History Main / TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack

** In "WesternAnimation/TheGoldenTouch", King Midas brags to his reflection that he will turn everything to gold, and the reflection applauds him. Later, as he realizes he's BlessedWithSuck, he asks his refection if he's doomed to starve to death. The reflection turns into a golden GrimReaper and nods yes before making a ThroatSlittingGesture.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' episode "Wrong Place, Wrong Time", the ninja go back in time to the pre-series special and accidentally alter the timeline by interfering with Kai, Nya, and Wu's past selves fighting Lord Garmadon's army. The result is that the skeletons don't capture Nya, which is pivotal to Kai's drive to become a ninja, so the ninja devise a plan to hand Nya to the skeletons which involves Kai having to pretend to be his past self's reflection to distract him while the other ninja grab Nya.

** In "WesternAnimation/TheGoldenTouch", King Midas brags to his reflection that he will turn everything to gold, and the reflection applauds him. Later, as he realizes he's BlessedWithSuck, he asks his refection if he's doomed to starve to death. The reflection turns into a golden GrimReaper and nods yes.

* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': In the Chrome Car, Tulip's reflection gains sentience, and after some switching back and forth between both sides of the mirrors, leaves to live a life of her own–-leaving Tulip [[MissingReflection without a reflection]] from here on in.

* In "WesternAnimation/TheGoldenTouch", King Midas brags to his reflection that he will turn everything to gold, and the reflection applauds him. Later, as he realizes he's BlessedWithSuck, he asks his refection if he's doomed to starve to death. The reflection turns into a golden GrimReaper and nods yes.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ultimate Spider-Man}}'': After an exhausting day of fighting the Frightful Four, Peter totally forgot to buy a cake for Uncle Ben's birthday (who's dead). His Spider-Man reflection talks him into taking Fury's offer to train him to be the [[TitleDrop Ultimate Spider-Man]].

* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', when Jimmy is feeling guilty about running off and not standing up for Beezy.
* In the MusicalEpisode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'', Quinn sings in front of a mirror while trying to decide what to wear. Her reflection tells her she could pick any outfit and still look attractive.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' sees a neurotic Twilight briefly do this in "Lesson Zero", talking with her reflection in a puddle while the camera cuts back and forth between each personality, similar to the ''Lord of the Rings'' example (in fact, it was probably a deliberate ShoutOut).

* At the start of ''WesternAnimation/TheGrinchGrinchesTheCatInTheHat'', the Grinch's own reflection catches him in an unusually-good mood, and persuades the Grinch to resolve to be mean and nasty like he usually is. It happens again [[BookEnds at the end of the cartoon]], but this time Max uses the Vacusound Sweeper to [[ShutUpHannibal interrupt the reflection's lecture]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** Parodied in the episode "My Fair Laddy", in which Willie sings and his reflection joins in. Willie freaks out and smashes the mirror.
** Played straight in "Sleeping with the Enemy", when Lisa, who has become self-conscious of her body, looks into a mirror and sees a morbidly obese version of herself talking to her.
--->'''Fat Lisa:''' Don't worry, Lisa. You can still find someone to love you.\\
'''Fat Milhouse:''' Now you've got no choice!
* ''WesternAnimation/PepperAnn'' did this so often, some viewers could consider Pepper Ann's reflection a side character in her own right.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Cyborg loses to Atlas who imprisons his friends as his trophies. His reflection in the glass talks him into fighting Atlas again, the conversation switching from Cyborg's human side to his mechanical side.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' episode "Wrong Place, Wrong Time", the ninja go back in time to the pre-series special and accidentally alter the timeline by interfering with Kai, Nya, and Wu's past selves fighting Lord Garmadon's army. The result is that the skeletons don't capture Nya, which is pivotal to Kai's drive to become a ninja, so the ninja devise a plan to hand Nya to the skeletons which involves Kai having to pretend to be his past self's reflection to distract him while the other ninja grab Nya.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Talkartoons}}'' short ''WesternAnimation/BimbosInitiation'', one of the four doors Bimbo opens contains a mirror. His reflection tells him to try the next door.
** A variation occurs in ''WesternAnimation/MinnieTheMoocher'', where Bimbo looks into a well and his rippling reflections do a "Hi-de-ho" in tune to the song.
* The ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'' short "[[Recap/MickeyMouseS2E3EauDeMinnie Eau de Minnie]]" has Minnie's reflection warning her not to overdo it on spraying perfume, but Minnie flips the mirror to silence her.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'', In the episode "The Return", Richard tries to convince himself that he is a good father by talking into the mirror, but his reflection suggests he isn't that good, and Richard flips the mirror to silence himself.
-->'''Richard:''' I don't know what she's worried about, I'm a good father.\\
'''Richard's Reflection:''' Ehh... ''[makes a "more or less" gesture]''\\
'''Richard''': What do you know? ''[flips mirror]''\\
'''Richard's Reflection''': Aww...

