I have two actually:
1) In one of my rare stints as a player I created an Elvin swordsman. The GM threw me for a loop when at first level the character was transported to an alternate dimension where Bromern Sal ruled. Yeah, that's right. Bromern Sal, at that time, was an accomplished arch-mage/assassin/fighter, and my character suddenly turned NPC tyrant ruler. The kicker? My lowly fighter became the leader of the rebellion against my epic character. It was amazing. The elf ended up dying while trying to save the lives of a number of his rebels who were to be publicly hung.
2) This one I GM'd. I've been running my friend's character through a campaign for twenty-one years now. Along the way we've added his wife, my wife, and now my eldest son to the group as well as many, many characters from players who've come and gone. Suffice it to say that these character's have a deep, rich history, and these players have a well-known style of playing them--particularly my wife who plays to spend time with me while otherwise referring to role-playing as playing house for grown-ups. She usually sits and doodles, paying only partial attention to the game.
Well, for this session I'd developed a scenario where a wealthy merchant approaches the group (well known for their heroics in the area) because his caravan had been raided, and his beautiful, young wife kidnapped. He was willing to give up his entire fortune for her safe return. So the group used magic to determine the location of this prize and ended up entering a tower of unknown origin that they quickly discovered was filled--museum like--with beautiful objects: sculptures, paintings, jewelry, etc.
I passed my wife a note as we usually do when discussing what time I'm going to end the session only this time it informed her that when the party holed up to recoup their spell usage and rest her character (an Elvin monk) was going to be the victim of a Magic Jar spell, and that if she'd like I could NPC her actions. To my surprise she opted to play it through.
When my friend's character (a Drizzt knock off) was on watch and the rest were slepping my wife described her character rising up and approaching his character. She then started speaking in character:
"How dare you. You think you can enter my home uninvited, pillage my belongings, and there would be no reprocussions? Did you think I'd let you live, little drow? How dare you!"
At which point she informed me that her monk was launching into attack on the drow. The player's response was priceless:
"Ack! She's possessed!" he screeched as he nearly toppled out of his chair while scooting frantically away from my wife.
The freed her from the wizard's control and eventually won the freedom of the merchant's wife (the merchant eventually became a political ally), but not before one character was turned to stone, two character's died, and another lost a limb (all fixed by magic).
I still chuckle when I picture his reaction. So surprised. So animated.