History Main / EpiphanicPurgatory

->'''Yoda:''' "That place… is strong with the dark side of the Force. A domain of evil it is. In you must go."
->'''Luke:''' "What's in there?"
->'''Yoda:''' "Only what you take with you."
--> -- ''StarWars: TheEmpireStrikesBack''

Whether it's TheLostWoods, a [[SwampsAreEvil Swamp]], the room at the heart of a HauntedHouse, or an [[EldritchLocation Eldritch]] DarkWorld reflection of our own, this place likes messing with your head. It will conjure up phantoms from your past to [[MindRape taunt and torment]], force you to [[TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf face your worst flaws]] and [[MyGreatestFailure greatest failures]], all while it [[MobileMaze moves walls and landmarks]] to keep you [[ClosedCircle lost and trapped]] until you die... or ''[[FateWorseThanDeath Forever]].''

The place could be tainted with the DarkSide, beckoning [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghosts]] or causing [[YourMindMakesItReal too-real hallucinations]]. Or it might be a malicious GeniusLoci that [[EmotionEater feeds on anguish]]. Who or ''what'' ever is behind the emotional onslaught won't outright kill anyone... at least not at first. It usually [[DrivenToSuicide drives those it torments to suicide,]] uses {{Fright Deathtrap}}s, or directly pits you against lethal physical enemies. Sometimes however, it can be stopped the moment the victim says "ImNotAfraidOfYou!" and/or reaches an emotional epiphany.

In fact, the purpose of the place could even be as a center of emotional confrontation and ''healing.'' Healing with a high burnout rate, but healing nonetheless. It's also worth noting that individuals may create these places or similar effects. [[{{Telepathy}} Telepaths]] and MasterOfIllusion absolutely ''love'' to use it on enemies, and the ArtifactOfDoom may use it as a defense.

See also EpiphanicPrison, which can overlap. See also VisionQuest.

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!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* The {{Wangst}} cave Matt and Sora wandered/fell into in ''DigimonAdventure.''
* The cave Yoh has to pass through in ''ShamanKing.'' Not actually evil, but as you go through the cave, it starts to steal your senses.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''[[FourteenOhEight 1408]]'', the... ''whatever'' is messing with the lead throws an apparition of his deceased daughter and father at him. Though it says it can't kill him since it has to respect free will. It just [[DrivenToSuicide makes suicide the only sane option.]]
* The quote is from ''StarWars: TheEmpireStrikesBack''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''HarryPotter'':
** Not a place, but the locket in ''HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' did this to Ron as in self-defense.
** The dementors, which make you miserable and scared, and force you to live out your worst memories.
** The potion that Dumbledore has to drink in the sixth book, which is similar to the dementors.
* In the first ''KushielsLegacy'' trilogy, the cave of the ''thetalos'' ritual would seem to qualify. It's not evil -- quite the opposite, it's sacred to MotherEarth -- and you go there to atone for {{egregious}} deeds, but the experience is unpleasant and it's implied that many do not survive.
* The Chamber of the Ordeal in TamoraPierce's ''Tortall'' books works this way. The idea is to weed out people who aren't tough and morally courageous enough to be knights by "hammering" their weak points. People sometimes die in the chamber, commit suicide when released or GoMadFromTheRevelation.
* ''[[NineteenEightyFour The thing that is in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world.]]''
* The "[[SuperFunHappyThingOfDoom island where dreams come true]]" from ''TheChroniclesOfNarnia''. Dreams, as in ''[[NightmareFuel night]][[NightmareSequence mares]]''.
* The Crystal Maze from ''TheLookingGlassWars'', basically a test of courage and determination for new queens.
* AesSedai in TheWheelOfTime have to go through not one, but two of these at certain points in their training: specialized devices are used to force them to face their fears, weaknesses, and hangups. It's mentioned that some never come out of the tests.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* On ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', this is how Matt deals with his father Maury. He traps him an empty replica of their house on the day Maury abandoned his wife and him.
** He does it again to Sylar in Volume Five.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Carnate Island from ''TheSuffering'' involves personifications of a person's flaws or worst nightmares that ''definitely'' can kill you.
* The TV World in ''{{Persona 4}}'' involves personifications of a person's flaws or worst nightmares that ''definitely'' can kill you.
* Tolna's rift from the "A Soul's Bane" quest and Iban's lair from "Underground Pass" in ''{{Runescape}}''.
* This is the premise behind ''SilentHill2''.
* AlanWake [[spoiler: finds himself trapped in one after the events of the first game. Through dealing with his angry, irrational side and becoming calm again, [[SequelHook it's implied he'll escape.]]]]
* The bad trip sequence of the ''Fallout 3'' add-on, ''Point Lookout,'' qualifies. The [[PlayerCharacter Lone Wanderer]] stumbles through the Sacred Bog, seeing hallucinations of people he's met, fake bobbleheads, and a skeleton labelled "Mom." This culminates with a bobblehead proclaiming "Dead mother, life in a post-nuclear Wasteland and not a friend in it. Yeah, you aren’t exactly blessed" before a hallucinated bomb explodes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The Foggy Swamp in ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' shows those who visit it images of people who meant something to them, or who will be important in their future. This can be horribly upseting when the person you see just so happens to have died.
* ''{{He-Man}} and the Masters of the Universe'' has The Valley of Echoes. Unlucky travelers can get lost in it forever following false sounds and voices that prey on their inner fears.
[[/folder]]