* In the ''WesternAnimation/PigGoatBananaCricket'' episode "Zombie Broheims", Goat tries to bribe her SitcomArchNemesis UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson into making her the customer of the day at a smoothie place by giving him a souffle. He makes her reflection in a mirror customer of the day instead, and her reflection then sasses her about it.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Toonsylvania}}'' used this trope in the episode "Phil's Brain", which featured Igor talking to his sentient reflection in the castle's moat.
* Speechless variant: In the ''WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadrunner'' cartoon "The Solid Tin Coyote," Wile E. puts a mirror on the highway and does a little hamming up with it when the reflection starts doing things independently of him.
* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': In the Chrome Car, Tulip's reflection gains sentience, and after some switching back and forth between both sides of the mirrors, leaves to live a life of her own–-leaving Tulip [[MissingReflection without a reflection]] from here on in.
* A RunningGag in ''WesternAnimation/TucaAndBertie'' is that mirrors are made by "Mean Mirrors", and the reflections contained therein reflect that person's deepest insecurities.

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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* It happens more than once to Allelujah in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00''. For example, in the last episode of the first season, he has a conversation with his other personality, Hallelujah, that is reflected in his Mobile Suit's screens.

* Kyon in TheMovie of ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' has AChatWithSatan with himself about a subject he's wrestling with.

* Subverted in ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}''. It looks like Porkypine's reflection is talking back to him, but it's actually a bug hiding behind his mirror playing a prank on him.

* Some early 60s ''ComicStrip/ThePerishers'' strips had a RunningGag where the neurotic Wellington would pour out his existential anguish in front of his mirror, and his reflection would make some sarcastic remark once he'd left.

* Used in [[http://garfield.com/comic/2014-09-02 this]] ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} strip. Garfield walks in front of a mirror when his reflection says "Stop right there!" with a demanding tone and then compliments: "You are lookin' great today!" The original Garfield says "Back atcha!".

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

* In ''Fanfic/{{Kage}}'', Jade's EnemyWithin, the Queen of the Shadowkhan, routinely talks to her mentally, but can also appear visibly in Jade's reflection.
* In ''WebComic/BleachHappyToServeYou'', Hiyori talks to her Inner Hollow like this.

* In ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainKnightOfTheOrangeLily'', Specter starts conversing with his SplitPersonality / the denizen that currently is sharing a body with him, Easter, starting in the Windfish Car. However, to everyone else around him, it looks like he's just suddenly going crazy.

* Played for horror in Will Vinton's claymation adaption of ''WesternAnimation/RipVanWinkle''. After Rip washes his face when arriving in the mountains to go squirrel hunting, he laughs at his reflection in the water and asks, "And what are you doing here?" The reflection asks him the same question in an echoey fashion, prompting Rip to run away fast.

* Gollum talks to his reflection in water in the film of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'', as part of the Gollum-Sméagol conflict.
* From the first ''Film/SpiderMan1'' movie: Norman Osborn had several conversations with his alter ego in a mirror. Later, Harry sees his father in the mirror, taunting him for being "weak". Which is itself influenced by a similar scene in the 1994 ''[[WesternAnimation/SpidermanTheAnimatedSeries Spider-Man]]'' series, where the Goblin convinces Osborn to let him out in a similar fashion.

