History Main / BeatTheCurseOutOfHim

* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCircleOfTheMoon'', [[spoiler:Nathan's rival, Hugh,]] has been turned BrainwashedAndCrazy, but one boss battle later the character finally comes back to their senses.

* In ''VideoGame/EverOasis'', wild animals that have been taken over by Chaos (ie: regular enemies) return to normal upon being defeated.

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' provides such an example for the "Sleep" effect - this effect renders a unit standing dead still unable to useless to attack enemies or use abilities for a potentially very punishingly-long duration. However, the effect is canceled by the unit being attacked, so the way to deal with it when you don't have other methods to dispel the effect (or want to keep them in reserve for another situation) is to get another unit to attack the sleeping one once.

* This is one of the methods you can do to [[spoiler:Adelle]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2''. The other method is to keep talking until the person returns to normal.
** This is the standard method for dealing with the "Confuse" side-effect in almost any Final Fantasy game, hit the affected character with a physical attack in order to regain control of them. Can become dangerous if/when your party members are high enough level to start killing each other in one or two physical strikes.

* In the first ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Psycho Mantis mind controls Snake's love interest to force her to commit suicide (its a GameOver if she succeeds) with her pistol. To prevent this you need to deal enough non lethal damage (with punches, tranquilizer darts (in Twin Snakes only) or stun grenades) to knock her out (complicated by the fact that she wakes up every so often).

** In the Sunwell (Burning Crusade,) you must fight against Kalecgos, a blue dragon who till now has always been one of the good guys. While you battle his body in the real world, you also get a chance to [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind go inside his mind]] and punch out the evil forces enslaving him.

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' has Dexter's mother, father and big sister [[PuppeteerParasite all become infected by alien parasites]] that turn their skin green, [[RedEyesTakeWarning their eyes red]], and [[VoiceOfTheLegion distort their voices]]. Dexter is forced to equip his PoweredArmor to beat up his family (who, under the aliens' control, are [[HumanLadder all sitting on each other's shoulders]] so that all three of them can attack him together as a group) until the parasites abandon ship, after which Dexter immediately stomps the aliens flat, killing them. Afterwards, his parents and sister don't recall any of what happened, though they don't feel particularly well after the beating they received as they all lie in bed together.

* In ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'', AI can BodySurf by jumping between hosts via their radios; they can also control their hosts, making them highly dangerous as a result when they get malevolent, as [[OmnicidalManiac Omega]] was. One of the ways that an AI could be removed from the host was knocking them out. Thus, Tex punching people in the face quickly became the expedient way to force the AI out, usually because Tex didn't have the patience for the less violent alternatives. [[RuleOfFunny That and it's funny]].

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-572 SCP-572: Katana of Apparent Invincibility]]. Once the Katana is removed from the victim's grasp, "all psychological effects can usually be expunged by [[DopeSlap a single swift blow to the back of the subject's head]]."

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Dragamonz}}'', Dax's best friend [[spoiler: Boaragon is forcibly [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] by the BigBad Grimserver]]. Dax tries not to fight with him at first, which ends with him being badly beaten. When the pair meet again, Drax realizes that since all Dragamon's are a ProudWarriorRace. Grimserver's hold on [[spoiler: Boaragon]] does break after Dax wins the rematch.

* Justified in ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor:'' ''VideoGame/OperationVIDEOGAME''. The level "Operation: S.P.A.N.K.H.A.P.P.Y." has Numbuh 4 doing this to his teammates, who have been transformed by [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Count]] [[ComedicSpanking Spankulot]] into Spank-Happy Vampires. Numbuh 4 had to use his S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. to free his friends from the curse, although in the original television series, the cure to the curse was as if the victim spanked back the vampire who spanked him/her or spank the original vampire (Count Spankulot himself).

