Possession

"I am not Milton Fine, Superman...I am Vril Dox of the Planet Colu!! But I possess Fine's body...Fine's power!! I have become Brainiac and your master!!!"

― Vril Dox I/Brainiac to Superman (DC Comics) after taking control of Milton Fine's body

"Sorry kid, but you're MY puppet now!"

― Bill Cipher while inside Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls)

The power to inhabit the body of a living being. Opposite to Exorcism.

Also Called

Body Hijacking
Body Possession
Bodyjacking
Overshadowing
Psionic Possession
Take-Over Magic

Capabilities

User can inhabit or take over the body of any living being, whether sentient or not, by stealing their motor functions and senses. Users may or may not have to leave their own body for this to take place. Disembodied users such as spirits may use the body as their own.

Applications

Temporarily/permanently inhabit the body of the target.
Take complete control of a target's body, even using it as your own (the target is then known as a vessel).
Control a person's actions.
The very spirit/soul can leave the body freely.
Skilled users can possess multiple host bodies while retaining their own or even while occupying another vessel.
When the user possesses a body, they gain the skills and powers of the body.
Probe/gain access to the memories of the host body.
Can possess a body which can be useful for espionage and can lie dormant inside the person's mind and body.
Utilize as a last resort to escape a dying body and to achieve immortality.
The overshadowed being might be able to fuse with them creating a new being.
The user can invade/walk their victims dreams and manipulate it from there.

Techniques

Possession Combat

Variations

Animal Possession
Biophysical Possession
Empathic Possession
Infestation/Orifice Invasion - Biological possession by entering the target's body.
Meta-Possession
Multi Possession
Multilayered Possession
Object Possession
Partial Possession
Possession Slash
Possessive Body
Possessive Power Absorption
Possessive Replication
Possession Magic
Possessive Teleportation - Warping from host to host.
Remote Possession
Spirit Possession
Technological Possession

Associations

Astral Manipulation
Astral Projection
Body Manipulation - Alter the host to resemble their original forms.
- Self-Manipulative Puppetry
Consciousness Transferal
Demon Physiology
Meta-Possession
Mind Manipulation
Parasite Physiology
Possessive Transformation
Telepathy
Voice Manipulation - to match the voice of the user possessing.

Limitations

May be cast out of the host through Exorcism.
Users of Indomitable Will are either resistant or immune.
Cannot possess those with Possession Immunity or Control Immunity.
Overtaken host may be able to fight back for their body.
May be banished/purify through Omni Purification
May need to focus to return to original body.
May be overpowered by the host, placing the inhabitant in a sleep-like state.
May have to touch the target for transfer to be made.
May only work with one body at a time for new users.
May only be able to use another's body with the host's permission.
May be banished through Purification.
May need to switch bodies often in order to preserve their life.
May die if the host is killed.
User's presence may cause damage to the host (sheer power, physiology rejection, etc.).
- May kill the host in the process by "crushing" them from the inside.
The inhabitant's actual body may be vulnerable to attack and the inhabitant may die or become trapped in the host if the possessor's body is damaged/destroyed beyond repair.
May not have control over the host body, but simply influence the host with Mind Control.
Users of Telepathy may be resistant or immune.
May require specific host bodies.

Known Users

Cartoons

The Lich (Adventure Time)
Carrie Krueger (The Amazing World of Gumball)
Starscream/Waspinator (Beast Wars)
Ectonurites (Ben 10)
- Ghostfreak
- Zs' Skayr
Decoy Queen (Ben 10: Alien Force)
Alpha (Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United)
Diagon (Ben 10: Ultimate Alien)
Ultimate Kevin (Ben 10: Ultimate Alien)
Makuta Teridax (BIONICLE)
Jealousy (The Amazing World of Gumball)
Colonel H. Stinkmeaner (The Boondocks)
Casper (Casper the Friendly Ghost)
X.A.N.A. (Code Lyoko)
Demon in the Mattress (Courage the Cowardly Dog)
Ghosts and Half-Ghost (Danny Phantom)
- Danny Fenton/Phantom
- Vlad Masters/Plasmius
Billy Joe Cobra (Dude, That's My Ghost)
Invictus (Final Space)
World (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends)
Possessor Glitches (Glitch Techs)
Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls)
Ma and Pa (Gravity Falls)
Billy (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy)
Grim (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy)
Shendu (Jackie Chan Adventures)
Ghosts (Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu)
- Cole
Unity (Rick and Morty)
Aku (Samurai Jack)
Horde Prime (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power); via Implanted Control Chips
Snake Jailbird (The Simpsons)
Kenny McCormick (South Park)
Michael Jackson (South Park)
Steven Quartz Universe (Steven Universe)
Ancestral Witches (Winx Club)
Sibini (Xiaolin Showdown)
Wuya (Xiaolin Showdown)
Morgana (Tales of Arcadia)