* In ''Film/TwentyFifthHour'' Edward Norton's reflection talks back to him for the main monologue of the film (the reflection monologues, not the character).
* ''Film/MaryPoppins'' features this during "A Spoonful Of Sugar"; at first, the reflection is echoing her lyrics, but then the reflection starts showing off. ("Cheeky!") [[Film/MaryPoppinsReturns The sequel]] repeats this gag, but this time, with the reflection just staring through as Mary Poppins walks out of frame.
* In ''Film/{{Zoolander}}'', Derek Zoolander works through his confusion over failing to win the model of the year award by asking his reflection in a puddle "Who am I?" His reflection answers.
* In ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'', Jekyll and Hyde berate one another by way of mirrors.

* ''Film/KittyFoyle'' is about to run away with her now-remarried ex-husband in order to live in sin, when her reflection in the mirror starts trying to talk her out of it. RealLife Kitty argues with her reflection. Then Mirror Kitty becomes the narrator in a HowWeGotHere romantic drama, recounting the history of Kitty's LoveTriangle in a long flashback.
* This happens in ''Film/MadLove'', and it's a bad thing, as the man in the mirror is Dr. Gogol's crazy side. Gogol, a StalkerWithACrush obsessed with Yvonne the actress, stumbles out of surgery upon hearing that Yvonne has come to see him. He sees his reflection in the mirror, and then the reflection changes to him in street clothes, saying "Nothing matters to you but one thing: Yvonne—Yvonne in your arms."
* In ''Film/TheEvilWithin'', this trope is kept ambiguous, using camera angles and different demeanor to distinguish between the two sides, but only showing one movement, albeit mirrored.
* In ''Film/{{Hop}}'', the main character E.B. tries to use MirrorMonologue to get himself ready for a performance. However, his reflection instead gives him a WhatTheHellHero [[spoiler:for leaving his friend Fred alone against the Pink Berets]].
* In ''Film/BeachParty'', Dolores's reflection advises her to be nice to Frankie. She sings a duet about it with her reflection.

* In Peter David's ''Literature/TigerHeart,'' the main character has nightly visits with The Boy by communicating with him through the mirror.

* Literature/HarryPotter sometimes gets a word or two from his own reflection, such as when he spends a few nights at the Leaky Cauldron. Of course, [[AWizardDidIt given the setting]]...

* In ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'', Dick has a conversation with his reflection while waiting for Mary at a fancy restaurant. The camera switches back and forth between Dick and his reflection in the large mirror his table is located next to, before he finally decides to go where Mary is. His reflection says he'll "Cover the check." Dick gets up from the table and leaves. [[spoiler:The reflection stays and asks for the check.]]

* In Music/FosterThePeople's video for "Call It What You Want," the drummer looks into a mirror and remarks that something is missing. His reflection hands him a tube of lipstick and tells him to put it on and kiss him. Shortly after, he's shown shirtless and CoveredInKisses.

* Both of Red Candle Games' titles have a sequence where the main character's reflection talks to them.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Detention}}'', Ray's reflection will glitch out and ask a question when she looks into the bathroom mirror.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Devotion}}'', during the VisionQuest sequence, the main character will walk down a mirrored hallway, and his reflection will discuss Mei Shin's situation.

* In ''Blank Dream'' the main character finds herself alone and amnesiac in a strange place after committing suicide. Her reflection in a mirror at the end of a hallway tells her that if she kills herself ''again'' in every place that the mirrors take her to, she can get her memories back ''and'' fulfill her deepest wish - namely, to never have lived at all.

* In ''VideoGame/TheDarksideDetective'', during an excursion to the DarkWorld, Frank [=McQueen=] looks in a mirror and remarks, "Looking good, Frankie!" His reflection tells him that actually, he's been letting himself go lately.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Celeste}}'', the main character's discolored reflection breaks out of a mirror, introduces itself as "Part of You," and begins to taunt and harass her. It's revealed that her existence is a result of Mt. Celeste's EldritchLocation properties, which bring out the insecurities and inner demons of all who attempt the climb.

* ''Webcomic/AvasDemon'': After Ava forms a PowersViaPossession pact with the spirit Wrathia, who has [[DemonicPossession inhabited her]] since her birth, Wrathia occasionally [[https://www.avasdemon.com/pages.html#0347 hijacks Ava's reflection]] to deliver some snark at times when it's not practical for Ava to enter their shared MentalWorld.