*** ''Oracle of Ages'' only one subversion, where Link can't attack Veran when she's possessing someone because doing so would [[GameplayAndStorySegregation supposedly]] only hurt her host. Defeating Veran when she's possessing Nayru [[spoiler:and later, Queen Ambi]] requires shooting [[AchillesHeel Mystery Seeds]] at her and to remove Veran's spirit from her body, and then switching places with Veran to attack her before she can repossess her host.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleOfAges'': There's only one subversion, where Link can't attack Veran when she's possessing someone because doing so would [[GameplayAndStorySegregation supposedly]] only hurt her host. Defeating Veran when she's possessing Nayru [[spoiler:and later, Queen Ambi]] requires shooting [[AchillesHeel Mystery Seeds]] at her and to remove Veran's spirit from her body, and then switching places with Veran to attack her before she can repossess her host.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleOfSeasons'': The boss fight against Onox has Din trapped in a crystal and slowly move towards you, causing damage if she hits. Whacking at her with your sword will actually damage you, so instead you need to use the Rod of Seasons to push her back.

* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCircleOfTheMoon'', [[spoiler:Nathan's rival, Hugh,]] has been turned BrainwashedAndCrazy, but one boss battle later the character finally comes back to their senses.

Compare: GetAHoldOfYourselfMan, and IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight for when the battle is with words. Sometimes overlaps with FightingYourFriend. See also DefeatMeansFriendship for when the enemy isn't cursed or possessed, just opposed to the hero for personal reasons. Mostly unrelated to HollywoodExorcism.

* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor:'' ''VideoGame/OperationVIDEOGAME'': The level "Operation: S.P.A.N.K.H.A.P.P.Y." has Numbuh 4 doing this to his teammates, who have been transformed by [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Count]] [[ComedicSpanking Spankulot]] into Spank-Happy Vampires. Numbuh 4 had to use his S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. to free his friends from the curse, although in the original television series, the cure to the curse was as if the victim spanked back the vampire who spanked him/her or spank the original vampire (Count Spankulot himself).

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': Justified. [[spoiler: Ganondorf possesses Zelda's corpse and uses her magic against you, which includes holy light. When you [[TennisBoss send it back at him]], Zelda is dead and a holy being, but Ganondorf is demonic, so only he gets hurt. Also, this only weakens him. It takes magic from Midna to actually drive him out of Zelda.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor:'' ''VideoGame/OperationVIDEOGAME'': The level "Operation: S.P.A.N.K.H.A.P.P.Y." has Numbuh 4 doing this to his teammates, who have been transformed by [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Count]] [[ComedicSpanking Spankulot]] into Spank-Happy Vampires. Although in the original television series, the cure to the curse is as if anyone infected by a Spank-Happy Vampire spanks back the vampire who spanked him/her or spank the original vampire (Count Spankulot himself), Numbuh 4 had to use his S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. instead to free his friends from the curse.

Compare: GetAHoldOfYourselfMan, and IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight for when the battle is with words. See also DefeatMeansFriendship for when the enemy isn't cursed or possessed, just opposed to the hero for personal reasons. Mostly unrelated to HollywoodExorcism.

* Anita Sarkeesian [[DiscussedTrope discusses]] this trope in ''WebVideo/FeministFrequency'', citing the UnfortunateImplications in how often newly-cursed female characters need male [[TheHero heroes]] to beat them back into sanity. [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything It maps uncomfortably well to real-world abuse]], ranging from GetAHoldOfYourSelfMan to claiming that [[HystericalWoman a woman was hysterical]] and [[UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming needed to be]] [[WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou "corrected"]].

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', HIM unleashed a HatePlague that turned the entire town evil and all attempts to resolve the matter peacefully failed... until the girls beat the crap out of the Townsville citizens. The girls convinced themselves the BrainwashedAndCrazy citizens actually were ''not'' their loved ones (Since, as the heroes of Townsville, everyone adored the girls). The curse only breaks after the girls take out their BrainwashedAndCrazy loved ones and scare HIM into retreating.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', Him turned the entire town evil and all attempts to resolve the matter peacefully failed... until the girls beat the tar out of the Townsville citizens. The girls convinced themselves the BrainwashedAndCrazy Townsvillians actually were ''not'' their loved ones (Since, as the heroes of Townsville, everyone adored the girls). The curse only breaks after the girls beat the tar out of Him and force him to retreat.