Comics

A.D.A.M. (Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog)
Vampy Cats/The Swell (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight)
Wisps (Charmed Comic)
Doctor Bedlam (DC Comics)
Daemonites (DC Comics)
Deadman (DC Comics)
Eclipso (DC Comics)
Joseph Wilson/Jericho (DC Comics)
Defile (DC Comics)
Helspont (DC Comics)
Hightower (DC Comics)
Parallax (DC Comics)
Glory (Image Comics)
Kurt Kilgore (Image Comics)
Mammon (Image Comics)
Page (Lilo and Stitch)
Shadow King (Marvel Comics)
Onslaught (Marvel Comics)
Malice (Marvel Comics)
Luca Aldine (Marvel Comics)
Chthon (Marvel Comics)
Ahura Boltagon (Marvel Comics)
Dream Catcher (Marvel Comics)
Nate Grey/X-Man (Marvel Comics)
The Phoenix Force (Marvel Comics)
Xi'an Coy Manh/Karma (Marvel Comics)
T.J. Wagner/Nocturne (Marvel Comics)
Proteus (Marvel Comics)
Franklin Richards (Marvel Comics)
Rachel Summers (Marvel Comics)
Nathan Summers/Cable (Marvel Comics)
Klaus Hargreeves/The Séance (The Umbrella Academy/Dark Horse Comics)
Lord Momin (Star Wars)
Karness Muur (Star Wars Legends); via Muur Tailsman
Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious (Star Wars Legends); via Transfer essence
Chaos (Vampirella)
Blood Red Queen of Hearts (Vampirella)
Genesis (Vertigo Comics)

Movies

Legion (5ive Girls)
Annabelle Doll (Annabelle: Creation)
Babadook (The Babadook)
Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice)
The Incubus (The Black Room)
Arousians (The Brain from Planet Arous)
- Gor
- Vol
Jimmy Lee (Double Dragon); via Double Dragon Medallion
Koga Shuko (Double Dragon); via Double Dragon Medallion
Spirits (Escanaba in da Moonlight)
Pazuzu (The Exorcist)
Azazel (Fallen)
Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)
Vinz Clortho (Ghostbusters)
Zuul (Ghostbusters)
Deimata (Girl vs Monster)
Prince Koura (The Golden Voyage of Sinbad)
Kayako Saeki (The Grudge)
Harrison (Heart and Souls)
Julia (Heart and Souls)
Milo (Heart and Souls)
Penny Washington (Heart and Souls)
Necromancer (Island of Lost Souls)
Psychwave (The Incredibles)
Elizabeth Masterson (Just Like Heaven)
Agents (The Matrix)
- Agent Smith
Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street series)
Reverend Henry Kane/The Beast (Poltergeist series)
Samara Morgan (The Ring 2)
Hugh Kane (Scary Movie 2)
Darconians (Super Buddies)
- Commander Drex
Yan Lo (Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior)
The Monks (Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior)
Grimdo (Ultraman Franchise)

