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Anime and Manga
"I'm no ordinary candy! I'm a jawbreaker, the strongest candy there is!"
—Vegito, Dragon Ball
"I blacked out and woke up as a tentacle with a cow lick."
—Retto Enjō, Super HxEros
Comic Books
The Vixen: Uh... wait, listen. I've got a proposition.
Mad Jim Jaspers: A proposition? Vixen, aren't you a little too old to be propositioning people? Now... come to Jimmy...
The Vixen: No! No, please...
...But she feels her bones start to flow and contract... and his hands keep getting nearer... and bigger...
Mad Jim Jaspers: There... now, isn't that better? Oh, a four-legged friend, a four-legged friend... she'll never let you do-own...
And if she remembered how, she would very much like to scream.
Mad Jim Jaspers: A proposition? Vixen, aren't you a little too old to be propositioning people? Now... come to Jimmy...
The Vixen: No! No, please...
...But she feels her bones start to flow and contract... and his hands keep getting nearer... and bigger...
Mad Jim Jaspers: There... now, isn't that better? Oh, a four-legged friend, a four-legged friend... she'll never let you do-own...
And if she remembered how, she would very much like to scream.
—Captain Britain: Captain Britain: A Crooked World (reprise)
"Now this is a peaceable kingdom to my liking! All my frantic rebels all about me, tamed and trained and loyal. Good dog, Superman. Supergirl, I see your predatory nature has asserted itself... while your fellow insurrectionists - the Jerkwater Losers of America - react like the brainless, harmless vermin we all know them to be. Superboy, as always, your true talent lies in clowning. We could almost work together, m'boy! We'd knock 'em dead in Altoona! Steel, my man, so very proud, so very stubborn... so in need of a good woman to break you. Keep swinging that golden shovel, Gravedigger Lad! We must all pitch in and help with the care and feeding of our new super-pets! And you, Mr Mxyzptlk, my unwitting yet dangerous benefactor... this formless blob of protoplasmic slime somehow seems to sit the futility of the life you lead these days."
—The Joker, Emperor Joker
Eastern European Animation
"I put a curse on you! Henceforth you shall be a cherry tree, and your children will eat of your flesh and drink of your blood!"
—The Devil, Gypsy Tales, "The Gypsy Woman and the Devil"
Fan Works
"Some of the men threw themselves in the villains' path as they advanced into the building. A lucky few were shoved out of the way. The Empress's Eye turned another into a lizard."
Films — Animated
"Um, I've been turned into a cow. Can I go home?"
—Palace Guard, The Emperor's New Groove
"Are you ready?
Transformation central!
Reformation central!
Transmogrification central!"
Transformation central!
Reformation central!
Transmogrification central!"
—Dr. Facilier, The Princess and the Frog, "Friends on the Other Side"
"Sheepinator! One of my personal favorites."
—Dr. Nefarious, Ratchet & Clank
Films — Live-Action
Prof. McGonagall: Professor Moody! What are you doing?
Prof. Moody: Teaching.
Prof. McGonagall: ...Is that a- Is that a student?!
Prof. Moody: Technically, it's a ferret.
Prof. Moody: Teaching.
Prof. McGonagall: ...Is that a- Is that a student?!
Prof. Moody: Technically, it's a ferret.
Fin Raziel: (after being turned into a goat) Maad Maartigan...
Madmartigan: What the Hell happened to you?
Madmartigan: What the Hell happened to you?
— Willow
Literature
"Upon the discovery of which," said Fastitocalon, straight-faced, "The deputy head was fired and Asmodeus himself got turned into what I understand to be a large banana slug."
"A banana slug?"
"A large one. About so big," he said, holding his hands eight inches apart. "Bright yellow. In which form he will be forced to stay for a term of no less than one hundred years, although I do gather he will be allowed to retain the right to wear a crown or crowns of his choosing, presumably scaled down to fit."
Greta started to say something, and then shook her head. "No, I don't want clarification on how slugs wear crowns, I think."
"A banana slug?"
"A large one. About so big," he said, holding his hands eight inches apart. "Bright yellow. In which form he will be forced to stay for a term of no less than one hundred years, although I do gather he will be allowed to retain the right to wear a crown or crowns of his choosing, presumably scaled down to fit."
Greta started to say something, and then shook her head. "No, I don't want clarification on how slugs wear crowns, I think."
"The point is — Something Went Wrong with the Final Spell. You know how it is? There's always that Element of Risk, even with the Best Incantations. Well, this final Spell Went Wrong, and turned him into a Button-Nosed Tortoise; and the poor man wasn't able to Turn Himself Back!"
Meryl: The rabbit spell. Yeah, it was a funny prank the first ten or twelve time I fell for it at Deadgrave's.
