History Main / NotBrainwashed

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBadBatch:'' Most clones are forced in executing Order 66 via a control chip in their heads. Clone Force 99 avoid most of it due to their being different from the "regs", but Crosshairs remains with the Empire even after the others go rogue. In the first season finale, the others get a chance to remove his chip... and find it was removed already.

** And in ''Crisis On Two Equestrias'', when Trixie accidentally teleports herself to the Celestiaverse, she quite naturally assumes that the differences between the two universes are the result of Corona MindRaping her friends. While her memory transfer spell is able to "restore" their Lunaverse memories, the Celestiaverse Elements of Harmony are not fooled.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'''s third season focuses on SuperhumanTrafficking, where victims (usually kids) are captured and implanted with {{Mind Control Device}}s. However, the mid-season finale reveals that [[spoiler:Tara Markov]] is working with [[LegionOfDoom the Light]] even after said device is removed and they're taken in by the heroes.

** [[spoiler:[[BigBad Aizen]]'s]] Zanpakuto can cast illusions that can fool anyone, if they have ever seen the sword using its power. [[spoiler:However, Tousen is blind, thus unable to see the sword. It is then revealed that he joined Aizen of his own will.]]
** Played with in Orihime's case when [[spoiler:she was kidnapped to Hueco Mundo. At first, everyone thinks Aizen mindwashed her, but actually she was [[SadisticChoice forced to come along as to save her friends]]. Aizen then says [[MetaphoricallyTrue she came of her own accord]]]], and the less... brainy Espada try to twist this even more to say [[BlatantLies she is one of them]], even trying to convince ''her'' about it as a part of the massive BreakTheCutie process they're subjecting the poor girl to. Only for the lectures to be [[ShutUpHannibal put down]] by ''Ichigo'' of all people.

** Another example is Adrian Gecko from the third season. His backstory is basically that he was adopted into a wealthy family to be the heir, but then his little brother was born and he was displaced. Despite that he became the family's best agent and behaved well towards his little brother. However, his childhood friend pushed him to become a leader in his own right. Long story short it led to him sacrificing her to attain power and got him killed by the main villain of the season. Despite all of that, he maintained that everything he did was of his own free will.
* Another ''Yu-Gi-Oh'' example in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'': when Yuma's longtime friend [[spoiler:Ryoga/Shark]] appears leading the villainous Barians, calling himself Nasch, the heroes think he's been brainwashed and [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight try to snap him out of it]]. However, he scoffs at any suggestion that he's not in control; in truth, he had regained his long-suppressed memories of being a Barian Emeror, and willingly chose to side with his people against his friends.

* In ''Manga/InuYasha'', Sango's brother Kohaku is brought BackFromTheDead with EasyAmnesia to work for Naraku. He kills women and children while under Naraku's influence, but then regains his faculties. His sister's attempts to "break" his brainwashing at this point convince him that the best way to protect her (and make up for what he's done) is to continue working for Naraku in order to find a way to permanently destroy him.
* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', [[spoiler: BattleButler Walter]] is seen de-aged and on the side of the Nazi Vampires. When Alucard fights him, everyone assumes that he's been brainwashed. While it's left slightly ambiguous, it's heavily implied that not only was he doing it all of his own free will, but [[spoiler:he has been TheMole all along]].

* In ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'', Yuji gets possessed by the Snake of the Festival. Shana tries to reach him and get him to fight it, until he reveals the Snake is not controlling him; they are partners. [[spoiler:The Snake turns out to be GoodAllAlong, and he and Yuji had a plan to permanently end the war, they just needed to be WellIntentionedExtremist to do it.]]

* In the 90s, when Colossus abandoned the ComicBook/XMen for ComicBook/{{Magneto}}'s Acolytes, his team-mates -- specifically ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}--wanted to believe that he was under mind-control; Colossus immediately denied it and for a while it was the official explanation that he was not being compelled. Eventually Professor X decided that Colossus had committed this FaceHeelTurn because of an undiagnosed brain injury (he had a huge dent in his head at the time and was trapped in his armored form). This led to an ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'' issue where Xavier [[SuperDickery has Colossus's ex-girlfriend trick him into coming back to Earth so they can abduct him]], then treats the injury. It was specifically asked by one of the characters, "what do we do if he still wants to go back to the Acolytes after we heal him?" The answer turned out to be "we let him go back" and that's exactly what Colossus did - though the healing did give him a bit of additional clarity, and his stated purpose was to act as [[TheHeart a conscience for the team]]. It was kind of refreshing. He remained an AntiVillain with the Acolytes for a few years, real-time, which only ended when the Acolytes' space station was destroyed and the survivors got scattered across the Earth, forcing the team's disbandment.
* Not quite brainwashing, but ComicBook/{{Quicksilver}} had underwent a FaceHeelTurn (to WellIntentionedExtremist) during- and served as the BigBad of-''ComicBook/HouseOfM'', and followed it up with a lot of, if not outright ''villainous'', morally questionable and inherently selfish actions, such as stealing and unleashing the [[ComicBook/TheInhumans Terrigen Mists]] on the Earth in an effort to restore the powers of de-powered mutants. After ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', when it emerged that several heroes and villains had been replaced by shape-shifting Skrulls, Quicksilver explained his previous actions by claiming that he has been replaced as well- cue a private moment with his half-Inhuman daughter, Luna, who points out that she is a LivingLieDetector and tells him she knows he is making it all up, and is guilty as sin. He later repents of this as a member of ''X-Factor'', confessing in public, which at least repairs his relationship with Luna.
* When Lucas Bishop first returned from the Future after his mad crusade to kill [[MessianicArchetype Hope]] failed and being left there by ComicBook/{{Cable}}, it first looked like as if he was possessed by the Demon Bear. [[SubvertedTrope However]], it turned out that everything he did (including butchering ''billions'' of innocent people just to get Hope) was all him without any brainwashing. He just had a {{Heel Realization}} later.
* There's a variation in ''ComicBook/HalJordanAndTheGreenLanternCorps'', where the involved person never actually went evil. The Corps had suddenly vanished, with an unknown foe using their rings to pull them to the previous universe. Soranik Natu would have shared this fate, but her father ComicBook/{{Sinestro}} had forewarning of the event, and pulled off her ring just in the nick of time. She's inducted into the Sinestro Corps, which is trying to take the Green Lanterns' place as the universe's lawkeepers. The GL Corps eventually does make it back, but Soranik working with their greatest enemy looks ''very'' questionable. She has to explain that, no, she did ''not'' pull a FaceHeelTurn at all.
* ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis:'' When the BigBad is revealed, and explains what they've been doing to Power Girl, manipulating events behind the scenes for years, she takes it to mean that their manipulations are why Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman have been on the outs through the event. She's promptly told that nope, that's just their own fault.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' fanfiction ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4267279/1/Hero-High-Sphinx-Academy Hero High: Sphinx Academy]]'', the group of super-powered agents working with Pharaoh are explicitly instructed to act as if they have been brainwashed to serve him when out in public. The reason? They are his friends and he planned it so if his plans did fail they would be absolved of their actions. Him being a master manipulator to the point his RedBaron is "Voice of a Sovereign", it would have been easy to believe.