Live Television

Diane (49 Days)
Rotgut (Ace Lightning)
Izel (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Luz (Aliados)
The Demon (American Horror Story: Asylum)
Burrower Demon (Angel)
Ethros Demons (Angel)
Demonic Hyena spirits (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Eyghon the Sleepwalker (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
The First Evil (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Ghosts (Being Human)
Andras (Charmed)
Ghosts (Charmed)
Guardians (Charmed)
The Hollow (Charmed)
Possessor Demons (Charmed)
The Source of All Evil (Charmed)
Terra (Charmed)
Androzani Trees (Doctor Who)
The Beast (Doctor Who)
Cassandra (Doctor Who)
The Eight Legs (Doctor Who)
The Family of Blood (Doctor Who)
The Great Intelligence (Doctor Who)
Isolus (Doctor Who)
The Mara (Doctor Who)
The Master (Doctor Who)
The Midnight Entity (Doctor Who)
Clifford Devoe/The Thinker (Arrowverse/The Flash 2014); via to Consisness Transferal
Horrors (GARO)
Shadows (Ghost Whisperer)
Ghosts (The Haunted Hathaways)
- Glenda
- Louie Preston
- Miles Preston
- Ray Preston
Green Ghoul (The Haunted Thundermans)
Hera (Hercules) by possessing the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta
Sylar (Heroes)
Evil spirits (Jessie)
Imagins (Kamen Rider Den-O)
Xaviax (Kamen Rider Dragon Knight)
Ankh and Kazari's Yummies (Kamen Rider OOO)
Erick (Los Protegidos)
Marianne (Marianne)
Cornelius Sigan (Merlin)
Goblins (Merlin)
Leah (MisFits); via technology
The Entity (Nowhere Boys)
Restoring Demons (Nowhere Boys)
Demons (Outcast)
Several Ranger villains (Power Rangers)
Diane (Pure Love)
Thin Ones (Requiem)
Linda Twist's shadow (Round the Twist); via total eclipse separating from her body
Veil (The Sarah Jane Adventures)
- Androvax
Bizarro (Smallville)
Margaret Isobel Thoreaux (Smallville); limited to anyone who has the Mark of Transference
Ra (Stargate)
Anubis (Stargate SG1)
The Goa'uld (Stargate SG1)
- Amaunet
- Apophis
- Ba'al
- Klorel
- Osiris
Jolinar (Stargate SG1)
Various Super Sentai villains (Super Sentai franchise)
- Armor of Darkness (Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger)
- Wicked Life God Dezumozorlya (Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger)
- Raging Knight Dogold (Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger)
The Mind-Flayer (Stranger Things)
Martin Chatwin (The Magicians)
Persephone (The Magicians)
The Monsters (The Magicians)
Angels (Supernatural)
Demons (Supernatural)
Eve (Supernatural)
Khan Worms (Supernatural)
Leviathans (Supernatural)
Reapers (Supernatural)
Soul Eaters (Supernatural)
Yokoth (Supernatural)
Witches (The Vampire Diaries/ The Originals)
- Emily Bennett
- Bonnie Bennett
- Esther Mikaelson
- Céleste Dubois
- The Travelers
- Katherine Pierce
- Dahlia
Vampire (The Vampire Diaries/The Originals); via Witches
- Finn Mikaelson
- Niklaus Mikaelson
- Kol Mikaelson
- Rebekah Mikaelson
Various Ultramen and aliens (Ultraman series)
- Dark Lugiel
Dark Zagi (Ultraman Nexus)
Mor-Taxans (War of The Worlds)
Drill (The Whispers)
Izel (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Pachakutiq/Sarge (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Literature

Kronos (Camp Half-Blood Chronicles)
Sarafine Duchannes (Caster Chronicles)
Ty'iga demons (The Chronicles of Amber)
Aura Triton (Daughters of the Moon)
The Cunning Man (Discworld)
Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter)
Souls (The Host)
- Wanda
Egyptian Gods (The Kane Chronicles)
- Apophis
- Set
Kylie Galen (Shadow Falls); once possessed Daniel's spirit body
Gerathon (Spirit Animals); via Bile
Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Stephen King's It)
Valg (Throne of Glass)
Remnants (Skulduggery Pleasant)