Jim: It's not a prank. It's a combat control strategy that also happens to be incredibly hilarious.
Jim: It's not a prank. It's a combat control strategy that also happens to be incredibly hilarious.
Jimmy: There was once among the Mockers a thief known as the Grey Cat, for his stealth was unmatched. He was given to bold theft and filched some bauble from a magician who viewed the deed with considerable disfavor.
Laurie: What became of him?
Jimmy: He's now the grey cat.
Laurie: What became of him?
Jimmy: He's now the grey cat.
Lotus: For one moment, when things are aligned, you will understand everything. It won't last long, but it should be some consolation. And once it's all over, I promise to give you a nice saucer of milk. Won't that be lovely?
Judy: You're going to make me into a cat?
Lotus: Oh, yes. You and everyone else.
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.
— The opening line of The Metamorphosis
TRANSFORMATION has been defined as "inflicted metamorphosis" and is quite as uncomfortable as it sounds. Someone has, without asking you, turned you into a carthorse or a table with bendy legs. It usually takes a WIZARD to remove you from this discomfort.
Live-Action TV
"Yes! You will all be turned into vermin. And some of you will be fish! Yeah, you in the back will be fish!"
—Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Gingerbread"
Music
"And you're having a ball, oh yes,
You're doing it all
Your filthy world's complete.
Then your face, it contorts
into that of a horse
And you've got no more hands and feet.
Watch your paradise turn into Hell.
You've got to buck it up.
You seek and you smell.
Oh well."
You're doing it all
Your filthy world's complete.
Then your face, it contorts
into that of a horse
And you've got no more hands and feet.
Watch your paradise turn into Hell.
You've got to buck it up.
You seek and you smell.
Oh well."
—Doctor Steel, "Donkey Town"
Tabletop Games
"We've merged your life essence with that of several creatures at once.
You're welcome."
You're welcome."— Speaker Trifon, Magic: The Gathering, "Rapid Hybridization"
""The affected unit's shouts of surprise turn to barks, snorts and brays as this ancient curse takes hold, transforming the weak into lowly beasts over the space of a few terrifying seconds and rendering even the most powerful opponents into wretched half-men."
—Baleful Transmogrification spell description, Warhammer: Warriors Of Chaos Army Book (7th edition)
"Come to me, boy-boy," commanded the leader, his voice hypnotic and only a little squeaky. "Come to us, join the brothers in dark-darkness. Learn to love the rat and all his clever ways. Be one with the rat, be one with the darkness."
The rat-priest's voice continued to drone on, but Ratwald was having difficulty understanding it. His head started to spin, and he sank down to the ground, unable to hold himself upright any longer. Everything seemed so odd, as if his senses had all changed: his eyesight was distorted, his sense of smell was much keener. What was that thing dragging behind him as he moved? He tried to call out for help.
"Eeeep!" went the rat. "Eeep, squeak-eek!"
The rat-priest's voice continued to drone on, but Ratwald was having difficulty understanding it. His head started to spin, and he sank down to the ground, unable to hold himself upright any longer. Everything seemed so odd, as if his senses had all changed: his eyesight was distorted, his sense of smell was much keener. What was that thing dragging behind him as he moved? He tried to call out for help.
"Eeeep!" went the rat. "Eeep, squeak-eek!"
—Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Realm of Chaos - The Lost And The Damned (1st ed)
"When is tribe fell upon the human warriors of Catachan, Zogwort was a holy terror, stomping and whooping as he soaked up the raw Waaagh! energy of his feral Ork tribe. When Zogwort could hold it no more, this energy would burst forth in a blinding cascade of pure green light that engulfed the foe, leaving nothing but empty clothes, discarded wargear and puzzled squigs in his wake."
—Warhammer 40,000: Codex - Orks (4th ed)
Video Games
The Lone Wanderer: I came here for my father. Now where is he?
Stanislaus Braun: Didn't you figure it out? The dog. So loyal, so trusting... so annoying. I simply made him what he always was.
Stanislaus Braun: Didn't you figure it out? The dog. So loyal, so trusting... so annoying. I simply made him what he always was.
Mimir: Ah, Fafnir! I always wondered what became of him!
Atreus: Wait, "Fafnir?!" Like, "Fafnir's Storeroom" Fafnir?
Mimir: The very one.
Atreus: But Sindri said he was a dwarf!
Mimir: He was! And now he's a dragon. Funny how life works, innit?
Atreus: Wait, "Fafnir?!" Like, "Fafnir's Storeroom" Fafnir?
Mimir: The very one.
Atreus: But Sindri said he was a dwarf!
Mimir: He was! And now he's a dragon. Funny how life works, innit?
Stunted Wolf: How has it been?
