History Main / PlayingWithPuppets

Often when someone is under control of the [[MindManipulation mind]] or the [[PeoplePuppets body]], the controller will force them to do things that either don't advance the Evil Plan at all or are simply [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim very inefficient]] in doing so. This is because getting things done isn't the ''point''. The point is to [[KickTheDog torment or humiliate]] the victim, or the onlookers if the victim isn't aware, by making it ''abundantly'' clear just how helpless and owned they are.

Compare HypnoFool, which is more benign and usually accidental. Has no relations with ConsultingMisterPuppet, which is about ''literal'' puppets.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', [[MagnificentBastard Lelouch]] is usually relatively responsible and [[ItOnlyWorksOnce economical]] with his HypnoticEyes, but during one of many [[HeroicBSOD emotional fits]], he commands some drug dealers to do push ups, squats, handstand (he quite [[SquishyWizard dislikes PE class]]), dance, howl and clap. The catch is that following these order is ''permanent'' and forces the victim's body beyond its limits if necessary to carry out the command. And Lelouch did not specify a time limit.

* In ''ComicBook/EarthX'', the Skull takes over the minds of everyone in America and most of the world's heroes. He's too inexperienced to do this on that vast a scale, but he has great fun with his superpowered army -- [[PowerPerversionPotential especially pretty girls like Mayday Parker]]. He is, however, squicked when Spiders Man and the Iron Maiden profess love for each other, and makes them stop.

* In ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'', Voldemort and Quirrell use the Imperio spell to make Harry dance during the song "Dance Again".

[[folder:Web Originals]]

* Alucard from ''WebVideo/HellsingUltimateAbridged'' uses mind control to get a penthouse suite in a Brazilian hotel, and also to kick out its former would-be inhabitant (Chevy Chase). He then demonstrates this trope in a fashion that [[NoJustNoReaction disgusts Pip]].
-->'''Alucard:''' ''Film/WhiteChicks'' was amazing...

* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'', [[BigBad Slade]] gains access to [[spoiler:Terra]]'s powers via a special suit with neural interfaces, supposedly to [[spoiler:help her control her powers]]. Later, when [[spoiler:Terra]] starts to have second thoughts, he uses the suit to practically hijack her body and forces her to fight her former love interest while she's clearly in distress.

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' has Eric Doyle, whose superpower is controlling other people's actions with his mind. He uses this power to force Claire, Sandra, and Meredith into a twisted three-person game of Russian Roulette, among other things.

* The Imperius Curse in ''Literature/HarryPotter'' doesn't ''usually'' fit the trope because normally it's used to put [[TheMole moles]] in the Ministry, but Voldemort does ''try'' to use it to humiliate Harry at one point (in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire Goblet of Fire]]'') and earlier in the same book is the antics in defense against the dark arts class when [[spoiler: fake]] Moody is teaching them to resist said curse. Justified as it's stated that one has to ''enjoy'' dominating others for the curse to be at its most effective.

* In ''VideoGame/BioShock1'', this trope lends weight to a vicious TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. ''"Run! Stop! Turn! A man ''chooses!'' A slave obeys... [[spoiler:Then Ryan hands Jack a golf club and commands him to "'''''KILL!"''''' You then proceed to beat your own father to death [[CutsceneBoss without any control over it]].]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'', [[BigBad Slade]] gains access to [[spoiler: Terra]]'s powers via a special suit with neural interfaces, supposedly to [[spoiler: help her control her powers]]. Later, when [[spoiler:Terra]] starts to have second thoughts, he uses the suit to practically hijack her body and forces her to fight her former love interest while she's clearly in distress.

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

* In ''ComicBook/EarthX'', the Skull takes over the minds of everyone in America and most of the world's heroes. He's too inexperienced to do this on that vast a scale, but he has great fun with his superpowered army -- [[PowerPerversionPotential especially pretty girls like MaydayParker]]. He is, however, squicked when Spiders Man and the Iron Maiden profess love for each other, and makes them stop.
* In the first issue of ''Brit'', the villain Master Mind takes control of hundreds of people on a stretch of highway and forces them to dance.