* In Creator/DougWalker's ''[[WebVideo/DemoReel The Review Must Go On]]'', he and WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic have a moment, through Doug's computer screen. Possibly the best scene that exhibits his internal conflict on the subject of whether to bring back The Nostalgia Critic. As the conversation/inner debate continues, The Critic appears in the bathroom mirror and later negotiates with Doug while sitting across from him at the kitchen table.
* The entire premise behind [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqz_k16jAgg this]] Britanick sketch.
* In the musical episode of ''Series/FlandersCompany'', Dr. Parker's reflection in a mirror turns into Damien, his SuperpoweredEvilSide.
* The end of the "Spooky Fog" episode of ''Series/TheWeather'' has Alan speaking to his own (upside-down) reflection. The reflection is played by a caller, and they have a conversation, become friends, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick and contemplate murder together.]]

* In ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s "[[https://www.cracked.com/blog/4-gritty-reboots-80s-cartoons-girls/ gritty reboot]]" of ''WesternAnimation/JemAndTheHolograms'', Jerrica suffers from [[SplitPersonality dissociative identity disorder]], and speaks to her alter ego Jem through a mirror. The two have a furious argument, as [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl Jem]] spends her time getting drunk, taking drugs, having lots of casual sex, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick killing their drummer]] in a [[NoodleIncident boating accident]], etc., and generally ruining Jerrica's life and leaving her to deal with the consequences. [[spoiler:Then [[ScrewYourself they have sex]]. DontAsk.]]

* In the WesternAnimation/{{Classic Disney Short|s}} "Tomorrow We Diet", a fat WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} is lectured on good nutrition by his reflection.
* In another Disney short, "WesternAnimation/TheGoldenTouch", King Midas brags to his reflection that he will turn everything to gold, and the reflection applauds him. Later, as he realizes he's BlessedWithSuck, he asks his refection if he's doomed to starve to death. The reflection turns into a golden GrimReaper and nods yes.

* Played for horror in Will Vinton's claymation adaption of Rip Van Winkle. After Rip washes his face when arriving in the mountains to go squirrel hunting, he laughs at his reflection in the water and asks, "And what are you doing here?" The reflection asks him the same question in an echoey fashion, prompting Rip to run away fast.

* In another Disney short, "The Golden Touch", King Midas brags to his reflection that he will turn everything to gold, and the reflection applauds him. Later, as he realizes he's BlessedWithSuck, he asks his refection if he's doomed to starve to death. The reflection turns into a golden GrimReaper and nods yes.

* The Grinch's reflection in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrinchGrinchesTheCatInTheHat'' catches the Grinch in an unusually-good mood, and persuades him to resolve to be mean and nasty like he usually is. It happens again [[BookEnds at the end of the cartoon]], but this time Max uses the Vacusound Sweeper to [[ShutUpHannibal interrupt the reflection's lecture]].

* In ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s "[[https://www.cracked.com/blog/4-gritty-reboots-80s-cartoons-girls/ gritty reboot]]" of ''WesternAnimation/JemAndTheHolograms'', Jerrica suffers from [[SplitPersonality dissociative identity disorder]], and speaks to her AlterEgo Jem through a mirror. The two have a furious argument, as [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl Jem]] spends her time getting drunk, taking drugs, having lots of casual sex, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick killing their drummer]] in a [[NoodleIncident boating accident]], etc., and generally ruining Jerrica's life and leaving her to deal with the consequences. [[spoiler:Then [[ScrewYourself they have sex]]. DontAsk.]]

* From ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'':
** Once when Music/MickJagger was the musical guest he did a sketch where he talked to his mirror self, played by Creator/JimmyFallon. This got a ContinuityNod and a twist when Jimmy Fallon guest-hosted in 2011 and did the same basic sketch with Andy Samberg playing ''his'' mirror self.
** Averted when Music/{{Prince}} was musical guest during the time that FredArmisten had as a recurring sketch "The Prince Show" where he played Prince having a talk show. They did a mirror bit but he just looked at himself. Could be a {{Subversion}} (in that everyone expected a mirror bit so they did that), or that they wrote a mirror bit and Prince nixed the idea, so they had to replace it.
* A skit on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' had Gonzo singing "Act Naturally" when his reflection suddenly starts singing along and then arguing with him. (You know it's unusual when even Gonzo is shocked by it.)
** Similarly on ''Series/MuppetsTonight'' Gonzo performed "Dancing With Myself" in a mirror room. In this case the reflections exited the mirrors.

