History Main / SoulFragment

* ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'': In the short-lived pre-''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint|DCComics}}'' series ''The Sword of Atlantis'', Arthur Joseph Curry ended up with a fragment of the original Aquaman's soul, leading the former to [[TakingUpTheMantle take the original's mantle]] after the latter is turned into the Dweller in the Depths.

* ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'': [[spoiler:Otto Octavius gains Peter Parker's memories and experiences through their FreakyFridayFlip.]]

* ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'': In "Nero's Spell (Part 2)", a soul being split is implied, because someone stuck themselves into a SoulEater device, then what is assumed to be a visual manifestation of their soul comes out of it and "looked incomplete".

In SpeculativeFiction, during a conflict or other key moments, a part of a person's [[OurSoulsAreDifferent Soul]] or PowerSource is unintentionally transferred to another character via AppliedPhlebotinum. This process will often provide Party B with a fraction of Party A's powers, memories, and mannerisms.

* The clone Kikyo from ''Anime/{{Inuyasha}}'' owes her entire existence to a spell granting her a tiny fragment of the female lead's[[note]]the {{Reincarnation}} of the original Kikyo[[/note]] soul.
* The [[spoiler: feathers]] in ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'' are eventually revealed to be scattered soul fragments of the [[SendInTheClones clone Sakura]], and at ''least'' one was from Clone Syaoran.

* ''Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'':
** The Dragon Emperor was defeated by the Filorial Queen and his core was fragmented. The fragments merged with the cores of other dragons, giving them pieces of the Emperor's memories. By killing other fragments and consuming their cores dragons can become closer to being the new Dragon Emperor.
** [[spoiler:Malty/Witch and her counterparts in the parallel worlds]] are all fragments of [[spoiler:the goddess Medea]] which she scattered in order to increase her own power. The fragments merge together when [[spoiler:a Wave runs its full course]].
** At the end of the Web Novel, [[spoiler:Naofumi and Raphtalia]] use their new godlike powers [[spoiler:to leave fragments of themselves in Raphtalia's and Naofumi's worlds to live out full lives while they help their fellow God Slayers protect the multiverse from wannabe gods.]]
* In ''Literature/InvadersOfTheRokujyouma'', the Goddess of Dawn split herself into nine girls to be with Koutarou, each bestowed with unique powers and traits from herself. At the end of the main story, [[spoiler:the nine girls merged to form back the Goddess of Dawn. Koutarou made a wish to the Goddess to restore the girls back as their individual selves.]]
* The entire concept of 'Six Princesses Fall in Love With God Guardian' revolves around the reincarnated protagonist, Lloyd, trying to locate his former empress, Arsmeria, whose's soul had somehow split to six princesses from different empires. Lloyd eventually meets them but unaware of their identities.

[[folder:ComicBooks]]
* In the short lived pre-Flashpoint ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'' series ''The Sword of Atlantis'', Arthur Joseph Curry ended up with a fragment of the original Aquaman's soul, leading the former to [[TakingUpTheMantle take the original's mantle]] after the latter is turned into the Dweller in the Depths.
* In ComicBook/TheNewUniverse series ComicBook/StarBrand, anyone who has the Star Brand transferred to them or is healed by the current wielder of the Brand will eventually have it completely manifest in them.

* In ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' #51, "This Man, This Monster", a scientist uses a "duplication device" to physically model himself after Ben Grimm, but when he sacrifices himself to save Reed Richards, Reed speculates that he may have gotten some part of Ben Grimm other than his skin.

** Later in ''Elf Quest'', Rayek absorbs Winnowill's soul. This has far less benign consequences because Winnowill is thoroughly deceiving and malicious, and Rayek has to constantly struggle to prevent her from taking control of his body. And he doesn't always win.
* ComicBook/{{Rogue}} of the ComicBook/XMen gets bits of people's memory and personality when she absorbs their powers.
* During the DC Comics storyline ''ComicBook/OurWorldsAtWar'', Franchise/WonderWoman rallies the other Amazons and ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} in helping Franchise/{{Superman}} push Warworld into a Boom Tube to the beginning of time. When it's all said and done, Wondy tells Darkseid that she infected him with a piece of her soul, forever a reminder that if he does something nice, it's because a piece of her was in him. Didn't last, obviously.
* Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan: [[spoiler:Otto Octavius gains Peter Parker's memories and experiences through their FreakyFridayFlip.]]
* At one point in a ''Green Lantern'' story Kyle Rayner is forced to use Hal Jordan's ring on loan. Jordan's willpower is so strong, it imprinted on the ring, which impacts Kyle's demeanor as long as he uses it.

