History Main / EldritchTransformation

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': The plot of the "Shadows over Innistrad" block is kicked off by Nahiri summoning the EldritchAbomination Emrakul. Emrakul's presence on the plane slowly drives its residents insane and mutates them into tentacled horrors like [[https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=414291 this one]].

* The pilot to ''Series/LovecraftCountry'' has the main cast members and the racist sheriff's deputies who were going to lynch them chased into the woods by a shoggoth. As they all take shelter in a cabin, Tic mentions that, in horror stories, getting bitten by a monster means you become a monster. Guess what happened to one deputy...

Subtrope of EldritchAbomination, and can overlap with many of its sisters. Related to FromNobodyToNightmare. Compare and contrast the DemonOfHumanOrigin, usually a less eldritch equivalent of this trope. Compare BodyHorror and TheCorruption. Related to PowerMakeover. Eviler twin of SuperpowerMeltdown. If the transformation itself is horrific, see PainfulTransformation and TransformationHorror. Contrast BalefulPolymorph for when someone is turned into something harmless, and BishonenLine when a character gains a more human form as their power increases.

-->--'''The Buzzing''', ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld''

* In the ''Series/GameOfThrones'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13558817/1/Il-Logical-Conclusions (Il)Logical Conclusions]]'' features none other than Bran Stark undergoing one of these as the result of a very LongGame arranged by himself and the Children of the Forest: first, he becomes the nexus of [[BotanicalAbomination a colossal Weirwood forest]] spreading throughout Westeros, erasing all signs of civilization wherever it goes, killing millions of innocents, and converting children into his HumanoidAbomination servants. Then, he uses the countless deaths as part of a BloodMagic ritual that transforms him into an eldritch deity of flame and shadow existing outside of time - to the point that Bran becomes directly responsible for every aspect of ''Game of Thrones'' that didn't make sense. This deity's name? '''The Lord of Light.''' [[spoiler: However, the finale reveals that a small cabal of maegi, sorcerers, and warlocks are planning to repeat the process for Meera Reed so they can transform her into the only thing that might be able to stop Bran before he does anything worse: '''The Great Other.''']]

* In ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade,'' the legendary third generation of vampires--the Antediluvians--have in many cases transcended human and become godlike monstrosities.

** As a result of being at the very epicentre of the Filth bomb used in Tokyo, [[spoiler: John Copley]] [[TheDisembodied transcends physical existence altogether]] and becomes a minor EldritchAbomination known as the [[MouthOfSauron Black Signal]]. Now part of the Dreamers' collective but unbound by the [[CosmicKeystone Gaia Engines]] that normally keep them under control, he is capable of creating bodies out of pure Filth, speaking in {{Brown Note}}s that induce spontaneous suicide in listeners, and manipulating technology in any way he pleases - to the point that he's actually able to ''hack'' the game's lore entries so he can talk to you.

* ComicBook/TheBadBadPlace'': Lady Malise Castavette, after communing with the ''things'' beneath [[EldritchLocation the Estate]], gradually begins to metamorphose into a Lovecraftian monster; initially only sporting a nightmarish grin after emerging from the tunnels for the first time, by her second visit she's gained a ''lot'' of weight and can now only amble about on crutches; her clothes are eventually revealed to be hiding multiple breasts - [[spoiler: as part of her new role as a MotherOfAThousandYoung]]. She also gains greater magical powers, enough to imbue the Estate with its [[LotusEaterMachine most]] [[ImmortalityField horrifying]] [[AndIMustScream traits]]. Over time, she grows progressively less human: when she finally re-emerges in the 21st century, she has transformed into a bloblike mass of teats and tendrils, a minor EldritchAbomination in her own right.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E3Splicers Splicers]]", the LegoGenetics-loving villain, after transforming himself into a MixAndMatchCritter, is given a couple dozen more injections by Terry, turning him into a [[https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/File:Abel_Cuvier_monster.png nightmarishly malformed creature]] with WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids level of BodyHorror.

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': The "Foreigner" Class consists of individuals who encountered a Great Old One but, by keeping their sanity intact, became able to use their eldritch powers. This results in turning innocuous people into {{Humanoid Abomination}}s or {{Monstrous Humanoid}}s. Abigail Williams, [[spoiler: as seen in the Salem Epic or Remnant, is the best example of such a transformation. She goes from a normal, innocent little girl to an eerie, washed-up, sinister channeller of Sut-Typhon]].
** Inverted with [[spoiler: Summer Abigail, who starts off as the sinister eldritch witch and turns into a normal girl in her later Ascensions]].
** [[spoiler: Anything that gets absorbed into Tiamat's Chaos Tide will be transformed into one of her monstrous offspring. Humans become spider-like creatures called Lahmu, while Ushiwakamaru became a HumanoidAbomination able to [[MesACrowd replicate endlessly at will]].]] Notably, [[spoiler: they're ''still'' changing after being transformed, with the Lahmu growing wings and becoming Bel-Lahmu, and Ushiwakamaru changing from a Rider to a Berserker before losing her class altogether (which means she's no longer affected by the TacticalRockPaperScissors; it's implied that she would have gained Tiamat's Beast Class if she had continued to evolve)]].