Anime/Manga/Manhwa

Hollow Ichigo (Bleach)
Tapeworm Hollow (Bleach)
Szayelaporro Granz (Bleach)
The Sword (Cardcaptor Sakura)
Diffriders (Cardfight Vanguard)
Hades' solider (Denma) via Possession Quanx ability
Faris (Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest)
Wraith (Fairy Tail: 100 Year Quest)
Aya Mikage (Ceres, Celestial Legend)
Yuu Otosaka (Charlotte)
Mao (Darker than Black)
Demons (Devilman)
Baby (Dragon Ball GT)
Take-Over Users (Fairy Tail)
- Mirajane Strauss via Satan Soul
- Elfman Strauss via Beast Soul
- Lisanna Strauss via Animal Soul
- Dimaria Yesta via God Soul
- Jenny Realight via Machina Soul
- Vulcans
Irene Belserion (Fairy Tail) via Enchantment
Wendy Marvell (Fairy Tail); via Enchantment
Zoldeo (Fairy Tail)
Ultear Milkovich (Fairy Tail) via Possession Magic
Atomsk (FLCL)
Envy's parasitic form (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Dante (Fullmetal Alchemist; 2003 anime)
Hohenheim of Lisht (Fullmetal Alchemist; 2003 anime)
Zakenna (Futari wa Pretty Cure)
Uzaina (Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star)
Some types of Youkai (Inuyasha)
The Colorless King (K)
Mukurou Rukudo (Katekyo Hitman Reborn); Through use of the possession bullet
Ochiai (Knights of Sidonia)
Users of bhavati yama (Kubera)
Ryomen Sukuna (JUJUTSU KAISEN)
Iihiko Shishime (Medaka Box)
Fraudrin (Nanatsu no Taizai)
Goddess Clan (Nanatsu no Taizai)
Orochimaru (Naruto)
Kaguya Otsutsuki (Naruto)
Yamanaka Clan (Naruto)
Timothy Hearst (D.Gray-man)
Betelgeuse Romanee-Conti (Re:Zero)
Hotaru Tomoe (Sailor Moon); possessed by the spirit of Sailor Saturn
Gods (Saint Seiya)
Masamune Nakatsukasa (Soul Eater)
Devaul (Super Doll Licca Chan)
Demons (Owari no Seraph)
Onryo (Yo-kai Watch Jam)
Nightshroud (Yu-Gi-Oh GX)
Yubel (Yu-Gi-Oh GX)

Video Games

Chakravartin (Asura's Wrath)
Aiden (Beyond: Two Souls)
Terumi Yuuki (BlazBlue)
Cpt. Xavier Jones (Clive Barker's Jericho)
Cpt. Devin Ross (Clive Barker's Jericho); after bodily death
The Operator (Warframe)
Cryptosporidium/Furons (Destroy All Humans)
Demons (Diablo)
- Baal
- Diablo
- Mephisto
Corvo Attano (Dishonored)
Delilah Copperspoon (Dishonored)
Third Sister/Si Bungsu (Dreadout)
Bonethieves (Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem)
Paxton Fettel (F.E.A.R.)
Ultimecia (Final Fantasy VIII)
Shuyin (Final Fantasy X-2)
John Raimi (Geist)
Yomiel (Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective)
Herrscher of the Void (Honkai Impact 3rd)
Herrscher of the Corruption (Honkai Impact 3rd)
Chaos Kin (Kid Icarus: Uprising)
Hisako (Killer Instinct)
Ansem, Seeker of Darkness (Kingdom Hearts series); via manipulation of targets inner Darkness, allowing him to overcome their Heart
Master Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts series); via manipulation of targets inner Darkness, allowing him to overcome their Heart
Xehanort's Guardian (Kingdom Hearts)
Ghost Kirby (Kirby)
Hylden (Legacy of Kain)
The Priestess (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver)
Raziel (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver)
Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda)
Veran (The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages)
Bellum (The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass)
Malladus (The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks)
Link (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker); via Command Melody
The Grouchy Possessor (Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon)
Lotus (MapleStory)
Antasma (Mario & Luigi: Dream Team)
Cackletta (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga)
Kurome Ankokuboshi (Megadimension Neptunia VII)
Celebrimbor (Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor)
Shang Tsung (Mortal Kombat)
Gestalts/Shades (NieR)
Mudukons (Oddworld series)
Shadow Queen (Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door)
Loki Master (Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One)
Las Plagas (Resident Evil)
The Enchantress (Shovel Knight)
Brain (Skylanders)
Masker Mind (Skylanders)
Ifrit (Sonic Rivals 2)
Sith Emperor (Star Wars: The Old Republic)
SHODAN (System Shock); possessing Rebecca Siddons
Himiko (Tomb Raider 2013)
Shion Yorigami (Touhou Project)
Banshee (Warcraft III)
Yo-kais (Yo-kai Watch)
mithos yggdrasill (tales of synphonia)