* In the ''VideoGame/KanColle'' fanfic ''FanFic/{{Eternity}}'', the small part of a Ship Girl's soul remains in their original steel hull, which is what gives the abyssyfied sunken ships their anti-shipgirl properties.
* In the crossover fanfic ''Fanfic/MyLittleDenarians'', Harry Dresden giving each of the Mane Six (technically Outsiders in this setting) a piece of his soul is what protects them from [[spoiler:Discord]]'s meddling with their show's script back on Earth by endowing them with human-style free will. (And earns Harry a "{{what were you thinking}}?" reaction from [[spoiler:the Gatekeeper]] when the latter learns of it.)
* In the ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''/''Literature/TheHobbit'' FusionFic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11852303/1/Rise-of-a-Star-Knight Rise of a Star Knight]] this turns out to be a power possessed by Star Knights. [[spoiler:It's revealed that the reason why Pyrrha survived her canonical death is because Jaune unknowingly used the power when they kissed, and the part of his soul he left with her is protecting her from torture and mind manipulation. In turn, it's revealed that it also left part of her soul with him, and that the spirit Pyrrha he's been talking to throughout the story is actually a manifestation of it. And that it has a mind of its own, having a conversation with the real Pyrrha near the end of the story, before [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificing itself]] to save him.]]

* The Steve Martin/Lilly Tomlin film ''Film/AllOfMe''.
* ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'': Mechagodzilla becomes sentient as a result of [[spoiler:Ghidorah's remains]] hijacking and infecting him with [[spoiler:Ghidorah's consciousness remnants]], which in turn cause him to exhibit a KillAllHumans tendency [[spoiler:just like Ghidorah]]. The director and the film's novelization both indicate that rather than being a full-blown ManInTheMachine, Mechagodzilla's mind is a newborn personality born from consciousness FusionDance between [[spoiler:Ghidorah's mind]] and the Mecha's AI.
* In ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan '', Spock puts his mind into [=McCoy=].
-->'''Spock''': "Remember."

* ''Film/TheGreenMile'': John gives a "part of himself" to Paul. [[spoiler: And [[TeamPet Mr. Jingles.]]]]
* ''Film/ExorcistIITheHeretic'': Reagan has psychic powers as a result of her possession along with the spirit of Father Marrin.
* ''Film/Lifeforce1985'': The Space Vampire gave a part of herself to Carlson in order to understand humanity, resulting in a telepathic connection.
* ''Film/HighlanderEndgame'', after Duncan beheads Connor, he absorbs Connor's swordsmanship skills and perhaps a bit more judging by the morphing effect during the final fight were Connor's face is briefly seen over top of Duncan's.
* In ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster'', Freddy Krueger manipulates Kristen into giving her powers (which allow her to pull others into her dreams) to her friend Alice as she dies. This allows Freddy to use Alice's dreams to stalk new victims (he could previously only get at the ones whose parents killed him), and he starts killing off all her friends. It takes Alice a while to realize it, but a small part of each victim stays with her; she starts talking and acting like her dead friends and even develops some of their skills. This grants her [[TookALevelInBadass a level in badass]].
-->'''Freddy Krueger:''' You've got their powers, I've got their souls. [[BringIt Come on!]]

* Literature/HarryPotter [[spoiler: has a number of Lord Voldemort's powers as a result of this.]] The ''reason'' for this is only explained much later: [[spoiler:Harry became one of Voldemort's [[SoulJar Horcruxes]] when Voldemort tried to kill him as a baby.]]

