History Main / ReforgedIntoAMinion

* This will happen to some of the characters in ''MassEffect3'', namely [[spoiler: Jack, Legion and Morinth]]

* In ''KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', Joe learns that Walz Gil's bodyguard Barizorg is actually his old friend Sid, whom he thought had sacrificed himself to help him escape, but was actually rebuilt into a cyborg and brainwashed.

* The Psychocrypt in ''GalaxyRangers''. The victim has his LifeEnergy removed, placed in a SoulJar, and the "jar" used to power a high-level {{Mook}} through which [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Her Travesty]] has a PsychicLink. ''Anything'' the poor bastard might have known is free for her to rummage through and use as a weapon, while they're conscious and unable to do anything about it.

* This is the M.O. of supervillain Deathmonger in ''{{Empowered}}''.

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* Subverted in ''QuakeIV''. Halfway through the game, protagonist Matthew Kane is captured by the [[{{Cyborg}}Stroggs]] and turned into one of them. However, Kane's fellow EDF soldiers come and rescue him before the Stroggs can indoctrinate him.

* Mu-12's origin in ''{{BlazBlue}}''. To say more would be spoiling.

* ''Film/TRONLegacy'': There's a ''reason'' Rinzler never takes off the mask, and speaks in a distorted stutter...[[spoiler:and stops fighting Sam once he realizes that Sam is a User.]]

* The Inferi in ''HarryPotter'' are often the bodies of fallen wizards who had opposed Voldemort. If you got too close of a look at some of their faces, you may see old Order of the Phoenix members, zombified.

* In the movie ''PhineasAndFerbAcrossTheSecondDimension'', in the other dimension [[spoiler: Perry the Platypus]] is captured and turned into [[spoiler: Perry the Platyborg]], general of Doofenshmirtz's army.

* Galvatron in ''Series/TheTransformers'' is pretty much a literal example.

* ''TRONLegacy'': There's a ''reason'' Rinzler never takes off the mask, and speaks in a distorted stutter...[[spoiler:and stops fighting Sam once he realizes that Sam is a User.]]

* 'VideoGame/'{{Mother 3}}'': [[spoiler:Porky uses the body of Claus, your brother who goes missing at the end of Chapter 1, for creating his cyborg [[TheDragon henchman]].]]

* ''{{Mother 3}}'': [[spoiler:Porky uses the body of Claus, your brother who goes missing at the end of Chapter 1, for creating his cyborg [[TheDragon henchman]].]]

* While it's technically more of a XanatosSucker, in ''{{Overlord}}'' [[spoiler: the PlayerCharacter]] is really one of the heroes who defeated the previous Overlord after being recovered after a NooneCouldHaveSurvivedThat.

* In ''OnePiece'': "The Tyrant Kuma is dead."
* In ''AfroSamurai'', this is Kuma's backstory. After nearly being killed when Afro first got the Number 2 Headband back, he's brought back from the brink of death by Dharman and the Empty 7 after being turned into a cyborg-samurai.

* In ''TheLordOfTheRings'', Sauron corrupts nine powerful kings, bending them to his will and transforming them into the Nazgul. The Nazgul themselves also have this ability; being stabbed by one of their Morgul Blades turns the victim into a wraith. It nearly happened to Frodo, if it hadn't been for Glorfindel's (Arwen's in the movie) timely rescue.

* In ''TheLordOfTheRings'', Sauron corrupts nine powerful kings, bending them to his will and transforming them into the Nazgul.

* In the ''{{Aladdin}}'' cartoon series, Mozenrath turned the evil wizard who trained him into one of his [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Mamluk]] minions.

* In the sequel series to ''BeastWars'', ''Beast Machines'', Megatron has turned tons of garden-variety transformers into mindless mooks, and two out of the three members of his QuirkyMinibossSquad are ex-heroes who have been reforged into new bodies/personalities.
* Graft in ''{{Phantom 2040}}''.

* [[spoiler: Kaien]] from ''{{Bleach}}'' comes back from the dead after becoming a hollow. [[spoiler: Subverted in that it was just someone pretending to be him and using this as his cover story.]]

May coincide with ThatManIsDead and obviously WeCanRebuildHim. Sometimes involves DealWithTheDevil. EvilCostumeSwitch is pretty much mandatory.

So, you are a powerful villain in need of a QuirkyMinibossSquad? You need to replace TheDragon who has failed you one time too many? Or perhaps your MonsterOfTheWeek never works and you are thinking of trying ThePsychoRangers? But where can you find a servant both competent enough and willing to serve you? Not everyone can create minions from the ground up. But perhaps you don't need to create anything?

See that guy, OnlyMostlyDead after a HeroicSacrifice? He will do. A quick brainwashing, a new name and clothes and while you are putting his damaged body back together you can always make some improvements. If no half-dead hero is available, you can always use the remains of the previous season BigBad, or even some of your past victims. What is important is that they are not just BrainwashedAndCrazy . The new minion must be customized for your needs. So turning dead heroes undead does not count by itself, but creating a death knight will.

As mentioned, this trope requires the victim to be custom-modified. Also it must be someone either important (a powerful wizard, a king) or plot -relevant (the hero's childhood friend) prior to the transformation and important for the villain's plans after. If the victim is transformed into a mook or elite mook (especially if they are mass produced) see {{Minionization}}. Compare TheCorrupter.

* ''TRONLegacy'': There's a ''reason'' Rinzler never takes off the mask, and speaks in a distorted stutter...