* The ''Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries'' has this turn out to be the case with Rainbow Dash, who really ''did'' take Discord's SadisticChoice. She only ''pretended'' to be Discorded and try to run from the others because Discord [[ExactWords just drove Cloudsdale insane]] when she got there and she could bare to face the others. [[LivingLieDetector Applejack]] eventually finds out and acts as her SecretKeeper for awhile. Eventually, the guilt of it nearly causes her to [[SuperpoweredEvilSide go nightmare]] (and in one AlternateUniverse, actually do so and become Nightmare Manacle) before the others snap her out of it and calm her down.

* Implied in ''FanFic/RainbowDoubleDashsLunaverse''. In the Celestiaverse, it's stated that Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon was partially due to the influence of an alien presence (the Nightmare), and that the reason Luna could pull such a quick HeelFaceTurn was that the Elements purged the Nightmare from Luna. But given the fact that Corona rejected Luna's offer of redemption, this implies that Celestia was not effected by any external force, and became the Tyrant Sun entirely on her own.

* ''Fanfic/SonOfTheSannin'': Downplayed with [[spoiler:Toneri Otsutsuki]]. He actually was initially brainwashed into joining Akatsuki but [[spoiler:his Tenseigan maturing]] freed him, and at that point he stays with them anyway because their goals happen to align with his. When Hinata confronts him for the last time and learns about this, [[HopeSpot at first she thinks she can convince him to join them and fight Akatsuki]], but he makes it clear he wants to let the war rage on and then hijack the Juubi's power for himself once they succeed in their plans, [[WeCanRuleTogether and rule the new era making Hinata his queen]]. Hinata is naturally shocked by this, though it's not a surprise for the audience given that his attempt to kidnap her as a child happened ''years'' before he joined Akatsuki (and thus under no mind-control whatsoever).

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'', Lucy, Metalbeard, Benny, Batman and Unikitty are brought to a spa-center in the Sistar System run by Balthazar as a means of enticing them to Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi's machinations. When the spa's treatments fails to do so with Lucy, they lock her in a room where they play an upbeat EarWorm pop song that seemingly brainwashes the others. This is made all the more creepy when Emmet and Rex are off exploring a StepfordSuburbia not too far off, with the missing Justice League [[OutOfCharacterAlert acting overly nice and covered in glitter]], all singing to the song as they chase them as if they were mentally reconditioned zombies. It is not until later when it is revealed that the inhabitants of the Sistar System were GoodAllAlong, the various supposedly brainwashed Master Builders ''sincerely'' liking the Sistar System's upbeat and inclusive ways. [[PoorCommunicationKills But they didn't exactly do themselves any favours with their poor communication]], nor did they when Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial devoted an entire musical number]] to [[MostDefinitelyNotAVillain how she wasn't evil]].

** Fawn is constantly asked if the sorcerous Dag has beguiled her into marrying him, when they are really just in love.

** The Knights of the Blackened Denarius are a group of {{Fallen Angel}}s that [[SealedEvilInACan inhabit]] the ThirtyPiecesOfSilver. If a human picks up one of the coins, they expose themselves to the Fallen's influence. Most of these people are MindRaped into submission, but a fair few of the coin holders are working with the Fallen on their own free choice, for various reasons.

* In an episode of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Worf and the legendary Klingon warrior Kor find an ancient heirloom which has the power to create a new golden age for the Klingon Empire. As the episode unfolds, they become increasingly at odds with one another over who should be the one to present it to the Empire, and even who gets to ''carry'' it. The ''fans'' were expecting some kind of [[TechnoBabble silly tech explanation]] for this behavior (i.e. that the artifact was brainwashing them), but no - it was just ordinary jealousy and petty macho posturing. Is this trope therefore TruthInTelevision, do you think? That said, there was also a serious issue; Worf saw the sword as a religious icon that should belong to the Emperor, while Martok thought it was a cultural treasure and should go the Chancellor. In the end they conclude that introducing it would spark a civil war and deliberately lose it again.
* In ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', Stefan believes this is why he and Damon fell for [[ManipulativeBastard Katherine]]. Damon disagrees, and tells Stefan he was never compelled (he would know, since the compulsion would have worn off once he became a vampire himself) and knew she was an evil, murderous vampire... [[spoiler: but did not know she was having sex with Stefan as well as him.]] Katherine herself says that she only took away Stefan's fear, which seems to be the truth. She's never shown telling him, under compulsion, to love her. And let's be honest, his reaction to seeing her vamp face was the base caveman reaction of fear of something he didn't understand.

* Halfway through ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'', the heroes find out that the supposed Big Bad Dhoulmagus was actually possessed by the spirit of Rapthorne contained within his scepter. This force possesses several other characters over the course of the game, so when Marcello picks up the scepter and imprisons the heroes, and they hear that the Lord High Priest is dead and Marcello has taken over the church, they naturally suspect he's the latest victim. As it turns out, Marcello resisted the possession and killed the Lord High Priest of his own free will, for AmbitionIsEvil reasons. It's possibly he was still being influenced, albeit more subtly than the other holders of the scepter.
* In ''Videogame/EarthBound'', Ness's [[WeUsedToBeFriends "friend"]] Porky ([[DubNameChange aka Pokey]]) is often seen with brainwashed humans, even claiming to have been brainwashed and subsequently freed following the Happy Happy Village incident. Halfway through the game, he finally just flat out admits that he is actually working for Giygas of his own volition.