** [[Creator/JRRTolkien J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s notes included the possibility that Morgoth had created the Balrogs and the Orcs out of the fragments of himself. There is some textual evidence for this. It is specifically noted that by the end of the war, Morgoth had become much weaker than he was initially, presumably due to spreading his soul too thin.

* Lash in the ''Literature/DresdenFiles'' is a copy of the fallen angel Lasciel, imprinted onto Harry's brain.
* In ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}'', hemalurgic spikes can confer upon their recipient a variety of abilities stolen from the person they were killed with, along with a fragment of their soul. [[spoiler: They also can damage the bearer's sanity and subject them to control or influence via allomancy or the powers of Ruin.]]

* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': Eric is badgered by a phantom of Dengel Tymh known as "Shadow Dengel" during the [[Literature/LoomingShadow second book]] after spending the first as Dengel's HeroicHost. Later on he absorbs [[spoiler: the scholarly aspect of Dengel known as "Grey Dengel" after raiding Dengel's lair in Ceiha]]. It is left ambiguous how much of either of them are genuine soul fragments and how much is Eric's memory of him. Either way, the latter certainly provides him with great magical knowledge and ability that formerly belonged to Dengel.

[[folder: LiveActionTV]]
* A FreakyFridayFlip episode of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' had a piece of Clark left in Lionel after the Snapback swap which cured him and redeemed his character.

** In the Hartnell-era story "The Savages", the Doctor encounters a civilisation which has eternal youth and great technological achievement through sapping life energy from an underclass. When he questions the morality of this they take him to the machine, drain his vitality and transfer it into a single test subject, who (unfortunately for him) ends up uncontrollably flipping in and out of a slightly garbled version of the Doctor's personality, memories and mannerisms as a result.
** In series one, a Dalek uses Rose's DNA (altered by her being a time traveler) to repair itself. However, this also causes it to lose its "purity" and begin acting in a more human manner. This [[DrivenToSuicide drives it to suicide]].
-->'''Dalek (horrified):''' You gave me life. What else have you given me?!
** In the fourth series finale of ''Series/DoctorWho'', "Journey's End", [[spoiler:Donna gets bits of the Doctor's mind mixed up with hers, and a part-human copy of the Doctor is created who has bits of Donna's mind]].
** In the novelisation of "Shada", the Doctor's plan to defeat Skagra (who has been stealing people's minds) is to build himself a psychic amplifier that allows him to channel the minds of everyone whose thoughts have been stolen. As he begins to lose control he finds himself flooded with memories belonging to all of the victims, and even ends up giving a passionate declaration of love to the woman one of the victims is in love with (fortunately, she knows who's really talking).
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'':
** John Crichton to Scorpius.
** Also Aeryn ending up with residual Pilot DNA might count, as it gives her an instinctive understanding of Moya's systems and the ability to interact with Moya in a way that previously only Pilot could.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
** Sheridan carried a piece of Kosh for a period after being literally TouchedByVorlons.
** Lyta Alexander was also touched by Vorlons, and on occasion served as a transport for fragments of Kosh and [[spoiler:his successor]].
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** Ben and Glory. It also demonstrated that it went both ways, unfortunately.
** Previously on ''Series/{{Buffy|the Vampire Slayer}}'', Willow suggests that perhaps The Master implanted a bit of himself onto Buffy. Xander refers to it as "Mystical Bad Guy Transference Thing".
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "The Offspring", Data transfers Lal's memory core into his neural net after her emotional overload. He is able to use a contraction for the first time afterwards.
* An episode of ''Series/EerieIndiana'' in which an ill girl fell in love with a risk-taking skateboarder. When he forgot to LookBothWays, he died and she [[HeartTrauma got his heart]] for the transplant she needed. She then proceeded to act like him, skateboarding recklessly and carving graffiti on the desks. Somewhat unusually for the show, this is treated as MaybeMagicMaybeMundane up until the end of the episode.
* Practically the premise of ''Series/MaxHeadroom''.

