abstract
| - When a character is Not Himself, but for real, and (usually) permanently. In the course of a single episode, the character goes through something traumatic enough to change their personality forever (even Freak-Outs that are temporary have lasting effects on a character). It could be a Mind Rape or a really Awful Truth, but it has to be pretty nasty. Sometimes a Freak-Out is foreshadowed episodes in advance, but usually it just comes out of the blue. A well-done Freak-Out makes the audience freak out as well, and provides more Character Development than an entire season could in the same. Sadly this is rare -- all too often, it is used as a desperate gimmick to "re-vitalize" a show. Viewers should beware if a Freak-Out comes due to Executive Meddling, if it comes after several seasons, if it makes the character Darker and Edgier, or if it makes the character hornier. If all four happen at once, chances are high that the show is Jumping the Shark. May double with a He's Back. If the character's Freak-Out turns them into a bad guy, it's also a Face Heel Turn. Can also be compared to Heroic BSOD (a milder and less permanent freak-out, usually resolved before the climax) and Laughing Mad. A villain doing this just as the tides turn against them is having a Villainous Breakdown. May overlap with Break the Cutie and Go Mad From the Revelation. Heroic Safe Mode is the mind's attempt to avoid this. May involve Broken Tears. Examples of Freak-Out include:
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