History Main / EvilMask

* The Fused Shadow from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' isn't a helmet, but Midna wears on on her head for the whole game. At one point the other fragments close around her and transform her into... something huge, tentacled and wielding a trident that blasts through the castle's barrier. [[spoiler:Despite the warnings given throughout the entire game not to use its magic, Midna seems to be alright after using them.]]

* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped'' introduced Aku Aku's EvilTwin Uka Uka, who was retconned into being the series BigBad. He reprised this role, as well as being a powerup, in ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacing''. However his position has shifted back towards Cortex as of late.

A more literal version of BecomingTheMask, this is a mask, helmet, or other headgear that has some form of corrupting influence on its wearer. It may be [[SealedEvilInACan possessed by an evil entity]], a MindControlDevice controlled by the BigBad, a strange [[FaceHugger alien parasite]]... whatever the specifics, it is powerful enough to turn most ordinary people evil or drive them insane. Often [[MaskOfPower grants the wearer]] [[SuperpoweredEvilSide supernatural powers as well]], which of course reduces the victim's temptation to remove the mask.

* Infected Kanohis and [[FaceHugger Krana]] in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}''.

[[quoteright:302:[[Literature/TheHauntedMask https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_image_6097.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:302:[[TooDumbToLive "Gee, I wonder what will happen when I put on this creepy mask that I found in that heavy locked box with warning labels on it?"]]]]

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': The [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Mask of Darth Nihilus]] slowly corrupts its owner into drawing power from the Dark Side of the Force and enables Nihilus's spirit to influence the owner's mind. [[spoiler:When [[WebAnimation/{{RWBY}} Jaune]] finally puts on the mask in "Destiny", he is immediately subjected to a PainfulTransformation as Nihilus [[DemonicPossession possess]] his body.]]

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': The [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Mask of Darth Nihilus]] slowly corrupts its owner into drawing power from the Dark Side of the Force and enables Nihilus's spirit to influence the owner's mind. [[spoiler:Wearing the mask allows Nihilus to [[DemonicPossession possess]] the wearer's body.]]

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': The [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Mask of Darth Nihilus]] slowly corrupts its owner into drawing power from the Dark Side of the Force and enables Nihilus's spirit to influence the owner's mind. [[spoiler:Wearing the mask allows Nihilus' spirit to [[DemonicPossession possess]] the wearer's body.]]

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': The [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords Mask of Darth Nihilus]] slowly corrupts its owner into drawing power from the Dark Side of the Force and enables Nihilus's spirit to influence the owner's mind. [[spoiler:When Jaune finally puts the mask on, he undergoes a PainfulTransformation as his body's appearance changes into Nihilus's.]]

* In the film version of ''Film/TheMask'', the mask adapts itself to its wearer's personality. It's only evil when the wearer is otherwise the main character who uses is a good-hearted person therefore the mask is also good as well.

[[quoteright:302:[[Literature/{{Goosebumps}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_image_6097.png]]]]

[[caption-width-right:302:[[TooDumbToLive Gee, I wonder what will happen when I put on this creepy mask that I found in that heavy locked box with warning labels on it?]]]]

** The same game also has the Fierce Deity mask, which is implied to contain dark powers nearly or perhaps even more powerful than Majora--wearing it while fighting Majora turns him into a laughably easy AnticlimaxBoss. Link doesn't seem to have a problem with the mask, though, probably because he's, well, [[TheHero Link]].

* The cursed Noh Mask in ''Manga/InuYasha''. All it wants is a body, but there's the slight problem that it causes its wearer to decompose so fast they turn into ''crude oil'' within minutes. Naturally, it'd like a stronger host. Guess who it decided to go after.
* In ''Anime/BakuganBattleBrawlers'', Masquerade's mask [[spoiler: allows his personality to dominate Alice's.]]

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': The Mask of Nihilus slowly corrupts its owner into drawing power from the Dark Side of the Force and enables Nihilus's spirit to influence the owner's mind. [[spoiler:When Jaune finally puts the mask on, he undergoes a PainfulTransformation as his body's appearance changes into Nihilus's.]]

* In the film version of ''Film/TheMask'', the mask adapts itself to its wearer's personality. It's only evil when the wearer is otherwise the main character who uses is a good hearted person therefore the mask is also good as well.

* In the film version of ''Film/TheMask'', the mask adapts itself to its wearer's personality. It's only evil when the wearer is.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMask'', yet again. The move from big screen to AnimatedAdaptation brings with it an interesting possibility: The mask, even when Stanley isn't wearing it, is [[RealityWarper subtly influencing Edge City to obey cartoon logic]], thus allowing improbable supervillains such as Terrible Two and Kablamus to exist.

** The same game also has the Fierce Deity mask, which is implied to contain dark powers nearly as powerful as Majora--wearing it while fighting Majora turns him into a laughably easy AnticlimaxBoss. Link doesn't seem to have a problem with the mask, though, probably because he's, well, [[TheHero Link]].

* The mask worn by [[BigBad Jack of blades]] in ''[[VideoGame/FableI Fable]]''. At the end of the ''[[UpdatedRerelease Fable: The Lost Chapters]]'' the player is given an option to wear it leading them being possessed.

* The Snow Queen Mask in the original ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}''.

* The mask worn by [[BigBad Jack of blades]] in [[VideoGame/FableI Fable]]. At the end of the [[UpdatedRerelease Fable: The Lost Chapters]] the player is given an option to wear it leading them being possessed.

* ''Webcomic/SnowByNight'' has Chugan's mask. According with "A Berry From The Sun", wearing it can drive the wearer to madness as it channels the corrupted spirit bond to it. It can also absorb other manitou to feed the eagle spirit, making it dangerous for both humans and spirits.

[[ClingyMacGuffin Bonus points if you can't get it off.]]

* In ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode, "The Masks", a dying man forces his greedy, ill-mannered family to wear hideous Mardi Gras masks until midnight. At the stroke of midnight he dies and they all remove their masks, only to discover that the masks have deformed each of their faces to look like the masks.
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* In the ''Literature/TalesFromCampCrystalLake'' book series, people become Jason Voorhees when they put on his mask.

* In ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode, "The Masks", a dying man forces his greedy, ill-mannered family to wear hideous Mardi Gras masks until midnight. At the stroke of midnight he dies and they all remove their masks, only to discover that the masks have deformed each of their faces to look like the masks.