History Main / ButterflyOfTransformation

* ''Art/CupidAndPsycheBouguereau'': In both "Cupid and Psyche as Children" and "The Rapture of Psyche", Psyche is characterized as possessing moth wings to represent her metamorphosing into a goddess, as though emerging from a chrysalis.

[[folder:Art]]
* In his various Cupid and Psyche paintings (such as ''Art/CupidAndPsycheAsChildren'' and ''Art/TheRaptureOfPsyche''), Creator/WilliamAdolpheBouguereau will often depict Psyche baring moth or butterfly wings, representing her metamorphosing into a goddess, as though emerging from a chrysalis.

* In ''VideoGame/NoUmbrellasAllowed'', Jane establishes the Garden of Cocoons to help rehabilitate Fixies, or people who are emotionally suppressed by the Fixer drug. She believes that they're just in their cocoons and are waiting to come out and be reborn as "Saeras".

Sometimes [[ButterflyOfDeathAndRebirth butterflies are portents of total rebirth.]] Sometimes [[PrettyButterflies they are just pretty.]]

Caterpillars can also work, and bonus points for the entire transformation in story. Moths can also be used, but then you don't get PrettyButterflies, and besides, moths are nocturnal (fictionally, at least), and [[EvilIsNotWellLit you know what that means.]]

* In ''Anime/SailorMoon'' a butterfly motif is heavily featured in the titular heroine's "Crisis Make Up!" TransformationSequence which sees her [[FrillyUpgrade power up]] from Sailor Moon into Super Sailor Moon in the third season ''Sailor Moon S''. This is not only touches on this trope but also draws on the way the ButterflyOfDeathAndRebirth trope is used elsewhere in the season, a particularly evocative version shows up [[spoiler:using the power of the Sailor Soldiers themselves rather than via the usual Holy Grail TransformationTrinket that was in hands of the enemies]] in the penultimate episode of the season which is given its own animation.

* Creator/WilliamAdolpheBouguereau: In his various Cupid and Psyche paintings (such as ''Art/CupidAndPsycheAsChildren'' and ''Art/TheRaptureOfPsyche''), Bouguereau will often depict Psyche baring moth or butterfly wings, representing her metamorphosing into a goddess, as though emerging from a chrysalis.

* [[ComicBook/TheQuestion Vic Sage's]] last words in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' invoke this symbolism of butterflies. They are addressed to Renee and foreshadow her transformation into the new Question.
* ComicBook/{{Psylocke}}'s telepathy is symbolized by butterflies, and her character has undergone tremendous change, having switched bodies, become Captain Britain (twice), gained new psychic powers (twice), and joined the X-Men. Her successor Kwannon inherited the butterfly motif via a {{Retcon}}; she views her changes post-[[DeathIsCheap revival]] as a metaphorical rebirth, fitting the sub-trope of ButterflyOfDeathAndRebirth.

* The hero of ''Film/KungFuHustle'' gets entirely wrapped in bandages like a cocoon, which he discards as a shell, his Chi finally unblocked and his destiny awaiting. During this transformation, we are briefly treated to the imagry of a butterfly emerging from a cocoon to drive the point home.

* The caterpillar in ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'' can be seen to serve this sort of symbolic function. For instance, at the end of the [[Film/AliceInWonderland2010 2010 film]], Alice has been somewhat transformed by her experiences in Wonderland, and this is symbolized by the caterpillar (called Absolem in this adaptation) appearing on her shoulders in the form of a butterfly and doing a FlyAtTheCameraEnding.
* The ''Film/IAmLegend'' remake features the motif of a butterfly quite often. In the released film, it doesn't amount to anything; however, in the original ending, it represented that [[spoiler: that the Dayseekers weren't mindless, evil zombies, but sentient beings that had transformed into a ''better'' forms than the old-fashioned humans.]] Keep in mind that [[spoiler:[[WeaksauceWeakness "better"]] is in the eye of the beholder]].
* In ''Film/{{Cinderella|2015}}'', Cinderella's gown from the Fairy Godmother has butterfly decorations around the neckline, as well as on her shoes, as a motif of her transformation.