* In ''Videogame/FinalFantasyIVTheAfterYears'', this trope was used when Kain - who was repeatedly brainwashed in the first game - insists that he is acting under his own volition when he attacks several of his former allies. It is later discovered that he wasn't brainwashed at all... [[spoiler: He was an EnemyWithout.]]
* Michalis of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' killed his own father, took the throne of Macedon and ruled as a power-hungry tyrant. When his sister Minerva finds him NotQuiteDead in the sequel, she assumes he was brainwashed by Gharnef (And since Gharnef brainwashed at least two other characters into being evil, she's right to be suspicious). Turns out he was a case of this trope, as Gharnef had in fact used MoreThanMindControl, playing on his ambition and desire to improve Macedon's standing in the world. The FaceHeelTurn was completely genuine. [[spoiler:Of course, this also means he's able to pull a genuine HeelFaceTurn later.]]
** This is basically the biggest plot twist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' if you choose to follow Ephraim's path. [[spoiler:Turns out [[BigBadFriend Lyon]] was never possessed by the Demon King. He simply summoned his soul by using dark magic, drew power from it and then ''pretended'' to have been possessed in order to easily control his followers. Of course, at the very end, upon Lyon's defeat, the Demon King's soul does end up truly taking over, and implying that he let Lyon get away with what he was doing because it was good for his plans too.]] None of this happens if you choose to follow Eirika's path. [[spoiler:In this latter version, Lyon really was possessed the whole time.]]

* In ''Videogame/MegaManBattleNetwork 5'' a signal that makes people aggresive starts spreading out and the player (immune via PlotCoupon) must shut the signal in each area down, usually meaning he has to fight his teammates first. One of the fights, however (Charlie in Team Protoman, Dusk in Team Colonel) reveals that the character wasn't affected, he just wanted to fight Lan.

* ''VideoGame/YsMemoriesOfCelceta'' uses this trope, although not particularly sanely. The Bad Guys start kidnapping villagers and making them wear magic masks which gives them super-strength and also makes them obey their new masters. And the sub-boss is the village chief's son Remnos. Oh no! He was clearly mind-controlled too! ...actually he was just faking it, and only got the super-strength from the mask, because he was nebulously awesome and good at everything, including resisting mind control? (Also awesome at fighting, art, music, scholarship. He was just hiding his true talents the whole time to... not shame his elder sister with how awesome he was in comparison.) Why he went along with the bad guys plan which involved wounding and stealing from the villagers (including his father!), and why the bad guys let him keep tagging along after he reveals he wants to "help" them of his own free will, is a question better less unasked. The narrative treats Remnos as a Good Guy spy of course rather than a villain... despite this not really happening...

** The New Generation Reploids in ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' have total virus immunity, which they love to remind the heroes, who can't understand why they'd go Maverick. It's later revealed that their copy chips contain Sigma's DNA, and [[spoiler:Lumine]] explains that hey can "go Maverick at will," possibly meaning that they subscribe to Sigma's EvilutionaryBiologist ideals without needing to be brainwashed into it by the Maverick Virus.

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'', it is slowly revealed that the HillbillyHorrors you meet are in fact BrainwashedAndCrazy. Except for the PsychopathicManchild Lucas. He turns out to have been already a murderer even before all of this, and just hangs around after escaping the brainwashing for the [[HealingFactor perks]].

* In ''VideoGame/TerraInvicta'', the [[AlienInvasion invading]] Hydra are able to use "pherocytes" to effectively MindControl other species, including humans. However, the leader of the pro-alien Servants, Judith Howell, wants the Hydra to take over Earth of her own free will. She is deeply pro-alien from the start, and [[spoiler:demonstrates a very high degree of resistance to the pherocytes. The Hydra seriously consider killing her when she starts debating them under conditions that ''should'' have rendered her an unthinking pawn, before realizing that a willing servant is more useful than a mind controlled one. They even start taking her suggestions into account]].

* At the end of chapter three in ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'', the "Roselings"--little plant-minions whom the Guardener had been brainwashed from his own Guardlings--reveal that they served Rosemaster willingly, because she was much nicer than the Guardener was. (And also that he wasn't their master in the first place; he'd just shown up and started bossing them around.) [[spoiler:Cucumber gives them Rosemaster's Disaster stone, effectively her remains, so they can look after it.]]

* ''WebVideo/SAndDTier'': Played with. Morgan's superhero brother Chad is thoroughly convinced that the reason Morgan commits crimes and hangs out with supervillain Alex is because Alex has brainwashed them for some nefarious purpose and it's his duty to rescue them. In reality, Morgan had no interest in being Chad's sidekick, became a villain on their own, and they and Alex are [[VillainousFriendship best friends]]. Unlike most examples, Morgan is making ''no effort'' to pretend they're not acting of their own volition, and Alex has attempted to disabuse Chad of the notion that any coercion is going on multiple times. Chad simply won't hear it, partially because he's too self-involved to imagine that his sibling wouldn't want to be his sidekick, and partially because he's an idiot.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "Empress Eyes", Ice King appears to have fallen under the spell of a vampire with MindControl powers, but it turns out [[InsanityImmunity his mind is too addled to fall for it]]. The only reason Ice King was following her orders was because the Empress was a pretty lady he thought was interested in him.

* In the pilot episode of ''WesternAnimation/BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand'', our hero is surprised to find his ex-partner Warp Darkmatter is not only alive, but had been [[TheDragon working]] for the BigBad his entire career. Unable to accept that his buddy was EvilAllAlong, Buzz offers [[WrongGenreSavvy several tried-and-true possible explanations]]:

* In ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'', Spud makes a deal with Fury, one of the villainous Gorgon sisters, who claims that she will make his [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders cheerleader]] crush Stacy [[LovePotion fall in love]] with him in a plot to free her sisters without interference. And when Stacy does decide she likes Spud, he thinks that it's because of this supposed "love spell," even though she continues to act far more fickle than you'd think someone truly under a love spell would act. In the end, like any other DealWithTheDevil, Spud has to break off his alliance with the Gorgon, and prepares himself for Stacy to break up with him now that she's not enchanted anymore. But Spud is relieved to find that there was never a love spell, and Stacy was Not Brainwashed.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' episode "[=HunkaHunka=]", Lilo's friend Keoni has a crush on Pleakley (in his horrible disguise as a human woman). Lilo, Stitch, and Jumba are quick to blame the MonsterOfTheWeek, but no, he ''actually does'' have a crush on Pleakley. (For context: Pleakley has green skin, one eye and three legs.)