* During the climax of ''VideoGame/TheCrookedMan'', the player character David [[spoiler: is finally consumed with the sadness and despair of The Crooked Man's spirit, which exacerbates his preexisting feelings of misery over the unfortunate events in his life. You're suddenly given control of [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent David's best friend Paul;]] he and his fiance Marion travel to the abandoned hospital where David is and come across Sissy, D, and Fluffy while traveling through, but when Marion tells him to stop messing with her by talking out loud to no one, Paul realizes that all three of them were spirits/non-corporeal memory fragments, and his [[ISeeDeadPeople ability to perceive ghosts]] means that Marion just sees him talking to the air; he insists that she turn back and wait in the car where it's safe. Eventually he makes it to the roof only to find David [[DrivenToSuicide with a gun to his temple]] and The Crooked Man over his shoulder. Since every crucial dialogue point up until now throughout the game has had the most unlikely response actually being the correct one, it makes sense that the only choice that [[DrivenToSuicide doesn't end]] [[MurderSuicide in tragedy]] is to actually [[GetAHoldOfYourSelfMan punch David]]; David is so surprised and angry with Paul for clocking him that it snaps him out of his trance.]]

** Rya'c is cured of brainwashing in ''Series/StargateSG1'' by shooting him with a [[StunGun zat gun]]. Zats usually just knock a person out, but since Rya'c was a child, the effect was more severe, enough to break the brainwashing.

* During the climax of ''VideoGame/TheCrookedMan'', the player character David [[spoiler: is finally consumed with the sadness and despair of The Crooked Man's spirit, which exacerbates his preexisting feelings of misery over the unfortunate events in his life. You're suddenly given control of [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent David's best friend Paul;]] he and his fiance Marion travel to the abandoned hospital where David is and come across Sissy, D, and Fluffy while traveling through, but when Marion tells him to stop messing with her by talking out loud to no one, Paul realizes that all three of them were spirits/non-corporeal memory fragments, and his [[ISeeDeadPeople ability to perceive ghosts]] means that Marion just sees him talking to the air; he insists that she turn back and wait in the car where it's safe. Eventually he makes it to the roof only to find David [[DrivenToSuicide with a gun to his temple]] and The Crooked Man over his shoulder. Since every crucial dialogue point up until now throughout the game has had the most unlikely response actually being the correct one, it makes sense that the only choice that [[DrivenToSuicide doesn't end]] [[MurderSuicide in tragedy]] is to actually [[GetAHoldOfYourSelfMan punch David]]; David is so surprised and angry that it snaps him out of his trance.

* During the climax of ''VideoGame/TheCrookedMan'', the player character David [[spoiler: is finally consumed with the sadness and despair of The Crooked Man's spirit, which exacerbates his preexisting feelings of misery over the unfortunate events in his life. You're suddenly given control of [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent David's best friend Paul;]] he and his fiance Marion travel to the abandoned hospital where David is, but Paul insists Marion goes back to the car when he realizes that she can't see the people they've been coming across on the way to the roof because they're spirits/non-corporeal memory fragments, and his [[ISeeDeadPeople ability to perceive ghosts]] means that Marion just sees him talking to the air. Eventually Paul makes it to the roof only to find [[DrivenToSuicide with a gun to his temple]] and The Crooked Man over his shoulder. Since every crucial dialogue point up until now throughout the game has had the most unlikely response actually being the correct one, it makes sense that the only choice that [[DrivenToSuicide doesn't end]] [[MurderSuicide in tragedy]] is to actually punch David; [[GetAHoldOfYourSelfMan it catches David so off guard that he snaps out of his trance.]]]]

