History Main / ShapeShifting

* InvoluntaryShapeshifter: If you can't control when/where your shapeshifting powers kick in.

-->-- An eight word {{drabble}} by Colin Greenland

->Aliens disguised as typewriters? I never heard such--

* PlotRelevantAgeUp: An OvernightgeUp so that a young character can quickly become old enough to have a legitimate role in the story's events.

* MagicPants: What happens to all your clothing when you transform (or more importantly, transform ''back'')?

* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: Some werewolves turn completely into wolves...

* SelkiesAndWereseals: Or terrestrial animals...

* {{Weredragon}}: Or even actual existing creatures!
* WolfMan: Others just acquire wolf-like characteristics...

* AndYourRewardIsInfancy: ...All the way back to being a baby again...

* AttractiveBentGender: People start asking your new self out on dates.
* BabyMorphEpisode: ...And it takes a whole episode before they grow up again.

* BecomeARealBoy: When they set achieving literal humanity as a goal.

* FountainOfYouth: A character spontaneously becomes younger...

* HumanityEnsues: An animal (or other non-human) is transformed into a human. They usually aren't happy about the change...

* ManIFeelLikeAWoman: Hey, free boobs!

* OvernightAgeUp: Or instead, a character spontaneously becomes older...
* PinocchioSyndrome: ...unless they already ''wanted'' to become human.
* PlotRelevantAgeUp: ...So that a young character can quickly become old enough to have a legitimate role in the story's events.

* SenseFreak: If they go wild over senses that we humans take for granted.

* ThirdLawOfGenderBending: And it comes with cool new clothes!

* TransformationComic: The above in comic form.

* VoicesAreMental: But for some strange reason, their ''voices'' also get switched along with their minds.

* ClippedWingAngel: But it proves anti-climactic

* MiracleGroMonster: But you don't have time to wait for it.

* OneWingedAngel: When the villain shouts "Behold my true form!" before the final battle...
* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: Turning into a half-human/half-animal monster, usually due to some sort of {{curse}} or [[TheVirus infection]].

* LegoGenetics: Genetic engineering can be used to transform an ordinary organism into some sort of mutant.[[NonhumanHumanoidHybrid being]] after getting their DNA fused with that of another species.

** OlderAlterEgo: Someone's superpower is to turn older.

** BallOfLightTransformation: Transformation into a luminous form shaped as a flame, orb, star, mote, etc.
** RideTheLightning: Turning oneself into lightning for quick transportation.
** SuperSmoke: Transformation into a gaseous form like smoke, air, mist, etc.

** KaleidoscopeHair: Or change your hair color repeatedly.

** ChangelingTale: When [[TheFairFolk fairy]] [[OurFairiesAreDifferent creatures]] pretend to be human infants, usually after abducting the real babies and switching places with them.
** GodInHumanForm: A [[OurGodsAreDifferent deity]] pretends to be a mere mortal.
** {{Humanshifting}}: Some shapeshifters only have the ability to transform into humanoids.
** TheyLookLikeUsNow: When evil creatures figure out a way to look like humans.

** EmpathicShapeshifter: If other people dictate what you transform into.
** HulkingOut: The YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry version.
** ShapeshifterIdentityCrisis: Mental instability causing you to transform into whatever identity/persona is currently dominant in your mind.
** ShapeshifterSwanSong: Uncontrolled transformations triggered by a critical (or fatal) injury to the shapeshifter.

** EyesAreMental: Their eyes stay the same even if the rest of their bodies don't.

** OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: Some werewolves turn completely into wolves...
*** WolfMan: Others just acquire wolf-like characteristics...
** BeastMan: They don't have to be based on wolves...
** SelkiesAndWereseals: Or terrestrial animals...
** {{Weredragon}}: Or even actual existing creatures!

** ShapeshiftersDoItForAChange: The sexuality of a shapeshifter.

** KibblesAndBits: Why does that car have sections that look like fists? Why does that robot have pieces of car dangling from its back?

** PartialTransformation: Mix-and-match shapeshifting to create one sleek HybridMonster.
** ShapeshifterDefaultForm: Whatever form they're usually seen in when not actively using their powers.
** ShapeshifterGuiltTrip: [[DoppelgangerGetsSameSentiment Impersonating the form of an opponent's friend or teammate]] during battle, to mentally break the opponent down.
** ShapeshifterWeapon: Using your shapeshifter powers to create weapons from your own body.
** UnstableGeneticCode: A more scientific explanation for shapeshifting.

** BewitchedAmphibians: For whatever reason, frogs and toads are very popular animals for wizards and witches to turn people into.

** AndYourRewardIsInfancy: ...All the way back to being a baby again...
*** BabyMorphEpisode: ...And it takes a whole episode before they grow up again.
** OvernightAgeUp: Or instead, a character spontaneously becomes older...
*** PlotRelevantAgeUp: ...So that a young character can quickly become old enough to have a legitimate role in the story's events.

