History Main / ThisWasHisTrueForm

See also TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf and GameFace. Compare SleepModeSize for the anime super powered version. Contrast ClippedWingAngel. For the immortality/[[FountainOfYouth rejuvenation]] version, see NoImmortalInertia. Helps avoid OpeningACanOfClones. A character whose death unleashes an even more powerful persona is a OneWingedAngel.

* Applies in ''Film/{{Underworld}}''. Lycans normally revert to their humanoid form when they die, but Vampires eventually discovered a serum that would keep them in their wolf form after death so they could be studied.

* {{Invoked}} and {{downplayed}} by [[spoiler:Loki]] in ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', [[spoiler:whose skin starts to turn a mottled slate blue when he [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] in front of Thor, but his natural Jotun skin colour is actually a way brighter blue.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheReapingOfHatsuneMiku'': The last Game Master is a permanent OneWingedAngel known as "Calne Cantus". When she is defeated, she's returned to her human form: [[spoiler:a teenager with a dead eye and three prosthetic limbs.]]

* PlayedWith in ''VideoGame/{{Splatterhouse}}''; the Stage 6 boss is [[spoiler: a monster that initially appears as Jennifer, transforms into a more grotesque form for the fight, then dies resembling Jennifer. In the Japanese version, [[TragicMonster it's Jennifer herself]], so the trope is played straight. In the English version however, [[ShapeshifterGuiltTrip it's an imposter]], so the trope is inverted]].

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/HellboundHellraiserII https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/female_cenobite_death.png]]]]

* In the 1933 film version of the H. G. Wells novel ''Film/TheInvisibleMan'', the title character became visible when he died.

* Music/BestFriend: After The Supermodel [[spoiler barfs up and chokes to death on her last victim's dress and dies]] she reverts from her spindly, BodyHorror form and back to her original appearance.

* In ''VisualNovel/MarcoAndTheGalaxyDragon'', [[spoiler:when Marco defeats Astaroth, his hulking body crumbles away to reveal a tiny snake.]]

* Averted in Videogame/{{Bloodborne}}. There's no return from beasthood or kinhood.

* Inverted in an interesting way in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': in his two-part introduction episode, Clayface at one point disguises himself as Bruce Wayne. At the end of the story, when he goes through a ShapeshifterSwanSong in front of Batman and two police officers, he briefly turns into Bruce Wayne again—thus conveniently providing evidence that he'd framed Wayne.

** Ditto for Alien Zatan from ''Series/Ultraman80'', turning back into its true form after a bullet to the chest.

This started with [[WolfMan werewolves]]; as monsters go, they tend to be... [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent "different"]]. One of their more peculiar traits is that they have NoOntologicalInertia, because upon death they inevitably revert back to their "true" human form. Though similar to the ShapeshifterSwanSong (which usually ends in ThisWasHisTrueForm), this is not a case of a SuperPowerMeltdown, but an example of NoOntologicalInertia regarding their [[CursedWithAwesome "curse"]]. Whatever innate [[MagicAndPowers power]] or [[TheVirus curse]] is capable of using LegoGenetics and ShapeshifterBaggage to add and remove a few hundred kilograms of fur, muscle, and teeth to or from an InnocentBystander in a few moments, it apparently has no more lasting effect than a shot of espresso. Well, at least the espresso doesn't induce a killing frenzy -- [[CaffeineBulletTime usually]]. This is usually used to show that the (sometimes) only way to cure a Werewolf is to kill them.

* The ''Franchise/UltraSeries'', being a show regularly featyring alien invaders masquerading as humans, sometimes uses this trope.

* Averted in one case in ''Videogame/FinalFantasyVIII'', it is implied that the Shumi tribe have multiple forms, some terrifying and vicious. NORG, a member of this race, is defeated early on in the game and his location remains a visitable point throughout the game. While the player might expect NORG to return in another "true" form to take his revenge, he never does.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Envy, [[spoiler:when it loses all of the [[PoweredByAForsakenChild souls that it rebuilds its body with]], reverts to that of a small worm-like creature]].

* Averted in ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''. A side mission has you hunt down and kill a shape-shifter, and he goes between a Wookiee, one of your party members, a giant monster, and a small ape (he was trying to beat a hasty retreat), and after you finally kill him he reverts to a charred and unidentifiable skeleton. We shall never know his true form...