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'': [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-804 SCP-804]] was investigated up and down for any possible memetic properties that could've driven its operators to keep it going, even as it destroyed them and everything they had made, [[OmnicidalManiac slowly and methodically unmaking man and everything man had made in the growing vicinity]]. But after some time, the researcher in charge realized there wasn't anything notable, nothing that'd drive someone to kill humanity or keep operating it no matter what. As such, he's forced to conclude the real reason these people, these [[AnimalWrongsGroup activists and artists]] that had created this thing or at least were part of the group that did, had tried to use it to wipe all traces of humanity from Earth was that they just wanted to do so.

* In ''Manga/SaintSeiyaTheLostCanvas'', {{woobie}} Alone is chosen as the vessel for [[EverybodyHatesHades Hades]] and subsequently begins to [[KillEmAll kill everyone]], planning to end all life on Earth. [[spoiler: Turns out this has nothing to do with the influence of Hades, as he was never possessed; being chosen as the vessel for Hades simply gave him the power to execute a plan that was his own from the very beginning.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3711220/1/Villain Villain]]'' has Professor Utonium and Bubbles assume this to be the reason why Buttercup has become so malicious, having been brainwashed somehow by Mojo Jojo. Buttercup repeatedly tries to inform them that she's gone to the dark side of her own volition after years of feeling ostracized and disrespected by the town, but only Blossom believes this explanation, even saying that Buttercup's theory of Mojo being her true creator rather than the Professor makes a weird sort of sense. Bubbles eventually accepts it during the final confrontation, when Buttercup takes time to talk to her one-on-one and convince her that this fight is what she wants.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': Apothecary Gary is a special type of mushroom that can use his spores to control others, turning them into his mindless zombies. However, after his first defeat and near death he barely avoided extinction by taking control of Jeremy the beetle, and when he returns he has an entire village worshiping him as their leader that have his spores on their heads. However, he reveals he was found and taken in by this peaceful group of frog farmers, and that they actually ''wanted'' Gary's spores, because it made them better gardeners, and because they were willing to receive them they got to keep their minds intact, thus achieving a true symbiotic relationship.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', the Knights of the Blackened Denarius are a group of {{Fallen Angel}}s that [[SealedEvilInACan inhabit]] the ThirtyPiecesOfSilver. If a human picks up one of the coins, they expose themselves to the Fallen's influence. Most of these people are MindRaped into submission, but a fair few of the coin holders are working with the Fallen on their own free choice, for various reasons.

!!Comedy examples:

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', when Bob the Skull tries to get Harry to let him out for a night:
-->'''Harry Dresden:''' No way. Last time I let you out, you got into a frat party and started an orgy.\\
'''Bob the Skull:''' I didn't do anything another couple of kegs of beer wouldn't have done!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebVideo/SAndDTier'': Played with. Morgan's superhero brother Chad is thoroughly convinced that the reason Morgan commits crimes and hangs out with supervillain Alex is because Alex has brainwashed them for some nefarious purpose and it's his duty to rescue them. In reality, Morgan had no interest in being Chad's sidekick, became a villain on their own, and they and Alex are [[VillainousFriendship best friends]]. Unlike most examples, Morgan is making ''no effort'' to pretend they're not acting of their own volition, and Alex has attempted to disabuse Chad of the notion that any coercion is going on multiple times. Chad simply won't hear it, partially because he's too self-involved to imagine that his sibling wouldn't want to be his sidekick, and partially because he's an idiot.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers'' "Zooing Time": Norbert is put in a zoo, in part because of Daggett, and discovers that it's a great place to live. Daggett, meanwhile, feels responsible for the situation and tries to rescue him, convinced that he's brainwashed
* Same goes in ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'', "Operation: C.O.L.L.E.G.E.", with Nigel participating in snow cone research.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' episode "[=HunkaHunka=]", Lilo's friend Keoni has a crush on Pleakley (in his horrible disguise as a human woman). Lilo, Stitch, and Jumba are quick to blame the MonsterOfTheWeek, but no, he ''actually does'' have a crush on Pleakley. (For context: Pleakley has green skin, one eye and three legs.)
* The ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Poseurs" involves [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext evil plants]] that use mind-controlling spores to turn {{Goth}}s into becoming {{Emo}}s ([[FandomRivalry which are totally different]]!) This trope is PlayedStraight with [[spoiler:Firkle]], but PlayedWith for Henrietta: [[spoiler:there are no mind control spores, she's just suggestible enough to change cliques when she ''thinks'' she's being brainwashed]].
[[/folder]]

* ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'': The fairies persist in trying to "rescue" Jadeite from Keeper Mercury, assuming that anyone so handsome and gentlemanly could only be serving a Keeper if he were being magically controlled. In fact, he has several reasons to be willingly serving; he's doing meaningful work under a BenevolentBoss, laying the foundation for revenge on the queen who [[YouHaveFailedMe discarded him]], and may be developing a crush... but the fairies don't know any of that.

* A positive example in ''{{Fanfic/Spellbound}}''; Adrien and Marinette have known each other for a year before they "meet" at school, but he doesn't want Chloe to know that, or she'll likely retaliate against Marinette out of jealousy. So, he "introduces" himself to Marinette with a song that includes a MindControl effect - knowing that she's unwittingly protected from such effects by the enchanted jewelry he's previously given her. Chloe recognises the effect and assumes that he's just toying with Marinette for his own amusement. Plagg and Tikki, on the other hand, are quite alarmed by his behaviour, and he has to do some fast talking. Marinette is [[MuggleMageRomance oblivious to the magic]] and just finds his over-the-top singing amusing.

* ''Fanfic/WithThisRing'': Paul helps a Darkstar contingent to purge the Reach presence from the planet Urrigen, then undoes the brain alterations that were made to many government and military officials to make them trust the Reach -- but discovers that the Convenor has no alterations, and sold out his world because he genuinely preferred capitulation to fighting back. Of course, he wasn't honest with the populace about what he was doing, and it wouldn't have worked in the end, because the Reach eventually kill their slave races or drastically alter them into near-mindless slaves. He gets summarily executed.