* In Creator/GeneStrattonPorter's ''Literature/{{Freckles}}'', Freckles watches in wonder as a Luna moth comes from its cocoon and feels deeply frustrated at his ignorance at what it is, though he knows it's not a butterfly. This causes him to ponder his ignorance, until it dawns on him that he could find out these things.
* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Literature/MakingMoney'', Cosmo Lavish uses a caterpillar becoming a butterfly as a symbol of his own planned transformation. His sister Pucci tells him that what actually happens is a caterpillar ''dies'' and a butterfly grows out of the remains.
* The ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' book ''The Departure'' heavily features the theme of a caterpillar, and later a butterfly. It is not a coincidence that this is where Cassie meets a surprisingly sympathetic [[PuppeteerParasite yeerk]], one willing to give up her host body [[spoiler:if Cassie is willing to experience the rest of her life as a Yeerk... or the closest thing at hand: a caterpillar]]. This, along with Cassie's continued realisation that the world isn't as [[BlackAndWhiteMorality black and white]] as she thought, signifies change. [[spoiler:It also brings up the fact that natural metamorphosis can somehow undo the ModeLock of remaining more than two Earth hours in morph, something Cassie willingly did to make the Yeerk free her host.]]
* In Creator/SarahAddisonAllen's ''Literature/TheGirlWhoChasedTheMoon'', when Emily's wallpaper changed for the first time, it changes to butterflies. They seemed trapped and wanting to escape. She had just learned things about the town that make it hard for her to stay. Though neither the butterflies nor she manage to get away.
* In ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfCaterpillarJones'' C.J.'s journey is both a literal and symbolic form of this trope, as he literally transforms from caterpillar to butterfly and, in doing so, symbolically lets go of what's holding him back and embraces his new life.

* A moth emerging from its cocoon was used in an early episode of ''Series/{{Lost}}'' as a metaphor for Charlie weaning himself off drugs. [[LampshadeHanging Made very explicit]] by Locke.
* In the "Bridezilla" episode of Creator/{{ABC}}'s ''What Would You Do?'', a woman asks her bridesmaids to wear purple dresses to which she has appended butterfly wings, as a symbol of transformation through her marriage.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS4E3ThePowerOfTheDaleks "The Power of the Daleks"]], after finding that his previous incarnation's ring no longer fits him, thus making it look easier to believe that he's an impostor (he's not), the Second Doctor compares his regeneration to a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, stating that attempting to prove he's still the Doctor by donning his old ring is like trying to shove an adult butterfly back into its pupa.

* ''Series/TalesOfTheCity2019'': Tommy spots Anna in a shop, coveting a scarf decorated with butterflies, and buys it for her. Later, when he learns that she is trans, he offers to save up and pay for her gender confirmation surgery.

** ''Player's Handbook''. The ''Polymorph Other'' spell changed a creature into another type of creature. Its material component is a caterpillar cocoon.
** ''Oriental Adventures'' supplement. The ''Force Shapechange'' spell caused shapechangers to shift to their alternate form. The spell's material component is a butterfly cocoon.
* In ''TabletopGame/CthulhuTech'', the Chrysalis Corporation uses a butterfly as its symbol. It's run by an EldritchAbomination and, most relevantly for this trope, turns people into monsters.

* In ''Theatre/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' (the 2013 West End musical), Willy Wonka has an IAmWhatIAm song, "Simply Second Nature", in which he explains his inborn need to create beautiful -- if strange to some -- things. At one point, a sudden wave of his cane reveals a butterfly perched upon it, which continues this adaptation's running motif of humble things that contain/conceal great beauty and possibility (tying in to the CentralTheme of the transformative power of imagination).

* In ''Videogame/BioShock2'', [[UnderwaterCity Rapture's]] change as "better" society fueled by Dr. Lamb's [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill extreme altruistic view]] are symbolized by a blue butterfly that is worn by most of the members of the Rapture family and it appears in most of the city. A lot of the graffiti with this motif also reads: "We will be reborn in the cold womb of the ocean. She is our savior".[[spoiler: Turns out more literal than you would think, as Lamb's plan is using her own daughter as a [[TheAssimilator "database" of the population of Rapture]] to create a human completely driven to benefit a group in its entirety.]]