** FreakyFridaySabotage: Sometimes the switch backfires. Badly.
** VoicesAreMental: But for some strange reason, their ''voices'' also get switched along with their minds.
*** VoicesAreNotMental: Though of course, sometimes voices do remain with the original body.

** AttractiveBentGender: People start asking your new self out on dates.
** FirstLawOfGenderBending: It's easier to change into a female than it is to change back.
*** SecondLawOfGenderBending: Your new gender is ''always'' more enjoyable than your old one.
*** ThirdLawOfGenderBending: And it comes with cool new clothes!
** ManIFeelLikeAWoman: Hey, free boobs!

** PinocchioSyndrome: ...unless they already ''wanted'' to become human.
*** BecomeARealBoy: When they set achieving literal humanity as a goal.
** SenseFreak: If they go wild over senses that we humans take for granted.

** ShrinkRay: A device or magic spell that can make people smaller.

** ColorMeBlack: A bigot turns into another member of a group that they hate.

** TransformationComic: The above in comic form.

** TheVirus: A monster that infects people and turns them into another member of its kind.
*** TheCorruption: When one's mind and/or body is twisted into evil and villainy.
*** TranshumanTreachery: A human transformed into a monster loses their original personality and betrays their former species.
*** VirusVictimSymptoms: Signs and symptoms of an [[SlowTransformation impending metamorphosis]] into a monstrous creature.

** AttractiveBentSpecies: When other animals think your new form looks sexy!
** BewitchedAmphibians: They could be a prince, they could be a lying frog...
** OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: Turning into a half-human/half-animal monster, usually due to some sort of {{curse}} or [[TheVirus infection]].
** ScaledUp: Is turning yourself into a giant snake ''ever'' a good idea?

** MiracleGroMonster: But you don't have time to wait for it.

** PainfulTransformation: If it ''looks'' painful, what must it ''feel'' like?
** TransformationHorror: Disturbing shapeshifting at its finest.

** EvilMakesYouMonstrous: A villain turns into an inhuman monster.

** TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf: Reflective surfaces can reveal what a shapeshifter's real form looks like.
** TheShadowKnows: A particular kind of GlamourFailure hinting that a character has a dark secret or shapeshifting prowess.

** ClippedWingAngel: But it proves anti-climactic

** ManIFeelLikeAWoman: Getting rather ''intimately acquainted'' with the new you.

** AngelicTransformation: An [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angel]] of human origin.
** DeityOfHumanOrigin: A [[OurGodsAreDifferent god]] that was once a mere mortal.
** DemonOfHumanOrigin: A [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demon]] who used to be a human.
** TragicMonster: They were forced to become something inhuman against their will, and that's sad.
** TurningBackHuman: When someone's transformation is finally reversed, allowing them to regain their humanity (or otherwise revert back to their original form).

* LegoGenetics: Genetic engineering can be used to transform an ordinary organism into some sort of mutant.
** ArtificialHybrid: Someone gets mutated and turned into some sort of [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrid]] [[NonhumanHumanoidHybrid being]] after getting their DNA fused with that of another species.

** MasterOfDisguise: Some shapeshifters can look like anyone.

** BeingHumanSucks: Not everyone likes being a boring, ordinary human being. This motivates them to try and become something else.

* ScaledUp: Is turning yourself into a giant snake ''ever'' a good idea?

* BeingHumanSucks: Not everyone likes being a boring, ordinary human being. This motivates them to try and become something else.

* MasterOfDisguise: Some shapeshifters can look like anyone.
* TheShadowKnows: A particular kind of GlamourFailure hinting that a character has a dark secret or shapeshifting prowess.

* SkinWalker: A magical shapeshifter who can change from human to animal forms at will, originating from [[Myth/NativeAmericanMythology Navajo Indian legends]].

** AngelicTransformation: An angel of human origin.
** DeityOfHumanOrigin: A god that was once a mere mortal.
** DemonOfHumanOrigin: A demon who used to be a human.

* AndYourRewardIsInfancy: When a person is transformed back into an infant.

* FountainOfYouth: Character spontaneously becomes younger.
** BabyMorphEpisode: All the way to being a baby, and it takes a whole episode before they change back.
** OvernightAgeUp: Character spontaneously becomes older...
*** PlotRelevantAgeUp: ...so that a young character can quickly become old enough to have a legitimate role in the story's events.
* FreakyFridayFlip: Switching bodies with another person.

* BecomingTheCostume: Particularly popular around UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve, a curse that transforms the individual into whatever their costume resembles.

* DifferentForGirls: When a new form subjects you to new social norms

* LegoGenetics: Genetic engineering/splicing can be used to turn an ordinary organism into a hybrid or other mutant.

* BecomingTheCostume: Particularly popular around AllHallowsEve, a curse that transforms the individual into whatever their costume resembles.

* FreakyFridayFlip: Switching bodies with another person...
** VoicesAreMental: ...but not switching voices.
** VoicesAreNotMental: Of course, sometimes voices do remain with the original body.