* Kaiser in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX''. He's a champion of a game notorious for causing [[SplitPersonality Split Personalities]] and [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Superpowered Evil Sides]] in players, and his FreakOut and EvilCostumeSwitch take place during the MoreThanMindControl arc, but in his case, he really just snapped after a humiliating loss. He tells his [[MentorArchetype mentor]], his best friend, and his brother that when they try to "cure" him by dueling him since DefeatMeansFriendship: "There's no darkness inside me. I am not captured by darkness. I just want to know what brings out the power to win!" Originally, he was still a cold, aloof loner, but at least he had a strong sense of respect for his opponent. [[spoiler: He eventually gets better.]]
** Another example is Adrian Gecko from the third season. His backstory is basically that he was adopted into a wealthy family to be the heir, but then his little brother was born and he was displaced. Despite that he back the family's best agent and behaved well towards his little brother. However his childhood friend pushed him to become a leader in his own right. Long story short it led to him sacrificing her to attain power and got him killed by the main villain of the season. Despite all of, he maintained that everything he did was of his own free will.
* Another ''Yu-Gi-Oh'' example in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'': the villain - who corrupted humans with hatred and FakeMemories - was defeated, but the last Barian standing (Nash) was still intent on taking [[TheHero Yuma]] down. Understandably, Yuma refused to fight his friend, claiming he still was under the influence of the curse. But Nash explained his memories were not toyed with, that the real curse was his own, conscious vow to protect the Barian World at all costs, meaning their duel to the death was inevitable.

* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood''. Given his background, [[spoiler:Jason Todd]] proposes this is what's causing him to cross the line but he himself doesn't seem totally sure, as the Lazarus Pit's influence on his mind could also be to blame (the Pit's side effect is to induce madness in the subject).

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' #640, after [[spoiler: Vaarsuvius]] takes great pleasure in killing an opponent (and their entire extended family) it is revealed that the DealWithTheDevil they made had no effect on their alignment or actions-- essentially, the character merely revealed [[WhatYouAreInTheDark their true self.]] The character was told the spell ''could'' affect their alignment, with the implication that this was done to give an excuse for indulging their own darkest impulses.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' episode "Above And Beyond", the Plumbers' Helpers thought Ben was BrainwashedAndCrazy when he raoded an attack on them and Max in a satellite station. Except that he wasn't, he was only acting to [[SecretTestOfCharacter test their skills of teamwork]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'': Unlike Adora, Catra didn't fall for the Horde's propaganda as a child and knew all along about their true villainous nature, but [[LackOfEmpathy simply didn't care]] after a while. She honestly couldn't believe that Adora didn't know the truth.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', most of the akumatized villains are BrainwashedAndCrazy victims of the series' BigBad Hawk Moth. However, four people have allowed themselves to be akumatized of their own volition.

** [[spoiler:Chloé Bourgeois/Miracle Queen is manipulated by Hawk Moth into joining him willingly due to her newfound resentment towards Ladybug for no longer allowing her to be a superhero with the [[TransformationTrinket Bee Miraculous]] (for her own safety, as Hawk Moth knew her identity). Like Lila, she allows Hawk Moth to akumatize her so she can get revenge.]]

* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood''. Given his background, [[spoiler:Jason Todd]] proposes this is what's causing him to cross the line but he himself doesn't seem totally sure, as the Lazarus Pit's influence on his mind could also be to blame (the Pit's side effect is to induce madness in the subject).
** Batman puts forward that he knew [[spoiler:Jason]] was going to be dangerous someday. [[spoiler: That's why Batman made him Robin, to try and keep him on the straight and narrow.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'', Spud makes a deal with an evil Gorgon who claims that she will make his [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders cheerleader]] crush Stacy [[LovePotion fall in love]] with him. And when Stacy does decide she likes Spud, he thinks that it's because of this supposed "love spell," even though she continues to act far more fickle than you'd think someone truly under a love spell would act. In the end, like any other DealWithTheDevil, Spud has to break off his alliance with the Gorgon, and prepares himself for Stacy to break up with him now that she's not enchanted anymore. But Spud is relieved to find that there was never a love spell, and Stacy was Not Brainwashed.
** But that would mean that the Gorgon lied to Spud and broke her end of the deal.

* In ''Fanfic/FaithAndDoubt'', after finding out the same source that turned Luna into [=NightMare=] Moon is behind Twilight's new aggressive behavior, the others assume he's brainwashed Twilight. It turns out this is pulled double. Not only is Twilight not brainwashed, neither was Luna. Allowing the eternal night to occur was against [[spoiler:Doubt's]] wishes, and as such he abandoned her just before her battle with Celestia.
* D. Gray-man. Pretty much every [[spoiler:Noah!Allen]] fanfiction in existence.
** Often used to bash the character who believes him to be an example of this trope.
*** Or, to make said character appear to be naive or in denial.
** [[spoiler: Used to the point that it's slowly becoming cliche.]]

