile, Arthur feels Buster is the coolest kid in school and decides to try and be more like him. Soon, Buster is walking around in yellow sweaters, reading lots of books, and complaining about D.W., while Arthur is constantly snacking and reading joke books, causing the two to quickly become bored with one another. Brain refers to the phenomenon as "Element X," but both Francine and Muffy are driven crazy.
* ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' "Anger Management": [[RevengeBeforeReason Dan]] and [[NiceGuy Chris]] are sent to anger management after one of Dan's revenge schemes. The anger management instructor, Amber, tells Chris that he doesn't express his anger enough. As a result, Chris becomes more and more expressive of his anger. While Dan slowly learns to relax. Unfortunately Amber realizes revenge feels good. So Dan becomes the ExtremeDoormat who helps his friend with their revenge in a similar vein to Chris. [[StatusQuoIsGod Though everything ends up going back to normal]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'''s [[Recap/SixteenS1E22EnterTheDragon "Enter the Dragon"]], Nikki and Caitlin essentially swap personalities [[AllPeriodsArePMS while on their periods]]: Nikki becomes [[ProneToTears overly emotional]] and sheds many TenderTears, and also develops [[GirlsLoveChocolate a strong craving for chocolate]] (even though it's said that she hates chocolate); Caitlin starts acting [[HairTriggerTemper really bitchy]] [[DeadpanSnarker and cranky]] (Jen even goes so far as to say that, "[Caitlin makes] pit bulls look friendly"). However, it's unknown if Caitlin develops an aversion to chocolate when she gets her period.
* In episode 81 of ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'', Stumpy and Quack Quack [[MediumAwareness use animation software to change the episode's script]], they swap Kaeloo and Mr. Cat's personalities. This results in Mr. Cat becoming kind, friendly and cheerful, and Kaeloo becoming a short-tempered, sarcastic AxCrazy {{Jerkass}}.
* ''WesternAnimation/CatDog'': In "Cat Gone Bad", Cat joins a group of alley cats and starts shirking responsibilities. Meanwhile, Dog tries working hard and becomes responsible and mature like Cat used to be.
* The ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries'' episode "Big Roommates" has [=GoGo=] and Honey Lemon temporarily becoming roommates due to an accident the latter created. As the episode goes on, the normally optimistic and open-hearted Honey becomes more cynical and sarcastic, while [=GoGo=], who's tougher and no-nonsense, becomes the optimist.

** Jerry and Kramer are forced to switch apartments to give Kramer a break when a big sign across the street shines through the window and prevents him from sleeping. They soon adopt each other's mannerisms; Kramer becomes more of a DeadpanSnarker, while Jerry, suffering from sleep deprivation from the conditions in Kramer's apartment, becomes more manic and jumpy.
** George's girlfriend gets mono, and he can't have sex with her -- but with his brain [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain free from the distraction of sex]], he suddenly becomes intelligent. Meanwhile, Elaine tries the same thing (to help her boyfriend pass his medical school exams), only for her to suddenly become clueless and slow-witted -- in effect, she becomes George-level dumb, and George becomes Elaine-level clever. Jerry explains that sex works differently for men (who [[AManIsAlwaysEager are easily distracted by it]]) and women (who ''need'' it to clear the junk out of their heads every now and then).

* In the ''Manga/FairyTail'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10264509/105/Tales-of-Fairies Personality Transplant]]'', Natsu reads a gag job request that causes everyone in the guild to swap personality. These include [[IdiotHero Natsu]] and [[ShrinkingViolet Wendy]], [[TeamPet Happy]] and [[ActingYourIntellectualAge Carla]], [[OnlySaneMan Lucy]] and [[{{Yandere Juvia]], [[GentlemanAndAScholar Freed]] and [[RatedMForManly Elfman]], [[TheAlcoholic Cana]] and [[ComicallySerious Erza]], [[TheHyena Bickslow]] and [[CuteBookworm Levy]], and [[NakedPeopleAreFunny Gray]] and [[TheAloner Gajeel]]. Notably, it was only their personality and not their likes. For example, Erza with Cana's addictive personality acted carefree and ate so much [[TrademarkFavoriteFood cake]] she needed to stop eating sugar afterward, while Cana with Erza's personality went on a violent rampage when a brawl spilled her brandy. Meanwhile, Lucy acted completely lovestruck and possessive to the currently shy Natsu, just as Juvia normally does with Gray.

'''Jade:''' ''[gives Jackie an "Uncle smack"]'' I do not know such spells! Jade has Uncle's ''[[LifeEnergy chi]]'', not his ''brains!''