* ''Series/HannahMontana'': Miley talking to her SecretIdentity.
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'' had an Unsub of the Week, who was being egged on to kill by hallucinatory people, see his reflection move independently and join his other hallucinations in urging him to run when the police were coming.
* ''Series/AllMyChildren''. Janet Green's reflection would talk back to her whenever she was going off the deep end.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** In the episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E05BloodyMary "Bloody Mary" (S01, Ep5)]], Jill jokingly says “Bloody Mary” three times in front of the mirror. Soon after, Jill sits in front of a mirror and the eyes in the reflection of her mirror start bleeding and the reflection says “You did it. You killed that boy.”
** In the season 5 finale [[Recap/SupernaturalS05E22SwanSong "Swan Song" (S01, Ep22)]], Satan has [[DemonicPossession possessed Sam's body]] and has a conversation with Sam's otherwise buried consciousness by using Sam's body to talk into a mirror.
** The second episode of season 14 has a similar moment with Dean and the parallel universe version of Michael.
* In ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'', Dick has a conversation with his reflection while waiting for Mary at a fancy restaurant. The camera switches back and forth between Dick and his reflection in the large mirror his table is located next to, before he finally decides to go where Mary is. His reflection says he'll "Cover the check." Dick gets up from the table and leaves. [[spoiler:The reflection stays and asks for the check.]]
* Edward Nygma sometimes [[SanitySlippage interacts with]] [[SplitPersonality The Riddler]] this way on ''Series/{{Gotham}}''.

** At the end of "Squid Plus One", Squidward decides to make his alive-and-talking reflection his plus one. This is foreshadowed early in the episode with Squidward talking to his reflection but then it was ambiguous whether he was just talking to himself or not.

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: During the Silver Age Priscilla Rich would find herself being mocked and belittled by her reflection, which would usually take the appearance of ComicBook/{{Cheetah}} rather than how she was currently dressed. This was not actually happening, but a visual indicator of her fractured mind.

* A musical example in the Creator/MarxBrothers' MGM swan song ''The Big Store'': Harpo's harp scene turns into a duet with his mirror reflection, first playing a counter harp melody, and later on violin.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': During the Silver Age Priscilla Rich would find herself being mocked and belittled by her reflection, which would usually take the appearance of ComicBook/{{Cheetah}} rather than how she was currently dressed. This was not actually happening, but a visual indicator of her fractured mind.

* Speechless variant: In the "Dork Age" ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Road Runner]]'' cartoon "The Solid Tin Coyote," Wile E. puts a mirror on the highway and does a little hamming up with it when the reflection starts doing things independently of him.
* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': In the Chrome Car, Tulip's reflection gains sentience, and after some switching back and forth between both sides of the mirrors, leaves to live a life of her own–leaving Tulip without a reflection from here on in.

* In ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s "[[https://www.cracked.com/blog/4-gritty-reboots-80s-cartoons-girls/ gritty reboot]]" of ''WesternAnimation/JemAndTheHolograms'', Jerrica suffers from [[SplitPersonality dissociative identity disorder]], and speaks to her AlterEgo Jem through a mirror. The two have a furious argument, as [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl Jem]] spends her time getting drunk, taking drugs, having lots of casual sex, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick killing their drummer]] in a [[NoodleIncident boating accident]], etc., and leaves Jerrica to deal with the consequences. [[spoiler:Then [[ScrewYourself they have sex]]. DontAsk.]]

* In the 'FanFic/AlternateTailSeries'', Mira speaks to her Satan Soul Beelzea through a reflection on a glass panel.

* Invoked but averted in ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'':
-->[Agnes] sang in harmony. Not, of course, with her reflection in the glass, because ''that'' kind of heroine will sooner or later end up singing a duet with [[DisneyCreaturesOfTheFarce Mr. Blue Bird and other forest creatures]] and then there's nothing for it but a flamethrower."

** In "Wet Painters", [=SpongeBob=] is telling himself to be brave, but the reflection says "You're on your own" and leaves.

--->'''Patrick:''' I thought we settled this the last time.

* The Grinch's reflection in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrinchGrinchesTheCatInTheHat'' persuades him to be not so very nice.