Stoat: It has been quite bad. I am trapped in the body of a stoat in the paper of a card.
Stoat: It has been quite bad. I am trapped in the body of a stoat in the paper of a card.
"*squeak squeak squeeeaaak*!"
— Morgana if hit with the Mouse ailment while still Mission Control, Persona 5
You'd better watch your tone with me, or I'll turn you into a mindless sheep.
—(pissed-off) Archmage, Warcraft III
"You kept saying you wanted to lose weight."
"So you turned me into a yordle?!"
"You lost weight!"
"...I'M ALSO A YORDLE!"
"So you turned me into a yordle?!"
"You lost weight!"
"...I'M ALSO A YORDLE!"
"While it originated as a failed attempt to create a disintegration ray, the Morph-o-Ray has now become one of Gadgetron's most popular devices. Just shine the Morph-o-Ray beam at your foes and watch them turn into harmless chickens!"
— Description for the Morph-o-Ray, Ratchet & Clank (2002)
"Turn your enemies into harmless sheep! Laugh as they waddle around or blow them into lamb chops!"
— Description for the Sheepinator, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
"The Mootator reconfigures DNA at the molecular level, replacing up to 96.8% of the target with Bovine DNA. The other 3.2% is generally assigned strains of genes from hand grenades, TNT, smart bombs, and nuclear warheads, depending on the level of the weapon."
— Description for the Mootator, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
"Maybe the Wabbajack is the Book of Knowledge. Maybe I'm smarter because I know cats can be bats can be rats can be hats can be gnats can be thats can be thises. And that doors can be boars can be snores can be floors can be roars can be spores can be yours can be mine. I must be smart, for the interconnective system is very clear to me. Then why, or wherefore do people keep calling me mad?
Wabbajack. Wabbajack. Wabbajack."
Wabbajack. Wabbajack. Wabbajack."
"A LONG TIME AGO, I WAS A SACK OF USELESS MEAT USED FOR EXPERIMENTS BY ARIODO. AS YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS... I WASN'T VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT. YOU MIGHT BE ANNOYING, BUT... ARIODO OVER HERE REALLY TAKES THE CAKE. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY HE'S NOT WHAT HE SEEMS. YOU MAY THINK I'M OUT OF MY MIND, BUT HEAR ME OUT. ARIODO... HE'S AMONG THE WORST OF THE WORST. HE'S TESTED ON MANY MORE THINGS, INCLUDING OTHER VILLAGERS, AS WELL AS WILDLIFE, CREATING BIZARRE ABOMINATIONS TO NATURE... ME INCLUDED. ONE DAY, HE RUSHED INTO MY QUARTERS AND EXCLAIMED HE'D MADE A NEW MACHINE, CAPABLE OF DOING AMAZING THINGS! A MIND SWITCH BETWEEN SOMETHING SENTIENT AND SOMETHING NOT. BEING OFFERED MORE MONEY THAN I COULD EVER NEED IN LIFE, I AGREED. IN THE MOMENT I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. THE EXPERIMENT WAS A SUCCESS... SOMEWHAT. I WAS NOW IN THE VESSEL OF A MUSHROOM, AND MY FORMER BODY WAS NOW JUST AN EMPTY SHELL. I DEMANDED TO BE SWITCHED BACK IMMEDIATELY! BUT HE REFUSED. THE MACHINE HAD SEEMINGLY BROKEN IN THE PROCESS."
— The Talking Mushroom, Wynncraft
Web Original
"Le Guin draws a clear line between merely taking the form of an animal or object and truly becoming that thing. This dichotomy admits two important things about Changing in Le Guin's world: one, that it is a useful tool, and that humans are not superior in all ways to the creatures with which they share the world; and two, that the danger to a wizard is not losing his natural race or species, but instead losing himself, losing who he is. A bear is not necessarily less than human, but a human is not meant to live as a bear."
—The essay The Lessons of Merlyn: Shapeshifters and Shapeshifting in Fantasy (author unknown)
(author unknown)"Oh, J-Jesus... oh, no, I... I can't take this much jank! Wh-What's... what's happening to me? (screams as he extends to fill the screen) Oh. Now I am Dorico."
"You don't need that fuckin' garbage anymore, now YOU'RE an egg, motherfucker!"
—Egg-obsessed person, games that think more gameplay mechanics equals more fun
im not owned! im not owned!!', i continue to insist as i slowly shrink and transform into a corn cob
—dril
Western Animation
Cartman: And now I will use my powers to... turn Kyle into a chicken! BAM!
Chicken!Kyle: Goddammit Cartman!
Cartman: Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Now you are a chicken! Na na na na na na!
Chicken!Kyle: Goddammit Cartman!
Cartman: Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Now you are a chicken! Na na na na na na!