* Implied in FanFic/RainbowDoubleDashsLunaverse. In the Celestiaverse, it's stated that Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon was partially due to the influence of an alien presence (the Nightmare), and that the reason Luna could pull such a quick HeelFaceTurn was that the Elements purged the Nightmare from Luna. But given the fact that Corona rejected Luna's offer of redemption, this implies that Celestia was not effected by any external force, and became the Tyrant Sun entirely on her own.
** And in ''Crisis On Two Equestrias'', when Trixie accidentally teleports herself to the Celestiaverse, she quite naturally assumes that the differences between the two universes are the result of Corona MindRaping her friends. While her memory transfer spell is able to "restore" their Lunaverse memories, the Celestiaverse Elements of Harmony are not fooled.
* [[spoiler: The Inquisitor, a [[VideoGame/MassEffect Reaper]]]] from ''Fanfic/WhenThereWasATomorrow'' boast that it did not require [[spoiler: [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Indoctrination]] to bend [[ScaryDogmaticAliens The Covenant Leadership]] to its will. It instead pretended to be a Forerunner AI and exploited their religious fanaticism to forward its EvilPlan]].
* Played with in [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/58529/the-ash The Ash]] with the ash ponies, the disease that turns ordinary ponies into ash ponies removes the influence of the Magic of Friendship from their brains and they treat ordinary ponies as having undergone HeelFaceBrainwashing.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' fanfic "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3711220/1/Villain Villain]]" has Professor Utonium and Bubbles assume this to be the reason why Buttercup has become so malicious, having been brainwashed somehow by Mojo Jojo. Buttercup repeatedly tries to inform them that she's gone to the dark side of her own volition after years of feeling ostracized and disrespected by the town, but only Blossom believes this explanation, even saying that Buttercup's theory of Mojo being her true creator rather than the Professor makes a weird sort of sense. Bubbles eventually accepts it during the final confrontation, when Buttercup takes time to talk to her one-on-one and convince her that this fight is what she wants.
* A positive example in ''{{Fanfic/Spellbound}}''; Adrien and Marinette have known each other for a year before they "meet" at school, but he doesn't want Chloe to know that, or she'll likely retaliate against Marinette out of jealousy. So, he "introduces" himself to Marinette with a song that includes a MindControl effect - knowing that she's unwittingly protected from such effects by the enchanted jewellery he's previously given her. Chloe recognises the effect and assumes that he's just toying with Marinette for his own amusement. Plagg and Tikki, on the other hand, are quite alarmed by his behaviour, and he has to do some fast talking. Marinette is [[MuggleMageRomance oblivious to the magic]] and just finds his over-the-top singing amusing.
* In ''FanFic/NymphAndTheCorruptedMiraculous'', the BigBad can only corrupt one Miraculous at a time. If she wants anyone else at her side, she has to manipulate them the old-fashioned way. [[spoiler: When she wants a partner for Catastrophe (corrupted Adrien with the Cat ring), she goes to [[ConsummateLiar Lila]], offering her the Fox miraculous and a chance to get revenge on her classmates for calling her out. After Adrien breaks free, she has to join the fight herself in order to use the final Miraculous that she had.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' fanfiction ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4267279/1/Hero-High-Sphinx-Academy Hero High: Sphinx Academy]]'', the group of super-powered agents working with Pharaoh are explicitly instructed to act as if they have been brainwashed to serve him when out in public. The reason? They are his friends and he planned it so if his plans did fail they would be absolved of their actions. Him being a master manipulator to the point his RedBaron is "Voice of a Sovereign", it would have been easy to believe.
* In the ''Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ReCoded'', when Miyu, Jin, and Zephyr were kidnapped and later fought alongside their Ignis, everyone thought that all the rogue Ignis have fully taken control of their partners and worked for ways to save them. It's later revealed they are not, and the three lost incident victims willingly joined their Ignis partners for different reasons.

* In ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' most Orcs believed their enslavement to the Burning Legion was forced on them by Gul'dan. Grom revealed that the chieftains had willingly accepted the Legion's offers of power in exchange for serving them, with Grom being the most eager.
** There is also one in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. The players are sent to assassinate Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, the Evil Emperor of the Dark Iron and rescue the captive Princess Moira Bronzebeard. It however turned out that she took a liking to him and the two were HappilyMarried with a child on the way, much to the player's surprise.
** In the Stonecore, there's a rock giant that you're tasked by Therazane to kill named Ozruk. At first, she sent agents to free him from whatever magic binds him to this Twilight's Hammer dungeon. "No such magic was placed upon him."
** One [[EpilepticTrees theory]] about Garrosh Hellscream's increasing aggression was some form of mind control, but [[LikeFatherLikeSon like his father]] it turned out to be a simple desire for power and conquest with little thought to the consequences.

* In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration 2'', much of the early plot revolves around surviving members of the "School" on the opposing side trying to "save" one of your pilots from obvious brainwashing. Of course, she's on your side entirely by choice, and ''they're'' the ones undergoing brainwashing.
* In ''VideoGame/SuikodenI'': [[spoiler:The BigBad of the game has most of the empire's soldiers under her MindControl, and everyone (including her) thinks she has the king under that power, too. At the very end of the game, though, he reveals that he was never really under her control, and was acting the way he did [[LoveMartyr because he genuinely loved her]].]]

* In the ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'' "Bonfire of the Vanities" DLC, Ezio must assassinate a number of Savonarola's assistants who shout his propaganda from rooftops and high walls. One of them turns out to be a true believer without the influence of the Apple. He laughs at Ezio for thinking that the Apple is the only way to make people believe something.