* Spider Robinson's ''[[Literature/CallahansCrosstimeSaloon Callahan's Lady]]''. A villain uses her MindControlDevice to force the people in Lady Sally's House to perform disgusting and embarrassing acts for her own amusement.
* Before turning the principal into Literature/CaptainUnderpants, George and Harold made him pretend to be a chicken and give them money with their hypnotic ring.
** And the boys got up to this because the principal is a cranky slave-driver who doesn't like kids and does this with his authority when they put even a breath out of line.
* The Imperius Curse in ''Literature/HarryPotter'', doesn't ''usually'' fit the trope because normally it's used to put [[TheMole moles]] in the Ministry, but Voldemort does ''try'' to use it to humiliate Harry at one point (in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire Goblet of Fire]]'') and earlier in the same book is the antics in defense against the dark arts class when [[spoiler: fake]] Moody is teaching them to resist said curse. Justified as it's stated that one has to ''enjoy'' dominating others for the curse to be at its most effective.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': "Planet of the Spiders" has the [[EvilOverlord Great One]] taking control of the Doctor's body and forcing him to march in a circle. An especially frightening example as this is arguably the first time we've seen the Doctor so powerless and utterly dominated by one of his foes.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' has Scorpius taking control of [[VillainousGlutton Grunchlk's]] body with a MindProbe, and forcing him to [[{{Fingore}} eat two of his own fingers]] -- partly for Scorpy's amusement, but mostly to get him to talk.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Plato's Stepchildren": The Platonians use their telekinetic powers to make the Enterprise crew members act in absurd and humiliating ways.

* In ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'', this trope lends weight to a vicious TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. ''Run! Stop! Turn!''
** "A man ''chooses!'' A slave obeys...[[spoiler: "''Would you kindly...''" (hands Jack a golf club) "'''''KILL!"''''' You then proceed to beat your own father to death [[CutsceneBoss without any control over it]].]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''[[WebVideo/TheCartoonMan Journey of the Cartoon Man]]'', when Oswald Sherzikien first puts on the Glove of the Animator, he uses it to make Roy, Karen, Valerie, and Simon dance.

--->'''Alucard''': ''Film/WhiteChicks'' was amazing...

* In [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Disney's]] ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', when Jafar takes over Agrabah, he humiliates Sultan and Jasmine with PeoplePuppets. One of his cut songs involved doing this to Aladdin.

* ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourWorldsGreatestHeroes'', "[[Recap/FantasticFourWorldsGreatestHeroesPuppetMaster Puppet Master]]": Puppet Master, who has just discovered what his radioactive clay can do, makes Reed's powers go out of control on TV.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode "The Twin Factor", Drakken has Kim dress up in Shego's clothes and [[TheDragon Shego]] wear a pink apron and clean the lair.
* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' -- Under the control of a hypnotizing experiment he just captured, Experiment 625 and Hamsterviel force Gantu to: eat a peanut butter sandwich with sardines, hop on one foot and say 'blah, blah, blah', dance like a ballerina and say he's a 'big blubberhead', stick out his tongue and make spitting noises, and balance himself on a rolling pin while juggling sandwiches and a cake on his head... with a cherry on top. Lilo herself does this to her rival, Mertle, by using the same experiment to make her act like a chicken.

* On ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', the bully Nelson is fond of grabbing his victim (typically Milhouse), forcing him to slap himself, and taunting, "Hey, why are you hitting yourself?" This is, of course, a way of Playing With Puppets when you don't have any phlebotinum, and the idea came from bullies in [[TruthInTelevision real life]].
** In one of the "WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror" specials, which parodies ''Literature/HarryPotter'', he does use phlebotinum in the form of a magic wand, and he engages in the same mocking of Milhouse for "hitting himself."
* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', [[BigBad Slade]] gains access to [[spoiler: Terra]]'s powers via a special suit with neural interfaces, supposedly to [[spoiler: help her control her powers]]. But later when [[spoiler:Terra]] starts to have second thoughts, he uses the suit to practically hijack her body and forces her to fight her former LoveInterest while she's clearly in distress.

Compare HypnoFool, which is more benign and usually accidental. Has no relations with ConsultingMisterPuppet.