* During the climax of ''VideoGame/TheCrookedMan'', the player character David [[spoiler: is finally consumed with the sadness and despair of The Crooked Man's spirit, which exacerbates his preexisting feelings of misery over the unfortunate events in his life. You're suddenly given control of [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent David's best friend Paul;]] he and his fiance Marion travel to the abandoned hospital where David is, but Paul insists Marion goes back to the car when he realizes that [[spoiler: she can't see the people they've been coming across on the way to the roof because they're spirits/non-corporeal memory fragments, and his [[ISeeDeadPeople ability to perceive ghosts]] means that Marion just sees him talking to the air. Eventually Paul makes it to the roof only to find [[DrivenToSuicide with a gun to his temple]] and The Crooked Man over his shoulder. Since every crucial dialogue point up until now throughout the game has had the most unlikely response actually being the correct one, it makes sense that the only choice that [[DrivenToSuicide doesn't end]] [[MurderSuicide in tragedy]] is to actually punch David; [[GetAHoldOfYourSelfMan it catches David so off guard that he snaps out of his trance.]]]]

* During the climax of ''VideoGame/TheCrookedMan'', the player character David [[spoiler: is finally consumed with the sadness and despair of the Crooked Man's spirit, which exacerbates his preexisting feelings of misery over the unfortunate events in his life. You're suddenly given control of [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent David's best friend Paul;]] he and his fiance Marion travel to the abandoned hospital where David is, but Paul insists Marion goes back to the car when he realizes that [[spoiler: she can't see the people they've been coming across on the way to the roof because they're spirits/non-corporeal memory fragments, and his [[ISeeDeadPeople ability to perceive ghosts]] means that Marion just sees him talking to the air. Eventually Paul makes it to the roof only to find [[DrivenToSuicide with a gun to his temple.]] Since every crucial dialogue point up until now throughout the game has had the most unlikely response actually being the correct one, it makes sense that the only choice that [[DrivenToSuicide doesn't end]] [[MurderSuicide in tragedy]] is to actually punch David; [[GetAHoldOfYourSelfMan it catches David so off guard that he snaps out of his trance.]]]]

* In ''VideoGame/TheCrookedMan'', at one point David, the player character, gets [[DemonicPossession possessed]] and is being compelled to [[spoiler: shoot himself.]] And then [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent David's best friend]] [[BigDamnHeroes comes to save him]]. You are given three options, one of them being to punch David. [[spoiler: It's the only option that's any good; [[DrivenToSuicide the other two]] [[MurderSuicide lead to bad endings]].]]

* ''Manga/InuYasha'': Miroku does this in episode 132 to the [[DemonicPossession possessed village women and Sango]]. It's less extreme than most examples; it only amounts to him attaching {{Paper Talisman}}s to either the women or his fist and then punching them in the gut, forcing them to cough up the [[FetusTerrible baby salamander demons]] that were controlling them.

* Inverted in ''Manga/SaintSeiya''. During the Sanctuary arc, Leo Aioria is BrainwashedAndCrazy by the Pope [[spoiler:who is actually Gemini Saga]] with a curse that will only lift after he kills someone. When he's about to kill Seiya, Cassios gets in the way and ends up [[TakingTheBullet taking the attack for him]].

* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 2010 story arc]]'' "Death and the Family", super-villain Insect Queen has possessed ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'s surrogate aunt ''ComicBook/LanaLang''. In order to free Lana and force Insect Queen to get out of her body, Supergirl lays an impressive beatdown on her.
* UndergroundComics author Frank Stack did a series of comics starring Jesus. One strip has a man approach him with his demon-possessed brother (who just looks like a babbling fool) -- Jesus tells him the only way to get them out is to make it uncomfortable for them, giving the poor guy a good whopping. Finally with one good kick the tiny demons jump out of the guy's mouth, crying "every man for himself!" Jesus grabs one and tries to get him to talk, and then tosses him to a hungry dog.