* Michalis of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' killed his own father, took the throne of Macedon and ruled as a power-hungry tyrant. When his sister Minerva finds him NotQuiteDead in the sequel, she assumes he was brainwashed by Gharnef (And since Gharnef brainwashed at least two other characters into being evil, she's right to be suspicious). Turns out he was a case of this trope, as Gharnef had in fact used MoreThanMindControl, playing on his ambition and desire to improve Macedon's standing in the world. The FaceHeelTurn was completely genuine. [[spoiler:Of course, this also means he's able to pull a genuine HeelFaceTurn later.]]
** This is basically the biggest plot twist of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' if you choose to follow Ephraim's path. [[spoiler:Turns out [[BigBadFriend Lyon]] was never possessed by the Demon King. He simply summoned his soul by using dark magic, drew power from it and then ''pretended'' to have been possessed in order to easily control his followers. Of course, at the very end, upon Lyon's defeat, the Demon King's soul does end up truly taking over, and implying that he let Lyon get away with what he was doing because it was good for his plans too.]] None of this happens if you choose to follow Eirika's path. [[spoiler:In this latter version, Lyon really was possessed the whole time.]]
** In the ''Birthright'' route of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', Xander assumes the protagonist is brainwashed by the Hoshidan royals. They are not.
** This happens again in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes''. Most Heroes are forced into the service of the Emblian Empire by being placed under a contract that makes them fight for them. [[VideoGame/FireEmblemFates Xander]], on the other hand, decides to continue to follow the Emblians even after he is released from his contract because he believes BigBad Princess Veronica is just [[DarkMagicalGirl a lonely girl that he needs to help]].
* Halfway through ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'', the heroes find out that the supposed Big Bad Dhoulmagus was actually possessed by the spirit of Rapthorne contained within his scepter. This force possesses several other characters over the course of the game, so when Marcello picks up the scepter and imprisons the heroes, and they hear that the Lord High Priest is dead and Marcello has taken over the church, they naturally suspect he's the latest victim. As it turns out, Marcello resisted the possession and killed the Lord High Priest of his own free will, for AmbitionIsEvil reasons. It's possibly he was still being influenced, albeit more subtly than the other holders of the scepter.
* In ''VideoGame/Macross30TheVoiceThatConnectsTheGalaxy'', a number of heroic characters are found to be brainwashed to fight for the BigBad. It's therefore a surprise to see that [[Anime/MacrossZero Shin Kudo]] is ''not''. He's fighting for the enemy of his own will. [[spoiler:His reasons turn out to be because the BigBad told him [[ApocalypseHow what happens to Earth]] at the end of the Zentraedi War, and he's desperate to prevent that from happening. Understandable that he'd feel this way: he's the only heroic pilot from ''before'' the Zentraedi War, and thus the only one who never imagined such a thing could happen, while for everyone else it's simply a fact of history.]]
* ''VideoGame/TokyoMirageSessionsFE'': Until chapter 5, the party deals with artists who've been brainwashed into a state of insanity by powerful Mirages. Towards the end of chapter 5, they face [[spoiler:Yatsufusa]] and they assume he's brainwashed like everyone else before him. But no, he's fully aware of his actions and is working with the Mirages of his own free will; he's completely insane and wants to destroy the world because he thinks that'd be the greatest form of entertainment.
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'', it is slowly revealed that the HillbillyHorrors you meet are in fact BrainwashedAndCrazy. Except for the PsychopathicManchild Lucas. He turns out to have been already a murderer even before all of this, and just hangs around after escaping the brainwashing for the [[HealingFactor perks]].
* ''VideoGame/YsMemoriesOfCelceta'' uses this trope, although not particularly sanely. The Bad Guys start kidnapping villagers and making them wear magic masks which gives them super-strength and also makes them obey their new masters. And the sub-boss is the village chief's son Remnos. Oh no! He was clearly mind-controlled too! ...actually he was just faking it, and only got the super-strength from the mask, because he was nebulously awesome and good at everything, including resisting mind control? (Also awesome at fighting, art, music, scholarship. He was just hiding his true talents the whole time to... not shame his elder sister with how awesome he was in comparison.) Why he went along with the bad guys plan which involved wounding and stealing from the villagers (including his father!), and why the bad guys let him keep tagging along after he reveals he wants to "help" them of his own free will, is a question better less unasked. The narrative treats Remnos as a Good Guy spy of course rather than a villain... despite this not really happening...
* ''VideoGame/Disgaea5AllianceOfVengeance'': It is revealed that TheDragon to BigBad Void Dark, General Bloodis, is none other than NobleDemon martial arts master Goldion, having been defeated and brainwashed into servitude by Void, his own son. Luckily, Goldion's students Killia and Zeroken manage to master the "final technique" of his teachings, Avidya Holy Water, which has the power to break him free. And it doesn't work, Bloodis stays loyal to Void. They try again, but still he remains Bloodis. However, it is eventually revealed that they ''did'' break him free the first time; Goldion simply pretended to still be evil in order to secretly help the rebels and act as a StealthMentor.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'': In a series where Reploids regularly get infected by the [[ContagiousAI Sigma Virus]] and turn violent, the entirety of Repliforce as well as (possibly) Magma Dragoon are Mavericks that are not infected. [[BigBad Sigma]] just managed to [[BatmanGambit play their]] attitudes to his advantage in order to incite their Maverick behaviour on their own accord -- [[BloodKnight Magma Dragoon]] was tempted by Sigma into destroying the Sky Lagoon on the notion that it would goad X or Zero into fighting him (he ''really'' wanted to fight and defeat them), and [[HonorBeforeReason Colonel]] refused to get Repliforce to stand down after being suspected in involvement with the Sky Lagoon incident, causing the main conflict of the plot to occur.
** The New Generation Reploids in ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' have total virus immunity, which they love to remind the heroes, who can't understand why they'd go Maverick. It's later revealed that their copy chips contain Sigma's DNA, and [[spoiler:Lumine]] explains that hey can "go Maverick at will," possibly meaning that they subscribe to Sigma's EvilutionaryBiologist ideals without needing to be brainwashed into it by the Maverick Virus.
* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' has a minor example pop up in background dialogue. Hang around the Jarl's keep in Riften and you will hear Jarl Laila Law-Giver ask her court mage to work out what sort of mind control or possession has taken hold of her son recently. Said mage has to break the news that, in all likelihood, her son genuinely ''does'' support the Imperials.
* Most of the enemies fought in ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven'' are protagonists brainwashed by anomalies (and in some cases brought BackFromTheDead), as indicated by a purple aura around them. However, most characters who were villainous do ''not'' have the aura (though some do, like Stroheim and Akira); those who served Dio in the first place continue to do so, Diego is a mercenary, Kira (and his future self, disguised as Kosaku) just wants to escape being hunted by the Joestars, and Joshu is still a brat even ''after'' he's de-brainwashed. [[spoiler: Funny Valentine initially allied with Heaven Ascension Dio of his own free will, but later on betrayed him and only fought the protagonists to test their strength. Either way, he was unaffected by the anomalies.]]

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', the Knights of the Blackened Denarius are a group of FallenAngels that [[SealedEvilInACan inhabit]] the ThirtyPiecesOfSilver. If a human picks up one of the coins, they expose themselves to the Fallen's influence. Most of these people are MindRaped into submission, but a fair few of the coin holders are working with the Fallen on their own free choice, for various reasons.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "The Brave and the Bold", [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys Gorilla Grodd]] uses a mind control helmet as his main weapon. Once it's broken, it turns out that the scientist who was assisting him was in love with him all along.

--> '''[[spoiler:Dickson]]:''' You can quit your bellyaching! I'm in total control! I've ''always'' been like this! Ever since long before any of you lot were born!

* Michalis of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' killed his own father, took the throne of Macedon and ruled as a power-hungry tyrant. When his sister Minerva finds him NotQuiteDead in the sequel, she assumes he was brainwashed by Gharnef. (And since Gharnef brainwashed at least two other characters into being evil, she's right to be suspicious.) Turns out he was a case of this trope, Gharnef had in fact used MoreThanMindControl, playing on his ambition and desire to improve Macedon's standing in the world. The FaceHeelTurn was completely genuine. [[spoiler:Of course, this also means he's able to pull a genuine HeelFaceTurn later.]]