[[folder: TabletopRPG]]

* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'', ties all magic and the existence of "[[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve consensus reality]]" to the Avatar, a fragment of divine consciousness that exists in all humans. The "Sleepers" are mortals whose Avatars merely filter consensus through to define reality, whereas the mages have "Awakened" Avatars that allow them to twist reality to their liking. There are also a couple of merits (Twin Souls, Shattered Avatar) where your Avatar is part of a matched set.
* The titular ''{{TabletopGame/Exalted}}'' receive their powers through a "third soul" that effectively grafts itself onto their consciousness. Solars, Lunars, Sidereals, Abyssals and Infernals all receive these shards, and usually experience memories from the lives of past shard bearers. Alchemicals have Exaltations made of refined souls that are "installed" with them at creation. The only exception are the Dragon-Blooded, who usually receive the Exaltation through familial lines.
* The Illithids, aka [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Mind Flayers]], of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. They reproduce by inserting an illithid "tadpole" into the ear of a sentient humanoid. The tadpole then consumes the brain, commandeers the nervous system, and [[YouWillBeAssimilated converts the body into a new Mind Flayer]]. This isn't ''supposed'' to result in this trope, as the new creature retains no skills or memories from the old, but occasionally one will retain a habit from the host, like cracking its knuckles when nervous, or catch itself humming a tune the victim knew. Illithids try to hide this behavior, as one of their most legendary enemies was a human whose personality somehow survived assimilation completely intact and used their PsychicPowers against them, and they don't want to think it's possible for this to happen again.

[[folder: VideoGames]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', Zelda transfers her magical powers to Midna at a particular point in the game, which at the end [[spoiler:allows Ganon to possess her]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'':
** When [[spoiler:Chidori dies saving Junpei from certain death]], he gets a small piece of her life-essence. In-game, this translates to an automatic ability that recovers a small amount of HP.
** And in a reverse instance: after spending ten years [[spoiler:sealed inside the Main Character, the Appraiser of Death gained enough humanity]] to become sympathetic to their plight, giving them a [[RedPillBluePill choice]] about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, and [[spoiler:being rather benevolent and supportive for an EldritchAbomination about to bring about death to them and everyone on the planet]].

* The entire first half of ''VideoGame/TalesOfHearts'' is about what became of the various fragments of Kohak's soul. An astronomer absorbs her fear, causing him to fear that the moon is falling; an artist absorbs her doubt and thinks everyone is out to cheat her; a noblewoman absorbs her sadness and wants to commit suicide, etc.
* In ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'': Warwolves, Galaxy troopers, and Void Hunters are made by implanting a Nictus fragment into the body of a human being. These fragments are the remains of a deceased Nictus and are shown to still have a life of their own.

** ''Crown of the Old Iron King'' has Nadalia, the Bride of Ash. Like [[spoiler:Nashandra]] and Elana before her, she too possesses a shard of [[spoiler:Manus' soul]], made even more explicit as [[spoiler:Vendrick mentions the Father of the Abyss if you clear the DLC and visit him again]]. ''Unlike'' her "sisters", [[spoiler:the poor thing stumbled upon a kingdom long abandoned, forcing her to give up her physical body and turn into black ashen fog, her essence animating various armours in order to defend her newly established home.]]
** ''Crown of the Ivory King'' has Alsanna, the Silent Oracle, who [[spoiler: is the exception that proves the rule, instead. Like her sisters, she's a shard of Manus, namely, his fear. However, when the Ivory King gave her true love and compassion, he successfully allayed said fears and calmed Alsanna, shifting her loyalties towards the King instead of taking the same path as Nashandra did. Ultimately, Alsanna is the only thing holding back the flames of Lost Izalith, and her main concern after {{Mercy Kill}}ing the Burnt Ivory King is rescuing the souls trapped in the Old Chaos.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' reveals that [[spoiler:Flemeth]] got her power from a fragment of [[spoiler:the dead elven goddess Mythal.]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/TwoKinds'': After Natani's soul was fragmented by an evil mage, a piece of his brother's soul was used to hold the remnants together. [[spoiler:Because one of the missing soul-fragments was Natani's gender identity, "he" thinks of himself as male, despite being biologically female--and does his best to ensure everyone else does, too.]] Though more and more people seem to be finding out the secret.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Godslave}}'' Anpu, better known under his Greek name of "[[Myth/EgyptianMythology Anubis]]", placed a fragment of his [[AnatomyOfTheSoul Ba]] into Edith so she could defend him. It gives her SuperStrength and an instinctive knowledge of fighting. In addition, being a god Anpu originally had nine Ba, but the other eight were removed when the other gods sealed him in a canopic jar, naturally he would like Edith to find them.

* ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'': The Space Vampire gave a part of herself to Carlson in order to understand humanity, resulting in a telepathic connection.

** Morgoth's right-hand-man and ultimate successor, Sauron, did split off part of himself to make [[ArtifactOfDoom the One Ring]]. This part of Sauron will attempt to overwrite the personality of anyone using the Ring, and eventually, anyone in the general vicinity.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'':

* A FreakyFriday episode of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' had a piece of Clark left in Lionel after the Snapback swap which cured him and redeemed his character.

** [[Creator/JRRTolkien J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s notes included the possibility that Morgoth had created the Balrogs and the Orcs out of the fragments of himself. There is some textual evidence for this. It is specifically noted that by the end of the war, Morgoth had become much weaker than he was initially- presumably due to spreading his soul too thin.
** Morgoth's right-hand-man and ultimate successor, Sauron, did split off part of himself to make [[ArtifactOfDoom the One Ring]]. This part of Sauron will attempt to overwrite the personality of anyone using the Ring- and eventually, anyone in the general vicinity.

* The entire concept of 'Six Princesses Fall in Love With God Guardian' revolves around the reincarnated protagonist, Lloyd, trying to locate his former liege, Arsmeria, whose's soul had somehow split to six princesses from different kingdoms. Lloyd eventually meets them but unaware of their identities.

* In ''Literature/InvadersOfTheRokujyouma'', the Goddess of Dawn split herself into nine girls to be with Koutarou, each bestowed with unique powers and traits from herself. At the end of the main story, the nine girls merged to form back the Goddess of Dawn.

* In ''Literature/InvadersOfTheRokujyouma'', the Goddess of Dawn split herself into 9 girls to be with Koutarou, each bestowed with unique powers and traits from herself.

* The entire concept of ''Six Princesses Fall in Love With God Guardian'' revolves around the reincarnated protagonist, Lloyd, trying to locate his former liege, Arsmeria, whose's soul had somehow split to six princesses from different kingdoms. Lloyd eventually meets them but unaware of their identities.

** The entire concept of ''Six Princesses Fall in Love With God Guardian'' revolves around the reincarnated protagonist, Lloyd, trying to locate his former liege, Arsmeria, whose's soul had somehow split to six princesses from different kingdoms. Lloyd eventually meets them but unaware of their identities.

* During the DC Comics storyline ''ComicBook/OurWorldsAtWar'', Franchise/WonderWoman rallies the other Amazons and ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} in helping {{Superman}} push Warworld into a Boom Tube to the beginning of time. When it's all said and done, Wondy tells Darkseid that she infected him with a piece of her soul, forever a reminder that if he does something nice, it's because a piece of her was in him. Didn't last, obviously.

[[folder:Film]]

* An episode of ''Series/EerieIndiana'' in which an IllGirl fell in love with a risk-taking skateboarder. When he forgot to LookBothWays, he died and she [[HeartTrauma got his heart]] for the transplant she needed. She then proceeded to act like him, skateboarding recklessly and carving graffiti on the desks. Somewhat unusually for the show, this is treated as MaybeMagicMaybeMundane up until the end of the episode.

* In ComicBook/TheNewUniverse comic ComicBook/StarBrand, anyone who has the Brand transferred to them or is healed by the current wielder of the Brand will eventually have it completely manifest in them.

* In ComicBook/TheNewUniverse comic Star Brand, anyone who has the Brand transferred to them or is healed by the current wielder of the Brand will eventually have it completely manifest in them.

* At one point in a ''Green Lantern'' story Kyle Rayner is forced to use Hal Jordan's ring on loan. Jordan's willpower is strong, it imprinted on the ring, which impacts Kyle's demeanor as long as he uses it.

If the two characters are enemies, expect a NotSoDifferent speech at some point. May result in {{Synchronization}}.