* ''VideoGame/FatalFrameIICrimsonButterfly'' has butterflies everywhere as the motif associated with the twins of All God's Village, referring to the death-and-rebirth interpretation, the identical-halves-of-one being interpretation, and ultimately ending on the transformation interpretation: [[spoiler: The souls of the sacrificed twins ''literally'' become butterflies. Mayu is released from the "cocoon" of her body by the red, wing-shaped handprints Mio leaves on her throat.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', the experiments to turn humans into Super Mutants was conducted at the Mariposa Military Base. [[BilingualBonus Mariposa is Spanish for Butterfly]]

* In the endgame of ''VisualNovel/SpiritHunterNG'', [[spoiler:when the child-like Kakuya forces herself to become 'grown-up', the resultant body is littered with butterfly wings to symbolize her transformation.]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Xkcd}}'' strip #1336 "Transformers" features Franchise/{{Transformers}} who transform in the same way as butterflies.

* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/BambiII'', Bambi has lost his spots, his antlers are starting to grow and most importantly, he has an improved relationship with his father. A butterfly lands on the [[HopeSproutsEternal entwined sprouts]] growing nearby.
* ''WesternAnimation/AngelsFriends'': Done literally with Dolce's [[ADogNamedDog butterfly familiar, Butterfly]] which she uses to transform into a human and back.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The primary ability of the Butterfly Miraculous is SuperEmpowering. Using an actual butterfly as a medium, it can transform ordinary people into superheroes... or, [[GoodPowersBadPeople in the hands of]] [[BigBad Hawk Moth]], innocent victims into [[MonsterOfTheWeek supervillains]].
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyMakeYourMark'': In "Cutie Blossom Bash", [[spoiler:Misty]] discovers what her butterfly Cutie Mark means -- her resolve to change herself for the better [[spoiler:after her HeelFaceTurn.]]

* In the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series, the golden butterfly is symbolic of Philemon, the deity that allows the heroes to tap into their Personas. According to WordOfGod, in the later games in the series he actually appears as a blue butterfly with an implied similar, if lesser, function, although neither the characters nor any narrator identifies him.
* This is part of Morph Moth's gimmick in ''VideoGame/MegaManX2''. He starts the fight in a cocoon suspended on a thread, and after taking enough damage he, appropriately enough, metamorphosizes into a fully grown robot moth.

* In ''DarthWiki/PaleBlue'', the organization Cocoon uses butterflies as symbols of their goal to transform humanity from its ugly "larvae" state into beautiful butterflies through their actions. Their leader of Cocoon is even named after the Monarch butterfly.

* The fourth entry in the ''Videogame/GearsOfWar'' series introduces JD Fenix and Kat talking about how a cocooned butterfly changes its shape just before they go on a raid. [[spoiler: This is foreshadowing for the reveal that the Locust Horde was not entirely entirely destroyed at the end of the third game and have returned in stronger forms and are converting humans into the Swarm through cocoons.]]
* Butterfly symbolism is used extensively by a revolutionary group in ''VideoGame/CulpaInnata''.
* In ''{{VideoGame/Fallout}}'', the experiments to turn humans into Super Mutants was conducted at the Mariposa Military Base. [[BilingualBonus Mariposa is Spanish for Butterfly]]
* ''VideoGame/TheBreach'': The... whatever it is the jumpship found on its trip is a huge creature with butterfly wings, who slowly transforms the crew into insectile mutants. Some of the enemies encountered are giant butterflies with human heads (and annoying to kill because they move at an angle).

'''Doctor:''' Life depends on change and renewal I've been renewed. It's part of the TARDIS. Without it, I couldn't survive.\\

* In his various Cupid and Psyche paintings, William-Adolphe Bouguereau will often depict Psyche baring moth or butterfly wings, representing her metamorphosing into a goddess, as though emerging from a chrysalis.