** The New Generation Reploids in ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' have total virus immunity, which they love to remind the heroes, who can't understand why they'd go Maverick. It's later revealed that their copy chips contain Sigma's DNA, and [[spoiler: Lumine]] explains that hey can "go Maverick at will," possibly meaning that they subscribe to Sigma's EvilutionaryBiologist ideals without needing to be brainwashed into it by the Maverick Virus.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' episode "Above And Beyond", the Plumbers' Helpers thought Ben was BrainwashedAndCrazy when he raoded an attack on them and Max in a satellite station. Except that he wasn't, he was only acting to [[SecretTestOfCharacter test their skills of teamwork]]

* Another Yugioh example in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'': the villain - who corrupted humans with hatred and FakeMemories - was defeated, but the last Barian standing (Nash) was still intent on taking [[TheHero Yuma]] down. Understandably, Yuma refused to fight his friend, claiming he still was under the influence of the curse. But Nash explained his memories were not toyed with, that the real curse was his own, conscious vow to protect the Barian World at all costs, meaning their duel to the death was inevitable.

* A perfect example is Connor in ''Series/{{Angel}}'''s fourth season. Jasmine has the power to enthrall anyone who sees her; only contact with her blood can break the spell, at which point the victim sees her true, horrific face. Fred is accidentally freed this way, and she manages to free the rest of the cast one by one. But when they try to cure Connor, he betrays them -- turns out that due to their blood relationship, he's ''never'' been under Jasmine's spell. He's just so tired of fighting and being manipulated that he's willing to go along with her UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans thing.

[[folder:Fan Works]]

** [[spoiler:''Inverted'' with Dark World!Fluttercruel. It turns out she was ''born'' Discorded, something not even her father Discord was aware of. When she {{Body Surf}}s into Sparkler's body, Sparkler's memories of Derpy break the Discording, causing her to be capable of actually starting to think about whether or not her actions are wrong. [[VillainousBSOD She doesn't take this well.]]]]
** [[spoiler:Double Subverted in that, after her brainwashing is broken, she ''continues'' to protect her father.]]
* In ''Fanfic/FaithAndDoubt'', after finding out the same source that turned Luna into [=NightMare=] Moon is behind Twilight's new aggressive behavior, the others assume he's brainwashed Twilight. It turns out this is pulled double. Not only is Twilight not brainwashed, neither was Luna. Allowing the eternal night to occur was against [[spoiler: Doubt's]] wishes, and as such he abandoned her just before her battle with Celestia.
* D. Gray-man. Pretty much every [[spoiler: Noah!Allen]] fanfiction in existence.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'', while [[spoiler:Mumkhar]] probably ''was'' brainwashed (since he was [[spoiler:ReforgedIntoAMinion]]), anything about attacking his former allies and stealing the Monado was redundant. To prove his point, [[spoiler:he threatens to kill Fiora a second time, despite the fact that she had been turned into a Face like him, just to torment Dunban]].

This is often held back as a dramatic (and tragic) reveal after a long montage (or whole episode) of the heroes performing [[MagicAntidote all]] [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight manner]] [[ThePowerOfFriendship of]] [[ThePowerOfLove attempts]] to break whatever control the BigBad has over this character. The reason it doesn't work? Because the BigBad doesn't actually ''have'' any control over them to begin with; they insist they are Not Brainwashed, and they're right.

** [[spoiler:''Inverted'' with Dark World!Fluttercruel. It turns out she was ''born'' Discorded, something not even her father Discord was aware of. When she {{Body Surf}}s into Sparkler's body, Sparkler's memories of Derpy break the Discording, causing her to be capable of actually starting to think about whether or not her actions are wrong. [[VillainousBSOD She doesn't]] [[VillainousBreakdown take this]] [[SanitySlippage well.]]]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'', Lucy, Metalbeard, Benny, Batman and Unikitty are brought to a spa-center in the Sistar System run by Balthazar as a means of enticing them to Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi's machinations. When the spa's treatments fails to do so with Lucy, they lock her in a room where they play an upbeat EarWorm pop song that seemingly brainwashes the others. This is made all the more creepy when Emmet and Rex are off exploring a StepfordSuburbia not too far off, with the missing Justice League [[OutOfCharacterAlert acting overly nice and covered in glitter]], all singing to the song as they chase them as if they were mentally reconditioned zombies. It is not until later when it is revealed that the inhabitants of the Sistar System were GoodAllAlong, the various supposedly brainwashed Master Builders ''sincerely'' liking the Sistar System's upbeat and inclusive ways. [[PoorCommunicationKills But they didn't exactly do themselves any favours with their poor communication]], nor did they when Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial devoted an entire musical number]] [[MostDefinitelyNotAVillain to how she wasn't evil]].

** ''Series/KamenRiderExAid''; some time into the story, the previously-deceased Kiriya Kujo is revived by Masamune Dan as an extra ally for the villains' side. Emu is convinced that Masamune has reprogrammed Kiriya into working for him, so attempts to reprogram Kiriya back to their side with [[MidSeasonUpgrade Maximum Mighty X]]. Only for Kiriya to kick him into the ocean and reveal that he was working for Masamune entirely of his own free will. [[spoiler:[[MetaphoricallyTrue But as it turns out, Kiriya was simply pretending to be loyal to Masamune]] [[FakeDefector in a bid to get close enough to steal the Proto Gashats]]]].

* In an episode of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Worf and the legendary Klingon warrior Kor find an ancient heirloom which has the power to create a new golden age for the Klingon Empire. As the episode unfolds, they become increasingly at odds with one another over who should be the one to present it to the Empire, and even who gets to ''carry'' it. The ''fans'' were expecting some kind of [[TechnoBabble silly tech explanation]] for this behavior (i.e. that the artifact was brainwashing them), but no - it was just ordinary jealousy and petty macho posturing. Is this trope therefore TruthInTelevision, do you think?

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' fanfiction ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4267279/1/Hero-High-Sphinx-Academy Hero High: Sphinx Academy]]'', the group of super powered agents working with Pharaoh are explicitly instructed to act as if they have been brainwashed to serve him when out in public. The reason? They are his friends and he planned it so if his plans did fail they would be absolved of their actions. Him being a master manipulator to the point his RedBaron is "Voice of a Sovereign", it would have been easy to believe.

** [[spoiler:Chloé Bourgeois/Miracle Queen is manipulated by Hawk Moth into joining him willingly due to her newfound resentment towards Ladybug for no longer allowing her to be a superhero with the [[TransformationTrinket Bee Miraculous]]. Like Lila, she allows Hawk Moth to akumatize her so she can get revenge.]]