** [[spoiler: Anything that gets absorbed into [[Draconic Abomination Tiamat's]] Chaos Tide will be transformed into one of her monstrous offspring. Humans become spider-like creatures called Lahmu, while Ushiwakamaru became a HumanoidAbomination able to [[MesACrowd replicate endlessly at will]].]] Notably, [[spoiler: they're ''still'' changing after being transformed, with the Lahmu growing wings and becoming Bel-Lahmu, and Ushiwakamaru changing from a Rider to a Berserker before losing her class altogether (which means she's no longer affected by the TacticalRockPaperScissors; it's implied that she's turning into a Beast-Class like Tiamat)]].

** ''My Little Praetor: Phthisis is Magic'': [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/29275/15/my-little-praetor-phthisis-is-magic/biopsy-punch "Biopsy Punch"]]: Technically, Punchline, turned from a "weed [with] contact telepathy, transmutative poison, and a sense of humor", into a dryad, a.k.a a humanoid in a land of non-humanoids, and also "a bizarre entity with abilities and senses wholly alien to normal plants", such as eyes, ears, and mouths.
*** Also, due to the effects of glistening oil, a unicorn has been described as an "abberation" for gaining:

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E3Splicers Splicers]]", the LegoGenetics-loving villain, after transforming himself into a MixAndMatchCritter, is given a couple dozen more injections by Terry, turning him into a [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dcanimated/images/3/37/Cuvier_2nd_Transformed.png/ nightmarishly malformed creature]] with WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids level of BodyHorror.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E3Splicers Splicers]]", the LegoGenetics-loving villain, after transforming himself into a MixAndMatchCritter, is given a couple dozen more injections by Terry, turning him into a [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dcanimated/images/3/37/Cuvier_2nd_Transformed.png nightmarishly malformed creature]] with WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids level of BodyHorror.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E3Splicers Splicers]]", the LegoGenetics-loving villain, after transforming himself into a MixAndMatchCritter, is given a couple dozen more injections by Terry, turning him into a [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dcanimated/images/3/37/Cuvier_2nd_Transformed.png/revision/latest?cb=20190831190842 nightmarishly malformed creature]] with WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids level of BodyHorror.

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': This is revealed to happen to all [[spoiler: {{Magical Girl}}s who don't clean their [[SoulJar Soul Gems]] with Grief Seeds, resulting in the Soul Gem itself turning into a Grief Seed that their [[TheHeartless Witch]] form sprouts from. As Kyubey once implies, there is no known way to reverse this effect.]]

* Characters in the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' series who possess one of the Soulstones eventually transform into one of the Prime Evils. From what we see in the games, their bodies gradually become more corpse-like until abruptly tearing apart to reveal the demon beneath. Their minds seem to undergo a similar process. We also see [[ThisWasHisTrueForm the reverse of this]] in the first game: after slaying Diablo, his BigRedDevil form reverts to that of Prince Albrecht.

** [[MadArtist Sutter Cane]] himself is beginning to transform into an eldritch being as a result of [[TouchedByVorlons the patronage of the Old Ones]], having not only been granted [[RewritingReality reality-writing powers]] but also a hideous body sprouting from his back. [[spoiler: In the climax, he transcends reality and essentially becomes a god alongside the Old Ones.]]

* The music video for "Fantasy" by ''Music/DyE'' sees a group of teenagers sneak into a swimming pool at night...then suddenly start mutating into eldritch monsters and attacking one another. [[spoiler:The only survivor dives into the pool and finds herself in the presence of a being so horrifying [[EyeScream her eyes burst]].]]

* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu'': A worshipper of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos deity Y'golonac (which is an EldritchAbomination) can be forced to become an avatar of the deity and assume its form whenever the deity wishes. In the supplement ''Shadows of Yog-Sothoth'' adventure "The Warren", this happens to the NonPlayerCharacter Philip Boucher.

** Malkav exists as intangible madness, linking his children together as a HiveMind [[spoiler: and becomes contagious enough to drive human beings into solipsistic psychopathy during Gehenna]].