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In fact, the purpose of the place may well be as a center of emotional confrontation and ''healing.'' Healing with a high burnout rate, but healing nonetheless. It's also worth noting that individuals may create these places or similar effects. [[{{Telepathy}} Telepaths]] and MasterOfIllusion absolutely ''love'' to use it on enemies, and the ArtifactOfDoom may use it as a defense.

See also EpiphanicPrison. See also VisionQuest.

* The bad trip sequence of the Fallout3 add-on "Point Lookout" qualifies. The [[PlayerCharacter Lone Wanderer]] stumbles through the Sacred Bog, seeing hallucinations people he's met, fake bobbleheads, and the skeleton of his dead mother. This culminates with a bobblehead proclaiming "Dead mother, life in a post-nuclear Wasteland and not a friend in it. Yeah, you aren’t exactly blessed" before a hallucinated bomb explodes.

* All queens in ''TheLookingGlassWars'' must travel through a maze. It forces them to face their deepest desires and nightmares, and if they have enough will to persevere through the maze, they can become the queen.

* In the first ''KushielsLegacy'' trilogy, the cave of the ''thetalos'' ritual would seem to qualify. It's not evil -- quite the opposite, it's sacred to MotherEarth -- and you go there to atone for {{egregious}} deeds, but the experience is [[{{Understatement}} unpleasant]] and it's implied that many do not survive.

* All queens in ''TheLookingGlassWars'' must travel through a maze. It forces them to face their deepest desires and nightmares, and if they have enough will to persevere through the maze, they can become the queen.[[/folder]]

The place could be tainted with the DarkSide, beckoning [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghosts]] or causing [[YourMindMakesItReal too-real hallucinations]]. Or it might be a malicious GeniusLoci that [[EmotionEater feeds on anguish]]. Who or ''what'' ever is behind the emotional onslaught won't [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim outright kill anyone]]... at least not at first. It usually [[DrivenToSuicide drives those it torments to suicide,]] uses {{Fright Deathtrap}}s, or directly pits you against lethal physical enemies. Sometimes however, it can be stopped the moment the victim says "ImNotAfraidOfYou!" and/or reaches an emotional epiphany.

The place could be tainted with the DarkSide, beckoning [[OurGHostsAreDifferent ghosts]] or causing [[YourMindMakesItReal too-real hallucinations]]. Or it might be a malicious GeniusLoci that [[EmotionEater feeds on anguish]]. Who or ''what'' ever is behind the emotional onslaught won't [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim outright kill anyone]]... at least not at first. It usually [[DrivenToSuicide drives those it torments to suicide,]] uses {{Fright Deathtrap}}s, or directly pits you against lethal physical enemies. Sometimes however, it can be stopped the moment the victim says "ImNotAfraidOfYou!" and/or reaches an emotional epiphany.

* Not a place, but the locket in ''HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' did this to Ron as in self-defense.
** Two other examples occur in the series. First off, the dementors, which make you miserable and scared, and force you to live out your worst memories. Second, the potion that Dumbledore has to drink in the sixth book, which does the same thing as the dementors.

** Two other examples occur in the series. First off, the dementors, which make you miserable and scared, and force you to live out your worst memories. Second, the potion that Dumbledore has to drink in the sixth book does the same thing as the dementors.

* Not a place, but the locket in ''HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' did this as in self-defense.

* The TV World in ''{{Persona 4}}'') involves personifications of a person's flaws or worst nightmares that ''definitely'' can kill you.

* The foggy swamp in ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' shows those who visit it images of people who meant something to them, or who will be important in their future. This can be horribly upseting when the person you see just so happens to have died.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* On ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', this is how Matt deals with his father Maury. He traps him an empty replica of their house on the day Maury abandoned his wife and him.
[[/folder]]

* The Chamber of the Ordeal in TamoraPierce's ''Tortall'' books works this way, though its intent is not to harm people but to force them to confront their fears to prove that they're strong enough to be a knight.

Whether it's TheLostWoods, the room at the heart of a HauntedHouse, or a DarkWorld reflection of our own, this place likes messing with your head. It will conjure up phantoms from your past to [[MindRape taunt and torment]], force you to [[TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf face your worst flaws]] and [[MyGreatestFailure greatest failures]], all while it [[MobileMaze moves walls and landmarks]] to keep you [[ClosedCircle lost and trapped]] until you die... or ''[[FateWorseThanDeath Forever]].''

[[folder:Video Games]]

--> -- ''StarWars: ReturnOfTheJedi''