** But Tzimisce takes the cake: as the founder of a clan dedicated to pursuing '''this very metamorphosis,''' he has expanded into a hideously organic GeniusLoci sprouting and growing under New York. [[spoiler:During Gehenna, he takes this to the next level by becoming first a gigantic BlobMonster that eats the city alive, then a disembodied intelligence controlling and deforming anything that possesses his blood, and finally, '''[[AssimilationPlot the entire human race]].''']]

* The above might be an allusion to the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E3Splicers Splicers]]", where the LegoGenetics loving villain, after transforming himself into a MixAndMatchCritter, is given a couple dozen more injections by Terry, turning him into a [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dcanimated/images/3/37/Cuvier_2nd_Transformed.png/revision/latest?cb=20190831190842 definitely]] WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids level of BodyHorror.

* ''Manga/{{Akira}}'''s film adaptation is the TropeCodifier. Tetsuo transforms into a giant human amoeba after his psychic powers get to be too much for him to control in the third act of the film. It takes Akira, himself a walking apocalypse, coming BackFromTheDead to stop his transformation, destroying Neo-Tokyo in the process and transporting him and the Espers[[note]]also Kaneda, almost[[/note]] to a new universe.

* ''Manga/SoulEater'': While Asura [[spoiler: was already made of Lord Death's fears to begin with]], it's implied becoming a Kishin from consuming enough souls escalated him to the horrifying HumanoidAbomination he's depicted as in-story.

* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu''. A worshipper of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos deity Y'golonac (which is an EldritchAbomination) can be forced to become an avatar of the deity and assume its form whenever the deity wishes. In the supplement ''Shadows of Yog-Sothoth'' adventure "The Warren", this happens to the NonPlayerCharacter Philip Boucher.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' has, in its most [[GuideDangIt obtuse to get ending]], [[spoiler: The Hunter transforming into a newborn Great One, though if this is a good or bad thing is highly subjective.]]

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': The "Foreigner" Class consists of individuals who encountered a Great Old One but, by keeping their sanity intact, became able to use their eldritch powers. This results in turning innocuous people into {{Humanoid Abomination}}s or {{Monstrous Humanoid}}s. Abigail Williams, [[spoiler: as seen in the Salem Epic or Remnant, is the best example of such a transformation. She goes from a normal, innocent little girl to an eerie, washed-up, sinister channeller of Tut-Syphon]].
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Professor Hojo turns into a weird monstrosity after infusing himself with Mako energy.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E6CatFingers Cat Fingers]]", Steven almost permanently becomes a mass of cat faces after a botched first attempt at shapeshifting, in a confirmed reference to the aforementioned ''AKIRA''.

** ''My Little Praetor: Phthisis is Magic'': [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/29275/15/my-little-praetor-phthisis-is-magic/biopsy-punch "Biopsy Punch"]]: Technically, Punchline, turned from a "weed [with] contact telepathy, transmutative poison, and a sense of humor", into a dryad, a.k.a a humanoid in a land of non-humanoids, and also "a bizarre entity with abilities and senses wholly alien to normal plants", such as eyes, ears and mouths.

* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Sara Waite, who is techically a living mass of tentacles that just look sort of human, is the end result of her previous male form, "human" Michael Waite, being an UnevenHybrid with the larger parts being non-human and related to the Franchise/CthulhuMythos.

** In the end of ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe'', [[InsectQueen Queen Sectonia]], the true BigBad of the game, fuses herself with the Dreamstalk, turning herself into a BotanicalAbomination version of herself.
** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'': In the "Milky Way Wishes", when Kirby summons Galactic Nova to wish for Sun and Moon to stop fighting, Marx steals his wish and wishes to [[TakeOverTheWorld control Pop Star]]. Nova then transforms him into a bat-like monstrous form of himself, which is fought as the FinalBoss of the mode (and, by extention, the original game). In the remake, Marx's dead body absorbs the destroyed Nova's parts and mutates into even more monstrous form known as the Marx Soul, which is fought in the True Arena as the TrueFinalBoss of the game.
** In the end of ''VideoGame/KirbyCanvasCurse'', when Kirby defeats [[WickedWitch Drawcia]] in her sorceress form, she ends up uncontrollably mutating into a monstrous blob of paint known as Drawcia Soul, which is fought as the final boss of the game.

* ''WesternAnimation/LoonaticsUnleashed'': [[TheVillain Otto the Odd]] tries to thwart the Loonatics by using his [=DNA=] scrambler on the Ringmaster, transforming the bizarrely dressed human man into a hodgepodge of LegoGenetics: a thirty-foot tall monster with a whip-like tail, crablike pincer claws, and a carapace, among other features. This ''ad hoc'' creature is soon defeated, though not easily.